Chapter 87: Deposed Crown Prince, Spy in Position, Treasure Easily Obtained

Great Zhou Capital, Imperial Palace.

Dressed in magnificent robes, the peerlessly beautiful Wan Guifei was strolling through the palace with a group of palace maids and eunuchs, feeling bored, sighing softly from time to time.

The palace maids and eunuchs behind her all kept their heads lowered as they followed from a distance, walking silently and holding their breath.

They were terrified that even the rhythm of their breathing might provoke the increasingly short-tempered favorite consort into a rage; just two days ago, Little Eunuch had been beaten to death simply for stepping through a doorway with his left foot first.

Seeing Wan Guifei still walking forward, her personal maid had no choice but to bite the bullet and whisper a reminder: "Your Ladyship, any further ahead is Si Guo Gong."

Upon hearing this, Wan Guifei immediately stopped in her tracks.

Si Guo Gong, like the Cold Palace in the Imperial Palace, was a place no one cared about; the latter was a place no one wanted to go, while the former was a place no one dared to go, because the taboo of Great Zhou lived there.

The family of the deposed Crown Prince.

Five years ago, after the Crown Prince's coup failed, the Emperor deposed him, and the entire family was moved to Si Guo Gong to live.

They were forbidden from leaving without an imperial decree, which was equivalent to imprisonment.

"A pitiful person, too," Wan Guifei murmured.

Lv Zhu was shocked, "Your Ladyship, please watch your words."

"I am talking about the deposed Crown Princess," Wan Guifei shook her head, her face full of sympathy: "She was originally a quiet person who kept to herself and devoutly worshipped Buddha, yet she was implicated and fell to this state. In the Capital, who does not pity her?"

The Crown Princess was very famous in the Capital; she was beautiful and moving, kind-hearted, and had a temperament as calm as a chrysanthemum. In the past, she would help the poor every year and personally serve porridge to beggars.

This was the case even before she married the Crown Prince.

For ten years, it had never been interrupted.

Wherever she went, she carried a string of Buddhist prayer beads, accustomed to eating vegetarian food and chanting sutras; the people of the Capital all called her a living Bodhisattva.

But following the Crown Prince's rebellion and deposition, she had already been imprisoned for five years. How many five years does a woman have?

Wan Guifei sighed and turned to walk back.

Suddenly, something fell at her feet.

Subconsciously, she looked down.

Her face instantly turned pale with fright, "Ah! A mouse!"

"Quick! Protect the Noble Consort!"

A group of palace servants rushed up to shield her.

"Hurry and beat it to death! Filthy mouse, how dare it offend me!" Wan Guifei said angrily.

A group of people stomped around on the ground, but the mouse, while appearing to scurry in panic, was actually dodging left and right with agile movements, successfully carving out a path to escape.

Wan Guifei was so angry she stamped her feet, her trembling chest heaving, "Useless! It ran away! It ran away!"

"Meow!" Suddenly, a Sanhua cat with a sleek, oily coat darted out from the bushes and pinned the mouse down with its paw.

Seeing this scene, everyone was stunned.

The Sanhua cat lowered its head, picked up the mouse, walked to Wan Guifei, looked up at her, and let out a purr.

Wan Guifei's face immediately lit up with joy, and she pointed at the cat and said to those around her: "Look, this cat is offering a gift to me."

"Your Ladyship is a person of great fortune; even this beast knows how to please you," someone quickly flattered.

"Yes, yes, in storybooks, this is a spirit beast recognizing its master; this cat is fated with Your Ladyship."

"It is the cat's good fortune to have met Your Ladyship."

Others chimed in one after another.

Wan Guifei smiled like a flower, looking at the Sanhua cat with a mix of joy and fear, and said: "Someone come quickly and deal with that mouse; I want to keep this cat as a companion."

"Yes, Your Ladyship." A eunuch immediately went up, grabbed the mouse by its tail from the cat's mouth, and carried it away.

Only then did Wan Guifei dare to squat down and try to pet the cat.

As soon as she reached out her hand, the Sanhua cat rolled over on the ground, exposing its belly to her, and began to purr.

"What a clever little cat, knowing that after following me, it will never have to worry about food or drink, right?" Wan Guifei was overjoyed and reached out to rub the cat's belly a few times.

Sanhua had successfully infiltrated Wan Guifei's side.

………………………

In the morning, Pei Shaoqing arranged all matters for the Hundred-Household Office and his home, then set off for the prefectural city.

Gongsun Yi's second disciple, Ye Yu, also bid farewell to return to the mountain and report; before he left, Pei Shaoqing gifted him a large sum of money.

Ye Yu left the Pei Mansion, intending to have a good look around Tongzhou City before returning to Bazhou, as it was his first time here after all.

But it was as if he had turned on automatic navigation.

After wandering around, he arrived at the entrance of Qunfang Yuan.

Having sworn to abstain from lust just a few days ago, his expression was uncertain, his heart filled with conflict: enter? Or not enter?

"Young Master, why are you dawdling at the door? Come in quickly!" Two women took the initiative to come out and solicit customers.

Ye Yu was pulled inside uncontrollably.

Sigh, forget it, forget it.

I'll abstain next time.

Young Master Pei does not seem like a good official; the gold and silver he bestowed upon me must have been extorted from the people of Tongzhou.

I can consider it taking from the people and using it for the people.

"Giddyap!" "Giddyap!" "Giddyap!"

On the official road, three fast horses galloped.

In the lead was Pei Shaoqing.

Behind him were Ye Hanshuang and Liu Yuheng; the two women's full buttocks rose and fell, and their heavy assets also swayed, beauties riding horses, the scenery as beautiful as a painting.

Three days later, Kunlong Mountain outside Jingguan City.

Following the simple map drawn by Yan Sichen.

Pei Shaoqing found the cave he had spoken of.

"This is the place, let's go."

After tethering their horses, the three of them slowly walked inside.

As soon as they entered, they felt a bone-chilling cold.

The temperature difference was so great, as if they had suddenly fallen from the scorching sun into an ice cellar; all three of them shivered.

"Jie-jie-jie-jie-jie..."

A sinister laughter echoed in the cave.

"Playing god and acting like a ghost, take my sword!"

Liu Yuheng's willow-leaf eyebrows stood upright as she let out a sharp cry.

Clang! The long sword in her hand left its sheath, and sharp sword Qi crisscrossed, leaving streaks on the stone walls.

"Heroine, wait!"

Seeing that Liu Yuheng was about to finish gathering her power and seemed ready to strike with all her might, a voice rang out in a panic.

Immediately after, a drifting black mist appeared before the three of them, condensing into a pale, youthful face, and it said politely: "Three heroes, please show mercy. This lowly one was blind and foolishly attempted to scare you away; it was truly rude, and I hope you will forgive me."

"I am merely a wandering soul who has luckily survived and is lingering on in a desperate state. I have never harmed anyone, and even if you let me go, I won't live for another half-month, so why bother dirtying your hands? Please, do not kill me."

"You certainly know how to put on an act." Pei Shaoqing sneered noncommittally and exposed him directly, "A friend surnamed Yan told me you have lived for two hundred years, have been fed with living souls by him for three years, and have countless blood debts on your hands."

"Yan Sichen! Where is he now? And who are you people?" Seeing that Pei Shaoqing actually knew so much about him, Lao Gui immediately stopped pretending to be a novice.

Pei Shaoqing said sternly: "This official is a Hundred-Household of the Jing'an Guard's Tongzhou Hundred-Household Office. Yan Sichen has already confessed to the crimes of killing to feed a ghost and treason, and he has revealed that you instigated him. Today, I have specifically brought men to arrest you and bring you to justice!"

"What?" A look of shock clearly appeared on Lao Gui's dead face, and he changed his expression, saying: "Incompetent fool, I knew that piece of trash was unreliable."

Then he laughed sinisterly: "Since Yan Sichen has already betrayed me, he must have told you, Excellency, about the treasures left behind by the previous dynasty. You are much smarter than that fellow; would you be willing to cooperate with me for mutual benefit?"

"Ghost talk! Keep dreaming! I, Pei Shaoqing, am a loyal subject, loyal to the Emperor and loyal to Great Zhou! I will never be swayed by your instigation!" Pei Shaoqing said with righteous indignation.

Lao Gui laughed sinisterly: "No one is born a loyal subject. If they are unwilling to betray, it is only because the price for betrayal is not high enough. Excellency Pei, please listen to me..."

"I will not listen!" Pei Shaoqing waved his hand to interrupt him, bowed toward the direction of the Capital, and said with resonant conviction: "This official has already reported your existence to the Capital, so you can put your little schemes to rest!"

Lao Gui stood frozen in place, finally believing a little that he had truly encountered a loyal subject of Great Zhou, and sighed: "My Great Yu also never lacked loyal subjects like you, Excellency. How did it end up with the country destroyed and the family ruined?"

Why are you spouting this nonsense? Hurry up and keep increasing the bribe! Quickly take out the good stuff and throw it at this official!

Pei Shaoqing was dying of anxiety inside.

Increase the bribe! Increase the bribe! Increase the bribe!

Although he might not dare to use the things he extorted from this Lao Gui, having them and not having them were two different things.

"But even so, I will still tell you where the Great Yu treasures are." Lao Gui said suddenly.

Pei Shaoqing was stunned for a moment, his eyes filled with suspicion.

"What kind of conspiracy are you, dead ghost, trying to pull?"

Lao Gui laughed, "Some things, no matter whose hands they fall into, must not fall into the hands of the Yan thief."

Clearly, he hated the Great Zhou imperial family very much.

Therefore, it was impossible for him to fulfill everything he had promised Yan Sichen; he was simply using him.

Of course, it could not be ruled out that his current attitude was a lie to deceive him; Pei Shaoqing remained vigilant, unable to tell whether what this Lao Gui said was true or false.

"I can't tell that you, a eunuch, are quite loyal to the previous dynasty; two hundred years have passed and your original intention remains unchanged."

"If you can be loyal to the Yan thief, why can't I be loyal to Great Yu?" Lao Gui retorted righteously, then said calmly: "There is a hidden hole on the wall to the left in the depths of the cave; the map to the previous dynasty's treasures is inside. You may take it yourselves."

Ye Hanshuang and Liu Yuheng both looked at Pei Shaoqing.

"Shuang-mei, you go get it." Pei Shaoqing said without hesitation, then looked at Liu Yuheng, "If this ghost wants to play any tricks, Madam, slay him at any time."

"Understood." Liu Yuheng nodded heavily.

"Heh heh, your true colors are revealed." Lao Gui said with a sinister laugh: "You kid are also a greedy person, yet you pretend to be a loyal subject; great treachery looks like loyalty."

"You don't look like a eunuch." Pei Shaoqing said instead.

Lao Gui was taken aback, then sneered: "Have you ever been a eunuch? What do you think a eunuch is like? Are they all effeminate sissies? None like this tough guy?"

"A man without a cock, no matter how tough he is, how tough can he really be?" Pei Shaoqing said, striking at his heart.

Liu Yuheng's pretty face flushed slightly; from Zhao Zhilan, she had learned that Pei Shaoqing was quite tough in that regard.

Lao Gui was furious, "You... Hmph! Sharp-tongued wretch, if this were in the palace in the past, a rude person like you would have been chopped into eighteen pieces by this old man long ago."

"You should worry more about how many pieces you will be chopped into after falling into the hands of the imperial court." Pei Shaoqing said.

Lao Gui snorted coldly and said nothing more.

"Big Brother!" Ye Hanshuang walked over quickly holding a jade box, glanced at the Lao Gui, and handed it to Pei Shaoqing, saying: "There really is a map in this box."

Pei Shaoqing looked at Lao Gui, somewhat dumbfounded, his expression shifting uncertainly; was this map real or fake?

The thing Yan Sichen had been racking his brains over.

Did he get it so easily?

No matter how he looked at it, it seemed a bit unreliable.

Forget it, regardless of whether it's true or false, keep it for now.

"A man on the verge of death, what is the use of lying to you? Whether it is true or false, you can verify it yourself in the future." Lao Gui saw what he was thinking, his tone somewhat unkind.

Finally, he added coldly, "The words of a dying man are good; I advise you, do not go to retrieve the previous dynasty's treasures before you have sufficient strength, otherwise you will easily be working for someone else's benefit and end up with empty joy."

"Thanks for the reminder, but it is unnecessary; I will present this map to the Emperor." Pei Shaoqing reached out to take the jade box and put it into his Storage Ring, saying with resonant conviction.

Seeing the Storage Ring on his hand, Lao Gui could not help but be a little surprised, but he did not show it, sneering: "A clumsy performance; don't put on an act to probe this old man. Rest assured, the Yan thief's people will not learn any news about the Great Yu treasures from my mouth."

As long as the Great Yu treasures do not fall into the hands of the Yan traitor.

As long as the things inside can see the light of day again.

What does it matter if he completely vanishes into thin air? Trapped here for two hundred years, living was not a bit easier than dying.

Originally, as long as the Greater Yin Soul-Guiding Art was completed, his soul body's strength would have greatly increased, allowing him to perform soul possession on Yan Sichen and replace him; unfortunately, everything had now gone down the drain.

Perhaps this was the difficulty of defying Heaven's will; he should have died along with the Great Yu two hundred years ago.

"Believe it or not, I am a loyal official!" Pei Shaoqing replied without changing his expression, instructing Liu Yuheng and Ye Hanshuang, "I am going into the city to purchase some supplies and fresh water for you; watch him well and do not be swayed by his bewitchment. If he tries to run, kill him on the spot."

"Understood!" the two women replied in unison.

(End of chapter)