Don Brocade, Deploy the Mounted Patrol

Luo Jing laughed. "Have you forgotten how Mr. Gangfeng cursed us, the Ministry of Revenue Evil Sects, back then? If he knew you were joining forces with us Evil Sects, he'd probably be so furious he'd come back to life and 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 am good at nothing. Grand righteousness and honorable reputation have nothing to do with me, and I can't bear any great responsibility. I only want to live well and spend my life in peace. Later, I'll burn plenty of incense and paper offerings for you, then help you avenge yourself. That settles the deal between us!

"Why don't you make money yourself?" Luo Jing asked.

"Lord Luo, there's no need to test me. I'm not an idiot. A silk merchant on Wanping Street earned a little money and was swallowed alive by the Demon Sect. Never mind that my father has passed away—even if he were still alive, he couldn't protect such a vast enterprise. This time, not only are 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 an enormous community of interests can my profits be guaranteed."

"A community of interests?" Luo Jing stared at Li Qingxian, his gaze blazing.

Li Qingxian smiled calmly without explaining.

"Little Master Li truly bears his father's demeanor. His learning runs deep; I am impressed," the burly man carrying a saber praised.

Luo Jing shot his subordinate a glare and lowered his head in thought.

At the same time, Li Qingxian was calculating in his heart.

Before, he had not understood the situation in the Qi Kingdom and could only watch in silence. Now that his memories were clear and he understood this world, he could be a little bolder.

Seeing Luo Jing remain silent, Li Qingxian became unhurried instead and casually chatted with the burly saber-bearing man beside him, fishing for information.

After asking around, he learned that the man was named Duan Heng and actually lived in the outer district as well. With more common ground between them, they began talking.

Night Guard Yamen.

Zheng Hui, his brocade uniform tattered and his True Essence exhausted, ran at a trot, steam rising from his head as though he were carrying a great steaming basket.

Rushing outside the main courtyard of the Divine Capital Office, Zheng Hui shouted, "This subordinate, Zheng Hui, has urgent business to report to Lord Zhou! Urgent beyond measure! Urgent beyond measure! It concerns Li Qingxian!"

The two guards watching the courtyard froze. One hurriedly said, "Lord Zhou is in the rear hall study. I'll take you there, but do not make a racket. My lord may be cultivating. Who is Li Qingxian?"

"Lord Zhou will definitely know!" Zheng Hui blurted out, not caring whether it was true.

The two went one after the other around the front hall, hurried along the colonnade, passed the lotus pond, and stepped onto the pebble path lined with blooming flowers and green grass before entering the rear hall.

At the study door stood a giant of a man clad in black, so tall he seemed to hold up the roof.

A helmet with a red plume covered his head, and a gleaming bronze breastplate fashioned with an elephant head covered his chest. The rest of him wore black clothes and black trousers, with no lower armor. A weapon hung from each side of his waist.

Both were short weapons, two feet long—one a curved blade, one a spike. Against his massive body, they looked like two chopsticks hanging there.

A savage scar slashed diagonally across his face, from the corner of his left eye to his right cheek, and half his nose had been cut away.

"Silence, whoever comes!" the man barked, glaring over with eyes like bronze bells.

The entire courtyard turned cold and murderous.

Instead of being frightened by the terrifying giant, Zheng Hui was delighted. He quickened his pace while lowering his voice. "Lord Zhou Hen, something has happened to Li Qingxian! Pang Mingjing from the Finance Office forcibly took him to the Ministry of Revenue to harm him!"

Zhou Hen frowned. "Explain in detail."

Zheng Hui immediately explained the entire chain of events.

"Wait here." Zhou Hen turned and entered, closed the door, then walked to a bronze sphere on the left and flicked it three times with a bent finger.

A soothing sound, like a singing bowl being struck, echoed through the room.

"What is it?"

Fine rasping sounds mingled with the voice, as if grains of sand were scraping across the speaker's vocal cords.

Wisps of smoke churned in the side room.

A man stepped out from the white smoke.

He wore an emerald brocade robe patterned with peonies and a black gauze hat, his figure straight and tall.

He was slender, with a jade-like face, handsome features, and an open, lofty bearing.

Beneath his thick black brows, his eyes rippled like autumn water, his pupils black and crystal-clear. Though he was a man, he possessed a pair of peach-blossom eyes that could ensnare the soul.

His skin was so fair that it made his lips appear vividly red.

Only his half-black, half-white hair and the touch of beard on his lips revealed that he was no longer young.

"My lord, something has happened to Li Qingxian..." Zhou Hen recounted what had occurred.

Having heard only half of it, Zhou Chunfeng's face flushed with anger. He raised a foot to head out, but after taking only one step, he lifted his right hand and pressed the knuckle of his index finger to his upper lip, coughing softly.

"Cough, cough..."

Zhou Hen hurriedly said, "My lord, concern breeds confusion."

Zhou Chunfeng stopped. The anger had yet to leave his face as he turned to the desk in the study, pulled a black command token bearing gold characters from the lot tube, and handed it to Zhou Hen.

"You will personally bring Li Qingxian back!"

"Yes!" Zhou Hen reached out, but grasped nothing.

Zhou Chunfeng tossed the command token back into the lot tube, took out a seal from the Luck Silver-Fish Pouch, and threw it to Zhou Hen.

A scarlet cord, a bronze seal with a nose-shaped knob.

Zhou Hen hurriedly caught it and stared blankly at Zhou Chunfeng as the anger on his face gradually faded.

"Don brocade, hang red silk, bind red belts, deploy the Mounted Patrol." Zhou Chunfeng gazed at the emerald lotus leaves swaying in the wind outside the window, his voice as decisive as nails driven into iron.

Not only Zhou Hen was stunned; Zheng Hui and the guards outside the door were stunned as well.

The two exchanged a glance. The guard's eyes filled with worry, while Zheng Hui's face was wild with joy, 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 Yamen had remained shut. The Red-Belt Cavalry, whose very name had once sent civil and military officials fleeing at the wind, had never ridden out again.

But today, the Mounted Patrol was mobilized.

Zheng Hui's eyes reddened, and his nose stung.

Qingxian was saved.

Zhou Hen stared at Zhou Chunfeng for several breaths, then held the seal in both hands, lowered his head, and said loudly, "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 swung open with a boom, and a troop of fifty riders streamed out.

Red silk was wrapped around the horses' necks, and red belts encircled the riders' waists, joining into a single red shadow as they galloped toward Ministry of Revenue Street amid deafening hoofbeats.

Clatter, clatter, clatter...

Yu Ping stepped out of an alley and stood dumbstruck at the sight of the Mounted Patrol charging toward him.

Among the fifty was one man in torn clothing, his face flushed red with extreme excitement.

"Captain!" Yu Ping shouted.

Zheng Hui, mounted on horseback, turned to glance at Yu Ping. He grinned, raised his riding whip, and pointed it toward Ministry of Revenue Street.

"Don brocade, deploy the Mounted Patrol!"

The others shouted in unison, "Don brocade, deploy the Mounted Patrol!"

Wherever they passed, pedestrians scattered aside. Some wore worried expressions, while others eagerly followed to watch the spectacle.

Yu Ping watched the Mounted Patrol vanish into the dust, his blood boiling as he clenched his fists and muttered, "Now this is the Night Guard!"

Inside the study, Zhou Chunfeng said, "Attend me."

A Gray Falcon flew in, landed on the ground, transformed into a man, and dropped to one knee with clasped fists.

"Find out who is plotting against Qingxian. Dig until you reach the bottom."

"Yes!"

With a bang, the man exploded into smoke. The smoke contracted and gathered, transforming into a bird that flew out of the room.

Zhou Chunfeng reached his left hand into the Luck Silver-Fish Pouch and took out an object.

The Luck Silver-Fish Pouch was only palm-sized, yet this disk was over a foot across, gleaming faintly with brass light and covered in rows of black talismans.