Chapter 890: The Night Is Not Quiet

At night, the He Family Estate was very quiet. Zhao Feng and Zhao Long had gone to bed early, and in the room only a few adults were talking in hushed voices. Suddenly, Zhao Jin tilted his head. At the exact same moment, Mu Shulan also subconsciously shook her head. Only Xu Zhenzhen had no reaction.

Just then, they heard someone knocking at the gate outside — three fast knocks, one slow. It was the signal they had arranged with Niu Jinbao and the others. At this hour, the maids and serving women were all outside; only Zhao Jin's family was in the room.

Zhao Jin waved his hand. Mu Shulan immediately dared not make a sound. Xu Zhenzhen froze for a moment, then understood. Zhao Jin was already on his feet. He reached out, grabbed a short blade, and strode quickly toward the door.

"What is it?"

"Master, there's a disturbance outside. Something's not right," Niu Jinbao answered in a deep voice from outside the room.

Zhao Jin turned his head and signaled. Mu Shulan ran over quickly. Zhao Jin opened the door and went out. Mu Shulan shut the door and stood right there in front of it, a dagger now in her hand.

Xu Zhenzhen covered her mouth. She had seen her share of the world, but at this moment, she was utterly terrified. She could only clamp her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. Mu Shulan, however, responded with perfect composure.

Standing in the courtyard, Zhao Jin could already hear the clamor rising from several places, and the noise was drawing closer to his own residence.

"I was careless! The men must have been mixed in among those hired hands!" Zhao Jin said in a muffled voice. The entire He Family Estate was tightly guarded; only those outside merchant groups were watched a little more loosely.

"Master, there are nearly two hundred household guards defending the inside and outside of this residence. The cavalry squad from the main camp can arrive within the time it takes to burn one stick of incense. Nothing will go wrong. To be absolutely safe, Master should prepare yourself first," Niu Jinbao said in a deep voice. He already had his weapon in hand. Sun Dalin, clad in armor and carrying a long-handled podao, strode over quickly.

Zhao Jin nodded and turned back into the room. Mu Shulan was just about to ask a question when Zhao Jin said in a deep voice, "Take the children to the cellar first. Don't rush to go outside. Wait until the situation is confirmed before you move."

Mu Shulan knew this was no time for questions. She nodded and ran back quickly. She exchanged a few words with Xu Zhenzhen, whose face instantly went deathly pale. Xu Zhenzhen stood up and said toward him, "Husband, be careful."

Zhao Jin simply waved his hand forcefully to hurry them. Xu Zhenzhen glanced at him, said nothing more, and immediately went with Mu Shulan into the bedroom, each carrying a child. The sound of a mechanism and turning gears was heard, and then all fell silent. The secret passage in this house was not newly dug; it had been modified from the He Family Estate's original facilities. Zhao Jin had thought he would never need it. He had not expected it to prove useful today.

"Help me put on my armor." By the time he returned to the courtyard, over ten household guards were already there — all his most trusted and reliable followers.

As soon as Zhao Jin spoke, someone immediately fetched his armor from a side room and helped him put it on. Another man brought out a long spear. Zhao Jin glanced at it and said, "Keep the long spear ready. Bring me the six-foot short halberd."

The fighting would likely happen in the streets, alleys, and courtyards. In that kind of environment, an eleven-foot or even longer battle-formation long spear would be too unwieldy.

"Let's go out and take a look."

"Master, the streets are in chaos right now. It's safest to stay here," Niu Jinbao said urgently.

"Ridiculous. Staying in this courtyard, cut off from inside and out, is what's truly unsafe. I want to see for myself what kind of scoundrels dare come here to throw their lives away!" Zhao Jin's words already carried a spark of anger. To let the enemy get this close, and to have to send his wife and children into a tunnel to hide — they were truly courting death.

His judgment was not wrong, however. The space inside this courtyard was cramped and separated from the outside by walls. If any sudden emergency occurred, the inside and outside would be unable to coordinate for a time, and that would be a far greater problem.

Zhao Jin made his decision, and the household guards roared their assent. Zhao Jin assigned Sun Dalin and five guards to hold this position, then led the rest of his men out the courtyard gate.

Although the He Family Estate had always been safe, corresponding drills were frequent, and everyone knew exactly how to respond to sudden situations. The personal guard unit was already thoroughly familiar with the procedures. Once Zhao Jin stepped outside, he saw the household guards already formed up in ranks, sealing off every intersection. On rooftops and atop walls, archers stood with bows drawn and arrows nocked.

Then, lanterns nearby and all around were lit one after another, and the area of the He Family Estate where Zhao Jin resided blazed with light. Faintly, he could hear the sharp sound of whistles not far away — the main force of the personal guard was assembling for an emergency muster.

The sound of hoofbeats came from ahead, and the ranks stirred for a moment. Several squad leaders gave orders to restrain their men. The archers on the wall soon called down: it was one of their own.

The mount halted outside, and a mounted household guard ran in swiftly. He had just passed the forward guard formation when Niu Jinbao barked an order for him to stop. He ordered the guards beside him to search the man, then had him report from several paces away.

"Master, disturbances have broken out in five places in total. Two have already been suppressed by nearby forces. The other three are currently charging this way. The message has been sent out; the personal guard is on its way."

"How many bandits are there?"

"It's deep night and chaotic — hard to see clearly. The number of bandits in each group won't exceed two hundred."

Two hundred was the upper estimate. Zhao Jin nodded and spoke: "We'll form ranks right here to meet the enemy. Then send an urgent order to the cavalry: sweep every street. Kill anyone you find on sight!"

The guard shouted a loud acknowledgment, turned, mounted his horse, and rode off again. Zhao Jin drew a deep breath and said in a low voice, "The bandits are coming for me. Then we'll wait for them right here."

After saying this, Zhao Jin smacked his forehead and called out, "Li Can, take three squads to Wang Zhaojing's place. You must ensure his safety."

Four of them currently lived in and around the He Family Estate: Zhao Jin, Wang Zhaojing, Ji Xiang, and Liu Yong. Ji Xiang and Liu Yong both stayed within their own units, where security was tight — there was naturally no need to worry about them. But Wang Zhaojing lived no differently from the ordinary residents of the estate, and that was going to be trouble.

The sounds of clamor could already be heard outside. In any other town, a sudden uproar at night would be met with wails and panicked screams from every house. The He Family Estate was different. When chaos erupted at night, every household was to shut their doors and stay inside. No clamor, no wandering about. Otherwise, when the guard forces arrived, they would kill indiscriminately.

So the noise of the disturbance and chaos was heard with particular clarity inside the house. After Xin Qitao finished speaking, he pushed against the edge of the table with both hands, shifting his body back a foot, as if about to stand.

It should have been an ordinary movement, but Wang Zhaojing, sitting opposite him, made the exact same motion. Xin Qitao then stood straight up. Suddenly, both men were on their feet, staring at each other.

Xin Qitao looked at Wang Zhaojing across from him, the bitter smile on his face deepening. He spoke: "When did Brother Wang see through me? I thought I had hidden it rather well."

Wang Zhaojing's face was somewhat pale, but his eyes were bloodshot. In a raspy voice, he said, "Brother Xin brought Xin Geng with you tonight, and Xin Geng insisted on coming inside. I took an extra glance and noticed that Brother Xin's sword was wrapped with cloth strips on the grip. A scholar carrying a sword is merely for show. Why wrap the grip in cloth? It's to prevent slipping when blood is drawn. That was when I grew cautious."

Xin Qitao was stunned for a moment. His left hand was already gripping the scabbard tightly. He shook his head and smiled. "Brother Wang is indeed a man who accomplishes great things. Not only do you possess strategic brilliance, but your mind is as fine as a hair. Who would notice such a trivial detail?"

His sword grip was indeed wrapped with cloth strips. A sword is the most precious of weapons, and its decorations are more exquisite than other arms. But this also presents a problem: a grip that is too smooth becomes very easy to lose hold of when stained with blood or sweat. In real combat, that is a fatal issue. That is why, before a fight, one often wraps the sword grip in cloth.

Xin Qitao pointed at Wang Zhaojing's hand and said with a smile, "Brother Wang is also very well prepared. Ever since I came to Xuzhou, Brother Wang's sword has been ready to kill at any moment!"

Wang Zhaojing also held a narrow-bladed sword in his hand, its grip likewise wrapped in cloth strips. Wang Zhaojing raised the scabbard with one hand and said in a deep voice, "Brother Xin, I have followed my elder brother in saving and killing men since I was fourteen. This sword has never been a decoration. Year after year, it drinks blood. Year after year, it takes lives. This sword has always been so."

Xin Qitao drew a deep breath and took another step back. Wang Zhaojing's guest hall was very spacious, leaving plenty of room to maneuver. Wang Zhaojing said gravely, "Brother Xin, let me ask you one more time. Are you willing to serve Xuzhou? My elder brother is broad-minded and will not care about these minor matters. As long as we work together for the great cause, everything can be forgiven and forgotten."

"I have read the books of the sages. I am loyal to the sovereign and serve the nation. If I were to offer my service, it would only be to the imperial court. How could I toil for local tyrants and bandits like those in Xuzhou? Brother Wang, you possess great talent and ability. You have merely taken a wrong path for a time. If you can turn back, official rank, fame, and wealth are within your grasp. Return to the righteous path soon, serve the nation — only then will your knowledge of the sages' principles not be in vain."

At Xin Qitao's words, Wang Zhaojing merely shook his head with a smile, a smile full of bitterness. He asked, "Brother Xin, you are currently inside the Zhao Camp. Instead of thinking about how to escape with your life, you're thinking of persuading me to surrender? That seems to be mistaking the trivial for the critical."

"Brother Wang, your life and death are not in your own hands right now," Xin Qitao said coldly.

His words had just fallen when a miserable scream rang out from outside the door. This scream was not from far away — it was right there in the courtyard outside. The scream was not far from the house. It was Xin Geng's scream!

Hearing this sound, Xin Qitao's face changed drastically. In the next instant, he moved with extreme speed, pressing the spring catch, and the sharp sword left its sheath. He hurled the scabbard at Wang Zhaojing. Without the slightest pause, Xin Qitao threw his whole body forward in a pounce.

The moment he moved, Wang Zhaojing did not dodge. He too surged forward, directly overturning the table. Cups and dishes flew through the air; wine and food splattered everywhere. The tabletop perfectly blocked Xin Qitao's attack. After flipping the table, Wang Zhaojing retreated two steps and drew his own narrow-bladed longsword.

Urgent footsteps sounded. The door to the room was pushed open, and three household guards armed with podao and short spears walked in. From another door in the guest hall, three more guards entered — one of them with a bow drawn and arrow nocked.

Xin Qitao was splattered with quite a bit of food and wine, filthy and disheveled. His expression was grim. He simply used his sword to cut away the lower hem of his robe and his sleeves, transforming his attire into a close-fitting outfit suited for combat.

"Xin Geng's martial skill must have been quite good. If I hadn't noticed, the two of you, master and servant, attacking together would have taken me down no matter what," Wang Zhaojing said coldly.

Thanks to the Qidian Chuangshi old friends "Lone Boat Fishing Guest, Wu Liulang, User Light in the Darkness, Yuan Heng Li Zhen," and Qidian friend "j&horace" for their tips. Thank you all for your subscriptions, monthly tickets, and tips — I want even more!