Young hero, stay put and don't be reckless.

Chapter 86 Your Orders

Jiang Xun came out of Shunchang and stood on the street, letting out a long sigh.

One hundred and thirty taels, plus the several dozen taels smuggled from Huangshan, is still not enough to buy a small courtyard by Jinniu Lake in Qiantang.

He touched the silver notes in his pocket, his feelings were very complicated—he still had to keep earning.

Although he lost money, Jiang Xun did not mistreat himself.

He wandered around the city and found a small inn called "Yuelai Old Inn".

The storefront is unassuming, but it's clean and the prices are reasonable.

He chose a side room, paying thirty coins a day.

The room wasn't big, but the window faced an old locust tree in the backyard, and the wind rustled through it, like someone turning the pages of a book in your ear.

After settling in, he lay down on the bed, put his hands behind his head, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Huang Shan said that when the Second Prince arrived in Jiangning Prefecture, Ling Xuan was by his side protecting him.

Ling Xuan is the deputy commander of the Golden Feather Guard, so he must know the inside story about the Thief Saint's master.

We need to start the investigation with him.

How can I check?

The Golden Feather Guards are all difficult to deal with, and Ling Xuan is especially heavily guarded. He can't just swagger in and ask questions, can he?

Jiang Xun turned over, and the bed creaked as if it were worried for him.

After thinking it over, he finally found a clue.

The next morning, he ate a bowl of plain noodles and then wandered into an old alley.

He had been to this alley the last time he came to Jiangning Prefecture—back then, some thugs tried to steal his money, but he taught them a lesson.

Deep in the alley stands an old banyan tree, its canopy so dense it blocks out the sun, shading the entire open space.

Several people were squatting under the tree, gambling with dice and making a lot of noise.

"Bigger, bigger, bigger! Unleash the ultimate power!"

"Sigh! I lost again!"

Jiang Xun walked over, stood beside him for a while, and watched without saying a word.

A burly man with a fierce face lost money and looked up cursing, his eyes meeting Jiang Xun's.

The man paused for a moment, then his expression suddenly changed.

"Brother Qiao—" he stammered.

The gambling has stopped.

Several people looked up at the same time, and when they saw Jiang Xun, their faces turned pale.

A fat man stood up from the crowd. He was in his thirties, with a round face and a pair of darting eyes.

Jiang Xun had seen this man before—when he first arrived in Jiangning Prefecture, he went to the bathhouse, and this man was soaking in the bath next to him, calling himself Qiao Dazhou.

Qiao Dazhou stared at Jiang Xun for a while, then forced a smile: "Sir, what brings you here?"

The thugs behind him also recognized Jiang Xun—the same ruthless guy who had beaten them to a pulp outside the bathhouse—and they all took a half-step back.

Jiang Xun smiled and said, "I was just passing by and thought I'd drop by to see you all."

Qiao Dazhou chuckled dryly twice and quickly waved his hands, "Sir, we've long since reformed! We're law-abiding citizens now, doing business honestly and never causing you any trouble!"

The thugs behind him nodded repeatedly, like chickens pecking at rice.

Jiang Xun was amused by their antics. He took out a silver ingot from his pocket and tossed it in his hand. "I'm not here to cause trouble. I have something I'd like to ask you for help with."

Qiao Dazhou stared at the silver ingot, swallowed hard, and said politely, "Please tell me, sir. I'll help if I can."

"Help me find out some information." Jiang Xun tossed the silver over.

"What news?" Qiao Dazhou hurriedly caught it, holding it in his hands and weighing it in his hands; it was quite heavy.

"The Second Prince recently arrived in Jiangning Prefecture. I'd like to know where he usually goes and who he meets. In particular, what's going on with Ling Xuan, the deputy commander of the Golden Feather Guard who's by his side?"

Qiao Dazhou gasped, his face twitching three times.

Good heavens! Investigate the Second Prince, investigate the Golden Feather Guard?

He wouldn't have enough heads to chop off! The silver in his hand suddenly felt hot to the touch; he didn't know whether to hold it or put it away.

Seeing his unpleasant expression, Jiang Xun smiled and said casually, "I won't make things difficult for you. Investigate as much as you can; you don't need to take any risks. Just listen to what's going on in the streets, and no one will know it's you who are inquiring."

Qiao Dazhou secretly breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes darted around, and he looked down at the silver in his hand again, but in the end he still couldn't bear to let go.

He gritted his teeth, stuffed the silver into his pocket, and patted his chest, saying, "Don't worry, sir, leave this to me! There's nothing in Jiangning Prefecture that I, Qiao Dazhou, can't find out!"

Jiang Xun nodded, then added, "Be careful, don't let anyone find out."

"Understood, understood." Qiao Dazhou nodded repeatedly, then turned and beckoned to the thugs, "Did you all hear that? Go, go and find out! Be smart!"

The thugs dispersed after a brief commotion.

Jiang Xun waited at the inn for a whole day.

He didn't go anywhere; he just stayed in his room, practicing his martial arts, looking at the old locust tree outside the window, and occasionally going downstairs to eat a bowl of noodles.

Although I was anxious, I knew that these things couldn't be rushed.

As expected, Qiao Dazhou arrived in the evening.

He slipped into the inn, looked around furtively, and then knocked on Jiang Xun's door.

"Master, I've found out." Qiao Dazhou lowered his voice, a hint of excitement on his face. "The Second Prince arrived in Jiangning Prefecture a couple of days ago and stayed at the government office. The guards are very tight; ordinary people can't get close at all."

Jiang Xun nodded.

"Furthermore..." Qiao Dazhou leaned closer, lowering his voice even further, "Recently, Xiaoxiang Tower has received many distinguished guests from the capital, who are very generous. I suspect it might be related to the Second Prince."

"Xiaoxiang Tower?" Jiang Xun was taken aback.

Qiao Dazhou chuckled twice and winked, saying, "Master, don't you know? That's the most famous brothel in Jiangning Prefecture! Every girl there is a top-notch beauty, especially the top courtesan, Murong Wan'er, who is famous throughout Jiangnan! I heard that the distinguished guests from the capital go there every day."

Jiang Xun nodded thoughtfully.

He had inquired about the Second Prince in recent days and learned that although he was a prince, he was known for neglecting his duties and frequenting brothels.

Such a person, once he arrived in Jiangning Prefecture, would naturally not stay obediently in the prefectural office.

Going to brothels for pleasure is indeed something he's capable of doing.

"Okay, I understand." He tossed Qiao Dazhou a piece of silver. "Thank you for your hard work."

Qiao Dazhou accepted the silver with a beaming smile: "Sir, you're too kind! Please let me know if there's anything else you need!"