Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Leave the Goods, You May Go
The night was serene, with the continuous calls of frogs and insects. The full moon was like a shy maiden partially covered by clouds, timidly showing half of her face. The flickering candlelight outlined two embracing figures.
"Sister-in-law, relax a little." Chen Mo felt as if his neck was being... He comforted her, then rested his head on Han Anniang’s body and closed his eyes to enjoy the moment.
Han Anniang’s body was so soft that even in a tense state, it remained incredibly elastic.
Han Anniang watched Chen Mo lying on her body, seemingly asleep with his eyes closed. Her body gradually relaxed, and she stretched out a jade hand to touch Chen Mo’s face, whispering softly.
With satisfaction, Chen Mo squinted his eyes, gently caressing the beauty in his embrace, and said in a low voice, "Sister-in-law, why do you smell so good?"
"I heard from the women in the village that adding petals to the bath can enhance the fragrance. I thought Uncle might like it, so..." Han Anniang spoke softly, her voice like a gentle whisper.
Just then, Chen Mo heard footsteps outside the courtyard.
"Someone’s coming." Chen Mo said.
"Ah?"
Han Anniang was startled, quickly lowering her legs and covering herself with a quilt.
Chen Mo put on his clothes and opened the window, seeing Zhang He hastily entering the courtyard. Upon seeing the figure at the window, he immediately clasped his hands and said, "Brother Mo, a carriage convoy has left the city."
"A convoy?" Chen Mo raised an eyebrow and asked, "How many people?"
"According to the scout, no less than a hundred." Zhang He replied.
"A hundred people leaving the city at this time?" Chen Mo murmured. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Shui, gather five hundred men and horses to come with me for a look."
"Yes."
...
The Wang family chose to leave the city at night for safety reasons. They knew there were many refugees outside the city, and with a rebel group in Fu Ze Village, leaving during the day with their family and wealth would attract unwanted attention.
Wang Ran was the second son of the Wang family patriarch, born to the first wife, and the most promising of Wang Cultivator’s three sons. At thirty, he had the scholarly title of a scholar and was an entry-grade martial artist.
If the imperial exams hadn’t been suspended, he might have been able to become an advanced scholar this year.
Wang Ran was yet to marry, though he had several concubines. According to Wang Cultivator’s plan, he intended to find a marriage alliance from a prominent family in Nanyang once Wang Ran became an advanced scholar. Marrying before that would be inappropriate.
However, the rapid changes over the past year took everyone by surprise.
For his safety during the journey, Wang Cultivator hired over fifty skilled hands, including three entry-grade martial artists, and employed an escort agency to form a hundred-man guard. They were equipped with swords, spears, bows, crossbows, and maintained strict vigilance.
Even though the Great Song Dynasty prohibited armor and crossbow possession, the law was one thing; private possession was another. In these chaotic times, which noble clan didn’t secretly possess some armor and strong crossbows?
As he traveled far from home, Wang Ran sat in the carriage with a face full of melancholy and complex emotions.
"Crack!"
Just then, a loud crack came from the front.
A camphor tree as thick as a waist collapsed from the mountain forest, blocking the entire official road.
"Neigh..."
The horses at the front were startled, raised their front hooves high, and neighed, retreating a few steps.
"Who?" A guard pulled out the great saber from his waist, looking around the mountain forest on both sides.
"Leave the goods, and you can go." A voice echoed from the mountain forest.
"Who? Come out, stop playing tricks." A Wang family martial artist dismounted, shouting fiercely in the direction of the voice.
"Dada..."
The sound of horse hooves could be heard as a chestnut horse emerged from the darkness, ridden by a young man in black.
At the corners of the Wang family martial artist’s mouth was a mocking smile, but from the darkness, hundreds of people swarmed out.
The convoy members’ faces changed drastically.
They retreated, only to hear movement from behind.
Blazing torches shot up into the sky, making it impossible to see how many people there were, but the figures were clad in armor, holding official sabers, bows, crossbows, and long spears, blocking their retreat entirely.
The convoy members’ faces paled with fear.
The leader of the escort agency saluted the young man on the chestnut horse and said, "I am Lu Yuan, the chief of the Lu Yuan Escort Agency in Ping Court County, escorting goods to Jiangnan. Please, my good sirs, grant us safe passage."
"An escort agency?" Chen Mo raised an eyebrow, glanced at the 36+5 red number on Lu Yuan’s forehead, and said, "I’ve said it, leave the goods, and you can leave."
Chen Mo looked at the convoy of over a dozen carriages. From the current situation, he guessed it might be a prominent family or merchant team from the county evacuating.
Such a fat target, he wouldn’t let it slip away.
As for whether this behavior was right or not?
Chen Mo considered himself not a person of justice.
Moreover, such a large escort team couldn’t be hired by ordinary people. Such wealthy tycoons, if robbed, so be it.
Lu Yuan’s face changed as he looked at the dense crowd behind the young man. Gripping his saber tightly, Lu Yuan pondered for a moment and then said, "My young lord, please grant us safe passage. I understand the rules..."
Lu Yuan took off the money pouch at his waist and threw it toward the young man. The pouch contained a few dozen taels of silver. He continued, "The rebels led by the Celestial Master will arrive soon. Please, my young lord, have mercy and let us pass."
Chen Mo caught it, weighed it a bit, then tossed it to Zhang He beside him, unmoved, saying, "One more time, leave the goods, and you can leave."
Lu Yuan’s face darkened. Seeing that a soft approach wouldn’t work, he retorted with a bit of threat, "Young lord, the one sitting in the carriage behind is the Wang family’s second son. Patriarch Wang and Lord Chang are close acquaintances. Please, young lord, show mercy."
"Noisy."
Chen Mo raised his hand, a stream of purple energy burst from his palm, and Lu Yuan flew off his horse, rolling several yards on the ground before stopping. As he got up, a mouthful of blood spewed from his mouth, exclaiming, "Middle-Grade Martial Artist?!"
Chen Mo had held back; otherwise, Lu Yuan wouldn’t be alive. With a wave of his hand, he said, "Capture them all for me. Anyone who resists, kill."
He then charged directly at those martial artists.
Seeing that they were escorting members of the Wang family, he felt even more justified in his robbery.
Chen Mo quickly subdued the convoy’s martial artists, knocking them to the ground.
In less than a quarter of an hour, everyone in the convoy was captured by the Divine Brave Guard.
"Ah, husband..."
The curtains of each carriage were lifted, revealing the screams of women and children inside.
In the first five carriages were all Lu Yuan’s and a few martial artists’ family members.
Chen Mo approached the sixth carriage and lifted the curtain.
"Whoosh!"
An arrow shot out from inside.