Great Zhou Martial Immortal

Chapter 17 Zhang Shuo
The golden lion sped along at breakneck speed, unimpeded, heading straight for the source.

In the blink of an eye, they stormed into the heart of Beili.

Wang Yizhi's expression grew increasingly grave; the situation was spiraling into the most difficult-to-manage phase.

Jin Ni chased them all the way to the most luxurious and grand flower street in Beili!
Both the North and South sections of the Central District were filled with courtesans, with the South section being the most prosperous. It was frequented by officials, scholars, and nobles, and the girls were all well-known and respected. Among them, the two most famous were Changyin Pavilion and Yixiang Garden.

Changyin Pavilion has the best courtesans who can play and sing the zither, while Yixiang Garden has the most beautiful and enchanting exotic women who can dance.

This red-light district is relatively quiet during the day, but at night it becomes a vibrant scene of lights, music, and dancing, with both houses bustling with activity. It is rumored that even members of the Wu family frequent this place.

There are even rumors that the two families are actually headed by Murong Huan, the steward of Princess Qianjin's residence, and Qu Baichuan, the steward of Prince Wei's residence...

The significance of this is self-evident.

If it weren't for the golden lion leading the way, ordinary people or even strange beasts wouldn't be able to get in!
If Ashina Yanruo could truly hide between these two families, that would be quite an achievement for her, but it would also greatly increase the difficulty of the investigation.

as predicted.

As soon as Jin Ni arrived at Flower Street and saw the two vermilion-lacquered high-rise buildings standing opposite each other, a woman dressed in a seductive red dress immediately flew out from the Changyin Pavilion on the west side of the building and gently landed on the eaves.

She dared not stop Jin Ni, but instead reached out to stop Lu Chenyuan and Wang Yizhi. Holding a round fan, she covered her face with it and said with a charming smile, "This humble servant greets the two gentlemen. May I ask where you are headed?"

The golden lion landed at the highest point of the Changyin Pavilion roof and slowed down. The area that met the criteria was in this region.

It began to carefully discern the scent, searching for the way it had escaped, hoping to trace it back to its source.

The smell here is just too strong!
The scents of women's cosmetics, the aroma of aged wine, the ambergris from the Western Regions wafting from the second-floor private room, the fishy smell of stewed turtle wafting from the dark kitchen, and most pungent of all, a large room somewhere underground burning with sandalwood incense—the fragrance was so strong it could bring tears to your eyes, yet it could never mask the smell of moldy bedding and festering sores from diseased flesh underneath.

The aromas were too strong and mixed, and the golden lion's sense of smell was too sensitive; it sneezed several times after just a light sniff.

You can only take your time.

Seeing that it was still trying to identify the object, Lu Chenyuan turned his gaze to the woman blocking his way. The woman was in her early twenties, wearing a red gauze dress with flame patterns, three cinnabar dots between her eyebrows, a seven-foot soft sword wrapped around her waist, and her true energy was very strong.

Lu Chenyuan said, "I am here on Her Highness's orders to accompany Ni Jun on a case. Are you the madam?"

You're the madam!

The woman's face darkened for a moment. Changyin Pavilion was a high-class entertainment venue; there was no madam there who didn't know the rules!
The woman curtsied, neither humble nor arrogant: "My name is Murong Ning."

She didn't say much, but her words basically revealed her background—she was the sister of Murong Huan, the rumored mastermind behind Changyin Pavilion and the head of the Qianjin Princess's mansion.

Generally speaking, it's best not to ask too many questions at this point. After all, everyone knows that Murong Huan is just a figurehead, and the real money is taken by the princess. But Lu Chenyuan doesn't tolerate this. Such ambiguous matters should not be glossed over. It's easy to talk about it now, but if something goes wrong later, it will lead to endless squabbling.

Lu Chenyuan nodded and said, "It seems the rumors are true. What is your relationship with Murong Huan?"

Murong Ning's expression turned cold as she looked at Lu Chenyuan: "You're asking a bit too many questions, aren't you, sir?"

Lu Chenyuan chuckled: "I need to find out who's obstructing the Imperial Guard's investigation, lest an innocent person be wrongly accused. If it's related to Murong Huan, I advise you to get out of here quickly, lest you get burned! If it's unrelated..." Lu Chenyuan's expression changed drastically: "Then get out of here!"

The last four words were spoken with resounding force!

"..."

Wang Yi was deeply impressed.

This Lord Lu has truly taken Princess Lu's use to the extreme. He's no wonder he's a male favorite. Which other imperial guard handles cases like this? He's completely disregarding all obstacles, relying on the princess's backing to defy heaven and earth. Right under the nose of the capital, this woman dares to use the princess's name as a shield, so it's probably not fake, but he's not afraid at all.

Actually, if you think about it carefully, Lu Chenyuan and Hou Sizhi are quite similar.

However, Hou Sizhi used his influence to frame others, while he used it to overcome obstacles.

Murong Ning had obviously never encountered this situation before, so why was she so angry and so confident?
That's a princess!
Murong Ning's eyes sharpened, and she said solemnly, "This is the territory of my Changyin Pavilion. As the head of the pavilion, even if I were truly guilty, let alone my innocence, the Imperial Guards should at least provide a proper explanation before they confiscate my property. In this bright and clear world, am I not allowed to ask for clarification? I cannot bear the charge of 'obstructing the investigation'!"

"When did I say I was going to touch Changyin Pavilion?"

While keeping an eye on Ni Jun's movements, Lu Chenyuan looked at her strangely and said, "Didn't you just ask to be a fool and come to stop me? I don't have time to waste with you! Answer me, is it related or not!"

Murong Ning's face flushed red instantly, and her anger flared up.

Changyin Pavilion has been popular for so many years, and this is the first time someone has spoken so rudely and broken the ice.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, the corners of her eyes long and sharp like knives, radiating coldness: "Sir, are you new here? You don't know the rules of this northern place. Some people can only kowtow and beg for mercy when facing the Imperial Guards, and there are others... even the Imperial Guards can't afford to offend them!"

"If you dare to say that, it seems you have a rich princess behind you."

Lu Chenyuan made a direct statement, then turned to Wang Yizhi: "Remember her words! If we can't afford to offend the Imperial Guards, then we won't! Once the Lion King discovers that the remnants of the assassination attempt are hiding here, report it directly to Her Highness the Princess, and we'll stop here. 'The bandits are too powerful,' and we are no match for them!"

Just give up?

Wang Yizhi was taken aback at first, then realized what was happening and felt a chill run down his spine.

This isn't giving up; this is directly labeling the princess and all the others as rebels!
hiss!
Wang Yizhi really didn't know whether to praise his quick wit or his audacity.

Even a princess would find it difficult to respond to such a statement!
Murong Ning panicked and quickly looked at Jin Ni: "Are you looking for the remnants of the assassination attempt?"

Lu Chenyuan sneered, "You can notify them to move now. Don't worry, we are the inner guards, we will not interfere or obstruct them!"

"you--"

Murong Ning was truly anxious this time, especially since Jin Ni had actually found this place. At this moment, her words had become a handle. If the Imperial Guards really ignored the situation and let the bandits escape, and only presented the results, then Changyin Pavilion would be nothing but mud in their pants, even if it wasn't shit.

Princess Qianjin's identity is particularly special. Although both are princesses, the Empress Wu would not do anything to Princess Taiping, but if it were Princess Qianjin, she would definitely not hesitate to kill her!

Although Princess Qianjin recognized Empress Wu as her mother, she was actually the youngest daughter of Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan.

When Wu Zetian ascended the throne, she executed all the princes of the Li clan. Only Princess Qianjin, who was clever and good at flattery, survived. It was because of this that she presented Xiao Bao to Wu Zetian under the pretext that "Xiao Bao has extraordinary talents and can serve her closely." As a result, she gained Wu Zetian's favor day by day.

Murong Ning was extremely anxious; she was completely unable to withstand the sharp and witty words of the inner guard.

But she was no ordinary person. She immediately realized the problem, softened her posture, gave a deep bow, and said cautiously and softly, "My lord, please don't frighten me. It's my fault. I'm sorry for bothering you. I would never dare to hinder your investigation. I will now step back. Please go ahead, my lord."

After saying that, he floated downstairs and disappeared.

"waste time!"

Lu Chenyuan didn't even bother to look at her, focusing only on Jin Ni's actions.

"Amazing."

Suddenly, a clear and melodious exclamation came from the east pavilion.

Wang Yizhi raised an eyebrow. What a superb technique of concealing one's aura! Even with his third-realm cultivation, he hadn't noticed it. Following the sound, he saw a handsome young man in white robes sitting casually on the rooftop railing, holding a wine pot and observing the two of them with a face full of curiosity, especially his eyes when looking at Lu Chenyuan, which were full of thirst for knowledge.

Lu Chenyuan and Wang Yizhi were both familiar with this person.

It was that same madman who shouted love poems in front of the princess's residence this morning.

His line, "Even a scholar possesses the strength to support the heavens, relying not on mountains and rivers but on his own waist," stunned everyone.

"My name is Zhang Shuo. I have just met you two gentlemen."

The young man cupped his hands in greeting and said with a smile, "Lord Lu is exceptionally witty and sharp-tongued; no wonder he has won the princess's favor."

"Zhang said?"

Lu Chenyuan was quite surprised to run into a celebrity here.

Wang Yizhi explained from the side: "This person is the top scorer in this year's examination for virtuous and upright officials. He was ranked first in the essay section of the imperial examination, but because Emperor Wu believed that 'there has never been a first-class candidate since ancient times,' he was ranked second. He is currently a seventh-rank official, a collator of the Crown Prince's books." He paused and then added: "He is also the last disciple of Banqian, a master of literature in the present day and a scholar of the Hongwen Academy."

"No wonder."

Lu Chenyuan knew Zhang Shuo well in history, but this world was different after all. Given Zhang Shuo's resume, he shouldn't have acted this way. However, if he had Yuan Banqian protecting him, then it would be a different story.

Yuan Banqian was hailed as a "sage of five hundred years," hence the title "Banqian." Empress Wu Zetian also said, "I have long heard of your name, thinking you were an ancient figure, but I did not expect you to be among the court officials. Minor matters outside the capital are not worth troubling you with; you should remain here to await imperial orders." She then appointed him to serve in the imperial cabinet. Even if one did not give Yuan Banqian face, one had to give face to Wu Zetian's words.

Zhou Xing, Lai Junchen, and others would not go too far, and the Wu family would not dare to offend Wu Zetian.

As a disciple of Yuan Banqian, Zhang Yue was also talented and had an impression on Wu Zetian, which gave him confidence. Otherwise, based on his prominence this morning, Wu Youji would definitely have made an example of him!
Lu Chenyuan said, "Your words are quite sharp..."

He looked down at the Yixiang Garden.

Zhang Shuo took a sip of wine and laughed, "No need to look. Just now, someone tried to come up and show off, but after hearing what you said, they withdrew on their own. Not many people can handle Lord Lu's words. Of course, if it weren't for Ni Jun's intervention and appearance here, this hat would be useless."

They fear the big accusations, but ultimately they fear the evidence behind those accusations, specifically the mythical lion-like creature.

If someone else were to take over, nobody would care.

Lu Chenyuan understood, smiled, glanced at Ni Jun, and seeing that there was no result, casually said, "Young Master Zhang's poem amazed everyone, but it was still not powerful enough. Since it's already so explicit, why not reveal a little more?"

"Does Lord Lu have any more profound insights?"

Zhang Shuo immediately became interested, picked up his wine jug, jumped over the railing, and came over.

Lu Chenyuan thought for a moment, then casually recited: "The smoke of war should convey military intelligence, but now it is lit three inches below the navel. A thousand cavalrymen will not trample the Xiongnu tents, but only shake the ice on the mandarin duck tiles..."

puff!
Zhang spat out his entire mouthful of wine, his eyes wide, pointing at Lu Chenyuan, his hand trembling: "You...you...you..."

Zhang thought to himself, "They even called me a madman, which is really a compliment. I'm truly mad right here!"
The phrase "three-inch beacon" is already quite audacious, but what's even bolder is the last sentence—"In the capital city of Luoyang, there are only two places where 'Mandarin Duck Palaces' have been built: one in Shangyang Palace and the other in the Princess's Residence."

Who are you trying to scare?!
Wang Yizhi was both amused and exasperated. What kind of time was this to be playing with poetry? To be honest, this poem was indeed more explicit. He wondered what the princess's expression would be if she heard it. This Lord Lu was truly second to none in every way. What was most terrifying was his mentality: laughing, joking, cursing, and being unconventional.

Zhang was completely convinced. He straightened his clothes solemnly and bowed deeply, saying, "What a fine poem! What courage! I am ashamed of my inferiority!"

"Hahaha……"

Lu Chenyuan couldn't help but laugh and quickly helped him up.

It's quite an accomplishment to have someone who would later become a famous prime minister of the Tang Dynasty admire you so much.

Lu Chenyuan laughed and said, "I was just spouting some nonsense. I can't compare to Brother Zhang's vast knowledge. I have important business to attend to today. Let's have a proper discussion another day."

"Okay, it's a deal."

Zhang immediately replied, "It's rare to meet someone as compatible as you, sir. My treat, we won't leave until we're drunk!"

……

"check!"

Murong Ning returned to Changyin Pavilion, her face completely darkened, her expression contorted with rage. She said to the pimp beside her, "Investigate this inner guard's background! How dare he be so arrogant! He even accompanies Jin Ni on cases! He's a real dog..."

Before she could finish speaking, she seemed to realize something, and her expression changed.

The pimp beside him, a short, stocky man in his thirties, dressed in a blue robe, spoke with a fawning expression and a low voice, “Master, I already reported it this morning, along with his portrait… He is the princess’s gigolo that the steward told us to keep an eye on, Lu Chenyuan…”

"Snapped!"

Murong Ning slapped him across the face, furious and embarrassed, and shouted, "Why didn't you remind me!"

Blood trickled from the pimp's mouth, but he didn't dare cover it. He immediately knelt down and prostrated himself on the ground: "Master, please calm down. It was my fault... Master, there's no need to worry too much. Since the two of them went first without a large number of imperial guards behind them, it shows that catching the thieves was secondary, and making a contribution was the priority. They certainly won't let this opportunity pass... If they really dragged the princess into it, even if he had Princess Taiping backing him up, it would still be troublesome. A smart person wouldn't do that..."

Murong Ning realized what was happening.

Lu Chenyuan was bold and meticulous. He had no reason to drag the princess into this mess for no good. He said so much just to avoid concealing his own actions and to prevent Lu Chenyuan from making a contribution.

He wanted to catch the thief more than anyone else!
Murong Ning breathed a sigh of relief.

If the remnants are really hiding in the pavilion, and they don't care, that would be fatal. Since these two are sure to take action, then the matter is still under control—even the imperial palace has been infiltrated, let alone Changyin Pavilion. What we fear is that there will be no one to testify, not that there will be rebels.

Murong Ning was still pondering what to do when the pimp whispered, "Master, the Lion King has chased us here; there must be a reason. Should we send a message to the steward so the princess can prepare..."

"Yep!"

Upon hearing this, Murong Ning realized her mistake and immediately said, "Go to the Princess's residence right now and inform my sister!"

"Yes."

The pimp hurriedly got up, ran out of Changyin Pavilion, and disappeared into the crowd.

Murong Ning watched him walk away, still feeling uneasy. She wanted to go up and find out what was going on, but she was afraid that Lu Chenyuan would use this as an opportunity to cause trouble. So she called over a thug who was leaning against the wall and asked, "Are they still on the roof? What are they saying?"

"I'm talking..."

The thug was listening intently and was about to recite the poem when he remembered that Murong Ning was a woman, so he swallowed his words and stammered, "Uh, no, nothing. Jin Ni is still searching. They're just chatting and reciting poetry..."

"Recite poetry?"

Murong Ning frowned, a cold glint flashing in her eyes: "He certainly has the leisure! What is he reciting?"

When she pressed him for answers, cold sweat beaded on the thug's forehead, his eyes darted around, and his lips twitched a few times. In the end, he dared not hide anything, so he gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and recited the poem.

"..."

Murong Ning's face first turned ashen, then flushed red, then deathly pale, and finally she could no longer bear it: "Despicable!"

the other side.

The pimp ran out of the red-light district and into a dark alley, where he slowed his pace.

He raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, the fawning on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by a cold and ruthless expression. Suddenly, a series of cracking sounds, like popping beans, came from his body, and his body began to grow rapidly.

In the blink of an eye, he transformed from a short, thin man into a tall, imposing figure.

At the end of this dark alley was a wall. He casually punched a brick, and a mechanism clicked. A blue brick in the corner was pushed aside, revealing a silver-gray ring underneath. The ring was engraved with array patterns, and a line of small seal script was engraved on the outside of the ring: "Sound crosses the void, meaning travels ten miles."

The sixth-grade ritual implement, the [Sound Transmission Ring].

He quickly put it on the index finger of his left hand, poured his divine sense into it, and a blue halo appeared on the surface of the ring, with the array patterns lighting up one by one.

He took a deep breath and said to the ring, "Holy Maiden, I am Tielekun."

The ring facet shimmered with light and a voice emanated from it: "What happened?"

Tielekun said with a sinister expression, "That beast from Taiping Prefecture has come out! They've found the red-light district!"

Ashina Yan paused slightly, his voice deepening: "Withdraw!"

Tielekun said anxiously, "But Hongxiao is still in the blood pool! The Gu worms and human sacrifices are still there..."

"That's too late!"

Ashina Yan said decisively, "The Golden Lion is no ordinary creature. Now that it has arrived, it will inevitably be exposed. Hongxiao knows what to do. She has the Tiger-Dragon, so there's no need to worry. You should retreat. Once we have the goods, we'll return to Yinshan immediately!"

Tielekun breathed a sigh of relief, but his murderous intent returned. He continued, "Before I leave, I'm going to kill someone!"

Ashina Yan asked, "Murong Ning?"

Tielekun touched the corner of his mouth, gritting his teeth: "That bitch must die!"

"Move quickly."

"understand!"

(End of this chapter)