novelAbuy Chapter 161 Snatching Food from a Tiger's Mouth
Chapter 161 Snatching Food from a Tiger's Mouth
The Zhou family's birthday banquet was underway, with lanterns lit as dusk fell.
Within the vermilion gates, a cacophony of noise and commotion filled the air. General Zhou Tong, a Tiger-like warrior, was celebrating his mother's birthday with an extravagant display. A stage was erected in the front courtyard, the deafening gongs and drums filling the air as renowned actors took turns performing; dozens of banquet tables were set up in the central courtyard, laden with delicacies from land and sea, the aroma of fine wine wafting through half the street. Prominent officials, gentry, and generals from Jiankang City either attended in person or sent their sons and nephews with lavish gifts. The sounds of string and wind instruments mingled with the cries of drinking games, as the guests, impeccably dressed, chatted and laughed, seemingly oblivious to the potential flames of war outside the city and the undercurrents swirling within.
Zhou Tong, dressed in a brocade robe, sat in the main seat, his face flushed and brimming with self-satisfaction. He was tall and robust, with a purplish-red complexion, and his round eyes appeared even more fierce due to the influence of alcohol. He was in a particularly good mood today. Firstly, it was his mother's birthday, a day to showcase his filial piety; secondly, the gathering of guests demonstrated his power; and thirdly… He glanced towards the side hall, where the faint sound of someone tuning a zither could be heard. Thinking of the beautiful woman who made his heart itch and whom he was about to possess, his heart burned even more intensely.
"Gentlemen! Today is my mother's birthday. I am deeply grateful for your presence! Cheers!" Zhou Tong raised his large bowl, drank it all in one gulp, and won a round of applause.
After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere grew increasingly lively. One of the guests jokingly said, "General Zhou, we've heard you've recently acquired a magnificent mastiff from the Western Regions, unparalleled in its might. Why not bring it out for us to see, so we can also broaden our horizons?"
Zhou Tong, who loved to show off, laughed heartily upon hearing this: "Excellent! Excellent! Men, bring 'Black Fiend' up here! Let everyone see what a real ferocious dog looks like!"
Before long, two strong servants carefully led in a huge mastiff with glossy black fur and fierce eyes. The mastiff growled softly, its voice like muffled thunder, which frightened several women nearby, turning their faces pale. The guests, however, cheered and marveled.
"What a fine dog! Truly magnificent!"
"Could this dog possibly be capable of fighting tigers and leopards?"
Zhou Tong felt even more proud, and emboldened by the alcohol, he waved his hand: "What's the point of just watching? Go, bring one of those useless fighting dogs from the backyard, let 'Black Fiend' stretch its muscles and liven things up for everyone!"
Soon, a bloody dogfight unfolded in the courtyard. The mastiff "Black Demon" was indeed exceptionally ferocious; in just a few rounds, it had torn a rather robust local fighting dog to shreds, leaving it whimpering as it collapsed to the ground. The smell of blood and the savage battle stimulated the guests' senses, with cheers and exclamations rising and falling, bringing the banquet to a frenzied climax.
Zhou Tong, engrossed in the spectacle, drank several cups and became quite drunk. He slammed his fist on the table and shouted, "Great! Anyone else have a good dog? Release it! Whoever beats 'Black Fiend' will be rewarded with a hundred taels of gold!"
Just as the noise and chaos reached their peak, the curtain of the side hall was gently lifted. Su Xiaoxiao, dressed in an elegant dress and carrying a pipa, slowly entered the small space in the central courtyard that had been specially cleared for her, accompanied by two maids.
In an instant, it was as if a clear spring had been poured into boiling oil. The clamor subsided unconsciously, and countless gazes—some admiring, some greedy, some curious, some complex—all fell upon her. Even in this magnificent and splendid setting, her unadorned yet exquisitely beautiful face, along with her aloof and serene demeanor, remained like the bright moon in the sky, instantly making her the absolute center of attention.
Zhou Tong's eyes widened, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he shouted, "Master Su has arrived! Quickly! Play the music! It is an honor for the Zhou family, and a blessing for all of you, to have Master Su perform for us today! Haha!"
Su Xiaoxiao lowered her head slightly and bowed slightly towards the main seat, not giving Zhou Tong's disgusting expression any further attention. She sat cross-legged on the brocade cushion that had been prepared beforehand, holding the pipa horizontally in her arms, her fingertips gently brushing across the strings.
Zheng—
A clear, resonant overtone, like a spring suddenly breaking through ice, strangely suppressed the still-unsettled clamor. Everyone held their breath.
She didn't choose those tender and sentimental Jiangnan tunes, nor did she play the passionate and fiery music of the Battle Formation. Instead, she casually plucked the strings and played a simple and desolate piece, "Orchid in the Valley," which also carried a touch of ethereal remoteness. The sound of the zither was initially subtle, like a breeze in an empty valley, gradually becoming clearer and more resonant, like a mountain stream. It carried a kind of aloofness and resilience that did not cease to bloom even when no one was there to appreciate it. In this courtyard filled with gold and jade, yet permeated with blood and desire, it seemed out of place, yet it struck straight to the heart.
Many learned scholars and guests, appreciating music, showed expressions of surprise and rapt attention, nodding in approval. Even some rough and boorish men were involuntarily drawn to the clear, cool music, temporarily forgetting their excitement over dogfighting.
Zhou Tong only half understood the tune, feeling it wasn't lively enough. But the beautiful woman playing the zither was incredibly graceful, so he patiently squinted and admired her, his hand unconsciously stroking the edge of his wine bowl as he pondered how to "appease" this icy beauty after the banquet.
Su Xiaoxiao was completely focused on the strings of her zither, as if everything around her had faded away. Only she knew how fast her heart was beating. The last wax pellet she had received was pressed against her wrist in her sleeve, bearing only two words: "戌时 (Xu Shi, 7 PM), Hou Huai (Back Locust Tree)." According to the agreement, 7 PM would be her chance to escape, and the "gray-clad man" would be waiting for her under the locust tree at the back gate. At this moment, there was less than a quarter of an hour until 7 PM.
The music was fading, its lingering notes delicate and melodious. Just as everyone was still immersed in the afterglow of the piece, and had not yet fully recovered—
"Fire! Fire! Fire! There's a fire in the direction of the granary on East Street!" A panicked cry suddenly came from afar outside the mansion, accompanied by the faint sound of a gong!
"What?!" Zhou Tong, half-sober, jumped to his feet. The East Street granary was an important warehouse under his jurisdiction!
Almost simultaneously, commotion and screams came from the front yard, as if something had happened at the stage, and the crowd was screaming and running away.
"What's going on?!" "The granary is on fire?" "Go check it out!" The banquet immediately descended into chaos, with guests filled with suspicion and servants running around in a panic.
Zhou Tong was both shocked and furious. He shouted sternly, "What's the panic! Men! Go check the granary! Guards of the manor, each of you, stand guard and protect the lords!" His first thought was of his own responsibility and the possible losses, as well as keeping the guests present calm.
Just as attention was drawn to two "unexpected" events, and the order within the mansion was briefly disrupted—
A gray, ghostly figure appeared silently in the shadow of a pillar not far from Su Xiaoxiao. It was a man dressed in ordinary gray clothes, unremarkable in appearance, who made a very subtle and quick gesture towards Su Xiaoxiao.
Su Xiaoxiao's heart nearly stopped, but she immediately recognized it as the code corresponding to "gray clothes" in the wax pill's hint! The time had come!
Without any hesitation, to Yun'er's astonishment, she quickly put the pipa in her arms aside, stood up, and hurried towards the path leading to the back garden of the mansion, as indicated by the man in gray. Yun'er was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly followed.
"Master Su? Where are you going?" a nearby maid asked instinctively.
Without turning her head, Su Xiaoxiao simply said, "Change your clothes," and quickened her pace, blending into the slightly chaotic crowd of servants coming and going due to the commotion. Her movements were natural and did not attract much attention, especially since Zhou Tong and most of the guards were focused on the front yard and outside the mansion at that moment.
The man in gray led the way, skillfully avoiding the main passages and patrolling servants, and taking only the paths hidden by flowers and trees. He was clearly very familiar with the layout of the Zhou residence.
However, just as they were about to pass through a moon gate and approach the back garden, two of Zhou Tong's personal guards suddenly emerged from the side, seemingly on orders to strengthen the security of the back garden.
"Halt! Who goes there?...Eh? Lady Su?" The guard recognized Su Xiaoxiao, looking puzzled. "The banquet isn't over yet, what brings you here...?"
A cold glint flashed in the gray-clad man's eyes, and he was about to make a move.
"Bang!" "Bang!"
Two dull thuds sounded almost simultaneously! The two guards didn't even see the attack coming from behind the artificial rockery beside them before collapsing to the ground. Two men, also dressed in servants' uniforms but with sharp eyes, quickly appeared and dragged the unconscious guards into the shadows.
"Hurry up!" the man in gray shouted.
Su Xiaoxiao suppressed her shock and followed closely behind. Passing through the moon gate, the back garden became relatively secluded. Not far away, a tall, old locust tree stood out clearly in the night.
Under the locust tree, an inconspicuous green-canopied carriage was already waiting, and the driver was a silent man in gray.
"Miss Su, please get in the carriage! Come with us out of the city!" the man in gray whispered.
Su Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, glanced back at the brightly lit and noisy front yard, where she saw the familiar cage and the menacing wolves. Then, she resolutely turned around and, with Yun'er's help, quickly boarded the carriage.
The carriage had just started moving and hadn't even left the back garden gate when Zhou Tong's furious roar, like that of a wounded beast, came from the front yard: "Where's Su Xiaoxiao?! Where's that bitch?! Find her for me! Seal all the gates! She can't have gone far!"
Clearly, someone noticed that she had left the table and had not returned, and reported it to Zhou Tong.
The carriage accelerated abruptly, bursting through the side gate and merging into the chaotic streets outside, now shrouded in the "granary fire." Several men in grey robes, some driving and others on horseback, escorted it swiftly towards a secluded alleyway on the Qinhuai River, opposite the city gate. There, a waiting boat awaited.
Inside the Zhou residence, chaos reigned. Zhou Tong was furious, sending men to put out the fire while simultaneously ordering the streets sealed off and a city-wide search. He never imagined that someone would dare to "lose" the person he considered his most precious possession right under his nose at his birthday banquet!
The guests attending the birthday banquet exchanged bewildered glances, utterly shocked. Su Xiaoxiao had been mysteriously abducted at Zhou Tong's birthday banquet? This was simply unbelievable! Who had such audacity? And who possessed such meticulous methods? The news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of Jiankang City faster than flames.
Su Xiaoyu, a talented woman from Jiangdong, mysteriously disappeared at the birthday banquet of Hu Ben Zhonglang General, and is suspected of being kidnapped!
That night, Jiankang was sleepless.
The carriage carrying Su Xiaoxiao had already disappeared into the crisscrossing streets and alleys and the hazy night, like a drop of water flowing into a river.