Chapter 248: Cut Him

At the Du Sifu, braziers burned brightly in front of the Baihu Jie Hall, illuminating the area like daylight.

Inside the Baihu Jie Hall, several tables were pushed together, and a map about a zhang long was spread out on them. Guyuan, Quwu Mountain, Ziwu Ridge, Long Mountain – all were marked on the map.

At this moment, Li Xuan pointed at the map and said in a low voice to the Crown Prince, "Your Highness, today I went up the city wall to take a look. I could only see the dense tents and cooking smoke of the Jing Chao Tiance Army from afar. Before I could look carefully, Zhou You sent someone to drive me away..."

The Crown Prince looked at the map and sighed, "Such beautiful rivers and mountains, yet we are trapped within this Guyuan city, like being blindfolded. We cannot see anything clearly, nor can we do anything."

Li Xuan said shamefully, "This official is incompetent."

The Crown Prince smiled, "Li Daren, there's no need to blame yourself. The Yulin Army is the Imperial Front Forbidden Army. Normally, their training is as Royal Guards. Coming to this Guyuan border, they are naturally constrained."

Speaking of this, the Crown Prince pondered, "Perhaps that intelligent brother Chen Ji has had another new discovery. I wonder if he will still come to the door tonight."

Li Xuan's face changed, and he immediately cupped his fists and said, "Your Highness, when it comes to gathering intelligence and adapting to changes, Chen Ji is indeed far superior to this official. This official willingly admits defeat."

The Crown Prince laughed loudly, "Li Daren, has anyone ever said that your biggest advantage is honesty? There are probably not many people in this era who are willing to admit they are inferior to others."

Li Xuan said seriously, "This official knows his own strengths and weaknesses. Only, this Chen Ji has too much worldly ambition, and his desire for profit is blinding. He even dares to sell news about Your Highness. If Your Highness employs him, I fear he might sell something else later... Although this person speaks respectfully to Your Highness, in reality, he lacks reverence in his heart."

If Chen Ji were here, he would definitely shudder inwardly.

This Yulin Army Commander exposed in one sentence his biggest difference from ordinary people: ordinary people see the ruler as a father, but Chen Ji came from a different world, and in his bones, he naturally carried criticism of the feudal dynasty, lacking reverence.

Princes and ministers, where is there any kindness?

The Crown Prince's gaze was fixed on the isolated Guyuan city pool on the map, his tone calm, "How many people in the Qi family, Yang family, Hu family, Xu family, and Chen family truly revere the imperial family's majesty?"

Li Xuan's face straightened, and he knelt on one knee, cupping his fists and saying, "This official was entrusted to the Qi family and lived under their roof, suffering their cold stares day and night. Now that I have the opportunity to follow Your Highness, I will naturally go through fire and water for Your Highness and spare no effort."

As he spoke, footsteps came from outside the Baihu Jie Hall. The Crown Prince hurriedly helped Li Xuan up and said in a low voice, "I understand Li Daren's intentions. Please rise quickly."

Li Xuan rose and turned his head to look at Qi Jianzhe, who was walking with large strides. He asked without changing his expression, "It should be your turn on duty today. What are you doing here?"

Qi Jianzhe cupped his fists and said, "Reporting to Crown Prince Your Highness, Li Commander, this official has received a secret report from an informant. There is a brothel on Guizi Street called Hongxiu Zhao, which is a base for Jing Chao spies."

The Crown Prince was somewhat surprised. He smiled and looked at Li Xuan, "Qi Vice Envoy actually arranged informants in the common areas of Guyuan. It seems our Yulin Army can find Jing Chao spies on their own, even without intelligent brother Chen Ji."

Li Xuan's heart was blank. He naturally knew that Qi Jianzhe had not arranged any informants... Where did this sudden informant come from?

He secretly glared at Qi Jianzhe, signaling him not to speak carelessly, but Qi Jianzhe gave him a reassuring look in return.

The Crown Prince asked curiously, "Qi Vice Envoy, when did you arrange the informants? I haven't heard you mention it before."

Qi Jianzhe hurriedly explained, "This official hasn't been idle since arriving in Guyuan. I've always been quietly visiting the markets and arranging informants. I didn't have any results before, so I didn't dare to report to Your Highness. Now that I've found the location of the Jing Chao spies, I immediately came to report."

The Crown Prince showed a smiling face and laughed, "Now the border army won't let us intervene in the defense. If we can catch some Jing Chao spies, we can also share the worries of General Hu and General Zhou... Qi Vice Envoy, if you can truly catch the Jing Chao spies, you will have the first merit!"

Qi Jianzhe's face lit up with joy.

Li Xuan cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, I will immediately assemble the troops and go to Guizi Street to capture the Jing Chao spies."

The Crown Prince shook his head, "I will go with you all."

Li Xuan said with difficulty, "Your Highness, it's late. You should rest early."

The Crown Prince patted his shoulder, "Let's go."

Li Xuan put a clean white fox fur coat on the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince thought for a moment, then took off the fox fur coat and threw it on the map, "Let's imitate Chen Ji and blend into the markets. All Yulin Army soldiers will remove their armor and change into civilian clothes, going separately. Don't make a scene in the market."

"Yes."

At the Zi hour, over a hundred cavalry from the Yulin Army filed out of the Du Sifu, divided into three teams, and galloped towards Guizi Street. They were not wearing armor and were not openly carrying weapons.

Upon arriving outside Guizi Street, Li Xuan silently made hand signals. One team approached from the front street, one team encircled from the back alley, and one team climbed onto the rooftops, quickly approaching by stepping on the gray tile eaves.

Li Xuan stayed firmly by the Crown Prince's side, not leaving an inch, waiting for his subordinates to capture the Jing Chao spies inside Hongxiu Zhao.

In the cold wind, the Crown Prince wore white clothes with arrow sleeves, his hair tied with a silver crown, looking heroic and vigorous.

He held the reins in his hand and said softly, "Li Daren, have you noticed any border army movements nearby?"

Li Xuan replied in a low voice, "Reporting to Your Highness, this official specifically paid attention when coming here, and there were none."

The Crown Prince nodded, "This time, we must capture them alive to see if we can interrogate the big fish behind them."

Just then, a Yulin Army soldier ran from afar, knelt on one knee in front of the Crown Prince's horse, cupped his fists, and said, "Your Highness, Hongxiu Zhao is empty, there's no one inside!"

Qi Jianzhe exclaimed, "What!"

The Crown Prince turned his horse and went. He dismounted at the door of Hongxiu Zhao and walked into the room.

He saw that the candles in Hongxiu Zhao were still burning, and thick candle tears had already dripped onto the candle holder, but the tables, chairs, and benches in the room were neatly arranged, and not even a human shadow was seen.

The Crown Prince and Li Xuan looked at Qi Jianzhe, who was following behind. Li Xuan asked angrily, "What's going on?"

Qi Jianzhe stammered for a long time and didn't say a word.

Li Xuan raised the whip in his hand to strike, but his hand suddenly stiffened in mid-air. This younger brother-in-law was his wife's most treasured possession, and he really couldn't hit him.

After a moment, he said impatiently, "I'm asking you! Speak up!"

Qi Jianzhe was still unwilling to speak.

The Crown Prince pressed down Li Xuan's raised hand and comforted him, "Qi Vice Envoy, perhaps something went wrong along the way. How about calling your informant to ask? Perhaps he knows something."

Qi Jianzhe lowered his head and remained silent.

Li Xuan was extremely angry and roared, "Speak up! Where is your informant! There's no joking in the army. You dare to falsely report military information? Be careful of military law enforcement!"

Qi Jianzhe suddenly lifted his head and said, "Chen Ji!"

The Crown Prince was slightly startled, "Chen Ji?"

Qi Jianzhe said urgently, "It must be Chen Ji who tipped them off. That's why the Jing Chao spies got the news in advance, and the building is empty!"

Li Xuan said puzzled, "How did this get linked to Chen Ji? What does Chen Ji have to do with this?"

Qi Jianzhe had to force himself to confess, "Tonight at the Hai hour, Chen Ji came to the Du Sifu once, but Chen Daren had previously ordered not to let him enter the Du Sifu again, so I stopped him on my own authority."

Li Xuan raised his eyebrows, "Then what?"

Qi Jianzhe explained, "Then he threw down a sentence, 'Guizi Street's Hongxiu Zhao is the Jing Chao spies' base,' and left. I think it must be because I stopped him, causing him to hold a grudge, so he secretly tipped off the Jing Chao spies."

Li Xuan felt frustrated, "Since Chen Ji came to deliver the news, why did you deceive Your Highness?"

Qi Jianzhe shrank his neck, "I just don't want to see that kid so arrogant, like a lone wolf day after day, as if only he has ability."

The Crown Prince didn't dwell on this matter but looked at Li Xuan, "Li Daren, what do you think? Did Chen Ji really let the Jing Chao spies go in advance?"

Li Xuan didn't answer. He paced back and forth like a patrolling wolf and tiger inside Hongxiu Zhao, occasionally lowering his head to examine the subtle details.

After a long time, Li Xuan suddenly squatted on the ground and said, "The Jing Chao spies didn't run away. They were killed by someone."

"Killed?" The Yulin Army soldiers' gazes all turned towards him.