Chapter 317

Reluctant Xu Zengyi was forcibly dragged out of the brothel by Chen Wuji.

After calculating the time, Wu Bu Yong and Qian Fugui should arrive soon.

As the saying goes, choosing a day is worse than bumping into one; since the Provincial Troops want to cause trouble for him, let's settle this matter tonight and see what they're really made of.

By the time the group reached the city gate, it was already a sea of torches.

Upon learning that Chen Wuji had arrived, Qian Fugui and Wu Bu Yong quickly descended the city wall to meet him.

"Deputy Commander!"

Wu Bu Yong clasped his fists in salute; the iron‑blooded and stern demeanor of a soldier was clearly visible on him.

If he doesn't speak, his appearance alone should make many people wary.

""Deputy Commander, you summoned us in the middle of the night—who are we targeting?" Qian Fugui's salute was somewhat perfunctory; his eyes gleamed like a wolf that had spotted prey, his face full of excitement."

Frankly speaking, Chen Wuji still finds it hard to believe that he would become someone who rejoices at the sound of war.

Chen Wuji bluntly uttered two words: "Provincial Troops!"

"I've heard that the Provincial Troops are suspected of mutiny and they want my head. Go find out who exactly wants my head."

"Received!" Qian Fugui gave a feral grin, clasped his fists firmly, leaned forward slightly, and asked, "Deputy Commander, should we kill them all?"

Chen Wuji was speechless, "They aren't Qiang People, so there's no need to dig a large pit. But since they're looking for trouble, we should give this lax‑disciplined bunch, who hold weapons yet don't know what it means to be soldiers, a proper lesson."

"Launch a surprise attack on the Provincial Troops' camp; kill anyone who resists."

Chen Wuji has never been a soft‑hearted person, and he fears no killing.

He had no background whatsoever; even as a mere hunter, he dared to face those bandits in the Zhao clan's lands who were raised on human flesh alone, let alone now.

This blade, he will thoroughly chop away the Provincial Troops' corrupt practices.

Replacing commanders only breeds mutiny and rebellion—who allowed them to develop such bad habits?

Who would dare to want troops like these?

"Here!"

Qian Fugui and Wu Bu Yong responded in unison, taking the order.

The Yíngzhù of the Yunan Militia, located behind the former West Market, occupied nearly one‑twentieth of the city's area.

Although not often used, it has all the necessary facilities, even a place for forging weapons.

Because of the special location of the southern Liu Jun of Shenxian Ling, the Court formerly placed great emphasis on the military strength of these six prefectures.

Nearly every county had the independent capacity to forge weapons and produce armor.

But those are things of the past.

Today's Yunan Militia can't even forge a simple knife, let alone produce armor.

Their equipment is basically what was forged before, plus a small amount shipped from the Court.

Countless torches and the heavy sound of footsteps shattered the tranquil night of Yunan City; the startled populace quietly lit lamps, then after peeking at the street's commotion, swiftly extinguished them and hurriedly hid their wives, children, and elders.

Chen Wuji's such a commotion was like a huge stone thrown into a tranquil lake.

Instantly, all factions, whether asleep or awake, were startled.

One by one, furtive figures slipped out from the mansions of the wealthy and furtively tailed Chen Wuji's retinue from afar.

Xiaoyu was among them.

He was like a nimble civet cat, darting swiftly across rooftops and alleys, all the way tailed to the Provincial Troops' camp; after a quick glance, he hurried back to the Ciji Zhai.

"Master, I've gathered the intel, but you definitely couldn't guess who's behind tonight's commotion." Xiaoyu pushed open Zhang Lao's door, unable to hide his excitement.

"Is that brat planning to take on the Provincial Troops?" Zhang Lao sat under the lamp perusing an old medical text, asking casually. His medical book was ancient; the bamboo slips were moldy and blackened, the characters barely legible.

Xiaoyu instantly lost interest, he hopped up and sat on the edge of Zhang Lao's high bed, swinging his legs, muttering, "You've already figured it out, so why make me go look?"

"I didn't guess it; you just told me." Zhang Lao said, "Go back to sleep; there's nothing going on."

Xiaoyu's eyes darted about as he chuckled, probing, "What if I go help my senior brother?"

"He's armed; why would you need to meddle? Go to sleep!"

"Oh……"

……

Chen Wuji's such a commotion stirred all factions within the city; as the one in charge of one side, Qin Feng naturally could not remain unaffected.

He didn't send anyone; instead, he brought Chen Xingyuan himself to have a look.

With a sword at his waist and a wine jug in hand, Qin Feng stood on a rooftop near the military camp in the West Market, like a transcendent, otherworldly sword immortal; even the coattails lifted by the night breeze carried an air of grace.

"Sir, why don't you come down? I really can't get up!" In the narrow alley, Chen Xingyuan looked up at Qin Feng on the rooftop and shouted helplessly.

Nominally he is the attendant brought out by the magistrate, but along the way, while the magistrate leaps over rooftops and walls, he can only pant and fumble through side paths to keep up with the magistrate's pace.

Qin Feng waved the wine jug at Chen Xingyuan, "Constable Chief, we're here to watch the show; watching a show naturally means standing on high ground—what could you see hiding below? Try to get up, you, a full‑fledged constable chief, can't even manage a single roof tile!"

Chen Xingyuan remained silent.

He truly hasn't practiced this kind of rooftop‑leaping skill.

Now it's probably too late to learn.

Helplessly rubbing his cheeks, Chen Xingyuan furtively stole a ladder from a nearby resident's home, then managed to climb onto the rooftop.

"This spot has a splendid view!" Qin Feng sat down on the rooftop, "I've brought this wine; I hope Deputy Commander Chen can provide a fine side dish to make up for disturbing my peaceful dream."

"Aren't you the least bit worried that Deputy Commander Chen might go overboard? He didn't leave a single captive among the six thousand Qiang People." Chen Xingyuan said.

Qin Feng tilted his head, "Does Constable Chief Chen distrust his own Family Head that much?"

"If I were to take off this uniform, I would never question or doubt the Family Head, but as I wear it, I am the constable chief and must consider more for the magistrate and for Yunan." Chen Xingyuan said calmly.

Qin Feng clapped his hands and laughed, "I like Constable Chief Chen's answer. However, as an official, whether I wear this skin or not, I trust Deputy Commander Chen's approach. This deputy commander was someone I forcibly placed in his hands—how could I doubt my own decision?"

"I stand corrected!"

Qin Feng passed the wine jug over, "The show's about to begin—take a sip first."

Chen Xingyuan didn't go to take the wine jar; instead, he stretched out his own right hand.

Qin Feng shook his head with a smile, poured some wine into Chen Xingyuan's palm, and muttered, "This makes even this official feel embarrassed to drink facing the jar."

……

Whether this play is good or bad remains unknown, but it has indeed begun.

Qian Fugui personally led Qian Yong and Wu Bu Yong's two troops, charging straight into the military camp.

Outrageously, this militaryLìng with six hundred soldiers had no one on duty at night, its gate wide open glaringly, just like the two women with half-undressed clothing in Xu Zengyi's arms earlier.