"Then it's a deal. I'll prepare food and wine at home and look forward to Brother Cui's arrival."
"It's settled. It's getting late, I need to head back to camp. It wouldn't be good if someone caught me doing something wrong at this point."
"Military affairs are important, no delivery will be made."
Cui Qi left in a hurry. This man suited Lu Xuan's temperament well. He preferred dealing with straightforward people. Although Cui Qi wasn't entirely the rough and uncouth man he appeared to be, he was quite sincere. Lu Xuan could sense that he genuinely wanted to befriend him. Regardless of the initial reasons, Cui Qi now considered Lu Xuan a friend.
Not long after Cui Qi left, the servant hurriedly returned carrying two jugs of wine and some snacks to go with them.
"Master?" He asked, puzzled, noticing that the guest from before was no longer there.
"Never mind, go heat up the dishes. There will be other guests later."
The guests were naturally Lai Xi and Lieutenant Li. It seemed that because of their different statuses, they had taken different paths. Lieutenant Li was trained by Lai Xi, and they had arranged to meet at Lu Xuan's house tonight.
"Brother Lu, we've come to freeload a meal." Lieutenant Li was clearly in a good mood. The Emperor had pardoned him, even though he hadn't done anything to deserve it. But with his grudge lifted, his mood naturally improved. Lai Xi was also all smiles; it seemed the Emperor had granted his request.
Lu Xuan waved for the servants to bring up the wine and dishes. He poured three large bowls of wine, which the three of them downed in one gulp. Only then did they begin to speak.
"Brother Lu, your courtyard is truly enviable. You could even ride a horse through it."
"It's all thanks to His Majesty's grace," Lu Xuan casually continued to flatter the emperor.
"Back in Damai Camp, I asked Brother Lu why he was getting involved in this mess. Brother Lu replied that fortune favors the bold. There's nothing to be ashamed of when you risk your life for wealth. It's what Brother Lu deserves. Moreover, I also received the Emperor's permission to return to my hometown in Fusang to take care of my elderly mother."
"Of all virtues, filial piety is the most important. It is only right that you return home to serve your elderly mother." This is my respect, younger brother. Of the three, Lu Xuan was the youngest, so he always referred to himself as "younger brother."
Lai Xi put down his wine glass and then took out a small cloth bag from his pocket. Inside were some house deeds and land deeds. He pushed all those things in front of Lu Xuan and Lieutenant Li.
"I will be leaving Chang'an soon. This journey will be long and arduous, and I don't know when we will meet again. These are some of my properties in Chang'an, which I entrust to my two brothers."
Brother Li is all alone; he can stay at my house. There are two old servants there who can certainly take good care of him. In addition, the Emperor has also bestowed upon me some shops and land, which I entrust to my two brothers for safekeeping. If I can return to Chang'an, these will be my means of livelihood. If I cannot return, these things will be my gifts to you two.”
During the Tang Dynasty, shipping actually had a decent level of development. At least, traveling to Japan was entirely possible. However, this didn't mean there were no dangers. In fact, navigation in that era was always fraught with peril. This was because maritime technology was insufficient to cope with various unforeseen events at sea. A single storm could wipe everything out, and rescue was virtually impossible.
Therefore, Lai Xi's actions had the feel of entrusting his affairs after death. For Lu Xuan and Lieutenant Li, this was an immense trust.
The two exchanged a glance, then stood up and raised their glasses simultaneously.
As night deepened, the dim candlelight cast three tall figures on the window.
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Chapter Twenty-Seven: Zhang Xiaojing, the Fifth King of Hell
The next day, Rachel set off. He had delayed this day for more than a year in pursuit of Lieutenant Li, and now he was eager to return home.
Lu Xuan and Lieutenant Li did not try to stop him, as returning home to fulfill his filial duties was a matter of great importance. It was not appropriate to persuade him to stay. The two watched Lai Xi's carriage depart, then turned and returned to Chang'an City.
Today is also an important day for Lu Xuan. He's going to Wannian County to take up his new post. Wannian County Public Security Bureau... no, he's going to be the county constable.
Li Fushan had visited Chang'an many years ago, but times had changed drastically. Lu Xuan, on the other hand, was visiting Chang'an for the first time. After much wandering and countless detours, the two finally found the county government office of Wannian County.
Because he was personally appointed by the emperor, Lu Xuan received exceptional treatment. His superiors, from the county magistrate to the county assistant magistrate, were all extremely polite. Lu Xuan didn't even need to present any relevant documents or certificates. He had absolutely nothing. After all, it was just a matter of the emperor's word. However, the county magistrate of Wannian County had already prepared everything for him, allowing him to easily assume his post.
Having successfully assumed office, it was time to get to work. The county constable of Wannian County was a real official, and naturally had subordinates. He casually recruited one to show him the work process. The main priority was to register his and Li Fushan's household registrations in Chang'an and Wannian County. In later times, that right alone would be enough to make people fight tooth and nail for it.
Registering his own household registration was a piece of cake for Lu Xuan, who easily accomplished his goal. With this matter settled, Lu Xuan was in high spirits. However, just then, an unknown subordinate came to report that the head of the Wannian County's criminal gang needed to see him.
The "Bad People" were a unique organization in the Tang Dynasty. They were typically composed of local ruffians known for their bravery and fighting skills. Leveraging their familiarity with the area, they were a special agency tasked with apprehending bandits and solving various cases.
This organization sounds quite legendary, but in reality, its status is extremely low. Simply put, Lu Xuan is the county constable and police chief of Wannian County. He naturally has a group of police officers under his command to assist him. However, there aren't enough police officers, so he recruited a group of auxiliary police officers locally. The "Bad Men" are essentially these auxiliary police officers. The "Bad Commander" is the captain of the auxiliary police. It sounds like a prestigious title, but at most, it's only a ninth-rank official, or even lower.
Speaking of the head of the Wannian County Bad Guys at this time, Lu Xuan couldn't help but think of one person.
The newcomer wasn't very tall, and he was dressed in the uniform of the notorious gangsters, which was a dark blue color. His trousers and arms were bound with hemp rope, giving him an extremely capable appearance.
A horizontal sword and a crossbow hung at his waist. He wasn't wearing any armor. Even the Bad People didn't seem to have this kind of perk. He shouldn't even have had the crossbow. But Lu Xuan didn't care.
Although not tall, he was exceptionally strong. With his clothes completely pulled back, the faint bulges of his muscles were even more visible. He was a tough guy, as strong as an iron block.
His left eyeball was long gone, replaced by a deep scar. His face, sculpted like it had been carved by a knife and axe, combined with that deep scar, gave him a ferocious, glaring appearance, like a wrathful Vajra.
Just as Lu Xuan was sizing up the other person, the other person was also sizing up Lu Xuan.
Because Lu Xuan was wearing the official robes of a county magistrate, brand new and unremarkable. His sword was also a standard-issue shield, lacking any distinctive features. He must have just taken office and received all of this newly.
The other person was tall, a head taller than himself. He had a noticeable scar on his face, but it didn't detract from his handsomeness. It was the kind of handsome that would make the noble ladies of Chang'an secretly turn their heads to steal a glance.
But the burly man knew that this handsome appearance was merely a facade. The moment the man arrived in Chang'an, he had gathered information about him. By now, many things were no longer secrets. For example, this county magistrate was a swordsman from the Western Regions, with countless lives on his hands.
Because of his great merit in escorting a Tang Dynasty merchant caravan, he received a reward from the emperor and was granted the position of county magistrate. The burly man himself had served as a soldier in the Western Regions for eight years and naturally knew how dangerous the journey from the Western Regions to Chang'an was. Moreover, with such a substantial reward, the journey must have been fraught with bloodshed and countless dangers. Therefore, it was clear that this county magistrate, who was still fully capable of carrying all his limbs, was probably not as gentle as he appeared. Deep down, he was likely the same kind of person as the man himself.
The man standing behind him was tall and imposing, his military bearing unmistakable. He was probably a veteran, and it seemed he was planning to place his own people in the county government.
"Zhang Xiaojing greets the County Commandant."
The newcomer was Zhang Xiaojing, the head of the Wannian County's criminal gang, and theoretically Lu Xuan's deputy. He was the man who intimidated the entire underworld of Wannian County, known as the Fifth King of Hell.
"No need for formalities. I just reported for duty today. I am still not clear about the affairs of the county government. The county constable's work is far from over, and I will have to rely on you, the leader of the 'Bad Guys,' in the future."
Lu Xuan's speech unconsciously carried a touch of later style. Regardless of their true feelings, on the surface they were all good brothers. However, Zhang Xiaojing was quite shrewd. Hearing Lu Xuan's response, he immediately sensed that Lu Xuan was likely a man of deep cunning and reserved nature. He became more wary. After all, he couldn't believe that this ruthless character, who had traveled thousands of miles from the Western Regions to Chang'an, would be so amiable...
"Your Excellency is too kind. Zhang Xiaojing has come here on official business."
"Since this is official business, let's come in and talk."
As Lu Xuan spoke, he led Zhang Xiaojing into his office.
Zhang Xiaojing glanced at Li Fushan, but didn't hesitate.