Chapter 479: Why hasn't Big Brother come back yet?

Chu Yuan pondered briefly: "The key is certainly important, but actually it's simple; since the secret passage leads straight to the study in Zichen Hall, we just go in and look."

"The Seventh Prince is in his own palace, but the other exit of the secret passage is the Leng Gong."

"Getting out of the secret passage, how to enter the Seventh Prince's palace and then how to bring him out—that's the real difficulty."

Xiao Ningyuan nodded: "The National Preceptor is right; tonight we'll split into two groups."

"Lu Qi, come with me to Zichen Hall to find the key."

"Xiao Er, you take Tuan Tuan out from the Leng Gong."

"As the National Preceptor said, tonight you may not get a chance to rescue anyone."

"Go see what's happening inside the palace, scout the situation and report back, then we'll discuss the next step."

"Have the brothers wait at the secret passage's exit to provide support."

"Yes!"

That night, shortly after midnight, a group entered the secret passage.

The air was thick with the smell of damp earth, and the spark from the tinderbox only illuminated a few steps ahead.

Everyone held their breath as they walked, and their footsteps stirred faint echoes in the narrow space.

They walked for nearly half an hour before a fork finally appeared ahead.

Xiao Ningyuan raised the tinderbox and saw on the left rock wall two ancient seal characters reading "Tian Shu", and on the right, "Yu Heng".

Xiao Ningyuan pondered: "Tian Shu is the chief star of the Big Dipper, governing slaughter; Yu Heng stands at the center, holding the balance."

His gaze swept over the two branches: "The Tian Shu path should lead to the study, while the Yu Heng path goes to the Leng Gong."

"Lu Qi and I will take this route; Xiao Er, you bring three brothers and Tuan Tuan to check the Leng Gong. Remember, we may not need to rescue anyone, but Tuan Tuan must come to no harm."

"Yes!" Xiao Er lifted Tuan Tuan from his back.

"Tuan Tuan said: 'Big Brother, you be careful too! Don't let the bad guys snatch you.'"

"Xiao Ningyuan smiled: 'Got it! Remember, listen to your uncle and be quick in and out.'"

"Mm-hmm!"

The two groups then split up.

After walking for the length of an incense stick, Xiao Er softly asked: "Miss, are you tired? If you are, I'll carry you."

"Not tired," Tuan Tuan replied, looping her arms around his neck and looking ahead, "Oh, we're here!"

Ahead, stone steps leading upward finally appeared; upon reaching the top, a wooden hidden door came into view.

"A hidden door in a dry well? Quite ingenious."

Xiao Er admired it, reached out and gripped the sole protrusion on the door, pulled—nothing—then gave it a gentle twist.

The door panel swung open silently a crack, candlelight poured in; Tuan Tuan squinted, shrank back behind Xiao Er, "Wow, it's bright!"

When she opened her eyes again, she peered from Xiao Er's shoulder through the gap, her eyes widening: "This isn't the Leng Gong—when did it get bookshelves?"

"Xiao Er was equally startled: 'Wasn't the exit supposed to be a dry well? How can the Leng Gong be so luxurious?'"

"Tuan Tuan whispered in his ear: 'Uncle, this isn't the Leng Gong; it's Imperial Uncle's study.'"

"Did we take a wrong turn?" Xiao Er realized, feeling a mix of laughter and tears, and listened more carefully.

After a long while, seeing no movement, he quietly stepped out and pulled the door shut behind him.

All he saw was a thin wood carving on the back of the door, its gold‑brick pattern matching the wall perfectly.

When closed, the wall was smooth as before; the wooden door blended seamlessly with the surrounding décor, making real and fake indistinguishable.

A ring of oil‑soaked cork was set into the door frame, so opening and closing produced no sound at all.

Xiao Er marveled: "This Xuanwei National Preceptor is truly remarkable."

He gently set Tuan Tuan down and whispered: "Miss, since we're here in the study, let's look quickly—if we find the key, the trip won't have been wasted."

"You check low, I'll check high—all right?"

Tuan Tuan nodded, and the two began a careful search of the hall.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside the door, steady and growing clearer.

"Someone's coming!"

Xiao Er's face changed; he snatched up Tuan Tuan and darted back toward the secret passage.

But the footsteps had already reached the door—too late!

He had no choice but to hide behind a long plush curtain nearby.

"Squeak—"

"The hall door was pushed open."

The two held their breath, motionless, peering through the curtain: a figure stepped into the study, clad in black as night, wearing a strange bronze mask.

He closed the door behind him, walked to the desk, and sat down in the dragon throne before it with practiced ease.

"Tuan Tuan gazed at his back: 'Who is he? Why wear such an ugly mask?'"

"Xiao Er silently despaired: 'It's deep night; if he stays here till dawn, the eunuchs and palace maids will arrive, making escape difficult.'"

All he saw was the person picking up the memorials on the desk, flipping through them one by one, then tossing them aside.

He raised his hand, slowly removed the mask from his face, and laid it on the table.

"Tuan Tuan strained her neck to see his face clearly, but all she could make out was his back—nothing else."

"The person stopped browsing the memorials and simply sat still."

"After a long while, Tuan Tuan grew bored, stopped looking at him, and her gaze drifted idly over the bookshelves until it caught on an ancient volume—hey, a star chart?"

"She was about to reach for it."

"Ah—" the person let out a long, heavy sigh, clear and solemn, echoing through the great hall, startling Tuan Tuan.

"She turned her head, only to see him pick up the mask from the table, put it back on, and rise slowly to leave."

The hall doors closed again, and footsteps gradually faded away.

After waiting a while longer, Xiao Er finally stepped out from behind the curtains.

He whispered, "Miss, did you see that person just now?"

Tuan Tuan shook her head: "No."

"Then let's keep looking."

"Uncle Er, just now where we were hiding, there's a shelf with a book that has the Big Dipper on it!"

Xiao Er's spirit jolted: "Where?" He held Tuan Tuan and went back behind the curtains.

Tuan Tuan raised her hand and pointed: "There, that book."

Xiao Er followed the direction of her finger and saw an extremely thick ancient volume, its cover depicting a clear Big Dipper diagram, lying quietly on a shelf compartment.

He lifted the ancient volume, quickly flipped through a few pages; inside were all obscure seal script, interspersed with star charts and geographic annotations.

He set Tuan Tuan down, slipped the ancient volume into his bosom: "Miss, let's keep looking."

"Mm-hmm."

After a moment, chaotic footsteps began outside the door, as if a eunuch was coming in to sweep.

Xiao Er scooped up Tuan Tuan in one arm: "Let's go."

Opening the secret passage, he slipped inside, closed the door behind him, and only then did his heart settle into his stomach.

At last they emerged unharmed.

The three guards inside the secret passage had been waiting anxiously; seeing the two return unscathed, they each let out a long breath.

Several people followed the secret passage back to the secret room; Chu Yuan was pacing back and forth inside.

"Master!" Tuan Tuan lunged forward.

Chu Yuan scooped her up: "You've finally come back—did you see the Seventh Prince?"

Tuan Tuan shook her head: "We took a wrong turn! We went to Imperial Uncle's study! Where are the older brothers?"

Chu Yuan startled: "Took a wrong turn? Did Xiao Ningyuan go to the Leng Gong to rescue someone?"

He shook his head: "Not yet back."

Tuan Tuan's little brows instantly knotted: "Why hasn't the older brother come back yet?"