"Yes, yes...Master Cao..." the wounded soldier said intermittently, "Our commander-in-chief..."
"what is it call?"
"Cao Bajiao..."
"How did he know about Su Ai?"
"This... little one... doesn't know... I'm just following his orders."
"Besides here, what other arrangements are there?"
"Listen...I heard that Mr. Cao still has several boats arranged downstream, and he invited brothers from the navy."
"What about upstream?"
"There are...there are...men and horses ready."
"Where is Cao Bajiao now?"
"Younger ones don't know about this..."
Thorpe nodded, and the team members picked up the knife and killed him cleanly. Several people spread out again, checked around to make sure no one was still alive, and then threw all the bodies into the river. Except for the blood stains on the ground.
, there is nothing left on the dock.
Although there was such a big commotion on the pier, no one came out to ask a question all night. It was not until daybreak that the city gate opened and a team of people came out from the city to protect the Gaoyao County Magistrate and come out to investigate in person.
Immediately, a master named Xing was sent to the ship to inquire.
Master Xing Ming in the county is an old man. He had inquired about the news before leaving the city. He probably knew that "there was only a flash of fire on the official ship", "exploding like a bean", "destroying the dead"... He knew that this matter was involved.
The Jin Yiwei who was passing by was related to the local officers and soldiers, and the firearm that killed more than a dozen people in an instant seemed to be related to the legendary Australians. Together, it was "unfathomable".
Whether it was the Gaoyao County Magistrate, the Zhaoqing Prefect or the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi sitting in the Governor's Office, they were obviously unwilling to wade into troubled waters. With this tone, Master Xing Ming naturally knew what to do.
As usual, all procedural matters were done meticulously. Since there was no body, there was no need for an autopsy. It was naturally "unknown" where the gangsters who intended to commit robbery at the dock came from. The traders and coolies on the dock would not be happy to be "human beings".
"Certificate". I went to the Yamen for a few days and suffered a lot. They all said: "I fell asleep and didn't see it." Lin Ming also insisted: "It was dark and I couldn't see clearly." In short, this was a "night attack by thieves on the official."
"The ship, the bodyguard fought hard to fight off" is an ordinary robbery case that does not involve local soldiers or Jin Yiwei.
"With the blood stains all over the ground, at least ten people died." The Gaoyao County Magistrate looked at the blood stains that had seeped into the soil and cracks in the rocks, and thought to himself, "I don't know if these ruffians can let it go."
The magistrate of Gaoyao County has been suffering from the ruffians for more than a day. The Qiu Ba people are tyrannical, killing people and stealing goods, so he can only pretend to be deaf and mute, and now he is secretly satisfied with making them suffer a big loss.
With the official affairs settled, Thorpe now has to decide whether to continue on the water or go into the water. If he continues to go on the water, he will have to pass through the steep Dading Gorge. That is where Mr. Cao’s lair is.
There, maybe in the barracks guarding the mouth of the gorge! The entire Dading Gorge is 55 kilometers long, and the terrain is complex. Navigation on the water is difficult, and trackers have to back up. Once attacked by the enemy, even a machine gun cannot guarantee safety.
It is safer and more appropriate to launch the boat and return home.
But just going back like this. The original investigation plan of going straight to Wuzhou was in vain. During the discussion, suddenly a big red message came from outside, inviting Lin Ming and the two distinguished guests to a banquet.
"Who sent it?"
"The people who came said they were from the Governor's Yamen!"
The three of them couldn't help but their eyelids twitched! With Lin Ming's status, the dignified Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi would not come to make friends with him, let alone entertain him at a banquet.
Could it be that the gunfire last night sparked Xiong Wencan’s idea?
When I opened the post, I saw that the guest in the next post was not Xiong Wencan, but a man named Chang Qingyun, who was hosting a banquet for the three of them at Piyun Tower.
"I just asked the servant who delivered the letter: he is Lord Xiong's secret friend, a filial and honest man." Lin Ming said.
Thorp felt that he had seen this name somewhere before, and after rubbing his chin for a long time, he still couldn't remember it. It must have been mentioned in some intelligence document compilation.
Cummings asked: "If we go, will it be a Hongmen Banquet?"
Lin Ming said: "We still need to ask the leaders to decide whether to go. But it will definitely not be for the Hongmen Banquet. I think Lord Xiong wants to know our details."
Thorpe said with a smile: "Go, of course. This is a great opportunity to inquire about the situation at the Governor's Yamen."
If Xiong Wencan really had any evil intentions and wanted to "capture them with one blow", with his majestic power as governor, there would be no need for such a big effort.
Cummings said: "I won't go. There can't be no one on the boat. Just let Xiao Xie accompany you. It's just that your leg, Lao Lin, is injured..."
Lin Ming hurriedly said: "It's okay, it's just a flesh wound. I'll just ask someone to help me." After saying that, he ordered: "I'll return the original sticker and say that we will definitely bother you when the time comes."
Piyun Tower is a city tower, and the wharf is outside the city. You cannot enter or leave after nightfall, so Chang Qingyun's banquet was at noon. Before ten o'clock, soldiers from the Governor's Yamen came to greet him with three sedan chairs. Thorpe and Xie
Peng changed his clothes and carried a pistol on his waist. He was accompanied by four special reconnaissance team members, each with a submachine gun and grenades. If Xiong Wencan had any idea, he would cause a big fuss in Piyun Tower and kill everyone.
Say it again.
The sedan patrolled along the city wall. Although they had already conducted a close inspection, this was the first time they had patrolled along the city wall so close. Thorp looked at it very carefully. There were traces of patching on the outer bricks of the city wall, and there was no debris.
The trees and weeds are obviously carefully maintained. It seems that the local officials here are very concerned about defense.
The sedan went all the way and entered Chaotian Gate, the north gate of Zhaoqing Mansion. As soon as it entered the city gate, the sedan got off, and a man who looked like a butler had already come to greet him. When Thorpe got off the sedan and took a look, he saw a tower standing on the city.
The three-story building has a mountain-like cross ridge, and the carved eaves are abrupt and spectacular. The four characters "mainstay" are written on the gold and black plaque, which is written like a flying dragon and a phoenix. Thorp couldn't help but praise: "Good characters!
"
"The writing is not bad!" Xie Peng looked at it carefully and said to Thorpe with a smile: "But the writing style is too charming and has no bones in the edge, so it cannot be considered a good work." Thorpe also nodded and said: "You said so.
Yes, the charm of this word is not enough." As he said this, the two of them followed the servant up the stairs.
Although Piyun Tower is said to be a Song Dynasty building, it has actually been renovated several times. Thorpe knew that just by looking at the roof style, it was no longer an old thing from the Song Dynasty. Entering the building, he saw only about a five-column space, all with pine paneling on the floor and partitions.
The carved pillars are made of cypress wood, and are carved with insects, fish, flowers, birds, clouds, trees, immortals, and various folklore figures and stories, all of which are exquisite and clear. However, over time, the red paint has become dusty and the carvings have peeled off. Because they have been touched by countless tourists, they are as smooth as
Coated with a layer of amber.
There were guards from the Governor's Mansion inside and outside the building. When Thorpe saw the battle, he thought, could it be that Xiong Wencan came in person?
Standing on the railing and looking out, I could see the Xijiang River meandering past, and the green hills outside the city, which looked like great mountains and rivers. As I was sighing, the butler smiled and said, "Please come up to the building, two gentlemen."
When we climbed up the stairs, we saw that all the partitions on all sides were opened. Not only was the scenery unobstructed, but the breeze was blowing, and it also made people feel at ease.
There are three big Eight Immortals tables in the middle of the building, which are already full of dishes. There is another table in the middle, which is full of "dishes" such as sugar lions and sugar figures. I know that this is the so-called "lion."
"Fairy Candy".
There were already about a dozen people who looked like businessmen and scholars waiting upstairs. Thorpe knew that Lin Ming's official position was too low for someone like the gentry to come. The leader was a middle-aged man who was about fifty years old.
When I saw them coming upstairs, I immediately greeted them with smiles on their faces.
"Mr. Lin! Student Chang Qingyun, you are so polite."
Lin Ming and Chang Qingyun were not acquainted with each other. With his position, he did not have access to senior governors, so naturally he would not be familiar with their staff - strictly speaking, he was "unreachable". It was just that Jin Yiwei's
Their special status gave them a great sense of superiority, so they didn't feel flattered at all. They just returned the favor with a smile and said politely: "Excuse me for being rude. I was attacked by a thief last night and my leg was injured."
"I know, I know. That's why I'm pretending to be here to calm Mr. Lin's surprise. Please come and take a seat. Who is this?"
Lin Ming nodded and said with a smile: "This person is from Nanjing. Master Chang naturally does not recognize him. Thorpe, the grandson of Sony, the former deputy commander of Nanjing Jinyi Guard, is also on duty in our guard..."
"I don't dare, Thorpe." Thorpe bowed to everyone and said calmly, "I rely on your friends to take care of me."
Then he introduced Xie Peng. Lin Ming thought that they were all members of the Jinyi Guards. Because the number of Jinyi Guards was huge, there were more than 60,000 people by the end of the Ming Dynasty. Except for a few top figures who were familiar with the officialdom, no one could do it.
Not sure what's going on inside.
Everyone looked at the group of people carefully: Thorpe was luxurious and steady, elegant and suave; he was wearing a half-new blue poplin blouse, which was washed clean and spotless. He wore a three-mountain crown on his head and a pair of half-old thousand-layer cloth shoes. He was very handsome.
He is handsome and heroic. His small, dark eyes seem to always be smiling. Every once in a while, he seems to look down upon everything around him.
Chang Qingyun has been in charge of the show for many years and has a sharp eye. He can tell at a glance that this young man is the main character. However, what makes him uneasy is that everything about this man's movements gives him a familiar feeling, as if he has seen it somewhere before.
Yes, my heart couldn't help but a cold sweat broke out on my back. I couldn't help but stare at Thorpe with a pair of eyes.
Thorp didn't take it seriously, and he just said the courtesy and took his seat. After everyone sat down, Thorp and Lin Ming sat at the head of the table, accompanied by Chang Qingyun, and other businessmen. Thorpe looked at it, and saw the seats on the table.
There were twenty-four-inch Xuguan kiln blue and white small plates, and there were all kinds of dried and fresh fruits on the table. They were so colorful and beautiful. I didn’t know what many of the objects were.
Sure enough, the landlords and old wealthy people will enjoy it.