Li Chonglou kept Lin Zhendong's instructions in mind. Lin Ying also saw Lin Zhendong off when they parted.
After bidding farewell to the two, Li Chonglou boarded a plane bound for S City.
Shangjing, as the capital throughout the ages, was more complex in its power structures than any other city in Longguo.
It was possible that the street sweeper was a relative of a politician, or that an ordinary office worker was actually a rich second-generation heir experiencing life for a while.
While such situations could occur in any city, they were particularly pronounced in Shangjing. And this was only considering the everyday encounters. The truly influential forces here far surpassed those in other regions.
The most critical factor was Shangjing's special status. Offending someone here could instantly mean offending a significant national figure. No matter how strong an individual was, they couldn't stand against an entire country. This was why Lin Zhendong had initially been reluctant for Li Chonglou to venture into Shangjing.
After all, Li Chonglou was now married with a family, no longer alone.
It was for this reason that Li Chonglou did not fly directly to Shangjing but chose to go to S City first, and then travel to Shangjing by other means.
Li Chonglou had previously learned that the Wu family held a prominent position in Shangjing, ranking among the eight great families. While he had befriended Wu Zhengjiang, the Wu family's second-in-command, he was also acutely aware of the complexities of a major clan.
Therefore, for his investigation into his father's affairs, Li Chonglou intended to proceed cautiously, conducting his inquiries in secret, preferably without the Wu family even knowing he was in Shangjing.
One day later.
At a bus terminal in Shangjing.
Li Chonglou, dressed in casual attire, alighted with the crowd. The moment his feet touched the ground, Li Chonglou sensed the difference between Shangjing and Qinzhou.
The air in Shangjing was more turbid than in Qinzhou. Although it contained the same energy, there was a slight sense of acclimatization upon entering.
Li Chonglou scanned his surroundings. Apart from the crowds, there was nothing out of the ordinary. However, the taxi drivers soliciting passengers nearby were very enthusiastic, chatting incessantly, almost to the point of shoving people into their cars.
"Forget it, I'll hail a cab outside."
Li Chonglou pondered for a moment and then headed towards the exit of the station. The primary reason was that the drivers here were too eager, and Li Chonglou feared being bombarded with questions once he got into a taxi.
However, before Li Chonglou could take two steps, someone suddenly bumped into him. Fortunately, Li Chonglou reacted quickly enough to steady him.
"Ah, excuse me." The person apologized hastily and then walked away quickly as if in a rush.
But Li Chonglou's sharp eyes caught him.
"Wallet, phone."
Li Chonglou looked at the young man, who appeared to be no older than seventeen or eighteen, with a sense of helplessness. He was reasonably good-looking with slightly long hair, but his technique was astonishingly practiced.
Li Chonglou thought that if he hadn't encountered this individual, but rather a stranger new to the city, he would likely have been successful.
What was even more unexpected for Li Chonglou was that the person not only showed no sign of panic but turned around ungratefully and said, "What are you talking about? Let go of me quickly, or believe it or not, I'll have you crippled!"
Arrogant, brazenly arrogant.
Li Chonglou's expression immediately turned grim. He said coldly, "Is this how you steal other people's belongings?"
The annoyed young man was about to retort when he noticed that security guards nearby had already spotted them. With a cold snort, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a mobile phone and a wallet, and threw them back to Li Chonglou. He then wrenched his hand away and hurried off.
In a blink, he disappeared into the crowd.
At this point, two security guards approached, asking in fluent Mandarin, "Sir, are you alright?"
It was clear they knew what had happened. Li Chonglou, not wanting any trouble for the moment, quietly put his phone and wallet away and simply said he was fine.
The security guards didn't say much, only advising Li Chonglou to be mindful of his personal belongings before leaving.
Li Chonglou also exited the bus terminal, used his phone to book a taxi, and headed to a hotel called Lijiu nearby.
"Yes, a single room will do."
At the front desk, Li Chonglou quickly rented a room and moved his luggage in.
Actually, Li Chonglou had initially intended to find cheaper guesthouses, as he needed to keep a low profile on this trip. However, after the incident at the station, Li Chonglou felt it was necessary to stay in a relatively stable environment.
What Li Chonglou didn't expect was that the moment he stepped into the Lijiu Hotel, the young man from earlier appeared not far behind him.
San Yang also did not expect to see Li Chonglou here. He immediately hid himself and observed from a distance.
After confirming that Li Chonglou had checked in, San Yang's eyes flickered: "So, it's a big fish. Then don't blame me for being impolite."
San Yang immediately took out his phone and made a call.
After putting his luggage away, Li Chonglou left the hotel and took another taxi.
"Driver, to Panjiayuan."
As soon as the driver heard the name Panjiayuan, he immediately said, "My friend, are you an expert?"
Li Chonglou said with slight surprise, "Oh? Do you also dabble in antiques, driver?"
The driver chuckled and said, "Not many people who have lived here long don't know a thing or two. But I'm just playing around."
Li Chonglou said humbly, "I'm much the same, except I've been exposed to it for quite some time. That's why I thought I'd come and have a look, to broaden my horizons!"
The two chatted back and forth on this topic. Li Chonglou, in order to gather more detailed information about the current Panjiayuan from him, inadvertently revealed a few of his skills, answering some of the driver's questions. This immediately earned him the title of expert and senior from the driver.
Li Chonglou did not expect such a reaction and said with some helplessness, "Driver, please don't call me that. By age and seniority, I'm not qualified."
The driver looked to be at least forty or fifty years old, and being called a senior by him indeed made him feel a bit strange.
"Ah, but you can't say that. Everyone has their own expertise. If you're more skilled than me in this field, then you're a senior. Age doesn't matter!"
The driver was straightforward, and Li Chonglou could only change the subject, talking about other trivial matters.
Before long, Li Chonglou was delivered to the main entrance of Panjiayuan. As soon as Li Chonglou paid the fare and got out of the car, the driver suddenly said, "Oh right, senior, have you found a partner yet? If not, how about I introduce you to my daughter?"
Li Chonglou stumbled and quickly refused, "No, no, thank you. I'm already married."
"Alright then, what a pity."
The driver was still muttering as he drove away, leaving Li Chonglou feeling a bit amused and exasperated.
They were too enthusiastic.
Shaking his head, Li Chonglou refocused his attention on Panjiayuan.
His actual purpose for coming here was not to browse antiques, but to find a friend he had known in his previous life.
Zhou Tong, a professional broker, was not only well-informed but also had many ears and eyes. Li Chonglou believed he was the most suitable choice for secretly investigating the Wu family.