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“I had Yao Yi take him to his room to have a rest. How was your talk with your uncle?”

“My uncle said that he would make arrangements for Guard Zhang to enter the Pear Blossom Garden.”

Yuwen Tong nodded. “That’s good.”

Ling Zhaowen took quick action. The next noon, he returned from the Pear Blossom Garden and came to Yuwen Tong’s place, informing him that necessary arrangements had been made, that Zhang Liu could enter the Pear Blossom Garden in the afternoon.

After putting some efforts into it, Zhang Liu disguised himself as a blind physician who specialized in gynecology. He had changed into scholar’s clothes and undergone simple countenance transformation. His eyes closed, a medicine chest on his back, a bamboo cane in his hand, his gait slightly unsteady, he was now someone furthest removed from the bright-eyed, sure-footed and brisk guard he was the night before.

Ling Zhang was amazed. “You are such a master of disguise.”

“Thank you for your compliment, childe.” Yao Yi accepted Ling Zhang’s praise without any pretence at politeness, a smug smile on his face.

Ling Zhang also smiled, “Previously, you helped Uncle Lu disguise himself, and today you helped Guard Zhang in the same way. Have you been learning disguise for a long time?”

“I’ve been doing this for twelve years,” answered Yao Yi.

‘That was quite a long time,’ Ling Zhang secretly sighed in the knowledge that as he had expected, this amazing skill could not be mastered without years of practice.

“My uncle and I have to pay a visit to Lu family later today. I arranged for those guards to begin learning the first formation in the morning,” Ling Zhang told Yuwen Tong.

“I saw it. They were pretty good. In a way, they have made a considerable improvement after the foundation was laid,” Yuwen Tong commented.

Since Ling Zhang had put quite some effort into teaching those guards, he felt proud to hear Yuwen Tong praise them.

“After all things here are handled, I’ll recall the twelve men in the herb farm.”

“Are there any unresolved issues in the herb farm?”

“Since Supervisor Zhou and the twelve guards are there, and those herb farmers are also vigilant, the farm is fairly safe for the moment.”

Ling Zhang believed that Zhang Chong probably wouldn’t be able to find the time to send his men to the herb farm to make trouble.

As chance would have it, he chanced upon Zhang Chong again when he visited Lu family in the afternoon that day.

Naturally, Ling Zhang made no gesture of friendliness whatsoever at Zhang Chong. It was because of Ling Zhaowen’s presence that he blandly greeted Zhang Chong.

Zhang Chong briefly sized up Ling Zhang and then inexplicably observed, “Childe Ling also came here. It’s been a couple of days since our last meeting. You seem to be in even better health.”

“Thank you for your concern, Commander Zhang. I owe my good health to your kindness,” replied Ling Zhang.

“I don’t dare to claim the credit for it. I only hope that Childe Ling does not hold grudges against me,” said Zhang Chong.

“Never would I do that. Commander Zhang must be joking,” Ling Zhang said calmly.

Zhang Chong softly snorted and then walked into the mourning hall, followed by his attendants.

He lit three joss sticks and paid his respect to the deceased before saying to Lu Fengnian, “May I ask when Lu family will hold a funeral for Lord Lu? I’ll schedule some time and come here to see Lord Lu off.”

Lu Fengnian heaved a sigh and replied with a sorrowful and indignant look on his face, “The murderer is still at large. Yesterday, an eminent Buddhist monk who came here to help my son find his path to the Pure Land said that the spirit of my son was filled with resentment, that now was not the perfect time to bury him. It’s best if we hold the funeral after the murderer is brought to justice.”

Zhang Chong unnoticeably knitted his eyebrows and then said, “Are you saying that you’ll keep waiting leaving Lord Lu’s body in this hall? Isn’t that synonymous with stopping Lord Lu from resting in peace?”

“We won’t wait for long. In a few days, if they still can’t find the whereabouts of the murderer, we’ll invite the eminent monk around again to hold a dharma assembly.”

It was after hearing this that the look on Zhang Chong’s face grew faintly milder. “Prefecture Guards have been searching for the criminal all along these days, but that ruffian fled so quick that his whereabouts is still unknown. I failed Lu family.”

“You’ve done your best, Commander Zhang. I can understand.”

“Thank you for your understanding. In any case, I’ll do whatever I can to make sure Lu family gets the justice it seeks.”

“I’m very grateful to you, Commander Zhang.”

“There is no need for formalities, Old Master Lu. If you need any help, feel free to inform me.”

“I will. Thank you.”

Zhang Chong finished his talk with Lu Fengnian and left. He didn’t look at Ling Zhang or Ling Zhaowen before walking out of the mansion.

“It’s been only a couple of days, yet Zhang Chong couldn’t wait to ask about the time for Uncle Lu’s funeral,” Ling Zhang said with a cold countenance.

“Hump! Jia Zhong has been proactively trying to bribe Lord Tao into helping him get the position of the Right Tongzhi which has just become available, but Lord Tao didn’t agree. He even said that it had only been a couple of days since Lord Lu’s death and the murderer was still at large, so this matter should be left aside for the moment. Jia Zhong probably has gone to ask Zhang Chong for help in his anxiety,” Ling Zhaowen explained.

“No wonder,” said Ling Zhang in a cold tone of voice.

After leaving the mansion of Lu family, Zhang Chong didn’t go straight back to the Prefecture Encampment. Instead, he went to a tea house to meet Jia Zhong.

“How did it go, commander? When will Lu family bury Lu Kui?” Jia Zhong asked expectantly on the sight of him.

“Lu Fengnian said that he didn’t want to hold the funeral when the murderer was still at large. He was merely saying that to put pressure on me. That old bastard,” answered Zhang Chong with a sullen look on his face.

“What? How come he and Tao Feng used the same excuse? Did they by any chance do this on purpose?” Jia Zhong said immediately.

“Even if they did it on purpose, we have to show some patience for the moment. If Lu family still doesn’t bury Lu Kui in a couple of days, I have plenty of methods of making them do it!” Zhang Chong smacked his hand down on to the surface of the table.

Anxious as Jia Zhong was, he didn’t dare urge Zhang Chong to force people of Lu family into burying Lu Kui right now. Having no choice but to subdue his anxiety, he returned home and started breaking things in his study to vent his anger.

“Please calm your anger, my lord. Now that Commander Zhang has made a promise that he wouldn’t let Lu family stall on this, let’s just be patient and wait for another couple of days,” Adviser Qian, who was standing on the side, observed, trying to persuade him.

“I’ve waited for such a long time and I’m so close to getting that position, but Lu family and that old bastard Tao Feng stubbornly refuse to let go. My anger is killing me!” Jia Zhong thundered.

“Just relax, my lord. Since Lu family has just received a heavy blow and is no longer a threat to us, how much longer could Tao Feng possibly last out the pressure Commander Zhang exerts on him? He will compromise eventually,” Adviser Qian consoled him.

Unreconciled, Jia Zhong snarled another couple of curses before his anger gradually subsided.

“How’s it going in the first master’s house? What have they been doing during the past few days? Why aren’t they quarreling?”

“Liu Chengfang has moved in with them. The first madam has been busy bullying her, so she doesn’t have the time to quarrel with the first master. As regards the first master… He has been quiet over the past couple of days and has barely gone out of his mansion.”

Jia Zhong knitted his eyebrows. He had been bustling around dealing with all kinds of issues all along, while his elder brother and his sister-in-law had been doing nothing but leisurely enjoying the fruit of his hard work!

Adviser Qian noticed the sullen look on Jia Zhong’s face, but since this matter concerned Jia Yin, who was Jia Zhong’s full brother after all, if he talked too much, he might end up offending Jia Zhong, so he decided to keep silent.

“Have you had any news of Yuanling?” Jia Zhong suddenly asked about Jia Yuanling.

Adviser Qian answered, “Not for now, but I calculated the time and I think they’ll reach the destination soon. It shouldn’t be long before news comes in. All people in that place work for Commander Zhang. They will send us a message immediately after the successful rescue of young master.” Jia Zhong gave a nod and observed, “Tell your men to keep a close eye on people in this house lest they should make any more trouble.”

“Yes, my lord.”

…

Though Ling Zhaowen was eager to stay and have a talk with Lu Kui, Lu Kui could only get out of the coffin for some fresh air at night when nobody was around. Suspicion would, without doubt, be aroused if he was still in Lu family at that hour of the night, so he had no choice but to leave Lu family after finishing his talk with Lu Fengnian.

“Rest assured, uncle. With the presence of Yuwen Tong’s men, nothing’s going to happen to Uncle Lu.”

“I know. Alas. If it weren’t for that Zhang Chong must be handled, this kind of inauspicious method would never have been…”

“Uncle, I believe Uncle Lu won’t mind, as long as Zhang Chong gets his just deserts.”

“I understand.”

At the same time, in the Pear Blossom Garden, Zhang Liu, who had disguised as a blind physician, entered the brothel without arousing any suspicion and was assigned a room.

As luck would have it, the mine director of Jia family came to the Pear Blossom Garden on that very night. On observing the existence of Zhang Liu, he frowned and asked, “Who’s this guy?”

“I haven’t been feeling myself lately and I’m afraid it’ll take a long time for me to recover. All competent female physicians outside have been hired by other people. Those available either are charlatans or have treated numerous prostitutes. I’m afraid to let them treat me for fear that they might be unclean, so I had this blind physician invited over. He came to Tanyang not long ago. It is said that his medical skills are pretty good, that he could diagnose diseases by simply feeling a patient’s pulse. And unlike other physicians, he doesn’t need to perform those kinds of… Anyway, I just drank a bowl of decoction he prescribed me this afternoon and I feel much better now,” explained Lady Jingwu.

It was not until the mine director heard her words that his frown dissolved. After confirming that Zhang Liu was indeed blind and would only quietly stay in his room, the director finally let down his guard somewhat, but he still told servants in the Pear Blossom Garden to keep a weather eye on the physician, ordering that the physician should not leave his room unless summoned to treat patients.

“Rest assured, Director. The courtyard has a gate. I’ve already told him that he must stay in his room with the gate locked unless summoned. I’ll have him leave after I recover. I doubled the payment and he agreed willingly.”

“Humph. He’s yet another money-grubber.” After hearing that the gate would be locked, the mine director of Jia family finally let go of this matter.

Just like this, Zhang Liu stayed in the Pear Blossom Garden without any trouble.

It would take quite a few days to forge the whole account book. On the first night, instead of rushing into taking action, Zhang Liu merely observed the mine director’s daily schedule, habits and some other details concerning various aspects.

Lady Jingwu was very cooperative. For her, after fulfilling this task, she would get a large sum of money, pay off her debts, leave Tanyang, change her identity and start life anew somewhere else.

“The matter of the account book can wait. Our first priority is to find out where Zhang Chong hides the armaments,” Yuwen Tong told Ling Zhang in the Green Bamboo Mansion.

“The Prefecture Encampment is heavily guarded. It is indeed very difficult to find where the armaments are in full view of Zhang Chong.”

“The Prefecture Encampment is not the only suspicious location.”

“Where else could he possibly be hiding them?” Ling Zhang was confused.

“There are too many people in the Prefecture Encampment, which makes it unsafe to store armaments there. If I were Zhang Chong, I wouldn’t put them there. As for where he’s hiding them…” Yuwen Tong looked at the map before him. “There is indeed a place that I suspect, but I need to find some clues first.”

‘Since even Yuwen Tong is not sure of it, Zhang Chong must be hiding the armaments in a very secret location,’ Ling Zhang thought.