Chapter 451 We'll go together
Sheng Sheng listened attentively, and seeing Xie Yuxiao's somewhat wistful expression, she couldn't help but start to think.
Father, is it because you saw the great difference between the Crown Prince's previous dejected state and his current cheerful demeanor that you suddenly had this thought?
Xie Yuxiao stood up and walked out. Consort Li made a gesture to see him off, but he stopped her.
"Alright, I came here today for Xiao Wu. Now that I've said what I needed to say to Xiao Wu, I'll be leaving now."
"Those voices will accompany you on your journey!"
Shengsheng skipped and hopped, grabbing Xie Yuxiao's hand. Lifei was sure she would give Xie Yunqi a good "interrogation" next, and she didn't want to witness the mother and son arguing again here.
Xie Yuxiao took Shengsheng's hand and led her away, leaving without a trace.
Consort Li turned to ask Xie Yunqi about the money, but Xie Yunqi darted away in the blink of an eye, shouting, "Mother, I'm so tired! I'm going to change and go to bed!"
Consort Li could only stomp her feet and exclaim, "Really!"
...
"The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion faces south. The front courtyard, consisting of three sections, is where guests are received and matters are discussed. Most of the sentries are hidden behind the vermilion pillars of the covered corridors, with half-inch-wide black stone markings at the base of the pillars. The middle courtyard is where the women of the household live. To the west of Qin Weiwei's courtyard is a bamboo grove. There are traps buried in the clearings within the grove. Stepping on the third bluestone slab will trigger a hidden arrow. The key is in a sandalwood box in the Duke of Zhenguo's study."
"The underground secret chamber is located beneath the artificial hill in the west courtyard. The entrance is concealed by vines and can only be opened by rotating the bronze crane beak on the artificial hill. In addition, if the Duke of Zhenguo has not changed his position, besides the gilded Buddhist shrine inside, there are also piles of accounts from previous years in the west corner of the secret chamber. Among them are three volumes recording the private dealings between the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and Kunning Palace, using coded language, which I can decipher. The guards in the west courtyard are more heavily guarded than elsewhere, but the inner treasury is equally important. The inner treasury contains valuable items and requires the Duke of Zhenguo and his wife's tokens to open. However, the guards in the inner treasury change shifts every day at 7 PM, giving you a brief window of opportunity. At that time, you can use a feint to create the illusion of trying to break into the inner treasury while the guards are changing shifts, thus luring the guards to the inner treasury and making it easy to enter the underground secret chamber."
“And that master,” Butler Wang said, “He always brings his own medicine chest when he comes. Although he will take Qin Weiwei’s pulse in front of outsiders, he will dismiss everyone during treatment, saying that it is a secret technique that cannot be passed on. If you want to find an opportunity to take that master away, you can do it when he is alone.”
She listened quietly, the pearl tassels on her double-looped bun occasionally swaying, but the frost in her eyes did not lessen in the slightest.
She waited until Butler Wang finished speaking before turning her head to give Zhui Feng a look.
Zhui Feng, following orders, immediately went to carry them out.
Sheng Sheng then slowly opened her mouth and said solemnly, "Thank you for being willing to tell me everything you know in such detail."
Steward Wang kowtowed heavily, his forehead hitting the ground with a dull thud: "I dare not accept the princess's words, I only beg the princess to keep her promise and give me a way out after the matter is completed."
"If what you've said is true and can help me find fault with the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, then I will naturally keep my promise and do everything I say."
She straightened up, her gold-embroidered cloud-patterned skirt sweeping across the ground, stirring up a little dust.
She turned to look at Zijuan, her eyes regaining some of their childlike clarity, but now filled with a resolute determination: "Zijuan, tell Niu Qingru to prepare. Tomorrow at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, I want the Zhenguo Duke's Mansion to be utterly disgraced and lose everything."
Zijuan responded, her gaze equally resolute: "Yes, Princess. Rest assured, Princess, I will give you the best instructions."
...
The next day, at night, at the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
The moonlight was cool and clear, and a few drops of silver shards leaked through the gaps in the vines of the artificial hill in the west courtyard. Zhui Feng, holding the gold key he took from the sandalwood box, headed toward the location of the underground secret room, with Zhu Yue following closely behind.
The commotion caused by the feint attack to distract the guards had not yet completely subsided, and the faint sound of clashing weapons could still be heard in the distance. It was Zhu Yue who had devised a plan to cause a conflict between the two groups of guards in the inner and outer courtyards.
"Move quickly, taking advantage of this gap, the bronze crane beak rotates three times, and the mouth only needs the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."
Zhu Yue lowered her voice and urged him on. Zhui Feng, as instructed by Steward Wang, grabbed the bronze crane on the artificial rock, the cool metallic touch spreading along his fingertips.
With a series of clicks, the bluestone slabs beneath our feet slowly parted to the sides, releasing a scent that was a mixture of musty and sandalwood. The entrance to the dark room quietly opened.
Each month, I lit the glass lamp I carried with me, and its warm yellow glow dispelled some of the darkness.
The dark room was not large, and in the very center stood a gilded Buddhist shrine about half a person's height. The Guanyin statue enshrined inside had lowered eyebrows and eyes, but a pigeon blood ruby was embedded in its fingertip, which gleamed with an eerie red light under the lamp.
The base of the shrine is carved with an intricate lotus scroll pattern, with one lotus petal slightly raised, which is where the keyhole is located.
"Be careful of the traps. Butler Wang said the candlesticks on either side of the shrine are a decoy," Zhui Feng warned, inserting the golden key into the lotus-shaped lock and turning it gently.
With a soft "hum", the cabinet door of the Buddhist shrine slowly opened, revealing the expected scriptures, nothing special, but the dark red velvet cloth underneath was embroidered with the phoenix pattern exclusive to the Kunning Palace.
Both of them looked delighted.
"Excellent! Her Highness was right!"
Just then, the sound of light footsteps came from the top of the dark room, along with an angry voice that was getting closer.
"Quick, a thief has broken into the secret room!"
Zhu Yue's expression changed: "They are the Duke of Zhenguo's personal guards! How did they arrive so quickly? The guards in the inner and outer courtyards must have been redeployed by these personal guards as well."
"The riot over there must have been discovered, earlier than expected." Zhui Feng quickly observed, "Today is the day of the Zhenguo Duke's eldest daughter's medical consultation, so the security is several times tighter than usual."
Tonight's operation is a secret mission because it concerns Sheng Sheng's past, so only Zhui Feng and Zhu Yue are involved.
Zhu Yue gritted his teeth: "Right now, the enemy outnumbers us, and we have no choice but to break through."
One of them picked up the Buddhist shrine, while the other grabbed the account book in the corner that recorded the transactions between the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion and Kunning Palace, and they quickly left the dark room.
As soon as they stepped out of the dark room, they were greeted by a scene of flashing swords.
Zhu Yue reacted quickly, wielding his short dagger to slash away the oncoming arrows. Zhui Feng shoved the account book in his hand into Zhu Yue's hand and pushed him backward.
"The guards have arrived. You go first and kidnap that master. I'll cover your retreat!"
Zhui Feng drew his sword from his waist, the sword light drawing a cold arc in the darkness, just enough to block the blade that followed.
The Duke of Zhenguo's personal guards swarmed in, led by the commander of the Duke's guards, whose long sword swung with a sharp, swift force: "Take down these two traitors, and the Duke will reward you!"
Zhu Yue shouted, "Are you crazy? There are so many people here, do you want to die? If we're going to leave, we'll all leave together, otherwise how am I supposed to explain this!"
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