Across the Water Margin: Officials of Ximen

……

Wu Yong and Lei Heng conspired to plot against Zhu Dian but failed, and instead hurt the Ma Lin brothers. At this time, under the cover of night, they fled to Chai Jin's manor like a bereaved dog.

That Lei Heng also served as the head of the capital and was in charge of the robbers. When he saw Chai Jin's manor appearing in the distance, he suddenly said to Wu Yong: "Brother Military Advisor, I hated Zhu Dian and almost killed the prefect of Cangzhou." Xiao Ya Nei. Tomorrow, Zhu Dian will definitely not let it go. I am afraid that he will lead Cangzhou soldiers and horses to arrest you and me. Will I drag him down when I go to cast firewood now? Why don’t my brother and I leave Cangzhou overnight , go back to the cottage and report to Ming Chao and Song brothers, and then make a plan."

Although Lei Heng went down the mountain with Wu Yong to make money for Zhu Ni, but Song Jiang and Wu Yong wanted to use a series of tricks to make Chai Jin also go up the mountain, but he never told him.That's why Lei Heng was worried about implicating Chai Jin, so he spoke like this.

Wu Yong sneered in his heart, thinking to himself, didn't I know Cangzhou City would send troops to hunt him down?Lei Heng, how do you know the methods I Wu used!This time, I just want to bring the disaster to Chai Jinzhuang, so that Chai Daguan can no longer gain a foothold in Cangzhou.As long as Chai Jin and his family's wealth can be earned up the mountain, it will be enough to make up for the loss of Zhu Dian's affairs.

Wu Yong had a ghost in his heart, and said to Lei Heng: "Don't worry, brother. The city of Cangzhou is tens of miles away from here. Even if Zhu Dian returns to the city to move troops, he will not come until tomorrow. By then, we will have already gone away. Where can Zhu Dian go?" Take someone?"

Chapter 392 Hugh is gone, the traitor Chai Jin

"The officials are really good at predicting things, Wu Yong and Lei Heng, the two birds, really entered Chai and entered Zhuangzi!" Hong Zhen, who followed all the way and ambushed outside Chai Jin's manor, said to Brother Qiao Yun.

"The high official has a clever plan, when did something go wrong? I just need to monitor Chai Jin and Wu Yong here according to the high official's distribution, and when Brother Jiao Ting arrives, we will launch an attack together." Brother Qiao Yun thought Zhong has long regarded Ximen Qing as a god-like existence, and carried out Ximen Qing's plan with full confidence.

Behind the two men in full armor, more than a hundred capable men all changed into the clothes of the Imperial Army officers and soldiers, armed with knives, guns, bows and arrows, and silently crouched in the grass, staring at the chaijin manor surrounded by willow forests in front of them. .

In Chai Jin's manor, "Little Whirlwind" Chai Jin didn't fall asleep, but sat in the hall neatly dressed and drinking tea, waiting for news from Wu Yong and others.

Wu Yong came to Chai Jinzhuang this time and brought a letter from Song Jiang to Chai Jin, asking Chai Jin to help Wu Yong earn Zhu Dian to go up the mountain.Chai Jin relied on his ancestor's contribution to Chen Qiao's abdication, and Song Taizu's royal gift of "affidavit iron certificate" at home. He has always funded exodus and hidden criminals. He has never known what the law is.Therefore, after reading Song Jiang's letter, he did not hesitate to help Wu Yong and the other three to frame Zhu Dian, but he never expected that he was also in the calculation of Song Jiang and Wu Yong.

Waiting for the opportunity to kidnap and kill the magistrate's small yamen, cutting off Zhu's way, and forcing him to go up the mountain to take a top spot as a robber Although Wu Yong was the mastermind, Chai Jin was also involved in the planning.For Chai Jin, although he is still a descendant of the former royal family and a wealthy official, his heart is no different from the robbers on Liangshan, killing and arson is just a matter of leisure!If not, how could he have participated in this plan to kill a four-year-old child?In the minds of these "heroes" like Chai Jin, killing women and children is just like slaughtering a pig and dog in their own manor, so why take it to heart!

According to the plan discussed with Wu Yong before leaving, Chai Jin waited in the manor, waiting for the three of Wu Yong to kill the magistrate's small yamen, then lead Zhu Dian to his own manor, and then use his special identity and Jianghu Prestige persuaded Zhu Dian and persuaded him to go to Liangshan to join the gang.

Hearing that the farmer informed that Wu Yong and Lei Heng were coming back to the village, Chai Jin rushed out to greet them, but found that the two were in a panic, and the "winged tiger" Lei Heng was injured by an arrow in his hand.As for Ma Lin, the "Iron Flute Fairy" who was traveling with him, there was no one there.

Chai Jin was startled, and hurriedly asked Wu Yong, "Why does the master look like this? But what's wrong? Why don't you see Brother Ma Lin?"

Wu Yong stumbled and sighed, "Your official, it's a failure! The little yamen failed to kill, but Brother Ma Lin was killed by Zhu Dian, and Brother Lei Heng was also shot by an arrow, which injured his right hand."

"Hurry up and bring Brother Lei Heng into the house to heal his wounds!" Chai Jin ordered to the farmer beside him.After Zhuang Ke led Lei Heng away, Chai Jin and Wu Yong went into the hall and sat down, and asked Wu Yong puzzledly: "Sir, how is Zhu Nian so fine? How did he see it through?"

Wu Yong fled all the way, just when his mouth was parched, he drank several cups of tea, and just now he told Chai Jin what happened that night while arranging his clothes.

Wu Yong told Chai Jin that Zhu Dian hadn't seen through his ingenious plan. Ma Lin had taken Xiao Ya Nei away from the Dizang Temple as planned and brought him to the predetermined forest. He and Lei Heng also tricked Zhu Dian out of Cangzhou city.Unexpectedly, there was an accident in the woods, and when Ma Lin started to kill Xiao Ya Nei, he was smashed by a passing hero who didn't know where.Those fellows meddled in their own business, saved the little yamen, and ruined a major event of their own...

"It's God's blessing on Liangshan, and it's not the fault of Mr. Zhu! Since Zhu Dian doesn't follow the leaders' wishes, we will be strangers to him in the future. Mister has been exhausted all the way. Let's wash and rest first, and then discuss tomorrow." Listen After Wu Yong's narration, Chai Jin was still comforting Wu Yong with good words, but he never thought that the crisis was about to befall him.

Wu Yongxin said that Zhu Dian couldn't pull him up the mountain, so he could only pull you, Chai Daguan!Seeing that Chai Jin hadn't thought of the joint, Wu Yong decided to push him, and said, "Your official, don't rest! You should think about it carefully, I'm going to kill the magistrate's little yamen this time. The success fell short, so let Zhu Dian bring Xiao Ya Nei back to Cangzhou City. Thinking that the Cangzhou magistrate will be willing to give up after learning about this matter? He will definitely send soldiers and horses to Zhu Dian to arrest Xiaosheng and Lei Heng."

Hearing this, Chai Jin stood up and said, "It's not what you said, Xiao Ke almost missed the two of you! It's really not suitable to stay here for a long time, so you can only leave Cangzhou on the road with Brother Lei Heng overnight. Xiao Ke will distribute it to his subordinates." Prepare a mount and travel expenses for the gentleman, and let someone escort him to leave safely."

Wu Yong sighed and said, "Your official, it's Xiaosheng's indiscretion that hurt you! Everyone in the world knows that a senior official is hospitable, so when Zhu Dian was in Yuncheng County, he also knew that I, Brother Song Gongming and others in Liangshanpo Senior official, you are old. Xiaosheng also led Zhu Dian to the senior official's manor all the way. After Zhu Dian returned to the city, he must have guessed that you, senior official, were also involved in this matter. Besides, Brother Ma Lin also If it falls into the hands of Zhu Dian, if he confesses to the high-ranking official, I'm afraid the high-ranking official will be in disaster!"

In order to earn firewood, Wu Yong went up the mountain and deliberately concealed the details that Ma Lin had been killed by Zhu Dian, only saying that he had fallen into Zhu Dian's hands.In this way, it can be said that Chai Jin's way has been cut off, and he is not afraid that he will not go up the mountain with him.Chai Jin is also a smart person, how could he not know how big a crime it is for him to collude with Liangshan bandits and participate in the murder of the magistrate's small yamen.As long as the prefect of Cangzhou finds out about this matter, no matter how much "iron pledge" he has, he won't be able to keep Chai Jin, and the prefect will surely crush him to ashes!

Just as Wu Yong expected, when Chai Jin heard that Ma Lin was captured by Zhu Dian and returned to Cangzhou City, his face turned pale with fright, he fell back on his chair, and murmured to himself in a dazed way: "So...how can we be so good? "

Chai Jin, who was used to running wild in Henghai County, Cangzhou, had caused a catastrophe this time, and was afraid after finally knowing about it.After all, he is a high-ranking official who has been well-clothed and well-fed for a long time. When he suddenly encountered such a crisis, Chai Jin was in a state of confusion for a while, and he had no idea how to deal with it.

Seeing that Chai Jin was afraid, Wu Yong said while the iron was hot: "Senior officials, the matter has come to an end, and it is useless to worry. For the current plan, the officials can only pack up the things and leave Cangzhou with Xiaosheng, and return to Liangshanbo Shanzhai to settle down. The high officials are famous all over the world, and all the brothers in my cottage have admired them for a long time. The two elder brothers, Chao and Song, will definitely wait for the high officials. The situation is critical, and the high officials must make a decision early, and don't wait for disasters to come. Too late to regret it!"

Although Chai Jin has always acted recklessly, he never thought of giving up his glory and wealth to become a bandit in the puddles of Liangshan.It was only now that he was terrified by Wu's words, and then he realized that under the prefect's anger, he could not escape the charge of colluding with rebels, and the amulet left by his ancestors could not protect him!Hey, it's too late to regret!

Chai Jin, who had already panicked and had no idea, had to follow Wu Yong's words and hurriedly packed his belongings.

Just at this moment, there was a sudden commotion outside the village, and there was a shout: "Hugh, let the traitor Chai Jin go!"

Chapter 393 Fishing in Troubled Waters

Chai Jin was arranging his subordinates to pack up their belongings when he suddenly heard the cry of arresting the rebels from a distance outside the village.Chai Jin was shocked, and hurriedly asked his trusted farmer to climb up the wall on a ladder to look around.The farmer looked at it, and reported to Chai Jin: "Master, there are many officers and soldiers with torches coming to the village. They can't see clearly in the dark, and there may be one or two hundred of them. They are all shouting to arrest the Liangshanbo rebels. Chai Jin, Wu Yong, Lei Heng. Senior officials, what should I do?"

After hearing this, Chai Jin looked back at Wu Yong and asked, "Sir, why did the officers and soldiers come so quickly?"

Wu Yong was also very puzzled, based on his calculations, it would take half a day for Zhu Dian to rush back to Cangzhou overnight, and then mobilize all the soldiers and horses to kill Chai Jinzhuang.By that time, he and Chai Jin had already swept away the valuable property in the village and left Cangzhou.But how did those officers and soldiers outside the village fall from the sky?Could it be that on the way back to the city, Zhu Dian met the officers and soldiers sent by the prefect?

Wu Yong couldn't understand why the officers and soldiers came so quickly.But this is not the time to ponder, Wu Yong pulled Chai Jin and said: "Your official, the official army is powerful, so don't fight recklessly. Is there any way out for this Zhuangzi? You and I must leave quickly!"

Chai Jin said: "These officers and soldiers don't know the terrain of my manor, they only know to come to my front door. My manor also has a back door, and I can evacuate on horseback later!"

While talking, Chai Jin paid the farmer to block the front door, and he and Wu Yong went straight to the back door. On the way, Lei Heng also caught up after hearing the news.The three of them together with Chai Jin's family members did not dare to hesitate for a moment. After getting on their horses one after another, they opened the back door and galloped away.Chai Jin's mansion still had the family members and concubines who couldn't ride horses, and Chai Jin couldn't care less about it at this time, so he had to let them disperse and run for their lives.

At the front gate of Chaijin Manor, Hong Zhen, Jiao Ting, and Brother Qiao Yun pretended to direct their men to grab the broad board bridge outside the main gate, cut down a willow tree, and carried the trunk to hit the main gate of the manor, scaring the manor. of the people.

Ximenqing said to the three people that this time, they don't want Chai Jin's life, just scare them away, and then sweep away all the belongings in Chai Jin's mansion before the real official army arrives, and it will be considered a success.Therefore, Hong Zhen, who is familiar with the geography of Chai Jin's manor, deliberately left a back door for them so that Chai Jin and the others could escape in time.Hong Zhen had already ambushed his capable men outside the back door, and only allowed Chai Jin and the others to escape alone on horseback.If they wanted to take away the gold, silver and jewels, Hong Zhen's subordinates would rush out immediately to intercept the property.

When Jiao Ting asked Ximen Qing why he didn't kill Chai Jin, Wu Yong and others this time, but let the tiger go back to the mountain so that these birds could escape, Ximen Qing explained to them in this way: He promised Hong Zhen to give Chai Jin a way out, so he won't get rid of Chai Jin this time.Secondly, if Chai Jin and others were all killed or captured, it would be very difficult for him to snatch away Chai Jin's belongings without anyone noticing.

Thinking about it, the prefect of Cangzhou, the officials, and the officers and soldiers would not keep their eyes on the fat of Chai Jin's manor?If Chai Jin died or was arrested, but the whereabouts of his family's money were unknown, the officials in Cangzhou would definitely be suspicious.As long as they trace carefully, it is difficult not to expose the whereabouts of the 200 people.

Therefore, in order to prevent the magistrate and his subordinates from suspecting him, it was necessary to let Chai Jin and others go and let them escape back to Liangshan.Only in this way, the people in Cangzhou would mistakenly think that when Chai Jin fled in fear of crime, he had already taken all the belongings of his family to Liangshan.This trick is to deliberately muddy the water, so as to deceive people and fish in troubled waters.

After listening to Ximen Qing's words, Hong Zhen and the others understood the mission of this trip, that is, Chai Jin, Wu Yong and others can be let go, but the belongings must be kept.After the three of them looted all the belongings in Chai Jinzhuang, they lit a fire and pretended to be Chai Jin and absconded in fear of crime.

After some time, when the news came that Chai Jin went to Liangshanbo and fell into the grass as a bandit, it would be confirmed that Chai Jin had rebelled against him, and the prefect of Cangzhou would think that Chai Jin had transferred all his money to Liangshanbo.In short, this trip to Cangzhou has one purpose: to make a fortune in silence.

Of course, it is impossible for Ximen Qing to eat alone during this trip.Ximenqing's goal is to Chaijin the gold and silver treasures of the two villages, all kinds of small and soft things that are easy to carry.As for the fields under Chai Jin Manor's management, Ximen Qing couldn't take them away.Let the prefect of Cangzhou and others enjoy the windfall of land, and Ximen Qing also took the opportunity to escape.

Chai Jin led ten or twenty confidant desperadoes, went out the back door together with Wu Yong and Lei Heng, and ran away on horseback.The news of their escape from the manor soon reached Hong Zhen, Jiao Ting, and Brother Qiao Yun.

After hearing this, Hong Zhen said to Jiao Ting and Brother Qiao Yun: "Brothers, I will leave this Zhuangzi to you. I will take someone to Chai Jin's Dongzhuang." After speaking, Hong Zhen took a few Ten riders chased in the direction of Dongzhuang.

Not long after, Chai Jin and others had just escaped to Dongzhuang, before they had time to drink water, let alone arrange the household items, Hong Zhen led his people to chase after them with great fanfare.

The three of Chai Jin could only admit that their luck was bad, they didn't dare to hesitate for a moment, climbed on the back of the horse one after another, and ran away like a lost dog again.

Hong Zhen led his troops to chase for a mile, and then spat at the backs of Chai Jin and the others with a "bah", cursing in his mouth: "Since you have been targeted by high-ranking officials, wait for these birdmen Want to take away a needle and thread?"

After scolding, Hong Zhen immediately led his troops back to Dongzhuang to collect the gold and silver.I don't know if the officials have arrived in Cangzhou City?

……

Just when Hong Zhen, Jiao Ting, and Qiao Yun led their subordinates to pretend to be officers and scare away Chai Jin and others who were harboring ulterior motives, Ximen Qing also escorted Zhu Dian back to Cangzhou City on horseback.

At this time, inside and outside the magistrate's yamen, there was already chaos.After Zhu Tie took Xiao Ya Nei out to watch the river lanterns, he did not return to the mansion until the third watch.At this time, the release of river lanterns in the Dizang Temple had already ended, and the common people all went home, but there was no sign of Zhu Nian and Xiao Ya Nei.

The prefect and his wife were shocked, and hurriedly dispatched people to search all over the city.Let these people shout out their voices, but there is no echo!

At this time, the prefect's yamen began to suspect that it was Zhu Tiao who had abducted the prefect's Xianggong's small yamen.Tonight, it was the lady who ordered Zhu Dian to carry the little yamen out, but at this moment, in a hurry, she complained to the magistrate, and blamed him for not trusting Zhu Dian so much.The madam was crying and fighting with the magistrate, scratching the magistrate's face with two bloodstains.

Just when the magistrate was furious and was about to yell at Zhu Dian, an ungrateful thief who joined the army, Zhu Dian took Xiao Ya Nei back to the magistrate's yamen.

Seeing that Zhu Tong and Xiao Ya Nei were covered in blood, the magistrate and his wife were frightened again, and hurried forward to check whether Xiao Ya Nei was safe or not.

At this time, Xiaoya Nei had woken up from his lethargy. He was eating the candy Ximenqing gave him, and told his parents in a crisp voice that it was "Long Beard" and the "big eyes" beside him who saved him.