20demayo Chapter 99 Don't Let the Robbers Leave!
Chapter 99 Don't Let the Robbers Leave!
Zheng Tu was a lazy person by nature, and now he felt that he had arranged everything around him properly.
Following Ximen Qing's advice, he explained it in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
These past few days, aside from going out to eat, I've been holed up in the back room of Wang Po's Tea House, practicing my breathing exercises and relaxing. It's been quite a leisurely time.
He had previously given Wang Po ten taels of silver to thank her for facilitating the matchmaking and providing her with a place to stay.
The old woman's dark eyes lit up at the sight of the gleaming white silver. Overjoyed, she stuffed it into her bosom, repeatedly curtsying seven or eight times, chanting Buddhist prayers: "Amitabha! Thank you so much for your generosity, sir! This old woman has truly seen the light of day!"
You should know that these ten taels of silver are more than enough to cover her coffin expenses.
Therefore, when Zheng Tu suggested staying for another month or so, Wang Po readily agreed, wishing that this God of Wealth would stay for a long time.
The rooms on the left and right are usually unoccupied. This Master Zheng is generous and easy to manage, so even if he stayed there for a whole year, he wouldn't lose money.
That day, Zheng Tu slept until the sun was high in the sky before waking up. He slowly washed up and strolled out of the teahouse.
He usually eats lunch at the mutton shop on the street corner, and he's been eating there for the past few days; the taste is really good.
"Master, bring me a pot of stewed mutton and a pot of hot wine."
Zheng Tu chose a seat and sat down, then ordered wine and dishes as usual.
While waiting for his food, he casually looked around, but as he did so, he suddenly felt that something seemed amiss.
Why is this street scene so much quieter than usual today?
There seem to be far fewer peddlers and vendors carrying loads on their shoulders than usual.
Zheng Tu squinted and looked at the owner behind the counter who was cutting meat.
Just then, the shopkeeper also secretly turned his head to look at him, and their eyes met.
The host seemed startled; his hand trembled, and the porcelain bowl in his hand fell to the ground with a crash, shattering into pieces!
"No! Something's wrong!"
Zheng Tu's eyes narrowed, and he abruptly stood up to leave.
Although he didn't know what had happened, seeing the homeowner's panicked appearance and the unusually deserted street, he knew that something was definitely not normal.
No matter what happens, the best of the thirty-six stratagems is to flee!
Let's get out of here first, and then see how things develop. It's not too late to find out later.
As soon as he stood up, the patrons at the surrounding tables, who had been seemingly eating and drinking normally, suddenly jumped up!
Eight or nine men simultaneously pulled out gleaming knives from under the table and pounced on him!
Those knives were all standard official knives, with long, narrow blades and a chilling gleam.
Nine burly men immediately surrounded Zheng Tu in the center, their blades all pointing at his vital points!
"You filthy bastard! Why don't you just surrender and get your hands on me?!"
A man who looked like a captain shouted at Zheng Tu.
Zheng Tu snorted coldly, without answering, and suddenly ripped off his outer robe, throwing it at the constable's face!
The robe, when spread out, resembled a dark cloud, completely obscuring the captain's view.
In that split second, Zheng Tu moved like lightning, rushing in the opposite direction!
What strength does he possess now? His martial arts skills have reached a high level, and with the help of that crimson pill to strengthen his foundation, his strength is now unmatched by ordinary people.
This charge was truly like a tiger descending a mountain.
Four men raised their knives to meet him, but Zheng Tu threw out both fists at once. He struck first, and with two loud bangs, the chests of the first two men caved in, and they flew backward, crashing into tables and chairs.
Two other men pounced from the side, their blades aimed straight for the waist and ribs.
Zheng Tu neither dodged nor evaded, but unleashed a series of kicks with his left and right legs, striking the two men's wrists squarely! Two waist knives flew out of their hands, and the two men clutched their severed wrists, screaming in agony as they fell to the ground.
In a single exchange, all four were crippled!
In the short time it took the constable to rip open his veil, four men had already fallen. Shocked and enraged, he shouted urgently, "Scatter! Surround him! Don't fight him head-on!"
The remaining men scattered and took up positions on different sides, surrounding Zheng Tu in the middle, but dared not rush forward.
The five men moved in unison, one advancing while the other retreated, clearly well-trained, advancing and retreating only in accordance with Zheng Tu's movements.
They wanted to use the tactic of besieging a point and attacking reinforcements to entangle Zheng Tu.
If he attacks from the west, the east, south, and north will attack his back with their swords; if he turns to attack from the north, the remaining three sides will immediately fill in.
Their seamless teamwork temporarily put Zheng Tu in check.
Although he was highly skilled in martial arts, he was no match for the many hands that came from all directions, and he also had to guard against cold blades coming from all sides. In his haste, he found it difficult to escape.
No matter how well they cooperate, the gap in strength is ultimately difficult to bridge.
After fighting for five or six rounds, Zheng Tu deliberately feigned an opening, his body slightly pausing. The man on the east side was overjoyed at this sight and thrust his knife straight at him!
Little did anyone know that Zheng Tu's hesitation was a feint. As the blade approached, he suddenly dodged to the side, grabbed the opponent's wrist with his left hand, and his right palm was already deeply imprinted on the man's chest!
The man's body immediately went limp and he collapsed to the ground.
With the formation broken, the remaining three were no longer a threat. In just a short while, they were all killed.
But this delay has already transformed the street scene!
"Don't let the bandits escape!!"
A loud shout came from the street corner.
Looking up, one could see thirty to fifty archers emerging from the rooftops on both sides of the street, their bows drawn taut, arrows gleaming coldly, all pointed at Zheng Tu!
Both ends of the street were packed with soldiers, their weapons like a forest, numbering no less than three to five hundred!
The leading military officer was none other than the county magistrate of Qinghe County!
He led a large contingent of soldiers and had completely surrounded the street.
The county constable pointed his whip at Zheng Tu and shouted sternly:
"Zheng Tu! You have committed heinous crimes in Weizhou City, including murder, robbery, and bullying of men and women! Now that your crimes have been exposed, why don't you surrender?! If you dare to resist, you will be pierced through the heart by a hail of arrows!"
Zheng Tu stood in the middle of the street, surveying the layers of soldiers surrounding him. His gaze finally settled on the county constable on horseback, and he demanded in a deep voice, "How did you, county constable, become so certain that I am Zheng Tu of Weizhou City? Do you have any solid evidence?"
The county constable, mounted on his horse and looking down from his vantage point, saw that Zheng Tu was completely surrounded and unable to escape. He thought victory was assured and, considering that capturing such a serious criminal would be a great achievement, a smug look appeared on his face as he laughed:
"You scoundrel, still trying to deny it now? Look, there's someone here to accuse you!" With that, he stepped aside, revealing a person behind him.
The man was short and stocky with a repulsive face; it was none other than Jiang Zhushan! He stood beside the county magistrate's horse, his face full of smugness, his chin held high, looking every bit the smug little man.
Jiang Zhushan pointed at Zheng Tu and shrieked, "Zheng Tu! You colluded with Ximen Qing and hired those two scoundrels, Grass Snake and Street Rat, to extort money from me, causing me to lose everything. Do you think I didn't know? Truly, justice prevails, and retribution is swift!"
"Your arrest warrant clearly states: anyone harboring or providing shelter in your home will be punished the same as a criminal! I'd like to see how that Mr. Ximen will conduct himself now!"
Now that Zheng Tu is trapped like a turtle in a jar, how could Jiang Zhushan not be pleased? How could he not be boastful!
It is said that there are four great joys in life: rain after a long drought, meeting an old friend in a foreign land, the wedding night, and passing the imperial examination.
But Jiang Zhushan's joy at this moment was a hundred times greater than those four great joys!