Lord Da Gu and the second prince anxiously paced in circles, while Bai Ruozhu’s group was equally worried. Everyone had a good impression of the Emperor and hoped he wouldn’t co to harm.
Sounds ca from outside, and Bai Ruozhu found it strange. Weren’t they supposed to block anyone coming in? Why were the guards outside letting people in?
"Master Jiang, Master Bai, I heard about the Emperor’s predicant and rushed over. Is there anything I can do to help?" ca the voice of the Astrologer from outside.
Bai Ruozhu breathed a sigh of relief. The Astrologer was one of their own, and as a Yin Yang Master, he was extrely difficult to poison, making him a valuable ally.
"Co into the secret chamber," Jiang Yichun said.
The Astrologer acknowledged and brought two servants with him into the secret chamber.
After a brief conversation, the Astrologer understood the situation and joined the group searching for chanical chanisms.
Unfortunately, a quarter of an hour passed with no discoveries.
Bai Ruozhu stared blankly at the secret chamber, her gaze suddenly falling on a bookshelf inside. She quickly walked over.
"It’s here!" she pointed to the gap between two books.
She had previously noticed the order of the books hadn’t changed but had overlooked a minor detail. Just a mont ago, she saw the distance between those two books had increased slightly.
She had a habit when arranging books—she placed them tightly against the left side. Even if a row wasn’t full, there would be a gap between the book on the right and the side wall of the bookshelf, rather than a gap between two middle books.
While explaining, she removed the two books, and Yuan Licheng and Fo Lanying hurriedly approached.
After approximately a quarter of an hour, Yuan Licheng discovered the thod to open the chanism, causing the bookshelf to move mysteriously about two feet to the left, revealing a passage on the right!
"It’s here!" shouted the second prince, ready to rush inside, but Jiang Yichun grabbed him.
"You don’t know Martial Arts; stay behind us. If you get injured, my wife will have to treat you," Jiang Yichun said bluntly.
The second prince, anxious to save his father, dared not provoke Jiang Yichun and obediently kept to the rear.
Bai Ruozhu and the others entered the secret chamber, not daring to delay. Without ti to closely inspect their surroundings, they followed the secret passage forward, discovering its considerable length. The group walked for a long ti, nearly an hour passed before they finally saw traces of light.
The light was coming in from outside.
When they finally erged from the secret chamber and looked back, they realized they had not only exited the Imperial Palace but had also left Kyoto City!
"When was this passage created? It’s so long!" Bai Ruozhu asked.
Both Lord Da Gu and the second prince shook their heads, knowing nothing about the secret chamber, let alone the passage.
"Lord Da Gu, gather troops to search nearby, and don’t overlook the city and the palace to prevent the enemy from diverting attention. Our group will search the vicinity; if we find anything, we’ll signal you." Bai Ruozhu handed him several signal flares, "If you locate His Majesty, use this signal flare."
"Alright, I’ll handle it," Lord Da Gu replied and hurried away with his n, while the second prince followed Bai Ruozhu and her team.
Jiang Yichun glanced at him, "Go back. We can’t look after you."
Bai Ruozhu broke into a cold sweat; even under such circumstances, Achun couldn’t stand the second prince.
"I’ll accompany you, and I won’t be a burden," the second prince pleaded.
Bai Ruozhu thought for a mont and said, "Master Astrologer, escort the second prince back to the palace to rest. He just overca the Poisonous Insect and has internal injuries; he shouldn’t exert himself. Also, search the palace if you could."
After speaking, she handed the Astrologer several signal flares.
"Alright, we’ll signal you if we find anything," the Astrologer replied.
He then helped the second prince up, but the prince refused to leave, convinced his father must be outside the city.
"Your Highness, let’s go quickly, so we don’t delay the search or miss the opportunity. If His Majesty is taken far away, what then? Master Bai will use her skill to travel; you won’t be able to keep up," the Astrologer persuaded.
Finally, the second prince agreed to leave but suddenly knelt down, performing a formal Fusang salute.
"Master Jiang, Master Bai, I entrust this to you," he said solemnly.
The Astrologer hurried to lift him, while Bai Ruozhu and her team nodded in acknowledgnt, then one by one used their skills to swiftly travel afar.
There was only one main road outside the city, but that didn’t an the Emperor took it.
Thus, the group decided to split into three teams: one pursued down the main road, another ventured into the mountains, while another searched the adjacent forest.
Bai Ruozhu and Jiang Yichun chose to enter the mountain, searching for a while before the sky turned utterly dark.
No, this darkness wasn’t of night but the pre-dawn darkness.
Atop the mountain they were, with a wide view. The sun rose, presenting a magnificent sunrise.
But neither had the mood to watch the sunrise. As the surroundings brightened, they diligently searched for any clue.
Suddenly, signal flares were fired from the direction of the Imperial Palace. Bai Ruozhu’s eyes lit up, "Found it, it’s in the palace!"
"Let’s go back now!" said Jiang Yichun.
Together, they used their skill to descend the mountain, quickly eting others returning on the main road due to the signal.
"Good, let’s hurry back and see what’s happening," Gao Zhou said with a sigh, "This Fusang Royal Family is truly chaotic, stirring trouble in the dead of night."
"Indeed, it’s worse than Danliang," Jiang Yichun comnted thoughtfully, at least Danliang’s Emperor hadn’t been unknowingly infested with a Poisonous Insect.
Instead of using the secret passage, the group took the main road into the city, finding it quicker and avoiding the narrow, dark passage.
Swiftly, they returned to the Imperial Palace, with Bai Ruozhu leading them directly to the Emperor’s bedchamber, surprised at the lack of people at the entrance.
"Aren’t there usually many guards around the Emperor? Where is everyone today?" Bai Ruozhu asked.
"Maybe they’re inside chanting?" Jiang Yichun speculated.
Hurriedly entering the bedchamber, they found it empty; not a sign of guards or the Emperor.
"Could he be elsewhere?" Tang Feng asked.
So they went out again, asking around within the palace, taking a long ti before encountering a guard. Bai Ruozhu approached, asking, "Where is the Emperor? Where is Lord Da Gu?"
"We’re also looking for His Majesty, no news yet," the guard replied.
"Not found?" Bai Ruozhu exclaid, "Then who fired the signal flare just now?"
"What signal flare? I don’t know," the guard said, evidently unaware Lord Da Gu had left the city and had no knowledge of Bai Ruozhu giving signal flares.
A bad feeling rose in Bai Ruozhu’s heart, "Where is Lord Da Gu? Quickly, take to him!"
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