Chapter 30: A Big Job is Coming!

"My father was once a corporal in the Imperial Guard. During the Battle of Shanhai Pass seventeen years ago, he fought to his death. According to the court's regulations, I should have inherited his position as corporal early this year upon turning twenty, but to my surprise..."

Zhang Xiaogui gritted his teeth and continued, "When I went to the Imperial Guard barracks to register, I was told that my position had already been taken by someone with connections!"

Every word he spoke made Li Wenxuan more excited, his eyes growing brighter with each detail. Keywords like "orphan of a martyr," "nepotism," "impersonation," and "corruption in the lower ranks of the Imperial Guard" surfaced in his mind instantly.

"Have you reported this to the authorities?" Li Wenxuan asked.

Zhang Xiaogui poured himself a drink and smiled bitterly. "Of course I did. Not only did they fail to resolve the matter, but that corrupt official even accused me of making things up and slandering the Imperial Guard. I was locked up for over two months."

Tears welled up in the young man's eyes. "If my uncle hadn't exhausted his savings to pull strings and grease palms, I doubt I would even be out by now!"

"Do you have any direct evidence regarding your father's situation?" Li Wenxuan asked, sipping his wine. "In simple terms, how many people can prove that what you say about your father is true?"

Zhang Xiaogui replied with agitation, "I have the official document issued by the court after the Battle of Shanhai Pass! That is ironclad proof!"

"What about human witnesses?"

Zhang Xiaogui blinked, thinking for a moment. "My uncle is also in the Imperial Guard."

"Does he hold an official rank?"

Zhang Xiaogui gave an awkward smile. "My uncle is just a common foot soldier. If he had been any higher, he wouldn't have been ignorant of my position being usurped, nor would he have had to drain his life savings to get me out."

Li Wenxuan took a small sip of his wine. The taste was sweet and surprisingly good. The wine brewed in the Wu Kingdom was not distilled; it was mostly rice wine, with a few varieties of fruit wine.

"Can you find any of your father's former comrades in the Imperial Guard to testify for you?"

"Before, they were naturally afraid, but now that you are overseeing the matter, they will certainly dare to come forward!"

Watching the passionate Zhang Xiaogui, Li Wenxuan picked up a piece of sweet and sour fish, took a bite, spat out the bone, and savored the explosion of flavor on his taste buds. After swallowing the tender meat, he shook his head and laughed.

"That is not necessarily true."

"This..." Zhang Xiaogui seemed to want to explain.

Li Wenxuan waved his hand. "A corporal's position isn't a high rank in the Imperial Guard, but it is a junior leadership role, managing five men. If someone dares to commit identity theft for even such a small post, it means the person behind it must have significant connections. At the very least, they would need to be at the level of a Thousand-Man Commander or higher, wouldn't they?"

Upon hearing the phrase "Thousand-Man Commander or higher," Zhang Xiaogui turned pale with fear, his lips trembling. "If this is too troublesome, sir, please just pretend I never said anything today. I beg for your indulgence..."

"Indulgence?" Li Wenxuan laughed. "You are the victim, yet you ask me to indulge you? Take a good look at the color of the uniform I am wearing before you say such things."

He raised an eyebrow, smiling. "When has the Eastern Depot ever feared the rank of an opponent? With the Emperor’s special mandate, we have the authority to execute first and report later. Even the ministers of the Six Ministries would shiver at those words."

Zhang Xiaogui said excitedly, "Does that mean you will take this case, sir?"

"Naturally!" Li Wenxuan raised his brow, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

As a century-commander in charge of punishment for the Eastern Depot, the higher the opponent's rank, the more excited he became! If he could catch a "big fish," it would be perfect. He might just earn enough of a performance bonus this year to buy a three-bedroom apartment with a garden in the capital!

"For now, go and contact your father’s old acquaintances. The more, the better. When the time comes, bring them directly to me."

"I obey your command!"

Zhang Xiaogui was trembling with excitement, tears streaming down his face.

"A real man does not act like a woman. Wipe those away, let's drink to our hearts' content today!" Li Wenxuan laughed heartily.

"Yes! You are right, sir. A real man does not act like a woman. Let us drink to our hearts' content!"

They finished the meal only when night had fallen, and Li Wenxuan had meticulously asked about every detail of the case, including the corrupt official who had arrested and imprisoned Zhang Xiaogui for two months. That official was also added to Li Wenxuan's mental blacklist.

After they had eaten and drank their fill, Zhang Xiaogui insisted on paying the bill. Not wanting to add to his psychological burden, Li Wenxuan agreed.

However, as the restaurant owner watched the two men leave after tossing down a handful of silver fragments, he rubbed his eyes so hard he nearly popped them out. When had the men from the Eastern Depot become so polite? And they actually paid? Was something wrong? He felt he should chase after them and return the money twofold!

But when the panicked owner ran out of the door, clutching the silver, he was stunned. The capital of the Wu Kingdom had no curfew; the streets were bustling with carriages, horses, and peddlers calling out their wares. The crowd was like a flowing river, and the figure of the Eastern Depot official was nowhere to be seen.

"It's over! They only paid three taels for the wine and food today; I fear they will demand three hundred, or even three thousand taels in compensation later!" The owner was in such despair that he nearly fainted on the spot.

Li Wenxuan was completely unaware of all this. He was deeply curious about the lively night scene of the ancient-style city. In his previous life, he had visited many so-called "ancient cities," but they were always deliberate, profit-driven creations of modern industry, lacking any true ancient charm.

After parting ways with Zhang Xiaogui, he felt the silver fragments in his pocket—spoils he had scavenged from Tang Qi after knocking him out. This kid was truly a rich second-generation heir of the capital, carrying over five hundred taels of silver with him. Li Wenxuan suspected that if he had tried to buy something from a street vendor in this uniform, they wouldn't have dared to take his money. The restaurant owner, however, had guts; he hadn't tried to offer a free meal and had simply accepted the payment.

The century-commander wandered around for a bit before heading back to his rented room. In the bustling capital, Li Wenxuan didn't even spend money to buy a lantern. Because there were so many people, almost everyone else was carrying a lantern to light their way. Furthermore, the vendors along the street hung lanterns of various colors based on the goods they were selling. Li Wenxuan decided he really didn't need to spend money on a lantern.

Just as he was approaching his rented room, he suddenly remembered he had forgotten to buy a new bed and bedding. Had he noticed anyone selling beds at the night market?

"Master Li! You've finally returned!"

Suddenly, a familiar voice reached his ears.

"Hmm? Crazy Donkey?" Li Wenxuan walked forward and saw a man carrying a lantern hurrying toward him. Under the glow of the light, it was indeed Crazy Donkey.

"Master Li, following your instructions, I first went to the Golden Tower to find Zhang Xiaogui, then went to the Former General's Mansion to notify Young Master Tang of your current address, and finally returned to the Eastern Depot to bring your belongings here."

As he spoke, Crazy Donkey carefully pushed open the courtyard gate, turning sideways to light the way for Li Wenxuan. "I didn't know when you would return, sir, so I specifically ordered a nearby restaurant to keep a banquet ready, and they delivered it as soon as you returned..."

Li Wenxuan frowned. "How much silver?" He knew this guy would surely use his authority to bully or coerce people into not taking money.

"Master Li, that you would eat their banquet is an honor for them; it brings them good fortune..."

Li Wenxuan paused, his eyes narrowing.

Crazy Donkey shivered, breaking into a cold sweat, and replied truthfully, "I suspect it must have cost thirty or forty taels..."

Li Wenxuan flipped through Tang Qi's money bag, pulled out a fifty-tael banknote, and frowned. "Go pay them. No need for change. If you don't do it right, figure out the consequences yourself!"

"And Master Li, about the room..."

"What about the room?"

Li Wenxuan looked toward his rented room. Glancing through the slightly ajar door at the scene inside, his eyes nearly popped out of his head!