Chapter 212: Diversion? (2)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Nangong Shaofeng stood in front of them and looked at two schoolchildren in the schoolhouse. “Make some tea for our guests.”
“Yes, Mister.” The two eleven or twelve-year-old schoolchildren hurriedly stood up.
Ye Jingtang raised his finger slightly. “No need. I’m just here to take a look as a matter of routine. It’s getting dark. Isn’t school over yet?”
Nangong Shaofeng gestured to the sky. “It’s raining heavily, and many children don’t have umbrellas. We’ll let them go back when the rain stops to prevent them from catching a cold.”
Ye Jingtang turned his head and looked at the constables behind him. “Go find some umbrellas. The children are growing, so it’s not good to study on an empty stomach.”
“Yes, Sir.” A Black Office constable behind him cupped his hands and quickly ran out of the alley.
Nangong Shaofeng’s expression was calm, but his hands in his sleeves couldn’t help rubbing gently. “Sir Ye, did a case happen in the vicinity for you to visit suddenly?”
Ye Jingtang sized up the well-behaved schoolchildren in the schoolhouse and said calmly, “Someone just reported that there are unknown people in this neighborhood. I’m here for a routine inspection.”
“I have been here all afternoon and haven’t seen any unfamiliar faces pass by the gate. A junior officer lives at the corner of the alley. Sir, why don’t you ask him?”
“The rain is too heavy. We’ll take shelter here.” Ye Jingtang turned to look at the other constable. “Call the junior officer over.”
“Yes, Sir.” The remaining constable also ran out.
Nangong Shaofeng’s heart turned cold when he saw that Ye Jingtang had no intention of leaving. But at the critical moment, if the other party didn’t make things difficult for him, he couldn’t take the initiative to expose himself. Thus, he casually chatted about innocuous gossip on the spot.
After some time, footsteps came from behind. A constable came in with more than ten umbrellas.
Ye Jingtang looked at the sky and raised his hand to call the schoolchildren. “Alright, it’s getting dark. Go back and eat.”
Hearing this, the schoolchildren in the schoolhouse put down their brushes and looked at Nangong Shaofeng.
Nangong Shaofeng hesitated for a moment before smiling as usual. “School is over. Come back early tomorrow. If you don’t finish your homework, you’ll be punished.”
“Yes, Mister.” The schoolchildren quickly stood up, ran to the constable, took the umbrellas one by one, and ran out the gate happily.
Tread, tread, tread…
Ye Jingtang stood in front of the gate, his hand only inches away from the hilt of his saber, paying attention to Nangong Shaofeng’s every move.
When the last hostage left safely, Ye Jingtang was about to make a move when drumbeats sounded from afar.
Thump, thump, thump!
The drumbeats were war drums that warned that powerful enemies were attacking and urgent help was needed.
Ye Jingtang frowned slightly and looked in the direction of the drumbeats. “Is it Jasper Pavilion?”
The constable standing at the back had a solemn expression. “Rebels have broken into the prison. The Black Office is asking for help.”
Nangong Shaofeng’s heart was already in his throat. When he heard the drumbeats, he immediately felt relieved. He knew that Cao Aning had followed the plan and started to create a diversion to attract firepower.
Nangong Shaofeng hurriedly said, “Did something happen to the Black Office? 1 know some martial arts. Sir Ye, why don’t 1 go over with you to take a look?”
Ye Jingtang was under orders to clean up the rebels here. The Imperial City didn’t explode, and Dumdum didn’t send the signal to withdraw the troops, so he had to carry out the current mission according to the orders.
Ye Jingtang ignored the distant drumbeats and looked at the room behind the schoolhouse. “Liu Qiansheng, you’re an elder of the Jianghu. It’s not dignified for you to hide. Come out.”
?
When Nangong Shaofeng saw that something had happened to the Black Office, but Ye Jingtang actually didn’t leave and even directly called out Liu Qiansheng, his expression changed drastically. He knew that something big must have happened to some part of the plan. “Sir Ye, what do you mean? I’m the only one here…”
Ye Jingtang couldn’t sense Liu Qiansheng’s location, but the intelligence indicated that Liu Qiansheng’s hiding place was here. He didn’t dare to enter the room rashly, so he turned his head and looked at Nangong Shaofeng. “Mr. Nangong, I already saw through your plan last month. I wanted to capture all of you in one fell swoop, which is why you and the heir have been so carefree until today. Since you’ve already revealed your true intentions, why are you still pretending?”
Nangong Shaofeng’s expression froze, and his original calmness disappeared. He took half a step back and lowered his hands behind his back.
Standing with his saber in hand, Ye Jingtang ignored Nangong Shaofeng and looked at the door in front of him. “There’s a saying in Jianghu that a featherless phoenix is inferior to a chicken. I didn’t believe it in the past, but it seems to be true now. Thirty years ago, you ranked in the top ten in the world and reached the apex of unarmed martial arts. But you’re so frightened by a junior like me that you don’t dare to go out. You really don’t deserve your previous reputation.”
“Kid, you didn’t come alone.” A strong voice sounded from the room.
Liu Qiansheng, who was wearing a white robe, knew that he was surrounded and there was no point in hiding anymore. He slowly walked out from the side door and stood in front of the schoolhouse with his hands behind his back, separated from Ye Jingtang by the rain in the courtyard. “In terms of martial arts attainments, you are far inferior to me. You’re just young and have fearful strength. Although I’m over eighty, it’s still difficult to say who will win if we fight one-on-one. But you’ve brought helpers to bully me with numbers. Are you worthy of speaking arrogantly in front of me?”
Ye Jingtang said calmly, “I’m a subordinate. According to the law, I should arrest rebels. How is it bullying you with numbers?”
Swish! Swish!
As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of wind breaking sounded outside the courtyard wall.
Eight chief constables of the Black Office, armed with all kinds of weapons, landed around the school wall, surrounding the school tightly.
When Liu Qiansheng saw this formation, he knew that his path in Jianghu might come to an end today. But his aura was still strong. He looked up and swept his gaze around before saying disdainfully, “Just the few of you?”
Ye Jingtang walked into the rain. “I’m also from Liang Province, and I often heard old people talk about the Hong Mountain Bandits. If i remember correctly, that’s your former organization. To be regarded as a bandit by the common people, you probably haven’t done anything good.. Do you want to be more dignified and give up resisting fearlessly and kneel down to await justice, or do you want me to send you off personally?”
