Chapter 959: What Do You Think
“Who’s there?” The moment Shang Binghe dragged Qian Dehou into the room, he felt that something was amiss. He harshly hurled the latter to the floor and quickly searched around the study!
There was nobody, but Shang Binghe confirmed that someone had been here previously! His heart then tingled, and he looked toward the study!
There were signs of someone touching it, and it seemed like the search was done in a hurry to forcefully open something.
His heart immediately sank, and he immediately rushed to the secret compartment!
Everything was normal.
He rapidly restored the mechanism’s original appearance and opened the secret compartment.
That item was still lying inside properly.
Shang Binghe then sighed deeply. Good that it’s not lost, good that it’s not lost… If this thing went missing, all of us wouldn’t be able to bear the consequences! Judging from the situation, someone should’ve wanted to trigger the mechanism and take away the item in the secret compartment. But before they could do so, they were interrupted and escaped in a hurry.
After Shang Binghe repeatedly confirmed that the item was fine, he then put the secret compartment back into its original position. However, his facial expression was very ugly. No matter what, someone barged into this study and almost stole that item! When His Highness comes back, he won’t let this go easily!
Shang Binghe’s face darkened, and he walked to Qian Dehou.
Sensing the other man’s dangerous aura, Qian Dehou unwittingly shuddered. “O-Officer Shang… I’m innocent. I was framed! I didn’t do anything!”
Whoosh!
Shang Binghe drew out his sword and pressed it against Qian Dehou’s neck as he squinted his eyes. “Tell me what exactly happened today!”
He knew that Qian Dehou didn’t have this much courage, but something must’ve happened in between.
As expected, Qian Dehou was dazed for a moment when he heard this. Then, he suddenly thought of something and hurriedly said, “I-it’s Xiao Song! It must be him!”
Following this, he narrated the entire incident once.
After Shang Binghe heard the narration, he was so furious that he laughed. “So because of this pot of alcohol, someone took advantage of you?! Qian Dehou, how many lives do you have for you to be so daring to drink when you’re patrolling in the Eastern Palace?!”
This was severe misconduct, and the consequences this brought were so severe that it was beyond one’s imagination!
“Do you know that you dying a hundred times isn’t even enough to make up for the mistake you caused because of your drinking?!”
Qian Dehou had difficulties that he couldn’t voice out as he could only crazily kowtow and beg for mercy.
Actually, he didn’t plan to drink the alcohol in the beginning, but for some reason, he thought that Shang Binghe was suppressing him and felt very upset. Thus, he couldn’t hold himself back and drank it.
Originally, he only wanted to sip a few mouthfuls of alcohol to relieve himself of his agony, but he directly lost his consciousness. When he woke up again, he realized that he had slept in a corner for a very long time.
As he knew that he had made a mistake and that he was very guilty, he pretended that nothing had happened and went back directly. Who knew that such a serious thing would happen here?
Shang Binghe clenched his fists tightly. “Go! Bring that person over too!”
However, he actually knew that there was a high chance that they couldn’t find the other party since they were prepared.
As expected, after searching for a while, his subordinates reported that the person had disappeared.
When Qian Dehou heard this, he immediately collapsed onto the floor and looked defeated. He knew that it was completely over for him this time…
Shang Binghe had already predicted this, but he was still enraged and needed to suppress the news first. “Immediately suppress the news and don’t let it go out of the Eastern Palace! If the news gets out, you will be held responsible! Also, lock Qian Dehou up and wait until His Highness returns before we make a decision!”
“Yes!”
Shang Binghe knitted his brows and thought for a moment before walking out. “Send my command out—say that a high-level fiend escaped from the hunting ground. Immediately send people to search the palace as well! At the same time, tighten the palace’s security. We mustn’t let that fiend escape just like that!”
“Yes!”
…
Outside the palace walls, Wu Yao waited anxiously. Her Highness has gone in for a long time without coming out, and there is no news at all. Who knows what is going on… It is about to be daylight soon. If Her Highness doesn’t come out in time, it will be problematic!
Just as Wu Yao was filled with worry, the transparent barrier in front of him suddenly moved!
He looked up in surprise and saw a tiny crack appearing in that barrier. A familiar figure then leaped out of it the next moment.
It was Chu Liuyue.
“Your Highness!” Wu Yao welcomed her happily. “You’re finally out!”
But when he walked in closer, he realized that Chu Liuyue’s expression was amiss.
“…Your Highness, are you alright?” Wu Yao asked rather worriedly. He then thought of something and glanced behind Chu Liuyue.
It was empty.
Did she… not find Lord Chu Ning?
Chu Liuyue shook her head. “It’s fine. I at least know Father’s whereabouts now, but it’s a pity that I couldn’t bring him out together with me.”
On the one hand, she hadn’t confirmed her father’s whereabouts. On the other hand, the Eastern Palace’s security was tight. She could come in and out alone, but it would undoubtedly be much more difficult if she brought her father along.
Besides, judging from the previous situation, her father might be immediately discovered once he was free of that cage.
Without adequate preparations, she wouldn’t be able to do it.
Wu Yao nodded. Actually, it’s also good that Her Highness could confirm his location. After all, the person that brought Chu Ning away was the infamously harsh Beiming Crown Prince! It’s already very difficult for Her Highness to sneak into the Eastern Palace and find out about these things! But considering Her Highness’s behavior, Lord Chu Ning doesn’t seem to be doing well.
At this point, noises were heard from within the palace walls.
Chu Liuyue turned and glanced.
Light from fires could be seen everywhere inside the high walls, and it was very bright. It seemed like they were searching for someone.
She coldly stared at this.
Suddenly, the golden bells on her wrist rang again!
Her heart tingled.
After Wu Ming and Yuwen Jinghong continuously crushed the golden bell, her heart would harshly shudder every time she felt something from the golden bells.
Uneasiness surged into her heart.
She flipped over her wrist and took a look.
As expected—this time, Mu Hongyu crushed her golden bell!
Calculating the time, they’ve only gone into Ancient Phoenix Mountain for around two or three days. However, three out of five of them have already decided to crush their golden bells! Something must’ve happened! Chu Liuyue suppressed her tumbling emotions. “Let’s go!”
…
On this night, Beiming Imperial Palace’s troops were in a mess. However, Chu Liuyue returned to her residence overnight as if nothing had happened.
It was only when the next morning arrived that she woke up, tidied herself, and went to Ancient Phoenix Mountain again.
When she reached the place, Chu Liuyue still greeted Ning Yuan and the rest before sitting down at her seat.
Dantai Chen stared at her for quite some time and asked with unknown intentions, “I heard that something happened in the palace yesterday. I wonder what you think about it, Shangguan Yue?”