Chapter 377

Cui Linyu's originally furious rage was suddenly doused as if by a bucket of cold water.

He calmed down.

Too calm!

"This isn't right. Not a single person, too smooth. We've fallen into a trap!"

Cui Linyu likewise felt a chill spread through his heart.

He had visited Su Qiao's residence several times before and always seen shadows of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

With such tight defense, how could there be no reaction now?

The entire courtyard was shrouded in darkness.

Even a fool would know now that they had definitely fallen into an ambush.

They just didn't know how the news had leaked, or if they could escape and survive.

Everyone who had burst into the courtyard felt their hearts drop into an ice cellar!

"Everyone, don't panic. Let's quickly prepare..."

Before he could finish speaking, the Embroidered Uniform Guard hidden in the shadows launched their attack.

Arrows flew like a swarm of locusts, their power greatly increased under the cover of the dark night sky.

Especially for the bandits holding torches in the night, they were nothing but live targets.

Screams of agony, panic, arguments, and weeping curses erupted, throwing Cui Linyu and the others into immediate chaos.

The ambushing Embroidered Uniform Guard rushed out amidst the confusion to hack and kill.

"Drop your weapons! Those who surrender will be spared!"

"Drop your weapons!"

"Surrender and live!"

The shouts had little effect.

Cui Linyu's group were true desperadoes, among whom were many death knights sent by Li Kangcheng to infiltrate Jingcheng.

Naturally, the Embroidered Uniform Guard's psychological warfare had little effect!

Seeing that these bandits truly intended to fight to the death, the Embroidered Uniform Guard brought out their ultimate tricks.

Cui Linyu and the others could not escape, trapped in the middle.

Furthermore, all the streets and alleys nearby were under the control of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Wucheng Military Office.

This meant that besides Su Fu itself, there were several blockade lines even on the periphery.

So Cui Linyu and the others could not break through or withdraw!

The sounds of battle at Su Fu continued for more than an hour.

Only then did the commotion inside Su Fu gradually weaken, leaving only scattered resistance.

It was estimated that it wouldn't take long to clean everything up completely.

Cui Linyu was naturally captured; he hadn't even had time to commit suicide before the Embroidered Uniform Guard beat him up.

"Alright, it looks like it's nearly done. Let's rest early."

Su Qiao did not go to see Cui Linyu immediately; instead, he went straight to sleep with Liu Rushi.

It was not until the next day when Ma Kui and the others came to report the results.

That was when Su Qiao felt interested enough to go see Cui Linyu.

"Mr. Su, not a single one escaped last night. Cui Linyu has been captured. We questioned some details; the people inside the city colluding with them did not escape either. They have all been caught."

"Where is Cui Linyu?"

"After we captured Cui Linyu, no matter how we interrogated him, he wouldn't speak. He only demanded to see you. His emotions were very frantic!"

Ma Kui finished speaking and stood aside.

Su Qiao lifted his teacup and took a slow, deliberate sip. "Alright, since he is so eager to see me, I will go see him."

He knew Cui Linyu was unwilling to accept defeat.

However, Su Qiao was also very disappointed in him, having originally thought he could hold out for a bit longer.

After all, at the beginning, he had seemed to have some brains and some depth.

Who knew that at the critical moment, or rather when under great pressure, he completely failed to withstand the pressure and failed to calm down.

Instead, he seemed to have lost his mind, acting with a heated head and gambling everything on a single throw.

He fell very easily into Su Qiao's trap, which was full of holes.

But regardless, this benefactor had sent Su Qiao quite a bit of money.

It was fitting to meet him one last time before he died.

So Su Qiao did not refuse; instead, he agreed. "Alright, since he insists on seeing me, I will make the trip."

"Mr. Su, are you going to the Imperial Prison?"

"Yes, make the arrangements."

"Yes!"

When Cui Linyu saw Su Qiao in the Imperial Prison, he was extremely emotionally agitated.

"You finally came, you great liar..."

Before his failure, Cui Linyu had not thought much; but after being locked in the Imperial Prison, in his despair, he quickly figured out the whole story.

From beginning to end, they had been exposed, lured by Su Qiao into falling for the trap.

Su Qiao actually wanted to ask him two questions as well.

"Hehe, you and I each serve our own masters; there's no question of deception. Besides, I recall our second meeting: you tested me, I revealed a flaw, yet why did you still fall for it?"

Su Qiao sat at the entrance of the iron-barred gate of the imperial prison, looking at Cui Linyu and asking curiously...

Upon hearing this, Cui Linyu's face darkened.

Su Qiao was right; he had indeed felt something was amiss at the time.

He became far more vigilant as a whole.

He even dispatched subordinates multiple times to investigate the situation.

Yet, Su Qiao was simply too extraordinary: he did not attend court, was not an official of the court, and barely interacted with the ministers of the court.

It was as if he were a shut-in, staying at home by himself.

Cui Linyu investigated for a long time but found nothing truly useful.

He merely confirmed that Su Qiao held high status and carried significant weight before Zhu Youjian.

Cui Linyu could find no other officials to bribe or contact.

Time was pressing, so naturally, he could only gradually place his bet on Su Qiao.

Su Qiao had indeed accepted money and helped with matters in the previous instances.

However, that assistance was deliberately performed for them to see.

After meeting Cui Linyu once, Su Qiao forgot him entirely.

And Cui Linyu revealed everything he knew.

In the end, he threw himself against a wall and died within the imperial prison.

"Have you packed everything?"

Su Qiao changed into a dark-blue brocade robe, specially made for him by Liu Rushi.

Once worn, it added a touch of nobility and martial vigor.

Today was the day they were to depart; with Cui Linyu's matter resolved, Su Qiao needed to head south to assist Sun Chuanting with the Maritime Trade Office and the guard posts.

Sun Chuanting and Lu Xiangsheng could be said to have been extremely busy in the south during this period.

They desperately needed the court to send someone.

Previously, Zhu Yuanzhang had appointed Su Qiao, and Zhu Youjian had agreed.

The news had even reached Sun Chuanting directly.

Sun Chuanting was simply waiting for Su Qiao to hurry over and help.

He had even written to Su Qiao to complain, hoping for his swift arrival.

After receiving Sun Chuanting's letter, Su Qiao naturally could not delay any further.