Zuo Yanfei's greatest concern had indeed come to pass. Tang Wei proposed they act swiftly. After exchanging blows a few short times, the flames on the flying sword gradually diminished, revealing a section of its blade where frost was forming, slowly expanding. Meanwhile, on the deck of the boat, one could even see arrow slits designed for soldiers to shoot from; in crucial moments, this pleasure boat could transform into a warship.
"Watch out, Wei!"
Both women wore masks that concealed their faces. One of them held the flying sword with flames swirling around her, swinging it toward Zuo Yanfei in a fierce strike.
"There have been entries and exits through this broken window," Zuo Yanfei had remarked upon returning to the palace. After bidding farewell to Bai Qiuran, they had immediately sought out Emperor Qupeng, but upon inquiry, discovered that the guards assigned to protect the crown prince had already been executed out of rage by Emperor Qupeng for their failure to do their duty that day.
Emperor Qupeng replied, "They should still be lingering in the canal. If you wish to pursue, I can send someone to assist you."
Holding this posture, she opened her mouth slightly. Sensing the menacing aura of her opponent, Tang Wei decided to not hold back any longer. Utilizing the evasion techniques she had honed from years of sparring with the mountain’s mother monkey and the flexibility developed through her physical training, she bent her slim waist and narrowly dodged her opponent's attack, almost breaking in half.
Returning to the palace and saying their goodbyes to Bai Qiuran, Tang Wei and Zuo Yanfei quickly sought out Emperor Qupeng again, only to find out that the guards assigned to protect the crown prince had already been brutally executed for not performing their duties.
Once in the room, they searched thoroughly, noticing that it looked like the place had been restored afterward. Whether it was the decorations on the table or the bedding and mosquito nets on the bed, everything appeared orderly, as if prepared for the crown prince's return at any moment. Due to the incident, Emperor Qupeng awkwardly apologized to Zuo Yanfei and Tang Wei. Yet, he had evidently miscalculated one thing.
After apologizing, Emperor Qupeng said, "Before the attack, I heard a sneer escape his lips." However, upon searching, Tang Wei's keen eyes spotted some clues on the floor: a short piece of white fur caught in the cracks of the wooden floor, nearly invisible unless one looked closely.
"But if you ladies are going to investigate this, I also have a hunch that might or might not be reliable," he suggested. Compared to other areas in the room, the dust on top of the furniture was unusually minimal.
"Since Emperor Qupeng has his suspicions, it would be impossible not to send someone afterward to check this place. But those people didn't find anything amiss, partly because this is the crown prince's boat, and they didn't dare disturb it. Furthermore, during that time, someone must have come back to replace things."
Zuo Yanfei's expression turned serious, and she lifted her skirt slightly. As her garments billowed, she drew two silver short guns into her hands. A brief clash ensued, gradually reducing the fire on the sword, causing a section of the blade to be covered in frost, which continued to grow.
Suddenly, a voice from Zuo Yanfei interrupted, “Why would His Majesty say such a thing?”
“Since I know my son best, it's likely that he was not killed in that tavern but elsewhere.”
As they gazed at the boat, Tang Wei sighed, “Such a fine boat... it's become that crown prince's mobile artillery.”
Before the attack, Tang Wei heard the sneer again and evaded deftly, her waist bending at almost impossible angles to escape once more. Meanwhile, Zuo Yanfei fearlessly countered, deflecting a strike with her guns, and combined the two short guns into one silver spear, casting a cold glint as she lunged at the fire-based cultivator.
Upon hearing Emperor Qupeng’s comments, Zuo Yanfei felt her face flush slightly, while the royal-born Tang Wei remained composed. After pondering for a moment, she asked, “Your Majesty, do you know where the crown prince usually indulges his whims with women?”
A black light flashed as an assailant was sent flying out the window, appearing to be malevolent water-based cultivators attacking from all directions.
Overall, this incident left Emperor Qupeng feeling embarrassed in his apology to Zuo Yanfei and Tang Wei. However, as things grew darker, Zuo Yanfei and Tang Wei knew they had stumbled into something far more serious.
“Watch out, Wei!” Zuo Yanfei shouted again just as a fiery strike hurtled toward them.
“Someone has come through this window,” Emperor Qupeng noted once more.
In this complex web of events and hidden dangers, the truth loomed closer, and each clue brought them ever closer to uncovering the plot hiding in the shadows.