Chapter 539: Secret Investigation, Meeting with Zhao Shixiong (6k)
An "attack" that was supposed to target Zhao Duan was unexpectedly interrupted by a fight between local gangs.
However, only Zhao Duan himself knew that this was not a coincidence.
After getting down from the wall, Zhao Duan passed through the fence gate between the two courtyards and sat down at the Du family's dining table for a "monthly fee" of five taels of silver.
At the dinner table.
The down-and-out scholar Du Ruhui, his fierce wife Du, Du Shishi, Du Xiaobao and his family of four, plus Zhao Duan, formed a circle.
Perhaps because of the money, the lively wife Du was all smiles and kept picking up food for Zhao Duan. Her cooking skills were indeed good, and she also asked with concern how he was adapting.
Du Ruhui, with his ordinary appearance and a look of depression between his brows, was taciturn.
Zhao Duan greeted them with a smile and used the gang fight as an excuse to inquire about the situation in the city.
"The city is indeed unstable. The boldness of some gangs may be related to their connection with the Yunfu Army."
Du Ruhui, who had a beard and looked down and out, explained.
Are the gangs looking for rebels as a protection umbrella behind them? Zhao Duan is well aware of the survival rules of the grassroots gangs.
Just like the Red Flower Society in the capital, they also sought the protection of the noble Marquis Xia Jiang.
"I heard that General Zhao Shixiong is very strict in disciplining his troops. He just lets his subordinates do nothing when they help gangs make money?" Zhao Duan was puzzled.
Du Ruhui seemed to smile:
"So all these dirty deeds of the lower ranks are kept secret from the higher-ups, and General Zhao won't know about them. Besides, who says that the people who support the gangs are from the border troops?"
If they are not border troops...then they are officers from Prince Mu’s Palace?
Even... some military supervisors?
Zhao Duan's heart moved, and he realized that this was useful information.
He continued to ask Du Ruhui for more details in a roundabout way, with an attitude of seeking knowledge.
Considering the persona he created for himself, that of an outsider trying to survive in the city, his desire for this information was reasonable and would not arouse suspicion.
Perhaps Du Ruhui had been cooped up at home for too long, so he opened up and told a lot about what he knew.
It was not until Du's wife and two children finished eating and left the table that Du Ruhui heard his wife's dissatisfied cough and ended the topic.
It was pitch dark, and candles were lit in the main room.
Du Ruhui was sitting at the table washing his feet when he heard his wife, who was sitting cross-legged on the couch, complaining:
"You told that tenant so much, so you can show that you know more? He has to pay money to get information from outside. Are you so kind as to tell him for nothing?"
Du Ruhui wiped his feet in silence and suddenly said:
"This man is no ordinary wealthy family kid. His manners, demeanor, and bearing are subtle, yet every question he asks hits the mark.
Be polite to others, but don't get too close...
Alas, it's a pity that it's already been rented. If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have rented it to him, and maybe it would have saved me a lot of trouble."
At this moment, the demeanor between the eyebrows of the inconspicuous and down-and-out scholar was extremely unusual.
Du's wife curled her lips, sat on the bed with her hands on her hips and cursed:
"If you don't rent him, why don't you go and earn money to support the family?
Do you think a woman like me is willing to calculate those coins?
When Zhao Shixiong came, didn't the other officials in the government office continue to work well? They received higher salaries. Only you, who have no ability at all, were kicked out..."
Du Ruhui remained silent. He did not explain that he was not driven out, but resigned from his position in the government office before the rebels entered the city just to avoid disaster.
"King Mu of Yunfu may seem magnanimous, but in reality he has a very narrow mindset. He cannot be an emperor. He is serving the rebels today, and he will be punished in the future."
Du Ruhui wiped his feet and whispered:
"I am a husband who wants to be a prime minister. Right now, I am just lying in wait, waiting for the right opportunity."
No one responded.
When Lao Du turned around, he found that his wife had fallen asleep with her arms around the pillow.
Du Ruhui: ...
…
The courtyard next door.
Zhao Duan pushed open the bedroom door and the room was pitch black.
He first closed the door and lit the oil lamp on the table. The darkness creeps away, and Song Jinxi standing in the corner is like a dark reef exposed on the shore when the tide recedes.
He sneaked in without anyone noticing, and waited quietly.
"What's the situation?" Zhao Duan sat calmly at the table, picked up the scissors and picked out the wick without even looking around.
Song Jinxi, who was wearing a nightgown, said respectfully:
"I have taken control of Yexiangmen and am lurking within, awaiting your next order."
Zhao Duan said "yes" and said calmly:
"Yexiangmen is a good entry point. It's very convenient for obtaining intelligence, but it's not enough. I need you to quickly expand Yexiangmen's territory and influence in the coming days so that we can control the underground forces in the city as quickly as possible."
Song Jinxi was stunned for a moment and said hesitantly:
"But this will inevitably lead to frequent clashes. Will this attract the attention of the rebel leaders?"
Zhao Duan said calmly:
"Just do it. Remember, we don't have time to slowly build an intelligence network and infiltrate. We have to do it quickly."
What prompted him to make this decision was the information provided by Du Ruhui.
The rebels in the city can be roughly divided into two factions:
"Border Army System" and "Royal Palace System".
Even within the border army, there are many internal groups of varying sizes.
In order to avoid being held accountable for amassing wealth, news of the fights among lower-level gangs will be suppressed, and Zhao Shixiong will not be able to learn about it in the short term.
Just like the emperor can only control the area within ten steps around him, once he is blindfolded and has his ears covered by the ministers in the court, he will lose perception of the outside world.
"Yes." Song Jinxi nodded without hesitation.
"In ten days at most, no, seven days, I am confident that I can control the underground gang."
Zhao Duan nodded and continued:
"While expanding the gang, I want you to use these people's eyes and ears to investigate some people."
"Please tell me, sir, what are they specifically?"
"The activities of the military supervisors headed by Wang Qi, as well as the guards around Wang Qi, are too sensitive. It's best for you to do it yourself." Zhao Duan thought for a moment and said:
"There is also a person named Feng Xiaolian who has been appearing in Yunshao Courtyard recently. He is one of the chief treasurers of the Huai Palace."
Song Jinxi secretly noted: "Anything else?"
"Landlord," Zhao Duan nodded his forehead.
"Check out the landlord I live with, especially Du Ruhui and that Du Shishi. Find out who they are."
He originally thought that the girl was the most special one in the Du family, but after a conversation at the dinner table tonight, Zhao Duan was surprised to find out.
Du Ruhui, an inconspicuous, almost cowardly, unemployed man at home, has a lot of ideas in his mind. Although he has not talked about them in detail, how discerning is Zhao Duan?
Just from a simple conversation, I realized that this scholar was extraordinary and his talents were far beyond the reach of a small clerk.
"I understand." Song Jinxi was a little surprised. He didn't expect that such a small family could catch the attention of his master.
"Is there anything else?" Zhao Duan asked suspiciously when he saw that he did not leave.
Song Jinxi reported:
"Nie Yurong sent me some intelligence that Your Excellency might need. It happens to be related to that military supervisor, Wang Qi."
"Oh?" Zhao Duan raised his eyebrows.
Song Jinxi explained:
"She said that Wang Qi had an ancient talisman given to him by Xu Jingtang for self-defense. She didn't know the specific details, but she only knew that if you want to deal with Wang Qi, don't get within ten feet of him."
Can't get too close?
Zhao Duan was stunned for a moment, and couldn't help but think of the time when he dealt with King Heng of Qingzhou. The Red Flame Holy Armor controlled by the other party almost caused him to fail.
Phew… The Eight Kings, these royal families with deep roots, all have a lot of valuable treasures hidden away. Now that war has begun, it makes sense to use them to protect important ministers…
Zhao Duan was alert in his heart. He was not arrogant enough to think that he could do whatever he wanted after entering the middle level of the world.
Especially when it comes to sorcerers...all kinds of strange magic are far more threatening to people than warriors' swords.
Fortunately, there are very few sorcerers in the world, far less than the number of warriors, and most of them are suppressed by the Tianshi Mansion and are unwilling to participate in the war.
The "talismans" that may be used by mortals are not restricted...
"I understand." Zhao Duan thought for a moment and said lightly.
Song Jinxi's figure slowly merged into the darkness, and the window seemed to be blown open by the wind, and then closed again.
The Ouchi killer has disappeared.
…
After watching Song Jinxi leave, Zhao Duan still sat at the round table, staring at the flickering flame of the oil lamp in deep thought.
He was thinking about the information Nie Yurong sent him.
"Don't get close to him? This will almost eliminate the possibility of assassination by a warrior."
"Use sorcerer's methods? The Scarlet Flame Sacred Armor has lost its magic power now. Although I can still try to activate it, its lethality is not enough. Although the Black Turtle Seal can be cast from a distance, the Water God's magic is not very good at attacking and killing. Besides, I am not good at using these magic tools..."
"Pei Niannu? Ask her to control my body and cast a spell? It seems feasible, but the distance is still not enough... Wang Qi has a group of warriors guarding him..."
Although the Martial God Path can use the visualized gods to perform some magic, it is not a true sorcerer after all.
Zhao Duan is essentially still a warrior, well, the martial arts he masters have some magical effects.
Even true sorcerers, when fighting with others, most of them cannot move too far away, just like Yu Xiu, although she can control the flying sword, the farther away the person is from the flying sword, the weaker the lethality.
"Considering that Wang Qi might be fishing, the danger of assassinating him is definitely not small. I can't take the risk easily... Perhaps, I can seek advice from the cheap beautiful master..."
Zhao Duan did not forget that it was from Pei Niannu that he learned the method of summoning the water god last time.
He immediately tried to visualize, and after a while, the flames on the table flickered, and an illusory figure wearing a bright red wedding dress and a dark golden mask on her face emerged.
Pei Niannu sat across from the round table, her eyes cold and she stared at him impatiently:
"What's going on again..."
She seemed to be annoyed with me. Yes, ever since I came into this world, I started to take advantage of her for free and never told her a story again... Zhao Duan seriously expressed his needs.
Pei Niannu said indifferently: "It has nothing to do with...me."
After saying this, she faded away little by little and disappeared.
Zhao Duan was stunned, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. After spending so long together, he easily understood what the sorceress meant:
As the "portable grandmother", Pei Niannu will respond to the call and protect Zhao Duan when he is in danger.
There will also be rare occasions, such as the last time when we saved the people and prevented the city from burning down, when we made exceptions and gave some answers.
But beyond that, she won't offer any additional help.
Assassinating others...is obviously not in the category of helping.
But Zhao Duan couldn't force her. The "predecessor" he imagined had a certain self-awareness, just as Zhao Duan had tried to ask Pei Niannu about her relationship with Dayu Taizu and some secrets of the past.
But Pei Niannu never refused to answer.
"...Senior, if that's not possible, I'm willing to read you three chapters of a vernacular novel as a reward. How about that?... Five chapters? Ten chapters?..."
Zhao Duan did not give up and tried to lure her with benefits, but Pei Niannu was like a frozen computer and ignored him.
Is he really angry? Or is my story not exciting enough? Zhao Duan was shocked and secretly anxious.
Bribery, which had always worked, was no longer effective!
"But it doesn't matter. If you don't answer now, your younger self might not answer!"
Zhao Duan muttered, stood up and returned to the bed, threw himself on the bed, breathed in and out, and entered the "Great Dream Scroll".
…
In a trance, Zhao Duan appeared in a mountain temple.
It is also night in the Great Dream Scroll, and the sky is dotted with stars. This is the sky at the end of the Qi Dynasty six hundred years ago in the scroll.
"Crackling."
Zhao Duan sat cross-legged in front of a bonfire and opened his eyes. He looked like a young man now, wearing a plain Taoist robe and a Taoist bun.
The flames spread from the front, illuminating the dilapidated temples around them, and then further out, the flames quickly disappeared into the darkness.
This place was six hundred years ago, in a forest in the mountain area roughly corresponding to the present-day Xiping Road.
In the past two months, Zhao Duan has been traveling the world in his dreams as a small town boy following the young Pei Niannu.
Along the way, I got to know the local customs and people, and also saw many martial arts sects that had long disappeared in history.
For example, Zoroastrianism is one of them.
However, at this point in time, Zhao Duan and his apprentice have already left the Zoroastrianism territory and continue to travel the world to gain experience.
At this point in time, Pei Niannu also had the strength of the worldly realm. Although he was not in the first echelon in the martial arts world, his status was not low.
As her disciple, Zhao Duan also learned some of Pei Niannu's past.
for example:
When she was young, she had fought against the evil sorcerers with a group of like-minded friends. Well, the evil sorcerers of this era were very powerful, far more powerful than six hundred years later.
Later, everyone was injured and disbanded to return home, but Pei Niannu continued to grow.
Now, having become a high-ranking official in the world, she visits the residences of her former companions one by one. However, those who once traveled with her in the martial arts world have either retired from the world or simply died.
kindness……
This journey is somewhat like "The Burial of Frielian"...
At this moment, footsteps were heard outside the ruined temple, and the figure of a female warrior wearing a silver mask and a cloak emerged from the darkness.
Hmm... Fulinu is back... Zhao Duan was shocked and stood up to greet her:
"Master."
"Well," the young Pei Niannu threw a small animal he had hunted on the ground and said lightly:
"I'm hungry. Let me roast it and eat it."
Then he sat aside and waited for the meal to be served.
Zhao Duan sighed softly, handled the ingredients skillfully, and said:
"Master, is there a way for a warrior to kill a sorcerer from a long enough distance?"
Then, he told the enemy about the many powers he possessed in reality and the general situation of the enemy.
This question was very abrupt, but Zhao Duan had already discovered that although Pei Niannu in "The Great Dream Scroll" seemed intelligent, he was actually not a "living person" and was not much different from Old Xu in "The Picture of the God of War".
It's just an NPC... Therefore, even if there is such a strange conversation, the other party will not be "suspicious".
The only one who truly looks like a living person is Pei Niannu hidden in the "Six Chapter Sutra", there is no other.
Sure enough, after hearing his question, Pei Niannu [Silver Armor Version] thought for a moment, suddenly stood up, and walked out of the temple again.
But this time she didn't go far, but came back quickly with some bamboo.
Bamboo? Zhao Duan pondered.
…
On the same night, the lights in Yunshao Courtyard were on, and the military supervisor Wang Qi returned from his trip and rode a carriage back to the barracks.
Arriving at his residence in the military camp, Wang Qi, who was originally drunk, pot-bellied, and known for his lust, suddenly looked clear.
As if he was not drunk at all, he sat down at the desk and began to look through the memorials sent by dozens of other "military supervisors" in the army one by one.
This is his daily job, and everything went smoothly today.
"Tell your men to be more vigilant. The imperial court may seem inactive, but now that Xue Shence has returned to the eastern front, Zhao Duan will certainly make moves and may try to contain us."
Wang Qi said calmly.
A military supervisor who came to report in the room was worried:
"Sir, are you worried that the other party will come to assassinate you?"
Wang Qi said in a deep voice:
"Zhao Duan is quite treacherous, and he has several World Realm warriors at his disposal. We must be on guard. However, I'm hoping he sends someone to assassinate me. If he dares to act, I'll make sure he doesn't return."
While he was speaking, an old blue and white porcelain bowl the size of a palm appeared in the hand of the portly military supervisor.
There were red talismans written on the bottom of the porcelain bowl, and there was a pool of clear water in the bowl.
No matter how the porcelain bowl was shaken, or even turned upside down, the water in the bowl never spilled.
…
…
In the next few days, some subtle changes occurred in Yongjia City.
Changes occurred in the Lower Town. Initially, the Hongluo Gang had several fights with the Yexiang Sect in order to seize territory. However, the result was surprising. The Yexiang Sect gained the upper hand and in turn swallowed up a lot of Hongluo Gang's territory and members.
And this is just the beginning.
Next, the Yexiang Sect, which had gained great power, started fighting again with the gang "Yinwajiangxing".
This gang was originally composed of a group of craftsmen who specialized in repairing houses. It was an old force. After the rebels entered the city, they forcibly recruited a large number of them to build fortifications, so it declined a lot.
As a result, it was soon swallowed up by Yexiangmen.
In less than a few days, the power of Yexiang Sect doubled, shocking everyone. More gangs also became nervous and began to form secret alliances to curb the unnecessary expansion of Yexiang Sect.
"We can't let this gang continue to expand, otherwise we will lose the rest of our territory." The leader of the Hongluo Gang slammed the table and ordered his men to seek help from the rebel backers behind them.
The result was just a basin of cold water:
The rebels' backers were unwilling to send troops to suppress the rebellion, apparently fearing that mobilizing troops would attract Zhao Shixiong's attention.
After receiving the news, Song Jinxi became more and more bold. In less than seven days, he used the gang's manpower to spread spies throughout the city.
Obtained a lot of information.
In the rented room.
"Sir, there's nothing wrong with Feng Xiaolian. Her identity has been confirmed. She is undoubtedly a member of the Huai Palace and holds a high position within it. Her current public identity in the city is that of the manager of the properties under the Huai Palace."
Song Jinxi reported:
"The Du family has also investigated and there is nothing special. That Du Shishi should be a wild sorcerer in the martial arts world, which is not surprising.
Du Ruhui was nothing special. The only thing worth noting was that he had found an excuse to resign from his position at the government office long before the rebels entered the Huai River, and had also severed many of his connections. Later, when the rebels entered the city and recruited many people to work, he avoided them all.
Are you so cowardly? Being able to decisively abandon a stable job when the situation is completely uncertain, this kind of courage and foresight is something many high-ranking officials lack... Zhao Duan nodded.
"What else?"
Song Jinxi handed him a thick stack of manuscripts:
"This is all the intelligence we've gathered about the city's military supervisors. Wang Qi's is at the top. My Lord, there's something amiss about this Wang Qi. He's too high-profile. I wonder if he's confident or if he's deliberately trying to draw our attention."
Zhao Duan looked through the information, only keeping Wang Qi's, and threw the rest back, saying lightly:
"Notify the shadow guards in the city to cooperate with me tonight. Select at least five military supervisors here and attempt to assassinate them."
Song Jinxi responded with a smile:
"Don't worry, sir. Killing is what I'm best at. If I hand over that Wang Qi to you, no matter how careful he is, I'm confident I can eliminate him."
"No need, just do your job." Zhao Duan waved his hand and sent the person away. He read the information again several times and then burned all the papers.
…
Yunshao Courtyard.
"Master Dong Ping is here?"
When Zhao Duan entered the brothel lobby again, he was discovered by Feng Xiaolian among the women.
The shopkeeper, dressed in green and dressed like a gangster, was drunk, surrounded by women, and had several "strawberry marks" on his face.
The women around him were all smiling, not compromising at all, as if being with him was a rare joy.
This is a man who will make women willing to accompany him, even for free.
Feng Xiaolian's eyes lit up, and she smiled and called Zhao Duan over. After exchanging a few words, she sent the others away on the pretext of wanting some quiet time.
"Does the governor have anything to tell you?" Feng Xiaolian asked with a smile.
Zhao Duan glanced around, confirmed that no one was paying attention, and whispered:
"I want to talk to Zhao Shixiong and need an intermediary to introduce me."
Feng Xiaolian was startled, her eyes changed, and the smile on her face faded a little:
"Is the Governor serious?"
Zhao Duan glanced at him and said, "Would I be so bored as to make fun of you?"
Feng Xiaolian fell into deep thought, and after a moment she said, "Zhao Shixiong won't see you."
Zhao Duan took a sip of the wine glass and said calmly:
"I will not go to see him either. I will just hand him a letter."
Is it just sending letters and communicating through text? Feng Xiaolian breathed a sigh of relief, thought for a moment, and said:
"The governor probably wants to pass on the message privately, and he certainly doesn't want too many people to know about it. Well... we can start with Zhao Shixiong's wife Gongsun.
I can find someone to deliver the letter to Gongsun, who will then pass it on to Zhao Shixiong, but this will take time to prepare, at least three days."
(End of this chapter)
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