Chapter 19

East of the Duwei Mansion, after two streets, there stands a mansion that, though far less grand than the Zhen Marquis's residence, is still considered impressive in Guicheng. Watermark GG Test Watermark GG Test

Most of the houses in Guicheng are built with rammed earth, and houses constructed with bricks and tiles are not very common. Living in such a house in Guicheng would at least make one a person of some standing.

This mansion is the residence of the governor of Zhen County.

After the battle with the Wutuo people, Xiling established three counties and enfeoffed three marquises, with one marquis governing each county.

The Xiling Protectorate still exists, located in the Fenggan City of Yawen County.

The highest nominal official in Zhen County is naturally the governor, Du Hongsheng.

Winter has passed, but the climate in Xiling has not yet fully warmed up.

In a spacious room in the eastern wing of the governor's residence, a brazier still burns, making the room warm like spring. On the carved wooden chair that Du Hongsheng usually likes to sit in, an old man in his sixties, dressed in a black fur coat, is sitting, his face smooth and beardless, flipping through a scroll.

On the table beside the chair, a stack of scrolls is piled up.

Du Hongsheng stands before the old man with exceptional respect, slightly bowing. When the old man flips through the scrolls, Du Hongsheng tries to breathe as lightly as possible.

From the corner of his eye, Du Hongsheng sees the hand flipping through the scroll. If one only looks at that hand, it is hard to believe that its owner is an old man in his sixties.

The fingers are slender, without any wrinkles, and even appear very smooth, looking at first glance like the delicate fingers of a young woman.

After a long while, the old man puts down the scroll, raises his beautiful hands, and gently presses his temples, then asks, "How many more?" His voice, despite his advanced age, is rather sharp.

"All that have been counted so far have been presented to the old master," Du Hongsheng bows even deeper. "The rest will be completely counted by tomorrow morning at the latest."

The old man nods slightly and smiles gently, "Governor Du, the population of Guicheng is quite large."

"Old master, since the sage issued the decree to resume trade with the Wutuo people, Xiling has begun to flourish," Du Hongsheng replies carefully. "Guicheng is a must-pass route for the Xiling trade route, and many merchants come here from all over. Many of the people around Guicheng have also come to the city to find a living, so the population of the city has increased."

The old man softly "hmm" and Du Hongsheng, seeing the old man's calm expression, straightens his body slightly, and says softly, "Old master, the Ministry of Households has counted the population of Guicheng. So far, about three hundred people have been counted as meeting the criteria. By tonight, when the remaining population is completely counted, the total number in Guicheng will certainly be no less than four hundred. With such a large number, this official... this official is dull and does not know how to find the person the old master is looking for."

"There's no need to rush," the old man says with a gentle smile. "After the count, check how many of these several hundred people were born in Guicheng. The Great Heavenly Master observed the stars, and the celestial position originally was in the east. Therefore, the person we are looking for, the Celestial Blade, was not born in Guicheng but came from the east. If they were born in Guicheng, they can be excluded."

Du Hongsheng hurriedly says, "Old master means that the Celestial Blade came from the interior to Xiling and then settled here?"

The old man picks up the teacup on the table, his expression calm, and takes a sip.

"After the Wutuo rebellion, the first two years in Xiling were quite chaotic," Du Hongsheng says. "Many people from all over moved to Xiling, making it difficult to keep track of the population. In recent years, with stability, all men, women, and children settled in Guicheng have been registered, and anyone entering or leaving Guicheng must have a travel permit. If they stay in Guicheng for more than three months, they must register with the Ministry of Households. Therefore, if any outsiders settle in Guicheng, they can be traced." He raises his eyes slightly, only to see the old man's knees, and says softly, "This official came to take office four years ago and has paid close attention to the household registers, putting in a lot of effort."

The old man nods and smiles, "If the Celestial Blade can be found here, Governor Du will have made a great contribution."

Du Hongsheng immediately kneels down, respectfully saying, "This official will spare no effort to find the Celestial Blade for the old master."

"The Great Heavenly Master predicted that once the Celestial Blade enters the capital, our Tang Dynasty will surely flourish," the old man smiles. "The sage, for the welfare of the people, naturally wants to find the Celestial Blade. If the Celestial Blade enters the capital, the sage will certainly grant him all the glory and wealth. Moreover, the sage has decreed that whoever helps the court find the Celestial Blade will be promoted and ennobled."

Du Hongsheng hesitates for a moment and tentatively asks, "Old master, the Zhen Marquis's residence has many informants in Zhen County. If the Zhen family...!"

"The court trusts Governor Du more," the old man maintains his gentle expression. "They already know I have come to Xiling, and they will also know about the search for the Celestial Blade. Whether they will help the court is up to them."

Du Hongsheng hurriedly says, "This official has already followed the old master's instructions and leaked the news of the search for the Celestial Blade to the Ministry of Households. They will soon spread the news. At the Duwei Mansion, I summoned Han Yunong and two bailiffs last night and ordered them to investigate. In two days, the news of the search for the Celestial Blade should spread to every corner of Guicheng. The Zhen Marquis's residence should already know of the old master's arrival and the purpose of your visit."

"Very good," the old man smiles. "Governor Du, put more effort into it. As long as the Celestial Blade is found in Zhen County, no matter who finds him, I can guarantee that you will return to the capital."

Du Hongsheng's face shows excitement, and he bows, "The old master's kindness, this official will remember for life."

"Go on," the old man waves his hand and picks up another scroll.

Du Hongsheng stands up, bows backward, and thinks of something, asking again, "Old master, over the years, many people have moved to Guicheng from outside and settled here. This official will personally investigate those who moved from outside and meet the criteria, but... this official boldly asks, besides being born in October and being seventeen years old this year, are there any other clues? Even a small clue would make the search much easier."

The old man ponders for a moment and finally says, "Wine, the Celestial Blade loves wine and cannot go a day without it."

Du Hongsheng's eyebrows lift, and he clasps his hands, "Thank you, old master. There are not many young people who are fond of wine. With this clue, this official knows what to do."

He bows and exits the room, straightening his body outside the door. He sees a tall, slender man standing beside him, wearing a hood, exuding a sinister aura.

This is the attendant who came with the old master. Although Du Hongsheng does not know his true identity, he dares not show any disrespect, and he bows to the hooded man. The hooded man only nods slightly and does not look at Du Hongsheng, entering the room and closing the door behind him.

Du Hongsheng can only smile bitterly.

Although he is the governor of Zhen County, the governor of Xiling is not as comfortable as a minor county magistrate in the interior.

When he was transferred from the capital to Xiling, Du Hongsheng felt as if he had been exiled, with no real power but bearing the brunt of any trouble.

The old master in the room, with a wave of his hand in the capital, could cause countless heads to roll, so even if he is just a groom, there must be no disrespect.

Moreover, the hooded man can enter and exit the old master's room at will, clearly a trusted confidant. Such a person, even a high-ranking official, would not dare to show any disrespect.

The hooded man enters the room, closes the door, and removes his hood. On his left eyebrow, there is a very clear scar, extending from his forehead to his eye, making his left eye look strange, half-open and half-closed.

"Does the old master think they will find him?" the hooded man stands before the old man, his expression calm and composed.

When he entered, the old man did not even raise his eyes, clearly knowing that only this person could enter unannounced. He puts down the scroll and smiles, "No!"

The hooded man shows no surprise, "Oh," the old man points to the chair beside him, then picks up the teacup and sips slowly, "Xiling is not large, but it is not small either. To hide a few people here might take three to five years, and there might still be no clues. Moreover, the person may not even be in Xiling."

"Then why is the old master making a big fuss in Guicheng?" the hooded man sits down, his back straight. "If the person is really in Xiling, the old master's actions might alert him."

The old man smiles, "When hunting, one brings hunting dogs. The purpose of the hunting dogs is not just to catch the prey but sometimes to disturb it. Once the prey realizes the hunting dogs are there, it will panic and reveal its location, making it easier for the hunter to strike."

"If the person is in Xiling, the commotion in Guicheng will disturb him?"

"If the prey remains hidden, no matter how capable we are, it will be hard to find him," the old man says slowly. "Our opportunity lies in the prey not being able to hold back and revealing itself."

The hooded man's eyes are cold, "Does the old master think the prey will reveal itself?"

"It's just a gamble," the old man sighs, a smile on his lips. "At least in this gamble, our chips far outweigh the other side's." He gently strokes his smooth fingers and says softly, "We have made the first move, and the other side, whether they like it or not, must participate in this game."

"The old master's chess skills have always been excellent," the hooded man says sincerely.

The old man laughs, "Xitai rarely praises people." He pauses, then continues, "We are in Xiling, making a big fuss. If the other side is really here, they will suspect we already know their whereabouts. Of course, they will also suspect we are trying to flush them out, but whether it's true or not, they cannot take the risk. If the person is really here, they will not risk letting him stay and will do everything to get him away from here."

"So as long as they act, it will be our opportunity," the hooded man says.

The old man nods slightly, "Our bow is drawn, and we are waiting for the hunting dogs to disturb the prey. Once the prey reveals itself, it will be the time to strike."

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PS: Two things to say. The Tang Dynasty in the book is purely fictional and has no relation to the historical Tang Dynasty. Second, the entire book will be long, and the story will unfold gradually, telling the best story I can. Finally, I still ask for your support with votes and collections!