Chapter 499 Recognized

In the dead of night, at the fifth watch, when the rooster crowed and the city gates swung open, a carriage slowly made its way out of the city.

The guards on duty did their usual check. A plain-looking young man hopped down from the carriage and said respectfully:

"Officer, the carriage carries my wife and mother—just common folk like me. We're headed south for my sister's wedding. We gotta leave early 'cause we're short on time—otherwise we won't make it in two days. If you don't believe me, have a look."

The carriage curtain lifted, and the guards peeked inside. Sure enough, there was a young woman and an older lady with gray hair sitting inside.

The older woman faked a few coughs. "Cough, cough, cough..."

"Alright, move along!" The guards didn't think much of it and waved them through.

The young man immediately bowed and scraped. "Thanks, officer. Thanks a lot, officer."

The carriage rolled out of the city gates without a hitch. Once the gates of Dongchen Kingdom were out of sight, Xie Liuzheng dropped the act and yanked open the carriage curtain.

The young woman inside was definitely Hua Feixue, and the older woman with gray hair was Ji Yuntang.

As for him, he was playing the part of the husband driving the carriage.

Ji Yuntang had thrown together everyone's disguises to hide their identities.

Xie Liuzheng watched Hua Feixue lounging in the carriage, legs crossed, slouching with a swagger even more playboy-ish than his own, and he felt a wave of annoyance.

"Sister Yuntang, why didn't you tell me—the Heir, no less—that you were bringing the Dog Crown Prince's concubine to Xishu Kingdom?"

"Aren't you worried she'll rat us out?"

Ji Yuntang explained, "Brother, she's on our side. Relax!"

Xie Liuzheng remained unconvinced. "But she's the Dog Crown Prince's most favored concubine. Lately, he's been taking her all over the capital. How do you know she hasn't flipped?"

Ji Yuntang's lips twitched. She knew that with the three of them traveling together, some things had to be cleared up.

That Hua Feixue had recently won the Crown Prince's deep favor was hardly a secret in the capital.

Many said she was skilled, which was how she'd wormed her way into the Crown Prince's bed right after Ji Qingqing got locked up.

And everyone in the capital knew Xie Liuzheng and Luo Jingshen didn't get along.

So seeing Hua Feixue now, it was only natural he'd be suspicious.

Ji Yuntang glanced at Hua Feixue, who didn't react at all, and finally explained, a bit exasperated: "Brother, Hua Feixue is actually a guy, and the head of the Blood Rain Sect. Him being with the Crown Prince is just an act to fool him. Actually, he's already teamed up with me!"

If Ji Yuntang had kept her mouth shut, Xie Liuzheng might have let it go—but now he blew up!

"What?! The guy who sent assassins after Qingge and me before—that was this punk?"

Ji Yuntang: "..."

Ji Yuntang: "!!!"

She realized her screw-up—she'd totally forgotten about that!

Seeing the two about to go at it, Ji Yuntang quickly cut in: "Brother, it's a misunderstanding. It's all a misunderstanding."

Xie Liuzheng fumed, "Misunderstanding? This punk sent over a hundred Blood Rain Sect killers after Princess Jiu last time. If I hadn't escorted her back to the palace, she'd be dead by now!"

"They nearly cost me my future wife and left me with a gash on my shoulder. This is a blood feud—how the hell can a 'misunderstanding' fix that?"

Hua Feixue lounged lazily in the carriage, raising an eyebrow as she gave Xie Liuzheng a once-over.

"You must be Heir Xie of the Duke Rong estate, the so-called Capital's Top Playboy, right?"

"Seeing you in person, you really live up to the hype."

Xie Liuzheng rolled up his sleeves, glaring at Hua Feixue. "Cut the crap. Don't think sweet talk will get you off the hook!"

"Your people nearly killed us. This isn't over!"

Hua Feixue didn't get mad; instead, she let out a mocking laugh. "Ever wonder why my people were sent to kill Princess Jiu?"

"It's all your fault."

Xie Liuzheng frowned, annoyed. "What's that got to do with me?"

"Of course it does. You were out there flirting, getting too close to Princess Jiu, and that made the Tenth Princess jealous. She paid us to kill Princess Jiu, right?"

When Hua Feixue finished, Xie Liuzheng was stunned. "Luo Qianxue set this up?"

"Who else?" Hua Feixue said with a sly smile. "If that assassination hadn't given you the chance to play the hero and save the damsel, changing Princess Jiu's mind about you, would you have won her heart?"

"Honestly, you should thank me for playing matchmaker and helping you find a good match."

Xie Liuzheng: "..."

Xie Liuzheng: "!!!"

He'd seen shameless people before, but never anyone as shameless as Hua Feixue.

Her nerve was even thicker than his own.

Xie Liuzheng asked Ji Yuntang, "Where on earth did you meet someone this brazen?"

Ji Yuntang: "..."

Xie Liuzheng really knew how to hit a sore spot—why did he have to ask that?

She couldn't exactly say she'd robbed his Blood Rain Sect's treasury, could she?

Ji Yuntang's eyelids twitched as she turned to meet Hua Feixue's inscrutable gaze.

She quickly said, "The Sect Master Hua and I—we became friends through a fight, but fortunately, we share the same goal and the same enemy, so we quickly reached an understanding."

"Last time, when the Dog Crown Prince planned to massacre Prince Ye's estate at midnight, it was Sect Master Hua who warned me in advance, giving me time to plan and respond."

Xie Liuzheng pressed further, "Then why bring him to the Xishu Kingdom? Is he from there too?"

This time, before Ji Yuntang could answer, Hua Feixue spoke up on her own.

"At least you've got some brains. I am Chu Yi, the Crown Prince of the Xishu Kingdom."

"Your sister wants the Dragon Scale Herb, the royal treasure of the Xishu Kingdom, to save Prince Ye's life. Naturally, you'll need my help."

Xie Liuzheng hadn't expected such a connection between them. He asked in shock, "Sister Yuntang, is everything he said true?"

Ji Yuntang nodded. "It's true. The forbidden grounds of the Xishu royal family require the blood of a direct-line prince with pure yang constitution to open. Crown Prince Chu Yi is the last remaining direct-line bloodline of the Xishu royal family. If I want the Dragon Scale Herb, I'll need his assistance."

"So, brother, can you just drop it?"

Xie Liuzheng frowned slightly, a hint of suspicion on his face. "I, the Heir, can let it go, but something doesn't add up!"

"If he is the Crown Prince of the Xishu Kingdom, then why would he disguise himself as a woman and claim to be the sect master?"

"As far as I know, the Blood Rain Sect has been around for over a decade, and its master, Blood Flower, should be some old guy in his thirties or forties. How could he be this young and handsome?"

"Sister Yuntang, I know you're gullible, but don't let him fool you!"

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