As a former prince, his identity absolutely could not be exposed. If it were, the Emperor would be uneasy, and even if the Third Prince had ascended the throne, he might have spared the former prince's life. The current Emperor, however, would never let him go. After all, one must cut the weeds at the root to prevent their resurgence.
He wondered if any of the old retainers had survived. Most of the palace staff had been wiped out, and the Emperor had dealt with them upon his ascension. If any old retainers remained, they might know some secrets. To this end, Wu Caiwei quietly sent people to investigate. To her surprise, she discovered that someone else was also investigating. It seemed her appearance had already attracted attention. Wu Caiwei secretly followed them and found that their ultimate destination was the imperial palace. Without a doubt, it was either the Emperor or the Empress.
This was not good news for her. To avoid suspicion, Li Shengxu's public reason for leaving was to travel and do business with Wu Caiwei, and they would return after some time. He had given the village chief a generous sum of money before leaving.
In reality, Wu Caiwei had built him a house in a large, remote mountain nearby, hired a few servants, settled him in, and then went out to search for any remaining knowledgeable individuals.
As soon as she entered the capital, she felt a gust of wind from behind her. Reflexively, she swung a palm. Lu Zi dodged to the side and whispered, "Master, it's me."
Before Wu Caiwei could say anything, Lu Zi pulled her into a nearby alley. He looked around cautiously, and only when no one else seemed to have noticed them did he sigh with relief. He looked at her with a mournful gaze, "Master, where have you been enjoying yourself lately? You've left behind such a mess. Do you know that shortly after you left, the authorities came looking for you? At first, I thought you had committed some offense, but they were so secretive, and their movements were so light, that they clearly weren't ordinary constables. If I'm not mistaken, they must be the Emperor's secret guards. One night, I secretly followed them and found my way into the palace. Master, you're playing a very dangerous game."
Only then did Wu Caiwei understand why he had been so secretive. When she entered earlier, the guards had looked at her strangely. If she wasn't mistaken, someone had already secretly reported back to the Emperor. It seemed her presence here was no longer safe.
"It's difficult to explain in a short time. Since I've returned to the city, people will be watching you. Be careful. If you encounter anything you can't handle, don't panic. I will come to your rescue." Wu Caiwei knew that he had likely been watching the city gates all this time, fearing that she might step into a trap unknowingly. That's why he had appeared the moment she entered the city, to report the situation inside.
"Master, there's a small secret room in the courtyard where I live. If you have nowhere to go, you can hide there. They won't be able to find you." Lu Zi had a habit of digging secret rooms. In the past, he only dug simple holes. He bought the courtyard with his savings, intending it to be his future hideout. For added security, he dug for half an hour every day after work, taking two months to complete the secret room.
"I appreciate your kindness, but your master has many things to do. Be careful yourself." Before long, Wu Caiwei saw a squad of soldiers hurrying towards the city gates. Without further hesitation, she quickly left.
A while later, Lu Zi emerged from the alley and swaggered onto the street. He soon felt several pairs of eyes keenly following him. Having informed his master of the situation in the capital, he finally felt at ease and decided to enjoy a stroll. Like a child, he bought several candied hawthorn skewers and ate them while skipping along happily. Sudannovel.com
The people following him trailed him through most of the capital, never seeing him interact with anyone. All he did was eat and buy things, as if he had an inexhaustible supply of energy.
In the dead of night, the Third Prince was sleeping soundly when he suddenly felt a pair of eyes fixed on him, causing him to break out in a cold sweat. He turned his head and saw a dark figure, instinctively taking a step back and shouting, "Who's there?"
The next moment, the candles in the room were lit. The Third Prince, seeing the figure clearly, patted his chest with relief, his heart pounding.
"Your Highness, is something wrong? Do we need to come in?" The commotion immediately alerted the maidservant guarding the next room. She hurried to the door and asked softly.
"No, I just had a nightmare. You can go back and rest." The Third Prince said calmly. The person at the door disappeared.
"You're truly something else. Why didn't you announce yourself when you arrived? You nearly scared me to death. By the way, do you know the Emperor is searching for you everywhere? If he knew you were sitting in my room right now, I wouldn't be able to clear my name. He already suspects me because he found out you're working for me. If others discover your presence, I'll be in deep trouble." The Third Prince was surprised that Li Shengxu, whom she had desperately wanted to save, was his cousin. The Emperor's ultimate goal was to capture Li Shengxu, and he was merely using her to find him.
"Everyone knows you, the Third Prince, are assured of victory. I came to find you only to inquire about the Second Prince's recent situation." How could Wu Caiwei forget Li Shengxu, who had suffered so much under his hand? Her trip to the capital was originally to find informants, but now it seemed unnecessary. Since the Emperor was sending people to capture her, it meant the investigation was nearly complete. Now, the only thing that mattered was ensuring the safety of Li's family.
What she didn't tell the Third Prince was that in her heart, the Emperor's life was no more valuable than that of any common citizen. If he pushed her too hard, she wouldn't hesitate to end his life prematurely.
"The Second Prince is lying in bed, half-dead. I hear his personal maids are changed one after another, and some have been beaten to death, though these matters have been kept quiet. The Emperor visited him once, and his expression was grim when he left. Since then, he has paid less attention to him and has focused more on me, which has put immense pressure on me lately."
The Third Prince calmly recounted his situation, knowing that she played a crucial role in all this. Regardless, the Second Prince's current state was all thanks to her. Fortunately, she was on his side.
After a moment's thought, he continued, "Some time ago, Sun Guotang approached me, wanting to pledge his allegiance, but I refused."