The young man who had just burst out from behind the half-concealed face saw the pursuers behind him.
He didn't know who had blocked the attack earlier, so he thought that as long as he ran into the Gao Family compound, he would be safe.
The head of the Gao Family was the Minister of Personnel.
Who would dare to disrespect the Gao Family?
His attack this time also had the support of some members of the Gao Family, otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to get a weapon like a crossbow.
The young man weaved through the streets and alleys several times.
The pursuers were all strong men with good physical fitness. If they were on a flat road, they would have caught the young man long ago.
Unfortunately, this was the complex and intricate capital city, and the young man knew the surrounding terrain very well.
This is why he wasn't caught by the pursuers behind him.
Soon, they arrived at the wall of a courtyard in the west city, not too far from the imperial city.
The young man used his strength to climb over the four or five meter high wall and enter the courtyard.
However, just as the young man was relieved to have crossed the wall, the pursuers seized the opportunity.
They threw the long swords in their hands, slashing the young man's thigh, leaving a patch of clothing and bright red blood.
The leading man looked at the long sword stuck in the wall, his face cold.
The young man dared to run into this courtyard because he believed he could use it to escape their attack.
"You two, go back and report to the lord immediately, the rest of you come with me to observe this place."
The leading man was not an idiot.
Anyone who could live in such a luxurious house in the capital city must have a high status.
In the capital city, your place of residence is closely tied to your status.
Such a tall courtyard wall could not belong to an ordinary person.
Leaving one person to guard the long sword, he took another to scout the courtyard.
Soon, they came to the courtyard gate.
Gao Manor.
The leading man looked at the characters, his mind immediately forming a guess.
In the capital city, there was only one family with such a large and luxurious manor and the surname Gao.
That was the Minister of Personnel.
He had been in charge of the Ministry of Personnel for eleven years and also served as a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, a staunch supporter of the Retired Emperor.
The reason was simple, the head of the Gao Family had risen to his current position thanks to the trust of the Retired Emperor.
If not for his age and experience, he would have become the Chief Secretary and the Deputy Secretary long ago.
But everyone with discerning eyes knew that he was getting closer and closer to the position of Chief Secretary.
The previous Chief Secretary had gone to Xuanfu Town with the Retired Emperor, and his luck was not as good as the Retired Emperor's, he died in the chaos of the war.
The Deputy Secretary was not in good health and would retire this year.
So, only the head of the Gao Family remained.
Many members of the Gao Family already considered themselves to be the family of the Chief Secretary.
The Chief Secretary was the highest position among the civil servants.
He assisted the emperor in handling government affairs, and all six ministries had to cooperate with him.
It was basically no different from the abolished position of Prime Minister.
It was just a change of name, and some key points were modified.
Gao Manor.
In a secret chamber underground, a young man in his thirties or forties, with a vicious look, scolded the young man who had been injured in the thigh and was having difficulty moving.
"What were you eating? Didn't you tell me with confidence before we left that you would definitely be able to handle the target?" The middle-aged man's face was twisted in rage: "If you want to run away, fine, but why did you run into our Gao Manor? Are you trying to make our Gao Family take the blame for you?"
The young man who had been injured in the thigh, after a simple treatment, was sweating profusely.
He said to the middle-aged man in a very aggrieved tone: "It was supposed to be foolproof, but no one expected that a group of strong men would suddenly appear in the teahouse.
The leader of those strong men was simply not human, he was able to split the crossbow bolt I shot in half with a single strike."
The young man couldn't help but tremble when he thought of that scene.
Even from twenty or thirty meters away, he could feel the killing intent emanating from the long sword.
"They look like some bumpkins." The young man said nonchalantly: "Just have the head of the family write a letter, the Ministry of War will definitely help us handle this."
The young man had joined the Five City Military Command just to satisfy some of his peculiar tastes.
"If they were ordinary bumpkins, it would be very simple." The middle-aged man's face became even more solemn: "I'm afraid you've gotten on the bad side of someone you shouldn't have."
The young man chuckled: "Who's more powerful than our Gao Family now?"
"Have you forgotten the one from the Jia Family?" The middle-aged man warned the young man: "He controls all the armies around the capital city, and the Grand Council will be held the day after tomorrow.
The place where you committed the crime is not far from the Rongguo Mansion.
According to your description, those soldiers are unusually fierce, and the leader of them is able to split the crossbow bolt you shot in half with a single sword strike."
"I'm afraid you've gotten on the bad side of the one from the Jia Family." The middle-aged man said, advising the young man: "Stay in the secret chamber and recuperate for a while, I have a feeling those people won't let this go."
"Oh!" The young man didn't care: "Remember to send a few maids over to keep me company, it's really boring to be alone in the secret chamber."
His thigh injury, with the flesh cut off, made it difficult for him to move, so he could only lie in bed.
The middle-aged man shook his head helplessly.
He couldn't help but pay the price for his own actions.
The middle-aged man left the secret chamber and just as he returned to his study, he heard someone reporting from above.
"Third Master, there are seven or eight men outside the manor, armed with standard long swords, patrolling the streets around our manor."
The middle-aged man heard this and his heart finally sank.
There were very few people who could do such a thing in a teahouse half a table away.
When night fell, he received a message from the Jia Family, saying that Jia Yu had arrived in the capital.
Tap, tap, tap
The West Straight Gate opened, and a group of heavy cavalry, shrouded in black iron armor, rushed into the city from outside.
....