"Zuo Quan?"
Hearing the name, I couldn't help but think of the general covered in golden armor, standing alone on horseback with a single spear.
"Did Old Ghost say anything when he was captured?"
Old Ghost was able to use schemes to get me into the Fifth Prince's mansion and then let me leave safely, so I didn't believe he wouldn't have a backup plan.
"When he left, he just said, 'Too late, taken, bamboo forest,' and so on. It looked like he was talking nonsense after drinking too much."
After saying this, the innkeeper stopped paying attention to me and instead attended to other guests.
If these words were said to someone else, they might not understand what was going on.
But I understood them perfectly.
The bamboo forest naturally referred to the Fifth Princess living in the bamboo building hidden within the Yin Bamboo Forest.
But what did "too late, taken" mean?
"Taken?"
I mumbled these three words to myself, and suddenly a flash of inspiration struck me, and I suddenly understood what "taken" meant.
"The Hu Kui Seal."
This was what I had taken from the bamboo forest.
I remembered that the Fifth Princess had once told me some information about the Yin Bamboo Forest.
When she and her mother were being chased by some people, they had escaped death by fleeing into the Yin Bamboo Forest. She also said that the Yin Bamboo Forest was extremely cold with heavy yin energy, and even yin souls would turn into ice blocks if they stayed there for too long without protective treasures, let alone a living person like me.
At that time, I had stumbled into the Yin Bamboo Forest unintentionally and hadn't felt anything unusual. Now, I realized that the Hu Kui Seal given to me by Old Ghost was a protective treasure for entering the Yin Bamboo Forest, otherwise, how could I have moved freely and unhindered within it?
I didn't believe it was due to the bone-piercing nails given to me by Zhang Dabiao, because when I returned them to him, he had clearly stated that the bone-piercing nails were useless and had turned into a piece of rotten wood.
Besides that, I had no other treasures on me.
Looking at Zhang Dabiao, who had been waiting for a long time, I couldn't help but say, "Brother Zhang, I need to go somewhere, I'm afraid..."
Before I could finish, Zhang Dabiao interrupted me, "It's fine wherever you go. I'll accompany you through thick and thin."
Although I was grateful, I still refused, "No, you can't go there."
Zhang Dabiao's brows furrowed, and his voice became a little heavy, "Do you look down on my skills, Brother Zhang?"
I gave a wry smile, "If your skills are not enough, then my meager abilities are even less so. The place I'm going to is a bit special. If I don't have..."
"That's enough. Don't say anything else. Don't worry, Brother Zhang won't hold you back."
Seeing Zhang Dabiao's persistence, I could only stop talking. When he saw the Yin Bamboo Forest and felt the chilling cold, he would naturally understand my intentions.
We left the restaurant and arrived at the entrance of the Prince's mansion. Previously, no one guarded the gate, but now there were ten guards. Passersby in front of the gate would only glance and leave quickly, afraid of angering the guards. Trying to go through the Prince's mansion again was clearly not an option.
Just as I was about to grab someone to ask what was going on.
Two guards with swords rushed forward, their standard long swords half-drawn.
"Who are you two? How dare you loiter in front of the Prince's mansion? Are you in league with that thief?"
Seeing Zhang Dabiao's face darken and about to draw his sword, I quickly put a hand on his shoulder and said with a smile, "Oh, my two elder brothers. What are you saying? How do we look like thieves? We're just visiting for the first time and find the Prince's mansion quite curious. Please don't blame us." As I spoke, I handed over two golden ingots.
The two guards subtly tucked the gold ingots into their robes. One of them coughed as if to clear his throat and said, "Just take a few glances. Don't wander around the gate. It would be bad if you were mistaken for being in league with the thief."
I showed a surprised expression, "Thief? Did someone steal from the Prince's mansion?"
"Who says not? They say it's hard to guard against thieves within your own household. I heard it was done by someone in the mansion. General Zuo has already captured him and is interrogating him. I estimate..."
He was interrupted halfway by another guard next to him.
"Why are you talking so much to an outsider? Are you tired of living?" He then gave me and Zhang Dabiao a fierce look, "Kid, curiosity is fine, but don't talk nonsense if you know something, or I'll execute you on the spot." He then made a beheading gesture towards his neck.
I quickly nodded, feigning fear, and then pulled Zhang Dabiao away.
Zuo Quan had indeed acted against Old Ghost. Although I expected it, I didn't expect Zuo Quan to act so quickly.
When I left the Fifth Prince's mansion, I already felt something was wrong. Everyone in the mansion was hidden, letting me wander around openly. If I hadn't threatened to set the house on fire at the end, I don't think anyone would have come out to guide me. Su Dan Novel Network
Even at the entrance, they were letting me leave as if I were a "plague god."
When I returned to the restaurant and found Old Ghost, he first asked me what the Fifth Princess thought of my departure, and then asked me if the Fifth Princess's soul was good or evil.
Now it seemed that everything from my entering the Prince's mansion to my leaving was arranged by Old Ghost.
Could Old Ghost's identity be the Fifth Prince?
But then I thought it didn't make sense.
If Old Ghost was the Fifth Prince, why wouldn't he personally take me into the Prince's mansion if he wanted my help? Instead, he used the strange method of the Fifth Princess recruiting a consort.
"No, there must be something I don't know here."
My words completely confused Zhang Dabiao, who quickly asked me what I was talking about.
I didn't explain, but instead turned and headed back to the restaurant.
Seeing me return, the innkeeper still greeted me enthusiastically. I threw him a gold ingot and asked him to find me a quiet spot on the first floor.
Zhang Dabiao, who followed, looked at me with understanding and asked, "Little brother, what are you up to? Didn't you say you were looking for someone? Why aren't you looking anymore?"
I glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention to me, then replied, "I'm looking for Old Ghost. Now that Old Ghost has been captured, I have to figure out his identity first before I can figure out how to rescue him."
"So your intention in coming here is? Can't we just ask around?"
I chuckled, "I've read martial arts novels, and places like restaurants are the most well-informed. Perhaps we can get some unexpected news here."
Zhang Dabiao: "..."
Actually, there was a doubt I hadn't voiced: when I arrived, it just so happened to be the time the Fifth Princess was recruiting a consort.
Logically speaking, such a major event as recruiting a consort wouldn't end anticlimactically. I was pushed through the Prince's mansion gate, and then I saw Old Ghost, the opium addict, and Zuo Quan fighting. After I came out, the entire semi-yin realm seemed as if nothing had happened.
It was as if I had a dream.
But I knew this was not a dream at all. Unlike dreaming, when I first got the portrait of the Fifth Princess, I now had something on me – the Hu Kui Seal.