Afternoon!

The Lamplighters arrived!

Neither Xia Chen nor Li Wenzhong batted an eye.

This morning, their Feathered Forest Guard launched a full sweep, rounding up heaps—the buzz couldn’t be stifled, already spreading like wildfire across the capital.

The Lamplighters, intel hounds—how could they miss it?

At first, they shrugged it off, but as reports trickled in, their faces hardened—big trouble brewed.

“Lampler Thousand-Household Cai Ming, here by my Commander’s order to retrieve the captives!”

Cai Ming brought a dozen men, flashing his badge. His tone stayed polite, but his stance was iron—demanding bodies straight off.

“Thousand-Household Cai, got the wrong spot? This is Feathered Forest Guard turf—what’s this about fetching folks?”

Qin Mu met him at the gate with his own crew, blocking Cai Ming, feigning confusion.

“Commandant Qin, don’t feign ignorance—I heard the Feathered Forest Guard nabbed a clutch of spies this morning! Spywork’s our Lamplighters’ domain; the guard’s for city peace. With them caught, they’re ours to lock up.”

Qin Mu chuckled, unfazed.

“We did nab some this morning, sure—but no spies here. Got a tip from the folks—said they’re crooks plotting to endanger the capital.

“Our job’s keeping this city safe. We’re grilling them now to root out accomplices—once done, we’ll hand them over.”

Cai Ming’s lip twitched—did they take Lamplighters for fools?

“Commandant Qin, I’ve no time for your tug-of-war. Spies or plain crooks, fork them over—we’ll handle the rest. Any merit won’t skip your guard brothers!”

Cai Ming’s tone stiffened, stepping forward with his men.

Qin Mu’s face chilled, matching him stride for stride.

“Guard office is sacred ground—even you Lamplighters can’t barge in!”

His men surged, forming a human wall, sealing the outsiders out.

Cai Ming’s face darkened, sizing up Qin Mu’s resolve. After a dozen breaths, he cooled, sneering, “Fine—I’ll report this to the Commander. You guards have no right to hold captives—we’ll file a charge against you!”

Dropping that barb, Cai Ming wheeled and led his crew off. With them dug in, he wouldn’t storm the place.

Someone was cashing in—how else could a mere commandant stiffen up like that?

“Thousand-Household, what now?”

“What else? Report to the Commander—I’m just a Thousand-Household. On their turf, I can’t flip the sky!”

Cai Ming snapped, kicking his querying lackey, though his eyes stayed calm.

“The guard risks crossing us Lamplighters over this—big merit in those captives? Blocking our grab—or something else?”

His mind whirred, landing on the defense map.

Only that could steel the guard’s spine.

A bad vibe gnawed—word confirmed today’s haul was Inspectorate spies.

But why? Xia Chen and Li Wenzhong clamped the lid tight—few knew the full scoop. Interrogators were locked in the jail, sealing leaks.

Lamplighters thrived on intel, but the guard was a fortress—planting spies without imperial nod spelled disaster.

So even now, they groped in the dark.

…

When Cai Ming relayed his hunch, it hit hard.

A roused Lamplighters machine was a terror—especially with a target in sight.

Evening!

Tracking Xia Chen’s morning raid, they nabbed an Inspectorate crew that fled a hideout early.

Under brutal grilling, the truth spilled.

Midnight!

“What? The Inspectorate stole the defense map?”

Commander Lu Li’s voice rumbled, eyes boring into his reporting underling.

The man quavered, “That’s the interrogation’s finding!”

Lu Li sank back, inhaling deep—trouble loomed large.

They’d botched this—days chasing the wrong tail. If the Emperor caught wind, what’d he think of Lu Li’s chops?

No wonder progress stalled—wrong path, no shore in sight.

“Get Shen Fang here now—how’d he fumble this? Mucking up a case this huge!”

Lu Li roared, then steadied fast.

“Fetch my clothes—I’m heading out!”

Deep night—he’d been abed, a beauty in his arms, rudely roused.

Now sleep fled—he had to hit the guard office, snag those key captives, and hash it with Li Wenzhong.

This screw-up had to twist into a joint Lamplighters-guard breakthrough—nailing the Inspectorate.

No fault—merit instead.

But as he dressed and reached the hall, his steward bolted in.

“Master, palace men are here!”

Lu Li’s face shifted—too late.

The guard had struck first.

…

Xia Chen rose refreshed—last night’s sleep hit sweet.

He’d pulled an all-nighter at the guard office, waiting till proof pegged the Inspectorate for the map heist before heading out.

The fallout? Not his game—those big shots played too high for him now.

He worked through a fist routine in the courtyard, just set to head to the guard office for his shift.

“Third Young Master!”

A house guard appeared at the gate.

“The Clan Head wants you—says he’s got questions!”

“Got it!”

Xia Chen nodded, pivoting east toward the inner compound, away from his westward trek.

The map heist, no doubt—both he and Li Wenzhong knew speed was king. Settle it before the dust stirred.

Last night, Li Wenzhong stormed the palace, locking it down.