Li Mingjie led them into the banquet hall, which was illuminated by countless bright lights, as bright as day. Several exquisite banquet tables had already been laid out, laden with a variety of delicacies from land and sea, as well as fine wines and delicacies.
Li Mingjie came forward with a smile on his face and said warmly, "Prince Xiao, Sixth Young Master Luo, and Miss Luo! Welcome to my small mansion. The food here is simple, so if there's anything wrong with our hospitality, I hope you'll bear with us. We've also prepared a sumptuous feast for the guards. Without further ado, let's all join in the feast!"
After everyone had taken their seats, a group of well-trained maids came forward and gracefully filled each glass with fine wine. Li Mingjie was the first to raise his glass and said loudly, "I am honored to have Prince Xiao and all the distinguished guests here today! I would like to offer a toast to Prince Xiao!" After saying this, he raised his head and drank it all in one gulp, showing his heroic spirit.
Before the banquet was over, Prince Xiao was already exhausted from the alcohol and was helped by his servants to his room to rest. Shortly afterwards, Luo Lingyue also led the maid back to the guest room.
Meanwhile, Luo Lingfeng, always a lover of fine wine, was enjoying a hearty drink with Li Mingjie. Seeing this, the other guards, believing they were safe in the prefect's residence, joined in the drinking with peace of mind.
However, Luo Lingyue didn't stop after returning to her room. She quickly performed a disguise, transforming into the mysterious Dark Moon Fairy. With her nimble skills and keen perception, she successfully evaded the guards of the Li Mansion and quietly made her way to Li Mingjie's study.
Li Mingjie is a close confidant of the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince, and he must possess important items related to the Crown Prince. He has been operating in the Yuqing area for many years, embezzling and accepting bribes for a huge sum of money, so he must be plotting for the Crown Prince!
Like a nimble cat, she slipped in quietly through the gap in the tightly closed back window of the study. However, just as she was about to land, a sharp gust of wind suddenly struck her, heading straight for her vital parts!
Dark Moon Enchantress reacted quickly. She turned her wrist and swung the sharp dagger in her hand like lightning, accurately meeting the soft sword.
The owner of the soft sword had clearly not expected her to be so alert and decisive. Seeing his sword's force blocked, he abruptly retracted his force. At the same time, a deliberately subdued voice rang out, "Dark Moon Fairy! What are you doing here?"
In the cool moonlight streaming through the window, Dark Moon Fairy finally got a clear look at the other person's face—it was Blood Shadow! A flicker of surprise flashed across her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by dissatisfaction. She responded grumpily, "Why are you everywhere?" Her words were filled with disgust for this uninvited guest.
Blood Shadow lowered his head slightly, gazing deeply at the Dark Moon Fairy before him. He lowered his voice and said, "Li Mingjie and the Crown Prince have secretly colluded and engaged in such a shady business as smuggling salt. I'm here to find the account books that Li Mingjie has hidden so that I can bring them to justice!"
Dark Moon Fairy raised her head, her beautiful eyes fixed on Blood Shadow, and asked softly, "Have you discovered anything?"
Blood Shadow frowned slightly and replied in a low voice, "The Li Mansion is usually heavily guarded, making it difficult to find a good opportunity to break in. Today, Li Mingjie happened to be hosting a banquet for Prince Xiao, so I took the opportunity to sneak in. However, the courtyard of the Li Mansion is deep, so finding the account book is no easy task..."
Dark Moon Enchantress raised her eyebrows slightly and said firmly, "If that's the case, then let's split up and search! This will increase our chances of finding the account book."
The two began searching the study for the ledgers related to the illegal salt trade. Dark Moon Fairy scanned the furnishings in the room until her gaze fell on a bookshelf, which seemed unusual. She cautiously approached, carefully examining every detail.
Dark Moon Fairy spotted a hidden compartment on the bookshelf. Just as she was about to reach out and touch it, Blood Shadow's keen hearing picked up a subtle sound: the faint creak of gears activating a hidden weapon! Startled, he immediately flew to Dark Moon Fairy's side, his arm swiftly raised, tightly grasping her slender waist.
At the same time, Blood Shadow summoned a breath of true energy and leaped onto the rooftop with the lightness of a ghost. Just as they left their original position, a dense whirring sound came from below. Countless poisonous arrows flashing with cold light shot out like raindrops, and in the blink of an eye, the place where they had been standing was shot into a hedgehog!
Dark Moon Enchantress looked down with lingering fear. If it weren't for Blood Shadow's quick reaction, they would have been like two hedgehogs pierced by poisonous arrows. She glanced at Blood Shadow with gratitude, a hint of admiration in her eyes. Blood Shadow, on the other hand, calmly surveyed his surroundings, vigilantly scanning for any possible danger.
At this moment, Li Mingjie was drinking and chatting with Luo Lingfeng in the flower hall when suddenly a sharp and piercing whistle sounded in the hall. This sudden sound made Li Mingjie's face turn very ugly in an instant. He frowned, as if he had a premonition of what was about to happen next.
He turned to look at Luo Lingfeng and said in a somewhat anxious tone: "I have something important to deal with suddenly. I am really sorry that I can't continue to drink with Young Master Luo Liu!" After that, he stood up and hurriedly left the flower hall with a serious expression.
Li Mingjie led a group of guards and hurried to the study. Along the way, his heart grew heavier, and he silently prayed that nothing serious would happen. When they finally arrived at the study, Li Mingjie pushed open the door, but the scene before him made his face turn extremely grim.
The study was a mess, with tables and chairs overturned and books scattered all over the floor. It was obvious that someone had broken in and caused extensive damage. Li Mingjie's eyes revealed anger and worry, as he knew that there must be an important secret hidden here.
He quickly scanned his surroundings, searching for clues. Soon, he discovered a hidden mechanism and, without hesitation, ran over to trigger it. As the mechanism activated, the bookshelf slowly shifted, revealing a hidden compartment.
Li Mingjie walked to the secret compartment nervously, looked down, and saw that the crucial account book was still lying there intact. The stone in his heart finally fell to the ground, and he breathed a long sigh of relief.
Li Mingjie thought for a moment, then took out the account book and put it close to his chest. He turned to the guard and said, "Go find it! We must find the person who broke into the study!"
Blood Shadow and Dark Moon Fairy hid in a large tree with lush branches and leaves outside the study, closely watching the guards below as they hurriedly left.
Dark Moon Fairy frowned and shouted angrily, "Take your hand away immediately!"
Upon hearing this, Xueying quickly loosened his hands that were originally around Dark Moon Fairy's waist, an awkward smile appeared on his face, and he explained: "I'm really sorry, the situation was urgent just now, and I had no choice but to do this. I didn't mean to offend you, please don't misunderstand." There was a hint of apology and helplessness in his tone.
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