Chapter 689 My Death is Coming! (Second Update)
Upon returning to his residence, Nangong Li immediately summoned his trusted guards and inquired about the progress of their investigation.
The trusted guard looked troubled and said, "General, there are too many places to check. It's only been a day... Even if we openly and legitimately check the household registration at the Ministry of Revenue, it will still take several days, won't it?"
That's absolutely true; investigating someone's background is not that simple.
Although domestic and foreign household registrations are recorded separately, the problem is that there are still quite a few foreign household registrations, and the Ministry of Revenue would not actually give them foreign household registrations for investigation.
In fact, anyone who has watched polo matches would find the name Xiao Liulang unfamiliar. However, it's like being in a completely different world, and Nangong Li doesn't follow polo. He had no idea that Xiao Liulang, the freshman from Zhao Kingdom, had single-handedly ruined the style of three polo matches.
Nangong Li was not inconsiderate of his subordinates' difficulties, but he also had his own.
The Crown Prince didn't even tell the Han family about the assassination attempt on Xiao Liulang, entrusting him with this important task. However, Xiao Liulang messed it up in Zhao Kingdom and even sent someone to the king's doorstep.
If the king finds out, they're all doomed!
Nangong Li frowned and said, "I don't care what methods you use, you must find Xiao Liulang within three days!"
The trusted guard was in a bad mood; it might not even be possible to succeed in thirty days, let alone three.
With so many people in Shengdu, finding Xiao Liulang is like finding a needle in a haystack.
The trusted guard sighed, "If only we had people in the Ministry of Revenue."
The Minister of Revenue is a member of the Wang family, and has never had much interaction with the Nangong family. The Wang family is a truly prosperous family with a history of over a hundred years, and its strength surpasses that of the Han family, ranking first.
If Consort Wang hadn't been unable to give birth to a son, the position of Crown Prince might have been very different.
It would be difficult to infiltrate the Ministry of Revenue and secretly check household registrations. The Nangong family has experts, and so does the Wang family. Competing with them would only alert them and be counterproductive.
Nangong Li frowned: "Instead of wasting time talking nonsense, why don't you hurry up and go find someone!"
"yes!"
The trusted guards quickly withdrew.
Nangong Li closed his eyes.
He must find Xiao Liulang as soon as possible and kill him!
The Crown Prince has already been disappointed in him once; he cannot afford to be disappointed a second time!
Before returning to his room to rest, Nangong Li inexplicably thought of his youngest son who had fallen and injured himself; he hadn't visited him for two days.
He thought for a moment, then turned and went to Nangong Lin's courtyard.
Nangong Lin, unaware of his father's impending arrival, was lying carelessly on his side on the bed, shaking his leg as he leisurely listened to the servant recount the polo match: "Are you sure? Tianqiong Academy lost?"
The servant laughed and said, "Absolutely! Young master, I went to see for myself, and oh dear, they lost terribly!"
Nangong Lin slapped his thigh with schadenfreude: "A bunch of overconfident fools! Don't they know who owns Canaan Academy? It's the academy of the Imperial Preceptor's Hall!"
The servant flattered, "Young master is absolutely right!"
Nangong Lin picked a grape from the tray held by the kneeling maid beside the bed, popped it into his mouth, and said, "By the way, how angry was that Xiao Liulang?"
The servant said, "He didn't go."
Nangong Lin frowned: "What do you mean?"
The servant explained, "It means he didn't go. Even Mu Chuan, who had just recovered from his injuries, participated that day, but Xiao Liulang didn't show up at all. I later found out that... Xiao Liulang was sick, very sick, and couldn't come to the competition."
Nangong Lin laughed heartily: "Serves him right! Xiao Liulang has finally met his match!"
“That’s right… Master!” The servant was halfway through his sentence when he suddenly saw Nangong Li standing at the door. He turned pale with fright and bowed.
"Father!" Nangong Lin quickly composed himself, sat up properly, and waved to the maid beside him without making a sound.
The maid put away the fruit plate, stood up, and bowed to Nangong Li: "Master."
Nangong Li was furious when he thought of his son's carefree attitude just now, but he still saved face for him in front of the servants: "All of you, step back."
"Yes." The servant and maid hurriedly left, and the servant didn't forget to close the door behind them.
Nangong Lin asked, "Father, why have you come so late?"
Nangong Li gave him a cold look: "You're recuperating at home, that's why you're not going to the academy. Is this how you recuperate?"
"I..." Nangong Lin nervously rubbed his sleeves, "I'm just stretching... my muscles."
The worst thing isn't catching a child in the act, but rather when they refuse to admit it.
Nangong Li really wanted to slap him. He raised his hand to strike, and Nangong Lin was so frightened that he quickly covered his head with his hand.
Nangong Li saw the scar on his wrist, suppressed his anger, and lowered his hand: "You get back to the academy tomorrow!"
"Oh," Nangong Lin replied reluctantly.
Nangong shouted angrily, "What kind of attitude is this!"
Nangong Lin trembled in fright and hurriedly said, "Go! I'll go! I'll definitely go!"
Nangong Li asked, "I just heard you mention a name, Xiao Liulang. Who is he?"
"Oh, him? He's from a lower country." Nangong Lin never told his family the truth about his injury. First, his father didn't allow him to cheat in polo, and second, even if he did cheat, he would fall and get hurt, which would be incredibly embarrassing.
Therefore, the family all thought it was just an accident and didn't bother to find out anything about any of the polo players on the field.
Nangong Li's eyes narrowed slightly: "Which inferior country?"
Nangong Lin thought for a moment: "It seems to be... Zhao or Zhao Kingdom? I don't remember."
Nangong Li slowly clenched his fist: "New here?"
Nangong Lin nodded: "Yes."
"Which academy?" Nangong Li asked.
Nangong Lin said, "Tianqiong Academy, they made it to the final match, but were brutally defeated by Canaan Academy."
Tianqiong Academy, Xiao Liulang, a native of Xiaguo.
Ah, it's like finding a needle in a haystack!
Xiao Liulang, your death is near!
...
Gu Jiao returned to the house.
It was getting late, and Nan Shi Niang was doing embroidery in the main room while waiting for her. Not only was Nan Shi Niang bad at cooking, but she was also incredibly clumsy at needlework. However, she was now a mother herself, and although she was only a godmother and a teacher's wife, she decided to learn these things as soon as possible.
"Jiaojiao's back." She put down her embroidery. "Haven't eaten yet?"
Gu Jiao said, "I've already eaten. Madam Nan, you should rest early."
"I'm going to sleep after I finish this. How do you think it turned out?" Madam Nan showed Gu Jiao the results of her embroidery, which she had been working on all night.
To be honest, Gu Jiao hadn't seen a needlework craftswoman who could rival her aunt in a long time.
"...There has been progress," Gu Jiao said without changing her expression.
Mrs. Nan smiled happily and said, "Right? I think so too."
After receiving the praise, Mrs. Nan became even more enthusiastic and energetic as she began to embroider.
Gu Jiao hesitated, then decided to let it go, as long as her teacher's wife was happy.
Gu Jiao went to Gu Yan's room.
Gu Xiaoshun was already fast asleep, while Gu Yan was a light sleeper, or rather, he hadn't slept at all.
Gu Jiao touched his forehead: "I told you I would come back."
"Mmm," Gu Yan uttered a soft, nasal sound.
"Go to sleep," Gu Jiao said softly.
...
The next day, before dawn, Nangong Li got up. If it hadn't been so late the night before and the inner city gates hadn't been closed, he might have stormed into Tianqiong Academy in the middle of the night.
The moment the southern inner city gates opened wide, Nangong Li rode out in his carriage.
Don't underestimate Xiao Liulang just because he's a weak scholar. He's just as cunning and shrewd as Marquis Xuanping. He doesn't trust his subordinates with his own hands; he wants to kill him himself!
Nangong Li's carriage arrived near the academy.
The coachman was his trusted bodyguard, who was disguised so that no one could recognize his true appearance.
“Go ask,” Nangong Li said.
"yes!"
The trusted guard jumped off the carriage and arrived at the entrance of Tianqiong Academy. He handed a string of coins to the gatekeeper and said with a smile, "Young man, I am from Wuyue Academy. My master greatly admires Young Master Xiao and would like to get to know him. So I came to inquire whether Young Master Xiao Liulang has arrived yet."
The servant accepted the money and said, "Young Master Xiao won't be coming to the academy today, so your trip was in vain."
The trusted guard was slightly taken aback, then smiled and asked, "May I ask where he went?"
The servant said, "He went to the palace to see the king!"
The trusted guard was terrified: "W-what? See the king?"
"Is this true?" On the carriage, Nangong Li frowned upon hearing the report from his trusted guard. "Why would he go to see the king? The king wouldn't just casually meet with someone from a lower kingdom."
The trusted guard said, "That servant said that it seems they lost because of the polo match, but Canaan Academy exchanged rewards with them. Canaan Academy took 10,000 taels of gold, and they gained the qualification to enter the palace to meet the emperor."
If Xiao Liulang goes somewhere else, Nangong Li can still wait for him to return.
But Xiao Liulang went to the imperial palace and met the emperor.
Nangong Li gritted his teeth: "We can't let him see the king! Return to the inner city!"
...
In a luxurious carriage heading to the inner city, besides Mu Qingchen, the four polo players from Tianqiong Academy were also present.
Mu Chuan rubbed his still slightly aching forehead and asked strangely, "Liu Lang, didn't you say you didn't want to enter the palace? Why have you changed your mind?"
"Oh." Gu Jiao lowered her eyes and looked at her hands. "I've thought about it, and going to the palace isn't a bad idea."
Nangong Li, if you want to kill me, come and kill me in the palace!
(End of this chapter)
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