Chapter 66: You Are Scheming Against Me

Wu Zhui's coughing gradually ceased, and Nan Xueyin helped him stand up and walk out of the cell.

She did not look at Xiao Youlan's expression, and with a cold face, she ordered the dice roller, "You, lead the way out."

The attendant chuckled: "Young Master, wouldn't it be better if we just returned the way we came?"

"No," Nan Xueyin refused coldly.

Just now, Xiao Mingyu encountered an assassin, and the chaos inside and outside the gambling den must have already attracted attention; whether it be the gambling den's own Guards or the patrol squads of Fengdu, they would all be rushing toward this place.

More importantly, the Crown Prince's Hidden Guard were also over there.

Nan Xueyin commanded: "I want a new route, preferably one that leads outside the gambling den."

The dice roller immediately glanced at Xiao Youlan, and seeing his expression turn slightly cold, he decided to deny the request.

Nan Xueyin, however, stared at him intently and warned him sternly: "I know you must have such a route. If you dare to lie to me, I wouldn't mind breaking your legs."

The dice roller was stunned.

Xiao Youlan, meanwhile, laughed silently. A moment ago she spoke of breaking an arm, and now she spoke of breaking legs; her methods for intimidating and tormenting people were certainly varied.

Seeing his smiling face, the dice roller seemed to heave a sigh of relief, "There is one, yes..."

Nan Xueyin lifted her chin slightly, "Then lead the way!"

The dice roller let out an "ah."

Before setting off, Nan Xueyin first asked Wu Zhui, "Can you walk on your own? Or should you hold onto me?"

Xiao Youlan said faintly: "It's not as if you're an assassin; surely you don't need someone to support you just because you've suffered some injuries."

Nan Xueyin looked at him in confusion.

Wu Zhui was also confused. Is this person really the Crown Prince? Legend has it that the Crown Prince is clearly cold and ascetic, but his words sounded incredibly sour.

Facing Nan Xueyin, he shook his head slightly, "I'm fine, I can walk."

Nan Xueyin nodded once.

The three of them followed the dice roller, changed direction, and walked through a fairly long secret passage.

Halfway there, Nan Xueyin spoke in the local dialect of Lianzhou: "I haven't asked you yet, why did you leave Jiaoyuan?"

The dice roller didn't understand a single word and just kept his head down, leading the way.

Xiao Youlan remained silent.

Wu Zhui replied in the same dialect: "That mission was something we discussed together. You weren't able to escape in time, and I feel I bear a great deal of responsibility. Besides, you and I have worked together for many years; I couldn't possibly leave you to fend for yourself."

So, Wu Zhui was loyal to such a degree.

In that case, all the grievances Nan Xueyin had suffered these past few days by submitting to Xiao Youlan in order to save him could be written off.

She said: "I'm not in any serious trouble, you don't need to feel guilty."

After a moment of silence, she said again in the dialect: "I won a large sum of silver tonight. Later, we'll knock those two out and leave with the silver."

Afterward, the group remained silent until they reached a secret door. They pushed it open to reveal a wardrobe; they opened the cabinet door and stepped out, finding themselves in an ordinary residence.

Outside, the night was deep, the moonlight was sparse and cold, and candles were lit sporadically all around.

The dice roller smiled and said: "Although we are still in Fengdu City, this is already the north of the city, far from Chunping Ward. It's very safe."

Nan Xueyin listened to his words, then stepped into the courtyard to look around, like a lioness patrolling her territory. Only after confirming that everything was secure did she return to her original spot.

The dice-rolling attendant was still smiling ingratiatingly at her. Nan Xueyin glanced at him and cleanly raised her hand to strike him down with a palm blow.

The attendant fell to the ground, caught off guard, the smile still on his face before he could retract it.

Wu Zhui witnessed everything and coughed, this time speaking in the official language: "You're still the same as ever."

Nan Xueyin raised her eyes, "What?"

Wu Zhui said truthfully: "Once you've finished using someone, you dispose of them cleanly."

Nan Xueyin curled the corners of her lips.

Xiao Youlan caught her smile and was momentarily stunned.

When he rescued her from Dali Temple Prison, whether at the villa or in the Eastern Palace, she had never shown such a smile in front of him.

Xiao Youlan's gaze grew even colder and deeper.

At this moment, Nan Xueyin's gaze suddenly turned toward him.

Xiao Youlan raised one eyebrow, "Do you want to knock me out, too?"

Having had her thoughts guessed, Nan Xueyin's hand couldn't bring itself to lift for a moment.

"Knock me out, and then leave with Wu Zhui, is that it?"

His tone was so gentle as he slowly walked one step closer to her.

Nan Xueyin actually retreated subconsciously.

Xiao Youlan continued to walk, and she continued to retreat.

After a few steps, Nan Xueyin's back hit a pillar, and she had no choice but to stop, leaning against it.

Xiao Youlan stood at a distance neither too far nor too close in front of her, looking down at her with his eyes. When he spoke, he had switched to the Lianzhou dialect: "Are you planning to take my silver to support another man, hmm?"

Nan Xueyin and Wu Zhui were both startled.

Neither of them expected that the Crown Prince, who was born and raised in Fengdu, could actually understand the obscure and difficult Lianzhou dialect, and could even speak it!

And he had heard and understood every word of their conversation in the secret passage earlier.

Wu Zhui was filled with panic and shock.

Nan Xueyin, however, frowned and emphasized: "A lot of that silver was won by me!"

The smile on Xiao Youlan's face deepened: "Wasn't it because I lent you my good luck?"

"Your Highness the Crown Prince..." Wu Zhui felt the current atmosphere was truly bizarre and attempted to speak.

Xiao Youlan suddenly glared at him; the smile vanished completely, leaving only a gaze that was shockingly cold and sharp.

Wu Zhui felt a chill run down his spine, reading the meaning in his expression: Shut up.

It was also at this moment that Nan Xueyin keenly sensed some unusual auras appearing in the surrounding courtyard; they were the Crown Prince's Hidden Guards.

They had actually followed them here so quickly.

Nan Xueyin suddenly realized something and raised her eyes to look at Xiao Youlan.

He had already withdrawn his gaze from Wu Zhui and let it fall back onto her face.

Nan Xueyin's lips parted: "You plotted against me."

"Hmm?"

"This gambling den, Baoli Pavilion, belongs to you, doesn't it?"

Xiao Youlan raised an eyebrow.

"The attendant throwing the dice kept watching your expression. And your Hidden Guards arrived far too quickly." Nan Xueyin counted off the clues, looking steadily at him, "You arranged it yourself, keeping Wu Zhui locked in the underground of Baoli Pavilion, and then deliberately guided me here."

Was it to investigate news of the Duan Prince?

Was it to obtain the secrets regarding the Duan Prince Mansion that Wu Zhui held?

Or was it, perhaps, for the Disguise Technique she excelled at?

"You are indeed clever; you guessed quite correctly." Xiao Youlan felt not a shred of guilt at being exposed; instead, he wore a smile, "In order to be able to go out with you, I truly went to great pains."

Nan Xueyin was stunned.

To go out with her—was this his true purpose?

Xiao Youlan raised his hand and brushed her cheek, "Fortunately, the few Hidden Guards I brought aren't too stupid and arrived in time; otherwise, once away from my side, I fear the injuries on your body wouldn't heal for quite some time."

Nan Xueyin's heart trembled; she had thought he would say something else, yet he spoke only of the injuries on her body not healing for some time.

She wanted to speak, but Xiao Youlan was unwilling to listen any longer; his thumb pressed against her lips, stopping all her words.

He turned to the side and called out, "Someone, come!"

Very quickly, two Hidden Guards appeared from the shadows, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, what are your orders?"