Chapter 0272: Don’t Be Too Upright, This Is No Place to Stay Long
Nine clans?
Zhu Xiaobiao scratched the dimple on his cheek. “There aren’t any left. As for gardening, most women in the household would dabble with flowers and plants in their leisure time.”
He looked at Xie Chengze. “Your Highness, what exactly happened? Why don’t you tell me in detail? Perhaps I can recall more.”
Xie Chengze sighed and had no choice but to explain the matter of the incense.
“So that’s what happened!” Zhu Xiaobiao was both shocked and furious. As a victim of addictive drugs, he knew full well how painful they could be. Hearing Xie Chengze say this substance could even destroy the entire dynasty made him tremble with rage. “How could they do this? Have they no humanity?”
“So Your Highness wants to eliminate the person making the incense?” He already understood.
Such a lucrative commodity meant the other party would guard the secret formula closely. Therefore, killing that person would cut off the source poisoning the dynasty.
“Your Highness, let me return to the county office!”
Zhu Xiaobiao immediately spoke up. “Let me investigate who exactly is making this incense!”
Xie Chengze shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. Moreover… Sheng Shihai knows you’re my man. If he discovers you, he might use you to threaten me.”
“Isn’t he dead?” Zhu Xiaobiao asked in shock.
Xie Chengze sighed. “I didn’t expect it either.”
Zhu Xiaobiao’s expression finally turned serious. He paced around the room for a long time before saying, “That Sheng fellow can’t possibly stay at the county office every day. I can sneak back.”
When he returned, he had specifically inquired – the stepmother who claimed to be pregnant back then never actually was with child. His father remained old and without support.
If he returned secretly and had his father keep it confidential, his father definitely wouldn’t tell the stepmother.
This way, he could secretly investigate the incense matter.
Xie Chengze shook his head. “Your father must know about this. You can’t go back and take that risk.”
As long as they could identify who the incense maker might be, they could send Wuhen or Wuji to investigate when Sheng Shihai wasn’t around.
What troubled Xie Chengze was whether he should write to Shen Yuan to discuss this matter together, or make a decisive move and handle it himself?
The latter was clearly too dangerous, but if he chose the former, Xie Chengze couldn’t guarantee whether Sheng Shihai would still be in Jizhou by the time Shen Yuan received the letter, devised a plan, and traveled here.
Ancient times had no surveillance or tracking. If Sheng Shihai escaped, finding him would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.
What if he tried to stall Sheng Shihai himself…
Could he manage it?
He had killed the substitute Sheng Shihai painstakingly cultivated. If he showed his face, Sheng Shihai would probably strangle him to death.
If he had Wuhen or Wuji secretly follow Sheng Shihai, and if they were discovered, Wuhen Wuji would also lose their lives.
Xie Chengze grabbed his hair again, the freshly washed locks quickly becoming disheveled.
“Hu Lai—” he cried out hoarsely again, “What should we do!”
Hu Lai, who had been quietly trying to stay unnoticed: …
Hu Lai said aggrievedly, “Back then, I told you to throw him that Martial Arts Manual with ‘to practice this skill, one must first castrate oneself,’ but you wouldn’t listen.”
Now look – the other party had superior martial arts skills, while they were two weaklings. Oh, and now they had to add Zhu Xiaobiao to their weakling count. How were they supposed to fight him?
Xie Chengze also felt some regret.
Indeed, one shouldn’t be too upright.
“Would it still work if we throw it now?” Xie Chengze asked hopefully.
Hu Lai shot him a look that clearly said “What do you think?”
Xie Chengze instantly deflated like a punctured balloon.
Then he quickly puffed up again like a pufferfish sensing danger.
“If we put knockout drops in the wine, could Sheng Shihai taste it?” Xie Chengze inquired humbly.
“A small amount would be undetectable, but it’s uncertain whether someone like Sheng Shihai carries an antidote with him,” Hu Lai replied with great seriousness.
Xie Chengze deflated again.
After sipping his tea and thinking for a moment, he felt confident again. “What’s the probability of shooting a poison pill directly into his throat?”
Hu Lai gave him a suspicious look. “How big would this poison pill be?”
Xie Chengze gestured with his hands, making Hu Lai sigh in resignation. “Before he could even force the poison out of his system, just coughing would be enough to expel the pill from his throat.”
“Then what do you suggest we do?” Having three plans rejected in succession, Xie Chengze felt like giving up completely, his young face full of worry.
Hu Lai wanted to suggest finding a way to lure Sheng Shihai to Pingcheng and using the major earthquake to kill him.
But he knew this was pointless – the kind-hearted Second Prince would never endanger innocent lives. So he could only offer a proper suggestion: “Let the tiger return to the mountains and deal with it later. Even a substitute was so difficult to kill, let alone the real master. My suggestion is to leave it alone and let the Crown Prince and Lord Shen handle the headache.”
Xie Chengze fell silent, clearly concerned about the consequences of letting the tiger return to the mountains.
“Then we’ll have to sacrifice young Lord Zhu,” Hu Lai spread his hands. “Let him take the risk to administer the poison.”
Zhu Xiaobiao glared at him. “Why don’t you go? You’re much smarter than me.”
Hu Li said seriously: “Because there are thousands of good people, but only one as cunning and vicious as me.”
Zhu Xiaobiao: “…”
“Enough,” Xie Chengze waved his hand. “Hu Lai, write a letter to Shen Yuan.”
For now, letting the tiger return to the mountains was the best choice, and this den of vice in Zhuolu County couldn’t be eliminated immediately either.
Keeping it might provide clues to Sheng Shihai’s whereabouts.
“Xiaobiao, immediately arrange for the escort teams to take those concubines away from Zhuolu County in batches.”
His expression turned cold and serious. “This is no place to linger.”
……
……
……
Yet linger they did.
Waking groggily from unconsciousness, Xie Chengze found himself tied to a bed with a thick long rope. Hu Lai wasn’t by his side, and Wuhen Wuji were nowhere to be seen.
Where was he?
He vaguely remembered leaving with Hu Lai when the city gates were closing. Suddenly there was chaos outside the carriage, the roof was torn off, and someone descended from above, striking the back of his neck.
The back of his neck still ached faintly – it must be red. Xie Chengze quickly scanned his surroundings, which felt somewhat familiar.
So familiar…
Wait? Wasn’t this damn room the same one he’d temporarily stayed in when he was making money at the Zhuolu County government office?
Damn!
Had he been captured by Sheng Shihai!
Footsteps suddenly sounded at the door. Xie Chengze, frightened, quickly closed his eyes and continued pretending to be unconscious.
The wooden door opened, and a purple boot stepped inside first.
The footsteps were extremely steady. When they reached the bedside, Xie Chengze only heard the rustling of fabric – the other person seemed to be bending down to observe him, so close he could hear their breathing.
What is he doing?
Studying him? Or contemplating what kind of cruel and gruesome death to give him?
Xie Chengze couldn’t suppress the fear in his heart. Just as the other was about to say, “Stop pretending to be unconscious,” he saw Xie Chengze suddenly open his eyes, squirming like a pretty caterpillar, wriggling his little head into his embrace, and bursting into loud sobs.
“Boss! Please don’t kill me! I’ll do anything you want—Wahhh!”
Sheng Shihai: …
Sheng Shihai raised his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, then grabbed him by the collar and tossed him to the inner side of the bed as if he were a feeble chick.
He then remarked sarcastically, “I never expected that the resourceful Prince Regent would be so adaptable and willing to bend.”