Chapter 48 She Ought to Thank Us

Upon hearing that Guo Zhen had been found, Yang Chen's eyes narrowed slightly, and he immediately asked, "Where is Eunuch Guo?"

Wang Lu immediately led Yang Chen into the room.

Having been thoroughly terrified by Wang Lu, Guo Zhen's legs were weak and trembling.

Of course, it was also possible he was still feeling the lingering effects of the drugs Wang Lu had fed him.

In front of Yang Chen, Lu Wenzhao, and the others, Wang Lu helped Guo Zhen to his feet, saying with a self-reproaching expression, "It is entirely because we, the brocade-clad guards, failed to properly fulfill our duties that Eunuch Guo has suffered such an ordeal. Please do not blame Lord Yang or Lord Lu; if anyone is to be blamed, blame Wang Lu!"

*How could I dare blame you? You're so damn almighty.*

*F*** your mother, return my money!*

Guo Zhen desperately wanted to shout those very words, but when Wang Lu shot him a fierce glare and gave him a hard pinch, he realized he was completely under Wang Lu's control.

That is, if he still wanted to live.

"N... no blame! It was purely those kidnappers stopping at nothing for money. Who could have possibly imagined someone would dare kidnap this humble servant for ransom!" Because he hadn't had a drink of water in days, Guo Zhen's throat was parched and hoarse, causing his voice to return to that of a normal man.

"Damn those accursed kidnappers, to think they would torture you to such a state!" Yang Chen cursed angrily.

Guo Zhen shuddered and stammered, "No, the kidnappers cannot bear all the blame either. One could only say this humble servant also shares an unshakeable responsibility. Had I been a bit more cautious, I wouldn't have ended up abducted. Besides, leaving aside the facts, doesn't this humble servant bear any fault at all?"

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

Shen Lian: ...

"What is the meaning of this?" While feeling nervous, Lu Wenzhao was left utterly baffled by this remark.

Guo Zhen gasped slightly for breath and said, "Actually, the person who abducted this humble servant ended up saving my life."

"How so?" Yang Chen immediately inquired.

"Word had reached me directing me to the Jinling Tower, and the person who invited me was none other than Beizhai. When I thought about it, wasn't she that painter who has constantly slandered Eunuch Wei? This humble servant was arrogant and actually thought of going there first to test the waters. Who would have expected the other party to have brought a whole band of skilled fighters, shouting about executing the eunuch faction? If the one who kidnapped me had been just a little slower, this humble servant would already be keeping company with the late emperor."

Wang Lu couldn't help but nod inwardly. Old Guo was doing a fine job and hadn't lost face. Although some details of this story were a bit rough around the edges, it would pass muster without any trouble.

After all, Yang Chen was one of our own.

Lu Wenzhao still hadn't realized that in this entire courtyard, he was the only outsider.

One could only say that serving the Prince of Xin was simply how things went. Lu Wenzhao only needed to figure out how to help the Prince of Xin ascend to power, whereas the Prince of Xin had to weigh far more factors.

The Prince of Xin not only had to deal with his enemies, but also had to manage his own people.

Such a fearless spirit was rarely seen in this world.

Encountering the Prince of Xin, Wang Lu was filled with only one sentiment in his heart: Prince of Xin! You truly are a great man!

"Such an incredible coincidence! Eunuch Guo has survived a great disaster and is bound to be blessed hereafter. Leave matters here to me, Yang; Yang and the Embroidered Uniform Guard will surely give you a satisfactory account!" Yang Chen declared with high-spirited fighting morale.

Guo Zhen waved his hand and said, "Ah, there's no need. This humble servant now only wishes to properly serve His Majesty; as for the rest, you guards can handle it as you see fit."

"Men, escort Eunuch Guo back to his residence!"

After Yang Chen had people support Guo Zhen away, he turned to Lu Wenzhao and said, "Commander Lu, take your men and search this place thoroughly to see if any clues were left behind."

"Understood." Lu Wenzhao cupped his fists in acknowledgment and immediately led his men away.

"You all go search the surrounding area for any traces of the Donglin rebel Beizhai, and the rest of you, follow me to search these buildings room by room!"

After Lu Wenzhao departed, both Wang Lu and Yang Chen turned their gazes toward Shen Lian.

Shen Lian remained silent for a long moment.

"This subordinate will also go assist Commander Lu with the search!"

"Very well."

Once Shen Lian had left, the room was left with only Wang Lu, Yang Chen, and a room full of corpses.

"The matter of Guo Zhen goes beyond mere money, doesn't it? And why would Guo Zhen appear here in the first place?" Yang Chen asked.

Knowing it was time to patch up the loopholes in his narrative, Wang Lu replied, "Eunuch Guo mentioned that the people who tried to kill him cursed him as a member of the eunuch faction. Presumably, it has a connection to Beizhai, which is how these threads became intertwined."

"Since this matter involves people within the palace, you must be careful how the official report is written so as not to leave behind any vulnerabilities." Yang Chen's voice was low, his gaze sharp.

The Ten Tigers and Ten Dogs held immense power over the court. Although Yang Chen cooperated with Wang Lu because of his brother Yang Huan, his edge was not dulled in the slightest.

"That Eunuch Guo was able to escape safely is entirely thanks to Lord Yang's merit. Under Lord Yang's arrangements, this subordinate investigated and discovered the connection between Beizhai and those who abducted Eunuch Guo, thereby smashing their stronghold and even uncovering that Beizhai commands armored elite soldiers. Such an act is tantamount to treason and should be recorded as the number one major case of our dynasty!"

"Splendid!" Yang Chen cast a satisfied glance at Wang Lu and said, "Keep up the good work, and the 'deputy' in your title of Deputy Commander will be dropped sooner rather than later."

"Thank you, my lord," Wang Lu replied with a calm smile.

"Why thank me?" Yang Chen said with haughty pride. "You saved my brother's life; our Yang family owes you. Had it not been for my godfather only recently bestowing his favor upon me these past few years, I would have already had you promoted to a full Commander!"

"Besides, you even provided so much silver. Although it wasn't an exorbitant amount, it clearly shows you are a sensible man. Follow us closely from now on, and regardless of how the political tides turn, your smooth sailing within the Embroidered Uniform Guard is guaranteed!"

The search would continue for a long while yet. Feeling drowsy, Wang Lu dragged Shen Lian away ahead of time. Anyway, they were "men of merit" and didn't need to laboriously rummage through things like the ordinary foot soldiers.

Once outside, Shen Lian walked for a short distance before suddenly uttering, "Thank you."

Because of Wang Lu, Shen Lian had once again let Beizhai slip away without facing any disciplinary repercussions, and he knew this was entirely tied to Wang Lu.

After watching Wang Lu whisper quietly with Yang Chen for so long, even a fool like Shen Lian would realize by now that Wang Lu was far less simple than he had imagined.

We agreed to be reckless brutes together, yet you secretly use your brain.

Wang Lu raised an eyebrow and smiled, saying, "We're brothers, don't be so formal. Actually, I should be thanking you for not exposing my involvement with Guo Zhen earlier."

Shen Lian was silent for a moment before saying, "As you said, we are brothers."

Whenever he was around Shen Lian, Wang Lu would unconsciously adopt a deep, resonant speaking tone, dropping his pitch as if someone might ambush him at any second.

Dark, heavy clouds gathered across the sky, and just as Wang Lu and Shen Lian parted ways, the rain began to pour.

The raindrops beat the dust on the ground into muddy paste, splashing into countless small craters beneath the eaves.

Pitter-patter...

Entering a room at this hour inevitably meant getting water trickling down the back of one's neck.

Fortunately, Wang Lu had Ding Chong hoisted over his shoulder.

Wang Lu was truly a busy man; running back and forth between the eastern and southern districts had his legs feeling like those of a dead mantis.

Thud...

Whoosh...

Using Ding Chong's forehead to shove the door open, Ding Baiying immediately gripped the hilt of her blade and cast a guarded, wary look toward the entrance.

The sound of the rain outside nearly drowned out human speech. Within the dim room illuminated by only a single flickering candle, Wang Lu smiled faintly and dumped Ding Chong onto the floor.

"You're the master of the house, yet you don't even know to pour me a cup of hot water? At least I went through all the trouble of bringing your beloved disciple to you."

Wang Lu eyed the hand with which Ding Baiying gripped her sword.

Without a word, Ding Baiying glanced past Wang Lu, and after a moment, said, "Thank you."

A sense of amusement blossomed in Wang Lu's heart.

See? She still has to thank us after all.