Chapter 42: Dawn Raid

At the hour of Geng, the Qi Prince’s palace garden was shrouded in dim darkness.

In the silent, pitch-black small chamber, only four-colored lanterns glowed, illuminating the space clearly.

After a while, four shadowy figures stood motionless.

Ma De raised his head slightly and spoke coolly: “Are all of you prepared?”

The three black-clad men said nothing, only nodded firmly.

Ma De grunted: “Your target tonight is the newly arrived Imperial Commissioner, Jiang Mingyu.”

“The Qi Prince has promised: if successful, you’ll receive three thousand taels of silver and flee to Jiuli, never to be seen again.”

“If you capture Murong Yunhai and Tukesiluo alive, the reward increases to one thousand taels.”

Ma De’s eyes flashed a warning: “If you have any doubts, speak now. Do not fail the Qi Prince’s mission—otherwise, the consequences are yours to bear.”

The three shadowy figures remained silent and tall, nodded, and slipped away quietly, vanishing into the night.

Watching the cold-faced Qi Prince, Ma De spoke softly: “Your Highness, the men have departed.”

The Qi Prince nodded: “This matter is critical—the fewer who know, the better. Understood?”

Ma De’s lips curled in cold amusement: “Dead men don’t talk. Once Jiang Mingyu is dead, the three of you become useless.”

“No one else knows of this. Rest assured.”

After he turned to leave, the Qi Prince’s gaze grew colder still. He murmured: “No. There’s still one more.”

"Murdering a court official is a grave crime; only when you're dead can I finally rest in peace."

The lanterns in the small chamber flickered out silently; all sound vanished, the silence suffocating.

In the howling wind, the lanterns of Shangmu County’s yamen were barely visible.

As the black-clad men left the Qi Prince’s palace, Murong Yunhai and Tukesiluo, their faces covered in black cloth, were already ready.

Tonight, Tukesiluo had swapped his waist knife for a longsword Jiang Mingyu had never seen before.

The sword was ancient in design; Jiang Mingyu had studied many weapon manuals—he knew at a glance this was no ordinary blade.

Fortunately, he didn’t dwell on it. The three exchanged glances and slipped quietly out the yamen’s main gate.

The soldiers guarding the East Gate had never seen Jiang Mingyu, but they recognized his official token.

Jiang Mingyu and his companion took two horses from the guards, rode out of the city, and headed east straight for the infamous Qinglong Zhai .

Amid the howling cold wind, Tukesiluo still felt uneasy: “Sir, you shouldn’t have come. It’s too dangerous.”

Jiang Mingyu’s face cloth fluttered slightly—as if he smiled: “Do you know why I chose this moment to act?”

“We set out at the third watch; by the time we reach Qinglong Zhai , it’ll be the fourth watch—the coldest hour of the day.”

“Everyone’s huddled asleep, sheltering from the wind. Perfectly safe.”

“You raid the bandits; I keep watch. Move fast, finish quick—no risk.”

“Enough talk. Time’s wasting. Go.”

He cracked his whip, spurting forward several zhang. Murong Yunhai and Tukesiluo sighed, gave a soft cry, and chased after him.

In the darkness, Qinglong Zhai loomed like a giant black bun; the faint lights on the hillside must be the bandits’ stronghold.

The two studied the map extracted from Liu Tianyu’s mouth for a long while, then wound their way up the mountain through twists and turns.

The mountain wind grew fiercer; Jiang Mingyu grew tense. If the bandits were still awake, trouble would follow.

The facts proved he’d overestimated their vigilance—before the empty gate, not a single soul stirred.

A dying bonfire glowed in the courtyard; snores drifted on the wind into Jiang Mingyu’s ears.

Jiang Mingyu pointed to a small dirt pit nearby, whispering low: “Go. I’ll hold position here.”

“Whistle as a signal—if anything’s wrong, retreat immediately.”

Murong Yunhai and Tukesiluo said nothing. They signaled him to hide, then glided soundlessly over the gate and into the courtyard.

Jiang Mingyu dared not delay. He crept carefully into the pit, alert to every rustle and breeze.

Roughly the time it takes to finish a meal passed.

The wind scattered the clouds, revealing a sliver of new moon. Jiang Mingyu nervously pulled his coat tighter: “It’s the fourth watch—why aren’t they out yet?”

The only thing calming him now was the complete silence from the Zhai —no news was good news.

Just as he was about to blow on his hands to warm them, he noticed the black smudge on his palms—and tiny black flakes.

Under the moonlight, Jiang Mingyu carefully examined the black residue on his hands and the dirt pit around him.

A wave of overwhelming joy crashed over him: “This is pure luck—I never expected this.”

Shangmu County, Qi Prince’s palace.

The Qi Prince’s face was dark and suspicious: “What do you mean? Jiang Mingyu isn’t there?”

One of the three black-clad men bowed to the Qi Prince: “My lord, that’s correct.”

“We searched the entire yamen. Jiang Mingyu was gone—and so were Murong Yunhai and Tukesiluo.”

“Only a thin man remained on guard. We didn’t dare delay—we’ve come straight back to report.”

The Qi Prince’s expression turned grim. He glanced sharply at Ma De: “What’s going on?”

“Did Jiang Mingyu get wind of this and flee overnight?”

Ma De tensed: “Impossible. Only the five of us knew.”

The Qi Prince sneered: “Who’s to say someone didn’t become a traitor to curry favor with Jiang Mingyu?”

“Hearts are hidden behind ribs—what do you say?”

He stretched out the final words, their meaning unmistakable.

A sudden gust of wind howled through the door. The four men by the fire all shivered.

Anyone could see—the Qi Prince had decided to kill.

Ma De was about to speak when a soldier, wrapped in the cold wind, burst in.

He didn’t notice the tense atmosphere. He bowed to the Qi Prince: “My lord, news.”

The Qi Prince glared: “Speak quickly. No wasting time.”

The soldier, confused but dared not delay, said: “Report from Dongcheng: the new Commissioner Jiang, accompanied by Murong Yunhai and Tukesiluo, has left the city.”

The Qi Prince frowned again: “No wonder the yamen was empty. So that’s what they’re up to—what are they doing?”

Hearing this, Ma De and the others exhaled deeply in relief.

The soldier gathered his thoughts: “The gate guards say Jiang and his men left around the third watch.”

“One of our men trailed them from afar. Around the fourth watch, he saw them sneak up Qinglong Zhai .”

The third watch—the Qi Prince’s brow tightened further: “He’s lucky. A little later, we’d have had him.”

“But why in this freezing weather would he go to Qinglong Zhai ?”

Ma De’s eyes darted: “My lord, it doesn’t matter why. This is another opportunity.”

“Everyone in Shangmu knows Qinglong Zhai is home to ruthless bandits. Jiang Mingyu’s presence there proves collusion.”

"As a court official, breaking the law—his crime is unforgivable."

“If we move now and trap him inside Qinglong Zhai , even if he has a hundred tongues, he can’t explain it away.”

“Once we confirm his alliance with bandits, even if you cut him down publicly, it’s justified.”

“As for Murong Yunhai and Tukesiluo—without Jiang Mingyu’s protection, when we eliminate them is entirely up to you.”

“Perhaps, with this achievement, you’ll be promoted—and leave this cursed place forever.”

The Qi Prince’s eyes lit up: “Order: muster one hundred soldiers. March to Qinglong Zhai immediately.”

His face twisted with malice: “Jiang Mingyu, this is your own doing.”

The Qi Prince’s expression hardened: “March.”

Qinglong Zhai , before the Zhai gate.

The fourth watch was nearly over—the coldest hour of the day—but Jiang Mingyu’s face glowed with boundless joy.

Yes—he had just discovered, by accident, coal buried in the dirt pit.

Before his transmigration, he had once traded in coal—he knew it well.

Under the moonlight, his expression was electric: “Heaven, you’ve finally favored Jiang Mou once.”

“I was worried about how the people would survive winter—now, the problem is solved.”

Like many mountainous regions before his transmigration, the entire Dongyue Kingdom relied on firewood for warmth and cooking.

For the elderly, weak, and women in the city who couldn’t chop wood, this was a miracle.

Once transported back, everything would be resolved.

In the pit, Jiang Mingyu braced against the knife-like wind and cautiously scanned his surroundings.

If his guess was right, the mountain beneath his feet was likely a massive coal deposit.

Such a vast quantity of coal could supply all of Shangmu County for years.

A smile of delight spread across Jiang Mingyu’s face: “If I can establish a market here, I’ll make a fortune.”

“We’re rich. Truly rich.”

In an instant, a rough plan formed in his mind—and an even deeper smile crept onto his face.

Watching Jiang Mingyu grin foolishly in the pit, Murong Yunhai and Tukesiluo, who had appeared without notice, were speechless: “Sir, what are you doing?”

“You were supposed to keep watch. Thank heaven nothing happened—if it had, you’d have been chopped to pieces without even knowing.”

Jiang Mingyu snapped out of his joy, slightly embarrassed: “I just had faith in you.”

“By the way—was it all taken care of?”

Tukesiluo rolled his eyes: “Twenty men. Not one escaped. Shangmu County will have peace for days.”

His casual tone made it sound as if he’d just killed twenty chickens.

Jiang Mingyu nodded. “Well done. Just now, I discovered something very important. Let’s go—back to town to discuss it.”

Murong Yun and Tukesulu asked no further questions; they helped Jiang Mingyu out of the pit and headed down the mountain path.

As they neared the mountain trail, the howling cold wind lessened considerably.

Murong Yun seemed in good spirits: “Brother Xingqiu, what did you find?”

Before Jiang Mingyu could answer, a deep, powerful voice rang out from the darkness ahead: “Surround them.”

The flames and the voices appeared as suddenly as each other; by the time Jiang Mingyu realized it, he was already surrounded.

Tukesulu’s sword was half-drawn when Jiang Mingyu silenced him with a glance: “Stop. Don’t act rashly.”

He saw clearly—these surrounding men all wore the uniforms of the city garrison. They were, at least, on his side.

In the blinding torchlight, Jiang Mingyu saw a middle-aged man holding reins, slowly approaching them.

The man pointed with his whip: “You must be Lord Jiang. Do you recognize this prince?”

Jiang Mingyu smiled faintly. “Prince Qi. I’ve long heard your name.”

“Why, in the dead of night, have you come to Qinglong Zhai ?”

Prince Qi smiled coolly. “I came here for you, Lord Jiang.”

Jiang Mingyu brushed the snow off his robes. “Your information is remarkably swift.”

His smile faded. “If you don’t want others to know, don’t do it in the first place.”

“Jiang Mingyu, as an official of the court, how dare you secretly collude with bandits? What crime do you deserve?”

Naturally, Ma Defa came forward: “Breaking the law knowingly merits an even harsher penalty. Lord Jiang, you should never have done this.”

Jiang Mingyu remained calm. “You accuse me of colluding with bandits—where is your proof?”

Prince Qi sneered. “Your presence here at Qinglong Zhai is proof enough.”

“Enough, Lord Jiang. Save your words for the dungeon. Arrest him!”