Chapter 32: Ill-Gotten Wealth

  Upon hearing this, Liu Ziqiu was shocked and hastily poked his head out to see that the rough-looking guy's pointing direction was indeed towards Li Jing's residence.

  Liu Ziqiu had once promised Wang Guizhi that he would avenge her, but after just rescuing Gao Xiuer, the situation was still tense and he didn't plan to take action in the short term. However, Xu Tingfu refused to let him go, and it seemed that Li Jing would also be implicated. Liu Ziqiu's desire to kill suddenly arose!

  To avoid trouble at the city gate, Liu Ziqiu did not bring any soldiers with him this time. Although the alley was quiet, people would occasionally pass by. The other party had Xu Tingfu and four ruffians. Liu Ziqiu could take them down bare-handed, but it wasn't easy to do so without drawing attention from others in broad daylight. Moreover, they were right outside Li Jing's house, making killing not an option either.

  But then Xu Tingfu asked again: "Have you ever inquired about the background of this family?"

  "Brothers, how dare we slack off when it comes to Brother Xu's affairs? We should have figured it out clearly by now." Lai San changed the subject and continued, "Now that Brother Xu has become rich and powerful, brothers are still struggling to make ends meet. Look at this..."

  Xu Tingfu sneered: "Wanting wealth and nobility isn't difficult, as long as you're willing to give up that mouth of yours and follow me into the palace, I'll naturally promote you."

  Another punk sneered: "Brothers, you don't have the guts that Xu Ge has."

  It turned out that before Xu Tingfu entered the palace, he was in cahoots with these rascals. Later, when they couldn't mix anymore, he castrated himself and became a eunuch. Xu Tingfu was originally a greedy person, and after being ridiculed, he unconsciously got angry and said: "Just last time I gave you one hundred taels, how can you be so greedy!"

  "Those are the accounts from last time's arson, one code for one code!"

  Liu Ziqiu only then realized that the fire from the drunkard was actually set by these rascals, and it had come at no cost to him. Today, he took advantage of the opportunity to avenge Wang Guizhi's grievances, but for the time being, he couldn't think of a foolproof plan.

  Xu Tingfu was silent for a moment, then said: "Forget it, considering everyone is brothers, our family will pay you 300 taels first! It's not easy for our family to go out of the palace, let's go get the silver and have a drink!"

  A few rascals didn't think that a piece of news was more expensive than setting fire, they were all delighted. Liu Ziqiu knew their death date was approaching! Wang Guizhi was the emperor's woman, Xu Tingfu dared to kill even Wang Xiaoting for 500 taels of silver, and he also dared to burn Yizui, how could he let these few rascals off? Only Liu Ziqiu didn't know how he would make his move.

  Watching several rascals leave the alley, Liu Ziqiu pointed to Li Jing's house and said: "Xiuer, you go to Brother and Sister-in-law's house first, I'll be right back!"

  Gao Xiuer refused and said: "I'll go with you!"

  Liu Ziqiu shook his head and said, "Wait until your kung fu is good enough, I will take you myself."

  Gao Xiuer also knew that if she followed, she would only become a burden. So she watched as Liu Ziqiu disappeared at the end of the alley and then knocked on the gate of Li Jing's house.

  Xu Tingfu loved to hoard wealth, but this wealth was not convenient to hide in the palace. So, he quietly set up a private mansion in a quiet place in Luoyang City, and only he knew about it. Today, for that big thing, he had no choice but to bring these few rascals over as well.

  That day, Liu Ziqiu stood up for Wang Guizhi, and although Xu Tingfu harbored resentment in his heart, he didn't have the intention to put Liu Ziqiu to death. He didn't have that kind of leisure time. However, regarding the assassin in Shanglin Garden, Xu Tingfu always felt a sense of familiarity. After some thought, he finally discovered that the assassin's physique was somewhat similar to Liu Ziqiu's, especially their piercing eyes. If he could investigate the assassin's background, he would have achieved a great merit and would definitely receive Yang Guang's heavy reward. Xu Tingfu coveted the achievement and didn't report it to the authorities, instead letting Xi San and others investigate, and they actually managed to gather some information.

  Liu Ziqiu quietly followed them from a distance, passing through streets and alleys, until they entered a courtyard. Liu Ziqiu looked around to make sure no one was watching, then climbed over the wall and saw that there wasn't a speck of dust inside the courtyard. It turned out that Xu Tingfu had been in the palace for so long that he liked cleanliness, and every time he came to this private residence, he would personally sweep it clean.

  The courtyard was very large, with three entrances inside and out. Xu Tingfu was not there, and in the main hall, there was only a group of rascals shouting loudly. After a while, Xu Tingfu came out from behind, holding a heavy package in his arms, saying: "Lai San, all the silver is here, how to divide it up is up to you guys. Now can you tell me?"

  Wan San opened the package and took a look, his eyes lit up, and he chuckled: "Brother Xu is indeed trustworthy! That person is also an official of the imperial court, surnamed Li, currently serving as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. Brother Xu must have heard of him."

  "It was him!" The story of the red scarf's nocturnal escape spread far and wide in Luoyang City. Upon hearing it, Xu Tingfu immediately understood, but then said, "Brothers, I have one more thing to say. From now on, no one is to mention the incident at the waterside tavern again."

  "Brother Xu, rest assured, we guarantee no one will mention this again!"

  "It's not that we don't trust you brothers, it's just that our current position is being watched by many eyes, so we must be careful. Come, let's make a blood oath to show our sincerity!"

  After finishing speaking, Xu Tingfu suddenly pulled out a wine gourd and a dagger from behind his back. Lai San was also quick-witted and quickly flipped over a bowl, filled it with wine, snatched the dagger and made a forceful slash on his fingertip, and the others followed suit. Xu Tingfu, who dared to cut his own throat, didn't care at all. Several people started drinking blood wine in the hall.

  Liu Ziqiu had already quietly approached the hall, and he changed his appearance, not worried that someone would recognize him. Before he could make a move, Lai San and several rascals suddenly stumbled and fell to the ground.

  Xu Tingfu snatched up a dagger and sneered: "Stealing food from our family's mouth, you're asking for death!"

  Before he finished speaking, he suddenly felt a numbness in his wrist, and the dagger was already in Liu Ziqiu's hand, pressed against his neck. Liu Ziqiu asked coldly: "What did you put in the wine?"

  Xu Tingfu's eyes rolled around as he was thinking of a countermeasure, but suddenly felt a pain in his neck, and found that Liu Ziqiu had already opened up a gap.

  "Speak!"

  "No, nothing, just a little anesthetic."

  Liu Ziqiu stretched out his hand and knocked Xu Tingfu unconscious to the ground.

  ……

  More than half a time later, Liu Ziqiu walked out of the Xuzhai with a big bag on his back, and casually locked the courtyard door as if this was not the Xuzhai but the Liu's house.

  Liu Ziqiu walked slowly on the main street of Luoyang, his large bundle heavy and covered in mud. However, with his bent back, he looked like an old farmer facing the yellow earth and with his back to the sky, perhaps carrying grain or something similar in his bundle, which didn't draw much attention.

  After turning a few streets, Liu Ziqiu knocked on the gate of Li Jing's house. The door was opened by Hong Fu Nu, who asked in surprise: "Old man, who are you looking for?"

  Liu Ziqiu suddenly straightened his back and cupped his hands, saying: "Sister-in-law, how come you don't even recognize your own brother?"

  "Brother Xian, is it really you?" Li Jing rushed out at the sound of his voice, tears streaming down his face.

  Even though he had already learned from Gao Xiuer that Liu Ziqiu was safe and sound, Li Jing, this rugged man, still couldn't contain the excitement in his heart.

  Liu Ziqiu clasped his fists and smiled: "Big brother, don't you want to invite your little brother in for a chat?"

  The red-haired girl reacted and said repeatedly: "Right, right, right, come in quickly, come in quickly."

  Her eyes were also filled with tears.

  Although Yang Guang had ordered the news to be sealed, the assassin's holding of a beauty in the Upper Forest Garden and falling off the cliff gradually spread. On that day, Li Jing and Hong Chui Nu arrived at Tianming, not seeing Liu Ziuqiu return, already feeling that something was wrong. Hearing this news, the couple felt like they were struck by five thunders. Li Jing even got drunk for this reason. Later, Han Shiren also heard the news, rushed from the army to mourn silently for Liu Ziuqiu's death. Now knowing that Liu Ziuqiu escaped danger and seeing him in person, everyone was overjoyed and tearful.

  "Big brother, sister-in-law, don't be sad anymore." Liu Ziqiu smiled and put the bundle on the table, saying, "Look at what gifts I've brought for you?"

  Li Jing opened the bundle with a suspicious mind and couldn't help but take a deep breath. The bundle was full of gold, silver, and jewels, dazzling everyone's eyes.

  Gao Xiuer had already washed off her disguise and revealed her true face. She also opened her mouth wide for a moment before saying, "Lang Jun, where did these come from?"

  Liu Ziqiu said in a low voice: "All of these are ill-gotten gains collected by Xu Tingfu."

  Li Jing had already heard from Gao Xiuer that Xu Tingfu had found out he was here, and if it wasn't for the coincidence of running into Liu Ziqiu, the couple would have been in grave danger, having narrowly escaped the gates of hell. Li Jing was not a foolish person, so naturally he wouldn't be polite to someone like Xu Tingfu. He nodded his head and said: "Younger brother, you've obtained this ill-gotten wealth quite well! However, I can only take one tenth of these things."

  Liu Ziqiu laughed and said: "Big brother, you've underestimated Xu Tingfu. The wealth he's gathered is not just these things. Tomorrow, the rest of the younger brothers will go take them!"

  In the evening, they inevitably had to set up wine to celebrate, and Liu Ziqiu inevitably had to recount his adventure in Shanglin Garden, bringing a sigh from Li Jing's couple. Of course, he skipped the part where he helped Wang Guizhi with artificial respiration.

  Hong Zan suddenly sighed: "Unfortunately, I couldn't find Miss Hou."

  Liu Ziqiu thought for a moment and said: "Anyway, I still have to stay in Luoyang for over ten days. Let's wait for a moonless night and sneak into the palace again!"

  Li Jing shook his head and said, "It's not possible to go now. After you made a big disturbance in the Forbidden Garden, Yang Guang ordered people to build another city wall outside the garden wall, and they also started building locks on the lake canal. Although it's not yet completed, there are people everywhere working day and night, where can you hide?"

  Liu Ziqiu furrowed his brow. Rescuing Hou Susu was what he had promised Han Shiyan, but with Gao Xiuer and Hou Susu, he could only save one first. Now that he had rescued Gao Xiuer, it also increased the difficulty of rescuing Hou Susu, and he couldn't help but feel a little selfish.

  Liu Ziqiu didn't hide this matter from Gao Xiuer, so Gao Xiuer also knew the inside story and comforted her by saying: "In the sixteen courtyards of Changlin, each courtyard has a madam and beauties, totaling 336 people. Each one is trying to get the emperor's favor. You, Hou Gu Niang, are just an ordinary servant girl. If you're not particularly good-looking, you might still have a chance to appear in front of the emperor. But if you're stunningly beautiful, I'm afraid you won't even be able to see Yang Guang's face, let alone worry about it?"

  Hong Zhi Nu, although clever and resourceful, had never been in the palace before and didn't know the details. After listening to Gao Xiu Er's words, she finally understood how fierce the competition was here, where everything is used to the extreme. She felt slightly relieved of her worries.

  She saw Gao Xiuer's beautiful face and thought she was a perfect match for Liu Ziqiu, so she couldn't help but say: "Younger brother, when are you two going to get married? Tell your sister-in-law early, and let her prepare a generous gift for you."

  Gao Xiuer blushed uncontrollably and quickly lowered her head, but her two ears perked up high, eagerly waiting to hear Liu Ziqiu say something definite.