“It’s certainly not a good look for a prince to run a brothel. But it’s not enough to cripple him. What I need is some more insidious evidence.”
“Prince Yong has two great hobbies: lust and horses. We can start from these two aspects.” Zhang Xiaojing and Lu Xuan chatted casually about how to deal with a prince of the current dynasty, as if the other party was just an insignificant nobody.
"Now that we know his interests, let's target them specifically. If we can't find a weakness, then we'll create one."
"Understood, Your Majesty." Zhang Xiaojing harbored a deep-seated hatred for Prince Yong. The reason was simple: Prince Yong dared to set his sights on Wen Ran... Wen Wuji had always wanted to marry Wen Ran to him. Although he didn't reciprocate those feelings, even if he considered her a sister, he couldn't stand by and watch him succeed. A mere prince—Zhang Xiaojing, living in the darkest corner of Chang'an, knew how fragile this city truly was. He also knew that those who seemed powerful were, in some ways, even more vulnerable than ordinary people.
After Zhang Xiaojing left, the old man walked over and whispered a few words in Lu Xuan'er's ear. Even at home, the old man was so cautious, which showed that this matter must be extremely important and could not be spoken aloud.
After hearing this, Lu Xuan frowned, then took the knife the old man handed him and left the house. Unusually, the old man didn't follow, but instead turned and walked in another direction.
Pingkang Ward, the dark heart of Chang'an. Brothels and gambling dens abound, a melting pot of Han and non-Han people. Beneath the chaotic and noisy surface lies the trafficking of people, murder by hire, and the forced prostitution of innocent women—a horrific crime. Lu Xuan avoided this place for fear he might lose control and draw his sword to slaughter all these scoundrels.
He had tried targeting Pingkang Ward more than once. However, it turned out that the situation within Pingkang Ward was far more complex than that of the Xiong Huo Gang. As a mere county constable, he would be suppressed by his superiors as soon as he made any moves. Even the Crown Prince didn't have a good solution for this place in the short term.
Lu Xuan wasn't wearing official robes, but many people in Pingkang Ward recognized him. Although he didn't interfere in Pingkang Ward, it was clear that the people there had been given some kind of order not to provoke him. Several servants' expressions changed slightly upon seeing Lu Xuan, but they didn't stop him; instead, they quickly ran inside to report the situation.
Lu Xuan remained silent, simply holding his knife and standing there waiting. Soon, the servant who had run inside returned.
"Mr. Lu, this way please."
Lu Xuan was led through a maze of turns, entering the deepest part of Pingkang Ward. After passing through a chaotic and dilapidated shantytown gambling den, the scene suddenly changed. Several exquisite and elegant courtyards appeared before Lu Xuan. Stepping into one of the courtyards, an old Kunlun slave was already waiting there.
"County Magistrate Lu, your presence is an honor to our humble abode." His Chinese was clear and standard, with a slight accent. But compared to those foreign merchants, it was as standard as could be.
Lu Xuan glanced at him. He found that although the old man was using a cane, he wasn't nearly as old as he looked. At least the exposed parts of his arms were still strong. Although his movements seemed slow, Lu Xuan could sense that the body beneath that bearskin coat didn't lack explosive power.
He didn't waste any words and went straight to the point.
"I heard you have the information I'm looking for?"
"Xiao Yi, go make some tea. County Commandant Lu, come with me." Old Ge clearly had no intention of talking to Lu Xuan in the courtyard, and led Lu Xuan into the house. Faintly, Lu Xuan could even hear a woman's screams coming from behind the house. His right hand, gripping the knife, tightened slightly, but then relaxed.
“If County Commandant Lu wants to get information from me, he must already know my rules.”
"I don't know, I only care about what I want."
"Is that so? Then I'm afraid I must repeat my rules. With me, you have to give something for something you want to get."
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Chapter Fifty-Six: The Country I Once Protected... Is Sick
A young servant named Xiao Yi brought over two cups of hot tea and then quickly left.
Lu Xuan gently stroked the teacup, but did not pick it up to drink.
"Tell me, what do you want?"
"It's simple. County Magistrate Lu wants a piece of information, so naturally I want some too. As for what I want, I plan to hold off until I need it, then I'll ask County Magistrate Lu for it... How about that?"
"Heh? You're so confident I won't back out?"
"Although I don't know what County Lieutenant Lu is planning to do, it must be something very important. Since it's important, something has to be paid for. This rule applies not only in Pingkang Ward, but everywhere in Chang'an City. Am I right, County Lieutenant Lu?"
Lu Xuan stared into Elder Ge's eyes, remaining silent for a long time. This old Kunlun slave was naturally very shrewd. He wanted to use a piece of information to gain a favor from Lu Xuan, and a favor that could be used at any time.
"Deal. Tell me, where is he now?"
"Excellent. County Magistrate Lu is indeed a straightforward man. Xiao Yi, lead the way." Old Ge said, picking up the teacup in front of him.
Lu Xuan got up and followed the servant named Xiao Yi out.
They quickly moved through Pingkang Ward, and then followed the river into Wuben Ward.
“County Commandant Lu, this is it. That man entered Chang’an three days ago and rented a house here through a brokerage firm.” The two men spoke in hushed tones as they approached the house. At that moment, another servant emerged from the back of the house.
"He just left, heading southwest, just past the corner."
Lu Xuan and Xiao Yi immediately followed, and finally spotted the person's back at the next street corner. Lu Xuan gestured to Xiao Yi. The two stopped and waited briefly.
"Xiao Yi, go back now. Remember, don't do anything unnecessary. No matter what you see or come into contact with inside, don't make any unnecessary moves. Just lie low and wait. A good undercover agent might only make one move in his lifetime, but that one move is enough to affect the whole situation. Do you understand what I mean?"
That's right, Xiao Yi, who was by Ge Lao's side, was a spy for the Bad Guys. Zhang Xiaojing had planted him. After Lu Xuan accepted the position of county magistrate, he naturally learned about all these spies.
"I understand, sir. Please be careful. I'll take my leave now." With that, Xiao Yi turned and quickly departed. Lu Xuan followed after the figure in the distance.
Xiao Yi, the undercover agent, is one of the characters who left a very deep impression on Lu Xuan throughout the entire story, even though he only had a very few scenes. However, undercover agents in movies and TV dramas always leave a more lasting impression.
The man Lu Xuan was following was tall and slender with long arms and legs. From behind, he wasn't particularly striking. However, this man was an extremely important part of Lu Xuan's plan.
The man weaved through the crowd and arrived before the Imperial City. This was a rare moment when a large number of people could gather in front of the Imperial City. Here, the floats would compete in their final showdown, and the winner would be qualified to perform inside the Imperial City. For both the float operators and the onlookers, this was an annual grand event.
The man gazed at the scene of revelry before him, but his face showed no joy. On the contrary, his eyes even held an undisguised hatred. However, with so many people present, no one noticed his unusual behavior.
The man first looked at the floats for a while, then looked around as if he were observing the surrounding terrain. Afterwards, he looked up at the imperial city in front of him, and the pain and hatred on his face became even more intense.
After observing silently for a while, the man turned and walked in another direction. He walked and stopped intermittently within the crowd, seemingly observing his surroundings. Lu Xuan followed closely behind him, about fifty or sixty meters away. Using his superior senses and height advantage, he kept a close eye on him.
Around noon, the man walked into a roadside restaurant, ordered a bowl of mutton soup and two naan breads, and began to eat heartily. Lu Xuan also walked over casually. The man was very cautious, secretly observing everyone who entered the restaurant. When he saw Lu Xuan walk in, he visibly tensed up for a moment. But then he acted as if nothing had happened, only eating even faster.
However, what made him feel uneasy was that Lu Xuan entered without any hesitation and sat down directly in front of him.
"Chang'an City has hundreds of streets. At your speed, how many can you memorize in a day?"
Upon hearing this, the man's body jolted, and his hand reached into his robes.
"Think carefully before you act. There are at least twenty people around us. If you dare to make a move here, even if you manage to escape, someone will definitely remember your face. Besides, I guarantee you won't get out."
The man's gaunt body slowly tensed, his eyes revealing an otherworldly deathly aura. Lu Xuan knew that, given the chance, he would not hesitate to kill everyone here and then escape. However, after a few breaths, the man's murderous intent gradually subsided.