Chapter 7: Manhunt

  Zui Ba Xian Wine House is located in the center of Zhangjiakou Town, with luxurious decorations from inside to outside. It has always been a place for gentlemen to relax and have fun. At this time, the guards of various large shops were scattered around. The quarrel on the second floor had been going on since dawn, and none of the guards could imagine their masters' red faces and thick necks arguing with each other in a rage.

  At noon, two people rushed out of Lu's courtyard, which was not far away, and shouted while running: "Zhang Jin is dead, Zhang Jin is dead."

  Zhang Jin is the Lu family guard who was injured last night.

  Everyone who heard the shouting had a big head, and Zhang Jin died. This matter has evolved into a situation where there is no you or me, unless Fan Yongdong obediently handed over Ge Feng to be executed. Otherwise, only one of the two families can survive in this village. The Shanxi business entering the grassland is actually one with the horse thieves. These trade routes have buried countless people's corpses, and all the merchants' hands are stained with blood. However, within Zhangjiakou and even the Ming Dynasty borders, it is completely different. Killing people indiscriminately here comes at a cost.

  Inside Wangshun Pavilion, three people sat around a stone table chatting and enjoying the autumn sunshine.

  "Eight out of ten horse thieves on this grassland are Han people! There are those who, like me, have lost money in business, those who fled to the grasslands without a place to settle, and those who escaped from Liaodong. The vast majority of Mongolians don't need to be horse thieves."

  "Are there no poor people in Mongolia? Why is nobody stealing horses?" The sun-baked Zhai Zhe's body was languid, and he asked every detail in a toneless manner.

  "The poor Mongolians, as long as they are willing to surrender to the Khitan, will be given livestock by the Jurchen people to make a living, unlike the Han people who can only be slaves there!" Ge Feng is really a grassland expert, and he is also very familiar with the situation in Liaodong.

  Xiao Zhiyan said very little on the side and showed no great interest in what Ge Feng had to say.

  Just as the three were talking, a burst of footsteps sounded outside the door. A guard rushed in from outside the courtyard, panting and saying: "Second Master, Zhang Jin is dead!"

  Ge Fengteng stood up from his seat, with bulging veins on both hands.

  Di Zhe stood up and gently patted his shoulder, saying: "Ge brother, don't worry!"

  "Second Master, spare my life! Ge Feng will never forget your great kindness." Ge Feng's expression was flustered, and he cursed again: "Lu Fuyou, this old scoundrel, has a heart so cruel and vicious!"

  Di Zhe shook his head and said: "Ge brother, Fan Dongjia will think of a way, besides, I let you go, how can the Di family explain to all the major merchants!"

  The speaker's words had just ended when another guard came to report: "The cavalry from Zhangjiakou has arrived at Jizhong!"

  "What?" Zhai Zhe was shocked.

  The soldiers guarding the Zhangjiakou fortress often come to Jizhen in plain clothes for leisure, but formal cavalry have not entered this town for many years. Each household business pays the protection fee on time every month to the guards of the Zhangjiakou fortress, just to avoid the trouble caused by the officials and soldiers under the name of checking contraband goods. At this critical moment, the entry of official soldiers must be someone who has informed them.

  Lu's family has been operating here for so many years, and indeed there are some doors. Zhai Zhe pressed his hands on the cold stone slab, but it was hard to decide.

  "Second Master, let me go, the Lu family can invite officials and soldiers, they will surely bring me to death." Ge Feng knelt down on the ground with a thud, for the sake of survival, he didn't even care about his face.

  Lu Jia first killed his own guards and then broke into the government office to summon troops, beyond everyone's expectation.

  "Lufu You must be crazy, who will still want to cooperate with him after this!" Zhai Zhe paced around the table a few steps, his eyes fixed on Ge Feng and said: "Alright, I'll let you go!"

  "Second Master, I owe you a life-saving favor! I will definitely repay it!" Ge Feng got up and wanted to run outside.

  "Halt!" Di Zhe shouted at him, turning his head to say to Xiao Zhīyán: "Take him out the back door! Send him out of the village and come back afterwards."

  Xiao Zhi's expression was shocked, and then he stood up, beckoning Ge Feng to say: "Follow me!" The two of them rushed out of the back door through the other courtyard where Di Tang lived.

  As soon as the two of them had just left, they heard a loud noise outside. The doorman came in to report: "The guards from the Lu family have blocked the entrance!"

  It seems that Lu Fuyou is willing to break the rules and kill Ge Feng. Di Zhe secretly congratulated himself for letting Ge Feng leave through the back door of the other courtyard. However, Lu Fuyou really couldn't understand that even if he spent so much effort to kill Ge Feng, it would be a loss. The Zhangjiakou trade route to Liaodong is already a trend, and as long as this market wants to exist, there is only one way to go.

  Di Zhe didn't want to waste his energy arguing with the guards, so he ordered: "Let them go make a fuss! Don't bother with them!"

  The cavalry of the Great Ming entered Zhangjiakou with a loud hoofbeat, more than 100 cavalrymen galloped straight to the gate of Wangshun Pavilion, along the way chickens flew and dogs jumped. The leader wore a general's uniform, had a high nose and a purple face, looking like he was in his thirties.

  Yue Tuo and Eruzhuo, who were drinking tea at a roadside teahouse, immediately stood up and hid in a small tavern amidst the chaotic crowd as soon as they saw the Ming cavalry.

  Over a hundred officials and soldiers in this gathering are actually nothing, but they represent the court of the great Ming, even the most ferocious guards dare only dodge.

  The cavalry stopped in front of the gate of Wangshun Pavilion, drew out their whips and lashed at the guards who were making a ruckus at the door, shouting: "What kind of people are you? Get out of my way!"

  The guards who were being dragged away retreated while shouting: "We are the Lu family's guards, the murderer is right here!"

  Di Zhe stepped out from inside and happened to see the scene in front of him. He shouted loudly, "Gong Chen! It's you!"

  The purple-faced general stopped his whip and saw Di Zhe rush over to greet him with a bow, saying: "Young Master Di!" This made the Lu family guards watching from the side look foolish.

  "It's been a while since you've come to the collection house!" Zhai Zhe laughed and greeted, he didn't expect that being sent over to catch someone would be Gong Chen, what a coincidence. He had known Gong Chen three years ago when he first entered the collection house, at that time he was just a squad leader, poor and destitute, with no money to his name. Zhai Zhe admired his skills and helped him out financially many times, even his own position as a battalion commander was thanks in part to the Zhai family's silver.

  Gong Chen lowered his voice and said: "Last night, someone broke into the fort. This morning, the master mentioned that people were caught in the collection room. I heard the name Wang Shun Ge, so I volunteered to come over. What exactly happened? Why would a murderer from Da Sheng Kui be locked up in your house?"

  Di Zhe gave him a look and said: "It's hard to get a word in edgewise, you just focus on searching the people."

  Gong Chen nodded in agreement and loudly ordered: "Enter Wang Shun's mansion and capture the murder suspect Ge Feng, be careful to search thoroughly!"

  The officers and soldiers were about to rush in, but Chong Chen was afraid of damaging the things inside, so he ordered: "Only ten people can go in, the rest of you surround this place!"

  No matter how many soldiers searched the shop, Bowen was still confused and asked: "What's going on? Why did you let us intervene in this matter of collecting debts?"

  Di Zhe didn't want to say more at this time, and said: "The culprit is not in Wangshun Pavilion, you just search, after searching, go back and report. Wait until I have time to chat with you in detail."

  The officers and soldiers suddenly entered the collection, leaving each business at a loss. Here, there were all kinds of goods that violated the imperial court's ban. The owners and managers of each household hastily sent people to report to the Zuiba Xian Tea House. The Dongjia who was holding a meeting had no intention of continuing the discussion and immediately dispersed. Zhai Zhe and Gong Chen were talking when they saw Zhai Tang and Fan Yongdou hurrying over from around the corner.

  Gong Chen ordered the soldiers to stop and withdraw from the shop, cupping his hands: "Zhāi Dōngjiā, Fàn Dōngjiā!"

  Di Tang's face turned gloomy, and he furiously asked: "What are you doing?"

  "By order of Huang Shoubei, arrest and kill the suspect Ge Feng!"

  "Where is Ge Feng?"

  "I've searched already, Ge Feng is not in the Wang Shun Pavilion. I'll immediately return to the fortress and report back to Lord Guardian." Gong Chen knew that the people in this gathering were not ones he could afford to offend, so he hastily helped lift Officer Shang out.

  Di Tang still had a deadpan expression, angrily saying: "You dare to bully me, Wang Shun Ge? I will report this matter to General Yu of Xuan Fu and Governor Shen."

  These Shanxi merchants not only transported tea from Fujian and Huguang to the grasslands, but also transported grain and millet from Jiangnan to Xuanfu, Datong and Bianjing. Some of these businesses made money, while others just paved the way, but it was precisely these businesses that allowed Zhangjiakou to exist in a transcendent state. The people in this market were involved in too many interests, and one guard couldn't afford to offend them.