Xia Sen dared not delay and immediately sent someone to find the Taoist priest.
But when the people sent out returned, they were told that the Taoist priest had already disappeared without a trace!
"How could he get away like this? Didn't I tell you to keep a close watch on him? Is this how you do things?" Xia Sen was so angry that he beat and scolded the men.
Qi Guze remained unusually quiet beside him, saying, "Since the person is no longer here, let's go and take a look at where that Taoist priest was."
The Taoist priest's residence was arranged in a corner of the palace, the most remote and secluded place, which was exactly what he had suggested.
When Qi Guze and his group arrived, they were greeted by a disgusting musty smell as soon as they opened the door.
Walking inside, you can see all the furnishings at a glance: a bed, chairs, and some small boxes—everything is very simple.
Qi Guze walked closer to the box in the corner that looked somewhat out of place, casually waved his hand to lift the lid, and unexpectedly a cloud of black powder came out.
"This is poison!"
Qi Guze immediately covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve, and then hurriedly swallowed the pills that Xu Yuehuai had prepared for him, distributing the other pills to the people around him.
After everyone had taken the pills, Qi Guze walked over to the box and looked inside, discovering that there were some medicine bottles inside.
All the medicine bottles had their mouths open, and they contained special devices, which caused all the powder inside to gush out as soon as he opened the box.
He took out the medicine bottles and carefully examined each one.
“These poisons are all extremely potent. If we hadn’t taken the antidote immediately, even a tiny dose would have been fatal.”
"It seems that the other party did not expect my existence at all, so everyone escaped a disaster."
"The discovery of this poison here proves that we are not far from the truth about Vivi's death."
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew in, carrying the fragrance of flowers from outside, but there seemed to be a rotten smell in that fragrance.
Qi Guze seemed to hear the sinister laughter carried to his ears on the wind.
"He can't escape! How dare he hurt my daughter! No matter where he is, I will bring him back and make him pay the price!" Xia Sen's face was icy cold.
A vengeful fire blazed in Bei Xuan's eyes: "I'll make this scoundrel wish he were dead, and make him pay for my poor Weiwei's life!"
Xia Sen, who was standing next to her, quickly hugged Bei Xuan and kept comforting her.
"I will immediately send more men to search for that Taoist priest. There will be no safe haven for him in the entire Four Kingdoms. This palace will also be thoroughly searched. If he has accomplices here, they will definitely not be able to escape."
Seeing the two of them so furious, Qi Guze had a bad feeling.
After dealing with matters in the palace, Qi Guze did not stay there that night, but returned to his residence in the royal city.
Qi Guze had just returned when Yan Qing caught up and said, "The people we sent out have already sent back the news. It turns out that the person with problems in the government is a lowly, insignificant official. That official goes to the most bustling restaurant around here almost every night. And his monthly salary is simply not enough to cover such expenses."
"I suspect he must have made some shady deal in this restaurant."
Upon hearing this news, Qi Guze and Yan Qing immediately went to the restaurant.
Under the dim streetlights, their figures drew ever closer to the edge of the truth.
"Are you sure that clue is reliable? Could someone have set up a smokescreen?" Qi Guze asked in a low voice.
"Your Majesty, you can rest assured that our intelligence is absolutely accurate. That minor official does indeed frequently visit 'Drunken Dream Pavilion,' and his behavior is highly suspicious," Yan Qing replied confidently.
Whether we can catch the "big fish" behind this tonight depends on the two of us.
Qi Guze quickened his pace in an instant, and the two soon arrived at "Drunken Dream Pavilion".
The air near the restaurant was filled not only with the aroma of wine, but also with a lingering, alluring scent of perfume.
They had only taken a few steps when a group of elegantly dressed girls surrounded them, looking at them with a mixture of curiosity and provocation.
"Oh my, you two gentlemen look unfamiliar. You must be distinguished guests who have come from afar! Please come in quickly, we will welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey." A woman in a green silk dress stepped forward first, her voice was very charming, and her eyes hid naked desire. She stretched out her soft hand to take Qi Guze's hand.
Qi Guze was about to decline when he suddenly noticed a familiar figure in the crowd who flashed by.
But that figure was etched in his heart, and his posture seemed as if he had seen it somewhere before.
"No need for a welcoming feast or a ritual to cleanse the spirits, I've just come to ask for a couple of drinks."
He casually tossed out a gold ingot, shoved aside the crowd around him, and quickly slipped into the throng.
"Yan Qing, go and keep watch over there!" Qi Guze whispered to Yan Qing beside him, then walked through the surrounding crowd and ran straight towards the target he had just locked onto.
The figure being chased seemed to sense something was amiss and quickened her pace. At a corner ahead, she nimbly turned and instantly hid in a secluded corner.
Qi Guze followed closely behind, chasing for a long time. When he discovered that the other party was hiding, he adopted another method, going around to the side intersection. After a few turns, the two sides finally met.
Behind an elegantly decorated screen, they saw each other face to face.
The person in front of Qi Guze was a woman. She wore a light blue dress, her hair was tied up in a high bun, her forehead was smooth, and her features were delicate. She looked like a fairy who had stepped out of a painting.
She suddenly smiled knowingly. "What a handsome young man! What's wrong? You've been following me around, are you looking for me to keep you company and have some fun?"
The woman's voice was very clear and melodious, but it sounded harsh and carried a hint of provocation.
“I already have a wife and children at home. I followed you here just to see if you are someone I know.”
"Then take a look and see if I'm the person you're thinking of?"
"you……"
Before Qi Guze could finish speaking, he suddenly smelled a strange fragrance.
not good!
He had a bad feeling, but it was too late. A strange drowsiness washed over him, and the scene before his eyes began to blur.
Not wanting to be tricked by this woman, he quickly channeled his inner energy, forcibly using it to dispel the inexplicable drowsiness.
"What is your purpose in showing yourself here?" Qi Guze, maintaining his last shred of clarity, questioned, "Who exactly are you?"
The woman chuckled softly. "I never expected that anyone in this world could resist my bewitching incense. You're quite interesting!"
"As for who I am, I'll tell you if you catch up with me."
As soon as she finished speaking, the woman flashed out of the window and disappeared into the vast crowd.
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