503 Kidnap (1/2)

Shangguan Yun made himself the bait. With more time passing, the Dragon King still hadn't shown up. Shangguan Yun was more and more convinced that he should be the target.

He was curious and even a little bit excited about what kind of tactics the Dragon King would use.

The valley behind the seaside slope used to be a mining area that was abandoned many years ago, leaving both large and small mineshafts crisscrossed throughout. Wu Zongheng used this place as the military camp.

Three thousand veterans and more than one thousand recruits had joined together. Shangguan Yun's residence was in a small mineshaft outside, as there had been a collapse here, and it was isolated from the others. After a little tidying up, Shangguan Yun was able live a little more comfortably there.

The decisive battle was in two days. If the Dragon King wanted to retake the army, he had to make a move either today or tomorrow.

According to Shangguan Yun's standards, there was no difference between so-called ”lies” and the truth. For example, he might say that someone was a traitor when, in fact, this person might be bought a few days later. He thought that was different from the truth. On the contrary, when he told Maid Lotus that he had 15 kung fu masters from outside the Western Region protecting him, he did not mention that a large number of killers were rushing in as reinforcements. It was not exactly a lie.

Shangguan Yun felt a little sorry that Maid Lotus escaped so early and killed Ha Chilie, the spy. But as long as she reported the necessary information to the Dragon King, the cost was acceptable.

According to Shangguan Yun's expectations, the Dragon King's plan was as follows: The Dragon King and Maid Lotus (with one or two helpers at most) would assassinate Wu Zongheng first, and then watch the kung fu masters like the two Xia brothers to see where they would report to. In this way, they could find out the location of the target. As soon as Shangguan Yun got out of the mineshaft, a person -- maybe even someone he knew -- would stab him with a sword.

The subtlety of the trap didn't depend on the density or sharpness of the spikes below, but on the authenticity of the upper layer of earth above the trap.

Shangguan Yun had 15 foreign kung fu masters. After Xia Shouxiong's death, there were 14. These days they were disguised as ordinary soldiers. Half of them hid around Wu Zongheng and the other half were scattered around the military camp. Shangguan Yun never showed up himself.

The Dragon King would take the bait, because he had no other options. Even though he knew it was a trap, he would take the risk. Shangguan Yun thought he understood the Dragon King's character and believed that he would never give up the Dragon Army that he had assembled with difficulty.

Not far from Shangguan Yun, there was another isolated mineshaft where Wu Zongheng lived. He was anxiously pacing back and forth inside.

A guard came in to report, saying, ”Your Honor, Miss Ming Zhen... wants to see you. ”

Wu Zongheng had to keep Ming Zhen in the army. Her maid, Han Xuan, and a disciple of the New Moon Hall had run away suddenly and he had to take her as hostage.

Ming Zhen had the decency to never cry or scream, but she always felt numb, all day long. Sometimes there was panic in her eyes, like a child abandoned by its parents. Wu Zongheng felt that he might have been too cruel to her.

”So late? ” Wu Zongheng asked, frowning. It was late at night, which was not a good time for a single man and a single woman to meet.

”Yes. ” The guard responded simply. It was none of his business. He wished a woman would like to meet him late at night.

Ming Zhen's residence had been cleaned up, but there was still cold water dripping down the wall. It was already late spring outside the mountain, but it was still as cold as winter in here.

In order to prevent the soldiers from gossiping, Wu Zongheng asked all three disciples of the New Moon Hall to stay with Ming Zhen at all times. This time, they stood by the wall, expressionless and barely even blinking their eyes, like ghosts buried in the mineshaft.

It had to be hard for Miss Ming Zhen to live with these three women. Wu Zongheng was more sorry about her situation but still spoke to her flatly. He was the general of the army and could not have any tenderness towards a woman. ”What can I do for you, Miss?” he asked dryly.

It seemed that Ming Zhen had been crying. Although her cheeks had been wiped carefully, her eyes were still swollen. ”General Wu, please tell me the truth,” she said.

”What? ” Wu Zongheng asked, getting nervous because he already knew what she wanted to know.

The news of Ha Chilie's death had arrived two days prior. Wu Zongheng asked several informed people to keep it a secret. On the one hand, he was worried that the tribe soldiers might rebel. On the other hand, he was worried that Miss Ming Zhen might not take it well. Although the relationship between the two seemed to be a little cold, they were an unmarried couple, after all.

”Ha Chilie ... was killed? ” asked Ming Zhen, obviously having heard the rumors.

Wu Zongheng was not used to and did not want to lie. He pondered for a moment and said, ”Yes, Lord Ha died at the hands of a spy. My condolences, Miss.”

”I thought ...” Ming Zhen couldn't help sobbing.

Once the tears began, they could no longer be controlled. Ming Zhen cried so sadly and began shaking. If there was a maid to serve her, she would have come over to hold her. But there were only the three New Moon Hall disciples, standing like the living dead in the room. Wu Zongheng was touched and did something uncharacteristic for a general -- he stepped forward, planning to comfort the heartbroken beauty.

Someone moved faster than him, but she held him instead of Ming Zhen.

A New Moon Hall disciple grasped his left arm firmly and put a dagger against his back, saying in a low voice, ”Don't move, or I will kill you.”

Wu Zongheng was shocked, and stared at Ming Zhen in front of him.

Ming Zhen's cry was out of true feelings. She had been lonely and helpless from an early age and was pushed aside by her family. Finally, she got a fiance of excellent birth and appearance, but he was killed before they were married.

She ran to the bed, bent over and wept bitterly, as if she had not just seen Wu Zongheng get kidnapped.

Han Xuan was the one who caught Wu Zongheng, but she still cared more about her Miss. ”Han Fen, you take him,” she said.

Another New Moon Hall disciple came over with a dagger in her hand and said discontentedly, ”Why do you always expose me?”

Han Xuan pushed Wu Zongheng to her and ran to her Miss. She comforted Ming Zhen with a gentle voice, holding her in her arms.

Wu Zongheng got more and more confused and angry, and asked ”What the hell is going on? Didn't you two run away?”

Han Fen and Han Xuan had exchanged identities with two disciples of the New Moon Hall. They were in the army for only two hours or so. The New Moon Hall disciples seldom showed up at ordinary times and preferred to hide in the shadows. With just a little disguise, no one could tell.

”Behave, you traitor,” Han Fen said, holding him harder. Wu Zongheng was unable to resist since his kung fu was not strong enough.

”Traitor? Who are you talking about?” he asked.

”Of course it's you,” said Han Fen.

Wu Zongheng calmed down when he heard this and said, ”You have made a mistake. How can I be a traitor?”

”Well, how do I know? Anyway, you're a traitor. When the time comes, you just scream, and then I'll kill you,” she answered.