Chapter 179: Why the Stare? Never Seen a Surrender Before?

Xue Yanzhi arrived in front of the carriage.

He did not have the keen eyesight of Commander Mu to see through things from a distance, but once he walked closer, he could see the modifications made inside the carriage.

It could both prevent him from escaping and guard against anyone assassinating him on the road.

Although his identity being exposed now would not be as dangerous as it was before, what if?

Xue Yanzhi laughed mockingly: "The Patrol Guard Division is quite thorough in its considerations."

Before stepping onto the carriage, Xue Yanzhi looked back at Commander Mu.

Did he expect to see a look of guilt and complex emotions?

Not at all!

Commander Mu's eyes were encouraging: "Second Young Master, go ahead!"

Xue Yanzhi: "..."

Damn aristocrats!

He realized that the Mu Family might not be as reckless as everyone thought.

The Mu family members knew who could be offended and who could not.

Being both Patrol Guard Division Vice Commissioners, the Mu family dared to clash head-on with Fu Juan, but upon hearing the name Wen Gu, they immediately took a step back.

What a realistic reaction!

Commander Mu truly did not feel he had anything to be guilty about, nor did he think there was anything wrong with his choice.

Isn't it obvious!

If they ran into Fu Pian, they might fight.

But if they ran into Wen Gu, Wen Gu could get them promoted and a raise!

Even a fool would know how to choose!

Moreover, with Xue Yanzhi's status, the Zhao Family would not make things too difficult for him. What was there to worry about?

Xue Yanzhi boarded the carriage; his Book Boy was being guarded by someone else.

The team left quickly.

Fu Pian followed on horseback, guarding the carriage.

Looking at the carriage's route, Xue Yanzhi asked: "Are we not going to the Patrol Guard Division?"

Fu Pian said: "Commissioner Zhao wants to see you."

The carriage arrived at Zhao Fu, and Fu Pian brought Xue Yanzhi to Lao Zhao's courtyard.

Wen Gu had just finished his business with Lao Zhao and, hearing they were coming, waited here.

He finally met this mysterious military advisor of the horse bandits.

"Xue Er Gongzi."

"Vice Commissioner Wen, I have long heard of your great name!"

"A pleasure to meet you!"

"Likewise, the pleasure is all mine!"

Upon entering Zhao Fu, Xue Yanzhi switched to an elegant and noble state. At this moment, at the gate of Lao Zhao's courtyard, when speaking with Wen Gu, his arrogance and rebelliousness were completely gone, leaving only Confucian elegance and humility.

Fu Pian watched this scene and let out a "Heh" laugh.

Xue Yanzhi acted as if he hadn't heard it, and after the pleasantries, he was led into the courtyard by the steward.

Wen Gu and Fu Pian did not go in; the two left Zhao Fu to return to the Patrol Guard Division.

Lao Zhao had some old matters to discuss with this Xue Er Gongzi and needed to exchange some information; it would likely take a long time.

Back at the Patrol Guard Division, Fu Juan pulled Wen Gu aside to chat about Xue Er Gongzi and the matters involved behind him.

In the past, when Cheng Xu was still the East Office Vice Commissioner, Fu Juan and Cheng Xu often had disputes.

They had different views and conflicting interests, leading not only to arguments but also private struggles.

But after Wen Gu arrived, everyone got along quite harmoniously.

Wen Gu did not hog all the credit and was willing to share it with everyone. Fu Pian was very satisfied with this point.

For example, regarding Jinchan Qi earlier, Fu Pian arranged for Commander Lei to go over and sponge off the credit; Wen Gu agreed and did not give Lei Da a hard time behind his back. Later, when they captured the Caishan Horse Bandits, Wen Gu was also willing to let Fu Pian go and raid the bandits' nest. Besides earning credit, going out meant being able to line one's pockets!

The two Vice Commissioners had no conflicts. The things Wen Gu did were also beneficial to Fu Pian's future.

Why not do things that are beneficial?

Therefore, many times Fu Pian was also willing to cooperate with Wen Gu's actions.

Besides that, what Fu Pian appreciated most was that Wen Gu was also willing to help him analyze problems and sort out his thoughts.

Not every capable scholar was willing to help them, these martial men, analyze problems! Such a colleague was not easy to come by!

Now, having just returned to the Patrol Guard Division, Fu Pian pulled Wen Gu to clear up his confusion.

"Looking at him today, it really might be as you guessed; he doesn't intend to stay in Xinzhou!" Fu Pian asked, "Where do you think he originally wanted to go?" "Anywhere is possible."

Wen Gu said.

"The matters Minister Xue investigated back then were nothing more than salt, iron, and storage. Now that the chaotic times have exposed the hidden cards kept by all sides, although the Evil Plague has affected information transmission, if one really wants to investigate, it is not impossible to find out."

Fu Pian nodded: "So, after Commissioner Zhao finishes talking with him, he is very likely to change his mind and be willing to stay."

This Xue Er Gongzi's only obsession now is revenge.

If Lao Zhao can help him get revenge, he will of course be willing to stay in Xinzhou.

Although Minister Xue is gone, the connections and relationships left behind back then are still there!

In these years, the number of people who helped Xue Er hide his identity and escape pursuit is more than one.

Not looking at the distant ones, just looking at the recent ones, Xue Yanzhi had the Earl of Yangchuan helping him while hiding in Xinzhou City.

For a person like this, even if he wanted to run, Lao Zhao would not let him go. Keeping him here, he would also need to be restrained and protected...

"Regarding his placement, he should either be put in Zhao Fu or at the Patrol Guard Division," Wen Gu said.

Fu Pian had some thoughts.

On the other side, the few members of the Mu Family had performed meritorious service again, so naturally, they had to be rewarded.

If Mu Jun hadn't discovered the target at that time and pursued him closely, followed by the Mu Family members surrounding and blocking him,

given Xue Yanzhi's reaction speed, by the time Jingxing Fang discovered the traces of the Grain Ticket and searched for him, he might have already run away.

Commander Mu, of course, also had merit. If he hadn't gone over, the situation at that time might not have developed in such a good direction.

But Commander Mu did not take this credit, instead distributing it to the few juniors in his family.

To reward the Mu Family's initiative, those three aunt and nephew members of the Mu Family were finally made permanent staff.

This day, they got up early and excitedly went to collect their new waist tokens and documents.

There were also new work uniforms and weapons!

Their place of duty had also changed; it was no longer at the Logistics Department, but at the Three Great Halls.

They were walking toward that side.

At the same time, Xue Yanzhi also came from Zhao Fu to the Patrol Guard Division.

After talking with Zhao Dutong, his restless mind calmed down. Knowing he could not run, he began to consider what to do next.

Zhao Dutong gave him a few options, and after weighing them, Xue Yanzhi chose to come to the Patrol Guard Division.

If there was any unusual movement in all of Xinzhou, the Patrol Guard Division's response would be absolutely sharp. Staying here was beneficial for understanding the situation.

Zhao Dutong agreed, so he sent people to escort him to the Patrol Guard Division today.

But there were also restrictions; he could not go out as he pleased.

This point did not matter; in any case, during the years he spent as a fugitive, this was the kind of life Xue Yanzhi had lived.

As for the Caishan Horse Bandits, he did not care.

It had only ever been a short-term cooperative relationship.

At the time when Xinzhou fell into chaos, everyone was fleeing for their lives, and when Plague Ghosts appeared, everyone panicked, completely unaware of what those monsters were, where they came from, or how to deal with them.

Xue Yanzhi needed to join a team to huddle together for mutual resistance in times of crisis.

It just so happened that his goal was also Xinzhou City, the same as the horse bandits—wherever the powerful and wealthy were, that was where they would go, as that place was surely relatively safe.

Upon arriving at Xinzhou City, he plotted for the horse bandits on how to integrate into it.

He saw the greed of that gang of horse bandits and feared they would not be able to restrain themselves for too long. Planning for the horse bandits was also a hope that they could endure a little longer and not expose themselves too quickly.

Since the deal had been reached, there was no need to interfere with each other further.

Therefore, the two sides had less contact afterward.

In Xue Yanzhi's estimation, the horse bandits would make their move this autumn, and that was also when he would choose to leave Xinzhou City.

Having figured out the patterns of the Evil Plague-ridden world, he decided to follow a merchant caravan to leave during the autumn and winter seasons, when the threat of Plague Ghosts outside was at its lowest. His next step had originally been to go to the Du Clan.

It was not that he thought so highly of the Du Family, but that he felt the Du Family was related to his own family's affairs.

Or rather, the matters his father uncovered while providing disaster relief back then were very likely related to the Du Family.

He had suspected the Zhao Family before. But ever since Zhao Shaozhu was attacked, followed by the digging up of the Jinchan Qi warehouse, he had ruled out the Zhao Family.

Xue Yanzhi was unruly back then and young; his father and eldest brother did not discuss serious matters with him.

Not long after, his father was demoted and sent away from the capital due to disaster relief. After that, his family members met with misfortune one after another.

Over these few years, he had uncovered many clues. He was not the only one investigating.

But Xue Yanzhi did not just want to clear up the events of the past; he wanted revenge even more!

He hated too much, but his personal ability was truly weak, so he needed long-term planning.

Now that it was a chaotic world and the imperial court's center was gone, the methods for resolution were naturally different as well.

In fact, those secrets from back then were nothing when placed in the present.

Back then, saying that so-and-so was plotting a rebellion, or that there were hidden secrets within the imperial family...

What did that count for now?

Among the Six Great Powers of Beidi, not one supported the imperial family!

Which one did not count as "rebellious subjects and traitors"?

The corners of Xue Yanzhi's mouth curled up.

Just as he was thinking this, he heard excited voices not far away.

He withdrew his thoughts and looked over.

Oh, the Mu Family members.

Both the Caishan Horse Bandits and himself had had their merits farmed by the Mu Family members.

Xue Yanzhi looked at Mu Jun, who was the loudest.

That guy was like a house dog that had been praised, just short of wagging his tail.

Xue Yanzhi stopped his footsteps and faced that direction: "Tsk, tsk, tsk!"

Mu Jun was touching his newly acquired Clerk waist token and was very happy, when suddenly he heard someone go "Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Who?

Calling a dog?!

He followed the sound and looked over, his smile instantly vanishing from his face, and he glared at the other person: "Why are you here?!"

Shouldn't he be locked in the Criminal Prison?

Xue Yanzhi laughed loftily: "What are you looking at? Never seen someone accept an offer of amnesty?"

Mu Jun thought of the situation when they went to the small courtyard where Xue Yanzhi was hiding to make the arrest, and touching his newly acquired waist token, he was just about to raise it up and righteously retort, letting the other party take a good look at the proof of a formal Clerk!

Xue Yanzhi turned his head and walked away. Not looking.

Mu: "……"

Damn it!

The Three Great Halls of the Patrol Guard Division.

Fu Pian was returning from handling matters outside with Lei Da, and happened to see Xue Yanzhi being brought over by Lao Zhao's personal guards.

Yo, he really came to the Patrol Guard Division!

They learned that Lao Zhao had already given permission for Xue Yanzhi to come to the scriptorium of the Three Great Halls of the Patrol Guard Division to do odd jobs.

Pei Jun was not at the Main Courtyard, so the choices were either the East Office or the West Office.

Fu Pian was in a good mood today and said enthusiastically, "Come to our West Office!"

Xue Yanzhi glanced over, looked him up and down, and wore a very subtle smile on his face.

It seemed like contempt, yet also like mockery, and contained some indescribable derogatory emotions.

The kind that made one's blood boil just by looking at it.

Xue Yanzhi did not reply with a single word; he just smiled and continued walking toward the East Office.

He knew how to infuriate people!

Worried that Fu Pian would fly into a rage, Lei Da was just about to offer a few words of persuasion.

Fu Pian did not know what he thought of, but instead of getting angry, he laughed and followed him over.

Xue Yanzhi arrived at the East Office and headed toward the scriptorium.

There had been rumors in the streets that the Patrol Guard Division's previous two achievements were thanks to the East Office's scriptorium.

But Xue Yanzhi believed the street rumors were overly exaggerated; the decisive factor must have been Wen Gu.

He had heard earlier that the Patrol Guard Division's scriptorium was a leisurely department. Connected individuals spent their days there drinking tea and reading newspapers, living a carefree life. Xue Yanzhi used to despise it, but now he liked it very much!

Yet he was still picky with his words: "This kind of leisure..."

Stepping into the scriptorium, he saw a—

On one side of the room, two people were writing furiously, and on the other side, there was one flipping through books like a spinning wheel, and another clicking an abacus as if playing the pipa.

The entire interior of the scriptorium had a fervent, intense, and tense atmosphere.

Xue Yanzhi:...

As if he had seen something filthy, he instantly withdrew his gaze.

The foot he had stepped in with retreated back out.

Who would want to stay in a department that couldn't be leisurely!

He immediately turned to Fu Pian: "I want to go to the West Office!"

Fu Pian said happily: "I don't want you. Get lost!"