Records of Mysterious Things in the Southern Dynasties

Chapter 336 Arrest
Fu Ting was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect that Ren Yuan, at such a young age, could see through him so clearly. He couldn't help but smile bitterly and said, "Young people are really to be feared. It's true that I was tortured by the prince, but I don't have the courage to replace him."

"Uncle, you don't need to be very brave, you just need to tell the truth." Ren Yuan said lightly.

"I'm ashamed." Fu Ting shook his head and said, "I don't know much about Prince Yuzhang. Most of it is hearsay. For example, he is extremely strong and can subdue a galloping horse and throw a strong bull to death. I heard that he would change into casual clothes and go out at night from time to time, wearing a black silk hat and barefoot, running around Guangling City for the whole night."

Ren Yuan was not moved at all after hearing this. After seeing so many anthropomorphic behaviors of the Xiao family, he actually felt that Xiao Zong was quite normal...

"Why is it all hearsay?" Ren Yuan asked softly.

"It's true that the prince lives in seclusion and rarely goes out. Apart from a few of his close associates, he rarely receives guests. When handling government affairs, he always listens through a curtain before making a decision. When he goes out, he also hangs a curtain on his car, as if he particularly doesn't like others to see his face." Fu Ting smiled bitterly:

"Of course, it could also be that he feels that we are not worthy of seeing his beautiful face."

"Yeah." Ren Yuan nodded and asked in a deep voice, "Anything else?"

"The prince also pays special attention to military affairs. Since he took office, he has ordered the manufacture of weapons and the storage of food and grass. He also killed a group of corrupt officers who ate empty salaries and sucked the blood of soldiers. Since then, no one dared to withhold military pay. He also trained the troops every few days, led the army in exercises from time to time, and even personally led the army to fight and rewarded the victorious party. Therefore, the slackness of the state's military preparations has been greatly improved." Fu Ting reminded Ren Yuan in a subtle way:

"Now, the soldiers are very loyal to Prince Yuzhang."

"Yes." Ren Yuan nodded. Now he looked like a prince who had a dream of restoring his country...

"Oh, yes, he also ordered all the lian trees in Yangzhou to be cut down." Fu Ting thought for a moment and said, "He also forbade the people to plant lian trees again."

"Why is this?" Ren Yuan was puzzled.

"I don't know either." Fu Ting said helplessly: "The prince always asked people around him to pass on the message and never met me. I didn't dare to ask too much, so I could only do as he said."

"So who are the people around him?" Ren Yuan followed up his question.

"Except for the state's chief secretary Jiang Ge and Sima Zugeng, they are all weird." Fu Ting replied, "The prince likes to make friends with and recruit some strange people from the martial arts world, and it seems that there are some monsters among them. The prince treats them very well, and gives them large houses in the city, and arranges for beautiful wives and maids to serve them."

"Are there any of them..." Ren Yuan paused and asked softly, "the kind that is good at digging holes?"

"Let me think..." Fu Ting held his head and thought for a while, then slapped his forehead and said:

"It seems like there really was one! I remember a guy named Yan, called Blind Yan, who was actually a mole spirit. He often dug holes in people's homes and raped their wives and daughters. The victims complained to me several times, but he had the support of the prince, so I couldn't do anything about him, so I remember it very clearly."

"Does it look like this?" Ren Yuan waved his hand in the air, and a man with a rat-like face and blind eyes appeared in front of Fu Ting in every detail.

It was the guy who dug a hole in the secret vault of the Imperial Palace.

"Yes, that's him!" Fu Ting couldn't help but slap his thigh and said, "He has such a distinctive look, there's no way I'd make a mistake!"

"Great! Where does he live?" Ren Yuan's expression brightened up, and he asked hurriedly, "Hurry up and get someone to take me to catch him!"

"Okay, I'll arrange someone right away." Fu Ting didn't ask any more questions. He immediately ordered his men to call over the thief-catching Sima and ordered him to obey Yuan's orders.

~~
Ren Yuan and the other three immediately followed the thief-catching Sima and rushed to the residence of Blind Yan.

On the way, Ren Yuan whispered to his brothers what he had learned.

After hearing this, Chen Baxian chuckled and said, "I know why he wants to cut down all the trees in the city."

"Why?" Ren Yuan and Yang Zhong asked hurriedly.

"Because the emperor's nickname is Lian'er..." Chen Baxian smiled and said, "Look, how deep the hatred and resentment is." "It's true..." Yang Zhong was speechless.

"It really is... an innate abstract holy body." Ren Yuan couldn't help but sigh. The Xiao family was born too early. If they were born 1,500 years later, everyone would be able to live broadcast and make a living.

As he was talking, the thief-catching Sima who was leading the way turned around and said, "Go ahead, the house of Blind Yan is in front."

"Thank you for your hard work. Please wait a moment." Ren Yuan nodded and gave a wink to his brothers. Yang Zhong, Chen Baxian and A Yao immediately went around to ambush at the back and on the east and west sides.

In order to prevent the target from escaping through the cave, Yang Zhong also used his Xuanwu magical power to petrify the foundation of the house.

When everything was ready, Ren Yuan and the thief-catching officer went forward and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Upon hearing the voice, the old servant opened the door a crack and stuck his head out. When he saw that it was a man in official uniform, he wanted to close the door.

But the arrested thief Sima pressed the door and said in a deep voice: "Is Blind Yan at home? Someone has reported him again!"

"Our master is not at home. Let's wait until he comes back to discuss anything." The old servant held the door to prevent them from entering.

The thief-catching Sima was about to use force, but Ren Yuan held his arm, smiled at the old servant and said, "I am your master."

The thief catcher Sima Xin said, "Isn't this just a lie? Are you similar to Blind Yan?"
"Oh, why didn't the master come back from the cave?" Unexpectedly, the old servant's eyes froze, and then his anger turned into joy. He untied the door chain, opened the door and invited Ren Yuan in.

He also shouted towards the inner courtyard: "Madam, come out quickly, the master is back."

The thief-catching Sima was stunned, and then he realized that the ghostwriter must have used magical powers.

"You damn ghost, you still remember to come back?" Soon, a fat blind woman came out with a small stick. She suddenly sniffed and said, "No, there is no smell of him here. You are not Yan Saner at all!"

"Nonsense." Ren Yuan sneered, "I'm here to catch your man!"

"Ah?!" The blind woman was horrified when she heard that. She jumped up and dived to the ground.

As a result, it crashed into the granite below with a loud bang, breaking her nose and causing her nose to bleed...

"Oh, who is the wicked person who did this?" The blind woman covered her nose and cried, "Help, help me!"

The old servant and the other servants drew their weapons and rushed towards the two. Ren Yuan waved his hand and cast a demon-subduing talisman, and they all revealed their true forms. They turned out to be underground monsters such as earthworms, ground tigers, and mole crickets...

The thief-catching Sima was overjoyed when he saw this, and quickly led his men to tie up all the little monsters, thinking that now the governor could finally report to the prince.

At this time, Yang Zhong, Chen Baxian and the other two also came from different directions and shook their heads at Ren Yuan.

"I've looked everywhere, but he's not home."

"Yeah." Ren Yuan nodded, not surprised. The old servant and the blind woman's behavior had already proved this point.

He then said to Yang Zhong: "Interrogate him."

Yang Zhong was overjoyed when he heard this! Previously, with Zu An around, it was never his turn to take action, and everyone had forgotten that he was an interrogation expert.

(End of this chapter)