Chapter 653: Escape

The two guards, though still searching around for Onouchi Hiroken, were no longer in such a hurry; once they got the direction clear, they ambled off to look.

By this time, Xue Shao and the others had already helped the mule cart up close to the city gate.

Shankou-kan was considered a prosperous city in the land of the Wa, but it was still not large.

A stretch of commoners' houses and the shops of two streets ringed the Onouchi clan's compound cluster—that was the outer city wrapping the inner city, and the straight-line distance was very short.

And with the rise of the warrior class, the Muromachi shogunate's authority was devolved downward, and the Heian-era curfew system in the great cities was also abolished—at the very least, Shankou-kan had no curfew; Yi Jianren had specifically mentioned that they could leave the city at any time, except that leaving at night would draw particular attention and they might be questioned by soldiers.

Fortunately, it was not very late yet; there were stragglers returning late and drunk people leaving the city in scattered ones and twos.

Xue Shao and Wang Cong, reeking of alcohol, had only just neared the gate when Xue Shao fished out a handful of copper coins and drunkenly flung them at the soldiers closing in, waving his hand arrogantly: "Our Lord Hiroken is rewarding you."

The soldiers only saw the coins raining down and heard Xue Shao's Wa-language spoken with a Shankou accent; none of them even looked at his face, but went straight to holding up torches to light the coins on the ground, frantically racing their companions to grab them fastest.

By the time they had picked up all the coins on the ground, the mule cart had already gone a good distance; in the dim moonlight, they could only make out a blurred shadow of the cart.

The soldiers didn't mind, happily counting the coins and feeling that tonight's shift had been worth it.

The trees on either side of the road gradually grew thicker; the moonlight that came down was blocked by the trees, leaving a faint wash of shadow on the ground.

Xue Shao was helping the mule cart forward when a person carrying a bundle slowly walked out from the darkness, coming toward them.

As soon as she came close, Pan Yun couldn't help complaining: "Their box craftsmanship is no good, the seal is poor—I've already wrapped it once with a curtain, but put it in the box and it's still seeping blood."

A good box should be like a water bucket: it can hold water without leaking.

Xue Shao swept a glance at the curtain in her hand, then looked away and asked: "Where's the box?"

Pan Yun pointed at the box set on the ground not far away.

The inside of the box was a smear of blood, and quite a bit was still seeping out the outside.

Xue Shao swept a glance at the curtain that was still dripping blood, understood she didn't want to put the head in her own storage space, so he stepped forward and picked up the box, casually broke off a bundle of twigs from the side and laid them on the cart's shaft, set the box on top, then tilted his chin up, signaling Pan Yun to put the head inside.

Wang Cong trotted over eagerly to take the curtain and put it in, then closed the box lid: "Little Martial Uncle, Hero Gao and Junior-brother Qu haven't come out yet."

Pan Yun: "They know the way; we go first."

Song Xuan gave a flick of the reins and slapped the mule's rump to make it run.

Pan Yun and the other two used lightness-skill to follow, and before long they had run off into the night.

Gao Zhiming and Qu Le ran out of the city, and the whole of Shankou-kan was in an uproar.

The Naitō house finally discovered that Naitō Mitsuo had been killed; from inside the residence to outside, and from the inner city to the outer, the city that had been gradually quieting down burst into clamor.

Qu Le and Gao Zhiming looked back at Shankou-kan together; perhaps sensing the danger, people were running out of the city one after another.

The gate-guarding soldiers, while pretending to do their best to stop people, loudly asked whether the city gates should be shut.

In the Muromachi era, warriors were highly respected; they were hot-tempered and arrogant, and if they drew swords and killed, even if they died it would be for nothing.

So the soldiers were already used to flexible enforcement.

Soon, orders came down from above: close the city gates, and at the same time dispatch two squads of warriors to assist in guarding them.

The two of them looked away, feeling immensely lucky: "Lucky we ran fast, otherwise we'd have been shut inside."

Qu Le looked left and right, and asked: "Where are the others?"

Gao Zhiming swept his gaze around and quickly found the dripping blood trail: "They must have gone on ahead; let's catch up."

Gao Zhiming took it well, but Qu Le, just starting out in the jianghu and at the peak of his sense of loyalty, kept muttering the whole way: "How could they leave us behind and go first?"

Mainly because they were also running fast; Gao Zhiming and Qu Le used lightness-skill to chase, and only caught sight of the others after they themselves were panting.

The two sped up, and by the time they caught up with the group, they had already expended a good deal of internal energy.

Before Qu Le could complain, Pan Yun had already praised the two first: "Well done, you held them up; you weren't spotted when leaving the city, right?"

Qu Le paused, then replied: "No, the city is in chaos; there were a lot of people running out behind us, so for a while at least they definitely can't trace it to us."

"But we can't stop either; we have many people and our pace is slow. Tonight, bear with it a bit more—let's walk another two time-periods before stopping to rest." However, seeing Qu Le and Gao Zhiming gasping, Pan Yun told the two to get on the mule cart to rest.

Qu Le: "Aren't you going to ride?"

Pan Yun: "Take turns."

Qu Le then got on the cart; seeing the person lying on the cart, he lifted the curtain and asked Pan Yun, who was walking beside the cart: "I've been wanting to ask—why kill Naitō Mitsuo? He didn't take part in the village massacre."

Qu Le said: "I understand capturing Onouchi Hiroken alive—you want to find the rest of them. In my view, there's no need for all this trouble. This matter definitely can't be separated from the Onouchi clan head; even if it wasn't on his orders, he still reaped the benefit. Whatever his clansmen did, he has to bear half the responsibility. Just kill the Onouchi clan head, then take out a few of the outstanding retainers, and the rest of the Onouchi clan will naturally be dealt with by other forces. That way we can wrap up the grudge quickly and it's also safer."

Pan Yun couldn't help casting him a startled look: "Not bad—you can actually come up with a plan like that."

Truth be told, before setting out, Pan Yun had thought the same way.

Kill the Onouchi clan head and a few outstanding retainers and children, and naturally other forces would fight over the Onouchi clan's territory; then take the chance to seize the Onouchi clan's sea-ships and go back. That way one both avenges the grudge and gains the maritime-trade ships.

But didn't she now want the silver mine?

Then, regarding the Onouchi clan, it couldn't simply be a matter of killing, killing, killing; she needed to use the Onouchi clan as bait to draw out both the blades and the fish she needed.

Still, the vengeance that had to be taken had to be taken; the original purpose absolutely could not be forgotten.

Pan Yun said: "This matter is classified; I can't tell you for now. After a while you'll naturally understand."

Qu Le was about to speak when Pan Yun put a finger to her lips and said: "Before we set out, Senior-brother Li said this whole team is to follow my orders entirely, and you—you ran out on your own—you have to listen to me even more!"

Qu Le silently swallowed his words back: "Oh."

Qu Le flung down the curtain, sulked inside the cart, and tapped with his toe the person lying on the cart floor: "Stop pretending; your breathing just changed."

Onouchi Hiroken's body stiffened slightly, but he still didn't move a muscle, eyes tightly shut, saying nothing.

Gao Zhiming gave Qu Le a speechless look, bent down, and with a sharp *pa* slapped Onouchi Hiroken on the neck; the other's head lolled and he was out cold again completely.

Qu Le: "……Why'd you hit him?" (End of chapter)