There is a god in the sky

Chapter 153 Split Operation 6

The dead man in the guest room was a scholar.

That room was originally reserved by Xiao Ji, but he left at the last minute, so the room became empty.

This was a top-class room, but the innkeeper, seeing that no one else was staying there, arranged for the scholar who came to stay that night to stay there. Little did he know that the scholar would become a scapegoat.

The scholar was murdered in the middle of the night, his throat was slit, and blood flowed all over the bed. His death was gruesome.

The shopkeeper's face turned pale, and he vaguely knew that he was the one who had caused the scholar's death.

"Surround the inn! No one is allowed to enter or leave!" Chen Shi ordered, and the officials guarded all the entrances and exits of the inn.

Officer Wu asked nervously, "Brother Chen, where...where did Lord Xiao go?"

He was unaware that Xiao Ji and Shen Lan had left the inn with the four merchants.

Chen Shi shook his head: "I don't know either, but the adults have their own plans. We just need to follow the original route."

Officer Wu looked at the scholar who lay dead with his eyes wide open, and felt a chill run down his spine. He had a feeling that he would be the next one to die.

He tugged at Chen Shi's sleeve and said, "Let's leave tonight; this case isn't under our jurisdiction."

"We need to check everyone in the inn first, otherwise what if the murderer harms someone else?"

"The murderer must have fled long ago after killing someone."

Despite this, Officer Wu still cooperated by calling the people in each guest room for questioning.

There were dead people and horses in the inn, and most of the guests were awake and willing to cooperate with the investigation for their own safety.

In the early hours of the morning, as dawn broke, the carriage and horse stables came alive with activity.

Xiao Ji stepped out of the room and saw the servants loading goods onto the truck.

The boss, Mr. Yang, who had been drinking with him last night, was now busy with his men, showing none of the suave and extravagant manner he displayed during their drinking session.

Upon seeing him come out, Boss Yang greeted him, saying, "Young Master Fu, the kitchen has prepared some food. Would you like some?"

Xiao Ji went over to help him hold the boxes on the car, nodded and said, "Then bring some, I'll pay the price."

"You're too kind. It's just some ordinary food, nothing much."

After washing up, Shen Lan took half a steamed bun and a bowl of dumpling soup from Xiao Ji, and then set off with the caravan.

Xiao Ji had changed into an ordinary cotton-padded jacket and a melon-shaped hat, and was sitting outside the carriage with his hands tucked in his pockets.

The driver was an old man who spoke a dialect, and the two of them talked in a way that neither of them could understand.

As the convoy left the town, they saw dust billowing in the distance as a horse team galloped towards them.

Boss Yang ordered the convoy to make way immediately, for such imposing manner must belong to soldiers.

If they were to collide with the warhorses, their weak mules and horses would certainly suffer.

Xiao Ji pulled down his hat, covering half of his face.

The people around him didn't suspect anything, just thinking it was because there was too much dust.

Shen Lan sat in the carriage and saw Fu Qingyan through the window, so she knew that this group had come to pick them up.

She lifted the car curtain and patted Xiao Ji on the shoulder, receiving a "shh" gesture from him.

Only after the group entered the town did she ask, "Why don't you recognize us?"

"They go their way, we go ours."

Upon hearing this, Shen Lan knew that there would be further dangers on the journey ahead.

"Are you scared?" Xiao Ji turned around and asked her.

Shen Lan smiled and lowered the curtain.

The coachman, who couldn't understand their language, joked, "You two have such a good relationship."

Of course, Xiao Ji didn't understand either, and replied, "Your driving skills are really good."

At the inn, the government officials took over, and Chen Shi and his group naturally failed to catch the murderer.

Without their horses, they were at a loss as to how to deliver the tribute to the capital, and in the end, they had no choice but to search the entire town for a horse-drawn carriage.

There weren't many horse-drawn carriages in the town, but there were plenty of oxcarts and donkey carts, all of which they had hired.

When Marquis Pingyang arrived in Chunfeng Town with hundreds of guards, he saw a group of officials pulling various carts.

Suiying was the first to run forward and ask Chen Shi, "Where is the master?"

"Lord Xiao parted ways with us." He secretly glanced at the man on horseback, feeling a sense of fear that made him unable to look directly at him.

Marquis Pingyang rode over on his horse, making a "clattering" sound.

He inspected the boxes in the car, used his gun to pry open the lids of several boxes, and asked, "Where is what you're talking about?"

Fu Qingyan honestly replied, "It's not here."

Marquis Pingyang looked at him with a smirk, took off his gloves, and poked his head.

"Very good, you've made something of yourself after your trip, actually colluding with outsiders to cheat me! Excellent!"

Fu Qingyan quickly explained, "Father, my cousin is really in danger. He must have run into trouble, which is why he separated from the other party."

Chen Shi recounted what had happened at the inn the previous night.

Indeed, if Xiao Ji hadn't left last night, he might have been the one who died.

Marquis Pingyang didn't care about any of that; all he wanted was that batch of gunpowder.

Suiying assured him, "Don't worry, Lord Marquis, everything will be delivered to you in full."

"That would be for the best, otherwise I don't care what your master's surname is, I'll beat you without hesitation!"

Marquis Pingyang turned and left, saying to the group of bewildered officials behind him, "Keep up, or I won't care if you fall behind."

Chen Shi guessed his identity and quickly told everyone to follow.

He was afraid of all the hardships and dangers along the way, but now that they had a powerful backer, they could finally stop worrying.

Suiying cupped his hands and said, "My lord, this humble servant has gone to find my master."

Marquis Pingyang waved his hand dismissively, completely disregarding Xiao Ji's life or death.

Of course, he didn't think Xiao Ji would get into trouble.

Compared to his foolish son, Xiao Ji was shrewd beyond his years.

After all these people left Spring Breeze Town, the talents hidden in the shadows emerged one by one.

Liao Chen snapped the neck of a man in black and threw the body into a stinking ditch.

The two men behind him seemed used to it and only spoke after he washed his hands.

"I say, young master, you've been following them for so long, and you're even cleaning up their messes. The question is, do they appreciate your good intentions?"

The man in black poisoned the horses at the inn last night, but was captured by Liao Chen as soon as he left the inn. Liao Chen tortured him all night but couldn't find out who was behind him.

And sure enough, the person still died.

Liao Chen had been following Shen Lan since Ji Yan Wharf. He even wanted to kill Magistrate Luo, but the two of them wouldn't allow it.

In their words, "Although we only obey the Lord's orders, Magistrate Naluo is a member of the Crown Prince's faction. Others can kill him, but they cannot."

If the Crown Prince finds out, won't there be infighting among them?

Liao Chen remained silent, put on his straw hat, and walked out of the alley, preparing to leave Spring Breeze Town as well.

"Master Liaochen, are we really going to Bianjing?"

"Ah."

"But……"

"Please make yourself at home, both of you."

After finishing his sentence, Liao Chen left on his own.

The two exchanged a glance and followed helplessly.

Their mission was complete, but their lord had no new tasks, so they decided to continue following the monk to prevent him from going hungry.

As Liao Chen walked along the road, he listened to passersby talking about the group of imposing soldiers he had just seen, and a hint of envy appeared in his eyes.

He remembers that his biggest wish when he was a child was to become a general.

He was very talented in martial arts. His master said that if he could use his martial arts skills to serve the court and defend the border, it would be worthwhile to have been trained by him all these years.

But he was destined to disappoint his master.

He was certain he would go to Bianjing, but he wasn't sure if he could even get out of that city.