sovbooks Chapter 45 Eight Hutongs
Chapter 45 Eight Hutongs
The moon on the eleventh day of the fifth lunar month is almost full, big and bright, hanging obliquely in the night sky, and its light quietly falls on the main street of Dongcheng.
"The weather is dry, so be careful with fire!"
The night watchman left, striking his clapper, and two soldiers from the Imperial Guard patrolling the night followed. They chatted as they walked into the street, occasionally peering into the alleys with lanterns in hand.
"After midnight, the only people who dare to walk on the streets, besides the night watchmen, are either us or..."
The older soldier, holding a lantern in one hand and extending his thumb with the other, was about to speak when he suddenly sensed something was amiss in the alley beside him. He immediately gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist, slowly pushed the lantern forward, and hissed, "Come out!"
The young soldier drew his sword with a swift motion, the tip pointing directly at the alley, and slowly walked forward.
The lantern's dim light slowly penetrated the depths of the alley, revealing a large, dark mass of people standing inside, their chainmail armor gleaming coldly in the lamplight.
At the very front of the crowd, Liu Feng, dressed in the uniform of a deputy commander, stood quietly, his gaze fixed intently on the two men.
The older soldier recognized the official's uniform at a glance, his face instantly turning deathly pale. The lantern in his hand clattered to the ground, and his voice trembled: "It's the Northern Garrison Command investigating a case!"
After saying that, he didn't care about anything else, grabbed the young soldier, and ran away.
The lanterns on the ground lit up, and as the flames flickered, Liu Feng slowly walked out of the alley.
He raised his hand and waved it lightly. Wang Daniu, who was wearing chainmail, immediately drew his sword and rushed out, running towards the street opposite. Twelve fully armed Imperial Guards from the Imperial Guards followed closely behind.
Liu Feng's studies over the past few days have not been in vain. He combined what he learned in school with his experience from his previous life of military service and devised a set of tactics specifically suited for urban warfare.
The four sword-and-shield soldiers in the front row formed a mobile cover and were responsible for holding the front line of defense.
The four crossbowmen in the middle row are responsible for long-range suppression and providing fire support.
Four spearmen in the back row wait for an opportunity to charge in and deal damage.
The Imperial Guards responsible for gathering intelligence had already hidden in the shadows in the corners of the wall. They only emerged from the shadows when Wang Daniu arrived with his men, pointing to two locations behind the courtyard gate to indicate that there were people inside.
Wang Daniu waved his hand, and two swordsmen and shieldmen raised their shields and rammed them violently against the courtyard gate.
"Snap!"
The door latch broke, and two swordsmen rushed into the courtyard, immediately parting to the left and right to clear the middle passage.
The two Tartars in the courtyard were shot dead on the spot by crossbowmen who followed closely behind before they could even react.
After the crossbowmen finished firing their first volley, they did not rush into the hanging flower gate, but waited in place for the swordsmen and shieldmen to advance.
The swordsmen and shieldmen charged into the room again, and the Tartars inside, hearing the commotion, immediately rushed out. The Tartars were exceptionally fierce, but against the fully armed and well-coordinated Imperial Guards, they were like ants trying to shake a tree!
The entire battle was fought swiftly and decisively, with fluid and efficient movements.
Swordsmen and shieldmen steadily blocked the Tartars' attack with their shields, crossbowmen quickly followed up and shot down the Tartars, while spearmen waited for an opportunity to finish them off. The advance was both fast and steady.
The moment the Tartars peeked out of the house, they were immediately shot dead by crossbowmen.
The battlefield shifted indoors, and the spearmen, in coordination with the swordsmen and shieldmen, immediately located the Tartars hiding in the roof beams as soon as they entered the house.
The Tartar jumped down from the beam and raised his sword to strike, but the swordsmen and shieldmen immediately moved aside, and the spearmen met him head-on, piercing him through the heart.
The swordsmen and shieldmen split up to search for the remaining enemies. A Tartar hiding behind a cabinet suddenly grabbed a stool and attacked one of the swordsmen and shieldmen, then took the opportunity to escape through the window. However, Wang Daniu, who happened to be walking into the courtyard, kicked him hard and took him prisoner.
In no time, the courtyard returned to its deathly silence.
Surrounded by Zhang Laifu and others, Liu Feng entered the courtyard, glanced around, and nodded slightly with a satisfied expression.
Wang Daniu walked over quickly, carrying a wooden box. "Sir, I found it in a hidden compartment in the corner."
Liu Feng opened the box, and on top of it was a letter. He opened it and saw that it was full of scribbles and symbols, which he couldn't understand at all, so he put it in his sleeve.
He then took out a small booklet from the box. This time, it wasn't all scribbles; it also included a simple topographical map.
Liu Feng took a closer look and immediately burst out laughing. This was the Eight Great Hutongs!
At this time, the Eight Great Hutongs were not yet the brothels where people would say "Hey sir, come have some fun." They were a gathering place for opera troupes in Beijing and a proper cultural hub.
That area was lined with restaurants, teahouses, and theaters, one after another. It was a favorite gathering place for high-ranking officials, literati, and wealthy merchants.
The Tartars' superiors were hiding in the Eight Great Hutongs?
What's the exact location? We can't just surround the entire Eight Great Hutongs and search them one by one, can we?
Putting aside the trouble and hassle, if the commotion gets too big and alerts the enemy, who knows what kind of chaos it will cause.
If a prince or nobleman were to spend the night at the theater, and someone were to be chopped off and forced to move, that would be quite a spectacle!
Just then, a junior officer rushed over: "Sir, that Tartar has bitten his tongue."
Liu Feng frowned. Biting his tongue wouldn't kill him on the spot, but he couldn't speak, and no one could understand these strange scribblings...
Zhang Laifu, who was standing nearby, blinked his small eyes and leaned closer: "Sir, we haven't found that little eunuch's younger brother over here..."
Liu Feng was momentarily stunned, but instantly understood: "Go back to the Hundred Household Office immediately and take the man to the Eight Great Hutongs. I'll wait outside with my men for news."
He added, "Change into casual clothes."
"Yes." Zhang Laifu turned and strode away.
......................
The term "Eight Great Hutongs" is actually a general term referring to the large area outside Qianmen and south of Dashilan.
The alleys inside are crisscrossed and densely packed together, all interconnected.
At night, lanterns and colorful lights are hung at the door of every household, and the whole area is brightly lit, just like daytime.
High-ranking officials, scholars, and wealthy merchants all gather here at night to drink, listen to operas, and entertain guests. It's a lively place that never sleeps, a well-known spot in the capital.
The reason why Liu Xianglian earned a reputation as a dissolute man was not only because he loved to perform on stage and was unrestrained and romantic, but also because he often frequented the theaters in the Eight Great Hutongs area, spending his days mingling with actors and performers, calling them brothers, and acting without any regard for worldly etiquette.
Recently, the Duke of Liguo's mansion has been forcing Liu Xianglian to study at the martial arts academy.
The day was exceptionally hot, and in the afternoon he had to practice riding, archery, swordsmanship, and various other martial arts, which exhausted him. He hadn't been to the Eight Great Hutongs area for several days.
Today I'm accompanying my good friend Qi Guan to a banquet. I drank too much, so I'm going to the outhouse to relieve myself and get some fresh air.
Liu Xianglian felt unwell and planned to go to a stall in the alley night market to find a bowl of jasmine tea to sober up.
Just as I stepped out of the theater, I bumped into someone unexpectedly.
Liu Xianglian hurriedly said "I'm sorry," but the other party ignored him completely and led a person wearing a straw hat into the theater.
Wearing a straw hat at night? Are you crazy?
Liu Xianglian pursed his lips, then suddenly remembered that the person he had bumped into earlier was Liu Feng's lackey of the Imperial Guard.
He had run into the other party several times at the martial arts school. The other party came to lead Liu Feng's horse in the sweltering heat. He was glib and slick, which he disliked from the bottom of his heart, so he remembered it very clearly.
What are you doing in the Eight Great Hutongs so late at night? Investigating a case?
Liu Xianglian subconsciously glanced around and immediately sensed something was wrong. There were inexplicably many more people in the alley, and everyone's eyes were glancing towards the theater courtyard. Several people were also carrying bulging bundles in their arms.
It's a waist knife!
Liu Xianglian sobered up instantly. Worried that Qi Guan might get injured in the chaos if the Imperial Guards started fighting, he immediately rushed in.