88: Borrow a head

"Break out, break out of here?"

The Clerk could hardly believe his ears. After Zhang Jiawen returned, looking utterly devastated, he sat in his chair without saying a word. Then, he suddenly ordered the Clerk to prepare, saying he wanted to arrange for someone to send Zhang Yingcheng to the capital, even if it meant... breaking out.

"My Lord, the men Minister Shen brought are all from the Shen Family Army that fought alongside him, and all the troops in our Two Jiangs have always been under the control of the Shen Family."

The Clerk truly dared not imagine how unrealistic the idea of forcibly breaking out of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang region was. "Where could the guards in your manor possibly be a match for the Shen Family Army? Not to mention that the two Legitimate Princesses have also brought the Imperial Guards. If you send someone to take the Eldest Young Master away, I fear that..."

"We must break out regardless!" Zhang Jiawen picked up an empty teacup from the side and smashed it fiercely against the floor. "Mo Yingqi coming to the Jiangsu and Zhejiang region now—his intentions are as obvious as Sima Zhao's. If it were just a matter of being imprisoned and tried, that would be one thing, but he spent a year at the Pacification Bureau. After this year, who in the entire capital doesn't know that this 'Smiling Yaksha' is ruthless? I don't matter, as he has long had no relationship with my Zhang Family, but if I don't save Zhang Yingcheng now, I fear my Zhang Family will truly be finished!"

The Clerk was naturally clear about this in his heart. Having followed Zhang Jiawen for many years, the day Zhang Jiawen met with disaster would also be the day of his own reckoning. Therefore, the Clerk saw things quite clearly. His wife and children had always been settled in his hometown, and the salary he earned and the ill-gotten gains he received had long been sent back to his hometown, all for the sake of ensuring his wife, children, and family could live in peace.

He was also certainly aware that Zhang Jiawen was truly at the end of his rope now. There had been no movement from the capital for a long time, and Grand Chancellor Zhou had likely long since abandoned him.

Not to mention that Minister Shen's men would never let them leave, even if Zhang Yingcheng actually managed to run away to the capital, whether he would still care about this grandson was an unknown.

Moreover, hadn't Zhang Jiawen originally wanted his eldest son to go to the Southern Island? Why did he suddenly change his mind and want him to enter the capital?

"There is no other way; only by going to the capital is there a chance to secure a path to survival for Zhang Yingcheng." Zhang Jiawen seemed to see through the Clerk's thoughts. "Mo Yingqi will not let Zhang Yingcheng go. No matter where he goes, with his current status as Marquis Yongding and the Imperial Son-in-law, and with those two Legitimate Princesses being extremely attentive to him, I fear Zhang Yingcheng would not escape death even if he went to the Southern Island."

"I know that too. Not to mention whether he would be wanted along the way, or whether Zhang Yingcheng's constitution could withstand the ordeal, but this is the best solution I can think of right now."

After Mo Yingqi finished saying these words, he turned and boarded the boat, while he was directly escorted away by the Imperial Guards... To call it an invitation would be less accurate than saying he was driven away from the pier.

His mind was in chaos, but he knew clearly that Mo Yingqi intended to completely destroy the entire Zhang Family, leaving no one behind. He had long since ceased to hold any hope, and he also knew that sending Zhang Yingcheng to the Zhou Family, setting everything else aside, would likely result in his father-in-law not caring about a grandson who had only a few years left to live anyway.

But at least there was still a shred of hope. Speaking of regrets now felt ridiculous even to him. Things had already happened, and it was impossible to return to the past. Talking about regret was less useful than thinking about something with practical significance.

"I understand, My Lord. I will go and give the orders." The Clerk sighed. "My Lord, if not for your promotion back then, I would not be where I am today. I have also participated in the things you have done. But you must think carefully: if the Eldest Young Master really leaves... and is intercepted by Minister Shen's men, then the Eldest Young Master..."

"Whether I stick my neck out or pull it back, it is still one cut." Zhang Jiawen waved his hand. "If we don't take this gamble, we can only wait for death. If we gamble... perhaps we can fight for a path to survival for Zhang Yingcheng."

Hearing this, the Clerk could only sigh. Everyone looked down on the Mo Family for being merchants, but now, the son born to this so-called merchant's daughter had become the high-ranking Marquis Yongding, the current Imperial Son-in-law.

Fate sometimes seemed to play a joke on people, but who could say this wasn't retribution? The sins committed in the past had ultimately turned into a steel blade, turning around to pierce every single participant.

"My Lord, if you are letting the Eldest Young Master leave, why not go with him..."

"Me? I cannot leave, nor do I want to." Zhang Jiawen waved his hand. "If I stay, I can keep Mo Yingqi's attention on me. I can delay for as long as I can, one moment at a time, one day at a time. Remember, as soon as it gets dark, have someone take the Eldest Young Master out of the city. Do not take the waterway; I fear the Shen Family will be watching the pier closely..."

Although traveling by boat was faster, the situation was urgent, and he simply did not have time to make arrangements. Moreover, he had no friendship at all with the people of the Canal Gang, and at this moment, he trusted no one except his own people. Therefore, he would rather give up the faster waterway and ensure that there was absolutely no room for error.

"He is actually quite clever, Sister."

Learning that Zhang Jiawen wanted to have Zhang Yingcheng leave overnight, Luo Yongning couldn't help but laugh out loud: "It is fortunate that he didn't try to bribe the Canal Gang; otherwise, not only would the money have gone down the drain, but he definitely wouldn't have been able to save his son."

"It is not cleverness; it is that he dares not entrust his last hope to anyone else now." Luo Yongan was not surprised. "The Canal Gang are, after all, people of the pugilistic world who make a living on the docks; it is a mixed bag of good and bad people. How could someone like him possibly feel at ease letting them help send his son away?"

"Then should we tell Yingqi?" Luo Yongning asked with some curiosity. "He definitely won't be able to run away; Granduncle's men dealing with them is simply a piece of cake."

"No need. Granduncle asked Yingqi to go over and keep him company, so let them talk for a while." Luo Yongan waved her hand. "Although that person is trash, he does bear the name of being a brother to Yingqi. If it gets out, it would be bad for Yingqi's reputation."

"That makes sense, Sister..." Luo Yongning nodded with approval, but the depths of her eyes had already begun to turn crimson. "Can you leave it to me? It's been a long time since I killed anyone..."

"Yongning, you must change this habit of violent killing; I've told you so many times." Luo Yongan sighed. "Yingqi will not like the smell of blood on you, especially the smell of another man's blood."

"Alright, alright... I know."

However, just hearing the name of Mo Yingqi, the crimson in Luo Yongning's eyes instantly vanished. Yet, the crimson in Luo Yongan's eyes became increasingly distinct.

"Have people intercept him directly, cut the tendons of his hands and feet, then break his fingers one by one. Oh, that's right... take off his skin in one whole piece, and send the corpse back to his father..."

"But do not send the head back. Oh, that's right, cut off one hand and one foot, and just bury them somewhere; let Provincial Governor Zhang see that even if he gets his son's corpse, it is not complete."

"As for the head... find a box to put it in; I want to borrow his head for a moment!"