Wiping Out the Bandits, Recovering Three Hundred Thousand Taels of Government Silver

After exchanging a blow with Huang Shaojie, the Grey-robed Elder knew how formidable this young Company Commander was. Defeating him would be no easy matter.

Besides, even if he could defeat this Company Commander, he still would not be able to escape.

The Grey-robed Elder had no desire to keep fighting. He twisted his body and leaped away.

"Think you can escape?"

Huang Shaojie snorted coldly, sprang into the air, and lashed both legs at the Grey-robed Elder like a raging storm.

Third Form of the Wind God Leg: Violent Storm.

A skyful of leg shadows engulfed the Grey-robed Elder, leaving him nowhere to flee.

The Grey-robed Elder struck out with both palms, swift as lightning, colliding with Huang Shaojie's countless kicking shadows.

Bang bang bang...

In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged over a hundred kicks and palm strikes in midair.

Huang Shaojie's Wind God Leg was faster. Though the Grey-robed Elder blocked with all his might, he was still struck by a kick and sent tumbling backward before landing unsteadily.

However, the Grey-robed Elder had entered the Grandmaster Stage after all. Huang Shaojie's kick did not inflict much injury upon him.

On the contrary, after exchanging more than a hundred blows with the Grey-robed Elder, Huang Shaojie's legs ached sharply despite the protection of the Indestructible Vajra Technique.

At the first level of the Indestructible Vajra Technique, no one below the Grandmaster level could harm him in the slightest.

But the Grey-robed Elder was a Grandmaster.

Though merely a First Rank Grandmaster, his internal energy was still immensely profound, far from someone Huang Shaojie could handle with ease.

After flipping backward and landing, the Grey-robed Elder leaped up to flee again. Yet a figure shot toward him and blocked his path.

It was none other than Commander Zhao.

"Rebel, don't even think of escaping!"

Commander Zhao shouted and struck a palm at the Grey-robed Elder.

The Grey-robed Elder met it with a palm strike of his own.

Boom!

The two Grandmasters exchanged a palm strike, producing a thunderous blast as fierce winds scattered in all directions.

The Grey-robed Elder was blasted backward through the air.

Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Qiuyue thrust her sword from behind at the Grey-robed Elder's back as he flew backward.

Huang Shaojie also swept in with legs like the wind, kicking at the Grey-robed Elder.

The Grey-robed Elder had already been no match for Commander Zhao. Now that he had been sent flying by that palm strike, how could he possibly evade the attacks of the two experts behind him?

Pfft—

Xiao Qiuyue's longsword pierced straight through the Grey-robed Elder's heart from his back.

Huang Shaojie's legs, hard as iron rods, smashed into the Grey-robed Elder's neck and head.

Crack—

His neck snapped, and his skull shattered.

The Grey-robed Elder died on the spot!

By then, the experts of the Five Lakes Association had nearly all been killed or wounded.

Niu Ren had long since slain Chang Haotian, the president of the Five Lakes Association.

The Commander of the Infantry had also stabbed Elder Xiao, leaving him gravely wounded. His acupoints were sealed, and he was bound by personal guards.

Another elder of the Five Lakes Association was killed by Imperial Guard Commander Lu. The dozen or so stewards were all besieged by Imperial Guard battalion commanders, company commanders, and others—some killed, some captured.

The several hundred disciples of the Five Lakes Association were likewise all surrounded and killed by three thousand soldiers.

Only one elder of the Five Lakes Association had escaped at the very beginning, and his whereabouts were now unknown.

After wiping out the Five Lakes Association, Niu Ren escorted several dozen captured members back to the Imperial Guard office and threw them into the underground Imperial Prison, ready for interrogation.

Then Niu Ren summoned He Lu, the Imperial Guard's Inspection Battalion Commander.

The Inspection Battalion Commander was specifically responsible for confiscating homes and searching for property.

"Battalion Commander He, lead one hundred Strongmen to the Five Lakes Association estate and search all of the Five Lakes Association's property."

"Yes, my lord."

He Lu cupped his hands, accepted the order, and departed.

Next, Niu Ren summoned a guard and had him go to the prefectural governor's office to tell Prefectural Governor Luo to prepare several dozen carriages and one thousand soldiers. They were to head for the small lake at Drum Camel Mountain to retrieve the government silver.

Two hours later.

Niu Ren personally led one hundred Imperial Guards, while Prefectural Governor Luo led one thousand soldiers. Under Huang Shaojie and Xiao Qiuyue's guidance, they arrived at the small lake.

Prefectural Governor Luo ordered several dozen soldiers skilled in swimming to dive into the lake and use nets to haul up chest after chest of government silver.

After the time it took to burn an incense stick.

A total of 144 large wooden chests filled with tax silver had been retrieved.

Prefectural Governor Luo had the copper locks on the chests opened and inspected every one of them. The government silver inside was all neatly stacked, not a single ingot missing.

However, the number of chests was wrong.

Each chest held two thousand taels of silver. The three hundred thousand taels of government silver should have filled one hundred and fifty chests.

Yet only one hundred and forty-four chests had been retrieved.

"Go back into the lake and search carefully. See if there are any more chests."

Prefectural Governor Luo ordered.

The dozens of soldiers dived back into the lake and searched again, but still found nothing.

Prefectural Governor Luo frowned. "There were one hundred and fifty chests of government silver in total, yet only one hundred and forty-four have been recovered. Where did the remaining six chests go?"

Niu Ren said from the side, "Last night, two bandits retrieved one chest, which was seized by our Imperial Guard. That chest is now at our Imperial Guard office. The other five chests should have been retrieved by the bandits the night before last."

"I have already sent the Inspection Battalion Commander to search and confiscate the Five Lakes Association estate. Once those tax silver ingots are found, I will send them to Your Excellency together with the chest of tax silver at our office."

"The Five Lakes Association robbed the government silver the afternoon before last and hid it by sinking it into the lake. They must have retrieved several chests that night."

Prefectural Governor Luo cupped his hands. "Then many thanks to Commander Niu. To recover the stolen tax silver so quickly is entirely due to Commander Niu leading the Imperial Guard in solving the case with godlike skill. This official will certainly submit a memorial to His Majesty, praising Commander Niu's merits."

Niu Ren smiled faintly and cupped his hands. "Your Excellency overpraises me!"

Afterward, Prefectural Governor Luo had his soldiers carry the hundred-odd chests of government silver onto the carriages by the road and transport them back to the Suzhou treasury.

Niu Ren also returned to the office with the Imperial Guard.

Upon returning to the Imperial Guard hall, Niu Ren summoned Huang Shaojie and Xiao Qiuyue into the hall.

"Greetings, Commander!"

The two cupped their hands and bowed to Niu Ren.

Niu Ren looked at Huang Shaojie with praise in his eyes and said:

"Huang Shaojie, our Imperial Guard was able to solve the tax silver robbery so quickly entirely because of your contribution. If you had not discovered that the bandits had sunk the government silver into the lake, these three hundred thousand taels of tax silver would likely have been impossible to recover."

From discovering the cart tracks, to following them all the way to the small lake and determining where the silver had been sunk.

Then tracking Elder Xiao of the Five Lakes Association at night—these had all been Huang Shaojie's achievements alone.

Huang Shaojie bowed respectfully. "It was all due to Commander's capable command. This subordinate does not dare claim the credit."

Niu Ren laughed heartily, paced over to him, and patted his shoulder.

"This commander has always been clear in rewarding merit and punishing wrongdoing. You have rendered great service this time. I will report to Commander Ling and seek credit for you, promoting you to Battalion Commander."

Huang Shaojie rejoiced inwardly and bowed. "Thank you, Commander, for your support!"

Niu Ren paced back to the seat of honor, took a sip of tea, and said, "Battalion Commander Jin of the Third Guard Post unfortunately perished while apprehending the president of the Five Lakes Association. From now on, you will temporarily serve as Battalion Commander of the Third Guard Post. Once the court's appointment document arrives, you will officially become an Imperial Guard Battalion Commander."

Huang Shaojie cupped his hands. "Thank you, my lord. This subordinate accepts the order!"

Niu Ren looked at Xiao Qiuyue again and said, "Battalion Commander Xiao also performed outstandingly in this tax silver robbery case. In my official document to Commander Ling, I will seek credit for Battalion Commander Xiao as well."

Xiao Qiuyue cupped her hands. "My lord, this subordinate has made no real contribution and is unworthy of such praise."

Niu Ren smiled faintly. "Battalion Commander Xiao need not be modest. This commander has seen your performance clearly. You will surely have a boundless future."

Huang Shaojie thought to himself, In this tax silver robbery case, Xiao Qiuyue had really only been there to make up the numbers. She had merely spent one night keeping watch with me.

Yet Commander Niu praised her so highly and even said he would seek credit for her.

It seemed Xiao Qiuyue truly had backing in the Capital City.

Otherwise, even an Imperial Guard Commander like Niu Ren would not be so solicitous toward Xiao Qiuyue.

So the question was:

What sort of backing did Xiao Qiuyue have in the Capital City that even an Imperial Guard Commander treated her with such care?

Huang Shaojie decided to investigate the Xiao families in the Capital City and see exactly what powerful figures they had.