Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 800 - 751: The Masked Man’s Warning (2)
Yu Wenbo, with hands behind his back and squinting fox-like eyes, said, "Since the people outside the city failed, let’s assign ten more." He looked out the window, "Taking advantage that the power of Prince Luling and his sons hasn’t recovered yet, actions should be taken promptly, tonight."
"Yes, Father!"
.
The Wei Family’s tonight was extraordinarily lively.
Prince Luling’s family regained their freedom. The father and sons entered the palace, not only were they not scolded by the Empress Dowager, but they were also permitted to return to their former residence.
"Prince, do not worry. Once dawn breaks tomorrow, I will immediately send people to clean and restore the mansion to its original state," said Second Master Wei, joyously.
Prince Luling smiled and patted his brother-in-law’s shoulder, "Then I’ll have to trouble you, brother-in-law."
"Oh, we are all family," laughed Second Master Wei heartily.
The Wei Family hosted a banquet.
The dishes served were all favorites of Prince Luling.
The entire Wei Family was immersed in joy.
Mrs. Wei worried about Li Yuzhu and Li Yuwen in the palace, as well as Princess Consort Luling and the children in Zhen An Prefecture.
She reminded Prince Luling to bring them back early.
Prince Luling comforted the old lady, promising to bring back Princess Consort Luling and the children once the mansion was tidied up.
As for Li Yuzhu and Li Yuwen, Prince Luling assured the old lady that both sisters and their husbands were well.
After entering the palace, Prince Luling did not see the two sisters. The guards inside and outside the Empress Palace were heavily fortified, and even the Empress couldn’t meet the sisters and their husbands.
The Empress could only communicate with them through eunuchs or palace maids.
Through the people around the Empress, Prince Luling received notes written by the sisters. The handwriting was theirs, and both said all was well.
As for Pei Shenyan and Mu Yuanxiu, they were detained elsewhere but were safe.
The banquet at the Wei Family lasted until the second watch before it dispersed.
The family drank a bit and after returning to their rooms, the mansion quickly became quiet, and they fell asleep deeply, intoxicated.
At the third watch, a few masked men appeared outside the courtyard wall on the west side of the Wei Family.
In this courtyard lived Prince Luling and his four sons.
These masked men silently climbed over the Wei Family’s courtyard wall.
Looking closely, among this group, some carried buckets, while others hugged firewood.
Those with buckets splashed something around the courtyard.
The ones holding firewood scattered and piled it against the house walls.
Inside, Li Xingsheng, who was sleeping soundly, suddenly felt an itch in his nose and sprang awake.
"Third brother, eldest brother, father, something’s not right!"
He walked toward the beds of the other three, waking them one by one.
The three quickly woke up, "Second brother, what’s the matter?"
Li Xingsheng’s voice carried a sense of urgency.
"I smell a strong scent of kerosene." He pointed outside, "There are footsteps outside, someone has come."
The four had come to the Capital, already expecting it wouldn’t be peaceful.
Today in the palace, they had fiercely rebuked the Yu Wen father and son, who surely wouldn’t let it go.
"Let’s go have a look!" Prince Luling, without putting on an outer coat, casually slipped into slippers and quietly approached the door.
Li Xingsheng went over and gently slid back the door bolt.
But just then, sounds of clashing erupted outside the door.
Prince Luling waved his hand; Li Xingmao headed towards the window.
He quietly pushed open the window and looked outside.
Under the moonlight, he saw a tall masked man fighting against several masked men.
Li Xingmao puzzledly uttered, "Why does that person look familiar?"
"Who?" Li Xingsheng and Li Xing’an squeezed over.
Prince Luling closed the door again and went over to look too.
"The man fighting many looks familiar from behind... but I can’t recall where," Li Xingmao stroked his chin.
"He looks like Yuanxiu!" Li Xingsheng squinted, observing keenly.
"Impossible, Yuanxiu is still detained in the palace," Li Xing’an waved dismissively.
Prince Luling said, "Listening to you talk, he does resemble Yuanxiu."
"But Yuanxiu is still detained in the palace, and besides, he isn’t skilled in martial arts. Dealing with a village rogue could be his capability; however, these masked men seem to be elite Hidden Guards, how could he handle them?" Li Xing’an shook his head.
"Alright, stop talking, look outside!" Li Xingsheng nudged Li Xing’an in the stomach with his elbow.
Thus, everyone fell silent and all held their breath as they looked outside.
The tall masked man was exceptionally skilled, fighting against seven or eight people alone, and surprisingly not at a disadvantage at all.
He seemed to be quite at ease.
The four father and sons were secretly shocked. Who exactly was helping their family?
Was it a coincidence, or was it intentional?
Outside, the tall masked man had knocked down all the masked men in black, and Prince Luling said to his son, "Let’s go and take a look."
But as soon as the Prince Luling and his sons opened the door to go outside, the man leaped off the courtyard wall.
"Old third, chase that person!" Prince Luling pushed Li Xing’an.
Li Xing’an lifted his robes and started running.
But he was unlucky; by the time he climbed over the wall, the tall man’s figure was nowhere to be seen.
It was silent all around, not a sound to be heard.
In the faint moonlight, several masked men lay sprawled on the ground, and everything before Li Xing’an’s eyes told him that a fierce battle had taken place here.
Li Xing’an lit a fire starter and shone it on one of the men on the ground.
To his surprise, he found a waist token lying beside the masked man in black.
Li Xing’an picked it up and looked, only to see the words "Marquis Zhongyi. Courage" embossed in small golden characters.
People from the Duke Zhongyi Mansion?
Li Xing’an took the waist token and climbed back over the wall to the western courtyard where he was living.
"Where’s the person?" Prince Luling asked.
"He disappeared, but I picked up this next to those assailants just now." Li Xing’an handed the waist token to Prince Luling for a look.
Prince Luling squinted his eyes, "This is a waist token of the Hidden Guards of the Duke Zhongyi Mansion. Hmph! Those at the Duke Zhongyi Mansion really have some nerve, thinking of quietly burning our four father and sons to death? Outrageous, old third, go report to the authorities quickly!"
.
The Yu Wen family had sent out eight people, but in less than half an hour, only one injured man returned.
Yu Wen father and son were taken aback when they saw the wounded Hidden Guard, "What happened?"
The man informed Yu Wen father and son about the ambush he encountered, and then, covering his wounded arm, handed a letter to Yu Wenbo, "Marquis, I was ambushed, and the others... all died. This is a letter from that person for you, and he also asked me to convey a message, saying that if the Marquis again troubles Prince Luling’s family, then..."
"Then what?" Yu Wen Zan’s eyes grew cold.
"Then... then the Marquis and Second Young Master will be drawn and quartered..."
"Such arrogance! Who exactly is that person?" Yu Wen Zan sneered coldly.
"I don’t know, he is extremely formidable. I realized he intentionally spared me, allowing me to come back to deliver the message."
Yu Wenbo finished reading the letter and tossed it for Yu Wen Zan to see, "Er-lang, a suspicion I have held in my mind for a long time is finally answered today."
Yu Wen Zan glanced at the letter, feeling a sudden shock in his heart.
At the same time, he drew a sharp breath.
This letter only contained one sentence, "No irregularities with the Li family," but it was written in the handwriting of ten different people.
"Father, no wonder the people we sent to monitor two years ago never sent any useful information. It turns out, he killed them all and forged letters to us in the handwriting of the Hidden Guards. By this account, the ten people sent out yesterday might also have met a grim fate."
"Who on earth is this person? How could the Li family come to know such a powerful individual?" Yu Wenbo looked at Yu Wen Zan, "You visited the village in Zhen An Prefecture; didn’t you spot anyone suspicious around the Li family?"
"Father, they were all villagers; there wasn’t anyone suspicious."
"What about that Xue Family member? Go ask her!" Yu Wenbo’s eyes grew dark, "We must find that person. How dare he speak to us father and son in such a tone. I want to see what deity he is!"
...
Just as Yu Wen father and son were angry and perplexed over their Hidden Guards’ failure, the government officials from the Capital City Government were knocking on the Yu Wen family’s gate.
The gatekeeper saw a squad of government officials with a haughty expression, "What is it? Our master has gone to bed. Come back in the morning."
The government officials pushed the gatekeeper aside, "Insolence, how dare you obstruct the Prefect from conducting a case? Do you want to live?"
The gatekeeper then realized that Song Prefect had personally come with his people.
Terrified, he quickly ran towards the inner residence.
Yu Wenbo and Yu Wen Zan had already gone to sleep. Hearing the gatekeeper’s shout, the two reluctantly got up.
"What’s going on again?"
"A lot of government officials have come, saying they are here to investigate. Master, Second Young Master, Prefect is here personally!"
The father and son exchanged a glance and headed towards the front yard together.
They had only walked halfway when they saw Song Prefect striding forward with a stern face.
He cupped his hands towards the father and son and said, "Prince Luling and his sons have filed a report, discovering the Hidden Guards from the Duke Zhongyi Mansion attempting arson against the Wei family. Marquis, Second Young Master, please come with us to the government office."
