ChangNing’s Imperial Army - Chapter 125

Chapter 125 – Household Duties
The Navy’s battleships were split into two batches before they set off. One of them was led by Zhuang Yong, headed straight for Yanping Island. The other batch was led by Shen Leng, headed for Ningwu’s Garrison B to receive their combat soldiers. The majestic fleet left the Navy’s camp. On both sides of the river banks, several civilians stopped in their tracks to watch. People were yelling and cheering continuously.

Everything was going according to plan. They had made preparations for several days, so it was impossible for anything to happen. The troops left far into the distance in a long line. The people who crowded around to look also gradually dispersed.

Shen Leng took opportunity of the ongoing clamor to bring his men into the woods right outside of the Navy’s camp. Yang Qibao was a little worried; up until now, the general still had not said what they were going to do. Even the troops decided to leave the camp right before they were about to board the ships.

“General, why are we leaving?” Yang Qibao could not help but ask.

“Eliminate evil for the people, and also earn some money.”

Shen Leng turned his head around and looked. He needed the men to be quiet; nobody was allowed to move or walk around unless necessary. Gu Le brought his soldiers to patrol around, ensuring that not a single person left his post.

“Where to?”

“I will tell you in a bit.”

Outside the woods was a main interconnecting path. Shen Leng beckoned and brought Yang Qibao towards the roadside and squatted by a short tree.

Not long later, a few cavalry followed along the main interconnecting path and headed in the northwest direction. After they were gone, Shen Leng gestured to his troops to follow them.

In less than 3 miles away from the Navy’s camp, there was an abandoned brick kiln. It was made the year when the Navy was established. After the Navy was established, it became worthless. A few years later, it was full of weeds.

Shen Leng brought his men with him and stopped approximately 300 meters away from the brick kiln. The troops still had not left the woods.

After waiting for about half an hour, those cavalry came out of the brick kiln and got on their horses before leaving. Thereafter, Shen Leng raised his hands and made a fist. All the soldiers drew their hengdaos. Flashes of blade light appeared suddenly within the woods.

“Go!”

Shen Leng commanded and he was the first to charge out. Charging over a distance of 300 meters was nothing to combat soldiers. When the people in the brick kiln noticed their presence, they were already less than a few hundred meters away from them. Gu Le brought Shen Leng’s soldiers with him and went around it from one side, and headed directly to the back of the brick kiln.

“Kill!”

After he bellowed, the soldiers started to attack. Arrows kept firing from within the brick kiln. However, evidently, they were already panicking. The accuracy of their shots was very limited.

Just when the troops had just approached the brick kiln, a huge group of Guan Tang Kou assassins charged out from the other side, running in a frenzy. They were very clear that they were at a huge disadvantage fighting in the wilderness against combat soldiers. Hence, from the very start, they gave up defending.

However, there were already some people waiting behind the brick kiln. A row of Liu Yun Sect assassins in white stood up from within the underbrush. They fired their repeating crossbows; the arrows swept towards the Guan Tang Kou men. Gu Le brought the soldiers over to provide assistance, working together with Liu Yun Sect people to stop those assassins.

The fight started and ended quickly. It was a landslide victory. If it was a one-on-one fight, the Guan Tang Kou assassins would not lose to the combat soldiers. However, this was absolutely no a one-on-one fight.

The arrows swept across once, and so did the javelin. Thereafter, the five-man squads went into a plum blossom formation and as they advanced like a meat grinder. Every single five-man squad did the same. Guan Tang Kou’s assassins felt that they were not facing just one person at all times. The combat soldiers were consciously separating them. The plum blossom formation alternated their positions, allowing them to support each other. If one were to view from the top, they would be able to see how the plum blossoms were extremely bloody and beautiful at the same time.

The fight continued for approximately half an hour. There were at least 200 Guan Tang Kou assassins, apart from the few leaders, the rest of them were slaughtered.

Hei Yan walked over from the group of people. He was grabbing onto a pale frightened middle-aged man/

“Guan Tang Kou’s third-in-command. This should be all of the people they have who are near the Navy’s camp.”

He threw the middle-aged man to Shen Leng. Shen Leng sighed, “It’s time for interrogation, huh…how troublesome.”

Hence, he beckoned. Gu Le had an evil grin on his face and appeared from behind him.

Shen Leng and Hei Yan walked to one side. Hei Yan took out a pipe out of habit and lit it up before taking a puff from it. He asked, “This is your subordinate? He knows how to interrogate?”

Shen Leng said, “See it for yourself.”

Hei Yan asked,”I was even afraid it won’t do. A person who’s exposed to constant fights and blood can feel faint at the sight of blood?”

The reason why he lit the pipe was because he wanted to calm himself down. After all, killing was something that made others feel afraid. Even today, a person like him would still feel afraid, except that when he starts doing it, he would forget all his fears temporarily.

After taking two puffs, he saw what Gu Le was doing. It made him take even bigger puffs. Smoke came rolling out of his mouth. Thereafter, he did not want to see any longer. “Why is this fella so sick?”

Thereafter, he realized that Shen Leng was not looking at all. His back was facing that side.

“So you’re actually more terrified than me.”

Shen Leng laughed, “You’re terrified, and I’m four times more terrified…”

After he said that, Gu Le returned, with blood all over him. “General, their first-in-command, Mu Liu’er, is currently in the Navy’s camp. She has been residing in Mu Xiaofeng’s courtyard the entire time. Additionally, these people are gathered here because they were intending to go to Wei village. They were planning to attack Mr. Shen and young lady Cha’er. They were taking Mu Xiaofeng’s orders. They want to take advantage of the fact that you are not around to attack them. As for the other things, he was unable to provide any information. After all, a person at his level is not in the know about bigger secrets.”

“In the Navy’s camp?”

Hei Yan was somewhat dismayed. “Guess there’s only one thing we can do. Killing Mu Liu’er is not exactly pragmatic.”

Shen Leng grunted, “Get rid of the corpses. Big brother Yang, take the troops to the river bank. I have already arranged a Xiong Niu and a Liu Ying to stop there. Take the men and board the ships. If General Wang asks, tell him that there were some issues with the ships.”

Yang Qibao stared blankly for a moment. “What about you, general?”

“I will catch up with you.”

Shen Leng turned around and asked Hei Yan, “You and your men did not bring night clothes?”

“Why do we have to bring night clothes?”

“You don’t make preparations? For example, when work at night, you wear white too?”

“Of course?”

“Why do you wear white even at night?”

“Because we are more capable.”

Hei Yan shrugged. Duan, She and Li behind him shrugged too. Even though their faces were covered, Shen Leng could see that the three fellas had the exact same expression as Hei Yan.

“Fortunately, they have.”

Shen Leng looked into the brick kiln. He went in and conducted a search; indeed, he found a lot of equipment. Guan Tang Kou was a lot wealthier than Liu Lang Dao. After all, they were in control of Changan’s gambling dens, and all the gambling dens in Jingji belonged to them.

Shen Leng took out a lot of silver banknotes. Thereafter, he decided to split them with Hei Yan. “One for you, one for me, one for me, one for me, one for me…”

Hei Yan asked, “This is what you learned in the Navy?”

Shen Leng explained earnestly, “No, I learned it at home.”

Hei Yan thought about Mr. Shen. He did not dare to doubt Shen Leng’s words at all.

Shen Leng picked a set of night clothes that fit him and got changed. “Dismiss you men. Follow the Navy troops towards Taihu Yanping Island. That’s the main battlefield.”

Hei Yan asked, “Don’t tell me you’re thinking of going alone.”

“Where?”

“Aren’t you secretly going back to the Navy’s camp to kill Mu Liu’er?”

“What are you thinking? Do you think I’m really that ambitious?”

Shen Leng glared at him. “Quick leave. When there are more people, it would mean a higher chance to be seen. Just wait for me at Yanping Island.”

Hei Yan asked, “Then what are you going to do?”

“Household duties.”

Shen Leng patted Hei Yan on the shoulder. “Leave the household duties to me.’

“Household duties?”

Hei Yan faintly sensed some danger.

Shen Leng did not say more, he charged directly into the woods. Judging from the direction he was headed towards, he should be going to Wei village. He thought about Gu Le interrogating the Guan Tang Kou men earlier, to which they revealed that they were going to attack Mr. Shen and Cha’er. Only then did Hei Yan realize why Shen Leng said ‘household duties’. That fella did not want to put other people’s lives at risk. He wanted to save his own family by himself.

“Idiot.” Hei Yan scolded him.

He took the Liu Yun Sect people and charged in the direction of where Shen Leng was heading to, following closely.

Navy.

Mu Xiaofeng was leaning against the chair, tasting the fine wine that was sent over from Changan city. He looked very relaxed; it seemed like it had been a long time since he was this contented. Since the fleet left the Navy’s camp, he knew that not long after, he would truly be in charge of that massive number of troops.

Mu Liu’er stood a distance away with no expressions on her face. She looked like a beautiful and magnificent figure carved from wood.

“You don’t seem like you like being by my side very much?”

Mu Xiaofeng looked at her. Thereafter, his lips curled upwards. “I know what your thoughts are. But don’t tell me you can’t see things clearly? On what grounds do you think you can be my woman? Indeed, you are loyal. You can be my concubine, but don’t think about anything else. In sending you over, my father was merely drawing a beautiful painting of a flat bread to allay your hunger. If I can’t accept you, do you think my father will agree to it?”

Mu Liu’er’s shoulders trembled. She bit her lip and did not say a single word.

“Be contented with what you have. As a servant, you have considered to have experienced instant success. You should know very well that after this is done, my position will be a lot higher.”

Mu Liu’er was still expressionless. She bit her lip so hard that they became red. The blood was a ghastly sight.

“Do what you should do. I reckon your men have already arrived outside of Wei village. Go to Shen Leng’s house and bring back that old bastard’s head. As for the girl, bring her back in one piece. She cannot die that easily. She is too beautiful to die just like that. At that time by the river bank, when I first saw her, she looked young and gorgeous. Come to think about it, if that hot-tempered girl is subdued, she’ll have quite a distinctive flavor.”

Mu Liu’er turned around and walked away. She did not say anything at all.

“If you kill her, I guarantee you that you will suffer in the future.”

Mu Xiaofeng put down his cup. “If I don’t sleep with Shen Leng’s woman, how can I truly get rid of my grievance?”

Mu Liu’er stopped in her tracks for a while, before she picked up speed and left.

She opened the door; the sunlight poured in. It was somewhat piercing to the eye.

Thud!

A dull thud was heard. It was the sound of a sword breaking something.

Mu Liu’er retreated with a face full of blood. There was a dagger stuck on her skull. It was a horrific spectacle; a dagger was wedged in the skull of a beautiful woman, forcing her to retreat. The hole in her skull was so big that it sent chills down one’s spine.