Chapter 360 – Catching the Main Offender

After about another incense stick of time, the commotion outside disappeared, and the entire Qianfu Inn once again returned to tranquility.

Then Wei Ruo heard a burst of footsteps coming from the hallway outside, footsteps from near and far, through the stairs, to the first floor.

After waiting for most of the people to leave, Xu Zhengyong returned to the ground-sized room where Wei Ruo and the others were.

“Caught and interrogated, it’s really that asshole who sent them! That bastard wanted to ask about the source of the thunderbolts first, and then go ahead of us to find the person who made the thunderbolts, as long as we take that person under our wing ahead of time, we can get the thunderbolts unknowingly before we do!” Xu Zhengyong said with righteous indignation.

“Uh-huh.” Wei Ruo was not surprised.

She knew from the time she set this up that the other side would have moved this way.

Directly intercept the ship merchants do not allow the military camp to get this batch of thunderbolt risk is too great, just experienced the robbery of grain and hay incident, and then so easy to expose themselves.

However, it is relatively much safer to get the source of the thunderbolts by contacting the ship merchants in advance and bribing them with silver.

Arranging for an ambush at the inn in advance was presumably also a precautionary measure, so that if the ship merchant didn’t cooperate, they could simply silence him, so that no one would get the thunderbolt.

Xu Zhengyong continued, “Right now, the Seventh Highness is preparing to bring people back to the barracks. Just now, the Seventh Highness has already released a flare, and Lord Wei’s side should act immediately if they see it.”

“Uh-huh.” Wei Ruo nodded.

Although I don’t like Chu Lan as a person, but Chu Lan’s ability to deal with things Wei Ruo is still recognized, if you don’t have some skills you are also embarrassed to be the male lead.

Then Wei Ruo said to Xu Zhengyong, “You go and join the seventh prince first, don’t stay away for too long to arouse suspicion, and wait for two days after we have time to talk about the latter.”

“Good, then you and Second Brother Wei be careful and go home early.” Xu Zhengyong exhorted.

“Well, don’t worry about it.” Wei Ruo promised.

Xu Zhengyong nodded, then went out to join Chu Lan.

After he left, Wei Ruo and Wei Jin didn’t leave right away either, but waited for all of Chu Lan’s people to retreat before leaving from the Qianfu Inn.

###

Barracks, commander-in-chief’s tent.

Zheng Shoubei was standing in front of the sand table fiddling with the layout on it.

“Lord Commander, Lord Wei seeks an audience.”

The soldier guarding the entrance to the tent reported.

“Oh? Lord Wei is back? Let him come in.” Zheng Zhongye said.

And then Wei Mingting entered the tent.

Seeing Wei Mingting, Zheng Zhongye smiled and greeted Wei Mingting in front of the sand table, “Ta-Jen Wei, come and see if adjusting the layouts like this and then raiding this corner of the southeast will be able to wipe out those Japanese pirates entrenched on the southeast coast.”

Wei Mingting walked over, and after glancing at the sand table, he did not answer, but asked Guard Zheng, “Lord Zheng, you have great military achievements, why did you do something like collaborating with the enemy and treason?”

Zheng Zhongye froze and the smile on his face disappeared.

After a while, he turned his head to look at Wei Mingting, a few more smiles on his face, “What’s wrong with Lord Wei? What’s all this talk about collaborating with the enemy and treason?”

“Why do you want to hijack the grain and want to keep the thunderbolts for yourself? What exactly is in it for you?” Wei Mingting didn’t understand.

Zheng Zhongye was of civilian origin and had been in the military for more than twenty years, sitting from the initial pawn to the present position of guard, and had made countless military achievements.

“Ta-Jen Wei, you have to talk about evidence when you say these things, slandering your superiors is a very big crime, I can directly court martial you, i.e., you can be imprisoned.” Zheng Zhongye said in a cold voice.

“The people you sent to the Qianfu Inn have all been captured alive.” Wei Mingting said.

At those words Zheng Zhongye’s face turned completely cold, a pair of dangling eyes casting a ferocious killing intent.

“Wei Mingting, I didn’t see that you still have this kind of mind. When did you realize that I have a problem?” Zheng Zhongye said in a cold voice.

“It was never suspected before until the grain robbery came up.”

“I see, this trip to rob grain and grass was indeed sloppy, I didn’t expect there would be something as powerful as a thunderbolt, causing all of my beloved ones that I managed to cultivate to be lost.” Zheng Zhongye also stopped pretending.

“Why are you doing this?” Wei Mingting questioned.

“Why? Heh, that’s a question you’ll probably just have to ask Hades on the way to the Yellow Springs.”

While conversing with Wei Mingting, Zheng Zhongye paced to his saber, and when the words fell he fiercely drew out his saber and slashed towards Wei Mingting.

Wei Mingting was prepared for this and dodged out of the way.

Immediately after a spin to the side, he manipulated the lance that was placed in the corner and exchanged hands with Zheng Zhongye.

One silver light after another whipped through the tent, and one clash of metal after another rang out.

In Wei Mingting’s hands, the lance danced like a silver snake, like a dragon emerging from the sea, as fast as the wind and as quick as electricity.

The unpredictable and powerful shots made it difficult for Zheng Zhongye to fight.

Zheng Zhongye originally thought that Wei Mingting’s injuries had not been completely healed, and he would not be able to show his full strength at this moment.

However, he did not want Wei Mingting’s martial arts attainments to be so powerful that even though he nearly lost his life more than three months ago, he could still be so threatening and oppressive at this moment.

After more than twenty moves, Zheng Zhongye fell behind and was gradually outmatched.

In terms of martial arts alone, he was no match for Wei Mingting.

At this time, Zheng Zhongye’s eyes rolled and he shouted towards the outside of the tent, “Come on, Wei Mingting wants to assassinate the Lord Marshal! Come on!”

Several people rushed in from outside the tent, armed with lances, and surrounded Zheng Zhongye and Wei Mingting.

“Take down Wei Mingting! He collaborated with the enemy and betrayed the country, trying to kill me to silence me!” Zheng Zhongye bit back.

Zheng Zhongye was the highest ranking officer in the anti-Japanese army, and at this moment, he gave the order, and the soldiers were supposed to follow it.

However, the few people who came in at the moment didn’t take action against Wei Mingting as he said, but instead aimed their spearheads at him.

Seeing this situation, Zheng Zhongye fiercely realized that he had lost his power and could not help but panic.

Seeing that he was distracted, Wei Mingting made a spear pick and knocked down the weapon in Zheng Zhongye’s hand.

The saber fell to the ground, and Zheng Zhongye lost his power of resistance.

###

At the stroke of midnight, Chu Lan led a fast horse to the military camp.

After entering the main tent, Chu Lan saw Zheng Zhongye, who was kneeling in the center of the tent, tied up.

Wei Mingting, on the other hand, stood to the side, and before Chu Lan came, he only did a simple questioning of Zheng Zhongye and did not use torture.

Chu Lan walked around Zheng Zhongye and reexamined the man.

Then Chu Lan came and sat down in the position of the commander-in-chief and began to ask, “Guardian Zheng, do you know what the crime of collaborating with the enemy and treason is?”

“Your Highness, I didn’t collaborate with the enemy and commit treason, I robbed grain and grass, and privately approached the ship merchant to inquire about thunderbolt bombs all under orders!” Zheng Zhongye explained.

The crime of collaborating with the enemy and treason is too great, and it will lead to the nine clans, so Zheng Zhongye does not dare to carry such a crime.

“Under orders? By whose orders?” Chu Lan’s eyes were bitterly cold.

(End of chapter)