Chapter 741: Jin Country Envoy (2)

Hu Feng picked up the teacup and took a sip, his stiff body immediately felt comfortable.

Zhou Gang opened his mouth again and said: “Why don’t we do this, this subordinate will take some people to explore. If there is anything, we can deal with it in time.”

Hu Feng nodded: “Alright, you go right away, you divide your group into three, and investigate. No matter what happens, don’t act rashly. Report to me first.”

Zhou Gang retired and called the soldiers. He was about to leave the inn when the spy they sent out hurriedly returned. Zhou Gang busily stopped his men and asked: “What’s the situation?”

The spy hurriedly replied: “Answering back to the general, something bad happened. The envoy of the Jin Country was ambushed in Jinyang County. The prince of Jin Country was wounded and fled while fighting the a.s.sa.s.sins. Now his whereabouts are unknown. Princess Jin was poisoned and was in a coma for many days. If she won’t wake up, I’m afraid she will die soon. The guards and maidservants accompanying them have been killed or injured.”

Zhou Gang’s expression drastically changed: “What? Why didn’t the person in charge at the post house report such a big event?”

The spy said again: “None of the staff in the post house were spared. They were all killed, so no one reported.”

Zhou Gang left his horse, pulled the spy, and went to find Hu Feng.

After hearing it, Hu Feng also had a doubt.

After the spy left, he asked Zhou Gang, “What do you think?”

Zhou Gang answered: “This general thought that this matter was quite strange. When a group of a.s.sa.s.sins came, the prince was seriously injured and disappeared, but the princess was poisoned. And it happened that all the staff in the post also died, and so they couldn’t send a report. But the strangest thing is, the envoys all died, but the government in Jinyang County didn’t even know such a big event happened in the post? That’s very unusual.”

Hu Feng nodded: “What’s more, Jinyang County is only 60 miles away from Qinyang. We have been here for many days. The government of Jinyang County should have known it.”

Zhou Gang replied: “Yes, the envoy of Jin Country must travel through the Jinyang County to enter the capital. This route was set long ago. In the beginning, the emperor had specially ordered the state officials on the way to welcome them with utmost care. With this regard, the post house was even re-decorated. As a county magistrate, he must always pay attention to the envoys and his party. It’s impossible for them not to know that something happened to the post.”

“Let’s go to Jinyang County first. Let’s go ahead and let our brothers leave the camp half a day later.”

Zhou Gang immediately understood. After spending a long time with Hu Feng, he could guess what he was thinking when he spoke.

An hour later, Hu Feng and Zhou Gang, dressed in ordinary clothes and set off from the small road. When they were near the Jinyang, they went to the official road.

There were two post houses in Jinyang. One was outside the city, mostly for officials and pedestrians traveling on the night road to temporarily settle down, and the other one was in the city. It looked like an inn, but much larger than the ordinary inn, and the decoration was more elegant. The steward and the staff in it were all arranged by the government to entertain the leading officials above the 6th rank of the country and the envoys.

Hu Feng and Zhou Gang went straight to the city. Since the beginning, the envoys were arranged to stay in the post house in the city. Originally, they will only stay here for one night, and then sett off to go to the capital the next morning. If nothing happens, they will arrive in Qingyang County in 6 days.

But today was the 7th day.

When the two came to the post house, they saw that the door was closed tightly, and there seemed to be b.l.o.o.d.y handprints on the door, but the bloodstains were dry. The stone steps outside the door were covered with hard snow. Under the snow, there were bright red spots of blood.

Zhou Gang stepped forward and knocked on the door. After a long time, there was still no response, so he kicked the door open.