Chapter 128: If not rebellion, then is it playing house with Bo Ye?

「This is a Green Jade Moonlight Glazed Wall~ worth a thousand taels~ don't smash it! 」

「A Blue Sea Ruyi Self-Ringing Bell~ one this size is enough to buy a whole estate in the city! 」

「Snow on Glazed Red Amber, one bottle is enough to live it up for a night on the Qinhuai River~」

The steward kept urging, 「Don't smash it, don't smash it~~~」

Ningjin Bo Liu Yunji, fuming, set down the red wine bottle in his hand.

Using the Crown Prince's tragic death as a pretext, Liu Yunji seized the lucrative assignment to raid Ju Bao Lou.

Bringing his household servants, he stormed into Ju Bao Lou with an imposing air, intending to smash things up as a show of force.

But everything here was valuable—every single item.

Whenever Liu Yunji wanted to smash something, his steward would object loudly.

These things really were worth a lot of money.

Even if he wanted to vent his anger, he couldn't smash silver.

After all, in these times, even father and mother weren't as dear as silver.

「Bo Ye~~~」

The steward found an enamel bamboo-pattern silver fire-starter, his face full of pain as he offered it, 「This fire-starter is cheaper, smash it instead. 」

Liu Yunji laughed in anger.

When he first entered, he was indeed furious, wishing he could tear down this Ju Bao Lou.

But the steward had stopped him again and again, his anger faded, and now he wasn't so angry anymore.

The steward was right; these things were all valuable.

Venting anger by smashing them was too wasteful.

「This fire-starter could fetch several shi of grain at least. 」

Liu Yunji skillfully fiddled with the fire-starter in his hand, then slipped it into his sleeve, 「Forget it, no smashing. 」

He glanced at the shop assistants subdued by the servants, 「Drag them out and beat them. 」

Indeed, compared to expensive goods, venting anger on people was much easier.

After all, in these times, people were worth the least.

Liu Yunji stood with his hands behind his back, carefully surveying the many exquisite goods in the Exhibition Hall.

Every item here represented a huge fortune.

「Too bad they can't all be moved home. 」

This time, the Meritorious Nobles acted together against the Eunuch Party's followers.

The good things in Ju Bao Lou would naturally be divided among the Meritorious Nobles.

Duke of Wei took the biggest share, and the rest would be divided among everyone else.

With so many Meritorious Nobles, Ningjin Bo wouldn't get too much.

He had shamelessly begged for the raid assignment before, just so he could now quietly pocket some good things.

All the Meritorious Nobles were watching; he couldn't go too far.

What to pocket required careful consideration.

He coveted that camera, but didn't know if Ju Bao Lou had one.

Outside on the street beyond the building, shrill screams came, which greatly satisfied Liu Yunji.

His son's grudge still had to be avenged.

Not a single person in this Ju Bao Lou, from top to bottom, could be left alive!

「Hmm? 」

Liu Yunji set down a bottle of exquisitely crafted Purple Jade Rose Dew that he had planned to take back to his favored concubine in his quarters.

The screams outside sounded a bit off.

This didn't sound like someone being beaten.

And in the screams, how did he hear a familiar voice?

It sounded like the cries of his own household servants.

「Save me~~~」

A shrill wail jolted Liu Yunji awake.

That was his personal attendant's tone!

In the past, when he had nothing to do and toyed with his attendant, it was just that tone.

Liu Yunji suddenly turned around!

What met his eyes was a Ningjin Bo household servant fleeing into the shop, a knife in his back as he collapsed to the ground.

Behind him, armored soldiers covered head to toe in iron armor, drenched in blood, strode in with drawn blades!

Liu Yunji stood stunned, his expression changing drastically as if he had seen a ghost.

This was Jinling City; where did these soldiers come from?!

He couldn't believe it, rubbing his eyes hard.

After rubbing his eyes and looking again, there were more and more soldiers before him, over ten surging into the building.

Armor leaves clattered, the clang piercing to the ear.

When the soldiers surrounded him, Liu Yunji's expression was one of not knowing whether to cry or laugh.

「You, want to rebel? 」

「Bo Ye, that's an interesting thing to say. 」Lin Dao walked in, coming straight to stand before him.

Removing his face armor, he looked down at him, 「We soldiers wear armor, hold sharp blades, and slash down your Bo household servants in the street. 」

"If not rebellion, then what, playing house with the Earl?"

"You—" Liu Yunji, seeing Lin Dao for the first time, suddenly understood the man's identity in an epiphany. "You are Lin Dao?"

"Jiao Lian."

An armored soldier stepped forward and handed over a walkie-talkie.

"This is 01, speak."

"The guards at Shangfang Gate have been controlled, and the various departments outside the city are entering."

Words came from the walkie-talkie: "Jiao Lian, please issue military orders."

Lin Dao pressed the walkie-talkie: "The Odd Soldiers Camp goes to Da Xiao Xiao Chang and the Firearms Camp, disarm and guard the city troops, and blockade the river."

"The Relief Soldiers Camp divides into two routes: one part goes to the riverbank to join the Jianghuai Guard and Jichuan Guard, blockading the river surface and all ferries."

"The other part seizes Xinjiangkou Daying and disarms the city troops."

"The Roaming Soldiers Camp blockades the entire city, controlling all city gates, armories, granaries, and key locations such as the yamen of each prefecture and county and the Zhongjun Dushu Fu."

"The Regular Soldier Camp blockades the Imperial Palace, takes all guard offices, and the first and second parts go to Wei Guogong Fu to rendezvous with me."

"The Zhongfu Ying guards the military camps' supplies and Bian Village outside the city, blockades the post stations and official roads, and occupies the meritorious nobles' Zhuang Yuan."

"From now on, the entire city is under martial law: entry permitted, exit forbidden."

Putting down the walkie-talkie, Lin Dao looked at Liu Yunji again.

At this moment, this Earl's face was as white as paper, shaking his head repeatedly: "Impossible, you're talking nonsense."

"How could you possibly have so many troops!"

This is Jinling City, under the eyes of so many people—how could Lin Dao possibly produce so many soldiers and horses?

He must be frightening himself!

In his terror, Liu Yunji did not pay much attention even to Lin Dao's Thousand-mile Voice Transmission in his hand.

Lin Dao only said three words.

"Yongwei Camp."

Liu Yunji realized.

He naturally knew about the Yongwei Camp.

But~~~

"The Yongwei Camp are all refugees who can't even afford food—where would soldiers come from?"

Just a group of refugees, staggering when they walk—can this even be called soldiers?

This is a fixed impression.

This is the impression of the meritorious nobles, but no one knows the true situation.

Lin Dao snorted, too lazy to explain to him.

Waving his hand, armored soldiers stepped forward; first a fist smashed into Liu Yunji's face, smashing his face into a bloody mess.

Then they raised a leg and kicked his knee, forcing him to kneel.

Immediately they grabbed his hair and held his arm, dragging him straight out the door.

Looking at the street, his household servants lay everywhere, fresh blood soaking the stone slabs.

Liu Yunji, mouth full of blood and teeth broken, suddenly realized like a stroke of enlightenment.

"The wealth earned from Ju Bao Lou—you used it all to raise soldiers?!"

Not quite right, but not far off~~~

"Hahahaha~~~"

Liu Yunji laughed, spraying blood foam: "Han Zanzhou, that eunuch dog, said you resemble Zhang Jiangling."

"I spit!"

"He's just a blind man!"

"You are clearly an old Slave, a bandit like Li Chuang!"

"Finished your last words?" Lin Dao frowned. "You talk too much."

He waved his hand, and an armored soldier yanked Liu Yunji's hair, lifting his neck.

An armored soldier on the side gripped his waist knife tightly.

Raised high, it fell heavily!

Lin Dao mounted his horse and glanced at the shopkeeper Tian Wen, trembling in the corner with a vacant look.

"Close the shop and wait quietly."

Turning his horse's head, he trotted forward: "To Wei Guogong Fu!"

Today was a feast belonging to the meritorious nobles.

The meritorious nobles within Jinling City had almost all gathered at Wei Guogong Fu.

Everyone was cheerful, laughing and talking as they discussed how to divide up Ju Bao Lou.

"That Lin Zihou, though hateful, is indeed a capable hand at running a business."

Someone proposed: "If he is willing to serve wholeheartedly, we might spare his life."

"It's not impossible to let him live."

"But first he must hand over the source of goods!"

What the meritorious nobles coveted most were those rare treasures in Lin Dao's hands.

Even one or two ordinary items were treasures that caused a huge sensation.

But in Lin Zihou's hands, they were like goods, available in any quantity, and he even started a wholesale business.

This was a hen that lays golden eggs!

Duke of Wei Xu Hongji sat with his eyes closed in a chair.

Listening to these fools' words, he curled the corner of his mouth.

Giving you some goods is already generous.

You actually dare to scheme against Huo Yuan?

This Grand Master finds it laughable; you are not worthy!

As for Lin Dao, Xu Hongji planned to win him over for his own use.

Judging by this person's actions, he is not a blockhead.

How many years can a guarding eunuch last?

Running to join the Eunuch Party is just a few years of glory before it ends.

Only by joining the Wei Guogong Fu is the right path.

Once Lin Zihou suffers in prison and the guarding eunuch cannot rescue him, he will surely understand who is the true master of Jinling City.

Then send a steward to win him over.

This is the key to the Great Gate of Gold Mountain.

It can only be said that Xu Hongji's thinking remains at an elementary stage, similar to female-frequency logic.

Everything is within the rules; follow the rules and you can crush all and do as you please.

He had never considered that Lin Dao was actually male-frequency in origin.

Rules?

What rules can male-frequency have?

With the army in hand, the world is mine.

Where blades and spears point, smash all rules!

"Grand Master~~~"

The steward of the Guogong Fu hurried forward.

He bowed and reported, "Many troops have arrived outside the residence."

Xu Hongji did not open his eyes. "Go ask who leads the troops."

"It's just catching a profiteer; three or five constables from Ying Tian Fu are enough. There's no need for them to steal credit and show loyalty."

"Have the accountant pay one hundred taels of silver and let them each go back."

The steward hesitated.

He wanted to say that the troops outside were suspicious, not like those of Jinling City.

After all, those people wore armor, their eyes fierce and violent; one look made one tremble with fear.

They were completely unlike the docile soldiers seen in the past.

After hesitating for a while, he still dared not offer further advice.

He trotted to the accountant's office, obtained one hundred taels of silver, and hurried out with several servants.

There were even more armored soldiers on the street outside.

As the steward came out, he saw the armored soldiers saluting a man in iron armor on horseback.

"Jiao Lian!"

"Wan Sheng!"

The sound shook like thunder, startling the steward so that silver spilled all over the ground.

A silver ingot rolled and fell beside the tall warhorse.

The steward instinctively looked at the person on the horseback.

His whole body was clad in dazzling iron armor, carved with cloud patterns, emitting a dark green and black glow.

A long white silk cape hung down, covering most of the horse's rump.

One hand held the reins, the other rested on the sword hilt; his posture was straight as a pine.

The iron-armored man turned his head; the mask was hideous, like the wrathful eyes of a vajra.

Cold sweat poured down the steward's forehead.

His legs went soft, and he knelt on the steps before the door.

These were definitely not soldiers of Jinling City!

Disaster has befallen the Wei Guogong Fu!

End of Chapter