Logging into the Game World Early and Starting with a Royal Marriage to the Empress

Afternoon!

Here come the Lamplighters!

Neither Xia Chen nor Li Wenzhong were too surprised.

This morning, the Imperial Guards went on a rampage, arresting so many people that the news simply could not be kept secret and had already spread throughout the capital.

How could the Lamplighters, as an intelligence organisation, not have received the news?

At first they didn’t really care, but as information began to trickle in, their faces grew grave and they realised that something big had happened.

‘Lamplighter Thousand Households Officer Cai Ming, by order of my family’s Commander-in-Chief, has come to arrest someone!

Cai Ming led a dozen men, handed over his identity card, spoke politely but firmly, and immediately asked for the person to be arrested.

‘Officer Cai of the Thousand Households, have you made a mistake? This is the Imperial Guards. Why are they here to arrest someone?

Qin Mu personally led his men and stopped Cai Ming at the door. He looked at Cai Ming doubtfully and asked in a confused voice.

‘Commander Qin, don’t play dumb. This morning I heard that the Imperial Guards had been mobilised to arrest a group of spies. The Lamplighters have always been responsible for dealing with spies, and the Imperial Guard is responsible for the safety of the city. Now that the people have been arrested, they should naturally be handed over to the Lamplighters for imprisonment’.

Qin Mu laughed when he heard this, not at all intimidated.

It’s true that we arrested a group of people this morning, but we don’t have any spies here. We have received reports from the people that they were all lawbreakers preparing to engage in activities that would threaten the security of the capital.

Our duty as the Imperial Guards is to safeguard the safety of the capital, and we are currently investigating to prevent any accomplices. Of course, we will turn the people over to you once we have completed our investigation.

Cai Ming’s mouth twitched when he heard this. Did he really think that they, the Lamplighters, were fools?

Commander Qin, I don’t have the time to argue with you. Whether the people arrested this morning are spies or common criminals, just hand them over to us, the Lamplighters. We’ll take care of the rest, and we won’t forget the Imperial Guard for any credit!’

Cai Ming’s attitude was firm. After he finished speaking, he directly led the people and tried to enter.

Qin Mu’s face turned cold and he also took a step forward.

‘The Government Office of the Imperial Guard is a restricted area. Even if you are a Lamplighter, you are not qualified to enter at will!’

After saying this, the soldiers behind him took one step forward after another, forming a human wall to keep everyone else out.

Cai Ming’s face turned ashen. He gave the strong-willed Qin Mu a serious look, his face uncertain. It wasn’t until after a dozen breaths that he regained his composure and spoke coldly.

‘Fine, I will report this to the Commander-in-Chief. Your Imperial Guard does not have the right to detain prisoners. The Lamplighters will file a complaint against you Imperial Guard!’

Having said this, Cai Ming turned and led the way out. The Imperial Guard was determined not to release the prisoner, so he could not possibly force his way in.

Moreover, someone was obviously benefiting from this incident, otherwise how could a lowly Commandant be so defiant.

‘Officer of the Thousand Households, what should we do next!

What else can we do? We’ll go back and report to the Commander-in-Chief. I’m just a small Thousand Households Officer, and I’m on someone else’s turf. What can I do?

Cai Ming cursed angrily, kicking his subordinate a few times in his agitation, but his eyes were calm.

‘The Imperial Guards would rather insult us Lamplighters than hand someone over to us. Is it because these people have done great deeds and they are afraid we will take the credit, or is there another reason?

Cai Ming’s mind raced and he quickly thought of the military defence map.

The only thing that could make the Imperial Guards act so tough was this matter.

Cai Ming always had a bad feeling in his heart. They had already received confirmation that the person the Imperial Guards had arrested this morning was from the Dafeng Inspection and Supervision Court.

However, no one knew the exact reason. Xia Chen and Li Wenzhong have long since blocked the news, and very few people know the full story. Those who interrogated the prisoner are not even allowed to leave the prison to prevent the news from leaking out.

Although the Lamplighters are an intelligence organisation, the Imperial Guard is something very special. Unless His Majesty gives the order, it would be a major incident if spies were to be planted at will among the Imperial Guards.

Even now, the Lamplighters don’t know exactly what happened.

…

After Cai Ming reported their suspicions, they were suddenly taken seriously.

When working at full capacity, the Lamplighters are terrifying, especially when they have a goal and are determined to achieve it.

At night!

Acting on Xia Chen’s tip in the morning, the Lamplighters arrested a group of people from the Inspection and Supervision Court who had received advance information and evacuated their stronghold.

They revealed the inside information only under torture.

Late at night!

What? The Military Defence Map was stolen by someone from the Inspection and Supervision Court?’

Lu Li, Commander-in-Chief of the Lamplighters, spoke in a deep voice, his gaze fixed on his subordinate who had come to report.

The subordinate said with a trembling voice: ‘This is the result of the investigation!

Lu Li sat back in his seat, took a deep breath and realised that things were in trouble.

The Lamplighters had made such a basic mistake. They had spent days investigating the case, but they had completely misjudged the target. If His Majesty knew about this, what would he think? Would he doubt his ability to do his job?

No wonder they hadn’t found the smoking gun after days of investigation. They were on the wrong track. No wonder they hadn’t succeeded.

Bring Shen Fang to me. How could he do such a thing? How could he make such a mistake?’

Lu Li was furious, but quickly regained his composure.

Bring me my clothes, I’m going out!

It was late at night and he had already gone to bed at home. He had originally slept with his concubine in his arms, but had been rudely awakened.

And now he was even more sleep-deprived. He had to go to the Imperial Guards immediately, bring back all the key figures, and discuss it with Li Wenzhong.

This matter must be turned from their dereliction of duty into their Lamplighters and Imperial Guards discovering the clues together, then investigating further, and finally arresting the people from the Inspection and Supervision Court.

In this way, not only will there be no blame, there will even be merit.

But as soon as he finished dressing and stepped out into the hall, he saw his butler rush in.

Master, someone from the palace is here!

Lu Li’s face changed as he realised that it was already too late.

The Imperial Guards had already made their first move.

…

Xia Chen climbed out of bed feeling refreshed. He had slept well the night before.

He had stayed late at the Imperial Guards Government Office last night, waiting until all the evidence that the people from the Inspection and Supervision Court had stolen the military defence map data was ready before leaving.

He knew that the follow-up would have little to do with him, and that the game these people were playing was on a level he could not reach at the moment.

Xia Chen was in the courtyard, having just finished practising his kung fu, and was about to leave for work when he heard someone calling his name.

‘Young Master Xia!’

One of the family servants appeared outside Xia Chen’s courtyard.

The head of the household wants to see you. He says he needs to ask you something!’

‘Okay!’

Xia Chen nodded, and his feet, which had been preparing to walk west, began to walk east, towards the courtyard.

He knew he should be asked about the military defence map. Both Xia Chen and Li Wenzhong felt that this matter did not require immediate action, and that it should be settled before everyone else reacted.

So last night, Li Wenzhong went to the palace for the night to finalise the matter.