The Art of Deception

Xu Lu stepped over the threshold.
In the courtyard, three or four people had already fallen.
Fresh blood pooled from the corpses, staining the blue brick floor crimson.
From the very beginning, the battle had been a one-sided slaughter.
Li Yaozhong had brought dozens of robust constables, along with three accompanying Lictor worshipers.
Additionally, several City Guards were equipped with powerful crossbows. With such strength, regardless of any ambush or traps here, they could resolve it directly.

The heroine Situ Yanqing held her sword, her face filled with bewilderment.
Whenever an enemy approached within three paces of her, there was no need for Aunt Hong to act; the Lictor worshipers had already repelled them.
She had no opportunity to strike.
Of course, even if she had the opportunity, she might not have been able to act.
Looking at her pale face, it was clear this was her first time witnessing bloodshed.
In less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the enemies in the courtyard had been thoroughly cleared.
Li Yaozhong did not hesitate, leading his men further inside.
In his heart, he felt a trace of delight. These bandits had resisted with weapons upon seeing the constables without a word; there was definitely a problem!
Eradicating a band of bandits was a significant merit for him.
To gain merit without risk was precisely what Li Yaozhong favored most.
Watching the constables shouting as they charged, Xu Lu frowned.
He felt something was amiss.
The strength of these bandits was too weak.
Initially, he had suspected the person impersonating Zhao Si was a Mystic Cultivator.
Yet these bandits were clearly ordinary people. Though they were fierce and unafraid of death, they were indeed ordinary people, not Mystic Cultivators.
Even if they were not Mystic Cultivators, they appeared to be well-trained death warriors.
Why would such people kidnap Uncle Zhang's family to threaten him into stealing Mister Chen's manuscript?
To say they were ruthless bandits who killed without blinking, Xu Lu would believe, but to say they were of the same refined yet corrupt mold as Zhao Kaichang, Xu Lu absolutely did not believe.
Could they have discovered my identity as Bai Zhantang?
Unlikely. If they truly suspected me of being Bai Zhantang, they should not have acted against Uncle Zhang's family.
They must know that with only these death warriors, they were not necessarily a match for Bai Zhantang.

"Hey, Xu Lu. Can someone truly achieve 'slaying a man every ten paces, leaving no trace for a thousand miles'?"
A voice echoed by Xu Lu's ear.
Situ Yanqing had approached Xu Lu at some point, her face pale, looking as though she had just finished vomiting.
When Xu Lu first killed someone, he had been no better than she was now.

"It is possible,"
Xu Lu spoke. "When my teacher told me historical tales, he spoke of several ancient heroes. I also based this poem on those tales."

"I was merely not in top form today. In truth, my swordplay is also very formidable,"
Situ Yanqing said with great sincerity.

"I can tell,"
Xu Lu replied with equal seriousness.

"Eldest Miss, all the bandits have been slain on the spot!"
Li Yaozhong strode out of the courtyard, his garments stained with blood.
"This was a band of utterly ruthless bandits. Though they were not rebels, their crimes are unforgivable! We discovered Zhang Bao's family of three in the underground cellar, along with several other kidnap victims."

"There are others?"
Situ Yanqing was somewhat surprised. "Who are these bandits?"

"It is currently unknown,"
Li Yaozhong said solemnly. "Their resistance was too fierce; we could not keep any alive. But this subordinate shall investigate to the very end!"
Situ Yanqing nodded, asking no further.
She did not care much about these matters. Had it not been for Xu Lu's plea, she would not have intervened.
Of course, it was also possible she wished to satisfy her desire to act as a heroine...

"Xu Lu, the people have been rescued. What of the matter you promised me?"
Situ Yanqing glanced at the pool of blood on the ground, her beautiful face turning a shade paler. She turned her head away and spoke.

"Since they are unharmed, I shall bring them to the government office to take their statements, then arrange for someone to escort them home."
Li Yaozhong winked at Xu Lu.

"Many thanks, Miss Situ."
Xu Lu nodded slightly, expressing his gratitude seriously. "Let us speak outside."
Situ Yanqing wished for nothing more than to leave this place immediately. Hearing Xu Lu's words, she did not hesitate, leaping outside like a startled rabbit in two or three bounds.

-----------------
Within the Taoli Garden, Xu Lu set down his brush.
"The great roc rises with the wind one day, soaring ninety thousand miles... If even Confucius feared the younger generation, a true man must not look down on youth."
Situ Yanqing murmured softly, her eyes bright as stars, sparkling.
"Xu Lu, you are truly bold. You dare mock my father for being blind?"
Situ Yanqing raised her head, looking at Xu Lu opposite her.

"I spoke no such words,"
Xu Lu said calmly.

"You still deny it? Though I cannot compose poetry, I can still comprehend it!"
Situ Yanqing said. "But... well said!"
Situ Yanqing laughed heartily. "My father is an old conservative! Obstinate, refusing to listen to anything I say, and forbidding me from doing anything I wish. Looking down on others! A true man must not look down on youth—this is precisely what I wish to say to him!"

Xu Lu frowned inwardly. *You are not a man, are you?*
Her desire to act as a heroine was forbidden by her father, which Xu Lu actually found quite reasonable.
Since Situ Yanqing had just aided him greatly, he had to be grateful, so he naturally would not show displeasure.

"Miss Situ, there is only this between the City Lord and me. It is normal for his senior self to dislike me."
Xu Lu clasped his hands and said, "If there is nothing else, I shall take my leave."
Situ Yanqing, still immersed in the poetry, waved her hand casually.
Xu Lu clasped his hands, stood, and departed the room.

-----------------
"Constable Li said there were other kidnap victims besides Uncle Zhang's family. Is it truly a coincidence?"
Leaving the Taoli Garden, Xu Lu walked on the road home, his mind in thought, always feeling something was amiss.
"Kidnapping is normally for wealth. Why would they require Mister Chen's manuscript? Furthermore, how did they impersonate Zhao Si? Was it a mystic art, or ordinary disguise techniques?"
As he pondered, a familiar figure suddenly flashed ahead...
"Hmm? Why is he here?"
Xu Lu's heart stirred. His gaze quickly swept the surroundings. Finding the area deserted, his figure suddenly vanished.
Mystic Art of Invisibility!
After unleashing the invisibility art, Xu Lu did not hesitate, leaping over a low wall.
Upon landing, the duration of his mystic art expired.
A servant-dressed man rubbed his eyes vigorously.
*Could my eyes have played tricks on me?*
*How could I mistake a person for a boulder?*
The servant muttered to himself, yawned, and continued forward.
Xu Lu breathed a sigh of relief.
*How perilous!*
Fortunately, he had timely unleashed the Shen Jing mystic art to deceive the man's vision; otherwise, he would have been discovered.
"These mystic arts of mine, whether Fen Guang Hua Ying, invisibility, or Shen Jing, can actually be considered a form of deception, like the illusion arts of Sun Wukong..."
Xu Lu thought to himself, crouching low as he approached the small building ahead.

"How are my parents and brother?"
As Xu Lu drew near the building, he heard a suppressed growl from within.
"Shitou!"
Xu Lu, hiding outside the window, felt waves of shock in his heart.

"They are unharmed,"
A somewhat effeminate voice echoed. "We do not wish to harm them. We did this merely to let you know that whatever we wish to do is as easy as turning our hand."

"Are you not afraid of being discovered by the Heavenly Palace?"
Zhang Shitou—now Zhang Yuanshan—growled.

"You may attempt to report us,"
The effeminate voice chuckled. "But you seem to lack evidence, and the Heavenly Palace would not believe you. This time, the kidnappers of your parents are all dead, and the result the authorities will find is that your parents were implicated by that Xu Lu, having nothing to do with you. This was merely a warning. If you remain disobedient next time, I cannot guarantee what will occur."

Xu Lu understood clearly. No wonder he had felt something was amiss.
Kidnapping Uncle Zhang's family to threaten him into stealing Mister Chen's manuscript was filled with inconsistencies.
It turned out their target was not him at all!
It was Zhang Yuanshan!

"I am merely a candidate Lictor; I cannot possibly accomplish what you require!"
Zhang Yuanshan's voice was filled with pleading. "Please find someone else. I swear I shall never speak of your seeking me to anyone!"

"Do you think that is possible?"
The effeminate voice said with a half-smile.

"These people kidnapped Uncle Zhang's family to threaten me, which was entirely their art of deception!"
Xu Lu narrowed his eyes. "I wonder what they want Shitou to help them with?"

"Zhang Yuanshan, you have ten days at most,"
The effeminate voice continued. "Within ten days, if you do not obtain the map, prepare to collect the corpses of your parents and brother."
Heavy breathing ensued for a moment, after which Xu Lu heard Zhang Shitou rise in anger and depart, followed by the slamming of the door.
Xu Lu hesitated briefly, ultimately unleashing his invisibility art to follow Zhang Shitou, quietly leaving the courtyard.
With the situation and the opponent's strength unclear, it was unwise to act rashly.

"Shitou, why are you here?"
Before his invisibility art expired, Xu Lu ran into a small alley, then made it appear as though he had met him by chance, calling out a greeting.
Zhang Yuanshan's body stiffened, an unnatural expression appearing on his simple face.
"That..."
He stammered. "I heard my parents were kidnapped, so I requested half a day's leave from the Heavenly Palace to return home and see."

"From the Heavenly Palace to Ande Ward, one does not seem to pass through Lanling Ward, correct?"
Xu Lu looked at Zhang Yuanshan and asked.

"I... I... I took the wrong path."
Zhang Yuanshan's face flushed red. "Xiao Lu, I must return to the Heavenly Palace and cannot speak further."
With that, he hastily ran forward.

"Society is truly a dyeing vat. Shitou was so simple and honest, yet in such a short time, he has learned to lie,"
Xu Lu muttered, watching Zhang Yuanshan's panicked departing figure. "A map... what could it be?"