“A-Jing, where’s the auntie?” Su Xi-er was worried after surveying her surroundings for any sign of the old woman.
Wu Ling quickly explained, “Replying to the Princess Consort, the old woman is being well taken care of.”
Hearing Wu Ling’s words, Su Xi-er could finally let her heart settle down.
Pei Qianhao’s heart ached as he noticed how frail she was. His eyes full of warmth, he gently held her against himself.
Su Xi-er smiled, but the rough journey had taken its toll, while the pain and nausea refused to let up. Placing Pei Qianhao’s hand over her stomach, she was about to say something when she passed out.
The bumpy journeys and consumption of dry rations had taken a toll on her foetus.
Pei Qianhao swiftly carried her and walked inside the room. “Quickly, get a doctor.”
~~~
Meanwhile, in Xiangxiu House.
The guards spying on Pei Qianhao and Du Ling had returned at the same time. They stood outside of Li Zikang’s door and looked at each other, not daring to enter the room first for fear of losing their lives.
Suddenly, a mysterious masked person appeared. Trepidation seized the two guards, and it was like a weight that forced them to keep their heads lowered.
“Where’s Li Zikang?” The mysterious masked person asked icily.
“The General is inside.” The guard’s voice was trembling, and beads of sweat were dripping from his forehead.
The mysterious person was left discontent. “I’ll be at Zhu House. Tell him to come and see me as soon as possible.”
After the mysterious person departed, the two guards’ knees buckled before they gathered up their bearing and stood up to knock on the door.
“General, your subordinates have something urgent to report.”
Li Zikang was furious and he raised his voice. “Do you not want your lives anymore? How dare you disturb this General when I’m resting?”
“General, there’s someone waiting in a private room at Zhu House.” A guard frantically said.
The drunkenness instantly dissipated from Li Zikang’s countenance. Tidying up his clothes, he opened the door and hastily left, not even sparing the time to lambaste his guards.
After arriving at Zhu House, he entered the room and gingerly closed the door. With a deferential and slightly humble expression, he kept his head lowered.
“Where are Pei Qianhao and Du Ling? And what about Yun Ruofeng?”
“They are resting in a private room. This subordinate doesn’t dare to slack off; I have had people monitoring them.”
A teacup shattered on the floor.
“Inside a private room? I received intel that all three of them are in Xiang Village, which is at the border between Beimin and Xiliu. You still dare to spout lies.”
Li Zikang plopped to his knees. “This lowly one knows my mistakes. I will go and investigate this right away.”
“Get to it. If there’s a need, kill all of them. When Beimin and the Western Region are ravaged by chaos, that will be the best opportunity for us in Xiliu.”
Fear seeped into Li Zikang’s heart. Kill all of them? It’s easier said than done. Even I feel that Master is too optimistic this time.
However, he didn’t dare to voice his doubts. “This subordinate will carry out the orders.”
“Someone will be sneaking into the imperial palace tonight, which means that Hua Zirong’s predicament has already been exposed. Find this person and dispose of them; we must eliminate potential problems.” In the dead silence that followed, the only sound that could be heard was the mysterious person sipping tea.
An unsettling feeling entered Li Zikang’s heart upon hearing that Hua Zirong’s matter had been discovered. Considering that Pei Qianhao and Du Ling have escaped, could it be one of them that found out? If that’s really the case, I must finish them off.
It’s either them or me.
