Famous Detective Lu Xiaofeng

"Everyone, have you heard of... the Four Heroes of the Capital?"

Smack!

The storyteller slapped his clapper on the table.

With a mysterious look on his face, the storyteller gazed at the patrons below and said, "The so-called Four Heroes of the Capital are actually the Four Young Heroes of the Capital. They refer to four young talents who had achieved quite a bit despite their youth. It was just that the original title was rather awkward to say, so over time, it became the Four Heroes of the Capital!"

"The first of these four young heroes is Shangguan Hai, master of the Number One Manor Under Heaven. The Number One Manor Under Heaven recruits extraordinary people from all over the realm, and it boasts countless capable experts and eccentric talents. Young Hero Shangguan himself is gifted by nature, handsome and full of spirit!

"He studied under the famed master Mister Wuchen, and had now reached the innate realm. Few could match his A Sky Full of Flower Petals Scattering Money!"

"The second is Hua Manlou, the seventh son of the Hua family. He was harmed by villains in his youth and lost his sight, yet his heart held a bright moon. Though blind in his eyes, he was not blind at heart. Everyone who had met him praised his bearing.

"His ability to discern positions by sound had reached perfection. At times, even ordinary people with clear vision could not compare to him. He too had reached the innate realm, and his Flowing Clouds and Flying Sleeves was renowned throughout the martial world!"

"The third is Four-Eyed Lu Xiaofeng. I fear everyone present knows him better than I do. Free-spirited by nature, he loved making friends and never cared about status. Today, he could discuss martial arts with a son of an aristocratic family; tomorrow, he could drink cups of wine with peddlers and laborers. The whole capital was full of his friends!

"With cultivation in the innate realm, he was truly an outstanding talent. His Phoenix Dancing in the Nine Heavens movement technique was also among the best in the world. Yet what people knew him best for were those two fingers of his—the Telepathic Finger, capable of blocking any attack..."

"As for the fourth of the Four Young Heroes of the Capital, that would be Young Hero Zhou Ming. He entered the Quanzhen Sect as a youth and trained there for ten years. He too was a young talent..."

When he came to the last young hero, the storyteller suddenly changed tack and began recounting tales from the martial world concerning the four of them.

"Hahahaha..."

On the second floor of the inn, Lu Xiaofeng shut the window and laughed with delight.

"This storyteller is quite amusing. When he spoke of the first three, he mentioned their status, their martial cultivation, and their famous techniques. But when he got to the last one, all he could say was that he had trained for ten years?

"Hahaha... Tell me, how exactly did a fellow like you manage to become one of the Four Heroes of the Capital and stand alongside the three of us?"

Two others sat beside the wine table.

One was plainly dressed. His eyes faced forward, yet were dull and unfocused. He possessed a warm, jade-like temperament, the very model of a gentleman.

He was Hua Manlou of the Hua family, one of the Four Heroes of the Capital mentioned by the storyteller.

The other wore a black robe embroidered with golden patterns. He appeared restrained and low-key, yet wealth and nobility radiated from him. With sword-like brows and starry eyes, he was a handsome young man.

He was Zhou Ming, the young hero whom the storyteller had described in merely two short sentences.

Hearing this, Zhou Ming was not angered in the slightest. Instead, he said rather proudly, "Because my adoptive father is the current Grand Tutor, Grand Secretary, Minister of Personnel, Minister of Justice, and Marquis of Wenxi! He is trusted by His Majesty and a pillar of the state! What, do you have a problem with that?"

"Damn it!"

Lu Xiaofeng said unhappily, "So what if you have a good father? Besides, he's your adoptive father, not your real father!"

"My adoptive father has no other children. I'll be the one caring for him in his old age. He may not be my real father, but he is better than one!"

"You..."

Lu Xiaofeng was about to continue when Hua Manlou coughed lightly beside him. "Enough. If Brother Lu keeps talking, today's matter will become difficult to handle."

Lu Xiaofeng immediately stopped and swallowed the words on his lips.

Zhou Ming's eyes lit up at the sight, and he smiled. "I was wondering why a pauper like you was willing to spend money treating me to a meal. So you had something to ask of me? For the sake of the fact that we've known each other for several months, and that this is the first time you've treated me to dinner, tell me. What is it?"

Lu Xiaofeng sat back down at the table somewhat awkwardly. "Have you heard of the Plum Blossom Thief?"

"The Plum Blossom Thief?" Zhou Ming's gaze shifted. "I have. He was an expert in the martial world many years ago—greedy for wealth and lustful for women. He often robbed rich households and harmed respectable women. But his martial arts were formidable, and no one could capture him... Later, however, as his reputation grew, he gradually vanished and went into hiding."

Lu Xiaofeng nodded. "But recently, the Plum Blossom Thief has returned to the martial world and stirred up trouble again. A friend of mine asked me for help, hoping to uncover his true identity.

"For such a great villain, someone who once caused such turmoil in the martial world, Dragon Guard Manor, Divine Marquis Manor, and Six Doors must all have kept an eye on him. The Ministry of Justice should have relevant case files.

"I'd like to ask you to help me obtain those files and let me take a look."

Zhou Ming clapped his hands. "The storyteller said you had friends all over the capital, but I think he understated it. You ought to have friends all over the world. I've never heard of any recent incident involving the Plum Blossom Thief, so the place where it happened must be far from the capital. Yet you still had a friend come to you for help?"

"Haha, we merely had a chance encounter before..."

"My adoptive father is the Minister of Justice, and the Plum Blossom Thief's matter involves no secrets. Getting hold of those case files would be effortless."

"So you agree?"

"Of course... not!"

Zhou Ming abruptly changed his tone and mocked, "You were being so sarcastic just now, looking down on me for relying on my father's influence. And now you want my help? Dream on!"

"Hey! You're a grown man. Why are you so petty? I spoke without thinking—I'll apologize..."

"You needn't apologize. I don't take those few remarks to heart. But if you want my help, you'll have to help me with something too."

"What kind of favor?"

Zhou Ming took out a booklet and said, "You came to me because you need something, and I happen to need something from you too. Among the Four Young Heroes of the Capital, I'm the only one without any notable accomplishments. It would sound awful if word got out. So I'm planning to write a novel and spread my reputation."

"A novel written by you? What kind? Don't tell me it's something like Journey to the West or Investiture of the Gods. Ever since those two books became popular, the market has been flooded with that sort of thing."

"Of course not."

Zhou Ming said, "My novel will be about ingenious schemes and solving cases. It can be called a Detective Novel."

"A Detective Novel? Sounds interesting." Lu Xiaofeng was somewhat intrigued. He had always enjoyed investigating strange matters and pursuing the truth.

"However, I haven't decided on a name for the protagonist yet. If you're willing to help, could you lend me your name for the main character of my book?"

"The protagonist?" Lu Xiaofeng looked wary. "You aren't going to write nonsense in the book and ruin my reputation, are you?"

"Am I that kind of person?"

Zhou Ming shot him a glare. "The protagonist of my book loves investigating all kinds of strange cases, pursuing the truth, punishing evil, and upholding justice. He's an entirely good person!"

"That doesn't sound bad... And why does that sound so much like a description of me?"

Lu Xiaofeng said as he stroked his two mustaches.

Even Hua Manlou shook his head at that.

"One day, the protagonist went out with his childhood sweetheart and accidentally discovered two suspicious martial artists dressed in black. He secretly followed them and indeed found that they were extorting a wealthy merchant.

"Just as he was about to stop them, he was knocked unconscious by a blow to the back of the head. In his daze, someone fed him a pill. When he woke up, he discovered that he had become young again, turning into a child of seven or eight."

"Hm? Becoming young again? That's quite an interesting opening."

"Later, in order to investigate those two black-clad martial artists, the protagonist changed his name and moved into his childhood sweetheart's home. While helping her constable father solve cases, he investigated the men in black, only to become entangled in an even greater conflict..."

"That sounds pretty interesting."

Lu Xiaofeng nodded. "What is your story called?"

"If you agree, how about Famous Detective Lu Xiaofeng?"

"All right. As long as you promise not to deliberately slander me in the book from now on, you may borrow my name." Lu Xiaofeng agreed readily.

Zhou Ming smiled. "Don't be in such a hurry. There's another character in my book, young but with a family as rich as a nation. So I need you to persuade someone else..."

As he spoke, his gaze shifted toward the other man beside him.

Hua Manlou: "???"