Chapter 69: Prince Lu

Aside from the six Spirit Hunters currently performing their techniques, everyone else was looking at Li Lin.

Li Lin nodded.

“My person-finding technique requires me to know the target’s appearance.”

The young man nodded and shouted to a yamen runner beside him, “Bring paper and brush.”

Before long, paper and brush were placed on the table in the main hall.

The young man immediately began painting with a brush.

In only a dozen breaths, he had produced a portrait.

Though the lines were few, they captured the person’s general appearance, bearing, and expression remarkably well.

After looking at it, Li Lin took a stack of little paper figurines from his clothes, infused them with yin energy, and tossed them onto the floor.

The moment these little paper figurines landed, they came alive and rushed out through the prefectural office gates using all sorts of bizarre methods.

Some ran on all fours like dogs.

Some moved by doing somersaults.

Others moonwalked.

Everyone stared at the little paper figurines with extremely strange expressions.

It was not as though they had never seen paper crafting techniques.

Nor was it as though they had never seen paper figurines.

But paper figurines this lively and lacking any eerie atmosphere were a first for them.

It was also at that moment that one of the Spirit Hunters performing ritual dances suddenly spat out blood and collapsed.

Everyone was startled and immediately rushed over.

Upon discovering that he had merely fainted, they breathed a sigh of relief.

Although this person’s search technique had failed, the others had succeeded.

Several people pointed in the same direction simultaneously.

The young man immediately rejoiced.

“Friends from Yulin County, please rest here for a while. We can handle the remaining matters ourselves.”

Having said that, the dozen or so people rushed out of the prefectural office.

Only the five people from Yulin County and one injured unconscious companion remained behind.

It seemed they intended to monopolize the credit.

Su Huafang let out a sigh of relief.

“Fortunately, we don’t have to get involved in this matter. Whoever managed to abduct that person is certainly no ordinary individual.”

Bai Liwei also said, “Most likely it’s the work of the Qin Family of Yue City.”

Bai Bufan looked puzzled.

“Why would they kidnap the Third Prince? If they were going to kidnap anyone, shouldn’t it be the Crown Prince?”

Su Huafang smiled.

“They probably want a more legitimate justification. With an imperial prince in hand, they can claim righteous cause for their actions.”

After thinking for a moment, Li Lin said, “It may not necessarily be the Qin Family of Yue City. I’ve heard some things about the Third Prince as well. In my view, there are many forces that want him dead, and many forces that want him alive.”

Su Huafang did not understand much about politics and asked, “How so?”

“If he dies, the mastermind can claim to the outside world that the imperial palace was responsible.”

Li Lin said.

Zhao Hao replied, “But if His Majesty truly wanted him dead, he wouldn’t have demoted him to a feudal prince.”

“That’s precisely because many people think as you do. That’s what makes such a scheme effective.”

Zhao Hao fell into thought.

Su Huafang asked again, “What about those who want him alive?”

“There are too many. The Crown Prince wants him alive. Local warlords want him alive as well. Each has their own reasons.”

Hearing this, the others did not quite understand.

Su Huafang looked at Li Lin and asked, “Patrol Hunter Li seems to understand current affairs very well. Did your family teach you?”

Li Lin nodded.

“My elders taught me.”

Everyone looked at Li Lin’s face and felt as though they suddenly understood something.

It was also at that moment that several people entered from outside, surrounding a young nobleman dressed in white.

The moment Su Huafang saw them, he immediately became nervous.

Aside from the young nobleman, all the others were expert martial artists.

Any one of them could defeat him with ease.

He immediately stepped in front of Li Lin and the others.

“Gentlemen, barging into the prefectural office like this, do you know...”

At that moment, Zhao Hao grabbed Su Huafang.

Stepping forward, he cupped his fists and said, “This commoner Zhao Hao pays his respects to Prince Lu.”

Prince Lu?

Li Lin immediately remembered.

Zhu Lao San had been demoted and sent to Lu Prefecture as a feudal prince.

Hearing those words, Bai Liwei and Bai Bufan immediately lowered their heads and saluted.

Li Lin naturally did the same.

The young man in white, Prince Lu, wore a gentle expression.

Smiling, he asked, “Are you Spirit Hunters from Jin City?”

Everyone shook their heads.

Su Huafang said quietly, “We’re from Yulin County.”

“Then this matter has little to do with you. Would you mind stepping aside while I deal with a few matters first?”

Prince Lu asked gently.

Naturally, everyone complied and moved aside.

Prince Lu said to his subordinates, “Go invite Fang Hua out.”

Immediately, two subordinates bypassed the screen and entered the rear chambers, the living quarters of the Prefect.

Before long, Fang Hua was dragged out by two martial artists.

His clothing was disheveled, and he was cursing loudly.

“This official is a fourth-rank official. How dare you treat me this way? Do you not fear having your nine clans exterminated?”

He cursed fiercely.

Then he was thrown into the center of the hall.

Prince Lu took two steps forward and smiled.

“Prefect Fang certainly possesses impressive official authority. Even this prince would not casually exterminate nine clans, yet you dare to do so. You’re even more domineering than His Majesty.”

Upon hearing the voice, Fang Hua’s eyes widened.

“Prince Lu! Weren’t you missing?”

“If I hadn’t done that, how could I have lured your subordinates away?”

Prince Lu laughed.

It was also at that moment that a group of paper figurines rushed in from outside the prefectural office and began circling around Prince Lu.

However, before they had even completed half a circle, Prince Lu’s subordinates had shredded them into scraps of paper.

“Path-Finding Paper Figurines.”

Prince Lu smiled and said to a middle-aged man dressed in Daoist robes beside him,

“Almost everyone’s techniques were deceived by your Substitute Talisman and drawn toward the north. Yet these paper figurines found their way here. It seems there are still experts in Jin City.”

The Daoist also nodded in acknowledgment.

“The person who used this technique possesses genuine skill if they weren’t fooled by my Substitute Talisman.”

The Spirit Hunters from Yulin County all cast sidelong glances at Li Lin.

Prince Lu did not notice their expressions.

Looking at Fang Hua on the ground, he said,

“Prefect Fang, matters have reached this point. Would you rather die yourself, or have your nine clans exterminated?”

Fang Hua stood up and straightened his clothing.

“Naturally, I choose to die myself.”

“Good. Then tell me, who instructed you to harm me and poison me?”

Fang Hua was just about to answer when someone interrupted him.

Li Lin suddenly cupped his fists and said,

“Your Highness Prince Lu, may we be allowed to leave?”

Zhao Hao and the others looked at him in surprise.

Prince Lu examined Li Lin from head to toe.

After a long while, he smiled and nodded.

“Quite right. My oversight. Gentlemen, please.”

Li Lin turned and left without the slightest hesitation.

Su Huafang and Bai Liwei, along with his nephew, immediately followed.

Zhao Hao looked toward the exit of the prefectural office, then at Prince Lu.

Finally, he gritted his teeth, cupped his fists toward Prince Lu, and left as well.

The gates of the prefectural office closed.

Prince Lu shifted his gaze back to Fang Hua.

“Very well. There are no outsiders now. You may speak.”

Fang Hua took a deep breath.

“It was His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Prince Lu’s expression turned serious.

“That’s impossible. Elder Brother is benevolent and has always taken good care of us younger brothers. How could he resort to such ruthless methods?”

Fang Hua laughed.

“Your Highness Prince Lu, in the palace you openly advocated that the Crown Prince should inherit the throne. What do you think His Majesty thought of that? What do you think the Crown Prince thought of that? Might he not believe that you were trying to harm him?”

Prince Lu took a deep breath.

“I truly never had such intentions.”

“Even if you didn’t...”

Fang Hua laughed.

“Do you think the Crown Prince would believe that you didn’t?”

Prince Lu smiled as well.

“No. Elder Brother would only want me to live, Prefect Fang. You don’t understand. Even now, you still refuse to reveal the true mastermind behind this? You’re even trying to deceive me. Do you truly care so little about your relatives and kin?”