Sheng Li, Wang Hao, and Hu Jingguo reached the remote village border of the Northern Province. They were disguised well so no one could recognize them. Moreover, the people had never seen the Crown Prince and any from the Capital in real life.
"Hushu, I am hungry. Let's find a place to have lunch," Hu Jingguo said and grabbed the arm of Sheng Li, resting his head on his shoulder. Sheng Li pushed him off and told him to behave with him.
Hu Jingguo huffed. "I am tired. You should carry me on your back," Hu Jingguo stated. Wang Hao smiled, seeing how Hu Jingguo again started annoying Sheng Li.
"Carry you?" Sheng Li chuckled. "Hop on your horse if you are tired," asserted Sheng Li and walked ahead of him, pulling the reins on Kongqi.
"My horse is also tired," Hu Jingguo stated and ran behind him. He jumped a little and climbed on Sheng Li's back, locking his arms around his neck and legs around his waist.
Wang Hao was shocked to see what Hu Jingguo did. "The Crown Prince will definitely beat him," Wang Hao murmured and gulped.
Sheng Li stopped and calmly told Hu Jingguo to get down. "No, I will not. I am tired," Hu Jingguo stated.
"Do you know on whose back you are? Do you know it can lead to a death sentence?" Sheng Li questioned him.
"I know that my friend is carrying me, and I know he will not kill me," Hu Jingguo affirmed. He yawned and said, "I am indeed tired, Hushu. I have never been given a piggyback ride. Give me one."
"Jingguo, get down. You cannot do this. Come, I will carry you on my back," Wang Hao requested him.
"No. If I do so, then it will prove Hushu is a physically weak guy," Hu Jingguo pronounced.
Sheng Li laughed wryly and put both of his hands around Hu Jingguo's legs. "She told you that I called you 'weak' or did you hear my conversation with her?" Sheng Li asked him while walking.
"What do you think, friend?" Hu Jingguo asked him back.
"She told you about this. But It was true. Now, you started to trouble me but it feels like I cannot even say anything," affirmed Sheng Li. Hu Jingguo had slept off by then as Sheng Li felt his head resting on his shoulder. "He was indeed tired," Sheng Li murmured. He turned and looked at Wang Hao.
"He is asleep. We need a place to rest," Sheng Li told him.
"I will carry him," Wang Hao offered, but Sheng Li refused. "It's fine. Just find a place where we all three can stay," Sheng Li ordered him. Wang Hao bowed and pulled the reins on two horses, walking ahead.
The clouds had gathered in the sky, and it appeared that the rain would pour down soon. Kongxi neighed, so Sheng Li glanced at him. "You are missing her?" Sheng Li questioned. Kongqi neighed again, bringing a smile on Sheng Li's lips.
"She will be fine," Sheng Li told him. For fifteen minutes, they kept walking until Wang Hao came on his horse along with another man, who was on the second horse.
"This is Feng Yao. It is my pleasure to meet the"
Sheng Li cut his words and told him to be careful. Wang Hao got down from the horse and woke up Hu Jingguo. "Get off his back. Hop on my horse," Wang Hao told him. Hu Jingguo nodded; his eyes were still heavy. After that, Sheng Li straightened his back. They hopped on their respective horses and followed Feng Yao, whom Wang Hao brought.
Soon, they reached outside a house that seemed as if it was of the village headman. Sheng Li did not bother asking him until they got inside. Feng Jiao showed Sheng Li his room where he would stay for a few days. "His highness should have sent a message about his arrival," Feng Yao said.
"It is a mission. Don't call me 'his highness'. Call me Hushu," Sheng Li told him.
"I do not dare to call you by a name," Feng Yao humbly said while lowering his eyes.
"It's an order. No one shall find out about this. If I find then be ready to die," Sheng Li warned him. Feng Yao gulped and assured Sheng Li that no one would find out about his arrival. Sheng Li told him to leave and went towards the bed. He laid down and in seconds drifted off to sleep.
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Here, in the Palace, chaos had occurred because of the message. Xiao Zhan, upon the order of Ying Lili, searched every corner of the Palace, but no such suspicious person was found. The search in the capital was also in process.
Ying Lili was with the First Prince, the Fourth Prince, and the Commanders in the military house.
Nianzu was keenly examining the letters carved on the message. "The paper used is indeed from the Northern Province. But it is strange. How did the culprit find out that the Crown Prince had left for the Northern Province? This was not shared with anyone in the Palace," Nianzu pronounced.
"Brother, we do not know whether the conspirator knows where Sheng Li is! Let's not reveal this to anyone. This shall remain among us only," Ying Lili suggested them, who agreed with her.
"This writing is not of Tan Gengxin. We have the sample of his writing which we recovered from an ex-commander of the Han army, Ciao Hong. He had joined hands with Late Empress Wei," Ying Lili revealed another truth in front of them.
"Pardon me?" Jian Guozhi could not believe that his mother had joined hands with Tan Gengxin.
"Yes. When we were in the Southern Province, he shot arrows towards the Crown Prince. General Wang collected the message of Tan Gengxin from him. That time we were unaware of him until the last day your mother told the truth to Sheng Li," Ying Lili told the truth to Jian Guozhi.
"This shape of this arrow is unique, different to the one our soldiers use," Xiao Zhan stated. "It's made for a large distance range. Crown Princess, it's the same that was with those assassins when we were attacked," Xiao Zhan concluded. Ying Lili furrowed her brows and looked at the Commanders.
"We need to start from the Palace. The plan is to find the real culprit for doing all this. Increase the security on the borders, gates, and around the Palace. The goods would be collected outside the Palace third gate. No one from the outside is allowed, and no one from the inside is allowed to go out," Ying Lili ordered them. The Commanders agreed with the Crown Princess and the meeting was over with this.
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Thank you 'LydiaF' for giving such a big gift to the story. It was just shocking for me in the morning. This chapter is dedicated to you. Thank you so much for supporting me since the beginning.
Since I got a Banner on the story for the first time, thanks to all of you, so I will give a surprise mass release to all of you.
HAPPY READING