"How’d this get here?"

Lu Yuan asked curiously, looking at Su Changliang.

Su Changliang shook his head, looking just as puzzled.

"I really don’t know. Last night, I heard someone knocking on the gate of the estate.

When I went out, I saw those two were stone dead, and there was this written confession.

Looking at the state of them, it seemed like they were killed by a Xingzi. It was a gruesome sight, anyway."

Hearing Su Changliang’s words, Lu Yuan blinked. ’Well, this...’

’Who could have helped out?’

’Maybe those guys had made too many enemies and one of them finally caught up?’

’So last night, their enemies found them?’

Lu Yuan mulled it over. It seemed like the only possibility.

But no matter how it happened, this saved Lu Yuan a lot of trouble.

Lu Yuan nodded, but just as he was about to say something else...

Someone entered from outside.

It was none other than Gu Gaoxu.

Gu Gaoxu was still carrying the Flintlock Gun on his back.

Ever since last night, the guy had been completely fascinated by the weapon.

Lu Yuan knew he was crazy about it, so he had just given it to him.

’I bet the kid even slept with the Flintlock Gun in his arms last night.’

"Why are you here so early?"

Lu Yuan looked at Gu Gaoxu, surprised.

Usually, Gu Gaoxu wouldn’t show up until after lunch.

The main reason was that the guy couldn’t get up in the morning—just like Lu Yuan, he loved to sleep in.

And last night, they had been busy until two or three in the morning.

This guy had gone back even later.

’So why is he here so bright and early?’

But Gu Gaoxu’s face fell. He flopped into a nearby chair and pouted.

"Just look outside."

’Huh?’

Lu Yuan looked through the main hall’s doorway and saw a squad of soldiers in Armor standing outside.

Seeing them, Lu Yuan blinked. He understood what was going on.

Lu Yuan knew that this kid, Gu Gaoxu, had run away from home.

Obviously, his old man had sent people to drag him back.

It was true that before, Lu Yuan had been hoping every day that the kid would hurry up and get lost.

But after hanging out together every day for so long...

Now that the kid was suddenly leaving, Lu Yuan found he was actually a little reluctant to see him go.

’It was bound to happen sooner or later, though.’

Gu Gaoxu raised an eyebrow from his seat.

"Hey, do you still need me for anything?

If you do, say it now. I have to go back this afternoon."

Lu Yuan waved his hand.

"It’s fine, nothing’s left."

Now, it was just a matter of letting things play out.

Last night, Lu Yuan had originally wanted Gu Gaoxu to make a statement.

Something to include in tomorrow’s newspaper headlines.

But who would’ve guessed? The kid just waved his hand and said Lu Yuan could write whatever he wanted him to say.

He said to just write it directly in the paper; he didn’t need to say it himself.

In that case, there was nothing left to do.

Lu Yuan hadn’t finalized tomorrow’s headlines yet.

Anyway, the general plan was to let things simmer today and then drop the bombshell tomorrow: it was the Liu Family from the Provincial City.

Of course, the headlines would also have to mention that the second son of King Yan had witnessed and heard the events with his own eyes and ears.

After Lu Yuan finished, Gu Gaoxu, still slumped in his chair, spoke again.

"I’ll be back in a few days after I go home this time.

If anything comes up, just wait for me.

Even though the evidence against the Liu Family is solid and they can’t be let off easy...

I’m worried they might get a slap on the wrist.

Wait for me to get back to handle the big stuff. Some things will be easier then!"

He was offering to back Lu Yuan up.

But Lu Yuan thought about it and realized he didn’t really need Gu Gaoxu’s help.

Gu Gaoxu’s status was very intimidating.

But in reality, when you got down to it, the second son of King Yan was not the Crown Prince of Yan.

The Crown Prince of Yan held real power.

The second son, however, didn’t have nearly as much authority.

Of course, the very title "Second Son of King Yan" was its own form of power.

It just wasn’t as official.

In any case, he really didn’t need Gu Gaoxu.

As mentioned before, the Court was riddled with factions.

Take the Liu Family. Although they were second-in-command, they had connections in the Court.

If they didn’t commit a major crime, or if it was just a minor issue, then even the Governor, the top official, couldn’t do anything to them.

But by the same token, once you made a mistake—a huge mistake at that...

...with solid evidence and public outrage...

...then just you wait. The opposing faction would latch onto you like maggots on a rotting bone, biting down and never letting go, ensuring you could never recover.

Let things simmer today, then hit them with an even more explosive front-page headline tomorrow.

He figured that by the day after tomorrow, the Lord Governor—that is, Song Chi’s father-in-law—would send his men.

He’d hand over all the evidence then.

After that, the Lord Governor would certainly ensure the Liu Family could never make a comeback.

A Court-appointed official hiring a Jianghu Sorcerer to murder people with a Xingzi.

Just thinking about it, a crime like that was enough to warrant the execution of one’s entire clan.

There was absolutely no coming back from that.

Lu Yuan grinned at Gu Gaoxu.

"I don’t need you. You won’t be needed for anything that comes next.

I think you should just stay home and behave.

Hasn’t your wife already given birth?

Why not stay home and keep her company?"

Speaking of which, the men from these wealthy families really did get married and have children early.

This Gu Gaoxu had been betrothed at sixteen and already had a child this year.

He was the same age as his own brother-in-law, yet his child was already almost a year old.

His own wife had only just gotten pregnant, and her belly hadn’t even started to show yet.

But Gu Gaoxu just raised an eyebrow and said dismissively:

"There are wet nurses to look after the baby, what am I needed for?

He’s barely a year old, so I can’t take him out to play.

Besides, what’s so great about keeping a wife company? You think everyone is as obsessed with their wife as you are?"

Lu Yuan couldn’t help but purse his lips at Gu Gaoxu’s words.