...
In the east of the Imperial City, a fiery red sun rose.
The Crown Prince was holding a royal banquet at his mansion today to celebrate his birthday, but even the common people of the Imperial City knew this was no ordinary birthday feast.
The First Prince intended to use this occasion to announce a fact to all the civil and military officials, as well as his brothers who were eyeing the throne.
I have returned.
You can all give up on the throne!
All the civil and military officials clearly understood Zhou Wuji's intention. Although it was not yet time to declare allegiance, in the current situation, no one dared to disrespect His Highness the Crown Prince. Thus, on the day of his birthday banquet, the moment the red sun's light illuminated the land, the entire Imperial City was ignited.
The streets and alleys surrounding the Crown Prince's mansion were so crowded with carriages that they were impassable. Each carriage was occupied by a prominent figure of the court. However, after half an hour, the carriages remained stationary. These dignitaries could only alight and have their retainers carry their gifts as they walked to the Crown Prince's mansion.
The Crown Prince's mansion, which had been desolate for six years, was bustling with people today. Since early morning, distinguished guests had been arriving in an endless stream, their footsteps threatening to wear down the threshold.
"Halt, who goes there!"
Outside the Crown Prince's mansion, there was a secluded alley, so narrow that only a small carriage could pass through. At the entrance of this alley, two soldiers stood guard.
"We're here to deliver vegetables. This is our credential." The hunched old woman pushing the cart behind spoke in a hoarse voice. A sweat-stained cloth covered her face. She approached the two guards and presented a wooden token of indeterminate age.
The two tall soldiers took the token and examined it carefully from front to back. Finding no issues, they still stared suspiciously at the old woman for a long time, frowning as they asked:
"How come I haven't seen the two of you before? Wasn't Old Wang the one who delivered vegetables before?"
The old woman with the hoarse voice faltered, then looked at the guard and asked, "Who is Old Wang? Wasn't it Old Liu's aunt who delivered vegetables here before? Did I remember incorrectly?"
The soldier remained silent.
At this moment, the old cart driver pulling the vegetable cart, stooping and speaking with an air of seniority, said, "There's no mistake. It's Old Liu's aunt. I always see her pulling the cart here!"
"Then perhaps I was mistaken." The suspicion in the soldier's eyes lessened, but he continued to ask, "So why is it you two today? Where are they?"
"We've been too busy delivering vegetables these past two days. Old Liu strained his back and is being treated at a clinic in the city. His aunt is also looking after him," the old woman said in a hoarse voice.
"Such a coincidence, falling ill precisely today?" A cold glint flashed in the soldier's eyes as he stared at the old woman and continued, "Which clinic? Do you know!"
The old woman paused, feigning thought, and raised her right hand, gesturing in the air. "It's called... what was it? I think it's the one next to Sun Ji's tailor shop."
"Yun Shang Medical Hall," the stooped cart driver added.
"You're not related to them, why do you know so clearly!" The soldier stared at the cart driver and asked sternly.
The cart driver's face turned pale, and he answered evasively. The old woman, however, seemed to have seized an opportunity, immediately turned her head and pointed at the cart driver, shouting, "Ah, you heartless man! Are you still pining after Aunt Liu?"
"No wonder she asks for your help whenever something comes up. Why weren't you this diligent when my aunt was sick!"
Seeing this, the two soldiers' doubts were completely dispelled. They quickly stepped forward to pull the old woman away.
"Keep your voice down. Don't you know what day it is? If you want to die, don't drag me with you!"
The soldiers looked at the two of them impatiently and waved them through. "Hurry inside, don't be late!"
"I'll settle accounts with you when we get home!" The old woman angrily kicked the old cart driver, then walked to the back of the cart to help push. Together, they drove into the alley.
The alley led directly to the Crown Prince's mansion.
After placing the vegetable cart at the designated spot, the two of them silently walked to a corner of a small alley. After disappearing and reappearing, the old woman and the cart driver were gone.
"Is this the contingency your master left you?"
Xu Mu straightened his dusty brown robe, peeled off the fake eyebrows from his eyes, and looked at Li Zao with a touch of exasperation.
He had thought Mei Chuan had arranged some formidable subordinate for Li Zao in the Imperial City, one who could even procure them entry into the banquet. Turns out, it was just two vegetable delivery people!
Li Zao, now clad in simple black attire, tied her hair into a braid with a cool demeanor. She sneered at Xu Mu, "Aren't you inside now? What more are you complaining about?"
Xu Mu shrugged and said no more. He smiled faintly and walked out from the corner. The two followed the route they had memorized, passing through three arched gateways, and then saw a large number of carriages and people crowded in a courtyard ahead.
"Carefully, carefully!" An old steward with a long beard, wearing a dark brown brocade robe and a small round hat, clapped his hands in distress as he spoke to the soldiers carrying a chest. "This is a pearl oyster that my master had people salvage from the West Sea. Twelve people died just to get it out to sea. You mustn't let it be broken!"
The servants heard this and cast scornful glances at the old steward, casually stacking the three chests on top of each other.
"What's this? Just now, an official from Shuntian Prefecture brought a thousand-year-old ginseng! They say that to capture it, they were surrounded by a pack of demonic beasts, and two lords died!"
The old steward was stunned and had nothing more to say. He stood alone, watching the warehouse doors being opened one after another, and the gifts piled carelessly inside, like mountains. He couldn't help but shake his head with a bitter smile.
If he had known that the things they had racked their brains and exhausted themselves to send would not even be glanced at by His Highness the Crown Prince, why should they have taken it so seriously? Why not just muddle through?
"I am the deputy commander of the Scarlet Flame Army. This is my general's congratulatory gift to His Highness the Crown Prince, personally forged by a master artifact refiner." Another carriage arrived, squeezing into the courtyard. A tall, middle-aged man in a military uniform walked down, holding a long gift box with a serious expression.
Seeing the man, the two soldiers immediately plastered on smiles and bowed. "Is this Deputy Commander Xu? His Highness the Crown Prince said that you are to attend the banquet in the main hall. You can just hand over anything you have there yourself."
The tall man heard this, retrieved the gift box, nodded, and said, "Very well. Which way is the main hall?"
"This way, please..."
Xu Mu stood in a corner of the courtyard, observing the scene. The mountain-like and sea-like warehouse of rare gifts made him widen his mouth slightly.
This was what it meant to be a prince of the realm. Any single item in that warehouse could be a priceless treasure that a wealthy family would go bankrupt to acquire. Yet, here they were, piled up like common cabbages.
Xu Mu's expression was strange. He inexplicably recalled the battle at the West Mountain pollution source, when he was mistakenly believed to be dead and then received compensation. It seemed to be only a few dozen taels of silver.
"A human life isn't even enough to buy the boxes used to hold these gifts."
"Human lives are the least valuable things," Li Zao said in a cold tone, hearing Xu Mu's sigh.
Xu Mu was speechless. This was indeed true. The world was so turbulent that death was as common as killing a chicken. Perhaps this very fate would befall him one day.
Xu Mu: "By the way, when are we acting? Aren't we supposed to sneak into the front courtyard? Why are we standing here?"
Li Zao: "Don't you see the soldiers guarding the entrance to the front courtyard? If we want to get in, we have to do what we just did again."
Xu Mu blinked. "Put on the cart driver's clothes again? But you already burned them!"
"Idiot." Li Zao looked coldly at Xu Mu and said, "How could vegetable delivery people attend a banquet in the front courtyard? Of course, we have to pretend to be gift-givers."
"See that man walking with the horse and carriage? Look at his inner lining. He's definitely from the border army, and he'll have the right to attend the banquet."
"Stop him, then find an opportunity to throw him into the warehouse in the back courtyard!" Li Zao said with a cold expression and then walked directly towards the tall border soldier.
Subsequently, Li Zao stopped him outside the crowded courtyard.
Xu Mu was stunned. Acting here, wasn't this too audacious? Although the man's aura wasn't particularly strong, he was at least a soldier. What if they couldn't subdue him with the first strike and caused a commotion? Wouldn't they all be finished!
"You're from the border army too, aren't you? It must have been a long journey." Li Zao walked up to the man, who was dressed as an ordinary person but was clearly much more robust, and asked with a smile.
The latter heard this, stopped the carriage by pulling the reins, and smiled, nodding at Li Zao. "I am Yuan Mou of the Tiger Roar Army, representing General Xiao Zhen to congratulate the Crown Prince on his birthday. It's a long journey, but it's my duty, no hardship involved."
Li Zao smiled faintly and pointed at the crowded courtyard and warehouses in the distance. "Since you are representing General Xiao Zhen, you are a distinguished guest of the Crown Prince's mansion. You can deliver the gifts directly to the Crown Prince at the banquet. There's no need to store them in the warehouse."
The man looked at the crowded courtyard and was about to smile and say something when he suddenly realized something was amiss. He paused and looked at Li Zao, asking, "I haven't asked who you are, young lady."
"I am also from the army, formerly a scout under General Li Xun. I am now following the Crown Prince and am responsible for receiving distinguished guests here." Li Zao looked into the man's eyes and said calmly.
"A female scout!" The middle-aged man sized up Li Zao's slender yet subtly curvaceous figure. A hint of lust flashed in his eyes inadvertently. But when he looked up at Li Zao's sharp gaze, the lust turned into admiration.
It was bone-chillingly cold, filled with murderous intent.
The man laughed heartily and no longer doubted Li Zao's identity. He didn't even look at the identity token Li Zao had prepared. He reached out and put his arm around Li Zao's shoulder, laughing heartily. "Since we're both in the military, let's not stand on ceremony. Female scouts are rare. At the banquet later, you must tell me your stories properly, don't hold back!"
Li Zao forced a smile and subtly broke free from the man's embrace. She pointed in the direction of the courtyard. "The warehouse here is almost full. If your gifts are too numerous and it's inconvenient to present them to the Crown Prince in person, shall I help you put them in the back courtyard?"
"There's a back courtyard too?" The man's eyes showed a hint of hesitation. The goods in this carriage were too precious. If they were lost, he would lose his head when he returned.
The man looked up at the soldiers in the courtyard. He wanted to confirm Li Zao's identity with someone else, but the soldiers were currently busy and sweating profusely. The courtyard was full of carriages waiting to unload, and people were everywhere. They had no time to notice him.
Seeing this, the man frowned and was about to shout something when he heard Li Zao call out to Xu Mu.
"Sir, please wait a moment!"
"This lord is also from the border army and holds a noble position. After I finish storing his gifts, I will escort you to the banquet!"
Xu Mu heard this, glanced dismissively at Li Zao and the middle-aged man, and snorted arrogantly. "You'd better be quick."
"If you delay my matter with His Highness, you know the consequences!"
The conversation between the two attracted attention. Many cultivators transporting goods looked at Xu Mu with envy, sighing in their hearts.
They were all delivering gifts. The things they had meticulously prepared were piled up so carelessly in the warehouse that the Crown Prince might not even look at them. Yet, others could not only present their gifts in person but also be escorted to the banquet to taste the royal feast!
Everyone looked at Xu Mu and the border soldier with envy, then turned their heads back, not paying further attention.
The man beside Li Zao smiled. Since no one among the crowd doubted Li Zao's identity, it seemed he had been overthinking.
"This is the Crown Prince's mansion. In broad daylight, can anyone possibly deceive me!"
The man smiled, handed the reins to Li Zao, and said, "Where is the back courtyard? Please lead me there, young lady!"
Li Zao's eyes were calm. She led the horse along the path they had come, passed through three arched gateways, and arrived at the dilapidated logistics warehouse courtyard used for storing vegetables.
The man entered the courtyard, and the smile on his face froze.
"This place... is for storing gifts?" he asked Li Zao, stunned.
"No," Li Zao shook her head and continued to lead the horse forward, seemingly heading into an alley.
"Oh, I see. It doesn't look like a place for storing precious gifts at all," the man said with a chuckle, his gaze fixed on Li Zao's slender and alluring figure. His throat couldn't help but heat up.
He had rushed from the border, a long and arduous journey. Along the way, he had been on edge, daring not to be careless with his cargo, nor daring to engage in any romantic affairs, for fear of losing his mind and losing the goods, which would cost him his head!
But now, he had successfully reached the Crown Prince's mansion, so he didn't need to be so careful anymore. And most importantly, there were only him and Li Zao in this courtyard now!
To have a female scout in the Crown Prince's mansion, the man's heart began to pound with excitement. He didn't notice Xu Mu appearing behind him.
"May I ask if this young lady is married..."
"—Crack!"
Xu Mu struck the man on the neck. The latter's eyes went black, and he immediately fainted.
"A honey trap!" Xu Mu said to Li Zao with a smile.
Li Zao glanced coldly at the man, casually grabbed him by the collar, sealed his meridians with divine power, and then tied him up thoroughly before throwing him and the horse-drawn cart full of gifts into the warehouse.
As for the horse, Xu Mu led it to the stables.
"What should I do next?" After quickly finishing his task, Xu Mu stood in the courtyard, looking at Li Zao with excitement. He was ready to attend this royal banquet.
Judging by the extravagance of the gifts alone, the food must also be good. He had been staying in the mountains for days, and his stomach was already rumbling with desire!
Li Zao pocketed the token for attending the banquet that she had found on the man and slowly walked past Xu Mu, saying coldly, "There is only one token."
"You stay here and keep an eye on the person. Just make sure he doesn't escape. You can kill him if necessary."
Xu Mu looked at Li Zao's receding figure, then glanced at the cabbages and radishes stored in the warehouse. He helplessly shook his head.
"Eating vegetables every day."
"I'm almost becoming a rabbit!"
...