I Won't Be Polite to You, Monk

The street outside Nanman Residence was one of the most prosperous areas in the entire Prefecture City.

This place was a hub for merchants, filled with countless rare goods and treasures. Whether it was the high-ranking officials and nobles within the Prefecture City or the wealthy lords from nearby areas, they all enjoyed strolling here.

But at this moment, the entire street was deserted. Soldiers clad in the Prince's Estate guard uniforms quickly arrived and sealed off the entire street.

Many merchants and passersby fled the scene in haste.

News of Prince Su being assassinated had already caused a huge uproar in Nanzhou Prefecture.

The city gates had been sealed for five days.

Everyone was suffering, especially the merchants who traveled back and forth, with much of their merchandise unable to leave.

Privately, they were also curious as to who dared to assassinate a Prince.

Currently, the Prince's Estate had heavily surrounded Nanman Residence.

The murderer was likely hiding within.

The Prince's Estate guards and Yamen constables grew in number.

At this moment, in a room in a teahouse opposite Nanman Residence, Xiao Jingyuan sat holding a cup of tea.

Beside him was Lu Wanyu, a strategist for the Prince's Estate.

Lu Wanyu held a folding fan, exuding an elegant demeanor.

He fanned Xiao Jingyuan, who was seated on a chair, saying, "Your Highness, the murderer Jiang Yun's location has been confirmed. We can apprehend him at any moment."

Xiao Jingyuan took a sip of his tea, his gaze stern. He said, "My father died by this person's hand. There's no need to keep him alive. The sooner we kill him, the sooner my father can rest in peace and be buried."

"Yes, yes, yes," Lu Wanyu said with a chuckle.

Xiao Jingyuan turned to Lu Wanyu and asked, "Then why aren't you acting quickly?"

Lu Wanyu's heart skipped a beat. "Your Highness, Jiang Yun is easy to deal with. He's nothing more than a defeated opponent of mine."

"But Xu Suwen is still in that room. If she gets hurt, it might be difficult for Your Highness to explain."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingyuan's brows furrowed tightly. He snorted, "As an Imperial Guard, she is harboring the murderer of my father. Even if this matter reaches the Capital City, we are in the right."

Lu Wanyu's eyelids twitched. He couldn't help but secretly think that the Prince Su's Estate had been far from the Capital City for hundreds of years. They relied solely on their royal lineage and the prestige of their ancestors.

If it came down to connections in the Capital City, they were far behind Miss Xu's family.

Of course, he couldn't say this. He could only force a smile and say respectfully, "Your Highness, you can't say that. Miss Xu was merely deceived by Jiang Yun. She doesn't know the truth. Perhaps she's even being held hostage by Jiang Yun, right?"

Lu Wanyu could become a strategist for the Prince's Estate, so he naturally had some skills.

With a single sentence, he had absolved Xu Suwen of any involvement in this matter.

Hearing this, Xiao Jingyuan's furrowed brows relaxed slightly. He nodded and said, "That makes sense. It will trouble you and your men to apprehend Jiang Yun."

"As for Miss Xu, I will personally speak with her. I believe she will give me some face."

Xiao Jingyuan was very confident. He straightened his clothes. Although the imperial decree had not yet been issued, it was clear that he would be the next Prince Su.

The Great Zhou Dynasty had been founded for three hundred and seventy years.

To this day, there had only been eight Princes.

And he would undoubtedly become the youngest Prince currently.

Xiao Jingyuan slowly walked to the floor below the room where Jiang Yun was located in Nanman Residence.

He said loudly, "I am Xiao Jingyuan, the Heir Apparent of the Prince Su's Estate."

"Miss Xu, Jiang Yun is the murderer of His Highness. This matter has nothing to do with you. I implore you to discern right from wrong and come down quickly."

"Otherwise, swords have no eyes, and it would be a shame if you were injured."

Xu Suwen came to the window and looked down at Xiao Jingyuan. She said in a deep voice, "Whether Jiang Yun killed him or not, you and I both know."

"There's no need for such nonsense. If you're going to act, then do it quickly."

Xiao Jingyuan glanced around, ensuring that many people had heard his words, before turning to leave.

He didn't expect to truly persuade Xu Suwen by saying this.

It was more like a disclaimer.

In front of everyone, I tried to persuade her, and everyone saw it.

If Xu Suwen were truly injured, and the Xu family came looking for him, he would have an explanation.

After Xiao Jingyuan turned and left, a hearty laugh soon rang out.

"Hahahaha..."

Lu Wanyu, holding his folding fan, leaped from the second floor of the teahouse and landed on the ground.

He fanned himself and said slowly, "Miss Xu, since you have been deceived by a villain, then we can only help you escape!"

At the same time, two more figures emerged one after another.

They landed beside Lu Wanyu.

Jiang Yun looked down from the window.

This pair consisted of a monk in yellow kasaya, appearing to be in his fifties, with a large head and big ears, likely having enjoyed plenty of meat in his life.

The other was a Daoist in a blue robe, looking to be in his early thirties, with a steel longsword on his back and his hair tied up in a topknot.

"Why is there another Daoist?" Jiang Yun asked, turning back in surprise. "Didn't you say Daoists aren't allowed to leave the Capital City freely?"

Xu Suwen shot Jiang Yun a look and replied, "Daoists aren't allowed to leave the Capital City freely; they need approval from the court."

"It's not that they can't leave at all."

After speaking, Xu Suwen stared at the monk and the Daoist for a moment before saying, "This Daoist is Daoist Yunbao from the Qingfeng Temple. His strength should be at the seventh-rank Grain Abstinence Realm of the Daoist sect."

"It's a pity his Dao heart is unstable. He was discovered having an illicit affair with Abbess Chen Yun from the nunnery in the Capital City. Unable to face the shame in the Capital City, he left and came to the Prince Su's Estate."

"That monk's surname is Chen, and his name is Hu. He was originally a butcher. Later, he encountered a Buddha statue outside and was suddenly bathed in Buddha's light."

"Unfortunately, this man does not abide by Buddhist precepts. He indulges in wine, women, wealth, and anger. His cultivation has also stopped at the seventh-rank Worldly Dust Realm of Buddhism, with no further progress possible."

Jiang Yun listened to this and looked at Xu Suwen in surprise. "How do you know so much about them?"

"What do you think I do?" Xu Suwen gave Jiang Yun a look. "There are very few things the Imperial Guards don't know, including you; I know you like the back of my hand."

Jiang Yun looked down below at the three seventh-rank experts and asked, "Miss Xu, for a Prince's Estate, are these the only three seventh-rank experts?"

This was a Prince's Estate, after all.

Xu Suwen smiled faintly and said, "Precisely because it's a Prince's Estate, there can't be too many experts."

"Why?" Jiang Yun was taken aback.

Xu Suwen replied, "To quell the disaster in Anjia Town, three seventh-rank experts are more than enough. Ordinary malevolent spirits wouldn't dare approach, which is sufficient."

"If he invited a sixth-rank expert, a fifth-rank, or even a fourth-rank powerhouse, what would he be planning?"

"Especially for a prince who has been enfeoffed outside the Capital, His Majesty dislikes them keeping too many experts."

Hearing this, Jiang Yun instantly understood.

Monk Chen Hu gently patted his belly and chuckled, "Brother Yunbao, Brother Lu, capturing Jiang Yun will be the first merit. I, the monk, won't be polite."

With that, Monk Chen Hu stepped forward.

Daoist Yunbao next to him raised a hand to stop him. "Hey, Monk Chen, that's not fair. This fellow knows a few minor Daoist techniques."

"Since he's from the Daoist sect, it's only natural that I should be the one to deal with him."

Currently picking up my child from school. I'll write more when I get home.