My father, during the Jiajing era, ensured that every household was clean and tidy.

Chapter 17 I Have a Plan

"We are currently on Xiejie Street, next to Shichahai Lake. Further ahead is Deshengmen, the northwest gate of Beijing."

Inside the dark and bumpy carriage, Zhang Juzheng suddenly spoke. At this time, the windows were closed, and only Qiu Fu, who was sitting in the outer room, lifted a corner of the curtain to observe the situation outside. Logically speaking, Zhang Juzheng, who was confined inside the carriage, should not know the exact location, but he not only knew, but also spoke with absolute accuracy.

Qiu Fu immediately looked over with a cold gaze.

"Don't be nervous." Zhu Zaizhen lightly patted his paper fan. "This Lord Zhang has been a child prodigy since he was a child. Saying he can remember everything he sees is a bit of an exaggeration, but it's close enough. He knows exactly how the carriage turns after leaving his house, how many turns it takes, and after thinking about the map of the capital, he can figure out the location... He's just telling me so I have a better idea."

While offering a casual explanation, Zhu Zaizhen's eyes were fixed on the burly monk in front of him. He asked, puzzled, "Manager Qiu, is this guy out of his mind?"

Even though he was being insulted, Monk Zhiren acted as if he hadn't heard him, still staring with his bull-like eyes, the axe blade pointing at Zhu Zaizhen.

They didn't move an inch.

He did this because Qiu Fu had instructed him to. As for why Qiu Fu's words were so effective, his answer was: "Zhi Ren is devout, unlike ordinary people."

Zhang Juzheng, who was standing nearby, translated: "The heretical doctrines have taken deep root in their minds. They only know how to be blindly loyal and die for their cause. They are no longer normal people."

Zhu Zaizhen clicked his tongue in disbelief. He looked at Qiu Fu and asked, "To be honest, aren't your doctrines rather extreme?"

Qiu Fu's eyes were icy as he scanned Zhang and Zhu's faces. After passing Liang Cai, he said in a low voice, "My Holy Sect has many branches, each with its own doctrines. Our sect reveres the Eternal Mother, and compared to the other branches, we are indeed more devout..."

As he spoke, a smirk appeared on his lips. "Just like today, many sisters are being hunted; some are hiding, some are in hiding, but only we dared to take the risk and ask Your Highness for an escort!"

Great.

Zhu Zaizhen gave him a thumbs up, while glancing outside. The heavy curtains blocked his view, so he couldn't see anything and could only ask, "Where have I escorted you to?"

Zhang Juzheng: "The carriage is turning north, it should be on Deshengmen Street, it will be at Deshengmen soon."

As the sound of wheels changed from empty to echoing, and clearly rolled over a section of wooden pavement, Zhang Juzheng said, "We've passed Desheng Gate and crossed the suspension bridge over the moat."

After a short while, like drinking a cup of tea.

He added, "The carriage did not head straight north, but circled around the city."

Qiu Fu watched the whole thing with a cold eye, making no attempt to stop Zhang Juzheng from announcing the program, so Zhu Zaizhen listened to the whole thing.

The term "chengxiang" refers to the area near the outer side of the city wall. These areas vary depending on the size of the city. In small places, such as a county town, the area outside the city gate may be the wilderness. In large places, such as prefectural cities or provincial capitals, the area inside the city wall is residential and commercial, while the area outside the city wall is still a bustling area with streets and alleys.

Beijing is undoubtedly a large city, and there are residential buildings inside Deshengmen as well as outside Deshengmen.

At this moment.

The horse caravan moved back and forth among them.

They were moving quickly, that's true, but they weren't actually getting far away. Zhu Zaizhen started to worry about the robbers: "This won't do. They're just going around in circles. How can they escape? If they can't escape, what will we do?"

Prince Jing looked at Qiu Fu, "By the way, will you release us when you get away?"

Qiu Fu grinned, revealing a row of gleaming white teeth. "Of course!"

Zhu Zaizhen pondered for a moment, then turned to the person beside him and asked, "Lord Zhang, what do you mean by 'of course'?"

Zhang Juzheng said solemnly, "I believe it means they want us released."

Zhu Zaizhen suddenly understood.

So that's what it meant.

He fanned himself with his folding fan, as if trying to dispel his unease. "The longer we linger here, the more pursuers will gather behind us, and the worse it will get. But Manager Qiu is acting this way. Could it be that someone is waiting for us here?"

Zhang Juzheng sensed the prince's anxiety and reassured him, "That's possible. He might just not want to leave the dense streets. Anyway, we're already outside the city gates, and it's dark and hard to see at night. As long as we use the houses for cover, we still have a chance to escape."

Zhu Zaizhen: "Hmm, that's not a bad approach."

Zhang Juzheng: "But the chances are slim."

That makes sense.

Qiu Fu listened to their conversation, using it to alleviate the oppressive feeling brought on by the occasional shadowy figures flashing around them. Upon hearing this, he coldly interjected, "It is indeed slim, but Your Highness had better pray we succeed. Otherwise, this humble subject will have no choice but to cut off Your Highness's head and sacrifice myself for righteousness!"

Zhang Juzheng translated again: "Actually, it's like a cornered dog trying to drag the prince down with it."

Zhu Zaizhen was shocked: "My life is precious! How can I die with a lowly commoner?"

"Your Highness is quite right. It would be best to let them escape. I have a plan."

"What plan?"

"Set fires, set fire to houses and dwellings, and the people will be thrown into chaos, then take advantage of the night and the chaos to escape."

"Hiss—! A good plan, but how can the Embroidered Uniform Guard just stand by and watch? Whoever sets the fire will be caught alone."

"Yes, if you catch them, you'll die."

"Who wants to die?"

Monk Zhiren turned to look at Qiu Fu: "Wow!"

"good!"

"Then go die!"

The first sentence was spoken by Zhang Juzheng, and the second sentence was spoken by Zhu Zaizhen. The two spoke at the same time and suddenly jumped up at the same time!

The moment Qiu Fu's pupils contracted, he saw the scholar lift the hem of his robe and suddenly cover the short axe in Zhi Ren's hand. At the same time, the boy whom he had previously respected but had never taken seriously, whom he thought was weak and helpless, pounced on him!

He held a broken bamboo skewer in his hand, the bone fragments at the front of the skewer jagged, and hanging from the back of the skewer was a broken folding fan.

A folding fan made of Xuan paper.

In an instant.

All the previous images flashed before Qiu Fu's eyes. He remembered the fan being inserted into the teacup to stir it, the water stains, and the constant fanning. He was shocked. He suspected that the other party had planned this all along. He wanted to shout a warning! But it was too late.

Caught off guard, the broken bamboo skewer plunged into Zhi Ren's throat.

Zhu Zaizhen's face remained expressionless; he simply held the bald man tightly in his arms while his other hand frantically and mechanically stabbed him.

Hiss!

Blood gushed out, warm and viscous.

Surprisingly, from an unseen perspective, Monk Zhiren's eyes showed no horror, no pain, only an unyielding question. He wanted to ask Qiu Fu, "Father, didn't you tell me from childhood that I was the son of the Buddha Mother, invulnerable to swords and spears?"

However, his doubts didn't linger in his eyes for long. In an instant, he calmed down, his eyes filled with anticipation, and he thought to himself: This life is all suffering, there is no true home, no parents to share this life with...

Monk Zhiren died.

He died peacefully. His father, Qiu Fu, was furious and terrified, his scalp tingling with fear!

Because when that damned scholar grabbed Zhi Ren's arm, he kicked Qiu Fu out of the carriage.

It didn't matter if he was kicked out, it didn't matter if he fell off the carriage, Qiu Fu wouldn't die from the fall, but at the very moment he fell, a dark shadow fell far behind him and a horse suddenly galloped away!

The horse the man was riding was a tall, magnificent horse from Hequ, and the bow in his hand was a large, curved bow that resembled a full moon!

that person.

His skin was bright red, and his name was Lu Bing.

The moment Qiu Fu saw the arrow pointing directly at him, he roared out a single word from his chest: "Kill—!!"

It wasn't to attack Lu Bing, nor the Embroidered Uniform Guards, but to inform the White Lotus Cult members to rise up and attack Prince Jing, Zhu Zaizhen, inside the carriage!

"call out!"

"How dare you!"

"Protect Prince Jing!"

"Release the arrows!"