Chapter 4, The Hardworking Imperial Envoy

Forget it, I won't guess anymore. The county magistrate could not understand, so he stopped speculating. After all, everything that needed to be done has been done, and there is no way to deal with someone who insists on being hypocritical.

A plain-looking carriage was struggling to weave through the crowd. Inside the carriage, a pair of eyes as bright as shining stars gazed intently through the thin veil of the curtain at the heavily guarded official residence, not blinking for a moment

What strategy will be employed? Lord Bao knows that His Highness is exceptionally mature and extraordinarily intelligent, with a mind far superior to that of a mere warrior like himself

"No, it won't do." Lu Yun shook his head and said, "Even if we manage to send him away, we still do not know the situation in the command post." After a pause, he added, "Moreover, abandoning one's post is a serious offense."

No. Lu Yun slowly shook his head: "Father has always been unwilling for us to seek revenge, and I am not confident in persuading him"

This fellow is suffering quite a bit. Bao Shu calculated that Xiahou Lei had been away from the capital for nearly a month, and for an old lecher, a month without female company was simply more unbearable than death

"Now that he has come to Yuhang, can he not be moved by the beauties of Jiangnan?" Lu Yun said softly, "Even if he cannot enjoy it at the official residence, can he not step outside?"

Lu Yun opened a black-covered booklet beside him; this contained the information on enemies that he and Uncle Bao had collected over the years

The local governors and their deputies naturally complied obediently, and then secretly prayed that the imperial envoy would not come to their jurisdiction. These officials were quite cunning; after a few days of observing and gauging the situation, they had already understood that the courtesy shown by the governor towards Xiahou Lei was more for the sake of the Xiahou family's reputation rather than for him personally

This journey as an imperial envoy is truly one of the most glorious moments of his life. Departing from Kyoto, the entire route was lined with yellow earth paths, with officials waiting to greet him. The governors and commanders of the various provinces he passed through all showed him great respect and were filled with trepidation, accompanying him throughout the entire journey from entry to exit. The ceremonial gifts presented by the provinces, prefectures, and counties were so abundant that his entourage could not carry them all, necessitating the need to send them back to the capital in batches.

He might just be useless..." Bao Shu muttered, and he did not hesitate to cast the most vicious curse upon every member of the Xiahou clan

The county magistrate pondered, who has truly endured hardship along this journey? He was also pleased to return and rest for a few days, and thus he respectfully bowed and withdrew.

"He was still a low-level master two years ago, far from being considered old." Lu Yun lightly tapped his long index finger on the paper and slowly said, "Under normal circumstances, having easily escaped from a cage, one should reward oneself well. Such unusual behavior likely indicates that before leaving the capital, he made a similar promise to his elder brother, and with someone monitoring him, he had no choice but to restrain his actions."

"Rest assured, it won't go wrong." Lu Yun, however, was unconcerned and said, "Xiahou Lei's outing is much more difficult than mine."

The governor was left speechless and could only obediently remain in the provincial capital of Jinling. Before parting, he uneasily summoned the various district governors, district magistrates, and district captains, earnestly instructing them to adopt an attitude of serving their ancestors and to properly attend to the esteemed envoy. If any mishap were to occur, he would not let them off lightly

At the beginning of the booklet, there are several individuals from the Xiahou clan. Lu Yun flipped through several pages before reaching the section with the name Xiahou Lei.

Finally, after crossing the river, Xiahou Lei could no longer restrain himself from sending away the Governor of Yangzhou. His reasoning was quite legitimate: I am on official duty to conduct inspections, and with you constantly by my side, what can I observe?

Thus, the two dignitaries departed in their sedan chair, while Lu Xin remained behind. He had the duty of guarding the imperial envoy and naturally could not leave for even a moment

... ...

"You handle matters well, and I have always been at ease with you," the governor said, exhaling a long breath of frustration. "No matter what, there must not be the slightest mistake!"

Lu Yun nodded slightly, her eyelids half-closed, remaining silent

Therefore, all of you can only pray that Xiahou Lei does not choose you

Young Master..." Bao Shu said somewhat frantically: "What time is it now?"

Then find a way to send him away," Bao Shu said again, "The young master had someone deliver a message to him, saying that there was an incident at home...

Ah! Bao Shu struck his thigh heavily, feeling anxious: "It was not easy to wait for the opportunity for revenge, yet Lu Xin has become the bodyguard of the Xiahou clan!"

"Why don't we be completely honest with him?" proposed Bao Shu, "Lu Xin will definitely help us."

"It is you, not me," Lu Yun shook his head and said, "I will get off the car in front and still need to buy five-flavor pastry for my sister."

"That is already sufficient," Lu Yun said lightly, "The Xiahou family has always been extremely strict with their rules. This dashing second master must have been quite repressed in the capital, I suppose"

However, Bao Shu was somewhat troubled: "Who knows when he will come out and where he will go?"

"It is possible that..." the county magistrate speculated, "The lord does not have an interest in women, right...?" He did not even believe this statement himself

In the dimly lit carriage, Lu Yun and Uncle Bao sat facing each other

Of course, Xiahou Ba cherishes the family name greatly and cannot stand the debauchery of his descendants. Thinking back to the anecdotes of those years, Uncle Bao's lips curled into a slight smile as he hoarsely said, "Yet Xiahou Lei is precisely the most debauched of them all, and he has received quite a few beatings from his brother for it!" He then expressed incredulously, "However, it is said that this fellow has been quite well-behaved on the journey, politely declining all the beauties presented by various states and prefectures. Could it be that he has grown older and no longer has an interest in such things?"

The governor of Wu County had no choice but to muster his spirits and, accompanied by his aides, joyfully went to report to Xiahou Lei. Xiahou Lei, however, did not possess the typical domineering aura of the Xiahou clan; he was relatively cordial towards them and simply instructed them to set off quickly, saying that any further discussion could wait until they reached Yuhang.

Lu Xin instructed someone to send a letter home to prevent his family from waiting in vain, and then arranged for his subordinates and soldiers to take turns patrolling and standing guard around the imperial envoy's headquarters. He enforced strict discipline, and the soldiers dared not show the slightest negligence, effectively controlling all the nearby streets.

Lu Yun smiled helplessly and said, "After the New Year, he took another concubine..."

The journey was quite calm. Eight days later, Xiahou Lei arrived in Yuhang and took up residence in the official residence by the West Lake. This residence was originally the palace of a prince from the Southern Dynasties. The governor had specifically ordered it to be tidied up and had spent a considerable amount of money to decorate it, which naturally pleased the imperial envoy greatly

"It makes sense; a wife is not as good as a concubine, a concubine is not as good as a prostitute, and a prostitute is not as good as a mistress." Bao Shu's eyes lit up as he said, "He is indeed very likely to sneak out for some pleasure! That would make it much easier for us to act!"

This is still a passing state. As one of the destinations of his inspection, Yangzhou naturally spared no effort, as if in service to the divine. From the moment he entered the territory, the governor treated him like a servant, attending to him day and night, which left the marquis feeling both pleased and vexed.

"Uncle, please remain calm," Lu Yun gently shook his head, confidently asserting, "We will definitely have the opportunity to take action."

Lu Xin nodded and replied, "This is the duty of a subordinate official; Your Excellency may rest assured."

Before settling into the residence, Xiahou Lei instructed the governor who was serving beside him, saying: "The journey has indeed been quite arduous. I shall rest for a few days, and you may return to await my orders."

"Not bad." Lu Yun nodded

If I were him, there would be no second choice. Lu Yun raised his hand to open the other side of the car window. At this moment, the carriage was already traveling along the West Lake, and the gentle sound of silk and bamboo floated across the lake's surface, where one could easily see the double-decker painted boat surrounded by a host of stars.

It was seen above, neatly written in small cursive script:

The governor let out a slight sigh of relief. After coming out, he carefully discussed the itinerary of the imperial envoy with the county magistrate and Lu Xin, and instructed the county magistrate to ensure proper reception and supplies along the way. He then earnestly advised Lu Xin, "Although the imperial envoy has a guard, we must not let our guard down! From now on, you must always have troops with you, guarding the imperial envoy's side!"

"Not bad, such a rare opportunity!" Bao Shu also understood, excitedly clapping his hands and saying: "How can we not experience the taste of the number one courtesan in Jiangnan?!" Saying this, he became invigorated and declared: "Let us go and keep an eye on that painted boat!"

However, there will always be an unfortunate soul, and the first to win the prize is Wu Jun.

The young master also saw it; Lu Xin was always leading his troops to guard the surroundings, making it very difficult for us to bypass him and take action against Xiahou Lei

The city of Yuhang has always been relatively stable, and the public has not witnessed such a grand spectacle in a long time. Outside the area of caution, they gathered curiously to observe and engaged in lively discussions. For a moment, the streets were bustling with activity, making it difficult for vehicles and horses to pass.

Upon leaving the government office, the governor let out a long sigh of relief and instructed the county magistrate to communicate daily with the entourage of the imperial envoy. Although all necessary provisions had been prepared, it was still essential to promptly check for any omissions or deficiencies. Furthermore, if the imperial envoy had any special requests, they should be met at the earliest opportunity

Xiahou Lei, born in the Guiyou year, is an elder of the Xiahou clan and the second brother of the clan leader Xiahou Ba. He has attained the seventh level of the Dragon Elephant Subduing Demon Divine Skill. He was once ranked thirty-seventh in the Bureau of Investigation. In his youth, he was unruly and had a fondness for wealth and women, which made him unpopular with the clan leader, who has reprimanded him several times. In recent years, he has shown signs of restraint and seems to have intentions of repentance

Now, even the light has vanished

Xiahou Lei, in his fifties, still possesses a robust physique and shows no signs of aging due to years of martial arts training. However, his eyes are slightly darkened, suggesting a possible excess in indulgence.

Uncle Bao was already very familiar with the information in the booklet and said with some embarrassment: "This fellow's intelligence is truly too limited; he hardly counts for anything in the Xiahou clan."

Only after the carriage drove out of the crowd did the surrounding noise suddenly disappear, allowing those eyes to withdraw their gaze. The ugly servant across from her then closed the carriage window

Having spoken, he truly got out of the car and left, leaving Uncle Bao there staring blankly.

They guessed that this esteemed envoy, although holding a high position within the Xiahou clan, did not possess much influence. Relying on him for rapid advancement would likely lead to great disappointment. However, they absolutely dared not show any signs of neglect, as the consequences of offending the Xiahou clan were unbearable for anyone

In the end, he still felt somewhat uneasy and said, "I do not know why, but all the songstresses sent to the lord's residence have been dismissed. Could it be that they do not meet his standards?"