Chapter 73 A Family of Three

Chapter 73 The Family of Three

The two stayed up late, rising only after dawn the next day.

Upon waking, Chu Jiubian first assessed his position, ensuring he lay still, hands properly clasped on his chest, touching nothing untoward. Only then did he slowly open his eyes.

A pale gray wall met his gaze.

He sat up slowly, turning to see Qin Xiao still asleep, lying perfectly straight and motionless, just as he had been before falling asleep.

"System, run a scan," Chu Jiubian thought.

"Host, the patient’s wound has not reopened and is healing well."

Chu Jiubian felt relieved. With daily dressing changes over the next few days, Qin Xiao should be able to attend the palace banquet on the thirtieth.

He suddenly recalled a passage from the original novel:

"Prince Ning, Qin Xiao, led his troops to a great victory against Western Regions Serbi but suffered severe injuries, taking three months to fully recover."

Now, Qin Xiao was still gravely wounded, even more so than in the original novel. However, thanks to surgery and advanced medications, his recovery was progressing faster.

Still, "injured tendons and bones take a hundred days to heal." Qin Xiao’s internal injuries meant that even if he could move about, he would need a longer period of rest and recuperation.

He likely wouldn’t fully recover until after the New Year, just before the palace exams.

Chu Jiubian carefully observed Qin Xiao’s face. The man looked better than the day before, less pale, with a hint of color returning to his lips.

The stubble on his chin was quite noticeable.

Chu Jiubian touched his own chin; he felt only a slight roughness, barely visible up close.

Qin Xiao was tall—why did his beard grow so fast?

Without thinking, Chu Jiubian reached out and gently touched the man’s chin.

The short stubble felt somewhat coarse, pricking his fingertips and making them itch.

Suddenly, the man’s Adam’s apple moved. Realizing the impropriety of his action, Chu Jiubian quickly withdrew his hand.

He looked up and saw Qin Xiao’s eyes still closed, as if he were still asleep.

But with just one glance, Chu Jiubian knew the man was awake—keeping his eyes shut, perhaps to spare them both an awkward moment.

Chu Jiubian felt the room growing warm.

He rose and, just as he had when getting into bed the night before, carefully stepped over the man’s body to get off the bed.

After putting on his boots, he glanced back to see Qin Xiao still lying with his eyes closed. He then stood and walked to the outer room.

He donned his cloak and stepped outside to relieve himself.

As he pushed the door open, a wave of cold air rushed in.

He noticed the wind had died down, and the courtyard was covered in a fresh layer of snow that had fallen sometime during the night.

Since Qin Xiao had already met Qin Zhaoyang and Baili Hong the previous day, two new palace servants had been assigned to the west courtyard.

The snow on the ground was about a centimeter thick, but the accumulation on the roof and walls was several inches deep, indicating that the servants had already cleared it once, but snow was still falling.

Chu Jiubian summoned the palace servants, instructing them to assist Qin Xiao in getting up and dressing. Then, pulling his cloak tightly, he stepped out into the corridor, leaving a trail of footprints on the pristine snow.

In truth, the palace had private chambers for relieving oneself, partitioned separately, similar to modern restrooms.

But with Qin Xiao still inside, Chu Jiubian felt somewhat awkward and thus headed outside.

Meanwhile, at the city gates.

When it was time to open the gates, An Wuji ordered them unlocked.

Last night, the Prince of Huguang and the Prince of Dongjiang had been unable to enter the city. Given the bitterly cold weather, they couldn't possibly sleep outdoors, so they sought shelter in the nearest village, staying with several local families.

Upon learning they were royal feudal princes, the villagers were awestruck and offered their best houses, even killing chickens and preparing the most lavish meals.

Though the two feudal princes inwardly disdained these accommodations, for the sake of their reputation, they behaved amiably.

They even left some money for the village before departing this morning—though it was merely a few spare silver coins, insignificant compared to the cost of one of their meals, yet the villagers were extremely grateful.

Even before they entered the capital, word of their benevolence and kindness had already spread.

Only after the city gates had been open for over half an hour, and many shops on the convenience street had opened with numerous citizens arriving, did the entourage of the two feudal princes finally make its way into the city.

The people quickly moved aside, ready to kneel in respect, but upon spotting An Wuji and the Imperial Guards, they hesitated.

It was well-known that An Wuji was also considered half a member of the Qin family, so wherever he was present, he never allowed the common people to kneel.

Thus, the crowd simply stepped into shops or stood behind stalls, refraining from formal greetings.

Even as the feudal princes' entourage entered the capital, An Wuji raised his hand, signaling no kneeling was necessary.

The snow on the ground was several inches deep; kneeling would surely wet their garments, and falling ill would be unfortunate.

An Wuji himself advanced, leading his troops to greet the feudal princes' entourage.

Once the two groups met and halted, An Wuji loudly addressed the surrounding citizens: "This officer welcomes the two Highnesses. Last night, it was truly past the gate-opening hour, and bound by duty, I was unable to invite the two Highnesses into the city."

"However, the two Highnesses are generous, willing to abide by the capital's rules like common citizens. This official greatly respects that."

With these words, he publicly put Baili Yue and Baili He on the spot.

If they showed displeasure, it would imply they were not generous and did not follow the rules like ordinary people, no different from those powerful nobles who bully the weak.

But if they generously let it slide, they would be swallowing their pride.

However, the two were not easily manipulated and wouldn't be easily outmaneuvered by An Wuji.

From Prince Dongjiang's carriage came a few muffled coughs, and a servant urgently said, "Your Highness, please drink some water to soothe your throat. Once we enter the palace, we will summon the Imperial Physician."

The response was more coughing.

The servant looked anxious and somewhat angry.

He stepped forward, glaring furiously at Commander An, and said, "Commander An, please refrain from making light of the situation. Our Highness has traveled a long way, with little rest to see His Majesty sooner. We thought we could make it before the gates closed yesterday, but unfortunately, we were too late. Last night was so cold, our group had nowhere to stay, and our Highness caught a chill. This morning, he already—"

"Enough!" A slightly hoarse male voice came from the carriage—it was Prince Dongjiang.

"My attendant speaks out of turn; I hope Commander An will not take offense." Prince Dongjiang did not show himself, coughing a few more times inside the carriage before adding, "Please lead the way, Commander An. This prince also wishes to rest soon and see His Majesty."

Prince Dongjiang never directly blamed Commander An, yet everywhere implied he was inhospitable.

The Vassal Prince who had traveled a long way wanted to see the newly ascended emperor as soon as possible, but unexpectedly still failed to enter the city before the gates were locked. To avoid breaking the rules, he had to find a place to stay late at night and unfortunately contracted a chill.

Although An Wuji was merely fulfilling his duties, given the special circumstances, it wouldn’t have hurt to show some flexibility.

Yet now, his actions seemed somewhat inflexible and lacking humanity.

Even the surrounding commoners felt that An Wuji had handled the situation poorly. After all, these two were Vassal Princes and the current emperor’s paternal uncles. Even if the gates had been opened for them, the people would have seen no issue with it.

This is how commoners are—they naturally admire and fear the powerful, instinctively placing those already high above on pedestals even further, while overlooking their own rights and interests.

Even though these lofty figures don’t know who they are and would never spare them a shred of their power or wealth, the commoners still hold them in high regard.

And this is something they themselves have never noticed or cared about.

An Wuji might not have the same sharpness as Qin Xiao or Chu Jiubian, but he didn’t rise to his position solely because of his friendship with Qin Xiao—he is genuinely capable.

Among military officials, his strategic acumen sets him apart.

Thus, he could clearly see what Prince Dongjiang was plotting. He feigned concern and said, "Your Highness has contracted a chill? I am entirely at fault. Had I known, I should have been more flexible and granted you the privilege that commoners lack."

He emphasized the word "privilege" intentionally.

The commoners, accustomed to the powerful having and using privileges, suddenly felt as if they had been jolted into awareness.

Indeed, Commander An’s actions ensured that the powerful follow the same regulations as ordinary people—this was a sign of respect. Why would they think Commander An was in the wrong?

"Commander An, what are you saying?" Prince Huguang’s voice came from another carriage. "This prince never asked for any privilege. Haven’t we waited alongside commoners until the gates opened to enter the city?"

At this point in the exchange, neither side had the advantage.

In fact, Prince Huguang faintly felt that if they continued, they might be outmaneuvered by Commander An.

A military official with such eloquence and intelligence—Baili Yue’s appreciation for talent and desire to recruit it grew even stronger. He lifted the carriage curtain and looked at An Wuji, his expression softened as he said, "Please lead the way, Commander An."

Seeing the expressions of the surrounding commoners, An Wuji knew few were misled and saw no need to argue further. He gestured and said, "This way, Your Highnesses."

He escorted each prince to their respective residences, handed them over to others, and then prepared to return to the palace.

But Baili Yue got out of the carriage and called out to him, walking up to him with a smile. "I’ve long heard of Commander An’s remarkable achievements at a young age. Now that I’ve seen you, your presence is indeed extraordinary."

An Wuji’s expression remained unchanged as he bowed slightly. "You are too kind, Your Highness. It is you who possesses grand vision and imposing demeanor."

Baili Yue laughed heartily and patted him on the shoulder. "It’s been a long time since this prince returned to the capital. Are there any notable establishments in the city?"

"Your Highness is looking for a restaurant?"

Tomorrow, these Vassal Princes would go to a temple outside the city for observances and rites, so it was understandable that they might want to eat and drink today.

Baili Yue said, "Indeed. Any recommendations?"

"Jinxiu Fang has the emperor’s restaurant, with excellent dishes and drinks. Your Highness might enjoy it." An Wuji didn’t forget to drum up business for the emperor.

Baili Yue then said, "I wonder if Commander An is free to join me for a drink tonight? I feel an immediate rapport with you, as if we’ve known each other for years."

Commander An had long heard that Baili Yue had many talented people under his command and was fond of recruiting talent.

Clearly, the prince was making overtures, seeking to build a friendly relationship.

If it were Chu Jiubian, he would have accepted immediately, waiting to see what conditions the other party might offer and gleaning information in the process.

But An Wuji knew that although he had some wit, he was out of his league against Prince Huguang. So he politely declined the invitation, excused himself by saying he had pressing duties to attend to, and quickly left, heading straight for the palace.

Baili Yue stood there, watching his retreating figure, and let out a long sigh.

What a shame.

If talent couldn’t be used by him, it might as well be destroyed rather than allowed to aid others.

Inside the palace, in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Chu Jiubian returned from outside and saw that Qin Xiao had already gotten out of bed.

Two washing stands were placed side by side in the room, alongside buckets for changing water, soapberries, and willow twig teeth-cleaners—everything was prepared.

Palace attendants were pouring hot water into basins.

Chu Jiubian took off his cloak and hung it on a rack by the door, then looked up and met Qin Xiao’s gaze.

The two shared a wordless look.

The attendants, knowing neither of them liked to be waited on, slipped out quietly after setting everything down.

Once the door closed, only the two of them remained in the room.

Chu Jiubian then stepped forward, stopping about two paces away from Qin Xiao.

"Are you cold?" Qin Xiao asked.

"Not cold."

Snowflakes had landed in his hair and melted into water as soon as he entered the room.

A few strands clung to Chu Jiubian’s cheek. Qin Xiao’s fingers twitched slightly, but Chu Jiubian had already tucked them aside first.

Qin Xiao rubbed his fingers absently and smiled silently.

Chu Jiubian no longer avoided Qin Xiao nor feared revealing his supernatural abilities. So, right in front of Qin Xiao, he produced his toothbrush and toothpaste from his storage space.

Of course, just in case, Chu Jiubian had previously decanted the toothpaste into a different container and bought a wooden-handled toothbrush.

Qin Xiao held a willow twig and shot him a sidelong glance. "That appears quite handy."

Before Qin Xiao could finish speaking, Chu Jiubian had already bought a washing set from the system mall, including a razor.

So, as soon as Qin Xiao spoke, Chu Jiubian handed him a brand-new toothbrush set.

Qin Xiao was stunned. "That’s not what I meant."

Even so, he reached out and took the toothbrush set, asking, "Did you conjure these?"

"Yes," Chu Jiubian replied vaguely, not explaining the system mall or his spatial inventory.

Qin Xiao followed his example, dipping the toothbrush into the toothpaste and putting it in his mouth.

The crisp lemon-mint taste instantly reminded him of that rainy night—the flavor he'd tasted on the youth's lips.

Sweet and soft.

His expression shifted slightly as he lowered his gaze to look downward. His robe was loose, so nothing seemed out of place.

Early in the morning, with the room already warm and having slept beside Chu Jiubian all night, Qin Xiao felt he was feeling rather aroused.

After brushing his teeth, Chu Jiubian put some shaving cream onto his face.

The young man had naturally aloof and detached features, but the soft foam covering his face softened his edge, making him look younger and more approachable.

Qin Xiao found everything about him novel and was about to ask what this was when Chu Jiubian turned to face him and said in his calm voice, "Don't speak yet."

Qin Xiao held back his question.

Chu Jiubian then raised his hand and squeezed some shaving cream around Qin Xiao’s lips.

Since the shaving cream couldn’t be put in another container, Chu Jiubian didn’t give the bottle to Qin Xiao but instead put it back in his storage space.

He decided to buy a shaving cream later—one that could be stored in a porcelain jar.

"This is for shaving; it softens the stubble," Chu Jiubian explained.

Qin Xiao nodded without pressing further.

Chu Jiubian knew why he was giving these things to Qin Xiao and why he was explaining them.

In other words, he was aware of his desire to share with Qin Xiao.

But he deliberately avoided delving deeper, maintaining an exceptionally calm demeanor.

He calmly accepted the subtle changes between himself and Qin Xiao—he didn’t reject them, but he also had no intention of responding.

After a moment, Chu Jiubian took out a razor and a small mirror, carefully shaving off the stubble.

Qin Xiao watched quietly beside him and only spoke after he finished: "This mirror is quite good. Can it be made?"

"Yes," Chu Jiubian said after washing his face and putting on moisturizer, "but we’d need to create glass first."

"Glass?"

Chu Jiubian smiled slightly, took out a fresh razor, looked up at Qin Xiao, and said, "Don’t move."

"Mm."

Chu Jiubian then raised his hand, one holding the man's jaw, the other gently shaving his beard.

Qin Xiao lowered his gaze slightly, his eyes wandering slowly over the young man’s smooth complexion. When their eyes met unexpectedly, Chu Jiubian looked away as if nothing had happened, avoiding further engagement.

As the last bit of shaving cream was scraped away, Chu Jiubian gently moved his fingers resting on the man’s neck, and felt the man's Adam's apple move under his touch.

Chu Jiubian withdrew his hand, and Qin Xiao quietly washed his face.

Soon after, the palace servants came in to take away the things, but Qin Xiao left the washing supplies on the table, not letting them be taken.

About half an hour later, there was noise in the outer chamber—someone had brought breakfast. But it wasn’t a servant; it was Baili Hong and An Wuji.

Earlier, An Wuji had got the two vassal princes settled and come back to the palace, heading straight to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

He hadn’t been in the palace yesterday, so he didn’t know Qin Xiao had woken up yesterday and went directly to the main hall.

He intended to discuss the matter of the two vassal princes with Eunuch Hong or Qin Zhaoyang and review whether he had said anything wrong at the city gate earlier.

But as soon as he entered the main hall, he saw Baili Hong hurrying out and almost ran into him.

Upon asking, he learned that Qin Xiao had woken up just the day before.

An Wuji immediately felt relieved, and the weight he'd been feeling these past few days lifted at once.

Hearing that Baili Hong was going to see his uncle, he followed along, even taking the breakfast tray from a servant at the entrance of the western courtyard.

He set the food on the table and turned to see Baili Hong already approaching the bedside.

Qin Xiao was sitting on the bed, while Chu Jiubian reached out to lift the child onto the bed, removed his shoes, and had him sit side by side with Qin Xiao.

"Thank you, sir," Baili Hong said sweetly before carefully holding onto Qin Xiao’s arm, tilting his round face upward. "Uncle, are you feeling better?"

"Much better," Qin Xiao replied. "You didn’t cry last night, did you?"

"Of course not," Baili Hong said proudly. "I wanted to, but I held back."

Now that Uncle had been healed by the sir, he wouldn’t cry anymore.

Qin Xiao gave a light laugh.

Chu Jiubian, who had just washed his hands, also smiled at this.

An Wuji’s gaze swept over the three of them, thinking to himself what a harmonious family they made. Though the couple had no children of their own, with a well-behaved child like Little Majesty, it was no different from raising their own.

"Uncle, are you going to eat on the bed?" Baili Hong hadn’t forgotten that his uncle hadn’t eaten yet.

Qin Xiao looked at Chu Jiubian.

He had already stood on the floor for a while and moved around a bit earlier, and he had just sat down again not long ago.

Chu Jiubian actually wanted him to come down to eat, as he himself couldn’t accept eating and drinking on the bed, but getting up and down repeatedly wasn’t good for someone recovering.

They could always change the bedding later, so he said, "Eat on the bed."

An Wuji immediately took the hint and went to get the bed tray, placing it on the bed and setting a portion of the food on it.

Chu Jiubian also helped by bringing over a cup of water and placing it beside Qin Xiao before turning to eat at the table.

Qin Xiao glanced at the teacup and then at An Wuji. "This is yours, right?"

Earlier, An Wuji had served water to everyone, including himself, so this cup was likely his.

An Wuji glanced and said, "Yes."

Qin Xiao pushed the cup toward him. "Take it away."

"Sir, you’re disgusted by me," An Wuji said casually as he took the cup. "Mr. Chu never disgusted me."

Qin Xiao paused and looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Chu Jiubian’s hand with his chopsticks also stilled.

Baili Hong looked with wide eyes, looking from one to the other.

An Wuji took the cup and walked to the window seat, sitting down. "Back when we first met, Mr. Chu even drank from my water container."

Qin Xiao turned to look at Chu Jiubian, who went on eating like it was nothing.

"When did that happen?" Qin Xiao asked.

Though Qin Xiao's tone was calm, An Wuji still sensed a subtle strangeness and belatedly realized he might have said something wrong. He silently took a sip of water.

Chu Jiubian felt the man's gaze on him and looked up.

Their eyes met.

Chu Jiubian curved his lips into a faint smirk and said, "Back then, you nearly choked me. If I hadn't drunk water, I would have died."

Qin Xiao recalled the scene of their first meeting, his expression shifting slightly as his jaw tightened.

Silence lingered for a while.

Chu Jiubian let out a light scoff and resumed eating.

How dare Qin Xiao even ask? Wasn't it Qin Xiao himself who had almost killed him back then?

But Chu Jiubian wasn’t angry. The circumstances then and now were entirely different—it would have been normal for Qin Xiao to actually end his life back then.

However, another matter came to Chu Jiubian's mind, and he spaced out.

Before this, Qin Xiao had often drunk from the same tea, used his cup, and even used the handkerchief he had wiped his hands with...

Only now did Chu Jiubian finally realize that Qin Xiao wasn’t just being rough or lacking in fastidiousness.

He wasn’t like this with everyone—even with An Wuji, a close subordinate and friend, he wouldn’t share the same cup of tea.

The atmosphere in the room grew awkward.

An Wuji didn’t dare stay longer and quickly straightened up to report on the events of the previous night and this morning.

"What you did was correct," Qin Xiao said. "Spread the word that His Majesty ordered you to forfeit three months of salary as an accountability toward Prince Dongjiang. Then have Hong Fu send some imperial gifts to both of them. Consider the matter settled."

"As for the invitation to drink, it’s best not to go. They're out of your league—avoid falling into their trap."

An Wuji agreed entirely and nodded in acknowledgment.

With the Vassal Princes entering the capital, city security took priority. An Wuji was actually very busy and couldn’t stay long anyway.

With nothing left to discuss, he stood up to take his leave.

Meanwhile, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao had finished their meal and had the table cleared.

A new desk had been set up by the window couch, where Chu Jiubian and Baili Hong sat facing each other. On the desk were the child’s writing materials and a stack of imperial memorials.

Qin Xiao sat on the bed with a new short desk placed before him, piled with an even thicker stack of imperial memorials.

As the year-end approached, various greeting memorials came in droves.

Fortunately, Baili Hong could handle these types of memorials on his own. Only those he couldn’t understand or was unsure about would he bring to his uncle or teacher.

Chu Jiubian took out the examination papers of scholars from various regions and reviewed them one by one.

When he came across excellent ones, he would take them to show Qin Xiao.

He didn’t specifically look for Lu Yao’s paper. If the answers were mediocre, it might mean he needed to devote more attention to his instruction. If they were excellent, he might become dissatisfied with other papers.

So, he decided to leave it to chance.

Outside, the snow had stopped. Palace servants were cleaning up, their movements creating faint scraping sounds. Inside, the heated floor system kept the room warm and toasty.

The three of them sat quietly, each absorbed in their own tasks, filling the room with a sense of warmth.

The two Vassal Princes naturally entered the palace and arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

However, Baili Hong had also "come down with a chill" and couldn’t meet with them. After they received their imperial gifts, they were sent back.

As evening approached.

Before the city gates were locked for the night, the remaining four Vassal Princes finally arrived in the capital.

By the time they entered, the "benevolent" reputation of Prince Huguang and Prince Dongjiang—who had stayed in villagers' homes and left generous sums of silver upon departure—had already spread throughout the streets and alleys.

Prince Dingbei, Baili Yu, sat in his carriage, closed his eyes, and let out a soft laugh, paying no mind to the rumors.

The other three Vassal Princes naturally acted as though they hadn't heard.

Situ Zhaoling and Situ Zhaoyao rode in the same carriage, following their parents' conveyance.

She quietly lifted the carriage curtain to look outside, taking in the street vendors and common people on Convenience Street, and the vermilion walls and dark tiles, upturned eaves, and sweeping roof corners so different from those in the Southern Frontier.

Everything felt so fresh.

Situ Zhaoyao also lifted the curtain on the other side, exclaiming "wow" at everything he saw—even spotting a candied hawthorn skewer earned an excited "wow."

The carriage passed through Convenience Street and arrived at the busiest and most bustling main street.

The broad thoroughfare divided the city into eastern and western sections. Although the eastern commoner quarter was lively, it was far less prosperous than the western side.

Along the western road stood many wine houses, pleasure quarters, and various other shops, all two or even three stories high.

Situ Zhaoling watched everything with curiosity. As they passed a tavern, she suddenly looked up and caught sight of a figure in pink by the second-floor window.

It was a beautiful man with slightly curly long hair and almond-shaped eyes that tilted upward, smiling as he looked her way.

It was Wang Qichen!

Situ Zhaoling’s eyes lit up, but she didn’t call out to him—she just gazed at him with pleasant surprise.

Wang Qichen opened his fan to hide the smile on his lips and slowly gave her a meaningful look.

The carriage moved on, and only when he was out of sight did Situ Zhaoling lower the curtain and sit back down, bouncing in her seat excitedly.

"Sister?" Situ Zhaoyao tilted his head to look at her. "Did you run into a friend?"

His sister always got this excited and happy when she was about to go out with her girlfriends. But this was the capital—they had never spent time here growing up. How could she know anyone here?

"Little brother," Situ Zhaoling said with a smile. "After we make our court greetings at the palace, come out with me for a stroll."

Her family didn’t know she had storefronts in the capital, and neither did her little brother.

Later, she planned to personally visit her storefronts, and her little brother would surely be amazed.

Of course, she would definitely see Wang Qichen there as well.

Although she had met Wang Qichen many times in the Divine Realm, for some reason, the thought of meeting him in reality made her thrilled beyond measure.

Word had spread that the young emperor in the palace had caught a slight chill, but Southern Frontier King and the others still had to observe court formalities and meet with the emperor first.

After all, they would all be heading to the temple tomorrow, and the next time they would meet would be directly at the New Year's palace banquet, which would be highly improper.

Moreover, they all wanted to meet this three-year-old little emperor.

As for Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, the news they received was that the two were still in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, with no new updates, and it seemed Qin Xiao had not yet recovered.

Some were even saying that Qin Xiao must be critically ill and beyond treatment, so much so that even a transcendent immortal like Chu Jiubian couldn't save him.

They had also learned the reason for Qin Xiao's injury: betrayal by his most trusted Deputy General, who stabbed him, nearly killing him on the spot. It was only by miraculous survival that Qin Xiao managed to return to the capital alive.

As for why the Deputy General betrayed Qin Xiao, there were no specific details, only that no matter what severe torture was used, he refused to utter a single word.

Of course, this news was deliberately spread by Qin Xiao himself, to lull those behind the scenes into complacency.

Southern Frontier King Baili Hao entered the palace along with the other four vassal princes, and he brought his wife and daughter with him.

Outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, they did not see the emperor. After staying for a while to pay their respects, they began to leave.

Xiao Yuzi, the eunuch in service to Baili Hong, personally escorted the several vassal princes out of the palace. Along the way, Xiao Yuzi remained at Baili Hao's side.

Once outside the palace, everyone boarded their respective carriages.

Baili Hao also got into the carriage with his wife, Sutu Anli.

The carriages gradually departed from the palace grounds. Including the carriage of Situ and her brother, five carriages slowly made their way toward their respective residences.

Upon reaching the main street, Situ Zhaoyao got out of the carriage and caught up with his parents' carriage ahead, saying he wanted to go out for a stroll with his sister and would return later.

Both siblings were clever and mature for their age, and with their lofty status, as well as the deadly poison and Gu worm they carried for protection, they were naturally very safe.

Thus, their parents felt secure in letting them go have fun, only reminding them not to stay out too late and not to drink alcohol.

After agreeing, Situ Zhaoyao returned to the carriage where his sister was. Their carriage did not follow the others in turning but continued straight ahead toward the Brocade Quarter in the West Market.

Meanwhile, Baili Hao and Sutu Anli proceeded directly back to their residence in the capital.

Once they reached the main courtyard and confirmed that only their trusted retainers were present, Baili Hao took out a note from his sleeve.

On it was written in firm, sharp strokes: "Suspect Cheng Shuo is controlled by a Gu worm. Hope Southern Frontier King and the Princess Consort can help identify. Will surely reward handsomely."

It also wrote the location where Cheng Shuo was being held, and the note was signed by Chu Jiubian.

"A letter from Senior Tutor Chu?" Sutu Anli frowned.

Baili Hao nodded. This was surreptitiously slipped to him by Xiao Yuzi, and he had betrayed no sign of suspicion along the way.

They knew of Cheng Shuo—he was the Deputy General who had injured Qin Xiao.

They had previously discussed in private, thinking that Cheng Shuo's sudden betrayal was likely due to either threats or bribes or control by some outside influence.

Now it seemed Chu Jiubian thought the same.

But why would Chu Jiubian trust them? Shouldn't he suspect them first?

Or was this a test from the opposing faction?

"Husband, we should go," Sutu Anli held Baili Hao's hand, as a green snake peeked out from her hair, flicking its forked tongue.

Baili Hao nodded, "We'll go when it's later in the night."