Chapter 26: Intelligence

"Your Highness is wise, but what is it that this humble one must do? I ask that Your Highness provide clear instructions." Wang Yanzhong felt much more at ease.

Since Yan Wang had given him a promise, he believed that Yan Wang would certainly not go back on his word.

After pondering for a moment, he said, "This Prince will keep these three people; in this way, the Huang Family will surely believe their treacherous scheme has succeeded."

Wang Yanzhong nodded earnestly.

"Afterward, this Prince will give you some intelligence to pass on to the Huang Family, so they will trust you even more. When the time comes, you will inquire about the location where your wife and child are being held. Once there is news, this Prince has his own lethal move waiting for them." Zhao Xu sneered repeatedly.

People in Yan Commandery all say that the backsides of the Zhang Family, the Huang Family, and the Du Family cannot be touched.

This time, he was determined to touch them and test their depth.

It would not do for them to always be the ones making moves while he remained in passive defense.

After all, sometimes offense is the best defense.

"This humble one understands." A smile finally appeared on Wang Yanzhong's face.

It had to be said that Yan Wang's idea was extremely suitable for his current situation.

By acting as a double agent for the time being, the interests of the Yan Prince Mansion would not be harmed.

He could also lull the Huang Family into a false sense of security and ensure the safety of his wife and child.

He let Wang Yanzhong return home with peace of mind.

Zhao Xu said to Zhou Yi, "Go and bring all the servants over; this Prince has a use for them."

From the many recent events, he felt more and more that the Yan Prince Mansion was exceptionally passive.

And the biggest reason for being so passive was his lack of intelligence channels in Yancheng.

He was unable to have foresight regarding the conspiracies secretly targeting him.

That he could dodge assassination and survive until now was also thanks to the songstress at Tianxiang Lou that day.

As for who that songstress was and what force she belonged to, he currently knew nothing at all.

This made him very unhappy.

It could be said that currently in Yan Commandery, he was no different from a blind man.

Therefore, he had long since had the idea of establishing his own secret intelligence agency.

Besides investigating the Rich Clans of Yan Commandery, he believed that in these chaotic times, it would be useful in many other places.

"Yes, Your Highness." Zhou Yi did not ask further and turned to leave.

He was a qualified subordinate; what Yan Wang did not say, he could not ask.

Before long, Zhou Yi returned to the East Courtyard, followed by over three hundred ragged male and female servants.

These servants were all sallow and emaciated, their ribs protruding from their chests; one could tell at a glance that they were not getting enough to eat.

Zhao Xu sighed.

Even in the modern society, humanity had only entered a civilized society in the last hundred years.

Before that, in every war and every invasion, human lives were like grass, and corpses piled up.

Let alone the Great Song where he was, which was even further from civilization.

In the many wars here, slaughter and looting were everyday occurrences.

Great Song soldiers at the border would even kill commoners to claim military merit.

And this created many families that were broken and displaced; some of them, truly unable to survive, sold themselves in search of a way to live.

Besides this, there were those commoners who suffered from the encroachment of the Rich Clans.

"Your Highness, they are all here," Zhou Yi said.

Zhao Xu nodded, stood up, and paced back and forth, his gaze sweeping across everyone's faces.

Upon meeting his gaze, some lowered their heads, while others boldly looked back at him with curious eyes.

Learning that they had been bought by the Yan Prince Mansion, they were slightly excited.

Although they were servants, they knew what the Rich Clans were like.

Therefore, compared to being bought by a Rich Clan, they were more willing to come to the Yan Prince Mansion.

"Before you stands His Highness the Yan Wang; pay your respects!" Zhou Yi reminded them.

The servants crowded together in a bustle and, upon hearing this, said loudly, "Greetings, Your Highness."

"Rise," Zhao Xu waved his hand. "You are all suffering people; becoming servants today was not your own wish."

As he spoke, Zhao Xu watched them all.

After his words fell,

Everyone showed sorrowful expressions, as if bad memories had been stirred up.

Zhao Xu saw this in his eyes and said, "However, rest assured, this Prince is not a heartless person and will certainly not mistreat you. In the Prince Mansion, although you are servants, you will enjoy a peaceful life."

"Thank you for your grace, Your Highness." Hearing this, the servants were moved.

That Yan Wang could personally summon them had already left them flattered.

Now that he had made such a promise, they were even more pleasantly surprised.

Zhao Xu smiled and changed the subject, "But are you really willing to go on like this for the rest of your lives?"

The servants now showed confused expressions again.

"Now, there is an opportunity right before your eyes that will allow you to perform meritorious deeds, bring glory to your families, and cast off your status as servants. Is there anyone among you who is willing?" Zhao Xu continued.

Everyone was silent for a while.

A clear voice suddenly called out, "May I ask what it is that Your Highness speaks of?"

Through the crowd, Zhao Xu looked toward the direction the voice came from.

He saw a youth of seventeen or eighteen years old with bright, piercing eyes.

With a smile, he said, "A life of nine deaths, spying on the enemy."

"I am willing!" the same young man shouted.

The young man's emergence seemed to stir the courage of the other young men, and dozens more followed suit.

Zhao Xu was very satisfied with this result.

The Great Song still had hot-blooded men.

However, the intelligence system was very important, and he did not want to just pick anyone to join.

So he said, "Very good, but spying on enemy intelligence requires immense courage; now, let this King see if you have the guts for it."

Turning to Zhou Yi, he said a few words.

Zhou Yi nodded, picked out the young men who had signed up, and led them to an open space in the garden.

Before long, several household servants walked over.

The servants were carrying charcoal braziers in their hands, filled with glowing red charcoal.

They poured out the charcoal, spreading it into a path of burning coals over ten meters long.

Zhao Xu pointed to the path paved with charcoal, "Those who walk across this path may be selected."

The crowd of young men changed color one after another.

"Is this burning red charcoal?"

"Yeah, if we walk across that, won't our feet be burned off?"

"This Yan Wang isn't toying with us, is he?"

"..."

Zhao Xu stood with his arms crossed, watching the crowd.

The future status of the intelligence system would be pivotal, and since they would be the first batch of core members, he naturally had to be cautious.

"I'll do it!"

At this moment, a youth in the back row shouted; the crowd parted, and a lean young man walked out.

"Ke Er, don't try to be brave." A middle-aged man came out from the crowd, his face showing signs of anxiety.

The young man looked at the middle-aged man and said, "Father, we are hunters; what we should hold in our hands are bows and arrows, not brooms, and what our eyes should be fixed on is prey, not the dust on the ground."

The middle-aged man choked, opened his mouth, and could not say a single word.

Because these were the very words he had taught his own son.

Once, he too had believed in this saying as firmly as his son.

But ever since he had a family, his passion had been worn away.

Now, he only wanted himself and his son to be safe and sound.

"Brothers fight together, and fathers and sons go into battle as a team." The middle-aged man gave a bitter smile, "Your Highness, this commoner is also willing to give it a try."

Zhao Xu had initially only admired the young man's courage.

He had not expected to end up with a father and son.

Upon learning that they were former hunters, he became even more expectant.

In order to track prey, they must certainly possess the skill of concealing their tracks.

"Good." Zhao Xu's eyes showed appreciation, "Run five laps around the Prince's Mansion, and upon returning, you may pass directly over it."

The others heard this and felt even more that Zhao Xu was intentionally making things difficult for them.

The Prince's Mansion was very large; after running five laps, they would be too exhausted to have any strength left.

To then step onto the charcoal, wouldn't that be crippling their own feet?

The father and son did not speak; they lifted their feet and started running.

Among the crowd, there were a few others with courage who also followed them out.