When the Crown Prince’s secret guard sent the message, Zhou Gu was full and contented, returning to the inn in the cool night breeze, accompanied by the Nanchu King and Zhang Yun.
This inn happened to be one of Nanchu Crown Prince Yan Huisheng’s covert bases in Daliang.
Upon seeing Zhou Gu, the innkeeper immediately pulled him to a corner. "Fourth Young Master, there is a message from the Nanchu King."
Zhou Gu immediately signalled the Nanchu King to join them, saying, "Father-in-Law, come and listen."
The host: "....."
The forth young master’s father-in-law...
The Nanchu King and Zhang Yun walked over to the corner. The innkeeper bowed respectfully to the king without using his title. He relayed the message: "There’s a big issue in the Nanchu capital, your majesty and the Ye Xiang Residence have all left the capital, your majesty’s whereabouts are unknown but the Ye Xiang Residence’s movements have been clear. They have gone to the army commanded by the Second Young Master Ye who wields control over a hundred thousand soldiers, and he led his family and the army in the direction toward the border of Daliang. This happened ten days ago and the Nangong Marquis and Liu’an Prince were furious, they’ve issued a kill order. Additionally, the Nangong Marquis deployed the hundred thousand Jinglu troops managed by Hen Zhong and borrowed fifty thousand soldiers from Dawei Crown Prince Yuan Zhao to intercept the Second Young Master Ye."
The Nanchu King was shocked, "You’re saying that the entire Ye Xiang Residence... has also fled?"
"Yes." The innkeeper also found this fresh news strange. After all, the esteemed Ye Xiang had fled.
Of course, if the king could sneak away, it wasn’t surprising that Ye Xiang had done the same, but it was still... shocking.
The Nanchu king looked at Zhou Gu, "Did you know about this?"
Zhou Gu says: "Before I left, I told Ye Guixue that your departure would likely bring the wrath of the Nangong family and Liu’an Prince onto the Ye Xiang Residence. If they find it difficult to handle, they shouldn’t face it head-on. After all, there will be no lack of firewood with a green hill remaining. I also advised the Ye Xiang Residence to lie low for now."
Of course, he did not say this exactly, but the meaning was similar. However, he did not expect Ye Guixue to take such decisive action by not only taking his family to join the army after the king’s departure, but also leading his whole clan towards the border of Daliang.
Such audacity.
And he even persuaded Ye Xiang, it seems Ye Xiang is not as stubborn as the rumors suggest. Also, it’s not entirely true when Ye Guixue said he had half of the say in the Ye Xiang Residence, this control is clearly past half, he could dictate the decisions of Ye Xiang Residence.
The Nanchu King rubbed his chin and chuckled, "This is good."
"Of course, it is. We’re heading to Dawei, they’re heading to Daliang, and the Nangong family and Liu’an Prince have to distribute their forces respectively for their search, making their tasks much more challenging." Zhou Gu laughed, "Nangong Yin and Liu’an Prince are probably kicking themselves now, for not acting against you earlier."
The Nanchu King nodded, "If I had known this earlier, I should’ve had another pot of wine just now."
Zhou Gu laughed, looping his arm around his father-in-law’s shoulder, "Let’s go, you should rest now, we have a journey ahead of us at midnight."
The Nanchu King was dissatisfied, "Why do we have to leave at midnight again?"
"Oh, we can avoid showing our identity documents at midnight. We can sneak past the city gates and leave no trace. The fake identity documents are just that - fake, they can’t be used as real. The moment we use the fake ones, the Nangong family’s men can trace the evidence back to us, it’s not worth it. If a fight breaks out as a result, and you get injured, how am I going to explain to Ye Guixue?" Zhou Gu started to lead him upstairs to their rooms.
The Nanchu King sighed, "You seem to know a lot."
"Of course." Zhou Gu never saw himself as stupid.
Nanchu King asked: "Why do you need to explain to Guixue? Why not explain to my daughter instead?"
Zhou Gu pointed out seriously, "Because your daughter, will only be more heartbroken about me."
The Nanchu King: "..."
Who had spoiled this cunning little brat who knew so well how to rile people up?
Zhang Yun followed quietly behind the two of them, contemplating that Zhou Gu was frequently irritating the Nanchu King throughout their journey. Was this his twisted way of avenging the princess, or was he just amusing himself due to the boredom of traveling?
As expected, at midnight, the Nanchu King was timely awoken by Zhou Gu, reluctantly continuing on their journey with him and Zhang Yun.
The pervasive influence of the Nangong family throughout Nanchu had gained the kill order from Nangong Yin, no small city or town was spared. However, all of the Nangong family’s men were focused on monitoring the gates of cities and towns, unaware that Zhou Gu and Zhang Yun, the two smartest minds, were not bothering with officiating documents, keeping their traces untraceable in every city. Most of the time, they would stroll through the country roads with their provisions, and only occasionally entering inconspicuous small towns to find some warmth in a restaurant, feasting on a warm meal, as a treat for their hardworking bodies performing their duty.
For half a month, Nangong Yin’s received messages that there were no traces of the Nanchu King, and he furiously smashed his favorite tea set, bellowing, "A bunch of useless bastards! Cannot even locate a person, what are they all good for?"
His family members became silent at his explosion.
Nangong Yin’s face was ashen, turning to his most treasured grandson, Nangong Zheng. "Zheng, what do you suggest we should do now?"
Nangong Yin was forty-six this year, while his oldest son was thirty, and his oldest grandson, who was clever since young and extremely adored by Nangong Yin, was fourteen. He was given the finest education from the best scholars since he was young, and had been involved in the Nangong family affairs since he was eleven, making him Nangong Yin’s most valued successor.
Nangong Zheng looked at Nangong Yin, "Grandfather, please calm down."
Despite his age, Nangong Zheng presented himself as composed, saying in a calm voice: "Grandfather, allow me to lead a search party myself. I’m suspecting that the king might have headed to the direction of Dawei."
Nangong Yin responded immediately, "You’re going? No."
He was the future of the Nangong family, Nangong Yin wasn’t willing to let his grandson take such risks.
"Grandfather, if the Nangong family loses, the whole family might be destroyed. The Nangong family can’t afford to lose. We must find the king. The Ye Xiang Residence must be toppled, and the princess must be killed," Nangong Zheng stated. "You can’t leave the capital, entrust everything to me."
Nangong Yin looked at his grandson, "The Nangong family’s secret guards are all dispatched. If you leave the capital, there won’t be enough protection for you, how can you go?"
"I will gather all the people I need around me. Besides, I haven’t dispatched my own secret guards." Nangong Zheng said: "Moreover, the strength of our forces is too limited. If we can’t find the king, I intend to borrow more troops from Dawei Crown Prince Yuan Zhao. Even though you’ve sent letters, Yuan Zhao might not comply, it’s better for me to go personally. If Yuan Zhao knew about our situation, he wouldn’t abandon us. After all, the previous lesson of Zhang Ping from Daliang, who fought separately from the group and lost everything, would be a clear lesson to Yuan Zhao. He wouldn’t want our Nangong family to follow in Zhang Ping’s footsteps."
Nangong Yin grunted, "Zhang Ping had forty-five thousand soldiers, and he still lost. He is really a fool."
"He lost to his own two sons." Nangong Zheng added: "We of the Nangong family, are of one heart and one purpose. Even if we have to die, we won’t surrender to the enemy, trust me, grandfather."
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