Chapter 87. Yecheng (Part 3)

Yecheng (Part 3)

The sky was dimming, and Yang San smiled at us with a beaming expression.
Ah Yuan covered her mouth, her eyes widened, and everyone was filled with astonishment.
"Yo yo!" Wei Jiao exclaimed, jumping up and spinning around him, laughing, "Yang Xiongdi is dressed in official military attire."
Yang San looked down and said embarrassedly, "Only this cloth on my head is part of the outfit. Once I remove it and open my robe, I'll still look like a wanderer."
"Hush!" Gongyang Gui interrupted him, gesturing toward the door.
Yang San chuckled and said, "No worries, Deng Wu is outside."
Gongyang Gui still wasn't reassured, but a smile couldn't hide at the corner of his eyes. He asked, "Have all of you come?"
"Just Deng Wu and I," Yang San replied, "The other brothers are outside the city. They either have scars from knives or marks from being pricked during their time as prisoners. Anyone recruiting soldiers can tell they've escaped from prison at a glance."
Gongyang Gui nodded and said, "Da Ge is also in the city."
Yang San's eyes lit up, and he couldn't hide his excitement as he said, "Da Ge? How could he be here?"
Gongyang Gui didn't explain and said, "There's a county prison in the city. You all should go gather information, discuss the route and timing, and then you can proceed with the rescue."
"Alright!" Yang San rubbed his hands together, about to say something, when Deng Wu's voice came from outside the door, "Have you put away the bowls and chopsticks? Stop dragging your feet!"
Yang San composed himself and whispered, "Someone's coming, I must leave quickly."
Gongyang Gui nodded, "Go ahead."
Yang San gathered the bowls and chopsticks, placing them in a basket, and then he headed towards the door, shouting, "Coming, coming! Why the rush!"
The main gate closed once again, and I said to Gongyang Gui, "You brothers are quite loyal."
Gongyang Gui glanced at me and gave a faint smile, "Loyalty comes second, you still haven't paid the 12,000."
Me: "....."
Since learning that Yang San and the others came to rescue, the atmosphere in the courtyard noticeably lifted. Ah Yuan used to shed a few tears each day for her father and elder brother, but now she has fully regained her former spirit.
Wei An's carriage was already taking shape, and the crafted golden components like the axles had been delivered. When the wheels were attached, it fit together seamlessly. Uncle Huang and Gongyang Gui were responsible for sanding and painting the wood, while Wei An worked on the interior of the carriage with a chisel and hammer.
Yang San would occasionally come to deliver food and discuss the details of the prisoners' escape with Gongyang Gui. From him, I learned that Ma Kui was injured, but could still move around without any issues.
He also brought daggers, one for each person, hidden beneath his clothes with belts. Late at night, Gongyang Gui distributed the knives among us. I received a slightly smaller one. I carefully drew it from its sheath. Under the moonlight, its cold gleam was like water.
Perhaps due to Wei Tan's influence, I felt a bit sorry for Wei An. He had never done heavy work at home, and now, every night, I had to pick the blisters that formed on his hands from the grinding.
"Does it hurt?" I asked him.
"It doesn't hurt," Wei An shook his head, his eyes still fixed on the blueprint he was sketching, as if pondering over the design of the carriage.
I glanced at it and said, "Is this carriage being modified?"
"En," Wei An said, "I am adding reinforced iron plates to the carriage, making it even more sturdy."
I almost felt like giving him a slap to wake him up: "Wu Kun asked Si Shu to build the carriage and requested a specific design. Why is Si Shu putting in so much effort like this?"
"Let him do it," Gongyang Gui walked over and said calmly, "Si GongZi's reputation precedes him. If Si GongZi didn't produce an impressive work to impress Wu Kun, his ego might stretch all the way to heaven." Finishing his words, he smiled at Wei An, "Isn't that right?"
Wei An pursed his lips.
I sensed something odd about their expressions, so after exchanging doubtful glances for a while, I asked Gongyang Gui, "With Yang San and the others planning a prison break, do they still have time to handle this side(she is referring to them)?"
Gongyang Gui didn't answer directly but instead asked Wei An, "Si Gongzi, when will this carriage be ready?"
"Another five days," Wei An replied.
A glimmer of understanding crossed my mind, and I widened my eyes, looking at Gongyang Gui, "Are you suggesting…"
Gongyang Gui smiled and then spoke seriously to Wei Jiao, Ah Yuan, and Uncle Huang, "All of you, come here. Let's discuss."
The idea of escaping by carriage seemed precarious to me no matter how I thought about it, but Gongyang Gui and Wei An seemed to consider it feasible.
"Si Gongzi reinforced this carriage, and the five of us can comfortably sit inside without any issues," Gongyang Gui stated.
I said, "Just fitting inside might not be enough. This carriage will be heavy, wouldn't it be difficult to make it run swiftly?"
Gongyang Gui seemed confident, "There are Wu Kun's cavalry stationed nearby. Yang San has gathered information, and the stables are just a hundred yards to the east. If we acquire three or more horses, this carriage won't be slow when it runs."
"But how do we get out of this mansion?" Ah Yuan asked.
Gongyang Gui explained, "I will handle the guards outside the mansion. While Yang San and the others rescue Ma Kui, there will be additional brothers causing a distraction by setting fires within the city. Once chaos ensues, we can all make a unified escape from the city."
Everyone exchanged glances. While the plan sounded smooth in their description, there would likely be numerous variables when put into action. Yet, if I wished to escape relying on my own abilities, I couldn't think of a better plan either.
"With a plan in place, things will be easier," Wei Jiao spoke up first, his hands rubbing together eagerly, "Mou can prepare some poison powder. One would like to see how capable that Wu fellow really is!"
Ah Yuan glanced at him, saying, "Aren't you a healer? Why would you resort to poison?"
Wei Jiao didn't seem concerned, "Poison is nothing. I can even perform trepanation, drill a hole in the skull, and if I can't cure him, he won't die easily and will be in excruciating pain."
Ah Yuan frowned, her expression filled with disdain.
"Is Pei Qian involved in this?" While they were all discussing it fervently, I asked Gongyang Gui.
Gongyang Gui didn't deny it, but he said with a meaningful tone, "He has his own constraints, and we can't rely solely on him."
I nodded slightly.
With everyone discussing their plans, the outline of the situation became gradually clearer.
Wei Jiao was true to his word. He made various excuses, such as treating my illness and others' fatigue, insect bites, and rat gnawing, to collect medicinal herbs from outside. Yang San and Deng Wu, on the other hand, would bring food each time, with sharp tools hidden at the bottom of the containers—arrows, differently shaped iron spikes, and the like. Once, when they brought soup, Ah Yuan was about to take a bowl to fill it when Gongyang Gui stopped her.
"Fire oil," Gongyang Gui smelled the soup pot and smiled at her.
I didn't inquire about the sources of these items, but in my heart, I could always think of one person. He was orchestrating things behind the scenes, his face remaining as calm as ever.
*****
As the days went by, the details for the action were all set. According to the information provided by Yang San, due to nearby barracks and the small size of the estate, there were only three soldiers guarding the main entrance in shifts. Right before the action, it was the time when people were deeply asleep from thirst. Gongyang Gui would first slip outside and eliminate those three guards. Then, he, Wei Jiao, and Uncle Huang would disguise themselves in the guards' attire. Afterward, Gongyang Gui would find the horses, hitch them to the carriage, and they would be able to leave.
On the fifth day, after dusk had fallen and I saw the sun gradually setting in the west, my heart started to pound loudly.
During the meal, Yang San came once again, but he brought along some troubling news.
"Today, Wu Kun sent the cavalry outside the city. I'm afraid there might be no horses available tonight," he said to Gongyang Gui with a worried expression.
A heavy atmosphere fell over everyone's faces.
Gongyang Gui contemplated for a moment and calmly said, "It's alright, I'll figure something out. You all proceed with the prison break as planned."
Yang San acknowledged with a nod and then walked away.
Time passed gradually, the sky devoid of stars and moon. On the self-made water clock by Wei An, the agreed-upon time with Yang San and the others was drawing nearer.
"What should we do?" Ah Yuan asked anxiously.
Gongyang Gui frowned in thought for a moment. Then, after taking a deep breath, he suddenly wore a smile on his face.
"Haha! It's done!" He burst into hearty laughter, walking to the door while laughing and pounding on it energetically. "Open up! It's done, it's done!"
We were all taken aback by his sudden outburst, standing there feeling awkward.
The door swung open, and the guard had a perplexed expression, asking, "What's all the noise about?"
"It's done! The carriage is ready!" Gongyang Gui exclaimed happily. "Quickly inform your Zhugong! Our Si Gongzi has successfully built the carriage. Release the captives now!"
The guard replied impatiently, "It's already late. Our Zhugong has already retired for the night. Report it tomorrow!"
"Tomorrow?" I suddenly understood Gongyang Gui's intention and stepped forward. "Your Zhugong came to hurry us just two days ago. Isn't it urgent?"
"This is the carriage your Zhugong wanted. If it's delayed, will you take responsibility?" Ah Yuan chimed in as well.
The guard looked hesitant for a moment, then spoke a few words to someone nearby. He turned back to us and said, "Wait here." With that, he turned and walked away.
The door closed, and everyone's faces showed a glimmer of hope.
"Will Wu Kun come to collect the carriage immediately?" I asked in a nearly inaudible voice.
"Most likely," Gongyang Gui said. "He's known for being impatient."
"Then we'll have horses," Uncle Huang's eyes lit up.
Gongyang Gui, however, looked nervous. He gave low instructions, "Go check if there's anything we haven't prepared. Once the horses arrive, we can proceed."
As the sound of hoofbeats approached, my palms had become slightly sweaty. My abdomen was wrapped in cloth again, and the dagger, as directed by Gongyang Gui, was securely bound to my thigh. Everything was in preparation for our escape.
However, when the main gate opened, the torches were blinding. Two columns of soldiers streamed in, and behind them, a figure entered—none other than Wu Kun.
The sudden change in circumstances caught everyone off guard. We exchanged looks, and there was a sense of panic and confusion on our faces.
"I heard from the guards, the carriage is ready." Wu Kun, dressed in luxurious robes, said with an air of arrogance.
"Indeed," Wei An replied after a moment.
Wu Kun glanced at the carriage in the courtyard, then after a while, he suddenly looked at me, a smile forming on his lips. "Tonight by the shores of Ye River, lanterns will adorn the pavilions and towers. Wouldn't it be beautiful for Furen to take a leisurely ride in this new carriage with me?"