Destroy Jin and conquer Song, and carry the Northern Expedition through to the end

Chapter 829 Sneak into the night with the wind

"Luo Xiaolang is gone?"

Lin Zongchen, who was already so drunk that he could barely get up to see his guests off, asked his trusted confidant a question as soon as he returned.

At this moment, his eyes were clear, and he picked up a piece of beef with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. There was not a trace of drunkenness in him.

The confidant, unfazed, immediately nodded and said, "He's gone. I saw him get into the carriage and leave with my own eyes."

Lin Zongchen chuckled twice, then opened the window, looked at the gradually darkening sky, and let the cold wind blow against his wine-stained chest: "This young man Luo must be no ordinary person."

The confidant immediately nodded in agreement: "To be able to handle things independently in Lin'an at seventeen, truly a young hero. It's a pity she's from Shandong, which delayed her from taking the imperial examinations; otherwise, Madam would still be unmarried..."

Lin Zongchen immediately laughed and cursed, "Bullshit, is that what I meant?"

Whether he was genuinely stupid or pretending, the confidant immediately cupped his hands and said, "I hope you will enlighten me, my lord."

Lin Zongchen picked up another piece of beef, put it in his mouth and chewed it carefully. After swallowing, he shook his head and said, "Actually, there's nothing to advise you on."

Just as you said, this Luo Xiaolang's identity is definitely not ordinary; he's definitely not just a simple merchant. Especially after I just tested him out.

As he spoke, Lin Zongchen looked out the window and squinted as he said, "I just asked him if he could buy some firearms, but instead of going back to ask Flying Tiger Lord for permission as he had promised, he refused outright."

In other words, Luo Xiaolang knew what kind of firearm I was talking about, and he also knew how important this kind of firearm was in Shandong.

"Such a mysterious thing, I only gleaned a few words from passing merchant ships. How does he know so much about it?"

After pondering for a moment, the confidant looked surprised: "So, Luo Xiaolang is the one who made these firearms?"

"Cough cough cough..."

The wine shot out in two jets from his nostrils, nearly choking Lin Zongchen who was holding the cup. He then looked at his confidant with exasperation and said, "Young Master Luo is only seventeen! If he already has such abilities, why would the Flying Tiger Prince from the north have sent him to Lin'an?"

The confidant nodded in sudden realization.

Lin Zongchen sighed inwardly: "I mean, Luo Xiaolang must have heard something about this from his family or elders to be so certain."

Therefore, his elders were definitely not ordinary people. And their nephews and nieces, being from ordinary families, wouldn't have come to Lin'an merely to engage in the lowly profession of commerce.

After Lin Zongchen finished speaking in one breath, he wiped his mouth with a silk handkerchief and then waited for his confidant, whose mind was sometimes sharp and sometimes dull, to speak.

After a moment of silence, the confidant said, "Ah Lang, we are not the Imperial City Guard. Even if there are problems, we should not get involved in these matters."

To put it bluntly, once you get involved, you're bound to become an enemy of one side. The Great Song Dynasty is indeed a vast and powerful nation, but how could that Flying Tiger Gentleman be someone you can easily deal with?
Ah Lang might as well keep this to himself and pretend he never discovered it.

Lin Zongchen nodded: "Go on."

"Moreover, Fei Hu Lang Jun is now considered a border town and a regional governor. Since ancient times, these people have sent people to the capital, either openly or secretly. This has been the norm. In the Tang Dynasty, there was an office called Jinzouyuan. Wasn't the Dibao (official gazette) also derived from this?"

Perhaps this is a tacit understanding between Fei Hu Langjun and the court; if we expose it, we'll only alienate both sides.

Lin Zongchen nodded with satisfaction: "You have indeed made progress."

"Don't dare..."

But at this moment, Lin Zongchen seemed to be deep in thought again: "You just mentioned the eldest daughter-in-law... Ah, the eldest daughter-in-law is already twelve years old, it's time to arrange a good marriage for her. Young Master Luo is indeed a handsome man, and his family background is also good. Apart from engaging in lowly occupations... Tsk... You make me sound like some kind of nobleman..."

Go and inquire whether Luo Xiaolang is married. If not engaged, also inquire whether he frequents brothels and theaters. See if he is a decent man.

The confidant hadn't expected that his casual remark and joke would give Lin Zongchen such a different idea, ultimately increasing his workload and causing him to look distressed.

"Ah!"

Unaware that he was about to be chosen as a son-in-law, Luo Huaiyan sneezed several times and quickly tightened his coat.

Inside the carriage, Su Kuan, dressed as a servant in a short blue robe, said in a low voice, "Second Young Master, you should not show your face in public so often. There are many shrewd people in Lin'an. It would be bad if you were targeted."

As the highest commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in Lin'an, Luo Huaiyan, if portrayed according to the literary depiction, should have spent all his time in a pitch-black room, not even daring to light two candles.

He speaks in a sinister manner, and even when he meets his closest confidants, he has to communicate through three layers of screens. He is always surrounded by shadows, just like the little black man who is the murderer in Detective Conan.

But in reality, this approach is the easiest way to expose one's true colors. Because no matter what, Luo Huaiyan has to meet with his subordinates and discuss some work with them.

Imagine a group of strong men going in and out of a small, dark room. The owner of the room is a handsome young man. In less than two months, Luo Huaiyan's reputation for beauty will spread throughout the entire city of Lin'an.

Therefore, being the son of a merchant from the north was actually the best cover identity.

On the one hand, as a merchant, one has to deal with all sorts of people and forces, and will inevitably gather a group of young and strong men.

On the other hand, three-legged toads are hard to find, but there are plenty of merchants from all over the world in the Song Dynasty. There was even a small-scale holy war between Zoroastrian imams and Christian merchants in Quanzhou. What's so surprising about that?

"It's alright. Even if someone realizes that I might have some connections, they'll only think that my father and brothers have some influence." Luo Huaiyan pointed to himself and laughed, "My age is the best cover. No one will believe that a teenager can do great things."

Su Kuan only gave a brief reminder before moving on to other matters.

"Second Brother, I have found out that Partridge has been having an affair these past few days, indulging in nightly revelry, which is why he messed things up."

Luo Huaiyan frowned: "Partridge's monthly salary is sent to his home in Shandong. He only gets a small allowance each month. Where would he get a mistress?"

Su Kuan shook his head: "We're investigating."

Luo Huaiyan immediately said, "Stop investigating. Take your men and leave the city before the gates close, under the pretense of buying goods, and head to Pengze Village."

Su Kuan immediately responded in a low voice, and then jumped out of the car cleanly and efficiently.

Luo Huaiyan took out half a piece of silver from his pocket, stretched his hand out of the carriage window, and handed it to the accompanying knight: "Old Guo, give this to the pancake shop next to Shunxinghao on Wazi Street, and tell them that I want to eat walnut shortbread tomorrow, so that they can prepare in advance."

The knight, called Lao Guo, immediately turned his horse and left.

Luo Huaiyan drew a ghost talisman on the paper with charcoal, put it in a letter, and handed it to another knight: "Old Wang, go and give this letter to Old Zhao of Su Ji Fur Shop. Tell him that a letter has arrived from Huaibei. The old uncle is on his last breath and wants to see him. Go to Xinkaimen first thing tomorrow morning."

After the knight took it, he turned his horse and rode away again.

Luo Huaiyan closed his eyes to rest, mentally calculating whether there were any oversights. It wasn't until he returned to his small courtyard that he opened his eyes and said to a burly warrior who came out to greet him, "Tianpeng, make more preparations these next few days, as the worst-case scenario may occur at any time."

The burly man called Tianpeng chuckled: "Don't worry, young man. With me, Cheng Daniao, here, even a thousand troops will get you out of here."

Luo Huaiyan shook his head and chuckled, his hands clasped together: "Since the eldest son has already renamed you Tianpeng, there's no need to call you by your old name anymore. A person with a bright future should have a resounding name."

Cheng Tianpeng chuckled again, gave a wink to the warriors in the courtyard, and then they all went to prepare weapons and horses.

A moment later, Luo Huaiyan changed his clothes and went alone to a soup noodle shop on the street corner. He called the shopkeeper to give him a bowl of mutton head soup noodles to fill his stomach and sober up.

At this moment, the lanterns are just coming on, and the Lantern Festival is at its most lively. There is no curfew tonight, and countless people, young and old, are leaving their homes to watch fireworks and admire the lanterns.

Amidst the lively scene, a short man with sharp eyes approached the table behind Luo Huaiyan and sat back-to-back with him, slightly off-center: "Young man, who wants walnut shortbread?"

Luo Huaiyan slurped up the soup cake: "Send Partridge, a servant of the Shi family who lives in Ninghai Ward, to the No. 1 Pancake Shop and have him explain why the shortbread is so delicious. I'll go back and find him to eat with me someday."

The short warrior nodded: "Can you cut it open?"

Luo Huaiyan nodded: "It's best to have it whole. If that's not possible, then remember to cut it open."

The short, hemp-clad samurai nodded, then rose and disappeared into the crowd.

Luo Huaiyan finished his food, then let out a loud burp, looked up at the fireworks rising in the sky, and a rare smile appeared on his face.

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival.

It's a real pity that I couldn't return to Shandong to reunite with my father and brothers.

Thinking this, Luo Huaiyan lowered his head and sighed deeply.

The young women, who were already captivated by his handsome face, became even more infatuated.

As if sensing the gaze, Luo Huaiyan tilted his head slightly and smiled.

Before the young women could even surround him and ask his name, Luo Huaiyan cupped his hands and disappeared into the crowd.

(End of this chapter)