Dong Zhuo 51

  Gao Fei and the others had been waiting impatiently around the gate of the prefecture for a long time. Looking at the night sky, it was already one o'clock in the middle of the night, but Bian Xi's key had not arrived yet, which undoubtedly made everyone worried.

  "Master, isn't Bao Xi a master thief? Why can't he even steal a key?" Pang De said impatiently to Gao Fei beside him.

  Just as Gao Fei was about to respond, a black figure flashed over from the county government side and shouted "Bu Gu" in a low voice. Gao Fei's face lit up with joy, and he hastily whispered: "The key has arrived, everyone start acting!"

  At the sound of an order, a large group of black-clad men emerged from around the treasury, with similar height, build and attire, making it difficult to distinguish who was who. However, upon closer inspection, it could be seen that several people had a red cloth wrapped around their left arm - these were Pang De, Hua Xiong, Li Wenhou and Liao Hua, each being the small leader of their respective teams.

  "What's going on? How did it get delayed for so long?" Gao Fei asked as soon as he arrived beside Bian Xi.

  "Master, something unexpected happened. Fu Xue didn't sleep all night and then he found me. I had no choice but to injure him, now he's unconscious. That's how I got the key."

  Gao Fei heard that Fu Shou was injured, and he didn't react much. He immediately took the key from Bian Xi's hand and quickly opened the treasury. Then, Zhao Yun led Zhou Cang, Guan Yu, Pei Yuan Shao, Xia Hou Lan and eight hundred brothers to push a horse cart over quickly. In order not to attract attention from the people at the east gate, Gao Fei ordered someone to leave all the horses of the carts at the west gate, and had Fei An lead two hundred men to wait there. As soon as a cart came, they would quickly put the horses in the harness and have them hurry back to Wu Yue Mountain.

  Zhao Yun arrived in front of Gao Fei and immediately reported: "Master, everything is ready at the west gate. Those soldiers are all tied up together."

  Gao Fei saw that everyone had arrived and loudly shouted: "Alright, let's start, hurry up! Bian Xi, release the signal!"

  It was a slow process, but soon everyone had entered the carriage and entered the arsenal, starting to load various necessary weapons and equipment onto the carriages, which were then transported one by one to the west gate, where the horses waiting there were harnessed to the carriages.

  It was just past midnight, and there were still over a dozen carriages left in the treasury that had not been loaded, as well as 20,000 to 30,000 arrows that had not been loaded onto the carriages. Suddenly, someone at the east gate shouted "The water is flowing!" The sound of gongs and drums filled the air, and the entire area around the east gate erupted into chaos.

  Gao Fei heard the voice in the government storehouse and immediately realized the urgency of the situation. He ordered his subordinates: "Speed up a bit, someone must have discovered our convoy."

  This was Gao Fei's arrangement, after all, to transport so many things, it takes time, and in such a long time, it is impossible for the east gate direction not to hear any sound. Chen Cang City was originally small, and with a little wind blowing, the whole city could be startled. Fortunately, there were not many Han soldiers living in Chen Cang City, and most of the houses in the city had been demolished during the rebellion to accommodate more soldiers, so the Han army's camp was on the mountain road outside the east gate. Gao Fei arranged for Lu Heng to ambush there, and if something happened, he would set fire to the few houses by the east gate to disrupt the vision of the east gate guards.

  The big fire spread quickly, and the dry winter weather, combined with the fire oil that Lu Heng had prepared early on, caused the big fire to seal off the entire East Gate, cutting off the road between east and west, creating a great opportunity for Gao Fei and his men.

  The guards at the east gate were busy putting out the fire, while those at the west gate were hastily loading goods. Suddenly, Ma Jiu rushed over from the county government office and burst into the treasury, shouting: "Master Hou... Master Hou... we can't hold off Gai Xun!"

  Gao Fei hastily removed his black robe, revealing a suit of armor underneath, and ordered Pang De: "Hurry up and move out! I'll go block Gai Xun to buy some time. Ma Jiu, follow me! Zi Long, quickly go join forces with Lu Heng!"

  As soon as the words fell, Gao Fei rushed to the county government office, but saw twenty bailiffs guarding the gate. Ge Yun was fully armed, holding a long sword, trying to break through the blockade of the twenty bailiffs, and shouted loudly: "Get out of the way, all of you get out of the way, I don't need your protection!"

  As soon as Gai Xun saw Gao Fei rushing in from outside, he shouted loudly: "Lord Hou! Mr. Fu has been injured by assassins, and there is a fire in the east of the city again. These yamen runners say they are here to protect me under your orders, so why won't they let me go out?"

  Gao Fei hastily said: "I also thought of the safety of the adults, as soon as I learned that Fu Gong was assassinated, I immediately ordered Zhao Yun to pursue the assassin. Who would have thought that the city would suddenly catch fire? It seems that the assassin had planned ahead of time. When I passed by the treasury, I saw the guards fainting on the ground, and only then did I realize the severity of the situation. Worried that something might happen to Gai Gong again, I let Ma Jiu and others escort Gai Gong in the county government."

  Gai Xun said: "I don't need anyone's protection, has the assassin been caught?"

  Gao Fei said: "I was searching for him in the west of the city, when I heard Ma Jiu calling me, so I came over immediately."

  "Your Lordship, what are we waiting for? Let's go catch the assassin now!"

  "Alright, follow me!" Gao Fei hoped that the last few cars had withdrawn and led Ge Xun to run towards the west side of the city gate.

  From the county government office to the west of the city, along the way, you have to pass by the treasury. Just when you are about to arrive at the treasury, suddenly a crisp and clear shout is heard: "Feng Jin!"

  Immediately afterwards, a loud shout came from the county government office: "Pull it!"

  Gai Xun heard this voice and immediately shouted: "Not good! An assassin is in the county yamen, Lord Fu is in danger!"

  Gao Fei immediately shouted loudly: "Return to the county government!"

  When they returned to the county government office, everyone saw a black-clad person flip over the wall of the county government office, and then jump onto a civilian house, treading on the roof tiles as if walking on flat ground. With swift speed, he jumped onto another civilian house, his movements neat and efficient, like a ghostly apparition. Soon, he disappeared into the night, leaving no trace.

  "What a handsome move!" Ge Xun secretly admired.

  Gao Fei also saw clearly that this move was absolutely not something Bian Xi could do, and judging from the figure, it should be Zhao Yun without a doubt. A satisfied smile appeared in his heart, but his face remained worried, he fixed his eyes on the county government office, only to see Fu Shuo walking out with his right arm covered.

  Gai Xun and Gao Fei hurried over, exchanging concerned inquiries, but fortunately Fu Shuo was not seriously injured.

  At this time, Zhao Yun and Lu Heng rushed over together and saluted Gao Fei with their fists: "Lord Hou, the big fire in the east of the city has been brought under control!"

  Gao Fei naturally knew what it meant, meaning that the Night Eagle plan had been successfully completed and everyone had withdrawn from Chen Cang. He immediately replied: "Good, how's the treasury side?"

  Lu Hengdao said: "The soldiers have also been rescued, but... the supplies in the warehouse are much less, and the guards of the warehouse are still counting."

  Fu Xi heard that the government office had lost something, and just as he was about to stand up, he felt a severe pain in his right arm and said: "The government office has lost something, I am to blame..."

  "What kind of assassins are these, who not only stabbed Lord Fu but also looted the treasury? They're truly daring and reckless!" Gu Yun shouted sternly.

  Zhao Yun said, "Reporting to Your Excellency, the assassins are all agile and nimble, and flying over eaves and walking on walls is nothing to them. I chased after them, but didn't get very far before they vanished without a trace. However, judging from their accent, it seems like they're from the Liangzhou area, and some of the assassins were even speaking nonsense."

  Gai Xun said: "The thief's skills are indeed strong, and just now I and Lord Hou also saw one. That kind of skill is feared to be difficult for us to capture. Unexpectedly, the rebel army did not attack Chen Cang, but instead stole supplies from our Chen Cang. It seems that in the future we must strengthen our defenses. For now, let's calculate the losses in the treasury and then make plans. Lord Hou, do you think this is good?"

  Gao Fei nodded and said: "Lord Ge is absolutely right, since the assassin has retreated, I think we should hurry up and help Lord Fu inside, then call a military doctor to treat his wounds!"

  Gai Xun grunted, and then supported Fu Shuo as they walked into the county government office. Gao Fei instructed Ma Jiu to call a military doctor, and brought Zhao Yun and Lu Heng along as they followed inside. A group of bailiffs stood guard at the main gate.

  After daybreak, the specific things lost from the treasury were reported to Fu Xie, who was wrapped in bandages. Fu Xie let out a deep sigh and looked at the lost items, saying slowly: "Dereliction of duty... dereliction of duty..."

  Although the loss was not a big deal for the Han army, such a mistake was indeed embarrassing. Fu Shuo immediately wrote a self-criticism and sent it to Huangfu Song, who was both the General of Chariots and Cavalry and the Governor of Liangzhou.

  At this critical moment, Cao Pi could not extricate himself. As for last night's events, the entire Chen Cang was still discussing it, but no one would have thought that Cao Pi was a thief shouting to catch a thief. No one would have thought that the great Han general who suppressed the rebellion would steal things from the Han army. Cao Pi sent Lu Xiang to Wu Yue Mountain to sort everything out. He was the chief clerk, and these things should all be handed over to him for management.

  After noon, Zhonglang General Dong Zhuo and Bao Hong arrived at Chen Cang with a few attendants, leaving 30,000 elite troops on the mountain path, as the small city of Chen Cang could not accommodate so many people.

  Outside the east city gate of Chen Cang, Gao Fei was waiting with Zhao Yun and Ge Xun. From a distance, they saw eight riders galloping from the mountain path. The two men at the front were an old man and a young man, the old man about forty years old, the young man only twenty-five or six.

  "Lord Hou, the old one is Dong Zhuo and the young one is Bao Hong." Gai Xun feared that Gao Fei might not recognize them and worried that it would be awkward to make small talk later, so he reminded him in advance.

  Gao Fei nodded, his eyes fixed intently on Dong Zhuo, who was approaching from afar. Dong Zhuo wore a helmet and armor, with a robust physique that seemed almost square-shaped, with a strong facial bone structure, a wide and open lower jaw, and curly whiskers. His face was full of muscles, with thick eyebrows, thick ears, and a large mouth, exuding a strong masculine aura, displaying an air of majesty and grandeur.

  "Is this man Dong Zhuo?"

  Gao Fei was muttering to himself in his heart, but found that Dong Zhuo's eyes shot out two sharp lights, also sizing him up. Their eyes met for a moment, and then disappeared. For some reason, Gao Fei involuntarily felt a sense of nameless fear. His calm heart was rippled by Dong Zhuo's arrival, and the deep eyes under his steel helmet made him feel an immense pressure, as if his thoughts could be seen through at a glance.

  "Is this Gao Fei, the newly appointed General of Conquering Rebels in the Imperial Court?"

  When his eyes were wavering, Gao Fei suddenly felt a very thick voice entering his ears. He looked up and saw that Dong Zhuo had already dismounted and was standing in front of him, with a height of at least 1.88 meters, more than half a head taller than him.

  Gai Xun saw Gao Fei's eyes flashing, but didn't respond. He immediately came out to mediate and cupped his hands, saying: "Dong Da Ren not only has good eyesight, but also very timely information. This person is indeed the Rebel General, Duke of Du County, General Gao Fei."

  Dong Zhuo sneered and said with disdain in his eyes, "So this is the famous General Gao? Gaixia, I'm hungry, get me some food!"

  Gai Yun busily made a welcoming gesture with his hands and smiled: "Lord Dong, the banquet has already been prepared, please enter the city!"

  Dong Zhuo first charged forward, colliding with Gao Shun and Gao Ying. As he knocked over Gao Ying's shoulder, he also gave him a sideways glance, the light in his eyes this time was unusual, making it impossible to guess what his gaze represented.

  Gao Feng was struck by Dong Zhuo and came to his senses, but when he turned around, he saw that Dong Zhuo had already entered the city, while beside him stood the younger Bao Hong and his attendants.

  Bao Hong's stature was much smaller than Dong Zhuo, forming a sharp contrast with him. He was slightly short in height and didn't even count as one of the Han Dynasty's seven-foot-tall men, but the aura emanating from his body was also intimidating, as if warning others not to make an issue of his height, or else he would fight to the death.

  However, Bao Hong was much more modest than Dong Zhuo and seemed much more amiable, without the latter's arrogant and overbearing air. He saw him bowing to Gao Fei with his fists: "I'm Bao Hong, You Fufeng, I've seen General Gao!"

  Gao Fei returned the courtesy: "I am Gao Fei from Longxi, and I have met General Bao before."

  In some sense, the Zhonglang General will be far superior to this motley crew of rebel generals, as he is in charge of leading the elite Imperial Guard troops stationed in the capital region, a fixed official position, whereas the general is not always set up, only appointed during times of war, and also has a salary that is far lower than that of a 2,000-dan official in the capital.

  Gai Xun introduced: "General Gao, General Bao is also young and promising. The Yellow Turbans of Ge Po were pacified by him."

  Gao Fei hastily said: "Oh, General Bao's great name is like thunder in my ears, I'm so sorry."

  Bao Hong also exchanged some pleasantries before entering the city with his entourage.

  Gao Fei likes to read historical books, and the name of Bao Hong is still seen. This brother is indeed a powerful person, his official positions are all exchanged for military merit. Later, Emperor Ling of Han set up the eight colonels of Xiyuan, and Bao Hong also served as the colonel of Xiayun. He can be listed with people like Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, which shows his strength.

  "General Gao, don't mind what just happened. Dong Zhuo is just a arrogant and overbearing person who looks down on everyone. But if he had looked at you favorably, then General Gao would be no different from an ordinary person. Hehe, let's enter the city, Lord Fu is still waiting for us in the county government." Gai Xun comforted Gao Fei, seeing that he was a bit displeased.

  Gao Fei nodded and turned to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with Ge Xun into the city, but in his mind he was speculating about Dong Zhuo: "I don't know why, every time I see him my heart has a kind of inexplicable fear. It seems that Dong Zhuo is indeed not a simple person, someone who can make me feel this way for the first time. Such a person should be difficult to deal with, I'd better be careful."