Chapter 1179: The Jinyiwei Return
Zhu Yujian continued to wander about Xi'an, eager to question everything and visit every site. He was an exceptionally eager student; as a child, he had been kept under house arrest, often going hungry when the old Prince of Tang sought to starve him. Yet, even as he struggled for sustenance, he never ceased his studies, dedicating himself to his books.
Now a free man, his diligence only intensified.
With the break of dawn, he would slip out of the Prince of Qin's manor, strolling through the streets, questioning anyone and everyone. He delved into every walk of life, every trade, learning all he could.
Naturally, he never missed the Gaojia News in the evenings.
He sensed the extraordinary vitality within Xi'an, the entire city exuding a vibrant energy. The feeling of everyone striving forward together, running towards the sun, was truly magnificent.
Perhaps, this was what people meant by a "golden age."
The more he learned, the more he realized his prior knowledge was utterly insufficient for this new era. He needed to further his education, systematically absorbing new knowledge across all fields—political, economic, and more.
Early one morning, freshly risen, Zhu Yujian sought out Zhu Cunji. "I wish to learn these new things," he said. "Where should I go to study them?"
Zhu Cunji chuckled. "Why, to Gao Family Village itself, of course! They have an incredible school there, called Thirty-Two Middle School. Even Shi Kefa once went there for advanced studies. Anyone who feels their knowledge is lacking goes there to learn."
Zhu Cunji laughed. "Money is the least of your worries. Here, take this."
With a weighty thump, he handed Zhu Yujian a large sum of money.
He pondered for a moment, then added, "Money alone won't suffice. In Gao Family Village itself, money means nothing. And you're not exactly young anymore; it would be rather odd for you to start learning elementary mathematics at Thirty-Two Middle School. Furthermore, you need to conceal your identity, so you'd have to wear a mask—a masked knight-errant attending elementary school, how much stranger could that be? They might even kick you out. I'll have to write you a letter of introduction."
Zhu Cunji quickly penned a letter of introduction, stating that Zhu Yujian was a relative of his, not a suspicious character, and wished to learn at Gao Family Village's Thirty-Two Middle School, requesting the school's gracious permission. The signature, surprisingly, wasn't his title as the Prince of Qin's heir. Instead, he produced a seal and stamped it with a crisp 'pa!'
Zhu Yujian fixed his gaze upon it. The seal read, "Exclusive Stamp of the Xi'an Railway Bureau Director."
"What is the meaning of this?" Zhu Yujian exclaimed, utterly bewildered. "You, the esteemed Prince of Qin's heir, not using your own name, but signing off as some 'director'?"
Zhu Cunji chuckled smugly. "Ah, but you wouldn't know, would you? Gao Family Village itself is where the Heavenly Lord first manifested his divine miracles; it's a sacred village. In a sacred village, what does 'Prince of Qin's heir' amount to? People wouldn't even give this humble heir a second glance. But the Xi'an Railway Bureau is different. It's the railway management institution certified by Gao Family Village, and though it's a private enterprise, it was established with the Heavenly Lord's aid! The Heavenly Lord even personally helped me build a bridge! Simply put, our enterprise is protected by the Heavenly Lord. In Gao Family Village, my title as 'Xi'an Railway Bureau Director' is far more effective than 'Prince of Qin's heir' ever could be."
Only then did Zhu Yujian understand. The title of Prince of Qin's heir was bestowed by an earthly emperor, but the title of Xi'an Railway Bureau Director was granted by an immortal. This level of prestige was simply incomparable.
Zhu Cunji continued, "Remember, on your way to Gao Family Village, if you encounter any difficulties, just pull out this letter of introduction. In the Heavenly Lord's Liberated Zone, this letter is highly effective—even more so than our status as imperial relatives. Besides, your true identity isn't meant for public knowledge, so you can't even mention it."
Zhu Yujian nodded in agreement, tucked away the letter of introduction and a substantial sum of silver, and prepared to set off for Gao Family Village itself.
Taking the train would, of course, be the quickest method, but...
He wished to observe more of the development around Xi'an and learn about the local customs and traditions, so he simply decided against the train. After all, the Heavenly Lord's Liberated Zone was exceedingly safe, with impeccable public order, so there was no need to fear bandits or highwaymen. He simply fetched a horse from the Prince of Qin's manor, and, alone on horseback, set off in the direction of Chengcheng County—
Just as Zhu Yujian departed Xi'an...
Meanwhile, a team of Jinyiwei secret agents, dressed in plain clothes and disguised as impoverished commoners, was nearing Xi'an.
Leading them was a thousand-household commander named Mi.
He had been ordered to track down the whereabouts of the Prince of Tang, Zhu Yujian.
A prince's escape was no small matter to the emperor. Zhu Youjian was furious, and the consequences severe, as he sternly commanded the Jinyiwei to find Zhu Yujian without delay.
This unfortunate soul, Commander Mi, had been tasked with the case.
In such a vast sea of people, how easy was it to find one person?
Commander Mi could only curse his luck, but imperial orders were absolute. He gritted his teeth and proceeded with the investigation.
He first questioned the Jinyiwei who had lost the Prince of Tang. From their accounts, he learned that the culprits who had abducted the prince wore knight-errant attire, large conical hats, spoke with Shaanxi accents, and were accompanied by a large group of black-clad, masked subordinates.
Thus, Commander Mi decided to enter Shaanxi in disguise, hoping to uncover even a small clue there.
It was a shot in the dark anyway, depending entirely on luck.
Unaware of such things as trains, they entered Shaanxi through Tongguan. They traveled on foot, inquiring everywhere, their faces grimy with dust, looking utterly wretched.
"Remember, everyone," Commander Mi instructed, "the person who abducted Zhu Yujian was wearing ostentatious knight-errant attire and a large conical hat. We just need to focus our investigation on people like that."
One subordinate replied, "Understood. If we find such a person, we immediately kill his subordinates and seize him."
"Are you an idiot?" Commander Mi snapped. "We're trying to capture Zhu Yujian, not the man in the conical hat! If we attack every man in a conical hat we see, what if we alert the enemy? If we encounter the man in the conical hat, under no circumstances are you to act rashly. We'll follow him from a distance, all the way to his hideout. We might just find Zhu Yujian there. If we reach the hideout and don't find the prince, then we can consider eliminating the conical hat wearer's subordinates and interrogating him under torture."
His subordinates responded in unison, "Understood!"
Commander Mi sighed deeply. "In this vast world, finding one man in a conical hat is truly difficult. If we fail this mission, our careers will surely be jeopardized..."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a subordinate suddenly pointed ahead and exclaimed, "Ah, a man in a conical hat!"
"Stop spouting nonsense," Commander Mi began. "How could it be that easy... Wait? Is that really a man in a conical hat?"
Before Commander Mi could finish his sentence, he saw a man in a conical hat approaching them on the official road. He rode a horse, with no sign of the "black-clad subordinates" mentioned. He was just a single figure, strolling leisurely toward them.
His relaxed, direct approach, however, completely flummoxed the Jinyiwei.
For a moment, they were unsure how to proceed.
Commander Mi snapped awake. "Don't panic! We're not wearing our Flying Fish Robes. We're all in plain clothes, disguised as refugees. He might not recognize us. Disperse, and pretend not to know each other."
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