He recalled the day.
The Prince Yi, dressed in flamboyant attire, actually said that Brother Ba was too strong and only allowed Brother Ba to eat three steamed buns!
Three!
Brother Ba, with such a robust physique and such powerful arms, capable of lifting a 300-pound stone lion with one hand, how could you only eat three steamed buns?
Moreover, the work involved menial tasks such as serving tea and water, and keeping accounts and inventory.
What Chen Qing found most unbearable was that every time Batuer saw that sickly Prince Yi, his head would be bowed low.
What is that?
That was fear.
That was the bitterness and resentment of someone whose talents were not recognized!
Chen Qing gritted her teeth, and a scalding tear fell onto the rice paper.
This can't go on.
He, Chen Qing, the top spy of the Prince An's Residence, must save Brother Ba.
He wanted to recruit such a peerless general for his lord.
No, he wanted to help Brother Ba escape his suffering first.
The pen tip landed heavily on the paper.
Chen Qing wrote with lightning speed, his heart surging with a tragic sense of the espionage war.
To My Lord:
Having infiltrated Yi Prefecture for several days, I have lived up to my lord's expectations and successfully infiltrated the core management of Prince Yi's Residence! Furthermore, through my exceptional skills, I have completely taken control of their newly formed ' Urban Management Security Brigade '!
He looked up and glanced outside the door.
Thirty soldiers, whom he had trained to be obedient, were snoring.
He was very satisfied with his progress.
He lowered his head and continued writing.
"Your subordinate has ascertained that Prince Yi is indeed as Your Majesty predicted, dissolute and immoral, and lacking in ambition!"
He neglected state affairs all day long, only knowing how to frolic with the women in his household. Not only did he condone the interference of the inner quarters in politics, but what was even more outrageous was that he actually suppressed loyal and virtuous officials!
There was a peerless warrior in the manor, capable of lifting a 300-pound stone lion with one arm, possessing the strength of ten thousand men, yet he was treated as a menial servant and subjected to endless humiliation!
Chen Qing put down her pen and wiped away a tear.
A new line was added, and the font size was increased.
It exudes a sense of resolute determination.
"My subordinates are secretly undermining Prince Yi's power, and have already achieved initial success."
In order to further win over this fierce general and completely transform him and his 30-man security team into our army's agents, the subordinates urgently need a huge sum of money to bribe him!
Prices in Yi Prefecture are extremely high, and recruiting soldiers and winning people's hearts both require real money.
Your humble servant humbly requests that Your Majesty immediately allocate eight thousand taels of special funds for this activity!
This sum of money is of paramount importance, concerning the overall situation of our lord in Yi Prefecture!
For the sake of the Prince An's great cause, your subordinates are willing to risk everything, even if it means being trapped deep in enemy territory, sacrificing their lives, and going through fire and water—they would not hesitate to die!
After writing the last word.
Chen Qing let out a long breath.
Looking at the secret report written in blood and tears on the Xuan paper, he was so moved that he trembled all over.
The letter was carefully rolled up, stuffed into an extremely thin bamboo tube, and sealed with wax.
I walked to the back window of the woodshed.
An inconspicuous birdcage hangs outside the window.
Inside was a gray carrier pigeon, a special military pigeon used by the Prince An's Residence to deliver urgent intelligence.
Chen Qing tied a bamboo tube to the leg of a carrier pigeon.
Hold the pigeon in both hands and bring it up in front of you.
"Go. Tell the lord that I am in Yi Prefecture. Brother Ba... is also in it."
He raised both hands.
The gray pigeons flapped their wings and disappeared into the dark night sky.
Chen Qing leaned against the window, watching the direction the pigeons had disappeared.
Turn around.
He walked to the table and picked up the rough porcelain bowl with both hands.
My gaze fell on that gap.
Beside that gap, with utmost solemnity and devotion... he pressed his lips to it.
I took a sip of air.
" Brother Ba, once the funds arrive, I'll take you to a whole roasted lamb feast. We'll eat two."
Outside the woodshed.
Yun Shuyue, hanging upside down under the eaves, gasped.
She just became the delivery team leader today and is preparing to patrol the area at night.
I just happened to be passing by this woodshed.
Under the moonlight, she could clearly see a grown man, holding a broken bowl, kissing it with tears in his eyes.
Yun Shuyue felt a churning in her stomach.
I almost went back the way I came after eating the pork stew with vermicelli that I had for dinner.
"City people, they're really twisted."
She shivered.
She kicked off the roof tiles, becoming a blur as she swiftly fled the place that had given her the creeps.
The second floor of the former Prince's Mansion.
Gu Moran stood by the window, wearing only a thin coat.
The sky was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.
He looked at the distant horizon.
Several inconspicuous gray birds flapped their wings, lined up, and flew rapidly northward.
A pale blue halo flashed in Gu Moran's eyes.
The system panel pops up automatically.
[Key Information Intercepted: A Chen Qing Report from a Spy of Prince An's Residence ]
[Secret report: I have infiltrated the core leadership and taken control of the security team. Prince Yi is debauched and is currently undermining the emperor's authority. I request 8,000 taels of special funds to bribe various parties. I am willing to go through fire and water, even at the cost of my life.]
The text on the panel disappeared quickly.
Gu Moran looked away.
He tapped lightly twice on the window frame with his fingers.
Uncle Fu came up from downstairs carrying a copper basin and happened to see him staring at the sky.
"Your Highness, what are you looking at?"
"Look at the God of Wealth."
Gu Moran turned around, in a great mood.
"My second brother is such a good man. Knowing that our manor has just opened and is short of money, he even took the initiative to cover the cost of weapons and food for our private soldiers."
Uncle Fu put down the copper basin, looking puzzled.
"Second Prince? Money?"
Gu Moran didn't explain, and went straight behind the screen to change her clothes.
Go and fetch Su Yao.
Half an incense stick later.
Su Yao sat on a rosewood chair in the main hall.
He was holding that thick ledger in his hands.
Her eyes lit up instantly after hearing Gu Moran's words.
The abacus clicked and clacked loudly.
"Eight thousand taels! That's enough to get so many things done."
Su Yao looked up, her gaze burning as she looked at Gu Moran.
"How does Your Highness plan to spend the money? To repair roads?"
Gu Moran leaned back in the main seat.
Hold up one finger.
"That eight thousand taels is just icing on the cake. Besides road construction, there are three other things we need to do."
"The first thing to do is to inform Yun Shuyue that all the 'express couriers' under her command will receive a paycheck and new uniforms."
How do I change it?
"Give each of them identical leg wraps with thickened soles. Most importantly, each person should be equipped with a pair of high-quality steel grappling hooks."
Su Yao stopped writing.
"A grappling hook? You use a grappling hook to deliver takeout?"
"The excuse is to speed up food delivery, using shortcuts by scaling walls and rooftops." Gu Moran his teacup and took a sip. "Actually, this group has excellent light-footed skills, using grappling hooks to traverse the city. They're called Special Reconnaissance Battalion. I want them to thoroughly investigate every dark alley and every hidden corner of every rooftop in Yi Prefecture City within ten days."
Su Yao nodded and made a note in the ledger.
"And the second one?"
Gu Moran held up two fingers.
"Aren't there a few ice cream shops in town that need to buy ice? Our shop will pay for the modification of the undercarriages of all the ice trucks. The bottom layer will be entirely lined with hollow wooden planks."
"Moisture-proof and heat-insulating?"
That's the official version of events.
Gu Moran put down the teacup.
"Actually, it was to test the load-bearing limits of the axles and wheel hubs. From now on, these hollow wooden rafts won't be filled with ice."
Su Yao gasped.
She understood the vast web Gu Moran was laying.
All military deployments are disguised under the guise of legitimate commercial interests.
"The third item."
Gu Moran tapped on the table.
"Isn't that Chen Qing trying to train troops? Let him have his way."
I looked closely at those thirty security guards; more than a dozen of them had calluses on the backs of their hands and marched in a military step. They were veterans Zhen Daijin had trained; the old fox deliberately slipped them in to test me.
Chen Qing thought he had found a group of helpers, but little did he know, he had been outmaneuvered by the old fox.
Gu Moran smiled.
"Let Chen Qing continue training. He can pay for it himself. Give each of these thirty men a thickened, heavy long wooden stick covered with iron, and a round shield made of thick wood covered with iron."
Su Yao frowned.
"Your Highness, this weapon is far too conspicuous. What if the prefectural government investigates?"
"Just say there are too many thugs in the west of the city, and to prevent them from causing trouble and smashing shops, they're equipping the area with some riot gear. It's perfectly reasonable."
"Besides, Chen Qing is Second Brother's man."
Gu Moran drew a circle on the table with his finger.
"The sticks are ten feet long. The round shields must be able to be joined together. The official purpose is to train formations."
"In reality?"
"In reality, it was a tortoise formation of heavily armored infantry."
Gu Moran stood up, walked to the door, and looked at the gradually brightening sky outside.
" Zhen Daijin brought the veterans to my door. Prince An brought the funds to my door. Yun Shuyue brought the scouts to my door."