Chapter 29: Acting genius

"Brother, I knew you wouldn't leave me behind." Tang Zheng said eagerly, with a sincere expression, as if it wasn't him who had just cursed and thrown the wine pot.

"I misunderstood you before, it's my fault. Now I've figured it out. You must have deliberately let Zhou Yunqing and Li Sheng relax their vigilance, and then waited for an opportunity to save people, right?"

"No." Lin Zuo directly denied Tang Zheng's guess, then said: "Prefect Zhou asked me to ask you a sentence. He said that although you are bold, your original intention is to investigate the case, and you can be considered a man with responsibility and blood."

"What opportunity?"

"Impersonating the Embroidered Uniform Guard is a capital crime, but he can open the net and let you go." Lin Zuo said righteously: "The condition is that you must leave Zhenjiang Prefecture immediately, and you are not allowed to come back from now on, and what you have seen and heard in these few days is not allowed to be told to others. Do you agree?"

"Agree, agree, agree." Tang Zheng said repeatedly: "As long as I can get out, I agree to anything."

Lin Zuo didn't speak again, just opened the cell door with the keys in his hand. Tang Zheng rushed out all at once. At this moment, he breathed deeply, only feeling that the air was full of the fresh smell of "freedom".

Impersonating the Embroidered Uniform Guard is a capital crime. Originally, he already felt that he was dead, so he was listless for a while. However, the turning point of life came too fast. In less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, he had already walked out of the cell door, and the price was only to leave Zhenjiang Prefecture and keep his mouth shut about what happened in these few days.

Tang Zheng felt that he had made a profit. Even if Zhou Yunqing didn't make this request, he didn't want to return to this sad place of Zhenjiang for the rest of his life. As for what he saw and heard in these few days, even if he said it out, I'm afraid no one would believe it.

Besides, impersonating the Embroidered Uniform Guard is a capital crime. Even if someone held a knife to his neck, he wouldn't say it.

"Let's go." Lin Zuo said to Tang Zheng, then prepared to leave.

Tang Zheng was about to follow, but he looked back at Su Shanhe in the cell next door and suddenly hesitated.

"Brother, wait a moment." He suddenly pulled Lin Zuo's sleeve, then said: "Supervisor Su was also wronged, why don't you let him go too?"

And Lin Zuo just looked at Tang Zheng coldly: "You have such a sense of justice, why don't you go and suggest it to the Prefect?"

Tang Zheng was helpless and could only look at Su Shanhe apologetically: "Forget it... don't mention it..."

Lin Zuo turned and walked out of the cell. Tang Zheng had to follow. Su Shanhe's voice came from behind: "Commander, have a safe journey!"

……

After leaving the prison, seeing the sky above his head again made Tang Zheng feel like he had survived a disaster.

According to the agreement, he could leave now, but Tang Zheng looked back at the cell door that was closing behind him and couldn't help asking Lin Zuo: "Brother, how is Miss Su?"

Lin Zuo expressionless: "Don't know."

"Brother, if it's convenient, help me save her too." Tang Zheng said with a fawning smile: "Just treat it as helping your brother. Miss Su also has a friendship with you, right?"

"Not convenient." Lin Zuo just looked at Tang Zheng coldly: "Why don't you go into the cell and swap with her?"

Facing this suggestion, Tang Zheng could only smile awkwardly.

Seeing that Tang Zheng stopped talking, a trace of disappointment appeared in Lin Zuo's eyes, saying: "Ask you one last question."

"What?"

"If you were asked to break into that shipyard again and expose Li Sheng's conspiracy at the River God sacrifice ceremony, would you dare?"

"I..." Tang Zheng opened his mouth, not knowing how to answer.

Seeing Tang Zheng's appearance, Lin Zuo sighed lightly: "I shouldn't have asked. You go."

Tang Zheng: "Oh."

"Wait a moment."

Lin Zuo stopped Tang Zheng who was about to leave, then handed him a bundle he was carrying on his back, saying: "There is some travel money in here. Just do whatever you want in the future, don't impersonate the Embroidered Uniform Guard again."

Tang Zheng subconsciously caught it and nodded blankly.

"After leaving Zhenjiang Prefecture, just pretend that the people you met and the things you encountered before never happened, and forget them all."

"Good."

After saying this, Tang Zheng carried the bundle and turned to leave.

Lin Zuo stood in place, watching Tang Zheng's back go further and further away, until it disappeared.

Su Xiaoxi's voice suddenly came from the side: "Commander Lin, he is the son of Commander Tang Xiao you have been looking for?"

Lin Zuo: "Yes."

Su Xiaoxi: "So you let me cooperate with you in this play, just to test him?"

Lin Zuo: "That's right."

Su Xiaoxi frowned, seemingly hesitant, but then said: "Commander Lin, actually I think Tang Zheng is quite good, not as unbearable as you think. Why don't you bring him back to the Embroidered Uniform Guard and cultivate him well?"

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard is not so easy to be. It is both hard and dangerous. I gave him a chance, and this path was chosen by himself." Lin Zuo sighed lightly, then said: "Actually, taking some money and staying away from right and wrong, and living a stable life for the rest of his life, may not be a better ending for him."

Su Xiaoxi looked at Lin Zuo: "Do you really think so?"

Lin Zuo also looked at Su Xiaoxi and asked back: "What do you think?"

This time Su Xiaoxi bit her lip and didn't answer directly. After a while, she changed the subject and said: "Commander Lin, you promised me that if I helped you finish this play, you would release my brother."

This time, before Lin Zuo could answer, Zhou Yunqing's voice suddenly came from behind: "Releasing is definitely going to be released, but it's not time yet."

Su Xiaoxi turned her head when she heard this and saw that the person coming was Zhou Yunqing, and was full of surprise.

"Prefect Zhou, why are you here?"

"Of course it was agreed with Commander Lin." Zhou Yunqing smiled, then said: "In that battle ten years ago, the Japanese pirates and river bandits were severely damaged, so the people along the coast of Jiangzhe and the canal had a few years of stable days. But I didn't expect that these river bandits would make a comeback in recent years, and they have become more cunning than before. If we don't seize the opportunity to wipe them out, it will only be like a wild fire that cannot be burned out, and the spring breeze will blow again."

"A few days ago, Commander Lin found me and showed his identity. Since then, I have been cooperating with him to set a trap. I know that the group of river bandits is jealous of that ship of tribute, so I used this as bait to set a trap. Before closing the net, I must let Li Sheng relax his vigilance, so that the group of river bandits will obediently fall into our pocket."

Su Xiaoxi was surprised when she heard this: "So you knew long ago that Li Sheng colluded with the river bandits?"

Zhou Yunqing smiled: "I didn't know before, it was Commander Lin who told me later. I just followed the plan and played a play with him."

Lin Zuo smiled on the side: "Prefect Zhou played well."

Zhou Yunqing: "It all depends on Commander Lin's good design."

"There are still three hours until the River God sacrifice ceremony." Lin Zuo looked at the sunset in the sky and said: "If my guess is correct, they should choose to do it at that time."

Zhou Yunqing nodded: "I agree with Commander Lin's speculation. Then I will go to Jiaoshan Fort to prepare first?"

Lin Zuo: "Thank you, Prefect."

……

At the same time, in the abandoned shipyard at Xijin Ferry, Li Sheng sat alone on a chair, with Heipi and Datou on his left and right, but Abao was nowhere to be seen.

"Prefect Zhou said he was going to Jiaoshan Temple to worship the Bodhisattva. Did he go?"

"Already went." Heipi answered immediately: "Our people are guarding Jiaoshan Temple. According to your instructions, Boss, he watched the Prefect go up the mountain and then sent a signal."

"Good!" Li Sheng nodded and said to Heipi: "You go to the Grand Canal Defense Camp again and say that the Prefect has an order. In order to express respect for the River God, all patrol ships tonight must dock and anchor, and are not allowed to sail."

"Yes, Boss." Heipi replied and turned to leave.

Li Sheng looked at Datou again: "What did Yagyu Ichiro say?"

Datou: "Said he is waiting for your signal, Boss."

"Good. You go and notify Yagyu Ichiro now. The troublesome guys have all been cleared, and Zhenjiang Prefecture has no defense. Tonight, use firecrackers as a signal, and everything will be done according to the plan."

"Alright, Boss." Datou turned to leave. ===== CHAPTER 30 =====