Chapter 51 Fellow villagers are not teammates
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Prince Jing's Mansion.
The sword's edge pierced the night mist, bringing with it a chilling glint. Mu Cenlin's single garment was already soaked with sweat, and the scar under his right eye glowed an eerie red in the moonlight.
"Your Highness, the investigation has yielded results." Yuan Ting appeared silently under the eaves, dressed in night clothes, clearly having just returned from outside.
Before the sword strike was fully executed, the final sword move swept across, snapping the tree branch three zhang away with a crack.
"Fang Xu has visited Longhua Temple nine times in the past three months, and on four of those occasions he encountered Miss Li the Second." Yuan Ting paused, "There's also a very strange matter concerning Fang Xu's background."
“Tell me everything.”
“When Fang Xu was adopted by Master Xuanmi, he was only twelve years old. When he was brought back to the palace by the Imperial Concubine two years ago, he was only twenty years old. During these eight years, Fang Xu did not live in Longhua Temple.” After saying this, Yuan Ting knelt on one knee, his voice tight.
"I'm sorry, my subordinates are not capable enough to find out where Fang Xu lived during the eight years he disappeared."
"laugh"
A three-inch-deep sword mark appeared on the bluestone brick.
"stand up"
"How is Xiao Yizhi doing in the Northern Frontier?" With a graceful sword-snap, sweat dripped down his taut chin, splashing tiny flowers on the bluestone bricks.
Yuan Ting quickly reported: "Lord Xiao has found a clue. Last winter, a caravan from the Western Regions was ambushed in Cold Crow Valley, and all the goods were destroyed, but this was found on the remains of the caravan leader."
A gilded bronze plaque was presented, its surface inscribed with Western Region script, yet its edges bore the distinctive arrow marks characteristic of the weapons of the Great Lin.
Mu Cenlin ran his fingertips over the dark patterns on the bronze plaque, his eyes suddenly turning cold. This was the token of the Western Regions royal guards, and the style of the arrow marks clearly came from the imperial guards of the capital.
"Continue the search," Mu Cenlin said in a low voice, "especially the caves on the east side of Cold Raven Valley."
That was the place my uncle mentioned in his last message before he disappeared five years ago.
As Yuan Ting withdrew, he heard the sharp sound of a sword slicing through the air behind him, three times more ruthless than usual. He paused slightly, finally unable to resist turning back to look. In the moonlight, the crimson figure resembled a demon, its sword light slicing even falling leaves into pieces.
Another sleepless night.
Sighing inwardly, Yuan Ting noted that ever since the disappearance of the General of the Frontier, the Prince had developed this habit. Whenever he was troubled, he would practice swordsmanship all night, as if he wanted to vent all his frustrations on the blade, until he was completely exhausted and could only get a short nap.
As the night breeze rustled through the lamplight under the eaves, Yuan Ting suddenly thought of Miss Li from the Prime Minister's residence. Despite being a frail and sickly woman who could be blown away by the wind, her eyes seemed to be filled with starlight when she smiled, making the surrounding air brighter.
Only in front of her would the prince reveal the emotions a living person should have.
Yuan Ting gripped his waist knife tightly and silently made a decision:
No matter who Miss Li has in her heart, as long as she marries into the Prince's mansion and stays by the Prince's side... even if it means he, Yuan Ting, has to kneel and serve tea, he would accept it.
The prince's life was too lonely, and he hoped that his master could live a more relaxed and carefree life.
As soon as Yuan Ting returned to his room, he was suddenly pulled into the room by a bloodstained hand. He instinctively bent his elbow to strike, but stopped himself when he heard the weak voice saying "It's me."
"Zhu Zhi?!"
Moonlight streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on the other person's pale face. The once carefree young man was now covered in blood.
"What's wrong with you?!" Yuan Ting's voice trembled noticeably, and his fingertips shook violently when they touched Zhu Zhi's wound. They had followed the prince through countless trials and tribulations, but they had never seen Zhu Zhi so badly injured. The blood kept gushing out, soaking the bedding in dark red.
Yuan Ting moved the person to the bed and turned to call the army doctor, but Zhu Zhi grabbed him.
"Cough...cough cough, let me finish," Zhu Zhi said with difficulty, his lungs aching with each breath, yet he still forced himself to speak.
"The Crown Prince...sent people again. The Cold Palace isn't safe...Go and tell the Prince quickly."
One hour ago
On the crooked tree to the west of the East Palace, Zhu Zhi was lazily chewing on a blade of grass. He had been squatting there for three days, watching the Crown Prince drink and write poetry all day long. He thought he could get away with it again tonight, and just when his eyelids were about to close completely.
Three dark figures swept across the palace wall like ghosts.
Zhu Zhi's drowsiness vanished instantly.
As the prince's personal guards, they each had different tasks, and Zhu Zhi, who was the best at martial arts, was assigned to monitor the Crown Prince's every move.
Zhu Zhi recognized the three men almost immediately. They were the "Three Fiends" who never appeared in public by the Crown Prince's side. It was said that they were all assassins trained using secret methods from the Western Regions.
He followed silently, but was surrounded by three people who suddenly turned back when he passed by the Cold Palace.
The leading man wore a bronze mask and spoke in a hoarse voice, like a dull knife grinding against bone: "Where did this dog come from, daring to sniff the road to the Eastern Palace?"
He fought with all his might, resulting in two deaths and one injury, before escaping back to the Prince's Palace.
Yuan Ting had just rushed out of the room and into the courtyard when he saw the prince suddenly clutching his chest.
"Your Highness!"
Mu Cenlin felt a sharp pain in his chest, and he staggered, using his sword to steady himself.
Meanwhile, inside Qingfeng Courtyard.
Li Bao'er was asleep when she suddenly vomited a mouthful of black blood.
"Miss!" Linglong, who was guarding the outer courtyard, heard the commotion inside the room and rushed in. She saw that her mistress was pale on the bed, and there was a pool of blood on the brocade quilt.
Something was wrong with her. Although she had been poisoned in her childhood and still had some toxins left, her condition had stabilized for the time being. This sudden heartache and vomiting of blood was not a simple matter.
"001" Li Bao'er called out to the system in her mind, but she didn't expect to be able to contact it. It had gone to investigate Fang Xu's background after what happened today.
Unexpectedly, 001 replied: "Host! I'm back!"
Li Bao'er's eyes flickered slightly. Suppressing her joy, she turned to Linglong, who was on the verge of tears, and said, "Don't tell Mother and Ayu about this for now." Her voice was soft but firm. "You can leave now. I'm fine."
"Miss!" Linglong clutched the hem of her dress, refusing to move, tears welling in her eyes. "You look so pale, I'll go fetch a doctor right away."
Li Bao'er shook her head weakly, her pale lips barely curving into a smile. "I know my own body. If I'm still not better by tomorrow, it won't be too late to call a doctor."
"But……"
"exquisite"
“Then Miss must listen to me tomorrow!” Linglong bit her lip and compromised.
Li Bao'er smiled helplessly, "Okay, I'll do as you say!"
Li Bao'er watched her leave, turning back every few steps. As soon as the door closed, she immediately thought to herself, "001, did you find anything?"
The system's voice was filled with excitement: [Major discovery! Fang Xu is indeed a transmigrator!]
"That's nonsense. This has been confirmed for a long time. What is his mission in this world?" This is what Li Bao'er wants to know most.
Upon hearing this topic, 001, the little white ball of fluff, circled irritably in the air: 【Don't even mention it! I went back and asked my boss, but that old fox wouldn't say anything! He just gave me a vague answer, saying your tasks don't conflict!】
Looking at 001, who was actually guilty but outwardly angry in her consciousness, Li Bao'er calmly said, "You're not telling the truth."
The virtual avatar of 001 froze abruptly, its electronic eyes widening in shock: "You...you know me so well now? This terrifies me!"
"It's not that I know you well, it's that your acting is terrible. I need to know everything." Rolling her eyes, Li Bao'er lay down and touched her chest, which was still aching slightly. She had a feeling that this time she vomited blood was related to Fang Xu.
On the huge bed, Bao'er was thin and frail, and her small face appeared unusually pale under the moonlight.
The virtual avatar of 001 flickered a few times, then finally floated to the bedside as if making a decision. Looking at its weakened master, its electronic voice unusually carried a hint of heartache: "[Alright… Fang Xu came to this world to save his girlfriend from his original world. His mission is to assist the right person in ascending the throne and extending the Great Lin Kingdom's fortunes for at least a century.]"
Li Bao'er, who had been resting with her eyes closed, suddenly opened them, a hint of surprise flashing in her dark eyes: "I didn't expect him to be such a lovelorn fool." She scoffed lightly, "So, how's his mission progressing?"
001 finally became completely obedient, shrinking into a ball and timidly holding up three fingers: "[I really don't know! His system is extremely aloof; all the messages I send disappear without a trace.]"
[However, one thing is clear] the system suddenly floated closer, its voice lowered, [His choice of Li Yan as the chosen one certainly wasn't to assist the Great Demon King.]
“That’s obvious.” Li Bao’er’s lips curled into a cold smile, her tone low and gloomy. “After all, right now, we are clearly on opposite sides.”
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