Chapter 346 Attacked Upon Leaving Home

Chapter 346 Attacked Upon Leaving Home

Han Tao was determined to kill Jiang Yuan at all costs. However, Jiang Yuan was cautious and heavily guarded, with guards always by his side to protect him. Moreover, he had Xie Wanniang, a woman skilled in medicine and with a meticulous mind, by his side to help him. It would not be easy for Han Tao to get rid of him.

Han Tao paced back and forth for a while, then stood by the window, gazing in the direction of the commander's residence and pondering for a long time.

After a long while, he raised his hand to summon his trusted confidant, whispered a few instructions, and his eyes were full of ruthlessness and determination.

Unbeknownst to anyone, an even greater storm was quietly brewing in Dinghaiwei because of Han Tao's desperate gamble.

***

Time flies, and soon it was the day before the winter solstice.

The main street in Dinghai County was bustling with activity as the festival approached. Silk shops displayed their finest silks and satins, general stores sold oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar, and pastry shops offered a dazzling array of goods, with vendors' calls echoing throughout the streets.

The cold wind blew, stirring up the few remaining withered yellow leaves on the ground, but it did nothing to diminish the hustle and bustle of the city.

Many people, including Xie Wanniang, chose this day to go out for a stroll.

For some time now, Jiang Yuan's investigation into Han Tao has been proceeding methodically, with clues gradually forming a net, while Han Tao's attempts to decapitate Jiang Yuan have repeatedly failed.

Although he was highly skilled in martial arts, Jiang Yuan never let his guard down. He was always heavily guarded and never gave any bad guys a chance.

Han Tao lay low for many days but could not find an opportunity to make a move against Jiang Yuan. Feeling anxious and restless, he had no choice but to change his mind and decided to capture Xie Wanniang or the two children first, and then use them to blackmail Jiang Yuan.

However, his subordinates soon discovered that the Jiang Yuan residence was heavily guarded, and Han Tao's men could not even get close to the outer wall of the mansion, let alone sneak in.

Thus, Han Tao's plan to secretly harm Xie Wanniang and the two children was once again thwarted by Xie Wanniang and Jiang Yuan's extra caution.

With his plans repeatedly thwarted, Han Tao grew increasingly impatient. Left with no other option, he ordered his men to keep watch around Jiang Yuan's residence day and night, waiting for Xie Wan Niang or the two children to come out before making his move.

He refused to believe that Xie Wanniang and those two little brats could stay obediently inside the mansion forever.

What he didn't know was that the guards Xie Wanniang and Jiang Yuan kept were far more qualified than his personal guards. They had already noticed Han Tao's personal guards when they first sneaked over to scout the area.

While Han Tao was becoming increasingly anxious due to the lack of progress, Xie Wanniang and Jiang Yuan had already thoroughly investigated his background.

Having completed the preliminary work, Xie Wanniang decided to go fishing.

She chose the day before the winter solstice to take Haitang and her daughters Shen Guizhi and Yang Xiaowei out shopping and doing some shopping.

Of course, in order not to make her fishing seem too deliberate, Xie Wanniang also brought a coachman and bodyguards with her.

However, unlike Jiang Yuan, who was always surrounded by a large entourage, she only had four bodyguards with her this time.

To make it easier for Han Tao's spies to confirm her identity, Xie Wanniang even rode in her princess's carriage.

Currently, in their family, only she is qualified to ride in this kind of car.

Therefore, Han Tao's informant, who was guarding the teahouse in the distance, immediately ran back to inform Han Tao the moment he saw the carriage.

"My lord, Madam Xie has gone out! She only took three maids, a coachman, and four guards with her!"

Han Tao was sitting in his room drinking tea when he heard this and suddenly slammed his teacup down on the table.

His belly, which had shrunk considerably during this period, swayed slightly as he suddenly stood up.

A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. "Finally, the hell I've been waiting for! Quick, get those guys moving immediately and bring him back!"

"Yes!" The informant acknowledged the order, turned, and quickly left.

The "those guys" Han Tao was referring to were his personal guards who had been wearing ordinary short-sleeved shirts for a long time but had never gotten a chance to make a move.

These were his trusted confidants, and among them, the most skilled and clever.

In order to capture Xie Wanniang, these people have been on standby in the mansion at all times recently.

Now that Xie Wanniang has finally gone out, Han Tao must immediately send someone to kidnap her.

He refused to believe that once he caught Xie Wanniang, Jiang Yuan would still be as arrogant as he was now.

Meanwhile, on the busiest main street in Dinghai County, Xie Wanniang lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, admiring the scenery along the street while saying to Haitang, "I heard there's a place called 'Fuyuanzhai' here that makes some good pastries. Have someone buy a few packs later and bring them back to the manor for everyone to try."

Upon hearing this, Haitang immediately leaned out of the car window and said, "Brother Yang, could you please go to Fuyuanzhai and buy some freshly baked pastries? Remember to pick the ones that sell well."

One of the guards responded and left to queue at Fuyuanzhai.

A moment later, two burly men dressed in coarse cloth and short jackets suddenly rushed out of the alley and crashed straight into the horse's head.

Upon seeing this, the two guards standing on either side of the carriage immediately stepped forward to stop them: "What are you doing?"

Shanzi, who was driving the carriage, quickly grabbed the reins to prevent the horses from being startled by their collision.

The two men who were stopped remained silent, but in perfect unison, they simultaneously threw darts at the horses.

"You're asking for death!" The two guards glared and knocked away the darts, then went to capture the two burly men who were trying to harm the horses.

Their princess is sitting in this carriage. If the horse gets hurt or startled, wouldn't their princess be in danger?

The two guards shouted and cursed, and their actions were swift and decisive. However, the two burly men fought and retreated, trying to lead the two guards into the alley not far away.

Shen Guizhi sensed something was amiss and whispered to her daughter, "It's almost time."

As soon as she finished speaking, more than a dozen burly men dressed in coarse cloth short jackets rushed out from the other alleys behind the carriage.

These men, like the two burly men before them, were Han Tao's personal guards. They had changed into common coarse cloth shorts and put on simple disguises.

After the two guards were lured away, they immediately rushed over with weapons in hand and menacing expressions.

Hearing the commotion, Shanzi turned around and his eyes lit up instantly. He pulled out a long iron rod hidden behind the carriage door and smashed it down on the head of the burly man who was charging at the front.

He was only seventeen or eighteen years old, in the prime of his life. He usually followed Xie Wanniang, but most of the time he only did simple tasks such as driving and patrolling, and rarely had the opportunity to fight.

Seeing the enemy rushing towards him, the young man became excited. He wielded his long stick with great force, like playing whack-a-mole, taking advantage of his high position, and stood on the cart shaft, striking the enemy's head repeatedly with the stick.