Water Margin: From a White-Robed Scholar to Donning the Yellow Robe

Chapter 133 The Spy Is Right Beside Us

It was already late at night, and the fact that all five of them came to see him meant that something important had happened.

Wang Lun immediately turned over and got up.

The five men looked at each other, none of them seeming to want to come forward and report.

Wang Lun sensed something was wrong and said in a deep voice, "What exactly happened, Zhu Gui? You're the head of the intelligence department, tell me."

Zhu Gui had no choice but to step forward, clasping his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Brother, in the past day and night, we have captured more than thirty spies from various places, mainly sent by the prefectures and counties. After a thorough investigation, we have captured all their superiors. What are your orders, Chief? Should they all be executed?"

Wang Lun said, "You can make these decisions yourselves. Kill those who disobey and use those who obey."

"Yes." Zhu Gui clasped his hands in a fist salute. "There are also two spies sent by the Manichaeism, who have been lying in wait for some time."

Wang Lun was startled and said, "Didn't you just arrive recently?"

He originally thought that Fang La's spies had only come to his attention recently because he had beaten Li Tianrun, but he never expected that Fang La had sent spies long ago.

"It seems he's been watching us for a while now. I wonder how much they've got their hands on?" Wang Lun was afraid that Fang La's spies had obtained the blueprints for Liangshan's gunpowder and the Divine Arm Bow. These two technologies were now considered core to Liangshan, and they couldn't allow outsiders to get their hands on them.

Zhu Gui said, "We searched their residences but haven't found any useful information yet. However, in my opinion, this matter is of great importance and we cannot be careless."

Wang Lun nodded, satisfied with Zhu Gui's reminder. It seemed that Zhu Gui had developed the normal mindset of an intelligence agency leader, and was determined to follow every clue to find anything of value behind it.

"Immediately arrange for personnel to screen the workshop staff of leaders Tang Long and Ling Zhen. Arrest any suspicious individuals immediately. Remember, this must not disrupt the workshop's operations. Communicate with leaders Tang and Ling beforehand and ask for their cooperation."

Wang Lun immediately arranged for a thorough investigation of the two workshops. Not only were these two workshops investigated, but strict management was also to be implemented for everyone entering and leaving them.

Core technologies must not be leaked to outsiders.

"Yes." Zhu Gui immediately agreed, then looked back at Shi Qian. Naturally, he would entrust this matter to Shi Qian. Now, according to Zhu Gui's arrangement, Dai Zong handled external affairs, Shi Qian handled internal affairs, and Zhu Gui provided coordination in the middle, making the intelligence department's operations run much better.

Wang Lun knew that what these people were talking about wasn't the core issue; if it were just such a trivial matter, they wouldn't have come together.

He looked at the group, his gaze settling on Wu Song, and said, "Brother Song, we are brothers of one heart, inseparable. Is there some unspeakable difficulty you're facing?"

Wu Song gritted his teeth, stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Brother is wise. We have indeed discovered two more things. These two things are of great importance, and we are unsure what to do, so we have come to report to you."

Wang Lun's heart sank, knowing it was a serious matter, and he said, "Speak."

"We interrogated two spies sent by Fang La and found out that they were also under the command of someone in Liangshan. This person was their superior and had a close relationship with Fang La," Wu Song said in a low voice.

Wang Lun was shocked and said, "Then what's there to be unsure about? Did they say who they are? Quickly control them, don't kill them, they might still be useful."

Wu Song said, "This person is none other than Qiao'er, the maidservant of the chieftain."

These words were like a thunderbolt from the blue. Wang Lun was stunned and exclaimed, "Qiao'er? She's the orphan I rescued in Jizhou, and we hadn't yet taken control of Jizhou at that time. She shouldn't be here for me. Besides, she was sent by Princess Yupan to serve me..."

He suddenly stopped speaking at this point.

All of this seems reasonable, but in reality it is unreasonable.

Qiao'er was an orphan, and coincidentally, she had no relatives in Jeju. She was all alone, and could leave or stay as she pleased without any ties.

She was just a poor peasant girl at the time, but when she was persecuted by Du Dutou of Jeju, she spoke sharply and remained calm, which attracted the attention of Wang Lun and Zhao Yupan. It is clear that she was no ordinary peasant girl.

Furthermore, after Wang Lun and Zhao Yupan left Jizhou, Qiao'er chased them directly out of the city, which is how she met Zhao Yupan and came to Liangshan on her orders. Everything just fell into place.

As Wang Lun's personal maid, she naturally stayed by his side and knew everything about him.

If she's a spy...

Wang Lun gasped, and asked in a deep voice, "Really?"

Wu Song said, "Those two spies sent by Fang La are not tough guys. I used force against them. Brother Zhu Gui had some ideas, and they have confessed everything. They should not be hiding anything."

Wang Lun nodded. Qiao'er was his maid, and no one would come to frame her. Framed a maid would be meaningless.

His face darkened. "Where is she?" he asked.

Although Qiao'er was a maid, Wang Lun did not like anyone serving outside his bedroom. So since arriving in Jeju, Qiao'er had her own small courtyard and no longer slept outside Wang Lun's bedroom.

Zhu Gui said, "We have already sent our brothers to secretly guard around her room; she can't escape."

Wang Lun nodded and said, "Alright, I understand. Since she is a spy, she cannot stay by my side. However, she was sent by Princess Yupan, so I need to investigate thoroughly. I will deal with her personally."

They all clasped their hands in agreement.

He looked up at the group and asked, "What's the other thing?"

Zhu Gui reported to his brother: "Brother, do you remember the time you asked me to do something?"

Wang Lun's eyes flickered, and he suddenly remembered, so he nodded.

There was only one thing he assigned Zhu Gui to do on his own.

When Chao Gai led his men to Jizhou to settle scores with Du Yuanwai, they were ambushed by Jizhou soldiers, resulting in hundreds of casualties among the Liangshan forces.

Chao Gai and his leaders were also forced into the mountains. If it weren't for Ruan Xiaoer leading a breakout and a brother risking his life to deliver the news to Liangshan, Chao Gai and his men would have been wiped out.

Although Chao Gai's attack on Du Yuanwai was not kept secret, he was ambushed as soon as he arrived. Wang Lun immediately concluded that someone had tipped off Jizhou.

The matter was then entrusted to Zhu Gui for investigation.

However, no clues were ever found afterward, and it has been dragging on until now.

"Have you found out?" Wang Lun asked Zhu Gui.

Zhu Gui said, "At that time, someone was ordered to go to Jizhou to deliver a message, which led the government to set up an ambush and almost killed Chao Tianwang and others. However, this person who delivered the message was not one of the Liangshan brothers, so we never found out. But we never expected that we would accidentally capture this person today."

Shi Qian stepped forward and said, "This man is very shrewd. He originally did some shady things for Huang An, the military commander of Jizhou. After we conquered Jizhou, he went into hiding and lived the life of an ordinary citizen. Today, a spy we captured confessed to him. After we captured him and interrogated him several times, he told us everything."

Wang Lun nodded: "Go on."

"Have this man deliver the news that King Chao led his troops to attack Master Du to Huang An, so that the government troops can set up an ambush, but they will not actually kill King Chao. Their purpose is to arouse King Chao's suspicion of the chieftain, making him think that the chieftain sent someone to betray King Chao."

"According to his plan, the chieftain would not go to rescue Chao Tianwang. After Chao Tianwang escaped, he would definitely fight with the chieftain, causing chaos in Liangshan. At that time, Chao Tianwang had many brothers under his command. If a real fight broke out, the chieftain would definitely not come out on top. This man's heart is truly wicked."

Shi Qian finished speaking in one breath, saying, "This person is Liu Tang."