Luo Jing laughed. "Have you forgotten how Mr. Gangfeng cursed us Revenue Ministry Faction people back then? If he knew you had joined hands with our faction, he'd probably be so furious he'd come back to life just to break your legs."
"Father wouldn't be that pedantic," Li Qingxian said.
Yet Li Qingxian thought to himself, Li Gangfeng, Li Gangfeng—I'm just an ordinary man. I have nothing and want nothing. Grand righteousness and noble reputation have nothing to do with me, and I can't shoulder any great responsibility. I only want to live well and peacefully all my life. I'll burn more incense and paper offerings for you later, then help you avenge yourself. That settles the deal between us!
"Why don't you make money yourself?" Luo Jing asked.
"My lord Luo, there's no need to test me. I'm no fool. A silk merchant on Wanping Street made a little money, and the Devil Sect swallowed him whole, skin and bones alike. Let alone now that my father has passed away—even if he were still alive, he couldn't protect such a large business. This time, it isn't just our Night Guard and your Ministry of Revenue involved. The Ministry of Works and His Majesty's Inner Transport Treasury also have a share. Only by forming a vast alliance of interests can my profits be guaranteed."
"An alliance of interests?" Luo Jing stared at Li Qingxian, his gaze burning.
Li Qingxian smiled calmly and offered no explanation.
"Little Mr. Li truly carries his father's bearing. His learning runs deep indeed. I admire you," the brawny man with the saber praised.
Luo Jing shot his subordinate a glare, then lowered his head in thought.
At the same time, Li Qingxian was making calculations of his own.
Before, he had not understood the situation in the Qi Kingdom and could only observe in silence. Now that his memories were clear and he understood this world, he could be bolder.
Seeing that Luo Jing remained silent, Li Qingxian was in no hurry. Instead, he casually chatted with the saber-bearing strongman beside him, fishing for information.
After asking around, he learned that the man was named Duan Heng and, surprisingly, also lived in the outer district. With more common ground between them, they began talking.
Night Guard Yamen.
Zheng Hui, his brocade uniform torn to tatters and his True Essence exhausted, ran at a jog. Steam rose from his head as though he carried a huge steaming cage atop it.
Charging to the courtyard outside the main hall of the Divine Capital Office, Zheng Hui shouted, "This humble subordinate, Zheng Hui, has an urgent matter to report to Lord Zhou! A matter of utmost urgency! Utmost urgency! It concerns Li Qingxian!"
The two guards watching the courtyard froze for a moment. One hurriedly said, "Lord Zhou is in the rear hall study. I'll take you there, but do not make any loud noise. My lord may be cultivating. Who is Li Qingxian?"
"Lord Zhou certainly knows!" Zheng Hui blurted out, caring neither whether it was true nor false.
The two moved one before the other around the front hall, hurried along the colonnade, passed the lotus pond, and stepped onto a pebble path lined with blooming flowers and green grass as they entered the rear hall.
At the study entrance stood a black-clad giant, so tall he seemed capable of holding up the roof.
He wore a helmet crowned with a red plume, and an elephant-headed bright bronze breastplate covered his chest. The rest of him was clad in black shirt and black trousers, without an outer robe. A weapon hung from each side of his waist.
The short weapons were only two feet long—one a curved blade, the other a spike. Against his massive body, they looked like two chopsticks hanging at his waist.
A vicious scar slashed diagonally across his face, from the corner of his left eye to his right cheek. Half his nose had been cut away.
"Silence!" the man barked, glaring over with eyes as large as bronze bells.
The entire courtyard turned grim and icy.
Rather than being frightened by the terrifying giant, Zheng Hui was delighted. He quickened his steps and lowered his voice. "Lord Zhou Hen, something has happened to Li Qingxian! Pang Mingjing of the Finance Office forcibly took him to the Ministry of Revenue. He means to harm him!"
Zhou Hen frowned. "Explain in detail."
Zheng Hui immediately recounted the entire sequence of events.
"Wait here." Zhou Hen turned and entered, shut the door, then walked to a bronze sphere on the left and flicked it three times with a bent finger.
A mellow sound, like a singing bowl being struck, echoed through the room.
"What is it?"
Fine rustling threaded through the voice, as if grains of sand scraped across the speaker's vocal cords.
Wisps of smoke drifted within the side room.
A man stepped out from the white smoke.
He wore a brocade robe patterned with emerald-green peonies and a black gauze cap, his figure tall and straight.
He was slender, with a jade-like face and handsome, elegant bearing, open and lofty in carriage.
Beneath his thick black brows, his eyes rippled like autumn water. His pupils were black and bright. Though he was a man, he possessed a pair of peach-blossom eyes that could snare the soul.
His skin was so fair that it made his lips appear vividly red.
Only his hair, half black and half white, along with the trace of beard on his lips, revealed that he was no longer young.
"My lord, something has happened to Li Qingxian..." Zhou Hen repeated the account.
Before he had even heard half of it, anger flushed Zhou Chunfeng's face. He raised a foot to walk out, but after taking only one step, lifted his right hand and pressed the knuckle of his index finger to his upper lip as he coughed lightly.
"Cough, cough..."
Zhou Hen hurriedly said, "My lord, concern clouds judgment."
Zhou Chunfeng stopped. The anger had not faded from his face as he turned to the study desk, drew a black command token inscribed with gold characters from the token holder, and handed it to Zhou Hen.
"You will personally bring Li Qingxian back!"
"Yes!" Zhou Hen reached out, only to grasp empty air.
Zhou Chunfeng tossed the token back into the holder, took out a seal from the Luck Silver-Fish Pouch, and threw it to Zhou Hen.
A scarlet ribbon, a bronze seal with a nose-shaped knob.
Zhou Hen hurriedly caught it and stared blankly at Zhou Chunfeng, whose rage was gradually fading.
"Wear brocade uniforms, hang red silk, bind red belts, and send out the Mounted Patrol!" Zhou Chunfeng gazed at the lush green lotus leaves swaying in the pond beyond the window, his voice decisive as nails driven into iron.
Not only Zhou Hen was stunned—even Zheng Hui and the guards outside the door were dumbfounded.
The two exchanged a glance. The guard's eyes were full of worry, but Zheng Hui's face was ablaze with wild delight, and he nearly cried out.
Lord Zhou truly treated Li Qingxian differently!
Ever since the Crown Prince's death half a year ago, the main gates of the Night Guard had remained shut. The Red-Belt Cavalry, whose very name had once sent civil and military officials fleeing at the sound of the wind, had never ridden out again.
But today, the Mounted Patrol was deploying.
Zheng Hui's eyes reddened, and his nose stung.
Qingxian was saved.
Zhou Hen stared at Zhou Chunfeng for several breaths. Holding the seal in both hands, he lowered his head and shouted, "This subordinate obeys!"
As he spoke, Zhou Hen took a bronze whistle from the Silver Fish Pouch at his waist, pushed open the door, and blew it.
The entire Divine Capital Office sprang into action.
Before long, the main gates of the Night Guard Yamen burst open, and a column of fifty riders streamed out.
Red silk was tied around the horses' necks, and red belts circled the riders' waists. They became a single streak of red, galloping toward Ministry of Revenue Street amid thunderous hoofbeats.
Clatter, clatter, clatter...
Yu Ping stepped out of an alley and gaped at the Mounted Patrol charging toward him.
Among the fifty was one man whose clothes were shredded, his face flushed crimson with extreme excitement.
"Captain!" Yu Ping shouted.
Zheng Hui turned to glance at Yu Ping from horseback, grinned broadly, and raised his whip to point toward Ministry of Revenue Street.
"Wear brocade uniforms, send out the Mounted Patrol!"
The rest shouted in unison, "Wear brocade uniforms, send out the Mounted Patrol!"
Wherever they passed, pedestrians scattered. Some wore worried expressions, while others eagerly followed to watch the spectacle.
Yu Ping watched the Mounted Patrol's retreating figures vanish in a cloud of dust. His blood boiled, his fists clenched tight, and he murmured, "This is the Night Guard!"
Inside the study, Zhou Chunfeng said, "Attend me."
A Gray Falcon flew in, landed on the floor, transformed into a man, and dropped to one knee with cupped fists.
"Find out who is secretly harming Qingxian. Investigate it to the very end."
"Yes!"
With a bang, the man exploded into smoke. The smoke contracted and condensed, transforming into a bird that flew out of the room.
Zhou Chunfeng reached his left hand into the Luck Silver-Fish Pouch and took something out.
The Luck Silver-Fish Pouch was no larger than a palm, but this disk was more than a foot across, gleaming faintly with brass light and covered in rows of black talismans.
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