Free Web NovelYu the blacksmith, whose real name was Yu Ping, was one of the five righteous individuals who received the Nangling Commander's secret message.
Although many called him a blacksmith, and his apparent trade within Yumen Pass was a blacksmith shop, the kitchen knives, large ladles, iron locks, and other iron household items produced by Yu's Blacksmith Shop were widely praised in Yumen Pass. However, his true identity was far more complex than just a highly skilled blacksmith.
As a former spy sent by the Huihe Tribe to approach Dragon Xiang, Xia Lianqing, in addition to trying to uncover the Long Xiang Army's secrets, was also responsible for collecting various intelligence within Yumen Pass for a long time.
And Yu Ping's true identity was discovered during her intelligence-gathering process.
In fact, the middle-aged blacksmith, who usually appeared honest and kind, friendly to others, and had a slight disability, secretly forged armor and manufactured crossbows in addition to his well-known blacksmithing business.
This was a serious crime!
According to Tang law: "One crossbow, two grades added; one set of armor and three crossbows, exiled two thousand li; three sets of armor and five crossbows, hanged."
This meant that if anyone in the world privately possessed a strong crossbow, their crime would be increased by two grades; those who privately possessed one set of armor or three strong crossbows would be exiled two thousand li; and those who privately possessed three sets of armor or five bows and crossbows would be executed by hanging.
Even privately possessing armor and strong crossbows was already a serious crime equivalent to participating in rebellion, not to mention that Yu the blacksmith not only manufactured and privately possessed them, but also secretly sold them. Every year, a large number of well-made armors flowed from his hands to various forces outside the pass.
This was shocking.
Of course, besides Yu the blacksmith, the other righteous individuals who received the secret message were also not simple. There was not only Xia Lianqing, who was outwardly the top courtesan of Daimu Courtyard but secretly a spy for the Huihe Tribe, but also a major salt smuggler, a swordsman who had single-handedly assassinated a prince, and a demonic fiend of the unorthodox path...
Earlier, upon learning the identities of the other righteous individuals who received the secret message, Xia Lianqing was truly startled.
She wondered how the Nangling Commander had managed to gather such a group of people and make them work for him.
She even felt that a plain spy like herself, mixed among these "righteous individuals," seemed somewhat weak and helpless.
"..."
After hearing from Dragon Tang that Yu the blacksmith had been ambushed by enemies, and that the leader of the attacking party was her own Sister, Xia Lianqing pinched her chin and fell silent.
She didn't know much about the task the Nangling Commander had given Yu the blacksmith. She only knew that Yu the blacksmith had provided many new pieces of equipment to the Longxiang Army Armored Soldiers who remained in Yumen Pass and were hidden among them, the righteous individuals.
The items piled up in Daimu Courtyard, currently being moved out, were part of that equipment.
Furthermore, according to the Nangling Commander's plan, Yu the blacksmith was supposed to be the first of the five righteous individuals to leave Yumen City Pass.
The departure time was before dawn today, the exact hour unknown. The purpose was likely to deliver newly manufactured equipment or supplies to the Longxiang Army Armored Soldiers outside the city pass.
If that were the case, those equipment and supplies had probably already fallen into enemy hands.
More importantly, Xia Lianqing, like Yu the blacksmith, also had a mission.
According to the secret message given to her by the Nangling Commander, the Shaman King and the combined armies of various Huihe Tribes would likely arrive outside the North Gate of Yumen Pass between 3 PM and 5 PM tomorrow.
Before that, the civilians near South of the city had to be evacuated to the southwest corner of the city pass where Daimu Courtyard was located, with as little detection as possible. Then, Dragon Tang and some Longxiang Army Armored Soldiers led by Old Qin and other squad leaders would protect the civilians until the Shaman King was suppressed.
As the top courtesan of Daimu Courtyard, the largest brothel in Yumen Pass, and formerly a spy for the Huihe Tribe tasked with gathering intelligence within Yumen Pass, Xia Lianqing interacted with people from all walks of life and all trades on a daily basis, arguably more than anyone else.
No one was better suited to secretly notify the city's residents and mediate potential conflicts between scholars and warriors, local gangs and Longxiang Army Armored Soldiers, bullies and ruffians, and merchants and farmers, and other people from different backgrounds.
She herself was a Psychic, and if necessary, she could also assist Dragon Tang and the Longxiang Army Armored Soldiers in combat.
This was the task the Nangling Commander had given her.
Although it seemed to carry much less risk compared to the tasks of the other righteous individuals.
After all, it was uncertain whether the Shaman King's army, once it appeared at the North Gate, could successfully breach the city gates.
Even if the army broke through the city, it was highly likely that it would be suppressed before crossing half the city pass and reaching the southwest corner. She and the Longxiang Army Armored Soldiers might not even have a chance to engage the enemy in direct combat.
But all of this was based on the assumption that the plan proceeded smoothly.
Now, with less than a day left until the time stipulated in the secret message, it would probably be inappropriate for her to leave Daimu Courtyard at this moment.
The various people from all walks of life mixed within Yumen Pass had always been at odds with the Longxiang Army Armored Soldiers. Without her, the top courtesan of Daimu Courtyard, and the specially identified Dragon Tang mediating, conflicts could easily arise and cause trouble.
However, the fact that that group of enemies could successfully ambush Yu the blacksmith indicated that while their numbers might be small, their strength was considerable. Letting them roam freely in the city was also a major destabilizing factor, and it seemed unacceptable to leave them unchecked.
Moreover, the person leading the group was her own Sister...
After a long silence, Xia Lianqing made a decision in her heart. She pulled her thoughts back and looked at Dragon Tang, saying seriously, "I might be able to find my Sister. From what I know of her, if she has led people to infiltrate the city, her hiding places would be limited to two or three spots. I just need to search them one by one."
"Even if I can't find her, I have a way to draw her out, but..."
"But what?" Dragon Tang asked.
Xia Lianqing curtsied to Dragon Tang and said, "However, if I go alone, it might not be so easy to take them down. If Dragon Commandant trusts me, please dispatch some brave soldiers to accompany me."
"Why..." Dragon Tang hesitated.
He knew very well that Xia Lianqing wanted to go find her Sister herself.
He had wanted to ask Xia Lianqing why she wouldn't let him go with her, but then he thought that if even he left the vicinity of Daimu Courtyard, and the enemy found an opening and launched a surprise attack, the consequences would be unimaginable.
As for the matter of trust...
Although he himself still didn't quite trust Xia Lianqing, as long as his elder brother said Xia Lianqing was trustworthy, then she was trustworthy.
"I understand. I'll go get people now!" Dragon Tang nodded.
With that, he turned around and jogged out of the room.
After Dragon Tang left, Xia Lianqing stood still for /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ a moment, lost in thought, before suddenly remembering that Shen Baiwei, who had appeared out of nowhere, was still waiting for her on the side.
Passing through the stacked wooden crates, she approached Lu Yibei, smiled at her, and said, "Baiwei, I might have to leave for a short while later..."
Xia Lianqing was only halfway through her sentence when Lu Yibei spoke softly, interrupting, "But Sister, you just said you'd keep me by your side and take good care of me! You're not going to go back on your word, are you?"
As she spoke, her expressionless face and dim eyes made her look like a kitten abandoned on the street and beaten by life, causing Xia Lianqing's heart to tremble and her to fall into a slight trance.
Although there were many details Lu Yibei was still unclear about, from the conversation between Xia Lianqing and Dragon Tang just now, she had already gathered that Xia Lianqing might be going into the city to search for the lurking enemy forces.
And this made her think of a very serious matter...
When she first met Xia Lianqing, Xia Lianqing had a gruesome appearance of having hanged herself. But later, when Xia Lianqing and the Black Armor Monstrosities appeared together and asked for her help, she had transformed into someone tortured to death.
So, who would have tortured Xia Lianqing to death?
Before hearing the conversation between Xia Lianqing and Dragon Tang, Lu Yibei had no clue, but now she strongly suspected that Xia Lianqing was tortured to death by those who infiltrated Yumen Pass.
After all, to that group of people, Xia Lianqing was a traitor who deserved a thousand cuts. If they had the chance, wouldn't they capture her and twist her into eighty-one different shapes?
Therefore, if Xia Lianqing were to leave now, she would most likely never return.
After figuring this out, Lu Yibei suddenly couldn't be happy anymore. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
She had originally wanted to watch the exciting drama of the Sisters tearing each other apart!
There weren't many things in this world more interesting than watching two beautiful women fight.
But now, she suddenly realized that the matter Xia Lianqing had asked for her help with seemed to have appeared.
She had to find a way to make Xia Lianqing stay in Daimu Courtyard, or go with Xia Lianqing.
After all...
Everyone was kneeling, a whole row of them.
She couldn't do nothing, could she? It would shorten her life!
If all else failed, finding an opportunity to slip away later wasn't out of the question!
Judging from the Spiritual Energy fluctuations of Xia Lianqing and the Longxiang Army Armored Soldiers, the highest was only around B+ rank. Presumably, the enemies they were about to face would be similar. If they all went together... it still seemed a bit dangerous; they had to proceed cautiously.
As Lu Yibei pondered, Xia Lianqing began to explain, "Baiwei, what I'm going to do next will be very dangerous. I can't let you come with me into danger..."
"But Sister," Lu Yibei interrupted again, "Are you really at ease leaving me here? You probably still don't trust me, do you?"
As she spoke, she deliberately lowered her voice, imbuing her words with a sinister undertone.
"How did you..." Xia Lianqing looked at Lu Yibei, her eyes widening slightly.
She suddenly felt that the Little Girl in front of her was somewhat terrifying. On that expressionless face, her deep eyes seemed to be able to see through her body and perceive her soul completely.
She had only seen such eyes on the shamanistic old women of her former tribe.
Could it be that she looked young but was actually an old hag? There seemed to be such legends circulating among the common folk, right? Xia Lianqing thought nervously.
"Isn't it obvious?" Lu Yibei shrugged, "Otherwise, you wouldn't have let me stay by your side, would you? So, just let me go with you!"
"Sister, you wouldn't want me to do anything you don't want to see after you leave, would you? Oh, and don't count on that young man just now; he looks silly and won't be able to outsmart me."
As she spoke, she casually picked up a dried flower arrangement from a vase nearby and, with a "snap," crushed it into powder between her fingertips.
Hearing this, Xia Lianqing's expression darkened, and she asked in a low voice, "Who exactly are you?" ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
"Didn't I tell Sister already?" Lu Yibei tilted her head, as if she had reverted to her initial harmless and innocent self, "I'm Shen Baiwei from Jian Province! Has Sister forgotten?"
Xia Lianqing, "..."
