“The Heavenly Emperor should know that this matter is no trivial affair. If we fail, we might lose all clues, and I might even perish!” Lu Fan said solemnly. “Can his strength truly protect me?”
As these words were spoken, the old eunuch showed a hint of displeasure. “Northwest King, although I am but a eunuch, I am no ordinary person. Protecting you is more than enough!”
“Is that so?”
Lu Fan smiled slightly, a surge of spiritual energy erupting from his palm. In the blink of an eye, he lunged towards the old eunuch, the movement accompanied by gusts of wind. He naturally wanted to see if the old eunuch truly possessed such formidable strength as he claimed.
Sensing the powerful gust, the old eunuch narrowed his eyes. In that instant, he dodged, avoiding Lu Fan’s attack. Instead of being harmed, he appeared rather calm, his demeanor betraying nothing.
“My apologies, I was mistaken!”
Lu Fan clasped his hands in a bow, a smile on his face. The old eunuch’s strength was now beyond doubt; to question it further would be unreasonable.
“Northwest King, please proceed!”
The old eunuch smiled faintly, his expression growing more indifferent. Since he was asked to act, he would not shy away.
In response to these words, Lu Fan nodded and, without any hesitation, left the imperial palace.
If his guess was correct, someone would arrive soon, which would undoubtedly stir up endless trouble.
However, with the old eunuch accompanying him, Lu Fan was unconcerned. The Heavenly Emperor had sent him to protect him, which was enough to indicate the old eunuch’s extraordinary strength. If they truly had to deal with a threat, it would certainly not be a simple matter.
After leaving the imperial palace, Lu Fan headed directly towards the Northwest King’s mansion, becoming increasingly vigilant. The last time a servant had attacked him, he had nearly met his end. If he wasn’t careful now, it would likely lead to greater trouble.
Upon returning to the Northwest King’s mansion, Lu Fan encountered no ambushes along the way, which left him somewhat surprised.
The old eunuch followed behind, his gaze filled with suspicion. Clearly, their predictions had not materialized, leaving them somewhat puzzled.
After returning to the Northwest King’s mansion, Lu Fan inspected the entire residence, sensing no trace of danger.
“Eunuch Liu, come out for a cup of tea!”
As the voice spoke, the old eunuch appeared. “My mission is to protect the Northwest King. I must decline the tea. Otherwise, if assassins were to appear, I might have to leave prematurely!”
“Eunuch Liu is joking!”
Lu Fan said softly, “Under normal circumstances, no one would know who Eunuch Liu is. Assassins won’t refrain from attacking me just because an old man is by my side!”
Eunuch Liu paused. What Lu Fan had just said seemed to hold some truth.
“Since the Northwest King insists, I shall oblige your wishes!”
Eunuch Liu nodded, then moved to the side, slowly sipping his tea with an air of nonchalance.
“The assassins did not appear. What are the Northwest King’s next plans?”
Eunuch Liu inquired, his gaze fixed on Lu Fan. “After all, you must understand that if this matter cannot be resolved, even the Heavenly Emperor will find it difficult to account for!”
“Rest assured, as long as we remain calmer than them, there will naturally be movement!”
Lu Fan smiled faintly. “Why is Eunuch Liu in such a hurry!”
The old eunuch remained silent, his expression indifferent. His primary task was to protect Lu Fan; as for other matters, they were of little consequence to him.
In the following days, Lu Fan conducted his own investigations, but unfortunately, the clues had gone cold, making it impossible to trace anything further.
“What, still no clues found?”
Bei Cheng appeared, looking at Lu Fan.
“Where would there be clues!”
Lu Fan chuckled wryly. “If the hidden individuals don’t make a move, I’m like a headless fly!”
“If that’s the case, why don’t we stage a play!”
Bei Cheng stated directly. “Lure out those who are hiding in the shadows!”
“Do you have a plan?”
Lu Fan suddenly looked at Bei Cheng, his eyes serious. He was currently without direction, but if Bei Cheng had a plan, it would save him considerable trouble.
“In front of the entire court, you will claim that I am responsible!”
Bei Cheng said frankly. “Then, that person will surely let down their guard and contact those from the Hell Dynasty. At that time, you can use the Eight Trigram Disk to find the mastermind!”
“But doing so would be a great injustice to you!”
Lu Fan’s expression was earnest. “You are a prince of the court. Such an incident would significantly impact your reputation!”
“As long as the culprit can be found, what is a little grievance like this!”
Bei Cheng said with utmost sincerity, showing no hesitation. At this point, he naturally understood what needed to be done.
“If that is the case, then I can only trouble you!”
Lu Fan nodded slightly. He currently had no other recourse; perhaps only by doing this could the culprit be brought to light.
“Don’t say that, what trouble is there in this!” Prince Bei Cheng chuckled. “As long as we can catch the culprit, it will all be worth it!”
Lu Fan nodded. It seemed this was the only way to achieve his goal.
Before long, a piece of news exploded throughout the imperial city: Prince Bei Cheng was a spy for the Hell Dynasty, using various connections to become the greatest informant.
This news caused quite a stir. After all, in their eyes, it seemed too far-fetched, but only someone of princely status could achieve such a feat.
And in the imperial court, Prince Bei Cheng was immediately apprehended, causing considerable commotion. Regardless of anything else, Bei Cheng was a prince, and this was a significant blow to the entire dynasty.
A prince being a spy for hell was something difficult for people to accept, and it inevitably caused shock.
“Northwest King, the evidence you provided is sufficient to prove that Bei Cheng is indeed a spy for the Hell Dynasty!”
The Heavenly Emperor stated. “However, now that it has come to this, Prince Bei Cheng has been apprehended. As for other matters, they will be left to you to handle!”
“Thank you for your trust, Heavenly Emperor!” Lu Fan clasped his hands, a smile gracing his lips.
And in the imperial court, everyone looked at Lu Fan with meaningful expressions. They were well aware of Lu Fan’s good relationship with Bei Cheng, yet they never expected him to directly hand Bei Cheng over.
Meanwhile, Bei Cheng arrived in the dungeon, appearing unfazed. He felt a sense of anticipation. He had sacrificed himself to find that person, which was enough to demonstrate the strength of his resolve.
In the following days, Lu Fan spent his time leisurely, wandering through the imperial capital, as if all matters had been resolved and he no longer needed to worry excessively.
However, during these days, Lu Fan could clearly sense someone observing him, their presence subtly probing his aura. Although the presence was faint, he could still keenly detect it.