Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 795 - 746: More acquaintances, easier to handle (1)

Chapter 795: Chapter 746: More acquaintances, easier to handle (1)

The three brothers closed the door and pulled Prince Luling in front of the chest.

Li Xingsheng said, "Father, we were just discussing how to use this money to manage matters in returning to the Capital."

Prince Luling said, "With silver in hand, things will go smoothly. I’ll arrange the tasks for all of you tomorrow."

The three brothers looked at Prince Luling, "Father, please tell us."

Prince Luling said, "Tomorrow morning, the eldest will go to the Cui Family to inquire about the situation in the palace. The second will go to the West Mountain Camp to check on the recent movements of the military camp. The third will go with me to see the Capital Guard Commander."

Li Xing’an frowned slightly, "It’s been three years; I wonder if those people still remember the favor we did."

Back when Prince Luling was in the Capital, although he didn’t hold real power, he wasn’t idling away his days either.

He had connections with many people in power at the Capital.

Many had received his favors. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Prince Luling said, "Let’s meet them first; we can’t just wait for our doom."

.

Early the next day.

The brothers acted according to the plan they discussed yesterday and went their separate ways.

They wore simple clothes, disguising themselves as ordinary people walking through the Capital, and no one recognized them.

Prince Luling and Li Xing’an were disguised as a pair of ordinary small merchants, father and son.

The two rented a small horse cart on the street and arrived at the front of the Capital Guard Commander’s Office, which managed the eleven gates of the outer city.

Soldiers with swords were coming in and out, making this government office even more solemn than others.

Prince Luling didn’t get off the cart. He took a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Li Xing’an.

Li Xing’an took the letter but did not go directly into the government office. Instead, he walked to the soldier guarding the gate, handed over a handful of copper coins, and smiled, "Brother, I would like to speak with Magistrate Tian."

Magistrate Tian was an eighth-rank official responsible for documents in the Capital Guard Office.

The gate-guarding soldier, seeing the handful of seven or eight coins, grinned widely with joy, "Wait here, I’ll call him right away."

The gate-guarding soldier earned only a monthly wage of about a thousand or eight hundred coins, but since he also handled errands like delivering messages while on guard duty, he often received tips.

If he was lucky, earning a few hundred coins or up to two taels of silver was better than working elsewhere.

Money makes the world go round.

After the soldier ran into the office, he soon brought out a middle-aged man in his thirties, short and thin.

The soldier pointed to Li Xing’an, who was standing by the stone lion at the entrance, and said, "Magistrate Tian, that man is looking for you."

Magistrate Tian, upon seeing Li Xing’an, hesitated for a moment, then quickly walked over and cupped his hands in greeting, "Third... Third Young Master?"

Li Xing’an nodded to him, "Let’s talk over here."

"Yes," Magistrate Tian replied respectfully.

Li Xing’an took Magistrate Tian to a corner of the wall in front.

This place was deserted and very secluded.

Only then did Magistrate Tian dare to speak, "Third Young Master, how did you come to the Capital? Did anyone recognize you?"

Li Xing’an raised his eyebrows and smiled, "If you don’t say anything, no one will know I’m in the Capital."

Magistrate Tian was flustered and quickly waved his hands, "I wouldn’t dare to reveal that you are here, Third Young Master."

"Hearing you say that, it seems my help back then was not in vain." Li Xing’an patted Magistrate Tian on the shoulder.

Magistrate Tian exclaimed, "Back then, I was just a poor scholar from outside the city, with nowhere to turn and nearly starving to death. Thanks to the Third Young Master, who found me a job here so I could make a living, marry a wife, and buy a house, your kindness, Third Young Master, I have always remembered. By the way, Third Young Master, is there anything you need from me?"

Without reason one wouldn’t visit the Hall of Three Treasures, Magistrate Tian guessed Li Xing’an wouldn’t come to him without a reason.

Li Xing’an took a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Magistrate Tian, "Indeed, I need you for something. Deliver this letter to your Commander Chen and ask him to be at Liu’s Lamb Restaurant by the Qu River in the West Market at noon today; we wish to treat him to lamb soup."

Magistrate Tian accepted the letter, "Rest assured, Third Young Master, I will definitely deliver it."

Thinking of needing Magistrate Tian for future errands, Li Xing’an gave him five taels of silver, "I know it’s not easy for you; your parents are gone, and you support five children and a wife in the city alone. Use this to buy some treats for the kids."

Magistrate Tian gratefully said, "Thanks to your support over the years, Third Young Master, I’ve been able to build a home in the Capital."

"Alright, alright, it’s just a small effort on my part." Li Xing’an waved his hand, "Remember what I asked; I’m heading off now."

"Yes, I will certainly deliver the letter." Magistrate Tian watched as he walked away, then quickly took the letter and ran into the Commander’s Office.

Li Xing’an returned to the carriage.

The father and son rode the carriage to the designated meeting place to wait for the Capital Guard Commander.

The carriage weaved through the bustling, crowded market, and after half an hour, it stopped in front of a small river across from the lamb restaurant.

Li Xing’an paid fifty coins for the carriage rental and entered the shop with Prince Luling.

The old staff inside the shop saw them, blinked, and stepped back in surprise. Turning his head, he shouted inside, "Shopkeeper, there’s an esteemed guest!"

The shopkeeper, busy with an abacus and bookkeeping, looked up towards the door.

Upon clearly seeing their faces, he hurriedly set aside the abacus and pen, walked quickly to the door, cupped his hands in greeting, but was unsure how to address them.

Li Xing’an spoke first, pointing to Prince Luling, "This is Mr. Li."

"Yes, Mr. Li, Third Young Master, please come upstairs." The shopkeeper personally invited them to the second floor.

In the main room on the second floor, there were several tables, with two groups of people drinking.

The shopkeeper opened a small locked room at the end of the hallway, "It’s quiet here; Mr. Li and Third Young Master, please sit here."

Li Xing’an gave the shopkeeper a piece of silver, "If someone comes looking for us, please let them come up."

"Understood." The shopkeeper took the silver and added, "A few days ago, the young lady and the gentleman also came here for lamb soup."

Li Xing’an nodded, "They arrived in the capital first, and we came later."

The shopkeeper placed a teapot on the table in the room, closed the door, and left.

Li Xing’an and Prince Luling sat down to rest.

Prince Luling glanced out the window and said, "Old Third, are the people from this shop ones we know?"

Li Xing’an smiled and replied, "That shopkeeper used to be a servant of Yu Wen. Father doesn’t care about the affairs of the house, so you certainly wouldn’t know."

Prince Luling said, "I see."

He sighed inwardly, grateful for the people he had known before; otherwise, returning to the capital would have meant finding no one to assist them.

.

At noon, the shopkeeper brought the Capital Guard Commander, in plain clothes, to the small room where Li Xing’an and Prince Luling were drinking.

The shopkeeper cleverly closed the door.

The door closed, concealing privacy.

The Capital Guard Commander immediately bowed to Prince Luling, "Greetings, Prince."

Prince Luling waved his hand, "Commander Chen, please rise. How could I still be a prince? I’m just a commoner; call me Mr. Li to avoid trouble."

Li Xing’an stood up to assist the Capital Guard Commander, "Mr. Chen, no need for formalities. My father and I invited you here just to enjoy some drinks and lamb soup."

The shopkeeper knocked and came in, bringing three bowls of hot lamb soup and a large jug of wine.

After placing the food on the table, he left.

Prince Luling smiled and said, "Let’s eat first, and then discuss important matters."

Five years ago, Commander Chen was framed, and imprisoned, expecting to be executed, but unexpectedly, Prince Luling saved him.

After receiving Prince Luling’s handwritten letter today, he spontaneously changed his clothes and came.

"Thank you, Mr. Li and Third Young Master, for your hospitality."

After the three of them had lamb soup and wine, they finally discussed the important matters.

Prince Luling spoke directly about the upheaval in the Imperial Palace, worried about someone using it to disrupt the regime, which prompted his swift return to the capital.

Commander Chen confirmed Prince Luling’s suspicions.

The deputy commanders of eleven city gates were replaced with nine new ones.

Li Xing’an immediately squinted slightly, "Nine people replaced at once? What are their backgrounds? Who recommended them?"

Prince Luling’s expression also became serious.

Commander Chen said, "All recommended by Marquis Zhongyi."

"Marquis Zhongyi? Yu Wenbo?" Prince Luling snorted coldly, "Him again!"

Commander Chen shook his head, "Mr. Li, Marquis Zhongyi supported the new Emperor with merit. These powers were given by the Empress Dowager, and I cannot help."

Li Xing’an sneered, "Suddenly changing the deputy commanders at the city gates, and nine at once, if something goes wrong, the Empress Dowager will have regrets!"

Prince Luling frowned, pondering, and asked Commander Chen about the garrison outside the capital gates.

The responsibility of the Capital Guard Commander is to patrol the city’s security, preventing major disturbances, and securing the eleven city gates.

If major change occurs in the capital, the Capital Guard Commander will seek external military assistance.

The Capital Guard Commander will be the first to know any movements of the external garrison troops.

Seeing Prince Luling inquire about the West Camp garrison troops, Commander Chen explained the situation.

It turned out that just before the sudden death of Li Can, the West Camp garrison commander was also replaced, with an Assistant Minister from the Ministry of War being transferred there.

And that Assistant Minister was promoted from the local area to the capital by Marquis Zhongyi last year.

Listening to Commander Chen’s explanation of the personnel changes in the capital’s defenses, Li Xing’an and Prince Luling felt a looming disaster was coming to the capital in the near future.

After chatting with Commander Chen for an hour, the father and son returned to the Wei family.

Just as they entered the guest room, Li Xingsheng arrived.

Upon entering, he said, "Father, I discovered a major issue! The Yu Wen father and son are planning a rebellion!"

Prince Luling’s gaze darkened suddenly, "How did you see this?"

Li Xingsheng sneered, "The leader of the West Mountain Camp was replaced. The previous Commander Wang had never made a mistake, and even trained an excellent cavalry archery team, but was framed as planning a rebellion by Marquis Zhongyi, and executed three months ago. The current leader of the West Mountain Camp used to be an Assistant Minister from the Ministry of War, last year the Commander of the Training in Pingliang Prefecture, but is a cousin of Marquis Zhongyi’s wife’s family!"

Li Xing’an sneered, "Ha! Nine of the eleven city gates have been replaced, and although it’s unclear if it relates to the Yu Wen family, such a sudden personnel change suggests something suspicious!"

Prince Luling said, "Find a way to investigate whether the deputy commanders of the nine gates have connections with the Yu Wen family!"

Li Xingsheng said, "Father, leave this to me, I have acquaintances."