Douluo V: Daily Intelligence - I Want All of Tang San's Opportunities

After hearing these words, Xu Mingyuan's gaze towards Su Yuntao clearly changed. He put down his wine glass, his tone carrying a hint of relief:

"It's good that you think that way. This matter really shouldn't have been leaked from the Spirit Hall. Although you are a member of the Spirit Hall, you are still a member of the Su family and an imperial nobleman. It's not easy for you to distinguish the importance of this matter."

Seeing that Xu Mingyuan's attitude had softened, Su Yuntao continued speaking:

"Since Uncle Xu also feels that this matter should not be handled by the Spirit Hall, I suggest that your City Lord's Mansion compile a secret report and submit it directly to the Imperial Inspectorate. What to investigate and how to investigate will be determined once the Empire sends someone down."

Xu Mingyuan shook his head:

"No, it will be too late if the Empire sends someone down. If this is true, Xiao Huaiyuan, as the lord of a city, imprisoned his wife and abused the grand duke's orphaned daughter. We, his colleagues, cannot escape the blame for our dereliction of duty, and moreover..."

He paused, a hint of caution in his eyes:

"Although you said Liu Yuanlang wouldn't lie about something like this, he's ultimately just a businessman's son, and his words can't be taken as conclusive evidence. What if it's just something Liu Yingda and his son made up on the spot?"

Su Yuntao frowned: "So, what does Uncle Xu mean?"

Xu Mingyuan tapped his fingers on the table:

"Before submitting the message, we must first find a way to clarify the facts. If it is true, then there is nothing to say, we can report it directly to the Empire, and Xiao Huaiyuan will have no chance to recover. But if it is false, we cannot wrong him."

Su Yuntao pondered for a moment:

"But the city lord's mansion is not so easy to get close to, and Xiao Huaiyuan will definitely find out if we do that."

Xu Mingyuan suddenly laughed:

"Notice? If this is true, Xiao Huaiyuan is finished. What difference does it make whether he notices it or not?"

He picked up his glass and downed it in one gulp, then slammed the glass down on the table, his tone carrying a reckless madness:

"If it's fake, then I guess I've completely offended him. What can a scoundrel like him, who rose to power through marriage, really do to me?"

Xu Mingyuan poured himself another glass, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, a slight flush rising to his face from the alcohol.

"Here's what we'll do. Tomorrow morning, Xiao Huaiyuan will be going to the Soul Hunting Forest to inspect the outer defenses. He definitely won't be in the city then. You come with me, and we'll go straight into the City Lord's Mansion. Whether he's imprisoned anyone or not, we'll find out by barging into the City Lord's Mansion."

Su Yuntao was silent for a moment, then nodded and said:

"Okay, then I'll wait for Uncle Xu at the side gate of the City Lord's Mansion first thing tomorrow morning."

Xu Mingyuan stood up and patted Su Yuntao on the shoulder: "I believe you on this matter. See you tomorrow."

He turned and walked towards the door, but after taking two steps, he turned back to look at his own daughter, who was sitting at the round table next to him, being talked to by Liu Shi by the hand.

"Yunniang, let's go."

Xu Yunniang quickly stood up, bowed slightly to Liu Shi and Su Yunfeng, and hurried after them.

The father and daughter left the Baron's mansion one after the other, their footsteps gradually fading into the night outside the courtyard.

Su Yunfeng got up to see him to the door, and when he returned, he looked at Su Yuntao with a somewhat complicated expression:

"Second brother, are you really going tomorrow?"

Su Yuntao poured him a cup of tea and said casually:

"If Uncle Xu dares to go, why shouldn't I?"

Su Yunfeng sat down next to him, and after a moment of silence, he spoke:

"Uncle Xu is a righteous man, but he might have ulterior motives for inviting you to storm the city lord's mansion this time. Don't trust him too much."

Su Yuntao glanced at him and suddenly smiled:

"How can you talk about your future father-in-law like that? Didn't you notice the way Xu Yunniang looked at you just now?"

Su Yunfeng's face flushed red instantly, and after stammering for a while, he finally managed to utter a sentence:

"You...you're talking nonsense! That's Uncle Xu's daughter. I've only met her a few times..."

Su Yuntao took a sip of tea and smiled without saying a word.

Su Yunfeng calmed down for a while before speaking seriously again:

"I'm not joking with you, and don't think I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. No one who can sit in the position of deputy city lord is truly innocent. Although Uncle Xu is upright, he might still be considering using this incident to bring down Xiao Huaiyuan and take that position for himself. As for bringing you along, if things go wrong, who can guarantee he won't try to use you as a scapegoat?"

Su Yuntao put down his teacup, looked at his elder brother's worried face, and finally smiled.

He gently patted Su Yunfeng on the shoulder:

"Brother, you just said that none of the people who can sit in this position are truly innocent. So do you really think that everything I've done is just to pave the way for Xu Mingyuan? Don't I have any intention of using him at all?"

Su Yunfeng was stunned. He opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything for a long time.

Su Yuntao stood up with a smile and stretched:

"Alright, go to sleep early. I have important things to do tomorrow."

After saying that, he turned around and went back to his room, leaving Su Yunfeng alone in the main hall. He stood up slowly after a long while.

The next morning, Su Yuntao changed into a neat dark gray outfit, with a short blade at his waist and two hidden darts in his sleeves. He made sure he was properly equipped before leaving the house.

He waited for less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea at the side gate of the city lord's mansion before Xu Mingyuan strode over with six trusted subordinates.

Today, Xu Mingyuan was dressed in formal attire, his dark blue official robe impeccably tailored, with the deputy city lord's token hanging at his waist. He exuded a more formal and imposing aura than he had last night.

The two exchanged a glance, then, without further pleasantries, Xu Mingyuan simply nodded to him before leading his men directly toward the main gate of the City Lord's Mansion.

The two guards at the main entrance saw Xu Mingyuan approaching from afar, paused for a moment, then stepped forward and blocked his way.

"Vice City Lord Xu, what's going on...?"

Xu Mingyuan continued walking, speaking coldly:

"Xiao Huaiyuan has committed serious crimes, including colluding with wanted criminals, imprisoning the granddaughter of a duke, and abusing his wife in a secret room. I am here to search the mansion by imperial decree. Please make way."

The two guards looked at each other, hesitated for a moment, but still gritted their teeth and stood in front:

"Deputy City Lord, this is against the rules. The City Lord is not in the manor today. If you need to enter the manor on business, why not wait until the City Lord returns..."

Xu Mingyuan abruptly stopped, his gaze sweeping across the two guards' faces like knives, his voice deepening:

"Are you defying orders? Do you even know what crimes it is to imprison the Duke's orphaned daughter and to secretly abuse his wife? Are you perhaps going to join in this evil?"