"Are you calmed down? Then come with me." After saying this, Lu Xuan led the man to his own restaurant not far away and into a private room. Along the way, Lu Xuan led the man with his back to him. However, the man found himself unable to muster the urge to run away or fight back. He followed Lu Xuan into the private room in a daze.
"Who are you?" he asked menacingly as soon as he entered the room, seemingly trying to hide his inner trembling.
Lu Xuan did not answer the question, but instead spoke up.
"Your name is Xiao Gui, and you, along with Zhang Xiaojing and Wen Wuji, were survivors of the Eighth Regiment. After you and Zhang Xiaojing parted ways in Kucha, you went to Guangwu alone. If the information is correct, you should have an older sister there. You went there to seek refuge with her, right? But judging from the timeline, by the time you arrived, your sister should already be dead. Even your brother-in-law and two nephews had perished in the fire. Am I right?"
"Then do you know how they died?" Xiao Gui asked, his face ashen, enunciating each word clearly.
"Judging from your later actions, the person who killed your sister's entire family must have been the local county magistrate. That's why you killed them and then disappeared without a trace."
"Disappeared without a trace? That's too bland. I didn't disappear; I just barely survived. I went to Lingwu City and became a guard. Murder, wandering—so many years have passed. I still don't understand why that kind of tragedy befell me."
"So you killed all of the dozen or so officials in Guangwu City? You should know that killing officials is a serious crime of treason."
"So what if I'm plotting rebellion?" Xiao Gui, whose identity had been exposed, seemed to have no choice but to go all out.
"That man was just a minor county magistrate. A county magistrate in a remote area, not even a rank, is far inferior to you, a county lieutenant in the capital. Yet he could kill and set fires at will, insult my sister, burn her entire family to death, even destroy my official document, seize my family's property, and force me out of Guangwu. I thought the Lanzhou Governor's Office could clear my name, but the first thing they did upon seeing me was not to seek justice for me, but to send me to the death row."
I spent a year on death row, and after escaping, I slaughtered every official, big and small, in Guangwu. But what did it matter? The new officials were just as wicked. I spent five years in the Shouzhulang (a military post), seeing countless people like me. Only then did I understand. It wasn't my bad luck, nor was it my sister's family's. It was that the Tang Dynasty was sick. This Tang Dynasty that I had risked my life to protect, it was sick…”
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Chapter Fifty-Seven: No, it's your Extra gum.
After Xiao Gui said those words through gritted teeth, a brief silence fell over the room.
To be fair, Xiao Gui was a talented individual. Despite being a commoner, he was able to see the deep-seated problems within the Tang Dynasty. Even if his personal experiences played a role, his vision was undeniable. Furthermore, the attack he orchestrated the following year demonstrated unparalleled strategic planning and powerful execution. Such a person should certainly be put to good use.
"The Tang Dynasty is ill. Then you appeared in Chang'an. Let me guess, you intend to cure the Tang Dynasty's illness?"
"Cure illnesses? I don't have that ability. What I want to do is simply give them a wake-up call. Make those high and mighty figures look down. Let them know that there are countless insignificant people at their feet. And these insignificant people, when gathered together, are enough to hurt them."
"So you named your organization Ants?" Lu Xuan's casual remark sent a shiver down Xiao Gui's spine.
Xiao Gui was completely panicked. He naturally knew this County Magistrate Lu. He had been in Chang'an for a long time, arranging for people to help him. He knew that County Magistrate Lu had eradicated the Xiong Huo Gang and was one of the few good officials.
But now it seems the other party is more than just a simple county constable. They not only know who I am, but they even know the name of the organization I just decided to join. Clearly, without me even realizing it, my every move has been completely controlled by them.
Seeing Xiao Gui remain silent, Lu Xuan didn't urge him. He simply picked up a cup of tea, took a sip, and quietly watched him. At that moment, Xiao Gui seemed to have figured something out.
"You are the county magistrate of Wannian County, yet you know me but didn't arrest me. You even brought me to your own tavern for questioning. What does this mean? Perhaps I should ask you now, who are you?"
"You see, you're starting to catch up with me. Who am I? I can answer you: I want to save the Tang Dynasty. In fact, to some extent, I agree with your approach. It's just that we need to be a little more precise."
"You know what I'm going to do?" Xiao Gui naturally didn't believe it. He only had a general idea in mind, which he had never shared with anyone. How could this person possibly know?
"I can tell from your actions. Your gaze keeps drifting towards the imperial city. So your target must be the imperial city. Choosing this time to come out and scout is twofold. First, it's an effective way to avoid the Dragon Martial Army's patrols. Second, your plan is probably related to the Lantern Festival."
Looking outside, the streets were packed with people. The Longwu Army patrols were barely able to move. If it were me, I would definitely do something today. Just scattering a handful of copper coins on Tianjin Bridge would cause massive chaos. Or I could simply find a few wards and set them on fire. That would easily cripple the city. You see, no matter how strong Chang'an's walls are, the city's interior, like a person's internal organs, is incredibly fragile.
"What do you want to do?" This time, Xiao Gui was truly impressed. This person could even guess almost everything about his plans before he had even voiced them. On the other person's turf, it was best to go along with their wishes.
"On the night of the Lantern Festival, there will be a grand gathering in the court. At that time, the most favored officials in the court will be invited to the Hua'e Xianghui Tower to enjoy the moon and scenery. If you want to provoke the country, that will be the perfect opportunity."
"Who exactly are you?" Xiao Gui became nervous. After all, he only had an idea, but the other party seemed to have a plan. This County Magistrate Lu didn't seem to be on the same side as the imperial court.
“I told you, I want to save the Tang Dynasty. But the Tang Dynasty won’t get better on its own. No matter how much you provoke it, it won’t get better unless someone guides it.”
"You are just a minor county magistrate, what merit or ability do you have to say that you can lead the Tang Dynasty?"
"Of course I don't have the ability to guide the Tang Dynasty. But I do have the ability to influence the current Crown Prince. And if your plan succeeds, I might even be able to influence the current Emperor."
"That was clearly your plan."
"No, that's yours." These words made Xiao Gui's breathing suddenly become heavy. The person before him was the Crown Prince's man, meaning the Crown Prince was the one who orchestrated all of this. However, Lu Xuan hadn't finished speaking.
“I know you’ve already won over a group of battle-hardened veterans, and the city’s guards are also your spies. To be honest, if they weren’t still useful, I would have buried those useless guards next to the Bearfire Gang long ago.”
"The guards are all a bunch of..."
"A group of wounded veterans? And then they gang up to bully civilians weaker than themselves? Shouzhulang, Shouzhulang, revenge is a must, kindness must be repaid. Heh, do you believe that?"
"...There are truly many pitiful people among them. However, they've all changed. That's why I dare not let them get too involved. They have indeed fallen. Now you're in charge of the situation. So, tell me... what my plan is?"
“Very good. First of all, I know you have already contacted the Turks. I don’t like this at all. But in a sense, it’s a good move. Having the Turks can attract attention openly, which is a good plan. So, if possible, bring over as many Turks as possible. When the time comes, make a big commotion. Also, bring over as many Han veterans as possible.”
“Those Turkic warriors are not like ordinary merchants. The old officials at the city gate can tell them apart at a glance. I’ve tried several times, but it’s very difficult to get them in.”
"It's alright, I'll take care of things at the city gate. I also have some connections with the Imperial Guards guarding the city. Just focus on your own tasks, and I'll handle the rest."
"Understood. I plan to use kerosene to burn down the Flower Calyx Pavilion. However, kerosene is difficult to transport in on a large scale."
“This is even simpler. You can directly transport that black oil from the Western Regions. That stuff is also used to make ink in Chang'an. When the time comes, you can bring it in under the guise of ink. Chang'an consumes countless amounts of ink, so no one will care how much you transport. After entering the city, you can distribute it here.”
As Xiao Gui pondered, he raised various questions. But Lu Xuan seemed to have already thought them through, readily offering solutions. This gave Xiao Gui a strange sense of absurdity. It was as if this County Magistrate Lu was the one who should be him, the one who should be the one hating Chang'an.
.........
“Alright, there’s one last problem. You need to change your accommodation. There are quite a few vacant courtyards in Pingkang Ward. They all have owners, but their owners are definitely not coming back. I’ve marked the entrances. Bring the people in and hide them in those courtyards. That ward is the one with the fewest official patrols. Remember to make sure the Turks stay in the two courtyards on the west side.”
"Why are those courtyards so special?"
"Of course it's special. Because the home of Li Linfu, the Right Chancellor of the Tang Dynasty, is just across the street..."
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Chapter 58 You think you can just run away after taking advantage of me?
The Lantern Festival of the second year of the Tianbao era came to a successful conclusion. Or perhaps it had a slight flaw. The fact that Xu Hezi, the renowned first female singer of the Tang Dynasty, whom many citizens of Chang'an had been eagerly anticipating, did not appear on any of the flower boats was a disappointment.