Sheng Li and Wang Hao dressed as the workers had entered the underground base. They had grain sacks on their backs. The view of the underground base was spectacular. They put the sacks on one side and looked around. "You two seem new to the work," a bearded man talked to them. Sheng Li and Wang Hao nodded.
"The wages are good here. I have been working here for five months. Fortification is going on at the other end," the man told them. "If you want to get employed as a worker there, then this is the best opportunity," he added with a smile.
"Fortification? Did the Emperor order it?" Sheng Li curiously asked him.
"Nobody from the Empire cares for this remote village. We are lucky that the master provided us with resources and jobs," the man stated, as the workers around him heard him. He looked at his friend, who was noting the entries in a ledger book in his hand. "Shu Tian," he called him and he came towards them.
"What happened, Wan Ju?" Shu Tian queried him.
"These two are newly appointed. Aren't they perfect for the job of fortification that is going on in the borders?" Wan Ju asked for his suggestion. "Look at their bodies," Wan Ju touched Sheng Li's arm, who did not like it at all.
"But the work will be completed soon. I do not think more men are needed there," Shu Tian affirmed.
"Brother, maybe there are two posts vacant for us. Take us there," Wang Hao requested Shu Tian. Sheng Li also put pressure on him. "We have a huge family to feed, master. Just take us once," asserted Sheng Li and joined his both hands.
"Come with me. I will show you the way. Shu Tian, let's go," he said.
They took them to the other side of the camp, which opened up on the level ground. Sheng Li and Wang Hao were shocked to see that a Palace was already constructed. The spy that Sheng Li had sent might not have been able to find out the entire information for him.
"A Palace?" Wang Hao murmured. Since it was night time only a few soldiers could be seen around the Palace. Shu Tian told them to wait there. "I will ask my senior first about the vacancy. If there are some, then you two can join but I cannot assure you." Sheng Li and Wang Hao nodded while joining their hands.
'I, as the Crown Prince, indeed neglected my duties. Tan Gengxin has not only raised a Palace and an army but also fortified this village. He is making this as its capital and trying to gain control over the masses, who are far from our reach,' Sheng Li thought. 'Weng Wei aided the worst enemy. I did not know for the power she would stoop so low.'
Shu Tian returned and said, "Only one vacancy is there. Now, you two decide who will take the work. Wages are 100 cents a month."
"Elder Brother, I shall work there," Wang Hao suggested to Sheng Li, who delightedly agreed with that. "I will continue carrying the sacks and you can give this work to my younger brother," Sheng Li stated. Shu Tian nodded and asked for their names.
"My name is Hushu, and he is Hujin," Sheng Li told him their alias names. Shu Tian then asked for the identification, which they showed and their name was registered by him in the other ledger.
"Today's work is completed. You shall come in the early morning," Shu Tian told them. They both thanked him and left the place. As they ascended the stairs to come out of the underground base, Wan Ju stopped them.
He negotiated the stairs and halted at a stair below the one on which Sheng Li stood. He looked around and then in a low voice said, "I need to talk to you. I know that you are" he stepped on the stair where Sheng Li was standing and leaned closer to his ear, "the Crown Prince."
Sheng Li kept his face calm and told him to follow him. Once they reached far from the underground base, Sheng Li put the dagger on his neck. Wan Ju raised his hands in the air and gulped. Wang Hao was befuddled to see that.
"Your highness, it's me, Wan Ju. How could you forget me?"
Sheng Li pulled his hand back. He put a little pressure on his brain and recalled him. "You are that boy-"
"Yes. I am that boy whom you met when you first started your military campaign at the age of 16," Wan Ju confessed. Wang Hao was still confused about their conversation.
Sheng Li smiled and hugged him tightly. "You have grown up so much. I almost could not recognize you," Sheng Li stated.
"Even his highness has changed so much," Wan Ju replied. The two pulled away from each other.
"Let's go to our place first. Then we'll talk more," Sheng Li suggested to him. Wan Ju agreed to him and they left for the residence of Village headman Feng Yao.
Hu Jingguo was pacing in the garden, worrying about Sheng Li. "Lili told me not to leave him alone. Did I make a mistake by not accompanying him?" He muttered when he saw Sheng Li, General Xiao, and an unknown man whom he did not know.
He was glad to see that Sheng Li was alright. "Let's talk in my chamber," Sheng Li stated while the others followed him. In the chamber, Hu Jingguo brought the tea for all of them and placed the tray on the table. He served tea to them and sat beside Wang Hao on a chair.
"I was 16 when I first met Wan Ju on the Yangtze Riverbank. Our military camp was put there. Wan Ju was heavily injured, and I found him near the riverbank," stated Sheng Li.
"Yes, and you saved my life. After 3 months, I parted my way with you," Wan Ju replied.
"But, what are you doing here and how did you recognize me?" Sheng Li asked him.
"I live here and I recognized you from those eyes…," answered Wan Ju.
Sheng Li raised the cup and sipped the tea, followed by them. "Did you see what is going on here?" Sipping the tea, Wan Ju asked him.
"Why didn't you inform me? You told me you'll help me in the future," Sheng Li jokingly said.
"I sent you a message two months ago. I came to Luoyang at that time to inform you. Since I am a commoner, I could not meet you, so I gave the letter to the gatekeeper there," Wan Ju affirmed.
"What? I did not receive any message," Sheng Li knitted his brows. Wang Hao and Hu Jingguo got worried thinking about that.
"You are not here because you did not get my message?" Wan Ju questioned him.
"No."
"Then where did my message go?" Wan Ju frowned.
"Maybe a spy of his got his hands on the message," Wang Hao raised a possibility.
"But if it so then he would have searched about the source of the message," Sheng Li concluded and furrowed his brows together. "Someone in the Palace… wait, Weng Wei's spies might have gotten their hands on it," Sheng Li deduced.
"Your highness, if that's the case then she might have told them to search for its source," Wang Hao stated. "Wan Ju might have come into danger," he said.
"There are many possibilities that they would not have thought a commoner could send, or the gatekeeper threw it thinking it's from a commoner," Wang Hao suggested to Sheng Li, who hummed. "Let's leave it. Because it's not a concern. Tan Gengxin has developed many things. We need more forces from the Han because war will break," Sheng Li concluded.
"I will send the message tomorrow to Xiao Zhan," Wang Hao informed Sheng Li, who agreed with him.
