The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 674 - 673 Conclusion

Chapter 674: Chapter 673 Conclusion

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The man made sure his subordinates had gathered the information, and as promised, on the second day, Duke Weiguo, Song Hong, boldly led his personal soldiers out of the inn.

With their keen perception, they had already noticed several people tailing them from outside the inn, and as they emerged, these followers kept their distance but trailed behind.

Once they reached the riverside, despite the presence of guards, the sight of Song Hong and the dozens of fierce and murderous personal soldiers behind him caused them to lose their nerve, and no one dared to block their way.

They could only watch helplessly as Song Hong led his personal soldiers away with great strides.

Boarding a passenger boat that had just docked at the Yongcheng Jetty, they raised the sail and departed.

Gao Jin and Wang Yongan, who were filled with urgency, arrived just in time to catch a distant glimpse of the scene on the river by the time they reached the jetty.

Gao Jin, in his frustration, cursed out loud in the midst of the crowd, with an extremely ugly expression on his face.

None around him were spared.

It was Wang Yongan who gave him the idea, they needed to find out why Duke Weiguo, Song Hong, had come to Qi City—was it for personal matters or official business?

Upon hearing this, Gao Jin, who had no other options left, dispatched the most skilled of his subordinates.

Song Chongjin naturally followed behind Gao Jin’s men.

They followed Song Hong on the boat for a day and did not stop until the evening. In the dead of night, Song Hong suddenly boarded another boat and left.

Gao Jin’s men wanted to follow, but under the light, they saw that the deck of that boat was lined with clearly armored soldiers.

Who would dare to board? They had to hold back, and only once the boat carrying Song Hong was far away did they board the previously occupied boat.

And Zhu Haoran was on this boat. Although he brought a team of skilled protectors with him, none of Gao Jin’s men were no-gooders, bloodied by countless debts, and for a while, they fought fiercely.

It wasn’t until Zhu Haoran was nearly stabbed by Gao Jin’s men that Song Chongjin appeared, saved Zhu Haoran and his subordinates, and captured all of Gao Jin’s men.

Because the evidence provided by Song Chongjin was of serious concern, naturally he could not leave Zhu Haoran’s side, so he accompanied him on a boat to head back towards Qi City.

The evidence needed to be verified, which alarmed Gao Jin and the local heavyweights.

They knew the situation was falling apart, but they were not willing to give up just like that; after all, this was the accumulation of several generations—didn’t every family make a fortune?

How could they simply quit? Not to mention if Zhu Haoran really uncovered something, they feared not only their wealth but also their whole family’s lives would be at stake.

Alcohol emboldens the timid, and wickedness arises alongside boldness. It was to be all or nothing; since death was inevitable either way, if they could kill Zhu Haoran, there might still be a chance for things to turn around.

Having made this decision, the assassins dispatched to kill Zhu Haoran almost stopped hiding, employing an endless number of schemes that were nearly impossible to anticipate.

Zhu Haoran’s men had to investigate while also protecting him, and they were stretched to their limits.

Fortunately, Song Chongjin took the initiative, offering to stay close and protect Zhu Haoran.

In theory, his request was abrupt, particularly at this critical and sensitive moment. Offering such a suggestion wasn’t going to win him any favors and could even cast doubt on him by Zhu Haoran.

Yet, unexpectedly, Zhu Haoran not only did not suspect him but agreed immediately, keeping Song Chongjin by his side at all times and not keeping any detail of the case from him.

In just a few days, Song Chongjin had figured out the ins and outs.

The output from Qi City was decreasing, and the authorities cried poverty to the Imperial Court. As for the County Magistrates who came and went, either they met with accidents, or within just a few years of arrival, they indulged in extravagance.

Over time, neither The Emperor nor his ministers were fools, and suspicion arose.

Spying agents had long been sent to Qi City for a clandestine investigation, and they discovered clues.

However, the local powers had sealed off the area so tightly that nearly nothing from the outside could get in; thus, the Imperial Court dispatched undercover agents to lie low in Qi City, keeping a watchful eye on everything.

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Before the year ended, the ore submitted by Qi City this year was only half of the previous years’, which truly enraged the current Saint. It just so happened that Duke Weiguo, Song Hong, returned from his duties on the border, and he was in good favor with the Emperor.

The Emperor casually brought up this matter during a conversation with Song Hong, who, for some reason, offered to take on the task. He was already planning to visit an old friend in Jing County and saw this as a perfect opportunity to investigate the situation in Qi City.

The Emperor was naturally eager for such assistance, so he let Song Hong take the lead with his Personal Soldiers to personally investigate Qi City, while Zhu Haoran coordinated with him, waiting nearby.

Just as Song Hong began to uncover some leads, an urgent message from the Capital City demanded his immediate return for an important matter.

Song Hong had no choice but to leave Qi City and hurry back to the Capital City.

Before his departure, he handed over his findings to Zhu Haoran.

Armed with what Song Hong had discovered, Zhu Haoran needed only a bit more time to thoroughly investigate Qi City.

But he had not anticipated Gao Jin and his men to be so insanely vicious.

The more ruthless their counterattack, the more it indicated guilt.

Coupled with the ironclad evidence brought by Song Chongjin, Zhu Haoran was reassured.

Now he was just waiting for the dispatch of the troops from the nearest Provincial Capital after Song Hong’s departure. Once those garrisoned troops arrived, he would have the confidence to take down Qi City.

It seemed Gao Jin and his men had also realized this, as assassins came one after another, either alone or in groups.

Though Zhu Haoran had brought skilled men from the Emperor’s army, they were hard-pressed by the sheer number of attackers. As the saying goes, even ants can bite an elephant to death. They had to be vigilant at all times, and even bodies of iron have their limits.

A moment of negligence is all it takes, and the injury on Song Chongjin was incurred two days ago while saving Zhu Haoran.

If not for Song Chongjin’s desperate intervention, Zhu Haoran might have perished in an assassination attempt, and likely, Song Chongjin and his men would have been implicated.

Fortunately, at the most critical moment, the dispatched garrison troops arrived and surrounded the assassins.

Zhu Haoran, having been openly targeted for so long, was seething with rage – after all, he was a member of the Emperor’s inner ministerial circle.

Without stopping to rest, he immediately ordered the troops to execute the attackers on the spot, then headed straight for Qi City.

By nightfall, they had already secured the key passages of Qi City.

At dawn, he planned to lead the troops along two routes, one towards the private mines and the other towards the County Yamen, aiming to capture them all in one fell swoop.

Song Chongjin, knowing his family was worrying about him, insisted on returning home, also to stay clear of tomorrow’s encirclement.

Tomorrow’s encirclement was the main event and an envied path for many to promotion. If managed well, one could be promoted three ranks upon returning.

Why should he vie for such credit and stir envy in others?

Zhu Haoran then had no choice but to send him back.

When Song Chongjin spoke of these matters, he did so with casual understatement.

But Wang Yongzhu could sense the hardship and danger behind his words. Knowing his skills, and seeing that he was wounded, the situation must have been extremely dire.

Softening her expression, she reassured him, "Now that you’re back, I’m here for you. Get some good rest and sleep. When you wake up tomorrow, maybe Lord Zhu and his men will have settled everything."

Song Chongjin’s eyes were shadowed with dark circles, clearly having not slept for several days.

He had been running on sheer willpower, and now with his wife’s gentle persuasion and her presence giving him an added sense of security...

After recounting the events of the past few days, Song Chongjin couldn’t hold on any longer. Almost as soon as Wang Yongzhu finished speaking, he leaned on his pillow and fell soundly asleep.