“Impossible. If one day you look him in the eye, you will understand what I mean. The real Xiao Gui died a long time ago. The one who is alive now is called Long Bo.”
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Chapter Sixty-One: Back and Forth
Chang'an City, Pingkang Ward, Right Prime Minister's Residence.
Li Linfu sat upright in a chair, with several colleagues and lackeys seated in front of him. Although chairs were not yet common in Chang'an, these high-ranking officials had already begun using them. Even Li Linfu had to admit that this type of seating was much more comfortable than the kneeling position he had previously held.
"So, the Jing'an Division has already laid a trap around Wang Yunxiu, just waiting for the Turks to take the bait?"
“That’s right. Although the Jing’an Division has just been established, it acts with domineering caution. I’m afraid the Turks have little chance.”
"Yes, General Wang is fighting for the country abroad. We, as his colleagues, should be happy that his daughter is safe and sound." Li Linfu's words were immediately echoed by the crowd before him. After all, everyone knew the Right Chancellor's reputation—a man of honeyed words and a heart of daggers.
After everyone had left, Li Linfu sat alone in his chair, motionless. He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, deep in thought.
After a long while, he suddenly spoke.
“Send someone to deliver a gift to Lieutenant Lu.”
A servant waiting beside him was startled.
"Master, what is your status...?" He had barely opened his mouth when he felt a chilling gaze sweep over his face. He shuddered involuntarily. His master wasn't the type to listen to advice.
"yes......"
Lu Xuan was also taken aback when he received the gift.
"This is......"
"Captain Lu, this is a gift from the Right Chancellor. He has found that the chair you made has helped him a lot with his back and legs. This is a small return gift."
The so-called "small return gift" consisted of several land deeds—properties for some of the best restaurants in Chang'an. This seemingly insignificant "small gift" turned out to be a sum that could make a person rich for life.
Lu Xuan had been on guard against Li Linfu's counterattack, but the other side remained silent. Eventually, he gradually relaxed his guard, but then Li Linfu suddenly reacted.
He was a captain in the Jing'an Division, a figure of great importance to ordinary people. However, to Li Linfu, he was still an insignificant ant. In a TV drama, there's a scene where Li Bi, as the assistant director of the Jing'an Division, goes to see Li Linfu. Li Linfu merely glances at him, gives a perfunctory greeting, and then leaves him standing there.
This gift was undoubtedly something Lu Xuan desperately needed on the surface. However, everyone in the court knew that the Crown Prince and the Right Chancellor were at odds, and Lu Xuan was the Crown Prince's man. If he accepted this gift, wouldn't it be tantamount to betraying the Crown Prince to outsiders? But if he refused, it would be disrespectful to the Right Chancellor. Because, as mentioned before, this was the Right Chancellor's return gift...
If he didn't give the Right Chancellor face, Li Linfu could deal with him in a nearly fair and just manner. And no one could utter a word of complaint, because it would be his own fault for not showing respect first...
All historical records portray Li Linfu as a master of scheming and unparalleled in political maneuvering. Lu Xuan, however, had never truly experienced officialdom and was completely ignorant of such skills. Even this fleeting glimpse was enough to make him extremely uncomfortable.
"Go back and tell the Right Chancellor that Lu Xuan has thanked him."
"..." The servant bowed and withdrew. His manners were impeccable, showing not a trace of arrogance. This only made Lu Xuan feel how terrifying this man was. He even had the urge to rush into Li Linfu's house and chop him to pieces. But in the end, he restrained himself. Now was not the time for Li Linfu to die. The court still needed him to maintain the balance. The time for a reshuffle was not yet ripe; this matter could only be temporarily noted down.
Having been thoroughly disgusted by Li Linfu, Lu Xuan thought the matter was over. However, the next day, he encountered something even more disgusting. The Right Valiant Guard suddenly interfered with the Jing'an Division's mission to protect Wang Yunxiu, and they were acting on the orders of the Right Chancellor.
If the previous move only served to soothe the relationship between Lu Xuan and the Crown Prince, this one is a genuine attempt to trip them up. The Right Valiant Guard openly deployed their forces, surrounding Wang Yunxiu's courtyard. All of Chang'an now knew about the Turks' plan. This rendered the Jing'an Division's strategy of waiting passively futile. And yet, they couldn't find an excuse—was the Right Valiant Guard here to help?
"Things have changed. The Turks must already know the news has been leaked. We must take the initiative." Inside the Jing'an Division, Li Bi's expression was rather grim. Clearly, the Right Valiant Guard's intervention had disrupted all of the Jing'an Division's plans.
"But we still can't determine the identities and locations of all the assassins. They entered in different places, and we can't have information on everyone."
"Then arrest all the suspects. Better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free." Li Bi's voice began to carry a hint of murderous intent. Clearly, Li Linfu was putting considerable pressure on him. Entering officialdom for the first time, he had to contend with a seasoned veteran like Li Linfu; the pressure he felt was unimaginable. In the TV series, he's portrayed as a relatively virtuous and upright character. However, those who have read the original novel know that he was, at heart, a ruthless and ambitious figure.
In order to seize absolute power, he deliberately leaked news of the death of Jiao Sui, an old friend of He Zhizhang (reported on television that Li Linfu was responsible). This nearly shocked He Zhizhang to death.
“I have no objection to arresting the Hu people. However, such a high-profile operation is very likely to provoke a backlash in the court. It will also be detrimental to the Crown Prince’s reputation among the common people. We should not do this until the very last moment. Moreover, if we do do this, the Jing’an Division will not have enough manpower.”
"But we cannot allow a group of Turkic assassins to lurk in Chang'an. If something goes wrong, the Jing'an Division cannot bear the responsibility."
“If the Jing’an Division can’t afford it, then find someone to share the burden.” Lu Xuan, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up.
"What does Commander Lu mean?" a senior officer from the Jing'an Division asked in a somewhat unfriendly tone. Most of the high-ranking officers in the Jing'an Division did not have a good impression of Lu Xuan. After all, he was a barbarian from the Western Regions who had risen to power overnight; how could they possibly be comfortable with him?
"My meaning is very simple. If the Jing'an Division can't handle it, we'll find someone who can. For example... the Right Valiant Guard."
Li Bi pondered for a moment, then revealed a look of sudden realization.
“Indeed… Since the Right Valiant Guards are acting on the orders of the Right Chancellor to protect Wang Yunxiu, it is naturally their duty to hunt down the mastermind behind it all. Pass down the order that within a day, the entire city of Chang'an should know that it was the Right Chancellor who, out of consideration for his colleagues, dispatched the Right Valiant Guards to protect Wang Yunxiu. I want to see if the Right Chancellor still has any shame.”
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Chapter Sixty-Two: The Killing Intent Appears
Lu Xuan knew all too well how powerful public opinion could be. In his previous life, various self-media platforms proliferated. Countless people flocked to them, attempting to gain control of public discourse.
This era is different from Lu Xuan's previous life. Under the feudal dynasty, some things cannot be said casually. However, this does not mean that the power of public opinion is unimportant.
"The imperial court already has its own official gazette. Why should we waste our energy creating another one?"
"The official gazette of the court has too limited circulation. It only circulates among officials and gentry. Moreover, the content is mostly dry and obscure, which has almost no appeal to the general public. What we need to do is create a newspaper that everyone can understand, like, and even look forward to."
The Jing'an Division has a large number of clerical staff. However, in reality, there aren't that many terrorist attacks for them to analyze. Feeling this was a waste of manpower, Lu Xuan came up with the idea of creating a newspaper.
In the imperial court, turning the tide might happen overnight. Because the world can function regardless of who's gone. But winning over the hearts of the people requires a long period of gradual accumulation. And this accumulation lies in controlling public opinion. Our party rose to power in our previous life through this; even if Lu Xuan didn't fully understand it, he knew a little bit about it. In the Tang Dynasty, this was barely enough to wage a propaganda war.
Crown Prince Li Heng wasn't particularly interested in the matter. However, Li Bi keenly sensed the power contained within the so-called 'newspaper'. Although he couldn't fully describe the feeling, he still felt a sense of dread, as if this thing contained supreme authority.
Newspapers, of course, have no real power. But those who control public opinion can be considered uncrowned kings.
The Jing'an Division had ample manpower and abundant resources. Within two days, they printed their first newspaper, named the 'Great Tang Gazette,' and began trial operation in Chang'an.
At Lu Xuan's request, the Jing'an Division assigned a number to the newspaper. Lu Xuan, without hesitation, pocketed number 001, intending to keep it as a collectible. The first truly public-facing newspaper of the Tang Dynasty, and the very first issue, possessed immense commemorative value.
One of the newspaper's main headlines was about the joint battle between the Jing'an Division and the Right Valiant Guard.