Li Jin took Duoduo and Lüdou and carefully walked out through the back door.
Only then did they discover that the streets outside were full of imperial guards.
Moreover, they noticed that these imperial guards were no longer simply looking for someone.
Pedestrians on the road would be arrested if they showed the slightest sign of abnormality.
"It seems that Prince Ling is taking this opportunity to eliminate his political opponents," Li Jin said, carefully pulling his head back.
Duoduo nodded. "Master, what should we do now?"
Li Jin shook his head.
"Let's go back to the shop first."
The most dangerous place is also the safest place.
Now, the streets are full of imperial guards.
There's no way they can return to the Prince of Pingyang's Mansion.
"But weren't there also imperial guards at the shop just now?" Lüdou expressed her doubts.
Li Jin heard the sound of approaching footsteps, heading straight for their hiding place.
He quickly put his index finger to his lips.
Then, he grabbed Duoduo and quickly turned back into the shop.
Just as they entered the room, a group of imperial guards arrived at the place where they had just been.
"No one here? Let's go!"
Soon, the chaotic sound of footsteps faded away.
The three of them hiding behind the door all let out a sigh of relief in unison.
"Let's go."
Li Jin took the lead. He led Duoduo to the backyard and then pressed a button on a rockery.
"Rumble!"
As a dull sound rang out, the rockery moved, revealing a dark hole.
Duoduo and Lüdou looked at Li Jin in surprise.
"This hole leads directly to the Prince's Mansion," Li Jin turned back to explain to Duoduo.
Duoduo followed Li Jin curiously into the hole with a look of curiosity on her face.
After Duoduo and Lüdou had both entered, Li Jin pressed a protruding stone at the entrance of the hole.
The stones outside moved again.
Soon, the entrance of the hole was restored to a perfect fit.
Duoduo suddenly felt a darkness before her eyes. It was pitch - black inside the hole, and she couldn't even see her own hand.
She felt Lüdou move closer and tightly grab her hand.
Duoduo felt that Lüdou's body was trembling, and she grabbed Lüdou's hand in return.
Duoduo heard a rustling sound. Suddenly, a glimmer of light appeared in front of her eyes.
Li Jin blew on the fire - starter in his hand and saw the nervous expressions on Duoduo and Lüdou's faces.
"I've never been in this secret passage before. I'm entering it for the first time since it was built," he said.
"Follow closely behind me later and remember not to make any noise."
Duoduo and Lüdou both nodded simultaneously.
To ease Duoduo and Lüdou's nervousness, Li Jin walked forward while explaining in a low voice.
"Back then, the Prince planned ahead and had this secret passage built."
"It cost a lot of manpower and material resources, and it was just completed a few days ago."
"Who would have thought that it would come in handy today!"
Li Jin's joking words made the atmosphere in the secret passage much more relaxed.
The secret passage was very narrow, only wide enough for one person to pass through.
It was also not very tall. Duoduo and Lüdou were okay, but Li Jin had to bend his waist to walk.
Walking in the secret passage, they couldn't hear any sounds from the outside.
The air was unpleasant, and there was a fishy smell of soil in every breath.
The light from the fire - starter was very weak, only illuminating a small area in front of them.
Whether they looked forward or backward, it was all pitch - black.
Lüdou clung tightly to Duoduo, as if there were wild beasts behind them ready to devour her.
The three of them walked forward with uneven steps.
After walking for half an hour, Li Jin finally stopped.
Duoduo almost bumped into Li Jin's backside.
"Master, what's wrong?" Duoduo asked in a low voice.
"We've reached the end," Li Jin carefully shone the fire - starter in front of him, looking for the switch.
"Where does this lead to?" Duoduo was very curious.
Li Jin found the switch. First, he listened carefully to the sounds outside.
"It leads to the garden of the Prince's Mansion," he explained in a low voice.
It was very quiet outside, and Li Jin wasn't quite sure what was going on.
"Princess, let me go out and have a look first."
"Take this fire - starter. If I don't come back, go back to the shop along this path."
"There's oil and rice in the shop. At least you won't go hungry."
Li Jin stuffed the fire - starter into Duoduo's hand.
Duoduo tightly held the fire - starter. "I'll wait for you for an incense stick's worth of time!"
Li Jin nodded and pressed the switch.
Duoduo secretly memorized the location of the switch.
With a soft "rumble" sound, a glimmer of light appeared in front of them.
Duoduo couldn't help but close her eyes.
After staying in the dark for so long, suddenly seeing the light, her eyes were very uncomfortable, as if they were going to be blinded.
Li Jin quickly slipped out and closed the stone door of the secret passage.
The light disappeared immediately, and the secret passage was once again plunged into darkness.
Lüdou leaned closely against Duoduo. "Princess, you said that the Prince and the Princess must be okay, right?"
Duoduo blew out the fire - starter and pulled Lüdou to sit down.
They were tired after walking for so long.
The two of them leaned against the wall of the secret passage, looking at the exit where Li Jin had gone out.
"Daddy will definitely be okay!" Duoduo said firmly.
Lüdou nodded and then remembered that it was dark in the secret passage and Duoduo couldn't see.
Lüdou looked back at the path they had come from. It was all dark, and she couldn't see the end.
"Princess, how did the Prince come up with the idea of building this secret passage?"
"The Prince is so smart!"
"It's a pity about the Prince's leg. Otherwise, the Prince would definitely achieve great things!"
Lüdou felt very sorry for Xiao Yi.
In the darkness, Duoduo blinked her eyes.
Of course, her father would achieve great things!
After Li Jin got out of the secret passage, he carefully observed the garden.
The Prince of Pingyang's Mansion was very quiet.
It was so quiet that it didn't seem like a mansion at all.
Li Jin's heart skipped a beat.
He quickly used the rockeries and trees as cover and rushed towards the study where Xiao Yi often stayed.
The door of the study was open, and there was no one inside.
Li Jin was greatly shocked. He thought for a moment and then quickly turned around and ran towards the main gate of the mansion.
Before he got close, he heard the sound of swords colliding.
When he rounded the screen wall, he saw Xiao Yi sitting in a wheelchair, coldly watching the battle outside the mansion.
Outside the mansion gate, the guards led by Yunxiao were fighting fiercely with the imperial guards.
"Don't let any of them escape!" Xiao Yi ordered.
"Prince of Pingyang, we are here by the order of the Crown Prince to search for the heir!"
"If you kill us, you'll be disobeying the imperial edict!" the leader of the imperial guards said anxiously when he heard Xiao Yi's words.
"Kill them all!" Xiao Yi waved his hand, and a bright light flew out.
"Whoosh!"
The cross - bow arrow hit the leader of the imperial guards in the forehead. He looked shocked and fell to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Yunxiao led the guards to fight bravely.
Soon, none of the remaining imperial guards escaped.
"Your Highness, none of them escaped!" Yunxiao was covered in blood but looked very excited.
"Hey, Master Li, why are you here?"
Hearing Yunxiao's words, Xiao Yi turned his head and looked at Li Jin.
