Iron Dynasty Chapter 879

~3 minute read · 858 words
Within the hour, all four gates of Qingzhou City were sealed shut. Guards from the Security Bureau were stationed at every passage, scrutinizing and detaining anyone attempting to leave. An immediate shift in the city's atmosphere was palpable; merchants halted their carts, pedestrians hurried towards safety, and the market's usual morning clamor subsided into a tense murmur. Wang Xuan moved with urgency. Moments after Di Ying's message arrived, he had deployed secret guard units to key routes from the academy district towards the southern gate. If the merchant council's agent had commenced their student transfer, these paths would be their likely escape vectors. "How many students are we dealing with?" Wang Xuan inquired, his pace unwavering. "Based on the roster, roughly forty," Di Ying replied, maintaining a controlled tone, though the tension around his mouth was evident. "Primarily from families connected to southern trade guilds. That tofu pudding stall owner had been cultivating ties with them for months." "Months." Wang Xuan let out a breath through his nose. "And you were unaware of this." It was an observation, not a question. Di Ying offered no defense. "I was aware of the stall owner's true identity for three months," Di Ying stated softly. "I did not report it." Wang Xuan remained silent, finding no constructive words. They turned onto the main avenue leading to Bowen Academy. Ahead, the academy's gray-tiled roofs peeked over the treeline. Normally, this hour would be filled with students moving between classes, their voices echoing over the walls. Today, silence reigned. "The gates are still closed," a scout reported, returning to their position. "No activity from within. However, one of the side servant entrances shows recent use – the lock appears to have been tampered with." Wang Xuan's gaze intensified. "Which direction does that entrance face?" "South, Commander." Predictably. "Divide into two teams," Wang Xuan commanded instantly. "The first team will circle around to the south-facing alley. The second team will accompany me through the main gate. Proceed silently – if they are still inside, I don't want to provoke a confrontation within the academy." The secret guards dispersed without a sound. Di Ying started to follow the first team, but Wang Xuan halted him with a look. "You're with me," Wang Xuan stated plainly. Di Ying nodded and fell into step beside him.
The main gate of Bowen Academy yielded without resistance. The gatekeeper, an elderly man who had served for two decades, regarded the armed contingent with wide eyes, stepped aside without a word, and allowed them entry. Within the academy grounds, an unnatural stillness prevailed. Lecture hall doors stood ajar. Brushes and ink stones rested on desks, seemingly abandoned mid-task, as if the students expected to return momentarily. A partially eaten breakfast lay forgotten on a courtyard bench. "They moved swiftly," one of the secret guards whispered. Wang Xuan raised a fist, signaling for silence. He listened intently. From somewhere near the academy's southern end, beyond the storage buildings and the rear garden, a sound reached him. The low, urgent rustle of many people moving with coordinated stealth – the distinct quiet of individuals aware of their illicit actions and striving to remain undetected. Wang Xuan lowered his fist and gestured forward. They advanced.
The rear garden of Bowen Academy was a modest area, featuring a few ancient scholar trees, a stone pathway, and a wall bordering the adjacent alley. Forty-three students were gathered near this wall. Among them, three individuals dressed in simple merchant attire were directing the students towards a section of the wall where stones had been loosened and reseated – a planned escape route, the result of meticulous planning over many weeks. The owner of the tofu pudding stall was among these three. He was the first to detect Wang Xuan's team emerging from between the storage buildings. For a single, suspended moment, he and Wang Xuan locked eyes across the garden. Then, the stall owner turned and fled – not towards the wall, but laterally, into the narrow gap between two storage buildings, moving with the practiced agility of a man who had pre-planned his escape route to the very last detail. "After him!" Wang Xuan commanded sharply. Two secret guards broke into a run. The students, comprehending the situation, erupted into panicked shouts. Some rushed towards the compromised section of the wall. Others stood frozen in place. A few collapsed to the ground, as if their legs had suddenly lost all strength. "Nobody move!" Di Ying's voice cut through the garden like a lash.A voice that commanded armies on the battlefield sliced through the rising panic like a sharp blade. Every student froze in their tracks. Di Ying advanced into the garden, his hand casually resting on the saber at his waist. His expression conveyed the unique authority of a man who, having lost all, feared nothing. "Sit down," he commanded, his voice now softer. "Every one of you. Sit and don't make this situation any worse than it already is." Hesitantly, the students began to take their seats, one after another.