Chapter 126: Fighting While Retreating

Li Zhi also laughed and said, "Exactly! Once you're with us, you'll get used to it soon enough!"

"Uh... what are these two talking about?" Li Ji was completely bewildered.

"Come, come, try Cheng Chuliang’s cooking. Luo Tong, you sit down too!" Li Zhi brought the dishes to the table and pushed them toward Li Ji.

Suddenly, the aroma of the food wafted through the air, stimulating everyone's taste buds. Li Ji, no longer caring about his dignity, reached out and started grabbing food.

"After this meal, you’ll be a member of my Chamber of Commerce. From now on, I’ll be counting on you..."

"Pfft!"

This remark made Li Ji shiver. He spat out the food he had just put in his mouth. What on earth! He thought he was just having a meal, but now he was being roped into doing hard labor!

Li Ji shook his head and said, "No! Your Highness, don't try to trick me. I am definitely not joining your Chamber of Commerce!"

"Are you defying an imperial decree?"

"I wouldn't dare defy a decree, but can't I get sick? I'm too weak to work, can't even stand up..."

Li Zhi had never encountered someone so shameless. He had the urge to slap him! "Are you trying to go back on your word? Are you sure?"

"Uh... I haven't decided yet!"

Li Ji still held some reservations about Li Zhi. Not to mention that Li Zhi was highly favored by Li Shimin, his intelligence was beyond that of an ordinary person. It was better not to offend him until he could find a way out. He decided to maintain a stable relationship and deliberate on this later.

Li Zhi said, "Since you haven't decided, then think about it carefully. Tell me once you’ve made up your mind!"

"Fine!" Li Ji’s eyes never left the delicacies on the table. "Your Highness, can we start eating now? My stomach is growling..."

"If you're hungry, then eat! No one is stopping you. But I’ll say this first: once you’ve eaten my food, you belong to me. Don't think it’ll be that easy to slip away!"

...

After the meal, Li Ji wiped his mouth and said, still unsatisfied, "That was delicious! Your Highness is quite fortunate to be situated right next to this restaurant."

He did not know that the restaurant across the street was Li Zhi’s property, nor did he know that the three Cheng brothers were working for Li Zhi.

"If you like it, just stay!"

"We'll talk about it later..." Li Ji found an excuse and hurried away.

"That old fox!"

***

Luo Tong couldn't stand it any longer. "Even the Emperor has issued a decree, yet he still dares to defy it. Your Highness, why not report him to the Emperor?"

"What do you take me for, a tattletale? I don't have that habit!" Li Zhi knew what he was doing. Although Li Ji was unwilling to join the Chamber of Commerce, he would never openly defy Li Shimin's decree, as that would risk accusations of treason. Li Ji had always been cautious; he wouldn't risk falling out with Li Shimin or inviting suspicion from the entire imperial court over such a trivial matter.

*Bang, bang, bang...*

Just after Li Ji left, Li Zhi was preparing to return to his room to rest when he suddenly heard a loud banging sound outside.

"What's going on?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, someone is pounding on the gate!" Luo Tong summoned Lou Yi and Lou Er to go outside and check.

They saw over a dozen beggars holding wooden sticks, continuously striking the gate panels.

"Your Highness... it's just some beggars!"

"Oh, just beggars? Give them some food!" Li Zhi ordered someone to bring out many steamed buns to give to the people outside. However, they refused to leave. They stuffed the buns into their tunics and continued to bash the gate.

Clearly, they were not just ordinary beggars, and they hadn't come there for food.

Realizing this, Li Zhi said to Luo Tong, "They must be from the Hebei clans. Since they have nowhere to lodge their complaints, they’ve come to cause trouble at my Chamber of Commerce!"

"It must be them!" Luo Tong nodded, signaling the Golden Blade Guards to drive them away.

"Move, move, move..." Lou Yi drew his sword and walked to the gate, feigning a strike that nearly sliced off a man's arm. The sight terrified them, and they scattered without hesitation.

...

At night, Li Zhi learned that the people from the Hebei and Guanlong clans had already left the capital. He immediately summoned Luo Tong and Lou Yi.

"Hurry to that courtyard and transfer the money buried underground to the Chamber of Commerce! Don't let anyone discover it, or all our efforts will be in vain!" Li Zhi whispered.

"Understood!"

"Wait..." Luo Tong expressed concern. "Could the clans be leaving on purpose to lure us into a trap? If they are lurking in the shadows and appear as soon as we start digging up the money, won't we be caught red-handed?"

"Then what do you suggest?"

"Let's wait a bit longer! The money is buried underground, and no one knows about it. We aren't short on cash, so why rush to move it?" suggested Luo Tong.

"Lou Yi!"

"I am here!"

Li Zhi asked, "Are you certain the clan members have left the capital? Can you be sure?"

Lou Yi replied confidently, "We have recorded every clan member entering the capital. By dusk, they had all left the city. The city gate guards have confirmed it as well."

***

"Then there's no problem!" Li Zhi said. "I can't sleep soundly knowing eight million coins are sitting in a strange place! I'll feel much better once they are back."

"Luo Tong, go yourself..."

"Very well!"

Taking advantage of the dim moonlight and the darkness of the night, Luo Tong led his men to the courtyard and personally unearthed dozens of large chests filled with heavy Kaiyuan Tongbao coins. These had been buried there a few days prior, and now they were being retrieved in full.

"The carriages are at the back gate, move them quickly!" Luo Tong felt anxious, sensing that something might go wrong.

The Golden Blade Guards made over a dozen trips, moving all the chests to the back gate and loading them onto the carriages.

Just then, a glow of fire appeared on the street not far from the back gate, catching Luo Tong's attention.

"During curfew, who would dare to be on the streets? And with torches held openly? Are they tired of living?" He took a closer look, and upon seeing a familiar face, he turned pale with shock.

"Oh no, it’s Huang Wenyuan!" Luo Tong gasped.

Huang Wenyuan was the leader of the Hebei clans and held immense prestige among them. His presence here meant the other clans were also nearby. This was a trap!

Their goal was to force the money out into the open to show the imperial law enforcement agencies. Once word spread, the court would be pressured by public opinion to hold the clans accountable.

"Run!"

"We must not let them block us!" Luo Tong shouted anxiously.

However, the clan members were getting closer and closer; it was already too late.

In the heat of the moment, Lou Yi said, "Master, take the carriages and go first! I will take a few men to hold them back!"

"Alright!" Luo Tong agreed immediately. He drove the carriages toward the other end of the street.

Nine Golden Blade Guards remained, joined by Lou Yi, making a round number.

"The master needs time to retreat! We must hold our ground! Even if we die, we must stop the clan members!"

"Yes..." the men growled in response.

"Seize them!" Huang Wenyuan, who had brought a large group of experts, ordered an attack on the Golden Blade Guards.

"Kill!"

Lou Yi was fearless. He ordered the Golden Blade Guards into groups of three to maintain their formation, focusing on intercepting the enemy while fighting and retreating.