Hearing footsteps behind him, Shen Hanzhi was about to turn around.
“Miss Liu, are you going to…”
Bai Zhen’er immediately let out a pained cry.
“Ow!”
She grabbed onto him, giving Liu Yueti the chance to slip out of the courtyard as quickly as possible.
Shen Hanzhi: “…”
He looked at Bai Zhen’er’s painfully obvious acting and sighed. Then, deliberately playing along, he asked,
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
Bai Zhen’er gazed at him with wide, pleading eyes.
“I was just so frightened that my legs went weak.”
“And…”
She asked softly,
“Aren’t you going to let go of me?”
Shen Hanzhi had pulled her into his arms to protect her just moments ago, and he still hadn’t released her.
Shen Hanzhi froze and quickly let go.
“Ah!”
Bai Zhen’er fell back against the table and rubbed her backside.
“Easy… You could’ve let go more gently.”
……
Meanwhile, Liu Yueti chased after them.
She saw the dark figures pursuing the assassin ahead and immediately changed direction.
If I follow those people, there’s no way I can outrun these highly trained guards. I’ll have to try my luck somewhere else!
After taking only a couple of steps, Liu Yueti caught sight of a figure flashing past.
It was Ling Buzhan!
Sure enough, the male lead is making his move too!
Wherever the male lead is, Wei Zhao will be nearby!
Liu Yueti hurried after him.
But following Ling Buzhan, she unexpectedly arrived at a wall.
Ling Buzhan had already disappeared.
“That’s impossible…”
Liu Yueti spun around in confusion.
“I clearly saw him come this way.”
“He couldn’t possibly have walked through the wall!”
She crouched down and examined the wall.
“Could there be some kind of mechanism or secret chamber?”
On the other side of the wall, Ling Buzhan was searching through the secret chamber.
He heard a whistle that mimicked an eagle’s cry and knew it was Feiying’s signal.
He had successfully rescued Wei Zhao.
Now, all that remained was to see whether he could find what he was looking for.
It was said that when the late Emperor died, he had left a secret imperial edict for Princess Pingyang. The princess had kept it hidden all these years without revealing it.
If that secret edict ever came to light, the political situation in the capital would be turned upside down.
The secret chamber was filled with priceless paintings, calligraphy, jewelry, and rare treasures.
Ling Buzhan had no interest in any of them. He swept his gaze over them without slowing down, but he couldn’t find any sign of the secret edict.
“Could it not be here…”
Ling Buzhan muttered unwillingly as he opened another box.
Inside was a stack of letters.
The handwriting was instantly recognizable to him.
It belonged to his adoptive father, Ling Qingyun, the Prefect of Yunzhou!
How could his letters be here, in Princess Pingyang’s residence?
Ling Buzhan’s eyes flickered.
He took out the letter at the very bottom and slipped it into his robes.
Just then, the secret door opened again.
“Ahhh! There really is a secret door!”
Liu Yueti came tumbling inside with a startled cry.
In an instant, Ling Buzhan’s hand went to the sword at his waist.
A flash of cold steel emerged from its sheath.
Liu Yueti caught sight of a figure in front of her and immediately covered her eyes with both hands.
“I don’t know who you are! Please spare me, assassin brother! I didn’t open my eyes! I didn’t see anything!”
Ling Buzhan: “…”
It’s her again.
He silently sheathed his sword, walked over to her, and studied her for a moment.
“Then keep your eyes tightly shut. Don’t open them.”
Liu Yueti had originally been planning to sneak a peek or two, but she immediately squeezed her eyes shut.
“What?”
Ling Buzhan asked with amusement.
“Were you thinking about opening your eyes?”
“No, no!”
Liu Yueti shook her head like a rattle.
“There’s just a lot of dust in here. I was blinking because of the dust. I wasn’t trying to open my eyes!”
Ling Buzhan chuckled.
“All right. Open your eyes.”
Liu Yueti cautiously opened one eye.
“You’re not going to stab me the moment I open them, are you?”
“This is a restricted area of the princess’s residence.”
Ling Buzhan’s voice carried a quiet threat.
“You came in here with me. If you turn me in, we’ll both die.”
“Understood.”
Liu Yueti quickly nodded.
“So you didn’t see me, and I didn’t see you!”
Ling Buzhan nodded in satisfaction.
“Very good.”
“You catch on quickly.”
Liu Yueti secretly glanced at him while thinking to herself.
This male lead doesn’t seem very smart.
And he’s supposed to be the protagonist of a political intrigue novel.
He only put on a face covering without even changing his clothes. Who wouldn’t recognize him?
Ling Buzhan noticed her gaze and deliberately leaned closer.
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Do you recognize me?”
Liu Yueti’s eyes widened.
“No, I don’t—”
“I don’t know you!”
Ling Buzhan gave a low chuckle.
Looks like this Miss Liu is fairly clever after all. She knows when to play dumb.
“That secret door can only be opened from the outside. We’ll have to find another way out.”
Ling Buzhan gestured for her to follow.
“Come with me.”
“Okay!”
Liu Yueti obediently followed behind him, taking the opportunity to sneak glances around and admire more of the princess’s collection.
Ling Buzhan chuckled.
“Interested?”
He lowered his voice and suggested,
“Want to steal something?”
Liu Yueti quickly shook her head.
Then she asked him,
“Did you steal anything?”
Ling Buzhan’s expression shifted.
Suddenly, he heard a faint sound.
He immediately covered Liu Yueti’s mouth and pulled her into a hidden corner.
The secret chamber door opened once again.
Princess Pingyang hurried inside, opened a hidden compartment, and checked that the item inside was still there.
Only then did her expression relax.
Ling Buzhan watched from the shadows, narrowing his eyes.
No wonder I couldn’t find it.
So that’s where she hid it.
It’s most likely the secret imperial edict.
Unfortunately, he had missed his chance. It would be difficult to take it now.
After hesitating for a long while, Princess Pingyang simply took the secret edict with her.
She was about to leave when her brows suddenly furrowed.
She picked up the box Ling Buzhan had touched earlier.
Opening it, she carefully counted the letters inside.
Her expression changed instantly.
Ling Buzhan was startled.
She actually remembers exactly how many letters were in this box?
What exactly was her relationship with my adoptive father?
With a soft click, Princess Pingyang closed the box.
After thinking for a moment, she quickly turned and left.
Once she exited the secret chamber, her personal female attendant immediately approached.
Princess Pingyang’s expression was cold.
“Seal the residence. Arrest the thief.”
After watching the princess leave, the two waited until they were certain no one was outside before using the same method to exit the secret chamber.
Liu Yueti didn’t even look back.
“Well then, assassin brother, I’ll be going now!”
Ling Buzhan didn’t seem bothered at all. He simply followed behind her with a smile.
Hearing his footsteps at a measured distance behind her, Liu Yueti suddenly sped up.
She nearly tripped.
Ling Buzhan caught her and, at the same time, removed his face covering.
“Careful, Miss Liu.”
“You!”
Liu Yueti pointed at him in disbelief.
“Why did you deliberately take off—”
She abruptly changed her expression and put on a bright, innocent smile.
“Wow! What are you doing here, Lord Xie? This is my first time seeing you today! Haha!”
“You came to admire the flowers too?”
“Yes.”
Ling Buzhan smiled back at her.
“What a coincidence, Miss Liu.”
“Yue’er—”
“Master!”
In the distance, Bai Zhen’er and the Regent, Feiying and Wei Zhao, as well as Princess Pingyang and the guards of the princess’s residence, had all gathered.
Ling Buzhan looked at the guards with slight surprise.
“What is Her Highness doing?”
“A thief has entered today’s Flower Appreciation Banquet. I’m afraid I’ve given everyone something to laugh about.”
Princess Pingyang smiled gracefully.
“I have lost something very important.”
“All guests present today must be searched individually.”
Liu Yueti secretly glanced at the male lead.
Well, you’re in trouble now.