Section 8, and there are those who are ahead.

It is unclear why the Linqing garrison, which should have thousands of soldiers, remains inactive under such circumstances, watching the civil unrest spread. Although the currency exchange and government offices are located within the brick city, the merchants in Linqing are likely to have some influence, and there should indeed be a few imperial merchants among them. Why then does the garrison refuse to leave the city? If the garrison continues to refuse to exit the city, there will be no peace to be found anywhere within it

The straw fragments stuck to my body, and after fleeing for my life all this way, my sweat had almost soaked through my entire clothing. The sensation was truly unbearable, but in order to escape with my life, I dared not act recklessly in the slightest. I could only hide motionless in this pile of straw.

If that is the case, we are strangers to them; how could such people easily grant us any convenience? Suddenly, with bright eyes, the young girl, sharp-tongued and quick-witted, indeed possesses quite a suspicious nature

Feng You turned around, and the narrow-bladed waist knife in his hand quietly slipped out of its sheath and pressed against his back

The Feng family's ancestral home is in Suzhou, but this large branch had already relocated to Linqing during the Zhengtong period of the Ming Dynasty, thus dividing the Suzhou Feng clan into northern and southern branches

He strode out briskly, and after a few ups and downs, he was already close to the door, vigorously shaking the bronze ring shaped like a beast's head, "Old Fu, Old Fu, open the door quickly!" m.hetushu.com.com

The old residence of the Feng family in Lingqing has long been uninhabited, and even the members of the Feng family from the capital rarely return, leaving only the elderly couple, Lao Fu and his wife, to guard the door, which usually does not involve much activity

Feng Ziying noticed the fierce glint in Feng You's eyes, suspecting that he was worried about the other party leaking secrets. However, at such a time, if one were to commit mass killings at the door, it would likely lead to even greater trouble. If one truly wanted to eliminate the root of the problem, it would be better to lure the person into the courtyard first.

Only this branch suffered heavy losses in the border battles during the generation of Feng Ziying's father. Among the three brothers, Feng Qin, Feng Han, and Feng Tang, only Feng Tang, the father of Feng Ziying, remains. Furthermore, Feng Tang has only one legitimate son, Feng Ziying.

It is likely that those bandits from before will eventually target such prominent families. If we were to seek them out, it would probably be akin to walking into a trap

"Sir, do you wish to take refuge in this grand mansion?" The timid little girl, hiding in the embrace of the old woman, suddenly spoke up.

Feng You did not expect to encounter such a situation. It is evident that the Feng family's mansion is also a place that attracts attention. Thinking of this, Feng You became even more troubled, as it suggests that the Feng family mansion is unlikely to escape the visit of bandits, and it is only a matter of time before disaster strikes.

Jia Yucun, while surprised, did not think much of it and merely explained with a bitter smile: "Do not underestimate such wealthy families. Lingqing City is one of the few major water and land ports in the northern region, where wealthy merchants and tycoons gather. Although it cannot compare to Su Yang, it is certainly not inferior to the ordinary prefectures. Such large residences are either the abodes of wealthy merchants or the homes of prominent local families. A cunning rabbit has three burrows; one can only estimate that there are still some hidden paths and places to conceal oneself. All we seek is to establish some connections to secure a way out for ourselves."

"Does the gentleman mean that such wealthy families can truly be at ease?" The young girl, with a palm-sized delicate and tender face, had eyes like ink, and upon blinking, it was evident that she did not quite agree with the gentleman's perspective

If one wishes to seek elsewhere, this section is almost entirely surrounded by walls, with no gates to exit. If one desires to move forward, there is a fear of unforeseen circumstances, leaving only the option to curl up in this narrow alley for temporary refuge

Feng You was taken aback, and the narrow-bladed waist knife was suddenly raised, ready to take a life. However, he heard the first of the two people opposite him hurriedly clasping his fists in a plea: "Hero, please hold on. We are not bandits; we are unable to return due to the chaos in the streets. We only seek a place to hide and will certainly offer generous rewards."

He slightly squeezed his body inward, pressing against the wall, and Jia Yucun stroked a strand of black beard under his chin, pondering as he spoke

"Mr. Jia, what shall we do now?" Although the old woman was frightened, she still managed to hold the little girl tightly in her arms

As he hesitated, Feng Ziying spoke in a deep voice: "Uncle You, let them in first and then we can discuss; blocking the door would be rather unseemly."

The vermilion door swung open swiftly, and the old steward hurriedly responded, "Feng You, where is the young master?"

Jia Yucun knew that this girl had always been stubborn, and he could somewhat understand her somewhat proud and aloof father, but he did not expect that under such circumstances, she could still have such thoughts

Feng Ziying and others had already stepped over the threshold, and Uncle Fu was hurriedly preparing to close the door. However, he did not expect to encounter this situation. Feng You also found it difficult to make a decision, as the owner of the Feng residence was still Keng Ge'er. If he allowed them to enter and something happened later, he would also find it hard to explain.

The threshold of the green stone is indeed cleaned well, and this family appears to be well-off, yet the main door is tightly shut, and previously, there was no response when the door was knocked.

Jia Yucun's gaze fell upon the dark gate flanked by two stone lions ahead.

After the establishment of the Great Zhou, a branch of the Feng family from Linqing, specifically the generation of Feng Zi and Tu Shuying's great-grandfather, actively pledged allegiance during the Northern Expedition led by the founding emperor. Due to their military achievements, they were granted nobility and subsequently remained in the capital.

Feng's residence faced the street entrance, the sun blazing fiercely, making the ground scalding hot. Although this area appeared relatively quiet at the moment, there might be some lurking onlookers hiding somewhere on the street, waiting for you to reveal a flaw. However, he did not have much time to waste now and could only brace himself for this gamble.

I seek your convenience, for we are merchants from Jinling. Having long heard of the splendid scenery of Linqing, we made a special trip to see it. Unexpectedly, upon our arrival, we encountered such calamity

It is likely that it will be difficult to return. Jia Yucun huddled in this narrow alley, cautiously covering two piles of straw in front of the three individuals. Earlier, two ruffians had rushed past, and it was entirely thanks to these two piles of straw that they managed to evade the gaze of the other party

Jia Yucun felt a twinge of regret in his heart, his expression turning serious. Usually, when teaching, he found this girl to be lively and quick-witted, which led him to be somewhat indulgent, ultimately fostering such a disposition in her

One must at least give it a try; could it be that we can only sit here and wait for our doom? At such a young age, with matters concerning your life and livelihood, do you really think this is just child's play?

Upon hearing the young master's command, although Uncle Fu was reluctant to part with the books, he had no choice but to open the door wide and allow the two individuals to enter

Well, it seems that this civil unrest will not settle down anytime soon. Have we seen even a single soldier on our way here?

Seeing Feng You's gloomy expression, which was frightening, the narrow-bladed waist knife in his hand was slightly raised, and if one were not careful, it was likely that he would draw his blade. The middle-aged man became increasingly humble and pleading, almost on the verge of kneeling down.

Jia Yucun felt somewhat surprised. Having been this girl's teacher for over a year, he knew that although she spoke little, she had a strong will, truly worthy of her noble lineage. However, she was only seven years old, and faced with such a calamity, she was unable to save herself, let alone a little girl like her

Feng Youyi also thought that allowing these two to cry and wail at the door, entangled and unrelenting, would only expose their true situation to outsiders, which would indeed be a calamity

At the back. Feng You was too lazy to say much, taking a quick step down the stairs, holding a knife in one hand while scanning the surroundings with vigilance. With the other hand, he had already waved to summon Feng Ziying and the others who were hiding in the narrow alley to come over quickly

Feng Ziying and the other two immediately ran over, just in time to reach the steps, when they saw two people rushing out from the opposite alley.

Seeing the teacher's displeased expression, the little girl stuck out her tongue and dared not say much more