bookcurios Chapter 232 Shadow Guard
Chapter 232 Shadow Guard
With tears in my eyes, I said, "Thank you! You have been very helpful. Don't worry, I will never let you down. After we get through this, the young master and I will repay you a hundredfold!"
Xiao Shun hurriedly replied, "Miss, please leave! Alas, it is my duty to work for my master. It is just that the young lady is indeed worried, so I am sorry that I cannot trust you completely. I am just trying my best to pass on the message for the sake of our past friendship. Where does the young lady live? How can I find you when I get a reply?"
I was about to say something when I suddenly remembered Gui Fangduan's instructions. I was cautious and replied, "Alas, I am short of money now, and I am being pursued, so I have no place to stay. How about I come here to find you when the store opens tomorrow morning?"
He nodded: "Okay. I'll go spread the word right away. Gu Yi will be here almost tomorrow morning."
I thanked him and returned to Zuihualou.
Gui Fangduan hadn't come back yet, so I was waiting in front of his door with a worried heart.
At midnight, I heard a click from the window inside, and asked in a low voice, "Are you back?"
The door opened, Gui Fang poked his head out, and then let me in.
I looked him up and down and saw that he had no obvious external injuries and his head and face were as clean as when he left, so I felt a little relieved.
He let me finish the inspection, and when he saw me looking at him, he said, "I found out. Tu Shanjing is indeed in there."
My heart trembled when I heard this, and I asked him hurriedly: "You...you saw him?"
He nodded: "I saw it from a distance, and it was not clear. But Tu Shan Hou came out of his room, and I heard what Tu Shan Hou said to the jailer, and that was what he meant."
When I heard Tu Shan Hou was there, my heart surged with blood. I grabbed him and asked in a trembling voice, "How is he?!"
Gui Fangduan shook his head: "I don't know, it's too far away. I only saw him being chained, with some blood on his face and head, and he seemed to be unconscious."
The blood rushing to my heart suddenly turned cold, and I felt as if a bucket of ice water was poured over my head and chilled me to the bone. The hope that I had been vaguely holding on to all the way, that maybe Tushan Hou had not arrived yet and I had no time to torture him, was completely extinguished.
He held my shoulders and pushed me down to sit on the chair, and comforted me, "Don't worry, calm down and get the person out first. What did you gain from this trip?"
I calmed myself down and followed him through the passage as it happened.
Gui Fangduan frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "If I can get some shadow guards to help... I think I can get him out. All the shadow guards have strong spiritual power. Let one team of them attract attention, and the other team will go in with me to get him out. Then we can do some tricks to attract the pursuers, and that will be enough."
I nodded: "I don't really understand how to deploy in this situation, let's plan it together."
Gui Fangduan smiled bitterly and said, "I'm not very good at saving people, but I'm good at fighting. You will be responsible for the support outside. I revealed my identity that night and they will probably chase me. I will find a chance to hand him over to you and lead away the pursuers. You can also leave a few shadow guards to help you. There is one more thing. The prison has been robbed. By then, the whole city will be on alert and the city gates will be blocked. You have to find someone to make connections in advance so that you can get out of the city. It's best to do it that night, the sooner the better, otherwise there will be more trouble."
I stood up after hearing this and said, "I'll go find Jin Xuan. She has a wide network of contacts and must know a local tyrant who can help us get out."
Gui Fangduan replied: "Well, go ahead. I will practice for a while before the battle, because there will be another tough battle to fight later."
So I came out of his room and shamelessly visited Jin Xuan late at night. Fortunately, she usually went to bed late and had not slept well. After hearing my request, she agreed to help me find someone.
It was already the middle of the night when I came out of Jinxuan's room. I returned to my room with a beating heart and tossed and turned all night.
Early the next morning, I said hello to Gui Fangduan, and without even eating, I ran to Tushan's wine shop to find Xiaoshun.
Xiao Shun was busy at the door. When he saw me coming, he winked at me towards the dark alley. I understood what he meant and walked towards the dark alley.
A man stood with his hands behind his back, deep in the dark alley.
"Gu Yi?" I called tentatively.
The man turned around and it was Gu Yi, who had helped Tu Shanjing and I pass the letters before.
When he saw me, he strode over and bowed, "Miss, how are you?"
Seeing him was like seeing a reassurance pill, and I answered with mixed feelings: "Not good, but we can make do. You are also implicated this time."
Gu Yi waved his hand and said, "Miss, that's not right. We were not good enough in protecting the Second Young Master when he was robbed, so we are to blame. Now that Xiao Shun said that you have a way to rescue the Young Master, it is our duty."
I also waved my hands repeatedly: "It's not your fault, it's the enemy who is too cunning. Time is urgent, you go and help me gather the brothers and sisters of the Shadow Guard, and as many as you can come by noon tomorrow. This trip is dangerous, and your life is in danger, so tell them in advance. I still have some things to arrange, we will meet here at 15:00 tonight, and you tell me how many people you have, and I will tell you in detail how to deploy it after I have done my work."
Gu Yi replied: "Thank you, young lady. I trust you to do the job. Without further ado, we will go our separate ways and see you here in the evening."
I bowed to him and said, "Thank you." Then I hurried back to Zuihualou, swallowed two buns without any taste, and waited for Jinxuan's reply.
Jin Xuan wrote me back at noon, saying that she had found a wealthy businessman in Xiyan City who had extensive connections and was able to take on the job. But he wanted a high price, 100,000 taels of silver. I was unsure, not knowing what was going on with Master Chunming, so I could only tell her that I would give her an answer in the evening.
After waiting unbearably until the hour of midnight, I returned to the wine shop.
Xiao Shun stopped me this time, looked around, and whispered, "Sir, Master Chunming said that he will pay you privately for whatever amount you want. Here is the 50,000 taels of silver note. You keep it first, and he will adjust it later."
I gratefully accepted it and put it in my arms, saying, "Thank you very much! I need another 50,000 taels to ask for leniency. Please help me arrange it first. It would be best if you can give it to me tomorrow morning. I will come back at noon."
Xiao Shun nodded, and I separated from him and walked into the dark alley.
There was another person in the dark alley, it was Hong Ying who had taught me. Seeing an acquaintance, my eyes warmed up and I sniffed.
She and Gu Yi stepped forward and said, "Young lady, there are eleven shadow guards nearby, all of whom have gathered, and none of them refused to come. There are also six people who are a little further away who have heard the news and are rushing here. All of them are at your disposal. The others are still in Tushan Mansion and cannot get here for a while, but if you have any arrangements, you can ask them to leave the mansion and meet us halfway."
I finally couldn't hold back my tears and said, "Thank you everyone..."
Hong Ying replied, "Don't cry, girl. Most of the shadow guards are lonely, and some even lost their parents when they were young. If the second young master hadn't provided us with food and shelter, and arranged for us to learn martial arts and cultivate spiritual power, I'm afraid we wouldn't be alive today. We all considered becoming shadow guards before, and we swore an oath. Those who are not willing to sacrifice their lives at any time will not agree to become shadow guards."