Double Bound

Lù Zhēng stepped onto the damp blue stone slabs and walked into the southern gate of Changsha City, with half of his embroidered spring knife exposed beneath his rain cloak. He walked straight into a tea shop, casually ordered a bowl of tea, and started chatting with the shop owner.

“Ma’am, I heard there are quite a few fortune tellers in Changsha City. Do you know who is the most accurate?” Lù Zhēng asked casually.

The shop owner wiped her hands and smiled, “You’re asking at the right time! There are indeed a few famous fortune tellers in the city, like Li the blind man in the south, Wang the half-sage in the north, and Mr. Zhao in the west, all quite well-known.”

Lù Zhēng nodded. He had already investigated these people and hadn’t found anything unusual. He continued, “Are there any others? Maybe someone not so famous, but particularly accurate?”

The shop owner thought for a moment, then suddenly clapped her hands, “Oh! Last year, Aunt Zhou’s son, Xiao Si, went missing, and it’s said they found him after a fortune teller predicted it. He was finally found in the graveyard.”

Lù Zhēng’s fingers curled inside his sleeve, and he asked quietly, “Which expert did the prediction?”

The shop owner shook her head, “I don’t know, but you can ask Dr. Li Mingyi, he was the one who had someone do the reading.”

“Li Mingyi?” Lù Zhēng repeated the name softly, his heart jolted. He suddenly stood up and quickly walked out of the tea shop, calling over his subordinate and quietly giving orders. His men quickly took action.

As dusk settled, Lù Zhēng, with eight of his disguised Jinyiwei officers, silently spread out along the alley behind the “hospital.” He raised his hand to issue an order when five dark shadows suddenly jumped down from the wall. The person at the front wore a bronze Tao Tie mask, with fangs gleaming coldly.

“Clang!” Three soft swords were unsheathed at once, their cold light flashing.

Lù Zhēng’s embroidered spring knife blocked two of them. The masked man flicked his wrist, and the third sword darted toward his throat but veered off just an inch, aiming for his shoulder. Lù Zhēng took the opportunity to strike the sword’s body with the back of his knife, causing a loud metallic clash.

“The Northern Deputy’s Office is investigating!” Lù Zhēng pressed his knife down three inches, his voice cold. The Northern Deputy’s Office was the highest institution of the Jinyiwei, responsible for secret imperial missions. Lù Zhēng was here on royal orders.

A muffled laugh came from beneath the bronze mask, and the sword flashed like lightning, aiming at Lù Zhēng’s lower body. The two forces tangled in the narrow alley, their blades clashing, sparks flying.

Lù Zhēng moved forward, shouting, “On imperial orders!” This was the latest secret code of the Northern Deputy’s Office. However, the leader beneath the Tao Tie mask hesitated, his lips tightly pressed.

Lù Zhēng’s pupils contracted—these people were not Jinyiwei!

He seized the opportunity to strike at the mask with his embroidered spring knife, but it was entangled by the soft sword. When the two struggled, Lù Zhēng felt the opponent’s arm strength was astounding, his hands numb, still forced to step back half a step. The masked man suddenly withdrew his force and spun, the sword hilt crashing into Lù Zhēng’s wrist, nearly making him drop his knife.

“Is the Emperor seeking out extraordinary people?” Lù Zhēng gritted his teeth and threw out a sleeve arrow. This was a small yet deadly weapon of the Jinyiwei. “Does your master also want this fortune teller?”

The masked man tilted his head to avoid the arrow and finally spoke, his voice hoarse: “Are you looking for Li Mingyi?” This was the first time he spoke during the fight.

Just then, Lù Zhēng’s deputy jumped down from the roof and shouted, “We found him!”

“Withdraw!” The Tao Tie mask leader suddenly hissed, and five shadows flipped over the courtyard wall, disappearing in an instant.

Lù Zhēng watched the direction they left in, his brow furrowed. Who were these people?