Having obtained the information they wanted, Lin Hao and Qi Shuo left the place where the man was being held.

Settling into a teahouse not far from Du Qing’s residence, Qi Shuo gave his orders: “Notify Xuan Yi that he can apprehend the person directly.”

After having his subordinates disguised as officers take away the fake Du Qing, that residence had been under constant surveillance, and up to now there had been no report of anyone coming out. If the fake Du Qing hadn’t lied, then Chen Mu must still be hiding there.

Lin Hao took a sip of tea, somewhat moved: “Truly cautious.”

Outside, officers were searching everywhere. To find the murderer of Princess Lingque, they were conducting an almost carpet-style search. If Chen Mu rashly fled upon seeing the fake Du Qing being taken away at this time, he would have nowhere to go. Hiding there would at least allow him to hold out for a period of time, and only after the most tense period passed might there be an opportunity.

Chen Mu was just such a cautious person. In her previous life, despite being extremely careful, she still hadn’t escaped the pursuit he led.

After her moment of reflection, Lin Hao looked at Qi Shuo sitting across from her, and her heart settled with peace.

Fortune turns in cycles—this time it was Chen Mu’s turn to be hunted.

When the fake Du Qing was taken away, the courtyard gate hadn’t been locked in time, which made things convenient for Xuan Yi and the others. Leaving several people to guard around the house, Xuan Yi led two men inside with light footsteps.

Firewood was piled all the way to the outside of the woodshed. Inside the woodshed it was stuffy and hot, and as soon as one entered, sweat began to flow. Xuan Yi went straight to the two large vats in the corner. Lifting the lid of one vat, inside were pickled vegetables with a sour smell that assaulted the nose. In the other large vat was half a vat of coarse rice.

Xuan Yi nodded to his subordinate.

Understanding, the subordinate took a water ladle from among the piled miscellaneous items and transferred the coarse rice ladle by ladle onto the ground. Before long, the bottom of the vat was exposed.

At the bottom of the vat was an obvious protrusion.

The subordinate looked toward Xuan Yi with an inquiring gaze.

Xuan Yi bent down and reached out to press that protruding spot. Although he didn’t exert force, he understood the purpose of this protrusion.

He stepped back, took out a fire starter from his chest and lit a handful of thin kindling. Then, gripping the protrusion, he suddenly pulled it, throwing the blazing firewood into the opening that had suddenly appeared.

Almost instantly, a person jumped out from beneath the vat bottom.

Chen Mu’s martial skills were quite good, but a person jumping out from beneath a vat bottom to face three people who were already prepared—such an absolute disadvantage made it impossible for him to escape.

He took a blow the instant he jumped out, and before long was subdued by Xuan Yi.

Xuan Yi decisively pried open his mouth and stuffed a wad of cloth inside, handed him over to his subordinates to watch carefully, and went to report back to Qi Shuo.

“You’ve confirmed it?”

“This subordinate has already confirmed it—he matches the person in the portrait.”

Qi Shuo nodded and looked toward Lin Hao: “Do you have anything you want to ask him?”

Lin Hao shook her head: “No need. Let’s proceed as we discussed and send him to the Jinlin Guard.”

Emperor Pingle’s faction had been plotting for many years, and quite a few people were hidden in the capital. There was no need for her and A’Shuo to step into the open.

“Then I’ll escort you home first.”

Lin Hao didn’t refuse. With Qi Shuo accompanying her, she returned to the General’s Manor, watching his departing figure with some envy.

She also wanted to go to the Jinlin Guard together, but unfortunately it wasn’t convenient.

Qi Shuo didn’t see Cheng Maoming at the Jinlin Guard office.

“The Grand Commander went to the guest lodge.”

“About when will he return?”

The Jinlin Guard who was receiving Qi Shuo showed difficulty: “That’s hard to say. If the Heir is in a hurry, this humble one can have someone make a trip to check.”

As one of Cheng Maoming’s trusted subordinates, the Jinlin Guard naturally knew of the Grand Commander’s special regard for the Heir of Prince Jing, and thus didn’t dare be negligent.

Qi Shuo didn’t stand on ceremony: “Then I’ll trouble you. I’ll wait for him at the teahouse across the way.”

The Jinlin Guard quickly instructed a subordinate to go to the guest lodge.

At this moment, Cheng Maoming at the guest lodge was completely overwhelmed.

A Yuliu maidservant had actually disappeared!

When he received the report, his vision went black and he nearly fainted.

His Majesty had specifically instructed that absolutely no scrap of paper was allowed to be transmitted back to Yuliu, yet a living person had gone missing—and what was worse, it was a Yuliu maidservant!

After Princess Lingque was killed, the Honglu Guest Lodge where the Yuliu envoys resided had been monitored with no blind spots. As long as Yuliu people walked out the lodge’s entrance, wherever they went someone secretly followed. Even birds flying out from the lodge, regardless of whether they were carrier pigeons or not, were all shot down without exception.

Under such tight security, a Yuliu maidservant had actually disappeared.

Everyone in the capital knew about Princess Lingque’s death. If someone went to inform Yuliu, it actually couldn’t be stopped, but if a Great Zhou person ran over to say that their princess had died in the Great Zhou capital, how much would Yuliu believe? But what if it was a maidservant from Princess Lingque’s side?

Cheng Maoming was so anxious his eyes flashed with stars. He fiercely slapped the subordinate responsible for watching the lodge: “You bastard, how did you watch these people?”

The subordinate who was struck also felt wronged: “This subordinate, following your instructions, surrounded the lodge layer upon layer. Absolutely no Yuliu maidservant walked out the lodge’s main gate.”

“Absolutely didn’t go out? Then where is she? Don’t tell me she grew wings and flew out?”

The subordinate lowered his head, not daring to look at Cheng Maoming’s furious expression, stammering: “Even if she grew wings and flew out, she would have been shot down.”

That was the fate of those birds that flew out from the lodge.

“So you’re saying the person is still inside the lodge?”

The subordinate didn’t dare make a sound.

The lodge used to accommodate the Yuliu envoys wasn’t very large. It had already been searched several times over, and there was simply no trace of that maidservant.

“Keep searching!”

Cheng Maoming paced in circles with his hands behind his back, worrying about how to report to His Majesty that the Yuliu maidservant had disappeared.

A Jinlin Guard walked over: “Grand Commander, the Heir of Prince Jing is waiting for you at the teahouse across from the office. He says there’s an urgent matter.”

“Go tell the Heir of Prince Jing that I can’t get away here.” Cheng Maoming’s first reaction was to decline. Watching his subordinate walk out, he suddenly called out: “Wait.”

The subordinate stopped and looked at him in confusion.

“Let’s go.” After giving a few instructions, Cheng Maoming hurried toward the teahouse across from the Jinlin Guard office.

Qi Shuo slowly drank his tea, speculating about the situation at the guest lodge, and looked toward the private room entrance when he heard footsteps.

The door was quickly opened, and Cheng Maoming strode in: “My apologies for keeping the Heir waiting.”

Even standing here, he still felt somewhat puzzled by his own behavior.

Such a major incident had occurred at the guest lodge—he simply had no mind to deal with other matters. Yet thinking it was the Heir of Prince Jing, he inexplicably wanted to see him.

What if the Heir of Prince Jing brought more good news?

This thought flashed by, and Cheng Maoming didn’t want to acknowledge it.

He wasn’t this kind of superstitious person.

Qi Shuo set down his teacup: “Hearing that the Grand Commander is busy, I shouldn’t disturb you, but there’s a new development on my end. After thinking it over, I felt informing the Grand Commander would be most appropriate.”

“What development?” Cheng Maoming couldn’t control a trace of anticipation rising in his heart, then secretly scorned himself.

How could good fortune constantly come knocking? As the Jinlin Guard Commander, he couldn’t harbor such naive thoughts of getting something for nothing.

“It’s like this—through a fortuitous encounter, I’ve found the wanted criminal who murdered Princess Lingque.” Qi Shuo said calmly.

Cheng Maoming: !

He knew it—the Heir of Prince Jing was his lucky star!