Chapter 009: The Encounter Between a Prison Break and an Escape

The Han did not bother to evade; he brought his palms together and firmly clamped down on Taishi Kun's sword tip without any deviation. Then, he twisted his hands, transferring a tremendous force from the sword body into Taishi Kun's hands. Even though Taishi Kun possessed exceptional wrist strength, he could not maintain his grip on the sword hilt and had no choice but to let the long sword slip from his grasp

After the two sides finished fighting, Tai Shikun and Qiu Xiaoyi achieved a great victory. As the two took a breath and were about to enter the prison to rescue Wu Song, they suddenly heard a loud roar from within the cell, and a resounding big man jumped out!

The dark, lacquered staff seemed to have eyes, striking right at the waist of the burly man. With a terrible scream, he fell to the ground with a thud.

Wu Song could neither walk away nor carry anything; he could only watch as the fire-fighting officials were about to return. Taishi Kun was truly at a loss.

As soon as the words "Wu Song, Wu Erlang" were uttered, a heavy Zen staff broke through the earthen wall and appeared out of thin air behind the man! No matter how strong this man was, he could not have anticipated such a bizarre ambush from behind

Tai Shikun let out a bitter laugh and said, "Alas! Erlang! My role as a constable is a disguise! My name is Tai Shikun!"

It is polite to first inquire about someone's name upon meeting! Demonstrating politeness can sometimes be a lifesaver! — Excerpt from "Kong Ge's Diary"

When everyone returned to the mountain villa, the sky was already bright. Tai Shikun and his group cleaned the bloodstains from their bodies, burned the bloody clothes, and put on a facade of nonchalance to prevent any officials from coming to investigate. To their surprise, after waiting all morning, they did not see a single official's shadow.

Cui Daocheng chuckled foolishly and said: "Brother Kun! Is it really that easy to find gold ingots? This copper mirror feels quite heavy; if taken outside, it could easily fetch at least five guan! You may go seek your gold ingots! I, as a humble monk, am already satisfied with just this copper mirror tonight"

Tai Shikun spat and no longer bothered with this fool, Cui Daocheng

A robust leg of the man was raised high, delivering a powerful "splitting kick" aimed directly at Tai Shikun's forehead. Tai Shikun clenched his steel teeth and crossed his arms to block the attack. As the arms and leg collided, Tai Shikun felt a piercing pain in both arms, and with a cry of distress, he fell to the ground.

What a luxurious bedroom! The furnishings in the room are all made of huanghuali wood, intricately carved with dragons and phoenixes, exquisite beyond compare. Every vessel in the room is meticulously crafted, all from the hands of renowned artisans. However, all the items in the room are rather bulky and heavy, likely because the lighter ones have already been taken away by the officials handling the case.

How could that burly man, filled with rage, allow two people to leave? With a wild laugh, he swung his long legs and took a swift step to surpass the two. The man stretched out his arms, turning his back to the earthen wall, blocking Tai Shikun and Qiu Xiaoyi in front of him.

Brother Taishi! Do not forget to tell my brother to feed the two kittens at home!

Qiu Xiaoyi faced off against two prison guards with ease. Considering that the guards' daily tasks only involved delivering meals and sweeping the floor, they were completely unversed in martial arts. Qiu Xiaoyi wielded a pair of butterfly knives with the grace of a butterfly flitting through flowers; how could you teach the two guards to defend themselves against that

The stout man gritted his teeth and stubbornly said: "You dead lackey, what are you pretending for! Your group watches me every day, yet you don't know that I am Wu Song?"

Tai Shikun, upon seeing Cui Daocheng's foolish demeanor, was filled with anger. He grabbed Cui Daocheng and scolded, "Fool! What are you doing? Hurry up and find the gold ingots, it's urgent!"

The authorities did not pursue the matter, and Tai Shikun and his group breathed a sigh of relief. Consequently, several of them scattered like birds and beasts, each returning to their respective rooms to catch up on sleep

In fact, Taishi Kun was overly concerned. Several instructors and jailers resembling Taishi Kun died last night, so there were no witnesses to the events of that night. Furthermore, since Wu Song was also severely injured, the authorities merely regarded it as Hu Tieniu's friends from the martial world seeking revenge on Wu Song, and did not consider the possibility of a prison break at all

"Bah! You bald donkey! Who asked you to carry it! Don't touch me!" Wu Song, upon seeing Cui Daocheng, angrily said: "That shovel you just swung might have broken my lower back! I can no longer withstand being tossed around and jostled! In any case, I will remember you, you bald donkey!"

Tai Shikun had been in the Song Dynasty for over a month, and he had already become quite familiar with the small town of Qinghe County. He led Cui and Qiu along the Wei Canal for a while, and in the distance, they could see the residence of Hu Tieniu.

The man stepped out and saw Tai Shikun and Qiu Xiaoyi. Without saying a word, he simply clenched his fists and charged at the two. Tai Shikun and Qiu Xiaoyi, upon seeing this burly figure, could only lament in their hearts. They feared that this was indeed the legendary gatekeeper, the great BOSS.

Hu Tieniu's rise to wealth has occurred only in recent years, which is why the Hu family's residence appears quite new. This residence is built along the riverbank, surrounded by lush green trees and a cool river breeze, making it one of the notable places in Qinghe County.

Understood! Tai Shikun clasped his hands and turned to leave

Tai Shikun awoke to find that it was already night. He got up to find some food and woke up Cui Daocheng and Qiu Xiaoyi, who had concealed weapons on their persons, and they headed towards Qinghe County.

After the Zen staff broke through the wall, two pitch-black inverted eyebrows appeared. One could only hear Cui Daocheng, this foolish man, earnestly shouting: "Brother Kun! This humble monk has heard the secret signal!"

Qiu Xiaoyi, realizing the dire situation, knew that today he was likely to face grave danger. He let out a bitter laugh and said, "May I ask the name of this brave warrior? Do not let me, Qiu Xiaoyi, descend into hell without knowing at whose hands I have perished"

The Han defeated Taishi Kun without pause, turning to execute a move known as "Cut and Throw," which sent Qiu Xiaoyi tumbling to the ground

Is Wu Song a slave? Could this be a dream? Tai Shi Kun was overjoyed upon hearing this and readily agreed. He cupped his hands in salute to Wu Song and turned to leave.

Cui Daocheng is indeed quite stubborn. After spending half a day trying to pry off the copper mirror without success, he became furious. He grabbed the Zen staff and wedged a bit of the shovel head into the gap between the copper mirror and the wall. With a loud shout, he exerted all his strength to pry the copper mirror loose

In the pause of conversation, Cui Daocheng had already expanded the earthen wall to create a large hole through which a person and a book could pass. This fellow strolled over and said with a silly grin: "Brother Wu, do not worry! I will carry you on my back!"

Qiu Xiaoyi used only four or five moves to turn the two prison guards into bloody gourds

Understood! Tai Shikun clasped his hands and turned to leave

Wu Song let out a bitter laugh and shook his head, saying: "Alas, Brother Taishi! If you had not come to my rescue, I, Wu Song, could have easily escaped from the prison on my own. However, your intervention has instead injured my lower back, and now I find myself unable to move forward"

This outing was prompted by Tai Shi Kun's lingering thoughts about the gold ingots at Hu Tieniu's home. It is well known that gold is quite heavy; any gold block that can be considered an ingot weighs at least fifty taels. If converted into the copper coins circulating in the Song Dynasty, it would amount to as much as five hundred guan. How could a poverty-stricken Tai Shi Kun not be preoccupied with such thoughts?

Qiu Xiaoyi let out a strange cry and was the first to swing his twin blades at the burly man. The burly man sidestepped to avoid the blade's edge, and with a swift movement of his left foot, he tripped Qiu Xiaoyi, causing him to stagger.

"Tai Shi Kun? My brother's employer is Tai Shi Kun?" Wu Song lay on the ground, shaking his head and sighing: "Alas! This is truly like the great flood submerging the Dragon King's temple! How could our family end up fighting among ourselves!"

Before the Hu family met their tragic end, this residence was always bustling with guests and lively activity. However, ever since the murder occurred within the Hu family, the place has become eerily quiet, causing several neighboring families to move away as well. Thus, when Taishi Kun arrived near the residence, the surroundings were silent, with not a single idle person in sight, which conveniently facilitated Taishi Kun's actions

The great Han, laughing heartily, bent down to pick up a piece of blue stone, preparing to strike at Tai Shikun and Qiu Xiaoyi.

Although the burly man was tall, his footwork was exceptionally skillful. With a single move, he immediately unleashed a series of kicks. The burly man flicked with his left foot, sending Xiao Yi's right-hand knife flying, and with a hook of his right foot, he knocked away Xiao Yi's left-hand knife. Subsequently, the burly man launched both feet into the air, striking directly at Qiu Xiao Yi's chest, sending him rolling like a top.

The transformation between life and death occurred so swiftly that it left Taishi Kun in a daze for quite some time before he managed to regain his composure. He stared blankly at the fallen giant and asked, "You... are you Wu Song?"

Having lost his long sword, Tai Shikun was greatly alarmed. He quickly reached for a flying dagger at his waist, but unexpectedly, the burly man acted even faster. He stepped forward and closed the distance, striking Tai Shikun and sending him flying backward.

Brother Taishi! Do not forget to bribe the jailer and send me some wine and meat to satisfy my cravings

Tai Shikun and Qiu Xiaoyi searched for half a day, but found nothing, and were suddenly a bit disheartened. Tai Shikun glanced at Cui Daocheng, only to see him with his buttocks raised, vigorously picking at a large copper mirror embedded in the wall

The two instructors saw that Tai Shikun's swordplay was treacherous, and quickly retreated a few steps to avoid it. However, they did not expect that in doing so, they fell right into Tai Shikun's trap. Tai Shikun tossed aside his long sword, and with both hands, he flicked out two flying daggers, which struck the chests of the two instructors. The two instructors had not even had the chance to use their martial arts before they became victims under Tai Shikun's blades

Qiu Xiaoyi, this fellow, has some understanding of civil engineering. He took the paired knives and began tapping the walls with the handles, attempting to locate hollow areas within the walls

For these immovable behemoths, Taishi Kun couldn't even be bothered to look. He merely imitated the scenes from modern films, searching the entire room for the mechanism to open the secret chamber

The robust man laughed three times heartily and said loudly: "Youngster, listen well! I am none other than Wu Song, the second son of Wu!"

This man stands at a height of 1.9 meters and weighs no less than 200 jin. He is dressed in a sleeveless jacket, his body is muscular and well-defined, without an ounce of excess fat; beneath a pair of thick eyebrows are a pair of large eyes, with a full forehead and a square jaw, presenting a heroic appearance.

Tai Shikun brandished his long sword, confronting the two instructors head-on. He unleashed a series of techniques from the Bone-Transforming Heart-Urging Sword, and in an instant, a finely crafted steel sword transformed into a silver dragon, ensnaring the two instructors.

Rumbling!

The gate of the Hu family was sealed with the official seal, making it impossible to enter. However, this did not pose a challenge for the likes of Tu and the others. Qiu Xiaoyi, with a rope in his mouth, swiftly climbed up to the top of the courtyard wall. He lowered the rope and pulled up Tai Shikun and Cui Daocheng.

Tai Shikun and Qiu Xiaoyi had come to understand the power of the Han Dynasty. In unison, they shouted, "The wind is tight! Pull the call!" and fled towards the back wall as if flying. Given the current situation, Wu Song was beyond rescue; the two could only hope that Cui Daocheng would fulfill his promise and break through the earthen wall, allowing them to escape with their lives.

The exquisite craftsmanship of the Hu family courtyard goes without saying. Tai Shikun, having come for wealth, had no intention of lingering. He took the lead, crossing the already darkened bloodstains in the front and back halls, and headed straight for the Hu family's bedroom.

Only Cui Daosheng, this fat monk, saw the luxurious furniture filling the room, looking left and right, touching everything, drooling and staring in amazement

Clang! The bronze mirror could not withstand the force and was promptly pried down by Cui Daocheng. However, as the bronze mirror fell, numerous objects tumbled out of the large hole in the wall with a rustling sound

Upon witnessing this, Taishi Kun did not dare to be negligent and quickly brandished his long sword to rescue. He let out a sharp whistle and executed the move "Closing the Moon and Shaming the Flowers" to stab at the pair of eyes of the Great Han.

Tai Shikun no longer dared to speak, covering his head and fleeing in panic. From a distance, he heard Wu Song shouting: "Help! There are strongmen robbing the prison! I was injured while acting bravely! I request a reduction in my sentence..."

Wu Song shouted, "Tai Shi, do not forget to bribe the jailer and send me some medicine for my injuries to treat my waist!"

At this moment, Wu Song spoke up: "Brother Tai Shi! Today, I cannot escape! When I killed Hu Tieniu and his family, I once heard his wife say that there were gold ingots hidden in the wall cavity of their bedroom! Brother Tai Shi, you can go retrieve the gold ingots and help me settle matters at the yamen. As long as I am not sentenced to death, I am not afraid of being exiled or conscripted! Brother Tai Shi, if you can save my life this time, I, Wu Song, am willing to be your servant!"

Tai Shikun said: "Er Lang, do not speak idly. Your elder brother Wu Bo entrusted me to rescue you, so let us leave at once"