Chapter 476: The Master Won't Let You Go

Prince Chen's face darkened: "All of you, leave!"

The two Guards and the steward all trembled: "Yes!" and immediately retreated.

Zhou Jinhua fell to his knees with a thud: "Your Highness! My son has been pampered since childhood; there is absolutely no way he would be audacious enough to do anything that goes against Your Highness!"

"Now he is missing; I beg Your Highness to investigate thoroughly!" After speaking, his forehead touched the ground as he knelt, unable to rise.

Prince Qing's anger flared: "His courage still..."

Prince Chen glared at him; Prince Qing was startled and fell silent.

Prince Chen rose slowly, walked to Zhou Jinhua, and personally helped him up: "No need to worry; Jing An could not possibly be in trouble. It's just a few petty bandits."

Zhou Jinhua was about to speak again.

"Men!" Prince Chen raised his voice: "Immediately send people to Yuzhou to bring Young Master Zhou back to Jingcheng!"

Zhou Jinhua's old tears streamed: "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Prince Chen patted his shoulder: "Return to the mansion and wait for Jing An."

"Yes!" Zhou Jinhua turned and left.

Prince Chen looked at the closed door: "His son is clearly doomed; the dukedom we promised each other has not yet been granted."

"Now we must not be harsh; otherwise, Zhou Jinhua might be driven to desperate measures."

"Let's stall for now, Zhou Jing An is his eldest son, whom he always treats as a treasure; as long as the person hasn't been found for a day, he cannot be sure whether he's dead, so he must wait another day."

Prince Qing made no further objection, and silently nodded.

"What do you think of this matter?" a voice from behind the screen came from the Masked Man.

Prince Chen pondered for a while: "Someone disguised as Zhou Jing An stole the fifteen repeating crossbows in Yuzhou; the captured bandit leader must actually be Zhou Jing An himself."

"People in Yuzhou are not familiar with Zhou Jing An, so it's normal they can't tell."

"The one who stole the repeating crossbows must have learned the location of Chen Village from Zhou Jing An's mouth, then rushed to Jingcheng and blew up Chen Village."

"Only in this way can this tangled mess be untangled."

Prince Qing suddenly understood: "Brother Wang, your words make sense!"

The Masked Man slowly stepped out from behind the screen, glanced at the two: "Intensify the search for two more days, then let everyone return."

"Return?" Prince Qing clenched his fists, his anger still burning, "Could such a massive explosion of Chen Village be let off so lightly?"

Prince Chen guessed a few points: "Your Excellency means outward looseness, inner tightness? Let them think the wind has passed, so they'll reveal themselves early?"

The Masked Man nodded: "Exactly. Now the enemy is hidden while we are clear; defenses are overwhelmed."

"To know whether the person is still in Jingcheng, only if they stand in the open can they turn the tables. It's not hard to guess who could commit such a great act."

"It must be Xiao Yuanhang's people; perhaps one of his sons entered Jingcheng, and maybe also his Immortal Envoy daughter."

"If we can capture them, we can use them to blackmail Xibei."

"In Jingcheng, those friendly with Ning Prince's Mansion must all be assigned watchers; their venture into the capital may not be solely aimed at Chen Village."

He looked at Prince Chen: "Don't forget your son whose elbow bends outward; didn't he once plead to you on behalf of Princess Jiayou?"

Prince Chen hurriedly bowed: "Yes!"

The Masked Man's gaze swept over their faces: "Since ancient times, conquering a realm is hard; defending it is even harder."

"One Chen Village gone, what's the rush? Build ten more at once! Accelerate weapon forging! Now, except for Xibei, the world is in your two hands; do not..."

"Yes!"

Prince Qing hesitated: "What if they never reveal themselves?"

The Masked Man pondered briefly, a smile appearing in his eyes: "Tomorrow, in the nine gates of Jingcheng, the streets and markets, all will post notices."

"Chen Village was bombed flat, causing thousands of military and civilian casualties; it was Seventh Prince Xiao Ze colluding with..."

Prince Qing's eyes flickered, his face slightly flushed, excitement rising: "Then treat it as treason? Seventh Prince once acted as regent; this is a perfect chance to eliminate him?"

"No." the Masked Man raised his hand, "Now is not the time; he still has greater use. The Ministry of Punishments, Dali Temple, and Censorate will examine him."

"The notice must state clearly: a prince who breaks the law is guilty as any commoner."

"Even a conspirator prince, the Imperial Court will not show favoritism; it must give the people of Jingcheng an answer."

Prince Chen understood: "Your Excellency means to show the world fairness, to win the people's hearts?"

"Not only that." the Masked Man chuckled lightly, "First, stabilize public sentiment. The people need not know the truth; as long as it appears just, they will praise the court, and Chen Village must not be bombed in vain."

"Second, Xiao Ze's close ties with Princess Jiayou make him bait; see whether this Little Princess is actually in Jingcheng."

"A few days after the notice is posted, send people to spread news that Seventh Prince is on a hunger strike, gravely ill, so that everyone in Jingcheng knows."

"After that, we'll wait to see if anyone walks into the trap."

Prince Chen asked: "May I ask, Your Excellency, where will Xiao Ze be detained? Dali Temple? Or the Heavenly Prison?"

The Masked Man thought briefly, then softly uttered two words: "No relocation."

Prince Qing was startled: "Do the three ministries have to go to his palace for trial?"

The Masked Man nodded: "Exactly. That Little Princess is not weak; keeping her outside, wherever she is I cannot rest easy."

"Only the Imperial Palace, the most heavily guarded place in the world, is secure."

"She may have transcendent abilities, but sneaking into the palace silently and rescuing someone is as hard as scaling the heavens."

Prince Chen nodded: "Your Excellency's insight is lofty. I will immediately send heavy troops to Seventh Prince's palace to lay a heaven‑and‑earth net; if anyone truly breaks in, we can seize them on the spot."

Prince Qing also said: "I will arrange the notice."

"Go."

"Yes!"

The next day, in the Guoshi Residence secret chamber.

Xiao Ningyuan gazed at the depiction of the Big Dipper on the stone wall: "That former National Preceptor seems especially fond of the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper."

"The seven indentations on the Heavenly Son Sword are also arranged in the pattern of those seven stars."

Chu Yuan said: "In the classics left by this National Preceptor, the Big Dipper Seven Stars correspond respectively to military, finance, labor, agriculture, rites, punishment, and espionage—the seven policies."

"Therefore, when all seven stars shine brightly, the state prospers; when the seven stars fade, the realm changes hands."

"The seven indentations you mentioned on the Heavenly Son Sword must be where he tempered the sword with stellar power, sealing the souls of the seven policies within it."

"Therefore, when all seven stars are lit, one can regain control of the seven policies and restore the land."

Xiao Ningyuan suddenly realized: "So that's how it is."

Tuan Tuan pat-pat-patted over, grabbing Chu Yuan with one hand and the older brother with the other: "Don't look at this, let's go play!"

The two lowered their heads to look at her, both smiling: "What does Tuan Tuan want to play?"

Tuan Tuan's eyes rolled: "I want to ride a big horse!"

Xiao Er and Lu Qi couldn't help but chuckle; the miss wants to ride a big horse, the young master can too, but the National Preceptor?

Sure enough, Chu Yuan's face stiffened: "You go play, I'll go check things out……"

Tuan Tuan gripped his hand tightly: "Master won't let you leave!"

A little Daoist rushed in, holding a notice: "Oh no, National Preceptor! Something's happened!"