Chapter 69: The Prince of Lu

Besides the six Spirit Hunters performing the ritual, everyone else stared at Li Lin.

Li Lin nodded: “My locate-person technique requires knowing the target’s appearance.”

The young man nodded and shouted to the nearby government office runner: “Bring paper and ink.”

Soon, paper and ink were placed on the magistrate’s desk.

The young man immediately drew with a brush, and within barely ten breaths, he had sketched a portrait.

Though the lines were few, they captured the subject’s general appearance and demeanor well.

After studying it, Li Lin pulled a stack of small paper figures from his robe, infused them with yin energy, and threw them to the ground.

The paper figures came alive the moment they hit the floor, rushing out the government office’s main gate in bizarre ways.

Some ran on all fours like dogs, some did somersaults, others walked in moonwalks.

Everyone stared at the paper figures with extremely strange expressions.

They had seen paper-summoning arts before, and paper figures were not unfamiliar—but such lively, non-creepy paper figures, they had never seen.

At that moment, one of the Spirit Hunters performing the spirit dance suddenly spat blood and collapsed.

Everyone startled, rushed over, and found he was merely unconscious—then sighed in relief.

Though this man’s locate-person technique failed, the others succeeded.

Several pointed simultaneously in one direction.

The young man beamed and said: “Friends from Yulin County, please rest here for a while; the rest we’ll handle ourselves.”

With that, the dozen or so men rushed out of the government office.

Only the five from Yulin County remained, along with one injured, unconscious companion.

This clearly suggested they wanted to claim the credit alone.

Su Huafang exhaled: “Thankfully we don’t have to get involved—someone who could abduct him isn’t ordinary.”

Bai Liwei added: “Most likely the Qin family of Yuecheng is behind this.”

Qin Hao frowned: “Why kidnap the Third Imperial Prince? If they wanted to kidnap, they’d take the Crown Prince.”

Su Huafang smiled: “They probably want to make it seem more legitimate. Holding a prince gives them justification.”

Li Lin thought a moment, then said: “It may not be the Qin family of Yuecheng. I’ve heard about the Third Imperial Prince—many want him dead, and many want him alive.”

Su Huafang, unfamiliar with politics, asked: “How so?”

“If he dies, the mastermind can claim the imperial court ordered it,” Li Lin said.

Zhao Hao said: “But if His Majesty truly wanted him dead, he wouldn’t have demoted him to a vassal king!”

“Precisely. Many think like you—and that’s why this scheme works.”

Zhao Hao fell into thought.

Su Huafang asked again: “And those who want him alive?”

“Too many. The Crown Prince wants him alive; warlords across the land want him alive—each for their own reasons.”

Everyone present found this hard to understand.

Su Huafang looked at Li Lin and asked: “Li Xunshou seems well-versed in court affairs. Did your family teach you?”

Li Lin nodded: “My elders taught me.”

Everyone looked at Li Lin’s face and suddenly felt they understood something.

At that moment, several people entered the door, escorting a young lord dressed in white.

Su Huafang instantly tensed—the young lord was the only one not a martial expert; all others were formidable warriors.

Each could easily defeat him.

He stepped in front of Li Lin and the others: “You intrude upon the government office—do you know…”

But Zhao Hao grabbed Su Huafang and stepped forward, bowing: “Commoner Zhao Hao, pays respects to the Prince of Lu!”

Prince of Lu?

Li Lin remembered: Zhu Laosan had been demoted to become vassal king of Lu Commandery.

Upon hearing this, the Bai uncle and nephew immediately bowed their heads.

Li Lin did the same.

The young man in white—the Prince of Lu—smiled warmly: “Are you Spirit Hunters from Jincheng?”

Everyone shook their heads.

Su Huafang whispered: “We’re from Yulin County.”

“Then this matter concerns you little. Could you step aside while I handle this?” the Prince of Lu asked gently.

Everyone readily complied, stepping to the side.

The Prince of Lu told his men: “Bring out Fang Hua.”

Two subordinates immediately circled the screen and entered the inner chamber—the prefect’s private quarters.

Soon, Fang Hua was dragged out, disheveled and shouting curses.

“I am a rank-four official! How dare you treat me thus? Do you not fear extermination of your nine clans?”

He raged loudly, then was thrown onto the main hall floor.

The Prince of Lu stepped forward two paces and smiled: “Prefect Fang, you have great official dignity. Even I dare not casually exterminate nine clans—you dare? You’re more tyrannical than His Majesty himself.”

At the sound of his voice, Fang Hua’s eyes widened: “Prince of Lu! You were missing!”

“If I weren’t,” the Prince of Lu laughed, “how could I lure away your men?”

At that moment, a swarm of paper figures burst into the government office, circling the Prince of Lu.

Before they completed half a circle, the Prince’s men slashed them all into shredded paper.

“Pathfinding paper figures,” the Prince of Lu said to a middle-aged Daoist beside him. “Your decoy talismans fooled nearly everyone’s techniques, drawing them north—but these paper figures found their way here. Clearly, Jincheng still has masters.”

The Daoist nodded in agreement: “Those who used this technique escaped my decoy talismans—they’re indeed skilled.”

The Yulin County Spirit Hunters all glanced sideways at Li Lin.

The Prince of Lu didn’t notice their glances. He looked down at Fang Hua and said: “Prefect Fang, it’s come to this. Do you wish to die yourself—or be exterminated with your nine clans?”

Fang Hua stood, straightened his robes, and said: “I’ll die myself.”

“Good. Then tell me—who ordered you to harm me? Who poisoned me?”

Fang Hua opened his mouth to answer—but was interrupted.

Li Lin suddenly bowed: “Your Highness, may we be permitted to leave?”

Zhao Hao and the others stared at him in shock.

The Prince of Lu studied Li Lin for a long moment, then smiled and nodded: “Naturally. My oversight. Please, go.”

Li Lin turned and walked away without hesitation.

Su Huafang, Bai Liwei and his nephew followed immediately.

Zhao Hao glanced toward the government office’s exit, then at the Prince of Lu, bit his lip, bowed to him, and turned to leave.

The government office doors closed.

The Prince of Lu turned his gaze back to Fang Hua: “Now, no outsiders remain. You may speak.”

Fang Hua took a deep breath: “It was the Crown Prince.”

The Prince of Lu’s expression turned grave: “Impossible. My elder brother is kind-hearted—he’s always treated us younger brothers well. How could he do this?”

Fang Hua smiled: “Your Highness, you openly declared in court ‘the heir should inherit the throne.’ What do you think His Majesty thought? What do you think the Crown Prince thought? Didn’t he suspect you were trying to destroy him?”

The Prince of Lu took a deep breath: “I never had such thoughts.”

“Even if you didn’t…” Fang Hua smiled, “do you think the Crown Prince believes you didn’t?”

The Prince of Lu smiled too: “No. My elder brother only wants me alive, Prefect Fang. You don’t understand. Still you won’t name the true mastermind? Still you try to deceive me? Do you truly care nothing for your nine clans?”

(End of Chapter)