The nights in Turtle City have always been peaceful. Even if something shameful happens under the dark night, it can only be done secretly.
But the tranquility of this night was broken by the sound of horse hooves rushing in from outside the city before dawn.
People living near the west gate of Turtle City were awakened by the fierce sound of horse hooves in their sleep. Some people came to the window and looked out through the window. They saw horses galloping past one after another from the window, with horses on their backs.
Above, there are cavalry in armor, the armor is shining coldly, and the knights on horseback are all tall and well-equipped.
The black cavalry passed by the window like a tide. This lasted for a long time, and it was impossible to count how many there were.
Seeing such a scene, the people were so frightened that they thought the Wutuos had invaded the city.
During the Wutuo Rebellion, tens of thousands of cavalry entered the pass, looted wantonly, and killed people without calculation. Although they were eventually driven back outside the Kunlun Pass by General Black Feather, the Wutuo people also left an extremely terrifying memory in the hearts of the people of Xiling.
impression.
Hundreds of armored cavalry entered the city from the west city gate in an orderly manner, with horseshoes forming in formation. They entered the city and galloped down the long street to the street. The leading general did not slow down the horse, but just raised his left arm and made a gesture, so the pair of cavalry
Divided into two, each turned towards a street.
The leading general led the team of people who were very familiar with the roads in the city, and led more than 300 cavalry directly to the Zhenhou Mansion in the center of the city.
There was an extremely spacious square in front of the Zhenhou Mansion. Three hundred horsemen arrived at the venue, lined up neatly, dismounted, held the horse's reins with one hand, and pressed the hilt of the sword on their waist with the other, appearing well-trained.
The general got off his horse and walked quickly to the door of Zhenhou Mansion. Someone had already opened the door and greeted him: "General Shi, the old Marquis is waiting for you. Please follow me!"
The man led Commander Shi of the Cavalry into the Hou Mansion, passed through the halls and courtyards, and arrived at a secluded courtyard in the corner of the Hou Mansion.
After entering the courtyard, the person who led the way into the house reported something, and then came out and said: "Commander Shi, please go in."
Commander Shi had dark skin and a tall stature. His armor made a clanging sound when he walked. He consciously took off his saber and handed it to the leader before entering the house.
There was a solitary lamp burning in the room, which was not very bright. After Commander Shi entered the room, he knelt down on one knee and said, "My subordinate, Shi Ling, pay my respects to the old marquis!" He put his forehead against the ground and stopped moving.
"Get up." An old voice sounded, not very energetic, and a beautiful maid in her teens helped an old man walk out of the inner room.
The old man was wearing a gray robe. He was dressed casually and slovenly. He was over sixty years old and his face was quite pale. With the help of the maid, he walked to the chair and sat down slowly.
Shi Ling stood up, cupped his hands and said: "Old Marquis, my subordinates have been ordered to lead troops into the city. I heard...!"
"There are rebels in the city." Changxin Hou said calmly: "Shen Shui, a guest of the Hou Mansion, was stabbed through the throat and died. Jiang'er's right hand was cut off and his face was also slashed."
Shi Ling frowned: "Old Marquis, has the murderer been caught?"
"Shi Ling, have you sent people to blockade Turtle City?" Marquis Changxin did not answer.
Shi Ling immediately said: "Before entering the city, my subordinates have made arrangements. After entering the city, the four gates of Turtle City were sealed and no one was allowed to enter or exit. My subordinates sent Yan Qing to lead a group of people. According to the instructions of the old marquis, they have already
Go to the Duwei Mansion and take control of the Duwei Mansion."
Marquis Changxin nodded slightly: "Jiang'er said that the murderers came from the Duwei Mansion, and one of them must be Meng Zimo, the former Ma Kuai arrester. However, Meng Zimo failed in his assassination and was rescued. But except for Meng Zimo, tonight
There is another murderer."
"Young Master, have you ever told me who the other person is?"
"Although he couldn't be sure, looking at the figure of the man, he judged that he was probably a jailer of the Duwei Mansion." The old marquis seemed very calm at the moment: "The jailer's surname is Qin. He is a young man. It is said that Meng Zimo once rescued
Take his life."
"So the jailer surnamed Qin has a reason to follow Meng Zimo in committing crimes." Shi Ling looked grim, thought for a moment, and then said: "Old Marquis, do you only need the lives of these two people?"
The old Marquis said calmly: "Jiang'er is my son. Assassinating Jiang'er is naturally a traitor. I sit in Zhen County and quell chaos. This is my duty. I grew up in Turtle City since I was a child. On my own land, the disciples
He was killed and his son was injured. If the murderer cannot be caught, my title of Marquis Changxin should be returned to the court."
Shi Ling cupped his hands and said, "I understand what Mr. Hou means. Don't worry, Mr. Hou, I will definitely take back the heads of these two people."
"Go find Meng Zimo." Old Marquis said: "I have just sent people to the residence of those two people. If they are seen, they will be killed immediately. If there is no trace, we will also find evidence of rebellion from their residence.
"
Shi Ling was startled, but immediately understood something, bowed and retreated.
When the first light of dawn fell on Turtle City, the Changxin Wolf Cavalry had surrounded the entire Duwei Mansion.
Of the eight hundred wolf cavalry, six hundred fine cavalry were transferred back this time.
The four gates of Turtle City were originally guarded by soldiers from the Sheriff's Mansion, but after the wolf cavalry entered the city, they immediately took over the four gates. In the past, the four gates were already opened before dawn, but today, until the dawn fell on the earth, the four gates were also opened.
It was tightly closed, and each door was guarded by more than a dozen wolf cavalry.
The front yard of the Duwei Mansion and a large area of prisons behind it were all blocked by wolf cavalry.
The sudden appearance of the wolf cavalry shocked the officials on duty at the Duwei Mansion.
Of course they knew that those surrounding the Duwei Mansion were the most powerful Changxin Wolf Cavalry in the hands of Zhenhou Mansion. However, these soldiers and horses had always been stationed outside the city. If there was no major turmoil, these soldiers and horses would not be able to easily enter the city.
.
Now this army not only entered the city, but also surrounded the Duwei Mansion. This made the officials of the Duwei Mansion not only surprised, but also angry.
But everyone also saw that there were at least three hundred wolf riders surrounding the Duwei Mansion, and the entire Duwei Mansion totaled up to less than a hundred people. This still required all the jailers in several prisons.
pull over.
Moreover, after the departure, only half of the yamen officials who stayed in the Duwei Mansion totaled no more than thirty people.
Thirty versus three hundred, that's one to ten, and they are completely outnumbered.
The Changxin Wolf Cavalry was the ace in the hands of the Zhen family. They negotiated many times with the imperial court and finally limited the strength of this troop to 800 men. Of course, the Zhenhou Mansion would make full use of the 800 cavalrymen, not a few of them.
These cavalry are not only well-equipped, but also highly paid.
When the Zhen family recruited cavalry, the requirements were very strict. There were even rumors in private that many of the Changxin Wolf Cavalry were once outlaws who committed evil everywhere.
The Changxin Wolf Cavalry trains day and night, and their combat effectiveness is indeed not weak. When it comes to individual combat capabilities, the Yamen of the Duwei Mansion are naturally inferior to them.
For the Zhen family to be able to take control of Zhen County, apart from their strong financial resources, the most important thing is that they have this trump card.
At this moment, the opponent had a large number of people, and their combat power was far superior to that of the Duwei Mansion. Although the officials of the Duwei Mansion were angry, they did not dare to act rashly, and all the doors were closed tightly.
The people in Duwei's Mansion did not act rashly, and Changxin's Wolf Cavalry did not move either. They just surrounded the Duwei's Mansion and waited until the sun rose. A small group of cavalry came belatedly on Pegasus. The first one was Commander Shi Ling of Wolf Cavalry.
Shi Ling led people to the main gate, and a man in armor came forward. Shi Ling threw the horse's reins to the man, turned over and dismounted, and asked: "Yan Qing, how are you doing here?"
Yan Qing, the man leading the horse, said: "Back to the commander, I have arranged for people to surround the Duwei Mansion. Unless the people inside can go to the sky and the earth, no one can leave." At this time, a cavalry came up, and Yan Qing commanded the horse.
Throwing the reins to the cavalry, he followed behind Shi Ling and said, "We will go in directly until the commander gives the order."
Shi Ling suddenly turned around, his eyes like cold knives. Yan Qing knew that he had said the wrong thing, so he hurriedly said: "I made a mistake in my humble position...!"
"The Duwei Mansion is not our enemy, our enemy is the rebels hiding in the Duwei Mansion." Shi Ling said solemnly: "If the Duwei Mansion can help us find the traitors and hand them over to our hands, then
Naturally, water from a well does not interfere with water from a river."
Yan Qing knew what Shi Ling meant.
Of course, the strength of Changxin Langqi is far superior to Duwei's Mansion. If a fight really breaks out, Duwei's Mansion will never be the opponent of Changxin Langqi.
But the Duwei Mansion represents the imperial court. If there is no conclusive evidence and they directly enter the Duwei Mansion, then it is not the people of the Duwei Mansion who are plotting rebellion, but Changxin Langqi.
The Changxin Wolf Cavalry is the most powerful force on the ground in Zhen County, but if the court is angered and General Black Feather brings people to kill him, not to mention the eight hundred Wolf Cavalry, even the eight thousand Wolf Cavalry will still be killed by General Black Feather.
The soldiers and horses under his command picked them up like chopping melons and vegetables.
Shi Ling walked to the main door and then stopped. Facing the heavy black door of the Duwei Mansion, he pondered for a moment and then asked softly: "Has no one come out so far?"
"Coming back to the commander, no one came in or out, and no one came out to speak." Yan Qing said in a low voice.
Shi Ling nodded, pointed at the door and said, "Knock on the door and tell Shi Ling, commander of the Wolf Cavalry, that he wants to see Captain Han Yunong."
Holding his saber in one hand, Yan Qing strode to the front door, raised his hand and wielded it several times, and then said loudly: "Commander Wolf Cavalry Shi, I want to see your Captain Han. Please call Captain Han to come out and speak."
There was no sound from the door. Yan Qing frowned and looked back at Shi Ling. He raised his hand and wanted to knock on the door again, but when he heard a creaking sound, Yan Qing was startled and took two steps back.
The door opened, and several officers from the Duwei Mansion were the first to rush out, holding swords in their hands. Then they saw Han Yunong walking out slowly in casual clothes. Judging from his appearance, he had not yet dressed up and seemed to have just gotten up.
Han Yunong is the captain of the Duwei Mansion, so naturally he lives in the Duwei Mansion.
"Wolf Cavalry?" Han Yunong glanced at Shi Ling and said with a smile: "There was the sound of horse hooves outside early in the morning. Han thought that something had happened in the city and that Wolf Cavalry needed to enter the city to solve it, so he ordered his subordinates
You must not act rashly without the order of the governor." He pointed at the group of wolf cavalry who were watching eagerly and said with a smile: "Commander Shi, what does this mean? Is it true that as my subordinates said, the wolf cavalry entered the city to besiege the captain?
The mansion is an enemy of my Duwei mansion?"
Although he was smiling, Shi Ling certainly understood the power of his last words.
The Duwei Mansion represents the imperial court. To be an enemy of the Duwei Mansion is to be an enemy to the imperial court. To be an enemy to the imperial court is to rebel.
Han Yunong did not say the word "rebellion", but his meaning was clearly to accuse Chang Xin Langqi of plotting rebellion.