Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside Chapter 1670: Already Escaped

"Yes!" The Deputy General immediately rallied the troops, leading several thousand soldiers and horses with Duan Changling towards the Lei Family Trading Team Mansion.

Magistrate Hao was greatly alarmed and quickly instructed the steward, "Hurry to the city tower and inform Vice General Ma, General Liang, General Cheng, and General Zhou about the situation at the Lei Family Mansion. It seems Luo Ying has fled early, and Vice Magistrate Duan is leading thousands of troops to block the main road to the mansion. It looks like there might be bloodshed, so they need to take their troops there quickly."

If we can’t calm the situation, I’m afraid a number of people in the city will be killed.

"Understood." The steward replied, and left with a group of servants.

On the city tower, Vice General Ma and others watched the thick smoke billowing from the Lei Family Trading Team Mansion and immediately said to General Zhou, "Brother Zhou, it seems trouble has broken out in the city. Take a thousand soldiers out of the city immediatley and encircle the landing point of the Eagle Food Gang’s fierce bandits outside the city to rescue General Dai!"

Vice General Ma and General Zhou were in cahoots. Originally, the task of resolving General Dai’s situation should have been assigned to General Cheng, but the matter was tricky, with a high chance of failure. If the rescue fails, the person assigned to the task would be hated by Minister Dai.

General Cheng has talent, and is someone General Xu wishes to win over, so Vice General Ma and General Zhou took on this challenging task themselves. If the rescue fails, General Xu would bear the consequences.

"Alright." General Zhou agreed and immediately mobilized troops out of the city.

After they left the city, Vice General Ma ordered, "Close the city gates — no one is allowed to leave the city!"

He then summoned General Cheng, "Brother Cheng, join me in heading to the Lei Family Trading Team Mansion. We can’t let the city descend into chaos again."

General Cheng was very satisfied with Vice General Ma’s arrangements and nodded, "Let’s go!"

A group of over a thousand people rushed towards the Lei Family Trading Team Mansion.

Qin San Lang and his companions also went along.

When they arrived at the main street of the Lei Family Trading Team Mansion, the entire street was surrounded by Duan Changling’s troops.

The nearby alleys were also tightly packed with citizens who had come out to extinguish the fire or watch the commotion.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Make way, everyone make way, don’t block the street, let the soldiers in!" A soldier shouted while banging on a copper gong, but the street was completely blocked and unable to move.

Seeing this scene, Vice General Ma was enraged and ordered his personal soldiers, "Clear a path with your swords, everyone retreat to the sides!"

Once the personal soldiers carved out a narrow path, Vice General Ma mounted his horse and rode in, yelling towards Duan Changling’s troops from a distance, "Where is Duan Changling? Tell him to move the troops out of the way — we need to get in to fight the fire!"

Why block it here? Are they trying to cut off all avenues of escape for the people at the Lei Family Trading Team Mansion?

But Duan Changling’s Deputy General replied, "Vice General Ma, that villain Luo Ying is trying to escape, and our Lord Vice Magistrate is leading elite soldiers to intercept and kill him. Don’t come and interfere."

With a crack, Vice General Ma whipped the Deputy General, scolding, "Get out of the way!"

Then he used his sword to knock the Deputy General off his horse and rushed towards the Lei Family Mansion.

The soldiers behind him followed suit and charged forward.

Suddenly, the main street at the mansion was blocked even more heavily.

Hearing the commotion, Duan Changling glanced back, his face darkened. That bastard Ma was causing trouble again!

Just wait, one day he’ll make sure to take down Vice General Ma.

"What is Vice Magistrate Duan doing? The Lei Family Trading Team Mansion is on fire — why are you encircling the mansion and preventing these soldiers from fighting the fire?" Vice General Ma pointed at the groups of archers encircling the mansion’s gate and walls, angrily questioning, "What is this for? Is Vice Magistrate Duan planning to cut off all escape routes for the people of the Lei Family Trading Team Mansion? They’re heroes who fought against Kangrong!"

The mansion is ablaze, and not allowing fire rescue is bad enough, but to encircle the mansion with drawn bows and arrows, not allowing people to escape — this is simply monstrous.

Duan Changling replied, "Why are you so agitated? The Lei Family Mansion harbors a court criminal, Luo Ying, who is trying to escape. Naturally, I have to encircle the mansion and prevent the court criminal from fleeing."

Vice General Ma became angrier and invoked Emperor Jingwu’s decree, "Emperor Jingwu had commanded..."

"Vice General Ma, it’s Emperor Jingyuan who currently reigns!" Duan Changling interrupted Vice General Ma, saying, "Luo Ying is not only a fierce bandit but also a court criminal that the Emperor wants dead. If we know he wants to escape and do nothing, when the Emperor finds out, our heads would be at risk."

This statement left Vice General Ma too intimidated to argue, as Luo Ying’s status was indeed sensitive, being someone the Emperor wanted dead.

Vice General Ma protested, "But we can’t ignore the matter of saving the Lei Family Trading Team’s people. They’ve contributed to fighting against Kangrong, and Old Madam Gao is inside — she’s a benefactor to Duke Yuan Mansion!"

Duan Changling, feeling irritated, said nothing more and simply ordered the soldiers to continue encircling the Lei Family Trading Team Mansion.

"If there’s any movement, shoot!"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A rain of arrows was shot towards the mansion, but thanks to Lei Mao and the others with Iron Shields, they managed to block the arrows and save themselves.

"Damn it, are you trying to murder heroes who fought against Kangrong?!" Lei Mao yelled angrily. "Stop shooting, it’s us, Lei Mao of the Lei Family Trading Team. The mansion is on fire, we need to leave!"

However, they responded with yet another wave of arrows.

"Damn it, what do you want outside? We’ve said we’re from the Lei Family Trading Team, and you still shoot arrows?!" Lei Mao shouted furiously.

Vice General Ma squinted his eyes, warning Duan Changling, "Didn’t you hear Lei Mao’s voice?"

Duan Changling looked back at Vice General Ma, chuckled coldly, and asked, "Lei Mao? Have you ever seen Lei Mao? How do you know that voice is his? To me, it sounds more like the fierce bandits of Eagle Food Gang."

This was clearly an intent to label Lei Mao and his group as bandits and have them shot.

Vice General Ma was enraged, calling his troops, "Move forward, break into the mansion, and rescue them!"

Duan Changling’s face darkened — despite being a Commander Vice Magistrate who feared Xu You, that Ma dared touch his troops was an invitation for disaster, "Form up — whoever dares to advance will be deemed an accomplice of the bandits and executed!"

Vice General Ma was shocked, "What kind of nonsense are you saying, Duan Changling? I just want to save Old Madam Gao — how have I become an accomplice of bandits?!"

Duan Changling ignored him, merely repeating, "Anyone who advances will be deemed an accomplice of bandits and executed."

These words were pushing people to despair.

Lei Mao and his group overheard this and wished they could kill Duan Changling.

"Grand Steward, what should we do now?" The brothers from the Lei Family Trading Team asked.

Lei Mao replied, "Let’s head back first."

"Understood." The group then retracted under the Iron Shields and returned to the guest hall.

Ms. Gao Lei was inside the guest hall, crouching in a corner to avoid the arrows. After hearing Lei Mao’s report, she chuckled coldly, "Duan Changling is asking for death — he has definitely offended Vice General Ma and his allies badly this time."

Once they are on the battlefield, they will surely be schemed against by General Xu and killed.

"Alright, the timing should be right, escort me to the gate." Ms. Gao Lei instructed.

Duan Changling may not recognize Lei Mao’s voice, but her voice was recognized by many. Let’s see what that Duan will do now!

Lei Mao nodded and instructed the brothers, "Guard Old Madam with Iron Shields and move to the gate."

"Understood." The group surrounded Ms. Gao Lei with Iron Shields, protecting her overhead, and proceeded towards the gate.