Chapter 9
Ambushed
(1)
Gu Sinan put on nightprowling clothes and slipped into Ouyang Manor. He had been several times before so was already familiar with the place. He leapt over the wall and hid in a tree.
A cold wind blew, rustling the leaves like billowing waves. None of the guards at Ouyang Manor were aware that there was someone crouched above them.
Gu Sinan pushed aside a tree branch and quietly watched from a distance the lamplight that bled through the screen window of the little building. He knew this was Zhao Siniang’s apartments. Probably due to grief over the death of her beloved son she found it difficult to sleep and was up all night.
Gu Sinan took advantage of a gust of wind and leapt up from the tree and onto the roof, then darted into the inner courtyard and hid in another tree. Looking up, the lamplight in the room was out.
In the distance came the faint sound of the third watch clappers.
Behind the building came the sudden sound od weapons clashing and Gu Sinan’s heart chilled. He was about to muster his qi and head over when he suddenly saw a black silhouette dart out from the building. He couldn’t make out the person’s face in the dark, he only saw the figure dart away and was lost to the darkness.
Gu Sinan hurried ahead but couldn’t find where the black figure went. He thought a moment, then sped to where there was fighting.
The dark was illuminated by countless torches and Gu Sinan didn’t want to reveal himself, so he hid behind a pillar and watched from the shadows.
The fight was over quick, so quick that by the time Foreman Chu hurried over, a masked man had been captured and one of the guards stripped the man’s mask off and cried out, “So it’s Senior Liang, what are you doing?”
Senior Liang was one of the nine guards that Zhan Tianhong had brought into the guardhouse.
Foreman Chu said coldly, “He was going to kill Madame Zhao but was hit by a piece of tile from me where I was hiding in the shadows. Hmph! Wise guy, I suspected you were up to no good.”
A ruckus started up at once in the guardhouse, some even shouting abuse and cursing. Foreman Chu said, “Leave him alone. Tomorrow morning hand him over to Amazing Constable Shen. Now everyone go back to your posts and keep a careful watch out.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Sining came running over, her hair a mess. “What happened?”
“It’s alright Madame, Senior Liang had snuck over with his blade raised at your residence and was discovered by Subordinate, who beat him back!”
Zhao Siniang said angrily, “The nerve! On your knees.” Senior Liang stood towering without a trace of fear showing.
Zhao Siniang was even more angry. “A servant atacking the master, what punishment do you think you deserve? You don’t fear death, do you think your old mom won’t kill you? Give me a sabre!”
Foreman Chu hastily said, “Madame, calm down for now, tomorrow morning we’ll hand him over to Amazing Constable Shen for interrogation, won’t that be better. Maybe Zhan Tianhong put him up to this.”
Zhao Siniang nodded. “I forgot. Detain him for now.”
The people dispersed and the torches were extinguished and it was all as dark as before. The cold wind was stronger, and in the distance the fourth watch clappers sounded.
(2)
Shen Ying sat at his desk, Gu Sinan and Yun Feiyan on either side. The detained Senior Liang knelt on the floor in front of the desk.
Shen Ying arched his brow and said sternly, “Why did you go to kill your mistress, Madame Zhao?”
Senior Liang trembled like sifting rice. “Your Excellency, if this lowly one tells you, can my life be spared?”
Shen YIng’s face darkened. “This old fellow is not fond of negotiating with criminals.”
“Then this lowly one is willing to be killed.”
Shen Ying’s eyes shone and he shot to his feet, then after a moment sat back down again, and with the same tone said, “This old fellow has twenty-four different torture methods. Even if you were made of iron you would not be able to withstand it for long. Out with it, and spare yourself a living hell!”
Senior Liang raised his head. “This matter is unusually important. If this lowly one doesn’t speak up, Your Excellency wil suffer a great loss, plus, even though this lowly one tried to assassinate Madame Zhao, I failed, so at worst I will be imprisoned, there’s no need for execution.”
Shen Ying spat, “Okay, then let’s hear it. If what you have to say is valuable, this old fellow will be lenient with you!”
Senior Liang was stirred and said, “In answer to Your Excellency, it was Steward Zhan who put me up to it!”
“Nonsense.” Shen Ying pounded the desk and boomed, “Zhan Tianhong left Ouyang Manor days ago, how could he have ordered you?”
“In answer to Your Excellency, Steward Zhan gave his instructions before he resigned. He set a deadline for ten days within which this lowly one should act, but because Foreman Chu kept such a tight watch, I couldn’t strike, so it was delayed till now.”
“Zhan Tianhong already left Ouyang Manor, you don’t have to follow his orders any longer. Why did you still want to do it?”
“Your Excellency, let this lowly one explain. Steward Zhan is the head of Gold & Jade Hall, this lowly one is his underling and a mamber of Gold & Jade Hall. If I don’t follow his orders, sooner or later I will be punished according to the Hall’s rules.”
“What sort of organization is Gold & Jade Hall?”
“Hallmaster Zhan said it was like a jianghu gang, only gangs usually want fame and notoriety, but our Gold & Jade Hall is most interested in money. Hallmaster Zhan has his eyes on Luoyang and Zhengzhou because no one dares cast greedy eyes on these two cities. If he controls the gambling dens and brothels of these two cities, then money will roll in.”
Shen Ying had a thought. “So he wanted to kill Ouyang Peng and wipe out Ouyang Manor, thinking he could call down a storm and control Luoyang, but why not just kill off Ouyang Changshou directly?”
“Hallmaster Zhan ordered Hu Sheng to get rid of Ouyang Peng and Chao Xiaoyan. He said Ouyang Changshou’s martial arts was too formidable, it would be too difficult to kill him unless his mind was in a state of turmoil, then there would be a chance. Unexpectedly, before we could strike, he killed himself instead.”
“Utilizing the power of Ouyang Manor and the Zhao family to wipe out Sima Manor, was that also one of Gold & Jade Hall’s goals?”
“Yes, Cui Yishan’s family was also killed by us. Unforunately, the main target got away.”
“How did you all communicate?” Shen Ying asked.
“Hallmaster was already thinking of eliminating Hu Sheng to avoid future trouble. This lowly one was forced that day to give out his address, then hid in a tree by the enclosing wall of the manor, and at noon I shook the tree so that someone outside would know.”
Shen Ying thought, What a sly boy, no wonder even this old fellow was decieved. He asked, “Who else is with Gold & Jade Hall?”
“This lowly one doesn’t know and dares not speak carelessly.”
“This old fellow suspects that Zhan Tianhong is not Gold & Jade Hall’s true leader, don’t push all your charges onto him.”
Astonished, Senior Liang said, “No way, Hallmaster Zhan admitted himself that he was the one in charge.”
“Is what you’re saying true?” Shen Ying’s expression suddenly darkened. He said sternly, “If this old fellow finds out that even one word of what you’ve been telling me isn’t the truth, this old fellow will not have mercy on you.”
Senior Liang raised his head. “This lowly one has spoken the truth. If I have lied, I am willing to accept Your Excellency’s punishment. It’s just that, this lowly one telling Your Excellency all this, once Hallmaster Zhan finds out, he won’t let me off. Please, Your Excellency, protect this lowlly one’s life.”
Shen Ying said, “Do you want to stay for now at this old fellow’s place?” He cocked a brow and suddenly said, “Or Ouyang Manor might be safer.”
“But, Foreman Chu might not let this lowly one off.”
“This old fellow will talk to him for you. Little Gu, take him to Ouyang Manor!”
× × ×
Everything seemed to be out in the open, the truth was out. So long as Senior Liang was willing to testify that Zhan Tianhong was the one behind it all, then they just needed to arrest Zhan Tianhong and the case would be solved.
Shen Ying blew out a breath and took out his pipe, filled it with tobacco, and Yun Feiyan promptly lit it for him. “Uncle, when are we going to Zhengzhou to seize Zhan Tianhong?”
Shen Ying took a long pull on his pipe and slowly blew the smoke out. In a low voice he said, “I don’t think things are all that simple. No way Zhan Tianhong is the leader of Gold & Jade Hall, a puppet at best, or just an active high-ranking member. He was already full aware that we suspected him, so why still show himself publicly in Zhengzhou?”
Yun Feiyan blurted out, “Is there some plot behind that? Set out the bait and wait for us to get hooked?”
Shen Ying nodded. “That’s precisely what it looks like. This proves there’s already a trap laid for us in Zhengzhou just waiting for us to fall into.”
“What do we do?” Yun Feiyan sounded worried.
Shen Ying slowly smoked his pipe, and when it was finished, he dumped the ashes, then finally whispered a few words into Yun Feiyan’s ear.
Yun Feiyan said quickly, “Niece will go now.”
“Hang on, put on a disguise first, then go.”
× × ×
At dusk Yun Feiyan returned. She whispered into Shen Ying’s ear and his expression changed and he threw on his clothes and once again headed to Ouyang Manor.
(3)
At Ouyang Manor, Foreman Chu was just assigning the work patrol details at the guardhouse. He looked up and saw Shen Ying and blurted out, “Senior Shen, what can I do for you?”
“It’s nothing important, go about your business, Foreman Chu. This old fellow wants to cpeak to Senior Liang, where is he being held?”
“In the woodshed. I’ll take you to him.”
“No need, this old fellow will ask around for directions. We’ll meet up later.”
“In that case, I’ll slack this once.”
× × ×
Ouyang Manor’s woodshed was larger than that of most places. Firewood was stacked up inside. Three oil lamps hung from the roofbeams, the walls were chiselled stone, and there were no windows, so it was much like a jail.
Shen Ying pushed open the door and saw firewood but no Senior Liang. He was capable and daring and wound through the stacks of firewood and saw Senior Liang sleeping on a pallet of hay.
Shen Ying nudged him and Senior Liang opened his eyes. Slightly startled, he bolted up. “What does Your Excellency seek this lowly one for?”
Shen Ying’s expresion suddenly darkened. “This old fellow checked around and found that Hu Sheng normally used a staff, but Ouyang Peng was killed by a sword. You just happen to use a sword, how do you explain that?”
Senior Liang was frightened and hurriedly said, “This lowly one didn’t kill anyone. Hu Sheng snuck a sword inside the inner chambers, this lowly one watched him do it.”
Shen Ying said sternly, “You can fool others with your talk, but how can fool this old fellow? Out with the truth, Zhan Tianhong would never send a person with poor martial arts who never usually uses a sword to assassinate Ouyang Peng, because if he should miss the whole plot would be fall through. If this old fellow’s eyes haven’t failed me, you’re the ideal candidate. You’re calm, cunning, and your martial arts is good. If you continue to conceal the truth, this old fellow won’t be so courteous anymore.”
Senior Liang suddenly shouted and pulled out a machete from the haystack and came at Shen Ying, who was caught off guard and pulled back a step quickly. Senior Liang hacked at him like a madman, seventeen slashes in one breath, aiming at Shen Ying’s vitals, sttacking smoothly and well-practiced.
Shen Ying’s eyes shone and he pulled his pipe to ward off the machete. With a turn of his wrist he turned his pipe on his adversary swift as a streaming star, the mouth of the pipe stabbing at an angle at Senior Liang’s Girdling Vessel acupoint.
Senior Liang moved to the side and the machete hacked again. Shen Ying’s pipe changed to a cross sweep, which Senior Liang was not at all expecting. He flew off at an angle, natural and smoothly, traversing two staves in one jump and leaped onto the haystack.
Shen Ying said coldly, “With moves like that, how could the guardhouse catch up to you. Naybe Zhan Tianhong is your underling, this old fellow nearly fell for it.”
Senior Liang hmphed coldly, “Let your old man tell you, you did fall for it. Zhan Tianhong indeed is my superior, but only because he joined earlier than your old man did!”
“Who are you? Did you kill Ouyang Peng or not?”
“You really are naive. If your old man tells you, will I still be able to live?”
Shen Ying was furious, sneering, “If you don’t tell me you think you can still live? This old fellow isn’t intimidated, I’m going to kill you today!” He shot up, his brass pipe mouthpiece licking out like a venomous snake ahead of him.
Senior Liang pushed off with his feet and leapt to another pile of hay. Shen Ying flew down in hot pursuit and Senior Liang leapt up again, left hand pulling on an iron chain fastend to one of the oil lamps and swung himself over to another stack of firewood.
The oil lamp overturned and oil spilled out. Luckily, the lamp was extinguished in the process!
Shen Ying was furious, but for the moment could not do anything to him.
Three oil lamps were overturned, pitching the room into darkness. Shen Ying’s heart sank. His adversary knew the terrain, it would take some thought to nab him. And it wouldn’t look good for him to go out and instruct Foreman Chu to have people surround the place and seize him.
Just as he was thinking this over, he suddenly heard a sound above his head. Shen Ying pounced up like a black kite,1 left palm striking with his internal force, right hand swinging his pipe.
Nothing could be seen in the dark, he only felt the gust of palm forcewind hit something and then nothing, and the pipe struck air.
Three times in a row like this, and Shen Ying suddenly felt an omen of danger, not sure what his adversary was up to. Suddenly he heard Senior Liang say loudly. “What can the illustrious, celebrated Dine-eyed Vulture do to me?”2
Shen Ying hmphed angrily and pounced like a leopard before his adversary finished speaking, and he heard a hissing in some of the hay, then a flame stick thrown on a haystack and it whumped into a blaze immediately.
The fire burned the lamp oil and the nearby hay caught fire all at once. Even though Shen Ying got out of the way quickly, his clothes still ignited.
This was no small surprise. Shen Ying quickly dropped down and rolled around on the ground, putting the fire out on his clothes, then he shot back up and was nearly frightened out of his senses as he watched a dozen or more piles of hay burn, the raging flames about to swallow up everything!
Shen Ying didn’t bother trying to find Senior Liang again. He leapt for the door and reachout to pull it open, but it wouldn’t budge. The door had been locked. Instantly Shen Ying’s heart sank. He banged against it with his shoulder but the door was stoutand was not damaged. His alarm was greater now. All things considered, he’d been through and experienced a lot, so he was not flustered in the face of death. He looked up at the ceiling and groaned inwardly, It was over three staves high, it would be hard to break through the roof.
The three oil lamp chains had been wrapped around the roofbeam earlier by his palm forcewind. Strange, where had Senior Liang gone?
He was just thinking this when he saw a man on fire holding a machete run out from the flames and pounce at Shen Ying. Shen Ying didn’t let him touch him, getting out of the way in a great hurry. Senior Liang reached out to push open the door but it wouldn’t budge. He cried out and rolled around on the ground over and over, crying, “Your Excelency, quick, help this lowly one put the fire out!”
Shen Ying raged, “You’re caught in your own trap, why would this old fellow save you?”
The haystack fire was not only getting larger and larger, the raging flames had reached a stave high and there was almost no air left in the room, which was filled with smoke, making breathing difficult. Senior Liang was wounded all over, but ner death he cried out, “Come quick, I… I have something to say… a secret…” His voice was getting weaker.
Shen Ying was stirred. Though he was anxious to flee for his life, his habit formed over many years made him stopo at the word “secret”. He went over to Senior Liang and said urgently, “What secret, out with it…”
“Hu Sheng didn’t kill Ouyang Peng… And Zhan Tianhong is not the hallmaster…”
“Enough prattle, who really is the killer? Who is the hallmaster?”
“It’s… it’s Jin… Jin Yi… He’s the…” His voice suddenly cut off. Shen Ying bent over to check his breathing, then shook his head and cursed, “Damn it!” He suddenly felt waves of heat beating his face, and his back was scorching hot. Tongues of flame roiled, sparks ignited the back hem of his clothes and he ignited!
He lowered his gaze and quickly pried open Senior Liang’s hand and grabbed his machete and shot to wall forcefully, lodging the machete thre fingerwidths into the wall two staves high with a thwunk. Shen Ying leapt up and stepped on the machete, shooting upward. He bellowed and struck the ceiling with his left palm and burst through!
× × ×
Inside the main hall of Ouyang Manor sat Zhao Siniang, Foreman Chu, and Shen Ying. Shen Ying cut an abnormally sorry figure, clothes in tatters, his goatee burned off.
“Foreman Chu, how did the woodshed get locked?”
Foreman Chu gave a wry smile. “I haven’t had time to look into it. They were all busy putting out the fire!”
Shen Ying said, “What kind of foreman are you? Neither you nor your men know!”
Foreman Chu hung his head. Zhao Siniang said, “This widow is also responsible for this matter!”
“Why is the woodshed door reinforced with iron? Also, why does the room have such a high ceiling?”
Zhao Siniang said, “It was originally used to imprison those who violated family rules.”
“I see. I hope you all look into who locked the door!”
Foreman Chu said hurriedly, “I’ll get on that right away!”
Shen Ying said, “Senior Liang confessed that Zhan Tianhong was the one behind it all. This old fellow will go to Zhengzhou in the next day or two, make an arrest, and bring him to justice. When I come back, I hope you all have found out who did it!”
Foreman Chu said, “Zhan Tianhong is the killer. At the very least he knows the inside story. Once he’s caught all questions can be cleared up. I am not worthy to be Ouyang Manor’s guardhouse foreman. Naturally I should be involved in seizing Zhan Tianhong, or else I won’t be satisfied!”
“No need, this old fellow’s people are enough.”
Zhao Siniang said, “Let Foreman Chu go along anyway. If the killer really is Zhan Tianhong, then we have wrongly killed Sima Qianjun. Er… If Ouyang Manor doesn’t do anything to help, then this manor will not be able to rest easy!”
Shen Ying thought for a moment, then finally nodded.