"Prince Kang is here, and I will certainly welcome him with open arms."
The two exchanged pleasantries for a long time until the Ninth Prince, standing nearby, grew impatient. They then parted ways and returned to their respective residences.
The Su General's mansion and Prince Kang's mansion were in the same direction, so they traveled together.
Inside the carriage, Xiao Muqian's expression was grim. "The military situation is urgent, yet we still have to wait three more days to depart. I worry my second uncle won't be able to hold on!"
"Rest assured, General Xiao Ji has been stationed in Liangzhou for twenty years. Dealing with a few Beidi soldiers should be well within his capabilities. His Majesty is paving the way for the Ninth Prince this time. Such a great achievement falling upon him, it's no wonder he'll be enfeoffed as a prince upon his victorious return," General Su analyzed.
Prince Kang, an elder, nodded in agreement. After some thought, he cautioned again, "Qian'er, this time you're going to support your second uncle. Remember not to be greedy for merit, nor to rush ahead. Otherwise, if the Ninth Prince catches you, your second uncle will truly be in danger. Do you understand?"
"Grandfather, rest assured. Your grandson knows what's important and what's urgent. I'm just worried about my second uncle."
His anxious expression was not feigned. After all, the boy had been raised by his side since childhood, so it was only natural to worry more.
Seeing him like this, the elder Prince Kang felt a warmth spread through his heart.
General Su couldn't help but sigh, "Indeed, he is the descendant of an old prince; he is exceptionally accomplished. Thinking of my own unruly son, I feel utterly disheartened."
Looking at General Su's expression of disappointment, Xiao Muqian felt pity for Su Cheng. If what he was currently doing could be revealed to the world, General Su would surely be proud of him. Unfortunately, some people and some matters were destined to operate in the shadows.
Su Cheng was like this, and so was Xu Lin.
Everyone in the secret guard camp of Prince Ding's mansion knew that once they entered this door, they could forget about living in the light of day.
They might leave behind a trail of infamy, or their deeds might remain unknown until their death, but not a single one regretted their choice, nor did anyone retreat. It was all their own decision.
At this moment, Xu Lin, who was hiding with Feng Jinxu in Xuzhou, was outside gathering information.
Inside the inn, Feng Jinxu had just finished cleaning himself. All the way here, they had either stayed in the wilderness or slept in their carriages. They had intended to ride swiftly to Jinling City for a brief rest, but upon arriving in Xuzhou, they had an unexpected discovery. While Xu Lin and his men went out to investigate, they were temporarily resting in this inconspicuous inn.
There was a knock on the door. "Young Master, it's me."
"Come in." As soon as the words fell, Fu Yi entered with a plate of delicious food. "Young Master, I asked the innkeeper to prepare some food. Eat it while it's hot. The other brothers have been arranged and are resting here as well. As for Xu Lin and the two he took with him, they'll have hot meals when they return."
All along the way, they had been eating dried beef or flatbread. His mouth was almost devoid of the taste of home-cooked meals. Since they finally had a bowl of hot food, he naturally had to arrange it for everyone.
Feng Jinxu showed a look of approval. Fu Yi had been by his side for many years. Not only was he skilled in martial arts, but he was also meticulous and considerate, truly an indispensable helper.
In the past, when he served in the Dali Temple, he often had to investigate cases, so Fu Yi had also honed his skills. Unfortunately, these skills were no match for Xu Lin and his men.
At first, Fu Yi was somewhat unconvinced, but after traveling all this way, he had witnessed firsthand what it meant to have people beyond people and heavens beyond heavens. He was one hundred percent in awe of Xu Lin and his subordinates' abilities.
Therefore, he truly treated them as brothers and never left them out of any good fortune.
The Duke of Wei's official boat was burned in Xuzhou, but there was no news of this in the capital. This must be due to some unspeakable secret. Otherwise, why would it burn now and not earlier or later, specifically after Governor Cao's death?
Thus, Xu Lin led his men to investigate.
After devouring a meal of a few small dishes, Feng Jinxu took out the list that A'yao had given him before his departure and looked at it again.
"Big Brother, these names are all from what Mother and I heard from the common people when we were in Jiangnan. They either oppressed the villagers or committed evil deeds. Although you are going to investigate the Grand Canal Administration, I thought that if the ditch is already rotten, the fish and shrimp won't be any good. You can follow the clues and see if there's any collusion with the Grand Canal Administration behind it."
A'yao's words still echoed in his ears. The list included both officials and merchants. Collusion between officials and merchants was not uncommon. To avoid alarming the snake, it was best to start investigating from the Chi family.
His gaze fell upon the three characters "Chi Zimo" written in delicate script. This was the current head of the Chi family. He was reportedly less than thirty years old, yet he had already firmly grasped the vast Chi family. He seemed to be very successful at a young age. Feng Jinxu, who was still deep in thought, was soon interrupted by the commotion outside the door. Xu Lin and his subordinates rushed in, their faces bearing their usual seriousness.
"What is it?"
"Young Master guessed correctly. Someone deliberately concealed the news of the Wei family's official boat being burned and did not report it to the capital. My subordinate investigated and found that the fire was deliberately set, with traces of kerosene on it."
Feng Jinxu frowned. Burning the Wei family's official boat was an act so audacious that very few in the court would dare to attempt it. The faction most opposed to the Wei family was the First Prince's faction, but he was unlikely to be capable of such a deed when he was in Xuzhou.
"Anything else?"
"Yes. Although it was cleaned up, my subordinate smelled blood. We also found an inconspicuous strip of cloth on the hemp rope by the ship. It was likely torn off by someone escaping."
He then handed the cloth strip to Feng Jinxu. There was no blood on it, indicating that the escapee might not have been injured.
The dark blue cloud brocade pattern indicated that the person must have been an official. Otherwise, ordinary people would not be able to use such cloud brocade fabric for clothing.
This led to the deduction that the Wei family's official boat was carrying an official. The purpose was unknown, but when they reached this point, they were ambushed. The accompanying guards were killed, and he himself escaped. As for where he went, the greatest possibility was the capital.
"Xu Lin, send a message back. Inform those in the capital to find this person as soon as possible. It's best to start with the officials of the thirteen cities of Liangzhe. Those who have mysteriously disappeared, or those who have been ill for a long time and haven't appeared, are all possibilities. Follow this lead, and you might find out who escaped more quickly!"
"Yes!"
Xu Lin had followed Feng Jinxu south all the way and was very impressed with this master's ability to see through things. In just a few days of observation, he was able to confirm that he was a military man. Now, even a small piece of cloth could lead to so many clues. It seemed that the Prince had chosen the right person to accompany him.
With him here, perhaps those unsavory matters of the Grand Canal Administration could finally be exposed!