Chapter 104

  The deep night, the corner tower lamp and the bright moon in the sky are reflected in the dark water of Chao Tian Tang like black silk, with ripples shimmering. Lin Xian sat on the riverbank listening to the sound of the waves hitting the shore, and there were also lights on the prison island, further away was a hazy pale light - tonight the mist over Chao Tian Tang was thick, and it was impossible to see the boundary between the mountains and water on the opposite bank.

  Someone walked over and also sensed that someone was sitting in the shadows, softly asking: "Who?"

  It was Cao Zi'ang's voice, Lin Xuan responded with a sound: "It's me."

  Cao Zikang and Ge Cunxin walked out of the darkness: "So late, haven't gone to bed yet?"

  "Sit down," Lin Xie patted the ground beside him, asking Cao Zikang and Ge Cunxin to sit down and talk. He asked them, "You say that Gu Wudu and Li Zhuotong are working together, can they stabilize the situation in the southeast?"

  Ge Cunxin scratched his head and chuckled, saying: "The Chu Party and the Western Qin Party are fighting in the court, it's not easy to get along, gods and immortals are fighting, I'm just a mortal, can't see through...". The Ge family is a prominent household on the Huai River, considered the leader of the fishermen and boatmen of the Nanruhe River. From the generation of Xiaozhāngyé (Little Squid) to Dàzhāngyé (Big Squid), both brothers have read books. Xiaozhāngyé Ge Cunxiong even served as a riverbank official for several years. Dàzhāngyé looks rough but has some understanding of the situation in the court, knowing that Gu Wudian belongs to the Chu Party and Li Zhuo is a person recommended by Chen Xinbo, the leader of the Western Qin Party. The Chu Party and the Western Qin Party are currently fighting fiercely in the court, like water and fire. Ge Cunxin chuckled and revealed the relationship between Gu Wudian and Li Zhuo with one sentence.

  "Do you think Li Zhuo has an ulterior motive for appearing at the river mouth today?" Cao Zi'ang sat down on the riverbank, which was a muddy embankment. On this April night, sitting on the damp earth didn't feel cold at all; in just a few more days, the plum rains would begin.

  "Perhaps," Lin said, resting his hands on his knees and gazing out at the dense night sky, "Li Zhuo is indeed a rare and talented general in recent years. Today, as the Young Master's instructor and Minister of War for Jiangning, he holds the position of Guardian of Jiangning, which can be said to be a high-ranking and prestigious post. However, the role he can play is not as great as that of a provincial governor. Now, it can be determined that Dong Yuan was a chess piece laid down in advance by Li Zhuo. With the power to control the military preparations and monitor the army in Jiangdong, as well as the support of Wang Xueshan, the Prefect of Jiangning, he should be able to stabilize the situation in Jiangdong, and then Zhejiang and Jiangxi can be at ease..."

  "Li Zhuo is actually willing to bow his head to Gu Wu Chen?" Ge Cunxin exclaimed in surprise. Although Li Zhuo was not a top-ranking official, he held the titles of Taizi Shao Shi and Jiangning Bingbu Shangshu, making him a prominent second-grade official. Moreover, as the commander-in-chief of the Dongming war effort, his reputation in the southeastern region was unmatched at the time. Comparing Gu Wu Chen to Li Zhuo, it's like comparing dog feces to something much more valuable. No wonder Ge Cunxin found it astonishing when Lin Xie told him that Li Zhuo wanted to bow his head to Gu Wu Chen.

  Lin Xian let out a soft sigh, the more he thought about it, the more anxious his heart became. If Li Zhuo was only after fame and fortune, disregarding the bigger picture, he would have simply followed Chen Xi's example, resigned from office, and waited quietly for an opportunity to rise again. He wouldn't have made such a veiled suggestion today. After all, Li Zhuo was only 48 years old.

  "Can't Gu Wudu put down the factional struggle?" Cao Zikang heard Lin Xie's sigh and guessed the result, but couldn't help asking again.

  "Hmm." Lin Xuan let out another soft sigh, at least for now he couldn't make any other choice. At least in others' eyes, Gu Wu had shown him kindness and nurtured him, and on his body was deeply imprinted the mark of the Chu Party. Wanting to tear it off wasn't that easy, unless he were to leave and go up Longshan Island.

  "The court has long been rotten and incurable," Cao Zikang thought to himself, but he didn't say it out loud, considering Lin Xuan's feelings. "Even if it's buried tomorrow, what's there to regret?"

  "It's easy to speak pleasant words," Lin Xie sometimes sighed, " 'The rise and fall of emperors' affairs, the difficulties of the people's families', how many emperors have been able to make the people warm and full since ancient times?"

  "The imperial court can have a prosperous government, and Governor Tan will be an able minister," Ge Cunxin said beside him. "It's just that this is a chaotic autumn, and I'm afraid it's no longer possible for human power to reverse the tide... In these days, I also admire Governor Tan's ability, and I don't believe that letting Governor Tan do his best at this time can bring this runaway horse back on track."

  "With no power and no prestige, how can I make the ghosts listen to me?" Lin Xie laughed and said, "Big Li is teasing me with his words."

  "Let's just put the camera aside, it doesn't matter if we go to Changshan Island together and live a carefree life. However, Changshan Island is under your Donghai Fox flag, and you have a heavy burden on your shoulders." Cao Zikang let out a soft sigh, stood up and gently pressed Lin Xie's shoulder, although he had no good feelings towards the Yuan Dynasty, nor did he want the world to be in chaos, with people suffering and being taken advantage of by foreign tribes.

  "You all go rest, I'll blow for a while and then go back to sleep," said Lin Wei.

  Cao Zikang and Ge Cunxin returned to the surrounding house, while Lin Xun went to patrol the river dike. He walked onto the riverbank and looked at the moonlight shining down, illuminating the sandy beach with a layer of white light. His spirits lifted, he drew his knife and practiced several dozen moves. After working up a warm sweat, he sheathed his knife and stuck it in the mud, then untied his pants and stood there to relieve himself.

  Lin Xun was still not used to using a chamber pot, and urinating in the outhouse was not as convenient as standing on the riverbank. He aimlessly urinated into the dark shadows below the dike, where the moonlight couldn't reach, when he heard a soft cry: "You're shameless!" A cold light flashed up from below.

  Lin Xun didn't have time to tie his pants back up and sidestepped, flipping over to grab the knife stuck in the mud. He swung it behind him, not caring if his opponent was male or female - after all, there were female assassins in this world too. The woman's previous attack had been aimed straight at his vital parts.

  Lin Xun's legs were tangled up by his falling pants, and he could only spin around, crouching to counterattack with his feet. His opponent seemed too enraged to take advantage of Lin Xun's entangled legs and attacked from the front instead, raising her knife for a fierce slash. Lin Xun raised his own knife to block the attack, then punched at her abdomen.

  The woman hadn't expected Lin Xun's fist to be so powerful, and she stumbled backward several steps, losing her footing and tumbling into the dike. As it happened, Lin Xun's next move was just in time to slash away a piece of her black clothing...

  A commotion broke out over here, and the nearby sentry post blew a warning whistle and rushed over quickly. The corner tower also heard the whistle and shone its light over with a bronze mirror. Lin Xie managed to tie his belt before the light shone over and avoided embarrassment.

  The woman in black was also caught by two guards inside the river embankment. The torches were lit, and Lin Xie stood there watching as they tied her up securely. He signaled to Wu Ya and the others not to reveal themselves, fearing that there might still be enemies lurking around. The woman's dark hair covered her face, but the exposed skin on her neck was illuminated by the torchlight and moonlight, revealing a smooth and delicate complexion. Her left arm had been cut by Lin Xie's knife, and fresh blood dripped down from it. Lin Xie walked over to her, brushed away her hair, and wiped some of the mud off her face with his hand. Only when he saw her face clearly did he pause for a moment, thinking: "Is this woman here to assassinate someone or is she afraid that no one will come to her doorstep to deliver goods?" The four guards beside him also looked at each other in surprise. Lin Xie noticed that the woman was limping, seemingly having injured her foot when she rolled down the embankment. He took a closer look and saw that her black clothes were wet on the right shoulder, with blood splattered all over. It wasn't dewy outside yet, but Lin Xie could still imagine why her body was wet. Poor thing, she must have been holding in her urine for so long that she had wet herself.

  At this time, the guard Wu Ze picked up the woman's weapon and handed it to Lin Xie. After taking a look, he found that it was a narrow-waisted dagger with a silver handle, about two feet long, very exquisite. It would be barely enough for self-defense, but if used for assassination, one would have to catch the victim off guard and stab at a vital spot. He thought to himself: Was this woman's original intention just to probe and then got angry when she was splashed with urine and drew her dagger? Lin Xie then took out a handkerchief from his bosom and bandaged her arm, temporarily stopping the bleeding. Cao Zi'ang, Ge Cunxin, Lin Jingzhong, and others also arrived after hearing the alarm whistle. However, Zhao Qinnian did not dare to come out of the encircled house at this time. Cao Zi'ang saw that the assassin had already been caught on this side and ordered his men to patrol the riverbank again. After a while, someone came back to report that a small boat had just escaped from the west side of the riverbank, where the lanterns on the corner tower could not shine. They asked if they should deploy the fast ship from the prison island to chase after it; the area around the river mouth was relatively large, and the sentry posts were always unable to cover everything.

  "Never mind, someone has to go back and report anyway." Lin Mou shook his head.

  "Could it be that he has come to assassinate Zhao Qinnan?" Lin Jingzhong asked in doubt.

  Lin Tie glanced at the female assassin's face and exchanged a look with Cao Zi'ang and Ge Cunxin, all three of them shaking their heads.

  "Do you know who I am? Why did you come to assassinate me?" Lin Xie lifted the female assassin's chin, looking into her eyes, thinking to himself: Whatever happens, don't mention that urine thing!

  "Pfft." The woman spat in Lin Xie's direction and closed her eyes, saying nothing.

  Lin wiped away the foam on his face, and he also felt a little relieved in his heart. He thought carefully about the conversation he had with Cao Zi'ang and Ge Cunxin earlier, and it should not have been overheard by this woman. He instructed: "Take her to the women's prison on the island for temporary detention, and ask Mr. Wu to treat her injuries. Don't let her bleed to death before tomorrow's interrogation, and be careful not to hurt Mr. Wu either. If she still refuses to confess tomorrow, send her to the Yuling County government office. After all, I am also an official appointed by the imperial court..."

  Two guards, Wu Ze and another, escorted the female assassin to Prison Island. The river mouth was heavily guarded. Lin Xie told Cao Zi'ang and others to return first and rest. He returned to the thatched cottage, where Xiao Man and Liu Yue'er were standing in a mess, wearing their clothes in disarray and arguing with each other.

  "You're just afraid of death yourself, why are you stopping me from leaving?" Little Man's face was puffed up with anger as she glared at Liu Yue'er, her words sharp and piercing.

  "Ah!" Lin Xuan turned around, wanting to dodge, looking at Liu Yue'er's wronged and tearful appearance, couldn't help but sink his face to scold Xiao Man, "How can you be so disobedient? Didn't I instruct you that if you hear the alarm, your first priority is to protect yourselves?"

  "It's clear that she heard there was an assassin unfavorable to you, yet she remains unmoved!" Xiao Man argued.

  "No matter in the past or in the future, you must listen to your wife's orders at home..."

  "She's not even your wife..." Xiaoman was still fuming in her heart.

  "You won't listen to me either?"

  Xiao Man pouted and remained silent; Lin Xie was at a loss for words, it seemed that Yue Er had indeed been perceptive. She really couldn't handle this girl, although Xiao Man had some childish tendencies, she generally knew what was important and didn't have the heart to scold her. Rubbing her messy hair, she comforted her by saying: "Compared to myself, I'm more worried about your safety, if you want me to be at ease, you should first take care of yourself, do you know? Go rest for now, we just caught a female assassin, tomorrow will be exciting, don't oversleep and miss the show..."

  Xiao Man pouted and went back to the house; Liu Yue'er approached quietly and said in a low voice: "I was worried to death just now, I was really afraid of going out and causing trouble for you, not..." Lin Xuan looked over, her tears had already fallen.

  Lin Xuan gently wrapped his arms around Liu Yue'er, and at this moment, Xiao Man peeked out from behind the door, watching Lin Xuan hold Liu Yue'er in his arms. Lin Xuan glared at her, and she stuck out her tongue before turning to leave, intentionally making footsteps as she walked away. Liu Yue'er heard the sound and quickly struggled free from Lin Xuan's embrace, whispering: "I just want you to know that I have nothing else to rely on except for you..." She wiped away tears from her face and returned to her room to rest.

  Lin suddenly remembered that he still had half a bubble of urine stuck in his body.