Chapter 55: Secret Discussion

"Has the Emperor of Great Song discovered the trade between the Yuan Family and us?"

In the secret chamber, the candlelight flickered, and Tuoba Lie furrowed his brows tightly.

"Whether they are spies from the Imperial Court, I do not know, but I do know that this Tianxiang Lou is problematic, which is why I wanted to ask the Commander if he knows anything about Tianxiang Lou," Zhang Kang said.

After Pang Kun died, the Zhang Family sent people to take over Qingfeng Stronghold.

The Third Chieftain, Song Ya, revealed a matter in order to claim credit.

The Second Chieftain had secretly gone to Tianxiang Lou before the attack.

After receiving this news, he sent people to secretly check the Qingfeng Stronghold followers who were killed that day at the mass grave, and the Second Chieftain's corpse was not among them.

Because of this, he felt even more that this Tianxiang Lou was problematic.

"I have never heard of it," Tuoba Lie said, looking somewhat embarrassed.

If this were the case, whether his relationship with Zhang Kang, and Zhang Kang's relationship with the Yuan Family, had already been discovered by this Tianxiang Lou.

If this Tianxiang Lou knew everything and was indeed from the Great Song Imperial Court, it would be troublesome.

The matter he had been planning for a long time would very likely fall through.

Tuoba Lie's worry was seen by Zhang Kang.

He had the same concern as well.

Although the Great Song Dynasty was declining, its residual power still remained.

Especially in the nine strategic border regions such as Yanzhou, Qinzhou, and Liangzhou, where heavy troops were deployed for defense.

Yanguan in Yanzhou also had the Great Song Imperial Guards.

If this matter were to be poked up to the Imperial Court, the Yuan Family would definitely make him a scapegoat.

At that time, the Yuan Family, by virtue of their capital in Yanzhou, might only receive a reprimand, but his life would truly be gone.

Therefore, after receiving this news, he was terrified day and night and secretly contacted Tuoba Lie to come and discuss it.

"I never expected that a small Yan Commandery would be full of hidden talents; first there was a Yan Wang, and now there is a Tianxiang Lou," Tuoba Lie slapped the stone table heavily. "Since that is the case, I will transfer some people from other counties to investigate this Tianxiang Lou and see its true colors. If it really has grasped our secrets, I will make it vanish into dust."

Zhang Kang was delighted; the elite of the Heishan Curtain led by Commander Tuoba Lie were spread throughout Yanzhou.

Yan Commandery was actually not the place he valued the most.

He was mainly keeping an eye on Fanyang, where the Yuan Family was located, and Ping County to the west of Yan Commandery, where Yanguan was located.

After all, as long as Yanguan was breached, the Northern Di Cavalry could drive straight in.

Instead of being like now, where they could only pass through the dangerous, long mountain paths, with small groups of troops destroying city walls to enter the pass and plunder.

"The Commander is wise, and furthermore, the Yan Wang has had many movements recently; the Commander should also be careful," Zhang Kang leaned forward.

Tuoba Lie nodded.

He had already heard some rumors.

The first is that the Yan Wang's Armament Department has been steaming with smoke recently, and it is unknown what they are doing.

The second is that a large number of Government Office officials have gone down to the countryside.

The third is that it is rumored that the fact that Chang Wei did not die this time is related to a medicine secretly concocted by the Yan Wang.

Added to this Tianxiang Lou, it seems necessary for him to flex his muscles in Yan Commandery.

Yan Prince Mansion.

Zhao Xu had just returned to his sleeping quarters when he suddenly sneezed.

Luan'er followed behind Zhao Xu and laughed, "Your Highness, someone is speaking ill of you."

"How do you know?" Zhao Xu was stunned for a moment, then laughed again.

"Waking and unable to sleep, wishing to speak and then sneezing," Luan'er said softly, while dusting the dust off Zhao Xu's body.

"The little girl is quite superstitious," Zhao Xu chuckled twice.

"Superstitious? What does this mean?" Luan'er blinked her large, seemingly luminous eyes.

"This, it just means believing in things blindly," Zhao Xu patted his mouth, thinking to himself that he had blurted out a modern term again.

However, Luan'er saying this made his heart suddenly tighten.

The smoothness of these past few days made him almost forget that there was still a Zhang Family in Yan Commandery.

That Zhang Kang was still secretly watching everything in the Prince Mansion.

And that Tianxiang Lou was not a pushover either.

Seeing Zhao Xu lost in thought, Luan'er could not help but feel afraid,

fearing that the Yan Wang's brain ailment had flared up again.

"Your Highness..."

In her anxiety, she hurried forward to shake the Yan Wang, stepped on her own skirt, and suddenly fell into Zhao Xu's arms.

Zhao Xu was just thinking when he suddenly felt a wave of soft jade and warm fragrance.

Looking down, Luan'er was sprawled entirely in his arms.

Messy hair strands were scattered across her beautiful, fair, peach-blossom face, stunningly beautiful beyond compare.

His heart could not help but throb.

Luan'er also did not expect such a mistake to happen; seeing Zhao Xu staring straight at her, her whole body began to tremble slightly.

Her body also seemed to have no strength, wanting to move but unable to.

"Luan'er..." Zhao Xu was an experienced person, an old hand.

Thinking that the two beautiful little maids belonged to him under the laws of Great Song, he could not help but feel a bit hot-blooded.

"Ahem..."

The atmosphere gradually became ambiguous when suddenly a cough sounded.

Luan'er darted out from his embrace like a little deer.

Zhao Xu turned his face away and saw Feng'er leaning against the door frame, her eyes full of smiles.

"Sister Luan'er, I didn't realize..." Feng'er winked.

"It's not..." Luan'er waved her hands in a panic, her face flushed red like an apple from shyness.

Feng'er continued, "I didn't say anything, sister; we are both the Prince's people, there is nothing shameful about it."

"Sister, you are truly shameless." Luan'er was angry and turned to leave.

"Pfft." Seeing Luan'er like this, Feng'er suddenly laughed until she couldn't stand straight.

She meant no harm; the two were like sisters, and she was merely joking.

Furthermore, if Yan Wang were to take Luan'er, she would be overjoyed.

In this way, they would become even closer to Yan Wang.

"You, oh you..." Zhao Xu watched Luan'er's enchanting back as she left and tapped Feng'er on the head.

"Hee hee..." Feng'er looked like a little imp. "Your Highness, please don't blame this servant; this servant was just passing by. If Your Highness feels that it was this servant who made Luan'er run away and caused Your Highness displeasure, this servant is willing to make amends..."

Seeing Feng'er's eyes gradually become watery, Zhao Xu thought to himself, this little enchantress has provoked this Prince several times; this time, I will let you know how formidable I am.

At this moment, he suddenly braced both hands against the wall, trapping Feng'er between his arms, and moved his body closer to Feng'er step by step, assuming a wall-pinning posture.

Feng'er was startled at first, then looked at Zhao Xu's face as it kept drawing near.

Seeing Zhao Xu's star-like brows and sword-like eyes, his chiseled features, and his handsome appearance, her heart almost jumped out of her throat.

Even though she was usually carefree, she had never experienced intimacy and could not help but feel shy.

Yet, while feeling shy, she also had a certain expectation, so she unconsciously closed her eyes.

"Knock, knock..."

A series of knocks sounded at the door. Feng'er suddenly opened her eyes and saw Luan'er had returned, looking at her with a strange expression.

"Your Highness, Hu Langzhong requests an audience." Seeing Feng'er's face turn bright red, Luan'er covered her mouth and laughed.

Zhao Xu scratched his head, looked at Luan'er, then looked at Feng'er, thinking to himself how even stealing a little affection was full of twists and turns.

Shaking his head, he pinched Feng'er's waist and then pinched Luan'er's cheek before walking out.

After Zhao Xu left, Luan'er pointed at her own face and said, "Sister is truly shy."

Feng'er's heart had not yet calmed down, and she forced herself to say, "What is there to be shy about? We were originally prepared for the Prince by the Consort; serving the Prince is our duty."

Although she said this, a wave of affection welled up in her heart.

Having served Yan Wang since she was young, what she did not know was that her heart had long been with Yan Wang, and just now, she had felt it.