Chapter 473: The relatives are quite numerous

Feng Zhou pointed at the blueprint: "The watchtowers here change guard every two hours, and each time the guards change, the patrolling soldiers pass by the gunpowder depot once."

"I have already mixed into the gunpowder fuses wrapped in phosphorus that ignite on contact with fire and burn extremely fast."

"If one spot ignites, the other three will follow and explode."

"However, the amount of gunpowder is huge; if all four spots explode, everything will be reduced to ashes, including where we are now."

Xiao Ningyuan frowned: "So much gunpowder?"

"Yes." Feng Zhou nodded, saying, "All that gunpowder is what I needed."

"I told them I had already developed an extremely powerful weapon; once successful, it could be continuously supplied to the military, so I stocked this much gunpowder in the manor."

"I was waiting for the right moment, and then you arrived."

Xiao Er asked: "How many craftsmen are there here?"

"Thirty-one, not all from the private workshop; there are also craftsmen they hired from elsewhere."

Tuan Tuan asked: "What about Cai Guangteng? When you were captured, he came to the Prince's Mansion several times begging your father to save you; he's a good person."

Feng Zhou smiled: "Don't worry, he's not here; after the Prince Chen and Qing Wang entered the capital, I had him feign illness and go home."

"I'm in charge, I definitely can't leave. His family only has an elderly mother; if something happens to him, what would become of the old lady?"

Tuan Tuan relaxed: "Feng Zhou, you're really kind!"

Xiao Ningyuan whispered: "Tuan Tuan, can you ignite the gunpowder?"

Tuan Tuan lifted her chin, proud: "Of course I can! Big brother."

Feng Zhou turned pale: "Tuan Tuan go? No way! Absolutely not!"

Xiao Er patted his shoulder: "Don't worry, the young lady can do it without going inside."

Feng Zhou was full of doubt, but seeing everyone calm, he hesitated a moment and then didn't ask further.

Xiao Ningyuan said: "As long as we can secretly take these thirty-one people out of here, we can blow up this armory."

Lu Qi frowned: "This is too difficult; even if we manage to rescue all these people, where would we settle them?"

Feng Zhou thought: "We can go to the Charitable Estate. It's full of coffins and corpses; if anyone comes to investigate, we can hide in the coffins and pretend to be dead."

"Once Chen Manor is blown up, Qing Wang will surely think we were also blown up."

"He won't have time to look for you, and may not even think to search for us."

Tuan Tuan nodded firmly: "You're right."

Xiao Ningyuan: "……"

Xiao Er and Lu Qi: "……"

That makes perfect sense, though it sounds a bit strange.

Just then, a faint rustling came from the corner of the wall; Tuan Tuan turned her head: "Eek! A mouse!"

Feng Zhou quickly rose: "Alliance Chief, don't be afraid; mice are common here and aren't afraid of people—I'll go chase it away."

"Wait!" Tuan Tuan shouted, her big eyes shining: "Big brother, can I let the mouse help us?"

Xiao Ningyuan blinked, then guessed the idea: "Great idea! Let the mouse disturb the guards; when people inside ask, they'll surely think nothing of it."

"Let's seize the opportunity; there aren't many guards here, taking them down isn't hard, then we can let the craftsmen escape."

Tuan Tuan clapped her hands: "Big brother, you're so clever! The mice also have families—let them flee for their lives too."

Xiao Er praised: "Great idea!"

Lu Qi kept nodding: "The young lady's mind is really sharp!"

Feng Zhou listened, feeling confused: "The idea isn't bad, but how could we possibly pull it off……"

Before he finished speaking, Tuan Tuan had already rushed over to the mouse and squatted in front of it.

That mouse was large-bodied, raised its little head, and its pair of shiny black eyes looked at her.

Tuan Tuan spoke softly: "Little mouse, is your family here?"

The mouse stood up, placed its two forepaws together, and chirped at Tuan Tuan: "Squeak-squeak, squeak-squeak-squeak."

Tuan Tuan's little head nodded slowly, listening intently, occasionally uttering "hmm-hmm."

She turned her head, solemnly said: "It says they all live here as a big family—father, mother, second uncle, third uncle, aunt and uncle, plus seven sons and five daughters!"

"They have more relatives than we do!"

The room fell silent for a moment.

Xiao Ningyuan's mouth twitched.

Xiao Er silently turned his head away.

Lu Qi lowered his head to study his own saber.

Feng Zhou opened his mouth, and after a while found his voice: "This mouse…… has quite a complete set of relatives."

Tuan Tuan chirped at the mouse: "Squeak-squeak, squeak-squeak-squeak," then whispered something.

The mouse twitched its whiskers, replied with a long string of "squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak," flicked its tail, and "sneak" slipped back into the crack in the wall corner, disappearing.

Feng Zhou stared, eyes almost popping out: "This this this, can it really make sense?"

Tuan Tuan stood up, her eyes crescent-shaped: "I've come to an agreement with them!"

"Let them and their families, plus their relatives and friends, all come out to cause trouble for those guards."

"After they're all down, then tell the hedgehogs, rabbits, and such here to all run away together—the farther the better—to find a new place to settle."

Having said that, she lifted her head to look at the adults, wearing a proud expression of "I've arranged everything perfectly."

Xiao Ningyuan rubbed his sister's head: "Well done, let's do it that way."

Xiao Er suppressed a laugh and cupped his fists: "The young lady is very thoughtful."

Lu Qi also nodded solemnly: "This way we can rescue the craftsmen and help these beings escape death—two benefits in one."

Feng Zhou: "……"

He glanced at Tuan Tuan, then at the other three with their matter‑of‑fact faces, and suddenly felt he had wasted these years.

Not long after, outside indeed erupted into chaos.

First came a few short cries.

"Where did all these rats come from?"

"Oh no, Mom! They're crawling all over my feet!"

"Quick! Grab torches! Burn them!"

The torchlight outside the window flickered wildly, casting shadows of the guards jumping and dodging.

Soon, a loud shout came from a distant outpost: "What's happening? Is there an attack?"

"No!" a guard shouted, out of breath, "I don't know where these rats came from! They're everywhere! We're dealing with it!"

"Hahaha! Rats?" the voice dripped with contempt, "A bunch of mice and you're in this state?"

The rat swarm scattered and ran, a few bold ones actually climbing up the guards' pant legs.

"Ow! It bit me!"

"Come help! There are too many here, I can't fight them off!"

"No time! I've got plenty too! Can't spare a hand!"

Shouts, trampling, and the whoosh of swinging torches all blended together.

Inside, Xiao Ningyuan listened intently, nodding at Xiao Er and Lu Qi.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi walked out of the door.

Lu Qi made a gesture; Xiao Er understood, nodded, and raised his hand to point at the roof.

In the next moment, he, together with the two guards at the door and the three brothers hidden in the darkness, leapt up lightly and perched on the eaves.

Lu Qi then drew the saber at his waist and darted out like a civet cat.