Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

Chapter 1485 Going to Further Places

Liu Bowen was stunned for a long time, then slowly shook his head.

"Young Master Qiwu, are you really eighteen years old?"

“Mr. Bowen, you’ve asked twice today,” Zhu Qiwu laughed, “but I’m still eighteen.”

"Seventh Young Master, what are your plans to do regarding Zhao Bulan's matter?"

Zhu Qiwu's smile vanished.

"Xu Da and Zhou Dexing have already led men to surround the area. I'll go check it out after dark."

"You're going in person?"

"You can't see his true colors without going there yourself."

Liu Bowen looked at Zhu Qiwu, remained silent for a long while, and then said something.

"Seventh Young Master, you really resemble your fourth brother. But you're even more ruthless than him."

"Isn't being ruthless better?"

“Alright,” Liu Bowen said, “but ruthless people don’t live long.”

Zhu Qiwu did not respond.

He turned and walked to the window, looking at the sky outside. The sun was already setting, and the sky over Yingtian Prefecture was dyed orange-red.

The red lanterns of the recruitment hall across the street lit up again.

But this time, Zhu Qiwu didn't look over there.

He was looking in the direction of the south of the city.

There, Xu Da and Zhou Dexing were setting up a net.

At the center of the net is Zhao Bulan.

He had one more thing to do before nightfall.

He opened the system panel and checked if there were any unused sign-in rewards for today.

Ding! A security threat has been detected against the host. Extra sign-in reward has been issued: a pair of night vision goggles, allowing vision in the dark for two hours. Bonus: three sticks of mind-control incense, which, when lit, will render anyone within a five-zhang radius unconscious for half an hour.

Zhu Qiwu carefully put away the night vision goggles and the sleeping potion.

Then he called Tang He.

"Tang He, after dark, you take ten men and come with me to the inn in the south of the city."

Tang He's eyes lit up: "Catch Zhao Bulan?"

“It’s not about arresting him,” Zhu Qiwu said. “It’s about seeing how many men he brought.”

Tang He's excitement immediately waned by half: "Just to take a look?"

"Let's just take a look. See how many men he brought, what kind of weapons they had, and which room they're staying in. Once we've seen everything, we'll come back. Without alerting them."

Although Tang He was reluctant, he nodded nonetheless.

The sky gradually darkened.

On the streets of Yingtian Prefecture, fewer and fewer pedestrians were on the way. The food stalls were packing up, and the peddlers carrying their wares had disappeared. The whole city seemed to be slowly closing its eyes.

Zhu Qiwu put on night vision goggles, and led Tang He and ten personal guards, quietly left the examination hall and headed south of the city.

The South City Inn was located in a secluded alley, with a dim lantern hanging at the entrance. Zhu Qiwu looked through his night-vision goggles and saw that the first and second floors of the inn had lights, but the third floor was dark.

"No one lives on the third floor," Tang He whispered in Zhu Qiwu's ear.

"Not necessarily," Zhu Qiwu said. "Perhaps it's intentional that the lights aren't turned on."

He had ten guards spread out and keep a close watch on the front and back doors and all the windows of the inn. Then he took Tang He and climbed over the wall through the alley at the back.

The inn's backyard was small and cluttered with miscellaneous items. Zhu Qiwu scanned the area with his night-vision goggles and spotted a carriage parked in a corner of the backyard. The carriage was covered with a cloth, making it impossible to see what was inside.

“There’s something wrong with that car,” Zhu Qiwu said in a low voice.

Tang He leaned over to take a look, and then his expression changed.

"Seven or five, the ruts are very deep. The contents inside must be heavy."

Zhu Qiwu thought for a moment, then took out a stick of incense from his pocket and handed it to Tang He.

"Go and knock those two guards at the gate unconscious. Don't kill them, just knock them out."

Tang He took the incense and crouched down to reach out.

A moment later, two muffled thuds came from the doorway, and then silence.

Zhu Qiwu and Tang He sneaked into the first floor of the inn. There was no one in the lobby, but there were several wine glasses on the table, and the glasses still contained wine.

“Someone just left recently,” Zhu Qiwu said.

The two went up to the second floor. There were four rooms on the second floor, three of which were closed, and only the door to the innermost room was ajar, with light shining from inside.

Zhu Qiwu peered inside through night vision goggles.

There were two people in the room. One was Zhao Bulan, who was sitting at the table with a piece of paper in front of him, writing something. The other person had his back to the door, so his face was not visible, but he was very burly and had a knife at his waist.

Zhu Qiwu counted, and there were only two people in the room.

Outside the inn, his personal guards said there were people guarding both the front and back gates. Including these two, there were at least six people.

Where are the other four people?

As he was thinking, he suddenly heard a soft footstep coming from downstairs.

It wasn't just one person, it was several people.

Zhu Qiwu immediately pulled Tang He into the empty room next door.

The footsteps grew closer and closer, then stopped at the doorway of the room where they were hiding.

The door was pushed open.

A man dressed in black entered, carrying a short knife. He scanned the room, found no one, and was about to turn and leave—

Tang He pounced on him from behind, covering his mouth with one hand and grabbing his neck with the other.

The man in black struggled a few times before going limp.

Zhu Qiwu crouched down and used his talent appraisal technique to take a look—Martial Arts: Superior. Loyalty: Inferior. Identity: Assassin.

He really was an assassin.

"Two upstairs, and at least three more downstairs," Zhu Qiwu said in a low voice. "Including those guarding outside, there are at least eight people."

Tang He's eyes reddened: "Eight? Just to kill you alone?"

“It’s not about killing just me,” Zhu Qiwu said. “It’s about killing me, then creating chaos so that the imperial examination can’t proceed.”

He thought for a moment, then took out the remaining two sticks of incense from his pocket.

"Tang He, go and guard the stairs. I'll go check the contents of that carriage."

Tang He nodded and stood guard at the stairwell, knife in hand.

Zhu Qiwu sneaked into the backyard alone and walked to the carriage. He lifted the cloth, looked through his night-vision goggles, and his expression changed instantly.

The carriage wasn't carrying goods, it was carrying people.

Six men in black, bound with ropes and gagged with cloth, were all unconscious.

Who are these people? Why are they tied up in the carriage?

He leaned closer to examine one of the men's faces, and his talent assessment technique automatically activated—Name: Chen Zilong. Identity: Candidate for the special imperial examination. Martial Arts: Intermediate. Loyalty: Superior.

Chen Zilong?

The person from Qingtian, Zhejiang who came to register this morning?

Zhu Qiwu's blood rushed to his head.

Zhao Bulan didn't want to kill him, he wanted to kill Chen Zilong.

Or rather, Zhao Bulan's target is all the outstanding candidates who come to take the imperial examination. If he kills Chen Zilong, and then kills Zhu Qiwu, the imperial examination will be completely ruined.

He immediately turned around and ran upstairs.

"Tang He! Arrest Zhao Bulan! Now!"

Upon hearing Zhu Qiwu's shout, Tang He rushed upstairs without saying a word.

Hearing the commotion, Zhao Bulan in the room suddenly stood up, a dagger in his hand. The burly man also drew his knife from his waist.

Tang He kicked the door open and swung his fist at the attacker. The burly man rushed forward, and the two began to wrestle. Tang He's punches were heavy, but the man's knife was fast, and neither could gain the upper hand for a while.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Zhao Bulan ran towards the window, but Zhu Qiwu blocked the doorway.

"Zhao Bulan, you can't escape now."

Zhao Bulan turned around and looked at Zhu Qiwu. The expression on his face was not fear, but a strange smile.

“You hid six people in the carriage,” Zhu Qiwu said. “Chen Zilong was among them. You planned to kill him?”

Zhao Bulan's smile froze for a moment.

"You...you saw it?"

“I see,” Zhu Qiwu said. “Zhao Bulan, you didn’t come to Yingtian Prefecture to negotiate. You came to kill. To kill the candidates for the special imperial examination, to kill me, to prevent the special imperial examination from taking place. Am I right?”

Zhao Bulan's expression shifted several times, finally gritting his teeth as he said, "Yes. But what good will it do you to arrest me now? Zhang Wang's men are already on their way. In three days, Yingtian Prefecture will be engulfed in flames."

"Three days?" Zhu Qiwu laughed. "The three-day deadline you mentioned has already passed."

Zhao Bulan's face turned pale instantly.

Tang He's fight was over too. The burly man had been punched in the temple by Tang He and passed out. Tang He was covered in blood, but full of energy.

"Seventy-five, what do we do with this fat guy?" Tang He kicked Zhao Bulan.

"Take him back," Zhu Qiwu said. "Let Fourth Brother interrogate him."

The guards rushed in and tied up Zhao Bulan and the burly man. The six people in the carriage in the backyard were also rescued, including Chen Zilong.

When Chen Zilong woke up and saw Zhu Qiwu, his first words were—

"Young Master Qiwu, where is my book chest?"

Zhu Qiwu had someone retrieve the book box and hand it to him.

Chen Zilong hugged the box of books and let out a long sigh.

"The book is here, and I'm safe. Thankfully, the book wasn't lost."

Zhu Qiwu looked at him and suddenly felt that this person was somewhat similar to Fang Zijing. They were both the kind of people who valued books more than their own lives.

"Young Master Chen, are you alright?"

"It's nothing," Chen Zilong brushed the dust off his clothes. "I just had a headache from being drugged. But, Young Master Qiwu, I have a question."

"What's the problem?"

"Why did Zhao Bulan arrest me? I have no grudge against Zhang Shicheng."

Zhu Qiwu looked at Zhao Bulan, who had been kidnapped, and said something.

"Because you're too outstanding. Outstanding people, no matter which side they're on, are a threat."

Chen Zilong paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Seventh Prince, are you praising me?"

"I'm telling the truth."

As the night deepened, the drums of Yingtian Prefecture sounded again and again.

Zhu Qiwu stood at the entrance of the inn, looking in the direction where Zhao Bulan was being taken away.

Today is the second day. The three-day deadline that Zhao Bulan mentioned has already passed.

But will Zhang Shicheng's men really attack in three days?

He wasn't sure.

But he was certain of one thing—Enko had to finish the exam before then.

He turned and walked towards the examination hall.

After walking a few steps, he touched the night vision goggles and the sleeping potion in his arms.

There's only one stick of incense left to seduce you.

enough.

The night breeze from Yingtian Prefecture carried the scent of the Qinhuai River and the smell of cooking smoke from the distant military camps.

Zhu Qiwu quickened his pace.

The twelve days became eleven days.

His contest with Zhang Shicheng is no longer on a countdown.

It's a countdown.

News of Zhao Bulan's arrest reached the Wu Prince's residence before dawn.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat in the council hall with a bowl of porridge in front of him. After listening to Tang He's report, he remained silent for a long time.

"Are those six people in the carriage all candidates for the imperial examination?"

“Yes,” Tang He said. “One of them is named Chen Zilong, from Qingtian, and he just registered today. The other five also registered in the last couple of days; their names are all on the list Lu Wenzhao gave us.”

Zhu Yuanzhang's chopsticks stopped in mid-air.

"The list Lu Wenzhao provided matches perfectly?"

“It all matches up.” Zhu Qiwu, sitting beside him, picked up the conversation. “Fourth Brother, fourteen people, not one missing. Zhao Bulan brought eight people to Yingtian Prefecture this time; six were hidden in the carriage as hostages, and two remained at the inn as guards. His plan was to kill Chen Zilong and the other outstanding candidates first, then kill me, thus ruining the special imperial examination.”

Zhu Yuanzhang put down his chopsticks.

"How dare you!"

Li Shanchang gave a wry smile: "Your Highness, Zhao Bulan has already interrogated him. He said Zhang Shicheng gave him three days; if the imperial examination doesn't fail within three days, he doesn't need to go back. Today is the third day, and also the last day."

"The last day." Zhu Yuanzhang repeated, then looked at Zhu Qiwu, "Qiwu, how many days are left until the special imperial examination?"

"Eleven days."

"Is eleven days enough?"

Zhu Qiwu thought for a moment and said, "That's enough. But we need to be quick. Fourth Brother, I have an idea."

"explain."

"I can handle the special imperial examination matters in Yingtian Prefecture. But the disaster situation in the counties outside Yingtian Prefecture is even more severe. The experimental fields in Liujia Village have been destroyed, the tax revenue from Shangyuan County is still being demanded, and the granaries in Jiangning County are almost empty. If these issues aren't resolved, there will be no place to employ those who pass the special imperial examination."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Qiwu with an indescribable look in his eyes.

"You want to go out?"

“I want to go out for a walk,” Zhu Qiwu said. “Fourth Brother, don’t you like traveling incognito? Take me with you, let’s go together. The villages outside Yingtian Prefecture need us more than Yingtian Prefecture itself.”

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a while, then stood up.

"Walk."

Li Shanchang was taken aback: "Your Highness, where are you going?"

"Go out and take a look," Zhu Yuanzhang said. "Shanchang, you keep an eye on things in Yingtian Prefecture. As for the special imperial examination, you and Mr. Bowen handle it together before Qiwu returns. Anyone who dares to cause trouble during the special imperial examination, execute them first and report later."

Li Shanchang's face immediately fell: "Your Highness, if you leave, who will take care of Yingtian Prefecture?"

"It's none of your business," Zhu Yuanzhang patted Li Shanchang on the shoulder. "If you don't handle it well, I'll come back and chop off your head."

Li Shanchang almost burst into tears.

Zhu Qiwu, watching from the side, almost burst out laughing.

Half an hour later, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Qiwu changed back into their coarse cloth clothes and, together with Tang He, Zhou Dexing, and eight personal guards, left the south gate of Yingtian Prefecture.

This time is different from the last. Last time it was just a casual stroll, but this time Zhu Qiwu has a purpose.

Ding, check-in successful. Reward: One first-aid kit containing three doses each of fever reducer, hemostatic powder, and anti-inflammatory herbs, effective for treating common injuries and illnesses. Bonus: One simple well blueprint, allowing you to drill a well in any soil condition, with twice the water output of a regular well.

Zhu Qiwu carefully put away the reward, a slight smile playing on his lips.

First aid kit and well blueprints. They'll come in handy.

The four of them exited through the south gate and headed south along the dirt road. Last time they went to Liujia Village, but this time Zhu Qiwu wanted to go somewhere further—Lishui County. (End of Chapter)