gnovel Chapter 15 Jin Dynasty Spies
Chapter 15 Jin Dynasty Spies
Upon hearing the name "Lin Chong," Wang Lun jerked his head up as if stung by a scorpion.
His eyes were filled with fear and confusion.
"Lin Chong? Lin Chong... he went down the mountain a long time ago!"
Yang Zhi's face instantly darkened.
He stared intently at Wang Lun, as if trying to see right through him.
"Have you come down the mountain?"
"Yes, Commander! It's absolutely true! He turned against me a while ago and left Liangshan with one of his friends! Every word I've said is true; if I'm lying, may I be struck by lightning!"
Looking at Wang Lun's face, contorted with fear, Yang Zhi couldn't help but sneer: "You, Wang Lun. Even now, you still dare to lie? Lin Chong is the most skilled fighter in Liangshan, your only reliance. Would you really let him go? You're clearly playing a trick to escape punishment!"
"Beat them!"
"Tell me! Where is Lin Chong hiding?!"
The guards pounced on them like wolves and tigers.
Fists, kicks, and knife sheaths slammed into Wang Lun's body.
"Ah! Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me!"
Wang Lun let out a bloodcurdling scream, like a pig being slaughtered.
"I'm telling the truth! Lin Chong is really gone! I'm not lying to you!"
Yang Zhi stood aside, watching expressionlessly.
In his view, every explanation Wang Lun gave was an insult to his intelligence.
Lin Chong is gone?
Anyone can leave this mountain stronghold, except Linchong!
Otherwise, how could a bunch of incompetent fools occupy this place and rule as kings?
"Keep fighting!"
Wang Lun's screams gradually faded away.
He was beaten until he was covered in blood, and he had countless broken bones.
"Commander... have mercy... I really... didn't know..."
Yang Zhi walked up to him and squatted down.
I'm giving you one last chance.
His voice was soft, yet it carried a chilling edge.
"Where is Lin Chong?"
Wang Lun's tears and snot mingled as he looked at Yang Zhi, his eyes filled with despair.
"He...he's really...gone..."
Yang Zhi stood up, the last shred of patience in his eyes vanishing.
"Drag him away and beat him to death."
Two guards lifted the already dying Wang Lun and dragged him out of the Hall of Righteousness like a dead dog.
A moment later, a dull thud followed by a short scream came from outside.
Then, everything fell silent.
The old steward sidled up to Yang Zhi and smiled obsequiously.
"The commander is wise. This is the fate of such an unrepentant bandit leader."
Yang Zhi didn't speak; he just felt a surge of irritation.
Wang Lun is dead, but Lin Chong is still nowhere to be found.
The birthday gifts are still missing.
His battle, though seemingly a resounding victory, was in reality... a complete failure.
Just then, an officer in charge of searching the mountain strode in.
"Report to the Commander!"
"What is it?"
"We found a lot of gold and silver jewelry in the warehouse behind the mountain stronghold!"
Yang Zhi's spirits lifted.
"Take me to see it!"
Inside the warehouse, more than a dozen large boxes were opened.
It was filled with gold and silver utensils, and fine silks and satins.
Yang Zhi stepped forward, picked up a silver plate, and examined it carefully.
There is no stamp of the Daming Prefecture treasury on it.
He rummaged through several more boxes, which contained all sorts of things, but none of them looked like anything from the birthday tribute.
His heart sank again.
The old steward, however, knew his stuff. He rolled his eyes, leaned close to Yang Zhi's ear, and whispered something.
"Commander, you see... although this is not a birthday tribute, it is still a tremendous fortune."
Yang Zhi frowned as he looked at him.
The old steward continued, "We wiped out Liangshan Marsh, killed the bandit leader Wang Lun, and seized so much gold and silver. I estimate that although it's not 100,000 strings of cash, it's at least 30,000 to 40,000 strings. Although... although the supervisor failed to recover the birthday tribute on this trip, returning with this achievement will at least appease the master's anger by more than half."
"Besides, we've searched every inch of Liangshan Marsh, but there's no trace of the birthday gifts. Lin Chong must have already taken them and fled far away. Even if you turn this mountain upside down, you still won't find them."
Yang Zhi fell silent.
He knew that the old steward was telling the truth.
This is the best possible outcome now.
He took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind.
"Pass on my orders."
"exist!"
"All the captured gold and silver were counted, cataloged, loaded onto ships, and transported away."
"yes!"
"Take all other provisions, weapons, and anything else that can be carried away. As for what cannot be taken..."
Yang Zhi's gaze swept over the mountain stronghold nestled in the marshland, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.
"Burn it all up in one fire."
……
Dongxi Village, a secret room.
Under the lamplight, Gongsun Sheng recounted the latest news from Liangshan Marsh in detail.
"...Yang Zhi searched the mountain for the birthday tribute but found nothing. In the end, he only seized some valuables that Wang Lun had hidden away. He beat Wang Lun to death in public, then burned down the entire mountain stronghold and returned to Daming Prefecture."
After he finished speaking, the room fell silent.
A moment later, Lin Chong suddenly stood up.
His body trembled slightly with excitement.
Wang Lun is dead.
That pedantic scholar who distrusted him, ostracized him, and rendered him powerless, finally died.
Moreover, he died under the beatings of the government troops!
Lin Chong walked up to Liu Bei, lifted his robe, knelt down, and kowtowed deeply.
"Lin Chong, thank you, Brother Xie, for standing up for me!"
Liu Bei quickly helped him up.
"Brother, what are you doing! Please get up quickly!"
He put his hand on Lin Chong's shoulder and said with a sigh, "This is not my doing. It's Wang Lun's own narrow-mindedness, jealousy of talent, and intolerance. Otherwise, why would you, brother, condescend to come to my Dongxi Village?"
Everyone laughed upon hearing this.
Liu Tang slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Brother is right! That damned scholar deserved to die! He died a quick and painless death!"
Ruan Xiaoqi chuckled, "Now, that eight hundred li of water is clean. Before, we had to put up with their rudeness when we were fishing!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Liu Bei helped Lin Chong up and they sat back down in the main seat.
Just as they were preparing to arrange the next steps, a servant suddenly came to report!
"Brother, a brother has captured a Jin spy. What should we do?"
"Oh?" Liu Bei's eyes lit up immediately: "Bring him up!"
The door to the secret room was pushed open.
Two farmhands escorted in a man who was bound hand and foot.
The man was wearing a brown linen robe and a tattered felt hat.
He was pushed and shoved to his knees on the blue brick floor.
The felt hat fell off.
The man's hair on the front of his head was shaved clean, with only two thin braids left at the back.
This is a typical Nüzhen hairstyle.
Wu Yong stopped waving his fan.
Lin Chong's hand rested on the hilt of the knife.
Liu Bei sat in the main seat, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.
"Brother, this fellow was wandering around outside the village and was caught by the brothers on night patrol," the village servant reported, clasping his hands in greeting.
Liu Bei put down his teacup: "Who are you?"
The man raised his head, his face covered in mud.
His eyes darted around, and he spoke in broken Mandarin: "I am a fur merchant from the north. I encountered bandits on the road and lost all my money. I have mistakenly entered your manor."
Liu Bei looked at his hand.
Those hands had large knuckles, and the area between the thumb and index finger was covered with calluses.
"Do fur merchants not pull carts, but instead shoot arrows from horseback?" Liu Bei asked.
The man's expression changed: "These hands of mine are from carrying leather."
Liu Bei stood up and walked to the man.
He reached out and tore open the man's linen robe.
Inside the straight robe, a finely crafted mink fur jacket was visible.
"Ordinary merchants can afford to wear mink fur of this quality," Liu Bei said in a flat voice.
The man gritted his teeth and remained silent.
Liu Bei turned to look at Wu Yong.
"Scholar, are there many Jurchens in the Shandong and Hebei regions nowadays?"
Wu Yong stood up.
"Brother, in recent years there have indeed been frequent visits from Jin envoys, but those disguised and wandering around in the countryside must be spies."
The man sneered, "Kill me if you want! If I even flinch, I'm not a true Jurchen hero!"
Liu Tang stepped forward and kicked the man in the chest.
The man and the rope rolled to the ground.
Liu Tang turned to look at Liu Bei: "Brother, these barbarians won't speak unless we teach them a lesson."
Liu Bei nodded.
"Have a moment to ask questions."