Chapter 13 second quarter

Cao Gong was leaning on a cane wrapped in rags, wearing a farm uniform with patches everywhere, and mixed into the square with more than 20 similarly dressed men. Some farmers seem to recognize these strangers and are looking up and down.But under the vicious return of the other party, he was so scared that he looked away again. Cao Gong covered his nose and murmured in a low voice, "These trash from the countryside stink like pigs..." If it wasn't for the work specially entrusted by the Grand Master's Office, he wouldn't bother to be there in person.The success of this task will definitely increase Grand Master He's confidence in him.He dare not neglect.

Ever since Pang Jijiu passed away, Cao Gong knew that his position was very delicate: since all the "Four Disciples" were dead, he suddenly became the most experienced leader in the Pang faction.Only Hua Que Wu has a slightly higher status than him, but everyone in "Feng Yilong" knows that Hua Que Wu has only lived under the shadow of his adoptive father for many years, and is not a material for being alone; During the years when Jiu moved to Piaocheng, Cao Gong handled the affairs of the capital in an orderly manner. Of course, he also knew: "Grand Sacrifice Wine" Rong Yushan—and the eunuch Lun Xiao behind him—must be eager to swallow Pang Xi, so winning the support of the Taishifu is the key to success or failure.

As soon as he received the news of Pang Jijiu's death, Cao Gong began to contact the Grand Master's Mansion. "Feng Yilong"'s private salt trafficking business is the largest financial line, and Pang Wenying is Taishi He's representative in "Feng Yilong", Taishi He will never sit back and watch the Pang family forces disappear in smoke. Sure enough, Cao Gong was appeased and encouraged by the Grand Master's Office, and various benefit transfers continued to operate as usual without Pang Wenying.Although he has not yet received the personal summons and formal support of Taishi He, Cao Gong has regarded these as a symbol of trust.He's convinced he's on the right path...

——If the person surnamed Yu didn't show up. "That traitor!" Cao Gong has already investigated: Yu Runsheng came into contact with Rong Yushan as soon as he entered the capital.This has exposed the guy's ambition.He even occupied Pang Jijiu's mansion!An outsider who has never met, who has not even registered on the "seabed" of "Feng Yilong", wants to take away the things I have worked hard for many years and lost a leg as soon as I set foot in the capital?Don't think about it! But after seeing the power of the sickle head that night, Cao Gong knew that he had to re-evaluate Yu Runsheng's strength—after all, Cao Gong was Pang Wenying's highly valued leader, and he was not someone who easily overestimated himself or believed in luck.

It's not that Cao Gong didn't think about going to war with Yu Runsheng—especially when the other party had entered Beijing for less than a month and hadn't even stood firm.In terms of current military strength, Cao Gong's side can be said to be overwhelming.But he wasn't sure how much his side's victory would cost—that scythe alone would be a nuisance.What worried him even more was that Rong Yushan would take this opportunity to intervene directly in the name of "quieting disputes". He has made a decision: the first thing is to strive to become the successor recognized by Grand Master He.Once that position is established, he doesn't need to spend a single soldier. Just relying on the almost unlimited political power of the Grand Master's Mansion, exterminating Yu Runsheng's forces is like killing a bunch of ants.

——At that time, I will show you the horror of Kyoto... Cao Gong recovered from his contemplation.Now is not the time to think about these things, you have to do the things in front of you well first.He looked up at the daylight, half hidden in the clouds.It's almost time. He knew that these peasants who kept gathering in the capital to avenge their grievances caused the court a great headache.The yamen of the Eastern Metropolitan Government is open every 15th day of the Lunar New Year to allow civilians from all over the country to "enter the petition" to appeal. It was originally a symbolic decree made since the founding of the country, and it has almost never been seriously implemented—some of them are only a few dozen cases, and they are only issued. The official document only ordered the local government to investigate, but never asked about the result.

Unexpectedly, even such a small hope attracted so many grievances like a lamp attracts moths; they lived in the two connected slums of Wuchangfang and Hehefang for a long time, and refused to return no matter how long the yamen procrastinated. Township. Of course, the court officials headed by He Taishi tried their best to cover up and conceal it.The young emperor, who was more interested in the afterlife than the present, would not have liked to hear such news.However, more and more peasants who have redressed their grievances gather together, and the court's face is gradually losing its face... It's time to "clear the field".

— all that is needed is an excuse. Cao Gong had informed his subordinates of the plan before setting off: first pretend to be peasants and make noises of dissatisfaction, attracting some real peasants to join in; Retreat immediately after fanning.The imperial guards hiding in the yamen and nearby streets will appear in due course to "repair the aftermath"... Not too difficult a thing.Cao Gong began to search for a suitable booing place.It should not be too far from the exit, but also find a location with dense crowds.It is best to be in a place where there are many young farmers, they are prone to impulsiveness... All the subordinates have hidden weapons for protection, but they will not pull them out until they cannot escape, so as not to make people suspicious.

Cao Gong looked at the crowd, and suddenly found that less than ten feet in front of him, a person stood up alone. This man was easy to see because he was at least a head taller than the thin peasants around him.His head and face were covered by a coarse cloak. Cao Gong became nervous uncontrollably, holding the crutch firmly in his palm, sweating from his palm. The man was staring at him. He remembered how familiar the uneasiness was - like when he was ambushed by enemy gangs in the streets of the capital... "He...seems to be..." The subordinates behind him also noticed that person, and one of them couldn't help calling out in a low voice.

—Yes, it seems to be... The man pulled back his cloak, revealing the jet-black birthmark protruding from his forehead. — Scythe! Twenty-six subordinates pointed at the sickle at the same time, and let out a short exclamation together.All the surrounding farmers immediately turned to look at them. --Why is he here? The fifty-four eyes of Cao Gong and his subordinates were all focused on the black face of Lian Shou, but did not pay attention to the sound of running barefoot from behind. A man who looked like a rural farmer ran seven or eight steps among the crowd with his hairy bare legs, and then he jumped up violently like an ape——

The body passed over everyone's heads. Cao Gong felt a warm mass hit the back of his head.Before he could turn his head and neck, he felt a heavy pressure on each shoulder. Then there was the grip of the shoulder and neck muscles—the man's bare feet on his shoulders, the strange toes gripping like animal claws. Cao Gong, who had only one leg left, couldn't bear the heavy pressure, and fell forward. Taking advantage of the momentum, the man's feet moved skillfully, and turned into stepping on Cao Gong's back, and continued to squat down violently with force.Cao Gong didn't have time to stretch out his hands to support him, his face fell heavily on the cold stone floor tiles of the square, his nasal bone was instantly crooked, and blood came out of his nostrils. The man squatting on his back clasped his hands and raised his head above his head.Only then did people see that the man was holding a square granite stone slightly larger than a human head. The man used all his strength to smash the square stone down between his knees—— For the first time in their lives, many people present heard that the sound of human skulls being crushed turned out to be so low. With Cao Gong's head as the center, a blood-red pattern like the sun was scattered on the ground of the square. The man put down the blood-stained stone, jumped up again using Cao Gong's body as a diving platform, and then fled among the farmers at an astonishing speed without hitting anyone. The twenty-six "Feng Yilong" men all seemed to be nailed to the ground, without moving half a step.All the mutations happened too fast - from the time the scythe was discovered until the murderer left Cao Gong's body, none of them blinked more than four times. Only one guard closest to Cao Gong had time to react.He pulled out the dagger hidden under the skirt of his clothes, and chased after the fleeing murderer. The scythe cut off in front of him like an iron wall. He instinctively raised the knife and stabbed the sickle's stomach. The tip of the knife could not move forward until it reached Sickle's clothes a few inches——Sickle's right hand grasped the wrist holding the knife with incomparable precision, as if he was connected with the other party's soul. Scythe took half a step forward, and slashed the inside of the guard's straight elbow with his left palm, and that arm bent involuntarily.The tip of the knife immediately reversed direction, the sickle was pushed forward with the right hand, and the dagger pierced into the guard's chest. The movement of Sickle Slayer was as easy as scratching an itch. He stretched out his left hand full of thorns, pointed at the two corpses on the ground, then looked at the twenty-five living people, and shook his head slightly. ——Don't come to die. He pulled the cloak back over his head, then turned and disappeared among the terrified peasants. At this time, the sound of horseshoes began to be heard from the edge of the square, and the main gate of the yamen in front also opened.The peasants saw bright knives and guns neatly lined up inside the gate. ——When the capital army appeared one after another and started the work of "clearing the field", Zao Qi and Lian Shou had already safely boarded the carriage parked near the square and driven by Lu Xun.