Du Ling exited the room from the window and knocked out the guard at the door before removing his clothes and tossing him intot he same bed as Wen Wanzhi.
After that, he took out a tiny packet of powder from his purse and spread it in the room. He then woke the two of them up with splashes of water before leaving quickly. It wasn’t long before moans could be heard from within.
Du Ling stayed nearby to bide his time as he contemplated his next move. According to what Wen Wanzhi and the man with the douli had said, the situation in Xiliu was much more complex than they had previously assumed it to be. The man with the douli could very well be reporting to that very same prince who had invited Du Ling here, and he could already guess their identity.
However, it was not wise to act rashly at this point. If that man was so confident, it was likely he already held power over the entire nation. The best thing to do for now was to locate Hua Zirong.
Looking around for sentries that could be spying on him, he found that there seemed to be none in the vicinity, allowing him to head towards where he had seen Hua Zirong being held.
~~~
In the meantime, Pei Qianhao and Wu Ling had arrived at the location indicated by Yu Xiao.
Wu Ling noted, “Your Highness, this place is heavily guarded. Could the Western Region King be here?”
“No, I can tell that Yu Xiao is here because it’s heavily guarded” Pei Qianhao’s eyes glinted as he spoke.
Wu Ling seemed to disagree with him slightly. “Your Highness, wouldn’t the Western Region King and Yu Xiao be together?”
“Hua Ziqing is extremely cunning, but he’s still considered honest in his dealings. This looks like something the despicable Li Zikang would do. He wants to trick us.” Pei Qianhao smirked.
“What do we do next, Your Highness?” Wu Ling asked.
Instead of answering, Pei Qianhao turned his attention elsewhere and asked, “Is that the Wutong Courtyard?”
“Yes, it is.” Wu Ling nodded.
“Let’s go over and take a look then.” And with that, the two started heading towards the Wutong Courtyard.
Along the way, Pei Qianhao smiled as his eyes landed on a rapidly approaching figure. When the two were face to face, they both wore amused smiles.
“Western Region King, how’s the palace? Is it to your liking?” Pei Qianhao started to tease as the scent of alcohol made its way to his nose.
Du Ling’s smile turned slightly bitter. “Stop mocking me, Prince Hao.”
“I guess it’s a long story,” Pei Qianhao answered.
Du Ling waved a hand and said, “There seems to have been a change of power in Xiliu. I’m not sure about Hua Zirong’s current situation either.”
“Let’s go pay him a visit then.” Pei Qianhao’s lips turned up at the corners.
Du Ling nodded as the three of them continued on their way towards the Wutong Courtyard.
They arrived at their destination shortly after, only to find the guard watching over it resting against the wall. The courtyard seemed barren, and the moonlight only served to enhance the effect.
Pei Qianhao gave Wu Ling a signal, and before long, the guard was taken out without a hitch before the trio walked in. Entering the room where Hua Zirong had been held, they found that it was now completely empty.
“This is…” Du Ling looked furious.
Pei Qianhao said, “King, it seems like Hua Zirong has come to an agreement with the other side and has been taken away.”
“What shall we do now?” Du Ling asked.
Pei Qianhao’s eyebrows creased slightly. “Go back to where you were being held first, to prevent anyone from suspecting anything. Hua Zirong will definitely appear at tomorrow night’s banquet.”
“Got it, I’ll go back first, but the two of you should leave as well. Xi-er will be worried.”
Du Ling then left quickly, heading for the courtyard where he was originally confined in.
