“Pingkang Ward. The core of all major shady transactions in Chang'an is Pingkang Ward. It is controlled by an old Kunlun slave named Ge Lao. No one knows who is behind him. But once you try to touch Pingkang Ward, you will feel that the entire city of Chang'an is against you.”
As he said this, Zhang Xiaojing revealed a rare sense of helplessness. Old Ge was a thorn in his side. He knew perfectly well that the other man's actions were worthy of being tortured a hundred times over. But he was utterly powerless against him.
“Pingkang Ward…” Lu Xuan stared at the location on the map. This ward bordered the East Market to the east and the Imperial City to the southwest. It was practically right under the emperor's nose. Looking at this place, Lu Xuan felt a strong sense of irony. This powerful and prosperous empire, at its very core, also harbored the deepest darkness. Did this foreshadow that the very foundation of this city, even this empire, was rotting?
The East Market was lined with shops and teeming with people, making it an ideal place for child trafficking. Pingkang Ward, with its diverse population of Han and non-Han peoples, presented an even more complex situation, further complicating the investigation.
"Tonghua, Chunming, and Yanxing—these three city gates are the closest to Pingkang Ward. Didn't you notice anything?"
"We sent people to keep an eye on everything for over a month, but we didn't find anything."
“If they don’t go through these three city gates, they would have to cross most of Chang’an to get the person out. This is obviously illogical.”
Zhang Xiaojing thought for a moment, then said.
"Too high cost?"
"That's right, to put it bluntly. Using children born after... to beg for money is an extremely profitable business. But it must be said that this method is inherently crude and despicable, purely trading one's own humanity for money. Moreover, it requires years of accumulation and a sufficient number of people to be effective. Most of those who dare to do this are inhuman and vicious. As far as I know, this method mostly comes from the Beggars' Sect."
"The Beggars' Sect? A gang of beggars, that's simple and clear." Zhang Xiaojing repeated the word "Beggars' Sect" first, and then deduced from Lu Xuan's meaning.
“That’s right. I’ve heard other colleagues say the same thing. There have been many similar cases outside of Chang’an. Most of them were committed by beggars. But although there are beggars in Chang’an, there is absolutely no beggar gang. I can say that for sure.”
"That's right. The fact that you can't find a way to investigate it means it couldn't possibly be the work of a gang like the Beggars' Sect. What I'm trying to say is, if the old man Ge you mentioned really has such powerful control over the underworld of Chang'an, then these children are very likely just the tip of the iceberg of this vast criminal empire. But although it's small in size, it's integrated with this criminal empire and is obscured by some much larger system, which is why you can't track it down."
Lu Xuan's words were vague, but Zhang Xiaojing was a shrewd person and understood Lu Xuan's meaning almost instantly.
"Almost all contraband smuggling in Chang'an passes through Elder Ge's hands. But I've never been able to find the specific routes. If..."
The two were discussing a crucial point when the old man's voice came from outside.
"Sir, the magistrate requests your presence."
Lu Xuan stopped his discussion with Zhang Xiaojing and went to see the county magistrate with some doubt.
In the original novel, this county magistrate is merely a background character, existing only in people's memories. Even in those memories, he's repeatedly killed by Zhang Xiaojing—a minor character among minor characters. However, in reality, he was a powerful county magistrate who held real authority for millennia.
In many films and television dramas, county magistrates are depicted as the lowest-ranking officials. However, the magistrate of Wannian County, with the backing of the capital, is a genuine seventh-rank official. He is Lu Xuan's superior.
"Your Excellency, Magistrate..." Lu Xuan respectfully entered the room and bowed.
“County Commandant Lu, there’s no need for such formalities. This isn’t some official business; it’s just a few heartfelt words.”
The magistrate remained very polite. The emperor's appointment of Lu Xuan still had its merits. And this magistrate, being a sycophant, naturally wouldn't easily offend the magistrate.
"Please speak, Your Honor."
"I heard you're discussing the case with Zhang Xiaojing."
"Yes, we've encountered a rather tricky case, and we're discussing countermeasures."
"But what about the recent child abduction cases?"
"Exactly."
"Yes, I've heard about this case too. Zhang Xiaojing has been the head of the Wannian County Police for eight years. He's solved all sorts of difficult cases, even he found them challenging. It seems you've really had a tough time."
"Apprehending thieves and robbers is our duty; how can it be considered hard work?"
“Yes, I am very pleased that County Commandant Lu has this idea. However, solving cases is important, but we must also be careful. Zhang Xiaojing is a man who acts recklessly, disregards the law at every turn, and is violent and cruel. If it weren't for the fact that he is relatively diligent in his work, I would have dismissed him several times. County Commandant Lu has just taken office, so don't let him mislead you.”
"That's natural. Solving cases is essentially about upholding the law. What's the point if you break the law in the name of solving cases?"
"Well said, well said." The magistrate was very pleased with Lu Xuan's tactful response.
After a short while, Lu Xuan returned to his office. Zhang Xiaojing was still there when he saw Lu Xuan return.
"I guess the magistrate told you not to get too close to me?"
"No, it's just a subtle warning to me, telling me to follow the rules and not to follow your example."
"......"
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Chapter Thirty: A New Life
After experiencing the case firsthand, Lu Xuan realized how difficult it was to solve. Especially in the Tang Dynasty, an era without surveillance or fingerprints, all clues had to be collected bit by bit by manpower. After just three days, Lu Xuan felt an unprecedented level of mental exhaustion.
The case made no progress. Strangely, after Lu Xuan took on the case, no more children went missing. With no leads, Lu Xuan's first case since arriving in the Tang Dynasty ended in failure. No matter how unwilling Lu Xuan was, he simply couldn't solve it. It proved that he knew far too little about this city.
This incident left Lu Xuan extremely frustrated, feeling like he had energy but nowhere to use it. He would rather the enemy be fifty elite Turks, whom he could charge at and fight head-on, than face this situation. This was the first real defeat he had experienced since coming to the Tang Dynasty. He hadn't even seen the enemy before being utterly defeated.
Despite Zhang Xiaojing's attempts to comfort him, he pointed out that even after eight years as the head of the criminal investigation team, his own case-solving rate was only around 40%. It was common for cases to lose leads and become unsolvable. If he were to blame himself for such things, he would have committed suicide long ago.
Lu Xuan understood this principle, because even in later generations, very few missing children were ever found. (This case will be resolved later.)
"Let's not talk about this shit for now. There's something I need you to do."
"Please give your orders, sir."
After spending the past few days together, Zhang Xiaojing realized that this young county constable genuinely wanted to find the missing children. He was clearly an official with a lingering sense of compassion, much better than the county magistrate and his cronies. Therefore, Zhang Xiaojing had begun to somewhat approve of Lu Xuan.
“I have a friend who made a mistake and was wanted by the authorities. A few days ago, he came back to Chang'an with me, performed a great service, and was pardoned by the Emperor. However, he is currently struggling to make a living. I plan to arrange for him to associate with the Bad People, so that he can at least have something to eat.”
"Since you are a man of great loyalty and righteousness, there is naturally no problem with you."
“Very good, I’ll have him report for duty tomorrow. You make the arrangements. His name is Li Fushan. He was a military captain and his skills are top-notch. However, he doesn’t know much about the Bad Guys’ profession. You’ll have to mentor him. Feel free to ask him anything and don’t worry about me.”