"Master, why are we sneaking in here?" Liu Yao asked, thoroughly confused.
"Ahem, waiting for a hero," Lu Chao replied, flexing his wrists as he glanced around the room’s layout. This was undoubtedly the residence of the Prince of Nanchang.
Liu Yao tiptoed silently to the door, pressing his ear against the crack to listen intently before cautiously peeking outside. Then, he held up two fingers toward Lu Chao.
Lu Chao nodded in understanding and whispered a few words into Liu Yao’s ear.
Liu Yao shook his head vigorously.
"I won’t go. If I leave, what if those villains try to harm you?"
"I have the token—they wouldn’t dare. Just scout the way and come right back," Lu Chao insisted, his expression stern.
"Go. Now."
Liu Yao sighed in resignation, his lips twitching as if he wanted to argue further. But seeing Lu Chao’s unyielding gaze, he swallowed his words and knocked on the door.
With Liu Yao’s skills, dealing with the two guards outside was child’s play. The moment the door opened, his palms flashed—a few swift moves later, the guards collapsed without even a sound, unconscious before they hit the ground.
Inside, Lu Chao sat calmly in a chair, massaging his temples with his eyes closed, rapidly calculating his next move.
"Heir Apparent, you must release Lord Lu at once! If the Marquis finds out, he’ll be furious!" pleaded an elderly steward, his tone desperate.
Xiao Shining wasn’t entirely foolish—though he had acted impulsively in dragging Lu Chao here, now that he’d cooled down, he couldn’t bring himself to admit defeat and let him go.
"Uncle Ping, I merely admired Lu Chao’s talents and wished to befriend him. That’s why I invited him for tea. Look, have I done anything improper? At worst, I might have forgotten to feed him for a while—hardly a crime! Even if outsiders heard, they couldn’t fault me."
Despite his bravado, Xiao Shining knew the Prince of Nanchang would scold him harshly upon his return. So he rushed off to seek refuge with the Old Princess.
By evening, Chief Clerk Zhang was locking up the government office when he spotted the Lu family carriage outside.
"Is that Lord Lu of the Ministry of Agriculture inside?"
Lord Lu, who had been waiting for Lu Chao in vain, poked his head out at the sound of Chief Clerk Zhang’s voice.
"Chief Clerk Zhang, it’s been a while."
"Lord Lu, Lu Chao took leave this morning, claiming Prince Kang had urgent matters to discuss. He hasn’t returned since. Given how late it is, you needn’t wait any longer."
Though puzzled, Lord Lu maintained his composure and clasped his hands in thanks. "Very well, I appreciate the notice."
It wasn’t until dinner that Lord Lu, still seeing no sign of Lu Chao, sent a servant to Prince Kang’s residence.
Prince Kang, who hadn’t seen Lu Chao all day, paled upon hearing the news and immediately ordered his men to search for him.
When the Lu family servant arrived to inquire, Xiao Zheng was just about to leave. The moment he heard Lu Chao had been missing all day, his heart lurched—he feared last night’s events had leaked, putting Lu Chao in danger. His face drained of color as he bolted outside.
Seeing Xiao Zheng’s expression, Zhang Hu quickly stepped forward.
"General, calm down! Let’s first consult Staff Officer Qin—he has many connections in the palace and might have leads."
The sound of galloping hooves shattered the capital’s tranquility as they raced toward the Qin residence, heralding an impending storm.
Meanwhile, Lu Chao idly sipped the stolen bird’s nest soup Liu Yao had swiped from the kitchen. Glancing at the sky, he wiped his mouth.
"Time to go."
Liu Yao reluctantly gnawed the last bite of lamb leg, cheeks bulging as he sighed in satisfaction.
"Master, the food here is incredible!"
Lu Chao chuckled at his gluttonous expression. "Next time, I’ll bring you again."
Liu Yao’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Master, you’re joking! The Heir Apparent hates us—there won’t be a next time!"
"Of course there will," Lu Chao said with unwavering confidence. "If I say so, it will happen."
Soon after, two figures covered in dust scurried toward the estate’s outer wall.
The guards, doused in water and finally regaining consciousness, spotted the fleeing figures and panicked—losing the Heir Apparent’s prisoner meant their lives were forfeit!
"Quick!! Sound the alarm!! Stop those two!!"
Liu Yao, already familiar with the route, half-carried the frail Lu Chao as they clumsily scaled the neighboring wall and dropped into the adjacent property.
"Search! Hurry!! Find them before the Heir Apparent returns!!"
Outside the wall, chaos erupted—shouts and footsteps clashed in disarray. Hidden in the shadows, Lu Chao pressed a finger to his lips and stealthily moved toward the glow of the mansion’s lights.
"Who’s there?!"
A sharp voice shattered the silence. Lu Chao smeared dirt on his face and feigned unconsciousness.
Liu Yao pinched his thigh, tears instantly streaming down his cheeks.
Xiao Shining was dutifully massaging the Old Princess’s shoulders when the Prince of Nanchang stormed in, livid.
"You wretched brat!! Get out here now!!"
Trembling, Xiao Shining hid behind the Old Princess.
"Don’t you dare throw a tantrum in my courtyard! Speak properly—look how frightened he is!" she scolded, patting her grandson’s hand protectively.
The Prince of Nanchang’s veins bulged in fury. The moment he’d returned, the steward’s report had nearly made him collapse. Releasing Lu Chao was urgent—there was no time for explanations.
"Mother! This boy has committed a grave offense!! You can’t keep shielding him!!"
With a furious wave, he barked at his attendants,
"Seize the Heir Apparent at once! I’ll teach him a lesson he won’t forget!"
As the Prince of Nanchang’s residence descended into bedlam, a trembling servant rushed in.
"My Lord, disaster!! The Female General just kicked down the main gate and barged in!!"
The Prince of Nanchang’s face darkened like a stormcloud.
"Fool! Where did you imprison Lu Chao?! Release him now!!"
Another servant stumbled in, breathless.
"My Lord!! Prince Kang is here too!!"
No sooner had he spoken than Prince Kang appeared, his expression thunderous.
Suddenly, a blade flashed—whooshing past Xiao Shining’s cheek—before embedding itself into the wall behind him, the steel humming ominously.
The overwhelming murderous intent surged like a tidal wave, and Xiao Shining felt his legs give way, collapsing to the ground as cold sweat drenched his forehead.
"Speak! Where is he?!"
Xiao Zheng's voice was icy, as if emerging from the depths of hell, carrying an imperious pressure that brooked no defiance.
"In... in the side chamber of the rear courtyard."
Yet when the entourage arrived at the rear courtyard in full force, there was no trace of Lu Chao to be found.
The guards of the marquis' estate knelt trembling on the ground.
"The... the prisoner... they... they escaped."
At that moment, a guard hurriedly whispered something into Prince Kang's ear. The prince's expression relaxed slightly, and he gave a faint nod before turning his gaze toward Xiao Zheng, a silent signal in his eyes. With purposeful strides, he moved forward. Xiao Zheng understood immediately and quickened his pace to follow.
The group moved swiftly, arriving in mere moments at the side gate of a grand residence facing the street. Xiao Zheng looked up, and in the dim light, the plaque above the gate faintly revealed three characters: "Crown Prince's Residence." He couldn't help but exclaim aloud.
"The Crown Prince's Residence?!"
Prince Kang turned slightly and explained, "Indeed. Perhaps in the darkness, Lu Chao stumbled here by accident in his panic. Fortunately, he carried my token, which spared him from being mistaken for an assassin. A close call, but no harm done."
Xiao Zheng clenched his jaw. This was no accident! It was deliberate! Who told him to take such a reckless risk?!
The fury that had burned in Xiao Zheng a moment ago—enough to make him want to beat someone senseless—vanished the instant he saw the blood streaked across Lu Chao's face. It was as if a bucket of icy water had been dumped over his head, extinguishing his rage and replacing it with sheer, overwhelming dread.
