120 Slaying Chunyu Qiong, Setting Fire to the Wuchao Headquarters

Su Ming pointed to the topographic map of Wuchao and instructed Zhang Liao, Taishi Ci, and Qu E, "You shall hide here for now. Once you see the administrative office in Wuchao set ablaze, each of you must lead your own contingent of men to ignite the grain stores throughout the city."

"Regardless of the circumstances, you are to strike down anyone you encounter and burn every grain reserve you find. Is that understood?"

Because there were firebreak trenches between the granaries, a single fire would be unable to spread on its own. Therefore, Zhang Liao, Taishi Ci, and Qu E would have to lead their troops through the chaos to set fires in various locations.

"Understood!"

"Understood, understood!" Zhang Liao, Taishi Ci, and Qu E replied in unison, bowing to receive their orders.

With Zhang Liao, Taishi Ci, and Qu E waiting here to set the fires, what was Su Ming going to do? Had he not just explained it? The others could only begin their arson once the office was ablaze. Su Ming was heading to the Wuchao administrative office to set the fire himself. Moreover, he intended to kill Chunyu Qiong—a strategy of capturing the ringleader to collapse the whole. Once Chunyu Qiong was dead and the office was set aflame, the Yuan army would be left without a leader and surely fall into disarray. Only then would it be easier for the others to carry out their mission.

"My Lord," Taishi Ci asked, "if you give all the men to us and go to the office yourself, how many will you take with you?"

Su Ming paused, then replied, "I will take no one. I shall go alone."

Upon hearing this, the three men were alarmed. How could he possibly go without an escort?

"Young Master," Zhang Liao urged, "let me take the eight hundred soldiers of the Trapping Battalion; we could each take two hundred, that would be just right!"

They knew that Su Ming was heading to the administrative office—the most vital stronghold in Wuchao, no less important than the granaries. It would surely be heavily guarded with patrols and sentries. What if Su Ming were to become trapped inside?

Su Ming understood their concern for his safety. He reassured them, "Burning the office is different from burning the granaries; the office must be taken through wit, not brute force. And I am not going completely alone—I will take Xu Qian, who is waiting outside."

Su Ming then explained his plan to the three of them. He intended to walk boldly into the office with Xu Qian. Everyone in Wuchao knew the identity of "Second Master Xu," and his entry into the office would be as natural as returning home.

Once inside and face-to-face with Chunyu Qiong, Su Ming would strike swiftly to decapitate him. With the commander dead and the office in flames, the Yuan army would be leaderless, allowing him to fight his way out amidst the chaos.

After hearing the plan, they all agreed it was sound. Using Xu Qian's identity to gain entry was far more reliable than charging the office with two hundred soldiers.

"My Lord, you must be extremely careful!" Taishi Ci cautioned.

With the tasks assigned, Su Ming went outside the granary and told Xu Qian that he would be taking him to the office to kill Chunyu Qiong.

Go to the office? To kill Chunyu Qiong? Upon hearing this, Xu Qian’s legs turned to jelly.

"This..." Xu Qian stammered, "isn't this walking into a tiger's den?"

Su Ming said nothing more; he grabbed Xu Qian and began dragging him toward the administrative office, teaching him the proverb about how one cannot catch a tiger cub without entering the tiger's lair. Xu Qian had transported grain to Wuchao many times, and his face was like a passkey within the city walls. Before long, they reached the gates of the office.

"General Su," Xu Qian pleaded with a mournful face, "why don't I just say a word to the guards and let you go in yourself? You possess the strength of ten thousand men and can surely fight your way out, but if I go in, I fear I shall never come out!"

"Enough nonsense," Su Ming glared at him. "We have come this far; we must finish what we started. Kill Chunyu Qiong and burn this office, and I guarantee you will remain unharmed."

Xu Qian had no choice. If he did not enter, Su Ming would have no idea where to find Chunyu Qiong once he reached the interior. Su Ming marched him inside, regardless of his reluctance.

"Second Master Xu!"

"Second Master Xu, you've come again?"

When Xu Qian entered, the guards at the gate did not block him; instead, they greeted him warmly.

"Yes," Xu Qian nodded slightly, masking his panic, and asked, "Where is your General? I've come today to share a few cups with him before I leave."

The guards replied immediately, "He is in the back courtyard, drinking right now! You've arrived just in time. The General ordered us to stand watch at the gates against Ju Yi and his men, but since you are one of us, please, go right ahead to the back courtyard. I won't escort you."

Xu Qian had often shared drinks with Chunyu Qiong, so he knew the layout of the office well. He led Su Ming toward the back courtyard. Along the way, the sentries they encountered were warm and welcoming, offering no resistance.

Indeed, Chunyu Qiong was drinking in the back courtyard, accompanied by Lü Kuang. The two had been drinking since mid-afternoon, and they continued until dusk. They had emptied countless jars of fine wine, and the more they drank, the more relaxed and indulgent they became.

"I can't take it anymore!"

"No more! I must go relieve myself, then we shall drink again! We are not stopping until dawn!" Chunyu Qiong declared, stumbling as he headed outside.

Drunk and dizzy, he reached the latrine, collapsed at the entrance, and fell into a deep, snoring sleep. After Chunyu Qiong left, Lü Kuang also felt lightheaded; he wandered from the outer hall into the inner chamber, climbed onto Chunyu Qiong's bed, and drifted into a heavy slumber.

From a distance, Su Ming and Xu Qian caught the strong scent of wine. Xu Qian led the way into the room, where they saw the table cluttered with food and drink, but no one was there.

"He's not here?" Xu Qian whispered to Su Ming.

Not here? They had to find him. Su Ming had come to kill Chunyu Qiong, and the sequence of events—killing him first, then burning the office—could not be disrupted.

Just then, the faint sound of snoring reached their ears.

"Hoo..."

"Snore, snore."

Hearing the sound, Su Ming signaled to Xu Qian to check the inner room.