Chapter 439: Accomplish Everything in One Battle

Gu Su, Yan Huajie.

Jia Cong saw the woman carrying the load leave and had already stood up involuntarily, preparing to follow her to find out.

Just then, Jiang Xiao Liu brought Wu Maiqiao

Judging by their expressions, they must have uncovered some important information.

Jia Cong was distracted for only a moment, but when he looked back to the street to search for her, the figure of the woman carrying the shoulder pole had already vanished.

Unease rose in his heart, and as he replayed the woman's posture and mannerisms in his mind, he was almost certain of his guess.

At this moment, Jiang Xiao Liu had already sat down at the table, picked up a cup of tea filled to the brim, and downed it in one gulp.

He said: "Cong Sanye, Fifth Brother, this morning I went to the grain store that regularly delivers rice and grain to the Geng residence. The shopkeeper said that in the last two months, the Geng residence's demand for rice and grain has more than doubled compared to usual.

If it were only the female relatives of Geng Physician's family living in the inner residence, it would be impossible to have such a large consumption of food."

Wu Maiqiao, who was to the side, said: "Because the Luo residence and the Geng residence have always been on good terms, yesterday I found an excuse to talk to the Luo residence's housekeeper.

I managed to pry out of her that Geng Physician's wives and concubines usually use rouge and powder from the Jin Feng Pavilion in the city, and they have the Jin Feng Pavilion deliver fresh goods to the residence at regular intervals every month.

Then I went to the Jin Feng Pavilion to investigate, and after spending silver to buy some rouge, the shopkeeper finally told me that they hadn't delivered any new goods to the Geng residence for two months.

In these two months, it has always been the Geng family's housekeeper who comes to the shop to buy rouge and powder; they suddenly stopped having them deliver goods to the door."

Zhang Wu's expression was excited as he said to Jia Cong: "Cong Sanye, since the Jin Feng Pavilion hasn't delivered new goods to the Geng residence for two months, the Geng family's female relatives must no longer be living in the Geng residence, but rather in a separate villa.

Plus the Geng residence's grain consumption has doubled in these two months; there must be many men with large appetites in the residence. Zhou Zhengyang and his accomplices are most likely hiding in the Geng family's inner residence!"

Jia Cong pondered: "That is most likely correct. Arrange for men to keep the Geng residence under tight surveillance for these next two days. Luo Xiong hid a disaster-bringer like Zhou Zhengyang in the Geng residence, so he must have set up defensive measures.

You all keep a close eye on the movements around the Geng residence. By tomorrow night at the latest, we will sneak into the Geng residence's inner quarters to capture Zhou Zhengyang!"

……

Zhang Wu was startled upon hearing this and said: "My lord, although the current clues basically prove that Zhou Zhengyang is hiding in the Geng residence's inner quarters, we haven't seen him with our own eyes yet.

To act tomorrow night, isn't that a bit too rushed? Furthermore, including the men withdrawn from Changzhou, we only have twenty-some people.

It is said that Zhou Zhengyang has seven or eight trusted followers who escaped with him, and these people must all be experts from the Guard Army. If we encounter them in a night raid, our men might not have the advantage.

Moreover, we can't use all twenty-some men; we still need some people outside to arrange an escape route.

Once a commotion breaks out in the Geng residence's inner quarters, it will surely attract Luo Xiong's attention. The Su Zhou Guard has 1,500 men under its command; if the whole city is locked down, even if we capture the man, we won't be able to get out of the city of Gusu."

Jia Cong said: "How could I not know that acting tomorrow night is a bit urgent? But calculating the time it takes for the imperial edict from the Love Shenjing to reach Jin Ling, we don't have much time left.

Right now, the clues you have investigated give us at least a ninety percent certainty that Zhou Zhengyang is hiding in the Geng residence's inner quarters.

If you wait for ten percent certainty before daring to act on anything, you will miss every opportunity.

Besides, just a moment ago, I discovered something that makes me feel that the capture of Zhou Zhengyang cannot be delayed any longer."

Zhang Wu asked curiously: "What did you discover, my lord?"

Jia Cong asked: "You have likely already received the news that Miss Zou of the Office was assassinated at the Qinyin Pavilion."

Zhang Wu's expression was slightly solemn as he replied: "We have already received news from Jin Ling; the killer is the female bandit Shui Luo Sha, a subordinate of Liu Ao."

Jia Cong said: "When I first arrived at the Qinyin Pavilion, Miss Zou had not yet breathed her last, and I had faced Shui Luo Sha in person. Her appearance and figure are still fresh in my memory; I will never forget them.

Just now at the teahouse, I noticed a woman at the entrance of the Geng residence selling Gusu rice cakes. At first, I didn't pay any attention to her.

But when she stood up to leave, I noticed that she had a tall and graceful figure. How could a peasant woman from a poor background have such poise and an outstanding figure?

Although her complexion was sallow and there were no flaws at first glance from a distance, her figure and back were exactly the same as Shui Luo Sha's that day!

Moreover, when she picked up those two baskets of rice cakes, she appeared to do so without any effort, not even letting her shoulders sway, which revealed her flaw.

Even an ordinary man wouldn't be that relaxed and easy when picking up two baskets of rice cakes. How could an ordinary peasant woman have such strength and power?

I absolutely cannot be mistaken; this person is Shui Luo Sha in disguise!"

Zhang Wu's expression was shocked as he said: "Why would Shui Luo Sha appear here?"

Jia Cong said: "Shui Luo Sha is a killer. When she assassinated Miss Zou at the Qinyin Pavilion, it was precisely related to the Zhou Zhengyang affair.

Shopkeeper Xu once mobilized men to search all of Jin Ling for her whereabouts, yet she appeared in Gusu, and Zhou Zhengyang is hiding in Gusu. This is a bit too coincidental.

Her appearing near the Geng residence can only mean one of two possibilities.

One is to protect Zhou Zhengyang.

The other is that someone sent her to observe the situation, just like when she dealt with Miss Zou; once the situation turns unfavorable, she will kill to silence the witnesses in time!

This shows that someone in Jin Ling has sensed that we might be operating in Gusu, so they sent Shui Luo Sha over to take charge.

Facing such a situation, we cannot delay any longer; we must get Zhou Zhengyang into our hands as quickly as possible!"

……

Zhang Wu pondered for a moment and said in a deep voice: "What you say, Lord Jia, is very true. This matter should indeed be done sooner rather than later. I will immediately concentrate all our men and await your orders, Lord Jia."

Jia Cong said: "The twenty-some men you have on hand are all under your command; arrange the escape route out of the city.

For tomorrow night's raid on the Geng residence to capture the man, I have other men. Once we capture Zhou Zhengyang, he must be sent out of Gusu city immediately."

Zhang Wu was surprised when he heard this from Jia Cong and asked: "Lord Jia, didn't you come to Gusu alone this time? So you actually brought other men with you?"

Jia Cong smiled slightly: "The men I arranged had already entered Gusu in separate batches before I left Jin Ling, and now they are all settled in various places in the city.

Now that Zhou Zhengyang's whereabouts are confirmed, I have sufficient men at my disposal; you only need to be responsible for securing the escape route out of the city.

You are right; once we act tomorrow night, it is very likely to alert Luo Xiong. He will surely send a large number of men to counterattack, so once we capture Zhou Zhengyang, we must leave Gusu as quickly as possible."

Jia Cong then said to Zhang Wu with a solemn expression: "In addition, select a few capable men, take a large sum of gold, and go to the pier to find a boatman named Zheng Xiaohai.

Just say that I want to use his boat, and price is not an issue.

Have him park the boat at the place where I boarded last time. This matter is very important; whether we can take the man and leave Gusu by water depends entirely on this person."

……

The fifth day of the ninth month, ice melts and tiles crack, do not undertake major tasks, all things are taboo, highly inauspicious.

Early in the morning, Jia Cong woke up in the small courtyard on Bolan Street and saw the almanac placed on the stove; today does not seem to be a good day.

He tidied his clothes slightly, and after a short while, there was a knocking at the door outside, and the knocking would sound every so often.

By the time seven unfamiliar men had entered the courtyard one after another, a look of shock had already appeared on Zhang Wu's face.

This Lord Jia had actually, without a sound, brought so many men into Gusu. He had been with him all day yesterday and hadn't seen him send any messages to the outside.

How did these people receive the information and meet him here at almost the same time?

To be able to achieve this level, the arrangements for these people must not have happened in just these last two days.

No wonder he said yesterday that before he entered Gusu, his men had already entered Gusu in separate batches.

He saw that Jia Cong's distribution of tasks to these seven men was orderly and had the air of a battle formation.

Some were assigned to guard the intersections on both sides of Yan Huajie and were responsible for vigilance.

Some were responsible for meeting them at the entrance of the Geng residence and dealing with any reinforcements or obstacles that might appear.

Some were responsible for guarding the perimeter of the Zou residence to prevent anyone from escaping over the walls.

And others were responsible for following Jia Cong to storm the residence and capture the man.

Jia Cong even arranged for Jiang Xiao Liu to use the excuse of delivering rice and grain to tamper with the Geng residence's outer courtyard in advance.

Moreover, from Jia Cong's discussion with these people, Zhang Wu knew that each of these seven men commanded anywhere from a dozen to several dozen people; a rough calculation showed there were actually several hundred.

This truly gave Zhang Wu a fright. This Lord Jia had such a grand plan, actually being able to bring several hundred elites into Gusu city without anyone knowing.

And these people were placed in various locations within Gusu city. If there were no one familiar with the situation in the city to meet them,

it would be impossible to hide several hundred elites without revealing any flaws.

The more Zhang Wu thought about it, the more shocked he became. The Zhongche Office's daily work was already considered secretive, but this Lord Jia's way of doing things seemed even more profound and unfathomable.

……

Could it be that he had predicted today's events long ago and had actually operated such a large hidden force in Gusu city in advance?

This kind of force was large enough to accommodate hundreds of hidden men!

Just as Zhang Wu was shocked and bewildered by everything before him, Jia Cong said to him: "Brother Zhang Wu, this afternoon you and Xiao Liu go together to deliver rice and grain into the Geng residence's outer courtyard.

After the Shen hour (3-5 PM) passes, leave a new mark at the place where the Zhongche Office's mark was originally left.

If Chen Kuishan is also hiding in the inner residence at this time, I hope he can see the mark and be prompted to cooperate with us.

In addition, after the Shen hour, temporarily detain and guard anyone leaving the Geng residence to avoid leaking the news."

Zhang Wu understood after hearing Jia Cong's words.

Chen Kuishan had been away from the Zhongche Office for too long; what was the reason he didn't pull himself out in time, but instead followed Zhou Zhengyang in his escape?

As a secret agent planted by the Zhongche Office in the Jin Ling Guard, being able to gain Zhou Zhengyang's esteem showed that his mind and methods were not ordinary.

If he and Zhou Zhengyang were not accomplices, why did he follow him in his escape for so long without sending out news of Zhou Zhengyang, only leaving the Zhongche Office's mark at the final hiding place, the Geng residence?

If Jiang Xiao Liu and the others hadn't happened to investigate the Geng residence, outsiders would never have been able to discover this mark.

No one knew the real reason for this.

Whether Chen Kuishan was still reliable was also a toss-up.

Jia Cong assumed Chen Kuishan was trustworthy, so he had him leave the Zhongche Office mark in the outer courtyard during the Shen hour, hoping to prompt Chen Kuishan to coordinate from the inside.

But he also guarded against the possibility that Chen Kuishan had already turned traitor and was in cahoots with Zhou Zhengyang, which is why he would secretly control those leaving the Geng residence after the Shen hour to prevent Chen Kuishan from tipping off the outside.

And with the sufficient manpower Jia Cong had at his disposal, he was fully capable of doing this.

Zhang Wu understood this point, and added to Jia Cong's previous coordination and arrangement of his subordinates, he couldn't help but be secretly shocked by his meticulousness.

Although this Lord Jia was young, his intelligence and depth were truly something to be wary of. It was no wonder that at such a young age, he had already accomplished so many great things and climbed to such a prominent high position.

……

The fifth day of the ninth month, just past the Zi hour (midnight).

Deep into the night, Gusu city shed the noise of the day, as if in a deep sleep, with all sounds hushed.

An elderly night watchman patrolled the silent Huayan Street, the watch barrel emitting a monotonous and melodious sound.

He called out weakly: "The weather is dry, beware of fire and candles, bandits and thieves avoid, the country is prosperous and the people are at peace."

The withered and desolate voice echoed through the streets and alleys, becoming the only sound in the pitch-black midnight.

The old watchman suddenly discovered that at the intersections on both sides of Huayan Street, many dark figures appeared, walking rapidly along the walls on both sides of the street, moving quickly toward the center of the street.

And the dark shadows emerging from the intersections were endless; all of a sudden, there were too many to count.

These people all held sharp blades in their hands, and a few people even carried long, strange objects on their backs.

They didn't look like ordinary bandits at all, and the number of people was too many to count.

The old watchman was so scared that his legs went weak. Could it be the Japanese pirates from along the river who had secretly entered Gusu city?

According to common sense, upon discovering this situation, as a watchman, he must beat the watch barrel to give a warning.

But both sides of the street were blocked by people. If he made a sound at this time, how would these thieves let him go? It would just be a dead end.

Just as the watchman was panicked and at a loss, he received a heavy blow to his shoulder and neck and fainted on the ground very cleanly, which also saved him from his worries.

The dark shadows emerging from both ends of the street quickly approached the residence of Geng Physician in the middle of the street and stopped at the walls on both sides of the residence gate.

Two barks came from the Geng residence; it seems the dogs had sensitive hearing and had been alerted by the movement outside the residence.

But soon, whimpering sounds from the dogs came out, and after that, there was silence.

……

Although those few barks were not loud, they still alerted something.

Two houses across the street from the Geng residence suddenly opened their courtyard gates, and six or seven people rushed out, each with a nimble figure and holding blades.

When they saw the dark mass of figures at the entrance of the Geng residence, just as they were about to scream, they were aimed at by more than a dozen firelocks.

Two of them intended to resist, but were quickly hacked to the ground by two blades from behind, and the remaining people had their blades removed and stood there stiffly in terror.

They could all see that these people acted nimbly, killed cleanly and efficiently, and were merciless; they were not ordinary bandits at all, but military men like themselves.

Soon, someone found the Su Zhou Guard waist tokens on them.

"Battalion Commander, these people are the secret agents Luo Xiong arranged to guard the perimeter of the Geng residence."

The man called Battalion Commander said coldly: "The Count has ordered that if news of today's events leaks, the Su Zhou Guard will be coerced by others, leading to rebellion, and we might not be able to get out of Gusu city.

In extraordinary times, use extraordinary methods. Since they are acting for Luo Xiong, hmph! Don't use guns!"

Before the Battalion Commander's voice had faded, those few Su Zhou Guard secret agents hadn't fully reacted before someone from behind swiftly struck with a blade, instantly beheading all the remaining people.

At this moment, the Geng residence's main gate was opened, revealing the figure of Jiang Xiao Liu.

This afternoon, he and Zhang Wu had brought a few men, disguised as grain store workers, and delivered the rice and grain ordered by the Geng residence into the residence.

By the time they left the residence, Jiang Xiao Liu didn't leave, but instead found a place to hide in the outer courtyard.

The Geng residence's outer courtyard steward signed the delivery contract from the grain store, and everything was no different from the grain store's usual operations.

That steward was just an ordinary person and didn't care that the grain store workers had changed faces, nor did he have the habit of counting the number of people delivering grain at any time.

Naturally, he couldn't discover that someone had taken the opportunity to hide in the outer courtyard.

……

Not long after the Zi hour passed, Jiang Xiao Liu heard the dogs barking in the residence and knew that the matter had already begun.

He threw the meat-paste medicine cakes he had prepared in advance, knocked out the guard dogs kept in the Geng residence, and smashed the gatekeeper and servants who came to investigate.

Jia Cong saw the heavy black-oiled main gate of the Geng residence being slowly opened, but his heart did not feel the slightest bit of relief.

Although many clues investigated earlier could prove that Zhou Zhengyang was hiding in the Geng residence's inner quarters, as long as he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, there would be variables.

It was just that the days for the imperial edict from the Love Shenjing to reach Jin Ling could be counted on one's fingers, and he could not afford to hesitate or delay.

Just as he said to Zhang Wu, as long as there is a ninety percent certainty, it is enough to go all out!

He waved his hand at the men hidden on both sides of the residence gate, and the dark mass of people surged into the Geng residence like a tide.... (End of chapter)