Chapter 667: City-Wide Search

Like Chang’an, Chengdu was also divided into a South Market and a North Market. The South Market corresponded to Chang’an’s West Market and served as a hub for trading various goods essential to people’s lives—grains, tea, cloth, livestock, and hundreds of other commodities, all of which were bought and sold in large quantities here. It also became a gathering place for merchants from Chengdu.

In the northeast corner of the South Market was the Horse Market, where various livestock were sold. Although called a Horse Market, it mainly dealt in cattle. The Bashu Basin had fertile land and abundant water sources, resulting in high grain yields. Additionally, the farmers there were relatively wealthy compared to those in the north, so animal power was widely used—almost every household owned a plow ox.

Business in the Horse Market was particularly booming, with groups of farmers from other regions coming here frequently to buy cattle. There was only one shop selling horses in the market, called Qianli Ma Dian. This wasn’t because the mountainous terrain of Bashu made it difficult to raise horses—instead, the Bashu Basin was flat and fertile. The reason there were no other horse shops was that the Southern Tang Dynasty had expanded its army extensively in recent years, conscripting horses from the civilian population, which drastically reduced the number of horses available. As a result, many shops ran out of horse sources and switched to selling cattle or sheep.

Qianli Ma Dian managed to survive thanks to its powerful backers. Rumors suggested that its owner was the son of Prime Minister Cui Yuan. Though it was just a rumor, Cui Yuan would visit this shop first whenever he inspected the South Market. Some people even recognized the former owner as Cui Yuan’s second butler. These coincidences hinted at a close connection between the shop and the Cui family, which was why the authorities never investigated it.

Yet no one expected that this shop had another identity—it was the headquarters of the Jiannan Intelligence Agency. Not only this shop but also the two adjacent cattle shops were owned by the intelligence agency. From the shop owners to the clerks, everyone was a member of the intelligence agency.

Of course, another reason why no one suspected it was an agency of the Northern Tang was that these shops had all been around for over a hundred years. In fact, they belonged to the Han-Tang Association. The Han-Tang Association was spread throughout the Tang Dynasty, primarily engaged in business. Chengdu, as the third-largest commercial city of the Tang Dynasty, was naturally a key area for the association. Over the past century, the Han-Tang Association had established fifteen businesses in Bashu, including shops, taverns, gambling houses, brothels, inns, cargo ships, docks, and more. All of these businesses were thriving, serving as an important source of funding for the association. In Chengdu alone, there were four famous establishments: Qianli Ma Dian, Hui Chun Tea House, Jin Xiu Restaurant, and Xi Yu Gambling House.

The Yinlong Society has now been disbanded. The Hantang Society has transformed into the Anxi Intelligence Bureau, and it has since been renamed the Beitang Intelligence Bureau. The Chengdu Hantang Society has become the Jiannan Intelligence Bureau, with a total of 354 members.

Of course, aside from the members of the Intelligence Bureau, Beitang has some special individuals who, in their unique roles, enter the Nan Tang government or serve as advisors in the homes of powerful figures. They are omnipresent, though they operate in secrecy and only step in at critical moments. There are also those who are pro-Beitang but not under its control, offering assistance when appropriate, such as Prime Minister Cui Yuan and Censor-in-Chief Zhang Qining.

These individuals with special statuses maintain contact with Chang’an through the Intelligence Bureau but are not its members.

The head of the Jiannan Intelligence Bureau is Shi Jingzhong, a native of Chengdu who was originally a lieutenant general in the Longyou Army. He followed Geshu Han into Sichuan. When Geshu Han was assigned to the Two Lakes region, Shi Jingzhong, unwilling to leave his homeland, left the Longyou Army but soon led a group of troops back to Longyou and joined Li Guangbi, earning his high regard.

He participated in the final battle against the Tubo forces for Dafei Chuan. After the battle, Li Guangbi intended to attack Chengdu directly and sent him to lead a squad of scouts into Chengdu. Although the plan was later canceled, Shi Jingzhong remained in Chengdu and became the head of the Intelligence Bureau.

Shi Jingzhong is around forty years old, tall and robust, with a formidable appearance that suggests he is a man of great integrity and courage. He is the owner of the Qianlima Inn but generally does not get involved in day-to-day business.

Though he appears rough on the outside, Shi Jingzhong is actually extremely meticulous. He planned the rescue operation of the Xi and Zhao families himself, considering every detail. He spent nearly two months preparing for this plan to ensure its success.

At that moment, Shi Jingzhong was sitting in a room in the back yard, listening to his subordinates report on the details of the rescue. The reporter was the thin man who was in charge of the entire operation—his name was Zhou Ping, a veteran scout from the Anxi Army with the rank of captain and extensive experience. He was also one of the five deputy heads of the Chengdu Intelligence Bureau.

“The rescue last night went very smoothly. The guards were not disturbed at any point. The two families boarded a boat and headed straight into the Min River. As planned, they should have reached Jintang County, where we have an inn where they can hide for a while.”

Shi Jingzhong nodded. “Although this was done neatly, it also implicitly told the Southern Tang that we spies are in Chengdu. They will surely launch a thorough search. Inform our brothers to suspend all operations and wait until the storm passes before taking action again.”
As soon as he finished speaking, intense hoofbeats could be heard outside. The deputy magistrate of the Southern Market shouted, “Everyone, listen up! The army is coming to search for fugitives. Put away your valuables and cooperate with the search!”
Shi Jingzhong immediately stood up. “It’s started indeed. Notify our brothers right away to hide their weapons—quickly. This search is definitely serious.”
“We’ve already hidden everything suspicious.”
“No! Have everyone check again. Not a single flaw is allowed. Go now!”
Scout Zhou Ping didn’t dare delay and immediately turned to carry out the order. Shi Jingzhong also took out a sword and a crossbow from under the bed and hurried to the backyard.
…
A large-scale search had already begun throughout Chengdu. The escape of hostages from the Xi and Zhao families enraged Li Heng. He not only ordered the execution of eighteen guards but also dismissed Li Kaiyuan, the deputy head of the Dali Temple in charge of the case, for punishment. Yet his anger still hadn’t subsided. He ordered another city-wide search, determined to capture at least a few Northern Tang spies lurking in Chengdu, even if the fugitives couldn’t be caught.
This search was extremely strict; not a single household was to be overlooked. This time, Li Heng was resolute and deployed eighty thousand soldiers to conduct the search.
Groups of soldiers rushed through the streets, searching house by house. One group kicked open the door of an inn; soldiers rushed in, causing chaos. Shouts of soldiers and pleas for mercy from the innkeeper could be heard from time to time…
Another group of soldiers stormed into a large tavern. Chaos reigned inside—tables were overturned, dishes shattered, and many patrons fled. Those who were slower were knocked to the ground by the soldiers, bleeding profusely…
Even a store next to the Northern Market was subjected to violent looting by the soldiers…
Just moments after the city office issued the notice, a force of three thousand soldiers entered the Southern Market. As a hub for merchants from various places, it was a key area for search. As the soldiers entered, the gates began to slam shut, preventing anyone from entering or leaving. The three thousand soldiers were divided into sixty teams of fifty, each team searching hundreds of shops in the Southern Market thoroughly.

There were twenty-one shops in Ma Xing. Perhaps because Ma Xing wasn’t as profitable as jewelry stores and also had an unpleasant smell, four teams of soldiers were ordered to search the area, but in reality only two squads arrived. They started searching one shop at a time, beginning from the beginning and ending at the end.

These soldiers received some basic training before the search, mainly about the key places to check, such as cellars, storage rooms, stairwells, attics on the top floor, and separate cottages in the backyard.

However, among the soldiers, there was another list of must-search places: the accounting room, where large boxes made of golden-edge nanmu wood were said to be kept and must be opened, as they were likely filled with money; the owner’s office, where attention should be paid to hidden compartments in cabinets, under beds, and some tightly locked boxes—these might not contain money but important documents, and with those, the shop owners would surely pay to get them back; cellars, where goods were stored, especially in jewelry and porcelain shops, where their best items were often kept; and the women’s quarters, whose value was self-evident. It was also an opportunity to search the women’s bodies, harass them, and steal gold and silver jewelry.

Thus, the city-wide search was also an opportunity for the soldiers to make a little money. Each household would give some money, leading to a less thorough search, while those who couldn’t pay faced a thorough search, with even hoes and knives being labeled as controlled weapons.

“Who is the owner of this horse shop?”

Just after the inspection of the other shops, a fierce voice came from outside. A captain led fifty soldiers and appeared at the entrance with great momentum.

The horse shop was located in the middle of Ma Xing, and according to the order, it should have been the last to be searched. But this captain was shrewd and immediately noticed this unusual shop—while others sold cattle and donkeys, this one sold horses. Unusual meant there might be profit to be made, so he led his men straight to the horse shop. When Shi Jingzhong saw the search team arriving, he gave a signal to the second manager, who quickly went out to greet them.

“Sir, I am the owner of this shop. My surname is Han.”

The captain glanced and saw several fine horses tied up at the entrance as signs. Rubbing his snout, he said, “Damn, it stinks! So it’s a horse shop. Are there any war horses being sold illegally?”

Owner Han quickly smiled and said, “Sir, you’re joking. Our shop only sells draft animals. How could we dare sell war horses?”

“Not necessarily. Your shop is highly suspicious. It needs to be thoroughly searched!”

The captain waved his hand, and fifty soldiers rushed into the stable, beginning to search thoroughly. The captain wore a gloomy expression and refused to drink the tea he was offered. This search was different from before; they had to put on a show no matter what, and taking money would be the last resort. The captain had a plan: first, search for any valuables, and if nothing was found, then use his horse as a bargaining chip. He knew he had the final say on whether the warhorse could be kept.

He went straight to the backyard, which contained two large stables. There was a small door in the middle of the stables. Pointing at the door with his knife, he asked, “What’s behind the door?”

Han, the shopkeeper accompanying him, quickly replied, “Behind the stable is a small river. This door leads to it.”

The door was slightly ajar. The captain stepped forward and kicked it open. Outside, there was only overgrown grass, with a narrow path leading to the river about thirty feet away. There was a tiny dock, and a boat was tied to it.

The captain, unsure of what to think, stepped forward to examine the boat. It was indeed strange to have a boat tied up behind a stable. The boat was quite worn out, seemingly likely to sink soon.

Han’s heart was in his throat. Their weapons were hidden in that river below. If the boat were searched, they would be easily found.

“What do you need a boat for in your stable?”

Sure enough, the captain also sensed something odd. Han quickly smiled and said, “Sir, it’s used to transport fodder. Look, there’s fodder on the boat!”

The captain leaned in and indeed saw some fodder scattered in the gaps between the planks. It seemed plausible. How could a stable lack fodder? Transporting fodder by cart was far less convenient than by boat.

He kicked the boat, and it swayed slightly. It seemed sturdy enough to be used for transporting fodder. But he didn’t notice that Han’s face had turned pale, nor did he see a rope that had emerged from the back of the boat. If that rope were pulled, many things—things capable of shaking the Southern Tang court—would be revealed.

Just then, one of his subordinates called out from the backyard, “Captain, please come here!”

The captain left the boat and turned back to the backyard. Han secretly breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Glancing at the rope tied to the back of the boat, he cursed under his breath. It was usually invisible, but why did it show up today? Fortunately, luck was on their side, and it hadn’t been discovered.

In fact, it wasn’t luck. It was Shi Jingzhong on the second floor who, seeing the critical situation, took urgent action, which proved effective.

The captain returned to the backyard and asked, “What’s the matter?”

His subordinate quietly handed him a bag. The captain took it and felt a sudden heaviness in his hand; the bag almost fell to the ground. “What’s this?”
The subordinate whispered in his ear, “Two hundred silver coins.”
The captain was shocked. He opened it and saw indeed a pile of gleaming silver coins. Damn it, this shop must be up to no good.
His subordinate pointed to Shi Jingzhong not far away. “He’s the boss of this shop. He gave them to you.”
Shi Jingzhong smiled and bowed to him. Han, the other boss, stepped forward and said with a smile, “That’s our boss. He’s the nephew of Prime Minister Cui.”
“I see. Since it’s Prime Minister Cui’s shop, why didn’t you say so earlier? I misunderstood, I really did!”
The captain laughed awkwardly and immediately waved his hand. “Tell the men to stop this!”
His subordinate rushed out to call for others. The captain glanced at the stables and thought to himself, “If there aren’t any warhorses among these horses, I’ll write my name backwards. What a swindler!”
…
This thorough search of Chengdu was the strictest since Li Longji moved south. Everyone, regardless of status or rank, was to be searched, including the officials living in the city.
But nothing is absolute; there were also officials exempt from the search. Aside from Li Heng’s son, there were less than ten such officials, mainly the prime ministers of the Political Council, such as Right Prime Minister Wang Gong and Left Prime Minister Cui Yuan. Among them, Li Zhen, the head of the Imperial Clan Affairs Office, was also one of the few high-ranking officials exempt from the search.
Prince Li Zhen could be considered Li Heng’s confidant. Although his residence in Chengdu was not searched by soldiers, he had just received word via messenger pigeon that his residence in Chang’an had been confiscated by the court, and his vast fields in Jianghuai were also destined to be seized.
Li Zhen was both shocked and angry. In other words, apart from his wealth in Chengdu, he now had no other assets.
With his hands behind his back, Li Zhen paced back and forth in his study. This news was like a thunderbolt to him. Although he had defected to Southern Tang, like all other officials and princes, he was not optimistic about Southern Tang’s future. Its destruction at the hands of Li Qing’an was only a matter of time. So he had kept a backdoor plan: if Southern Tang failed, he would return to Chang’an to live as a wealthy and idle prince. Yet the news from Chang’an shattered his dreams.
As he grew increasingly anxious, his butler rushed in to report, “Mr. Yan has arrived!”

Mr. Yan is Yan Kai, currently a staff member of Prince Peng, Wang, and Li Jin. He was originally a staff member of Prince Qing. After Prince Qing died in Anxi, he fled back from Anxi and went to Chengdu to seek refuge with Prince Qing’s son and Deputy Minister of Personnel, Li Qiu. Li Qiu recommended him to Prince Peng, Li Jin, and gradually he gained their trust, becoming Li Jin’s military advisor. Upon hearing that he had arrived, Li Zhen was shocked and quickly said, “Please invite Mr. Yan in at once!”