Chapter 63: The Situation Within the Capital

While Jiang Jiang Mingyu was laboring tirelessly for Shangmu County, he was unaware that Jingcheng was already in the throes of a storm.

Inside Jingcheng.

One early morning, Steward Zhang, clad in a simple blue robe, hurriedly arrived at Prime Minister He's mansion at dawn.

He had intended to report to Prime Minister He on the progress of finding the Invisible Mr. and to collect the funds needed for the next steps.

However, upon arriving at Prime Minister He's mansion, he was blocked by the Brocade-Clad Guards stationed outside the main gate and denied entry!

Steward Zhang could not help but frown tightly, stepped forward, and asked, "May I ask which general's subordinate you are, my lord? I have urgent matters to report to Prime Minister He and hope you can make an exception." The officer replied without any courtesy, "Since the new Son of Heaven ascended the throne, we have been stationed here by imperial order. Without a written order, no one, regardless of who they are, is allowed inside!"

Hearing this, Steward Zhang was greatly shocked and finally realized that the political upheaval in the court had led to Prime Minister He being under house arrest, making it difficult for outsiders to approach.

Only after Steward Zhang inquired carefully did he learn that these Brocade-Clad Guards were originally soldiers of the Left Guard Commandant and had been transferred to the inner city only after the new Son of Heaven ascended the throne.

Since these soldiers had long been stationed in the eastern suburbs of the outer city and Steward Zhang knew no officers among them, he could not use connections to persuade them to make an exception in the short term; at a loss, he lingered on the street in front of Prime Minister He's mansion for nearly half a double-hour.

Just as Steward Zhang was about to leave and seek another method, Prime Minister He's steward, Ximen Ximen Jiajun, walked out from inside the gate!

Seeing Ximen Ximen Jiajun finally emerge from inside the gate, his face instantly lit up with joy; he took three steps as if they were two and hurried over to greet him.

Ignoring the two Brocade-Clad Guard officers following behind Ximen Ximen Jiajun; it was later learned that Ximen Ximen Jiajun had been allowed to leave the house-arrested mansion for half a day on the pretext of purchasing medicinal herbs for Prime Minister He.

Steward Zhang, initially not grasping the situation, immediately invited Ximen Ximen Jiajun to have lunch at Zui Zui Baxian later, but was quickly politely refused! Seeing Ximen Ximen Jiajun's eyes slide left and right twice, Steward Zhang finally understood; at this moment, the situation was severe, and it was not appropriate to go there.

"The expenses at Zui Zui Baxian are too high, and I am truly unable to afford it..." Ximen Ximen Jiajun continued with a pointed meaning: "However, having tea at 'Yinxi Tea House' is still acceptable."

"Very well, I will go to Yinxi Tea House and wait for you first." After bidding farewell to Ximen Ximen Jiajun, Steward Zhang went there on his own.

Steward Zhang arrived at Yinxi Tea House in Chengnan, where a refreshing tea fragrance immediately wafted toward him.

He looked around; the interior of the tea house was exquisitely decorated and elegantly laid out.

The steward deliberately chose a window seat on the second floor, from which he could overlook the street scene outside the door.

The waiter soon came to take the order; Steward Zhang ordered a pot of Longjing and several favorite pastries: "A pot of West Lake Longjing, and some cakes, youxiang, and small sesame tangyuan."

Steward Zhang sipped the tea carefully while looking expectantly downstairs, fearing he might miss Ximen Ximen Jiajun's arrival.

He sat there for the entire morning and simply had his lunch right there.

After a morning passed, by the third quarter of the Wei hour in the afternoon, Ximen Ximen Jiajun finally appeared at the entrance of the tea house.

Two Brocade-Clad Guard officers still followed behind him, obviously monitoring his every move.

Seeing this, Steward Zhang immediately went forward to greet Ximen Ximen Jiajun with pleasantries and then led him to a private room to sit.

Since the Brocade-Clad Guards were standing right beside them, the two could not discuss any serious matters and merely chatted aimlessly; they talked about the weather alone for a long time.

"I don't know where a stray cat came from in the back alley of the mansion; it gave birth to a litter of kittens, and every night around midnight, they meow endlessly, disturbing one's peaceful sleep..." Ximen Ximen Jiajun complained while looking meaningfully at Steward Zhang.

Steward Zhang, understanding, asked in pursuit: "Oh? Where exactly in the back alley is it?"

Ximen Ximen Jiajun said casually: "Right in the Yantai Hutong of the back alley, under the large archway."

Steward Zhang immediately grasped the meaning and asked: "I see, when do they meow?"

"As soon as the Zi hour arrives every day, they start howling on time." Ximen Ximen Jiajun answered calmly.

The implication behind the words was clear to both of them.

After obtaining the time and location, not long after, the two finished their tea, bid farewell, and parted ways.

Late that night, Steward Zhang arrived at the large archway in Yantai Hutong as agreed and waited. As soon as the Zi hour struck, he saw Ximen Ximen Jiajun's figure emerge from the dark corner of the hutong!

He crawled out of the mansion through a dog hole that the mansion's servants had discovered themselves and slipped out!

Prime Minister He conveyed two sentences to Steward Zhang through Ximen Ximen Jiajun.

First, he told Steward Zhang to stop searching for the Invisible Mr. to prevent the Emperor from discovering the origin of the "Seven Times a Night Pill" from him.

Second, to avoid bringing disaster upon himself, Prime Minister He ordered Steward Zhang to use every means possible to prevent the Joyful Daoist Priest from coming to the capital!

"Just these two points?" Steward Zhang asked to confirm.

"Yes, just these two matters." Ximen Ximen Jiajun said affirmatively.

Having finished speaking, he took out two banknotes of one hundred taels each from his sleeve and handed them to Steward Zhang as funds for future activities outside.

"The first point is manageable..." After accepting the banknotes, Steward Zhang said with a twisted expression: "But this second point... is very difficult. I am afraid I will find it hard to stop the Joyful Daoist Priest from coming to the capital."

Hearing Steward Zhang's concerns, Ximen Ximen Jiajun said helplessly: "Prime Minister cannot control that much, and I am only responsible for delivering the message; as for the specific details of how to proceed? You decide for yourself." Having finished speaking, Ximen Ximen Jiajun turned and left, vanishing like a streak of smoke into the pitch-black night.

Steward Zhang returned home alone, pondering back and forth, unable to sleep all night.

Late at night, Steward Zhang sat before his desk, with a dim, flickering oil lamp in front of him.

His face was full of exhaustion, his hand tightly gripping a brush, and his desk was covered with crumpled draft papers.

The intermittent sound of wind outside the house and the rustling vibration of the paper window seemed to remind Steward Zhang that the answer he was striving to find was right before his eyes.

However, he seemed trapped in a maze, unable to find a way out, and could only scribble aimlessly on the paper.

He pondered the entire night on how to prevent the Joyful Daoist Priest from coming to the capital.

By dawn, Steward Zhang got up in tattered clothes, did not wash or groom himself, and went directly to Lu Family Escort Agency.

He found Lu Lu Xiongying and asked her for the price of hiring an assassin!

Lu Lu Xiongying was directing people to load a shipment of escort silver onto a cart; hearing the voice, she turned around, saw Steward Zhang's listless expression, and also sensed that he must have encountered a difficulty.

"Our agency consists entirely of legitimate escorts, not assassins; your matter... cannot be done!" Lu Lu Xiongying refused him sternly to his face!

Steward Zhang: "Your escorts are all highly skilled in martial arts and possess unique techniques; dealing with a mere Daoist Priest should not be difficult, right?"

"We travel the Jianghu as escorts relying on connections, not on acting violently, fighting, and killing!" Lu Lu Xiongying continued irritably: "If it relied on acting violently and fighting, how could there be so many escorts to consume? In two years, they might all be dead!"

Seeing that Lu Lu Xiongying was unwilling to help, Steward Zhang, having no choice, had to resort to a little trick.

"That won't do..." Steward Zhang took out a banknote of one hundred taels and handed it to Lu Lu Xiongying.

He said with a pointed meaning: "Look, the whole city is in an uproar now... the cause must be blamed on your agency being robbed that night!"

"..." Lu Lu Xiongying held the banknote in her hand and remained silent for a long time.

Seeing that the banknote worked, Steward Zhang went a step further, speaking softly but with a hard edge and a tone of threat: "The 'Seven Times a Night Pill' ended up in Prime Minister Mei's hands and accidentally poisoned the late Emperor! Prime Minister He has not yet settled this score with you!"

Lu Lu Xiongying: "What do you mean?"

"Let merit offset the fault..." Seeing Lu Lu Xiongying's attitude shift slightly, Manager Zhang pressed his advantage and proposed, "If this matter of Daoist Master Huanxi is handled well, perhaps Minister He will let it go!"

In the end, though extremely reluctant, Lu Lu Xiongying nonetheless accepted Manager Zhang's request; and this bitter task, without a shadow of doubt, fell upon the escort who had originally been cut by Mr. Xing, the Great Fool!

The Great Fool was practicing martial arts in the courtyard, sweat soaking through his training clothes. The wooden sword in his hand chopped the air stroke by stroke, his gaze focused, completely absorbed.

At that moment, Lu Lu Xiongying's words suddenly cut in, like a blow to the head, making the Great Fool stop abruptly, the wooden sword hitting the ground with a "Bang!"

The Great Fool widened his eyes and asked in disbelief, "You want me to kill Daoist Master Huanxi?"

Lu Lu Xiongying quickly clarified, "Who told you to kill anyone? I only said... I want you to stop Daoist Master Huanxi from coming to the capital."

The Great Fool frowned and said, "Isn't that the same principle as killing to silence?"

"Why is your brain so stubborn!" Lu Lu Xiongying said irritably, "You can also find Daoist Master Huanxi, give him a sum of money, and persuade him to leave Great Feng; whether he goes beyond the passes or to the Southern Seas, either is fine."

"A sum of money?" The Great Fool immediately asked again, "Who gives it? You?"

Lu Lu Xiongying snorted, speaking with an impatient tone, "You made the mess yourself, so naturally you must figure out how to handle it!"

"..." The Great Fool silently looked at Lu Lu Xiongying, saying nothing.

"Here, this is fifty taels of travel funds contributed by the escort agency; handle it as you see fit." After leaving the silver note, Lu Lu Xiongying, afraid the Great Fool would haggle, quickly turned and left, disappearing from sight.

The Great Fool stood in place, watching Lu Lu Xiongying's back disappear at the main gate of the escort agency. He looked down at the fifty-tael silver note in his hand, lost in deep thought.

He looked down at the fifty-tael silver note in his hand, lost in contemplation: I cannot handle this matter alone; I must find Senior Brother to help.

That afternoon, the Great Fool simply packed some luggage, took his specialized weapon, a pair of two-foot-long "Judge's Brushes," then led a tall, jet-black horse from the stable and rode away.

Traveling day and night for a full day and night, the Great Fool first arrived at Xiangqiu County and found his Senior Brother, "Ghost Talent."

Dust-covered and weary, he finally found Ghost Talent's residence before nightfall.

"Senior Brother, I've encountered a difficult problem this time and need your help." The Great Fool briefly explained the matter; although Ghost Talent was reluctant to help, seeing the bond of brotherhood, he could only grit his teeth and do it.

At dawn the next day, the two set out south together, continuing their journey to Yize Mountain to search for Daoist Master Huanxi.

The Great Fool was full of worry, while Ghost Talent was absent-minded.

The two took turns whipping their mounts, driving them to gallop at high speed.

The Great Fool gripped the riding whip tightly, while Ghost Talent clamped his legs against the horse's belly to urge it forward.

On the winding mountain road, only the sound of hooves broke the morning silence.

To arrive before the government officials dispatched by the Xingbu Sect, the two traveled day and night without rest.

When passing through villages, they rested briefly and ate some dried rations.

After a brief rest, the two immediately set out again, fearing they would miss even a second.

The hooves went "clippity-clop," kicking up clouds of dust as they rushed toward Yize Mountain.

Halfway there, the two suddenly saw what appeared to be an ambush of men and horses in the roadside bushes; they could not help but raise their guard, fearing they had fallen into a trap.

Fortunately, nothing happened as they passed, so they finally put down the heavy stone in their hearts and continued to rush forward at high speed.