mtl008 Chapter 164 Tracking
Chapter 164 Tracking
Upon seeing this, Chen Shuo said no more, put away the portrait, and at a command, the Jinyiwei quickly took action.
Su Rao and Su Yi sat quietly in the hall, the atmosphere was solemn.
"Rao'er, why did the Jinyiwei show you the portrait specifically?" Su Yi was puzzled.
Su Rao secretly speculated in her heart that this might mean that the Jinyiwei were indeed looking for someone, and not deliberately targeting Prince Yi's Mansion.
As to the true identity of the person in the portrait, and whether there is a deeper purpose behind this statement, it is unknown.
The overly friendly statement made Su Rao think of Fang Mo, who was in a precarious situation. She was worried about whether there was any connection between the two, but she did not say it out loud.
The Jinyiwei team was like a dark cloud pressing down on a city, silently moving through every corner of Prince Yi's Mansion. Their steps were steady and swift, and their eyes were sharp. However, after finding no clues, they did not stay for too long, and disappeared outside the palace's vermilion gate like a gust of wind.
Su Rao stood behind the window, her eyes following the dark figure gradually going away, but her heart was filled with waves.
What kind of story is hidden behind the identity of the "notorious thief" whom the Jinyiwei is so eager to hunt down?
……
Deep in the Forbidden City, inside Shoukang Palace, the flickering candlelight illuminates the wrinkles on the Empress Dowager's face, adding a touch of the vicissitudes of time.
Mother Zhou, the old servant who had accompanied the Empress Dowager for many years, was now reporting all the recent rumors in the capital city.
When the Queen Mother heard this, a trace of barely perceptible doubt flashed across her brows. The affairs of the martial arts world should not disturb the palace, but Mother Zhou's words have always been well-founded, and this matter may not be as simple as it seems.
"What's so unusual about this person?" The Queen Mother's voice was gentle yet majestic, and her eyes were deep.
Upon hearing this, Mother Zhou respectfully pulled out a scroll from her sleeve, gently unfolded it, and handed it to the Empress Dowager.
On the scroll, the image of a masked man comes to life.
The Queen Mother stared at the person in the painting. At first, she did not notice anything unusual, but as her gaze deepened, her fingers trembled slightly and a gleam of disbelief flashed in her eyes.
"This...this..." The Queen Mother hesitated to speak. The familiar yet distant name seemed to be stuck in her throat, difficult to utter.
Seeing this, Mother Zhou continued softly, "It was Xiaoyan. The Wang family was very careful and feared that her identity would be revealed, so they covered her face when drawing her portrait. Twenty years have passed, and people's appearances have naturally changed. Even old acquaintances may not be recognized at first glance. Only those who are very close to her can notice it from the subtle details. Xiaoyan always silently guarded the eldest lady in the past. That deep friendship was known to everyone in the palace..."
Mother Zhou's words were full of nostalgia and emotion for the past. After hearing this, the Queen Mother's expression became even gloomier: "Xiaoyan, what a good child. It's a pity that Qinglan's heart was with the one from the Ning family, and the ending was so sad. If I had chosen Xiaoyan at the beginning, perhaps..."
"Empress Dowager, the man from the Ning family is also a rare gentleman. Things in the world are unpredictable and it is all determined by fate." Mother Zhou comforted.
"Alas, where is Qinglan's child, the bloodline of the Zhao family, now? There is only this ray of hope left..."
The Queen Mother sighed softly, her thoughts drifting away, and then she returned, "Let's get back to the point. Since Xiaoyan is still alive, why did she return to the capital and be discovered by the Wang family?"
"I'm afraid we'll have to wait for him to reveal his own experience on this matter."
"Why did the Wang family go to such great lengths to capture him, even at the cost of offending the higher-ups?" the Queen Mother asked.
"Empress Dowager, do you still remember the incident in the armory?" Mother Zhou reminded.
The Queen Mother's expression tightened when she heard this: "I still haven't been able to tell the truth about that matter. The Wang family's appetite is a bit too big."
Once upon a time, the Queen Mother had a good impression of the Wang family. But ever since Wang Liu took advantage of the Zhao family's affairs to stir up trouble and became greedy for the armory, the little affection that the Queen Mother had in her heart had been worn away to almost nothing.
Between Xiaoyan and the Wang family, her emotional balance naturally leans towards the former.
"Please pay more attention to Xiaoyan's affairs. If you have any news, please inform me immediately."
"Yes, Queen Mother." Mother Zhou responded and stepped back.
……
The Su Mansion also experienced a sudden search storm.
"Have you spotted anyone behaving suspiciously?" The Jinyiwei's question echoed in the mansion, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
Chen secretly calculated in her heart that being associated with a bandit was definitely not a good sign, but she already had a plan in mind.
Chen had long been dissatisfied with Zhao, but had been keeping it to herself due to the potential power of Su Rao and Prince Yi.
Now, isn't this a good opportunity to kill someone with a borrowed knife?
With just a slight hint, without actually hurting Zhao, he could be made to suffer.
Chen's eyes rolled and she said, "I...I seemed to see a figure sneaking around in Zhao's courtyard a few days ago. Could it be the person you are looking for?"
Although Zhao's courtyard had already been roughly searched, as soon as Chen said this, the Jinyiwei immediately rushed in like a tide and began a more detailed search.
Zhao's face was pale and her voice was trembling: "My Lords, didn't we search this place just now?"
She was already very nervous, thinking that she had finally gotten away with the Jinyiwei, and had escaped danger. However, she did not expect that they would come back again. Her heart was beating like a drum, almost jumping out of her chest.
"Someone reported that a suspicious person appeared in your courtyard." The Jinyiwei said coldly, his sharp eyes fixed on Zhao.
The Jinyiwei had seen countless people, and Zhao's nervous reaction undoubtedly confirmed some of his speculations.
"Search thoroughly and don't leave any clues behind." The leading Jinyiwei gave the order.
Zhao's legs and feet became weak and she fell powerlessly into the chair, praying silently in her heart, could it be that Brother Yan's whereabouts that day had been discovered?
Could the thief that the Jinyiwei is looking for really be Brother Yan?
Just when Zhao was in a state of confusion, a Jinyiwei came hurriedly to report: "Sir, blood was found in her bedroom closet!"
Zhao's face turned pale in an instant.
The leading Jinyiwei glanced at Zhao coldly, then walked into the bedroom, opened the wardrobe, and saw dried bloodstains clearly.
The previous hasty search had not noticed it, but now a careful search would reveal all the bloodstains.
"Bring that woman here." The Jinyiwei leader ordered in a deep voice.
Soon, Zhao was roughly dragged into the house and thrown heavily to the ground.
The commander grabbed her hair and dragged her to the closet mercilessly, forcing her to look directly at the shocking bloodstains.
"Tell me, what's going on with this bloodstain?" The Jinyiwei in front of Zhao had a sharp gaze and a cold voice.
Zhao was trembling, her eyes fixed on the shocking red on the ground. Her face was pale, and she was almost overwhelmed by this sudden fear: "I... I really don't know... How is this possible..."
Her voice was as thin as a mosquito and filled with incredible panic.