Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Nighttime Assassination
During this period, many refugees had poured into the dozen or so counties surrounding Qingjiang County.
Encounters like Jianyi Mingwei being struck from behind were not isolated cases.
However, ordinary people usually did not carry too many valuables when going out. On top of that, the culprits could not be found afterward, and no lives had been lost, so these matters were ultimately left unsettled.
Over the past few days, Wentian had seen suspicious figures lurking around his home more than once.
Because of this, he set up some traps near the courtyard walls, such as nails, rat traps, and similar things.
If anyone tried to climb over the wall and enter, they would certainly suffer for it.
There were also warning bells.
The moment a trap was triggered, the warning bells would ring out in all directions.
Ding!
[Daily Divination] has been activated.
Today's Hexagram: Lower-Middle Fortune.
At midnight tonight, five people will climb over the wall and enter. Their intention is to kill and seize wealth.
Wentian smiled coldly in his heart.
The Jianyi family had a well-known reputation in Dongxi Village. At the same time, unlike the wealthy Xu household, they did not have many servants or guards.
It was only normal that they would be targeted.
"I wonder whether any of those five are martial artists."
"Even if the chance is small, I still have to prepare for it."
Those nails and rat traps were more than enough against ordinary refugees, but if they encountered martial artists, their effect would be limited.
He made several simple crossbow mechanisms and, after nightfall, installed them beneath the eaves on both sides of the house.
Once triggered, those crossbows would fire wildly.
After that, he removed the warning bells.
When Wentian went out that day, he only made a simple inspection round.
All the thoughts in his mind were focused on what would happen tonight.
"Shitou, there may be thieves coming to rob us tonight. A quarter before midnight, take your bow and wait on the rooftop. When the opportunity appears, shoot to kill. Can you do it?"
Wentian suddenly spoke, his expression extremely solemn.
"Father, is this true?"
"If you trust Father, then do as Father says. This concerns the safety of our entire family."
Jianyi Mingwei did not ask further.
"I understand, Father. I will listen to you."
Although he did not possess the strength of a third-rate martial artist, under the effect of [Innate Divine Strength], together with his sharp [Eagle Eye] and the advantage of long-range archery, a sudden attack under the cover of night would be a great threat even to a second-rate martial artist.
"Father, should we coat the arrowheads with poison?"
"You won't feel uncomfortable doing that?"
Wentian looked at Jianyi Mingwei with some surprise.
Jianyi Mingwei's eyes had turned sharp, as if they were blades. It was as though killing intent had gathered within them.
"Anyone who dares threaten my family must be eliminated completely."
"Mm."
Wentian nodded.
"Do it according to your own thoughts."
Night.
The bright moon hid behind a dark cloud, and the stars flickered dimly.
On the bed, Wentian lay quietly, his blood and qi abundant.
"Husband, shall this wife help you release some of your fire?"
Wentian acted contrary to his usual behavior and merely smiled faintly.
"This fire still has another use. It's just right to keep it for now."
Bai Jing was somewhat puzzled.
What use?
Could he be planning to use it on someone else?
Naturally, the "someone else" Bai Jing imagined referred to another woman.
"Enough. Sleep early tonight. We still have to wake up early tomorrow."
Bai Jing felt that Wentian should not be that kind of person, so she lay down peacefully and soon entered dreamland.
In another room, Jianyi Mingwei lit a candle, wiped his bow and arrows, and coated the arrowheads with poison.
The room was filled with the atmosphere of soldiers in a military camp waiting on the eve of battle.
Oppressive.
Heavy.
Shortly before midnight, Jianyi Mingwei followed Wentian's instructions. Carrying a quiver on his back and holding his bow in hand, he leapt onto the rooftop in just a few movements.
Wentian walked out of the room and glanced toward the roof.
The moonlight was dim, and Jianyi Mingwei had almost blended into the night.
Wentian found a firewood chopping blade and stood in the shadow beneath the eaves.
Like an assassin, he waited for the right moment.
One strike.
One kill.
A quarter of an hour later.
"Big Brother, this is the place."
"This household is the Jianyi family. They rose very quickly and became one of Dongxi Village's wealthy households in just a few short years."
"I heard the master of this house is good at planting. By luck, he managed to grow Green Jade Pears. Just from that alone, he should earn three or four thousand taels every year."
"There are five people in the family. Aside from the husband and wife, there are three sons. The eldest is only nine years old."
A burly middle-aged man dressed in gray cloth glanced at the short young man and said calmly, "Fifth Brother, you chose well."
"Brothers, move quickly and cleanly. Leave no one in this family alive. After we find the valuables, we do the same as before and leave Qingjiang County overnight."
"Now that refugees are everywhere, trying to find a few people will be harder than climbing to the heavens."
"Yes, Boss Xiong."
Several people began climbing over the wall at the same time. Judging from their movements, they were clearly experienced.
However, they were most likely not ranked martial artists.
Otherwise, even a third-rate martial artist would be able to leap over a wall nearly four meters high in just a few movements.
The instant they landed—
"Hiss…"
Three of them immediately sucked in cold breaths and could not help letting out low cries.
That was already the result of them gritting their teeth and enduring it.
"Are the three of you trying to get yourselves killed?"
Boss Xiong was extremely displeased. A low warning came from his throat.
"No, Boss Xiong. We stepped on nails."
"Enough. Just be careful. Whoever makes another sound, don't blame me for being impolite afterward!"
They carefully felt their way forward for a few steps.
Suddenly, one of the taller men felt his ankle pull against something.
The next moment—
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Seven or eight crossbow bolts shot out together from beneath the eaves.
Two people were struck in the head and heart and died on the spot. The remaining three suffered injuries of varying severity.
One was hit in the abdomen.
One was shot in the leg and fell to the ground.
Another only had his arm grazed.
"Damn it!"
Boss Xiong growled and quickly shouted, "There's an ambush! Retreat!"
The moment his words fell, Jianyi Mingwei, who had long been waiting on the roof, had already drawn his bowstring into a full moon. His sharp eagle eyes locked firmly onto the man who had been struck in the abdomen.
Whoosh!
The sound of air being torn apart rang out.
A black arrow cut through the night sky and instantly pierced through the man's throat. It burst out from the back of his neck and nailed itself into the wall behind him.
"Second Brother!"
Boss Xiong's eyes nearly split apart as he looked toward the roof.
The moon emerged from behind the dark cloud.
Cold moonlight scattered down, draping Jianyi Mingwei in a layer of silver gauze.
It was the face of a young boy, cold as frost.
His sharp and profound gaze shot into Boss Xiong's eyes like an arrow.
It was actually only a boy!
Boss Xiong's heart was filled with shock and fury.
Jianyi Mingwei drew his bow and nocked another arrow, drawing his attention.
At that very moment, Wentian seized the opportunity and suddenly exerted strength. In almost a single arrow-like step, he leapt above Boss Xiong's head.
The firewood blade, polished until it gleamed, carried the force of his downward momentum as it chopped straight toward Boss Xiong's skull.
Decisive.
Ruthless.
In his haste, Boss Xiong only had enough time to raise the axe in his hand to block.
But beneath that tremendous force, the webbing between his thumb and forefinger split open, and the axe in his hand fell to the ground.
His entire body also collapsed backward and sat heavily on the ground.
Under Boss Xiong's terrified gaze, Wentian turned and swung.
The edge of the firewood blade passed across his throat with perfect precision.
A stream of hot liquid sprayed out.
Wentian's body and face were covered in specks of blood.
Then came another whoosh.
The man whose leg had been injured at the beginning and who had fallen to the ground was also nailed dead by Jianyi Mingwei.
Seeing that all the thieves were dead, the heart Jianyi Mingwei had been holding tight finally loosened.
Then he sat down heavily.
He looked at his own hands.
They were trembling nonstop.
He almost could not even hold the bow steady.
A constant buzzing filled his head, giving him the sensation that the sky and earth were spinning.
As for Wentian, he had already begun searching the bodies.
From Boss Xiong, he found twelve thousand taels in silver notes, an internal strength manual called Barbarian Bear Strength, and a small porcelain bottle containing six Qi and Blood Pills.
The others had nothing on them.
"It seems they had already robbed quite a few wealthy households before this."
Wentian began cleaning up the battlefield.
Jianyi Mingwei came back to his senses and quickly jumped down from the roof to help.
"Drag them all to the mountain forest and bury them."
"Wash the arrows clean. They can still be used. Remember to wipe off the poison on them first."
"Yes, Father."