Sun Qi didn't say anything; he felt things weren't that simple.
While Prince Jing might be one of them, he wouldn't be the absolute one.
Or perhaps there's more than one person behind it all, and these people with wolf fang tattoos aren't necessarily from Beiyan; they could be spies planted in Beiyan by Nan Tai'an.
Before the overall situation is determined, anything is possible.
"We can't delay any longer. We must resolve the matter in Nantai quickly, as His Highness needs us more."
He suddenly spoke, his gaze very firm.
Qin Jian disagreed: "The matter of the Crown Prince of Nantai has put Your Highness in the spotlight. The Emperor's fear of Your Highness has reached its peak. Even if he really knows that you took the head of the Crown Prince of Nantai, he may not necessarily reward you for your merit. If we go back now, we may end up failing at the last minute!"
Qin Jian didn't consider himself a saint. He had been lying in wait for so many years, hoping to one day make a name for himself. Now that the dog emperor was in power and regarded Prince Chen as a thorn in his side, they would not only not gain any benefits if they went back, but they might even be secretly harmed by the dog emperor.
Sun Qi also dreamed of returning home in glory one day, but now his family was missing and the country was fraught with crisis, far more chaotic than Nantai. He wanted to go back first, to search for his family and investigate the person behind the Wolf Fang Mark.
Now that the enemy is lurking in the shadows, they no longer have the power to make decisions about many things.
He patted Qin Jian on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, His Highness will not treat us unfairly."
Sun Qi smiled and went back to his room to wash off the dust. He still needed to carefully plan what to do next.
In the bathtub, the hot water soaked up to his neck. He closed his eyes to rest, and many images flashed through his mind. One moment it was the bits and pieces of his deployment in Nantai over the years, and the next it was scenes from his home in earlier years.
Having witnessed the tragic state of Changzhou, his heart clenched painfully. If all he had done, and had remained hidden for so many years, was in vain, what was the point if he couldn't even protect his own family?
He let out a long sigh and opened his eyes. He had to get back as soon as possible.
Just as he finished dressing, his subordinate's voice came from outside: "My lord, an invitation has arrived from the Prime Minister's residence."
"Come in."
The door was pushed open, and a subordinate handed in an invitation. He opened it and saw that it was a banquet invitation for the Prime Minister's daughter's sixteenth birthday celebration.
He smiled. It was like a pillow being delivered to someone who was just about to doze off. The opportunity had come to him.
"Go and tell the messenger that I will definitely come."
"yes."
Sun Qi took the invitation and went to see Qin Jian again. The two spent the afternoon plotting in the study.
Although Qin Jian felt that his plan was too risky and that he might accidentally expose himself, causing all his hard work over the years to go down the drain, he was ultimately willing to believe in Sun Qi's abilities and let him give it a try.
Sun Qi and Qin Jian's public identity in Nantai is that they run a large gambling den, but in reality they are involved in many businesses. Some officials are secretly envious and want to deal with them but have failed to gain any advantage. As a result, everyone thinks that they are backed by the royal family. Therefore, many officials want to win them over secretly.
That's why the daughter of Prime Minister Nan Tai invites him to her birthday celebrations; she probably wants to take the opportunity to win him over.
Seven days later, Sun Qi went to the Prime Minister's residence as promised, bringing with him a priceless luminous pearl. Some people saw the contents of the gift list and secretly speculated whether Sun Qi wanted to become the Prime Minister's son-in-law.
The Prime Minister's mansion was already powerful, and if Sun Qi's influence were added, then the Prime Minister's nephew, who is now the sixth prince, would definitely be able to sit on the throne as crown prince.
However, the sixth prince is still young, only eleven years old, and it is unknown whether he can shoulder this heavy responsibility.
Sun Qi ignored these speculations and went into the Prime Minister's residence on his own. Led by a servant, he went to the main hall.
The Prime Minister's daughter's birthday celebration was mostly attended by young men and women, whose families held official positions. Sun Qi was the only one without any official rank or traceable background.
Even so, no one present dared to mock him because of his status; in fact, they all approached him with ingratiating expressions and struck up a conversation.
Sun Qi had attended countless banquets like this, using them merely as a pretext to gather influence.
All the men were on this side, while the women were drinking tea and admiring flowers in the pavilion across the lake. Men and women did not sit together.
Meanwhile, in the pavilion, many young ladies from official families were secretly observing the area, and when they saw the young men, they couldn't help but blush.
"Who do you think is the best-looking among those men?"
"Of course it's Young Master Zhao! Young Master Zhao is the most handsome of the four great men in the capital!"
"That's true, but Young Master Zhao has been bedridden for many years and looks sickly. No matter how handsome he is, he is no longer as radiant as he used to be, now that he is suffering from illness."
"If you ask me, the Third Master of Shunyu Gambling House is good-looking, handsome and with an extraordinary demeanor. Most importantly, I've heard that he has considerable power behind him!"
"Yes, I've heard that too. Anyone who marries Third Master is truly blessed!"
...
The daughters of officials whispered among themselves, and even He Zihan, the daughter of the Prime Minister, kept her eyes fixed on Sun Qi.
Last night, her father told her that if she could win the Third Master's favor and get engaged, the He family would gain more power, her aunt's status in the palace would rise, and she would become the most envied person among all the women in the capital.
More importantly, she already liked Third Master.
After thinking for a moment, she casually brushed off the ladies and left. She then whispered a few words to her personal maid, who responded and left.
Sun Qi was sitting in his seat, drinking tea and listening to the opera with peace of mind. He was waiting for the show to begin.
Just then, a maid stepped forward respectfully and said, "Third Master, my young lady wishes to see you."
Sun Qi raised an eyebrow and looked at a servant not far away. The servant nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Miss He, is there something you need?"
"Please come with me, Third Master."
The young maidservant lowered her head, not daring to look him in the eye.
Sun Qi curled the corners of his mouth; the Prime Minister's family was truly his lucky star.
So he readily stood up and followed the maid.
However, it seems a bit of a pity to miss out on a good show that's still going strong.
He Zihan was already waiting for him in another pavilion. When she saw him coming from afar, her palms couldn't help but sweat.
"Third Master..."
She spoke with a slightly shy tone, and Sun Qi, being a gentleman, bowed and asked, "Miss He, is there something you need?"
"I...I..."
He Zihan was the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister's family. She was proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She was being trained to be sent to the palace and was taught the traditional virtues of women. This was the first time she had ever met a man outside the palace in private, so she was inevitably a little nervous and embarrassed.
She blushed furiously and didn't know how to start the conversation.
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