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Riding swiftly southward, Lu Chen and Old Mu spent half a month traveling in their horse-drawn carriage, officially leaving the territory of Qi Kingdom and entering the Eastern Seven States.
The Eastern Seven States consist of seven states and forty-nine provinces, with over five hundred counties. There are no feudal princes; each state is governed by a Governor directly appointed by the Great Zhou Court. Each state has a Commissioner overseeing the provinces, and each province has its own county magistrate.
The Eastern Seven States and the Southern Seven States are collectively known as the two great pearls, forming the foundation of the Great Zhou Dynasty. This is because the fourteen southeastern states are fertile lands with ample rainfall, producing enough grain to supply the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, sustaining hundreds of millions of people and a million-strong army.
The Great Zhou Dynasty did not distribute the fourteen southeastern states as fiefs, primarily for this reason.
Lu Chen and Old Mu's destination this time is Wuzhou. Wuzhou is coastal and administers five provinces, making it the most significant state among the Eastern Seven States.
After leaving Qi Kingdom, Lu Chen and Old Mu changed horses again and crossed Suizhou, Jizhou, and Taizhou. Finally, after five days, they officially entered Wuzhou territory.
Wuzhou comprises five provinces, with its capital located in Fishing Yang Province. The other four provinces are Siyang, Li Yang, Wei Yang, and Boyang. Lu Chen and Old Mu first headed to the provincial capital in Fishing Yang Province.
At this time, Fishing Yang Province was under martial law; all individuals entering or leaving were subjected to strict inspections. It was evident that the incident involving flower thieves had indeed caused significant trouble for the local area.
"Stop."
As Lu Chen and Old Mu dismounted from their carriage and approached the city gate, two soldiers with sabers blocked their path and shouted loudly.
Lu Chen handed over his Document. One of the soldiers took it, opened it, and upon seeing several large red seals on it, his expression changed. He hurriedly told his companion behind him, "It's a Daoist from the Five Element Sect; quickly report to the Governor."
"Yes," one soldier pressed his hand on his waist knife and dashed into the city.
"Daoist, someone has already gone to report; please wait a moment," said the blocking soldier to Lu Chen with cupped hands, speaking politely.
This soldier was quite curious about Lu Chen's age and couldn't help but widen his eyes to observe Lu Chen's appearance while cupping his hands.
"Thank you, officer."
Lu Chen also cupped his hands in return as a gesture of courtesy.
The contact person mentioned above is Governor Wang Qiao of Fishing Yang Province. Wang Qiao, courtesy name Luji, comes from a civil service background.
Overall, Yuyang City gives Lu Chen a good impression; the officials and soldiers are not rude, which shows that the Commissioner has trained them well. With good governance, the people's customs naturally improve; one can see the state of governance in a place from its grassroots.
After a while, the soldier who had rushed to deliver the message returned on a chestnut horse. Sitting on the horse was a thin civil official dressed in a dark green robe, around forty years old, constantly pressing down his black cap as its wings flapped.
This person is Governor Wang Qiao. At this moment, Wang Qiao looked troubled, clearly shaken by the galloping horse.
As he approached, Wang Qiao pulled on the reins to stop the horse, dismounted, and cupped his hands toward Lu Chen, saying, "Daoist has traveled a long way; you must be tired."
While speaking, Wang Qiao's face showed uncertainty as he wondered why the Five Element Sect sent such an inexperienced youth. However, being naturally steady, he did not express this thought.
Since the other party carried genuine documents, it was clear that they were dispatched by the Five Element Sect. Since it was a Taoist sect member, they must possess some skills.
Lu Chen returned the greeting and said, "You are too kind, Lord Wang. My surname is Lu, and my given name is Chen."
"Ah, so you are Daoist Lu. You must have endured quite a bit on your journey. Please come to my residence; let me personally welcome you," Wang Qiao invited.
"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Wang."
Then, Lu Chen and Wang Qiao walked together into Yuyang City.
Wang Qiao traveled light with only one aide accompanying him. He and Lu Chen passed through long streets and turned several corners before arriving at the Provincial Governor's Office.
Before long, Wang Qiao and his aide, along with Lu Chen and Old Mu, were seated at the table. While eating and chatting, Lu Chen gradually learned from Wang Qiao about the information they had regarding the flower thief Luo Gongshuai.
It turns out that since the first incident occurred nearly three months ago, there have been incidents roughly every ten days or so. The flower thief Luo Gongshuai specifically targets young ladies and always leaves behind his name after committing his crimes, boldly provoking the authorities.
Not only in Fishing Yang Province but also in Li Yang and Siyang provinces have there been sporadic incidents. Luo Gongshuai's movements are elusive; he operates over a wide area and is audacious enough to commit crimes right under the noses of local officials, causing them considerable headaches.
"What countermeasures does Lord Wang have?"
Lu Chen listened to Wang Qiao's account and pondered before asking.
Wang Qiao sighed heavily and said, "Ah, Lu Daozhang, you may not know this, but some time ago I set up a net to capture Luo Gongshuai, collaborating with Li Yang and Siyang's two Provincial Governors, gathering thousands of troops to surround him. Just when we finally caught him, unexpectedly that fellow is exceptionally skilled; even my adjutant was injured by him."
At this point, Wang Qiao tilted his head to glance at the adjutant sitting nearby. The adjutant, in his thirties and slightly overweight, turned red in the face upon being looked at by Wang Qiao and lowered his head.
Wang Qiao continued, "Although we had many soldiers, we couldn't keep up with his speed. We chased him for twenty or thirty miles, but once we reached the seaside, he vanished without a trace. I had submitted a memorial to the court, but now the court is engaged in war with the Southern Waban Army. Defender of the Realm Huangfu Xin personally leads the Loyalty and Righteousness Sixteen Men to the battlefield; the situation is dire, and several times my memorials have been dismissed. Seeking help from your sect is truly a last resort."
Wang Qiao spoke earnestly.
"So he disappeared once you reached the seaside?" Lu Chen nodded upon hearing this; it seemed the situation was indeed quite tricky.
"Daozhang, do you have any insights or clever plans?" Wang Qiao looked at Lu Chen with hope.
Lu Chen replied, "I don't have a clever plan. Lord Wang has already used bait to trick Luo Gongshuai once. I intend to use the same method again to lure him into a trap, then I will confront him myself."
Wang Qiao felt slightly disappointed and said, "But Luo Gongshuai is incredibly cunning; it may not be easy to trick him again."
Lu Chen confidently stated, "All's fair in war; it's precisely because he is so cunning and elusive that Lord Wang should set up a trap. I will lie in ambush nearby to ensure we can capture him easily."
Seeing Lu Chen's unwavering confidence, Wang Qiao swallowed hard and agreed, instructing his adjutant to start making arrangements.
Wang Qiao's plan was simple: he would have the officials and soldiers disguise themselves and spread rumors about a talented young lady from a prestigious family seeking a husband. They would embellish the rumors to highlight her beauty and grace.
Once the news spread from one person to another, it quickly circulated throughout Yuyang City, reaching even nearby Li Yang and Siyang as they cast their wide net.
After the banquet, Wang Qiao arranged rooms for Lu Chen and Old Mu. As night fell, Lu Chen sat cross-legged on the bed while Old Mu stood guard. Then, Yin Spirit left his body and began wandering around Yuyang City.
Lu Chen wanted to familiarize himself with the terrain of Yuyang City to avoid being caught off guard later.
Due to the recent incidents involving flower thieves, the citizens of Yuyang City had locked their doors and turned off their lights early to sleep.
Now, Lu Chen's Yin Spirit had reached the Spirit Travel Realm, allowing him to roam freely at night without fear.
At this moment, under the dark moonlit sky, Lu Chen emerged from the Provincial Governor's Office. His Yin Spirit floated fifty zhang high in the air, surveying Yuyang City and taking note of all the streets and alleys.
Suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew by, causing Lu Chen's Yin Spirit to tremble as he carefully captured every movement in the air.
He faintly detected a subtle smell of blood in the atmosphere, and Lu Chen frowned as he began to drift toward the direction from which the wind came.
Thanks to the enhancement of his Yin Spirit, his senses had become more acute.
Lu Chen floated out of Yuyang City and entered a nearby forest.
The forest was surprisingly spacious; after drifting for about an hour, Lu Chen finally exited it, estimating that he was over twenty li away from Yuyang City.
At that moment, a white sandy beach appeared ahead, and Lu Chen heard the sound of crashing waves. The smell of blood became even stronger; he had arrived at the seaside.
Lu Chen had no intention of looking at the sea and prepared to head back.
Suddenly, a commotion reached his ears; it seemed there were people nearby.
Initially intending to leave, Lu Chen realized that it was deep into the night and it was unusual for anyone to be at the beach. So he continued to drift along the shore.
After about half a tea's worth of time, the sandy beach turned into gravel, giving way to dense reeds. The tallest reeds were several people high, and it seemed that the earlier sounds had come from within them.
Lu Chen continued to float above the reed marshes, feeling quite uncomfortable due to the strong sea breeze.
Drifting for a while, the situation before him changed. In the midst of dense reeds, a large clearing had been opened up, where several wooden boats were tied together. About ten middle-aged men dressed in long coats had built a roaring fire to roast fish. On the boats, there were also gleaming long knives and bows.
The reeds beside them were pressed down on both sides, forming a waterway that seemed to lead directly to the sea.
Lu Chen furrowed his brow. Governor Wang Qiao was pursuing the flower thief Luo Gongshuai. After traveling two or three dozen miles, he reached the seaside but saw no signs of anyone. Could it be related to these people?
This place was indeed hidden. If Lu Chen had not accidentally arrived at the seaside and overheard these people's conversation, he would never have discovered such a scene amid the vast reeds.
Just looking at these middle-aged men, each one was robust and powerful, with tall statures that made them resemble mountains sitting in place. In the cold night by the sea, they wore long coats, and with the long knives and bows on the boats, it was clear that these men were all martial artists.
"It seems things are getting more complicated. I need to discuss this with Lord Wang Qiao and come up with a countermeasure," Lu Chen thought to himself, determined in his decision. He did not intend to alert them but instead turned and left.
Upon returning to the Provincial Governor's Office, Lu Chen resumed his position as Yin Spirit but heard Old Mu say, "My lord, Lord Wang came by earlier. The Governor of Wu Prefecture has arrived at the Provincial Governor's Office and wishes to meet with you. I made an excuse that you were practicing and would go shortly."
"Is that so? Alright, let's go now."
Lu Chen was taken aback and hurriedly left the room with Old Mu toward the main office.
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