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Xiao Jizi looked at the fool with a dislike for iron not becoming steel, pushing him out as he said, "No watching when the master is using the bathroom, got it? Off you go, off you go, or the master, feeling shy, might just have to teach you a lesson with that rattan cane."

Xiao Linzi shivered and scurried out on his feet.

The master’s rattan cane, he knew it all too well; it had been taken from Pang Ya’s hands. On the first day Nanny Qi arrived, they were disciplined with that cane, and later the master used it to catch a villain, after which it was lost and he picked it up.

That was a brave cane, quite remarkable, and he feared that cane.

"Humph~" Lian Hua ground her teeth, crossing her arms and staring fierce at the mischievous Xiao Jizi, who outwardly rushed people out but was actually teasing her. This young eunuch was asking for it.

Once Xiao Linzi was out, Xiao Jizi grinned sheepishly as he backed away, bowing and scraping as he fumbled with two doors, saying uneasily, "Master, please proceed with your bathroom break, I assure you Xiao Linzi won’t appear before you."

He quickly shut the door after speaking.

That was close, if the master had a rattan cane in hand, it would have been thrown this way.

Once everyone had left, Lian Hua couldn’t help but let out a snicker, her reluctance at seeing off His Majesty vanishing like smoke and clouds due to their playful banter.

Well, it was good that he had left; she had important matters to attend to.

His Majesty’s birthday was approaching, and she needed to prepare a gift for him—indeed, a major worry that troubled her deeply...

Just after lunch, under the arrangement of Hu Miaomiao, the Emperor, dressed in casual clothes, secretly left the palace and headed for a residence somewhere in the Capital City.

Thinking about the hidden concern in his heart, he couldn’t wait a single moment longer, and after making a disguise, he secretly set out.

Meanwhile, Zhang Qing, with hands tucked in his sleeves, stood unfazed outside the Star Palace, following orders to guard it, not allowing anyone to enter.

Despite appearing calm and collected as usual, he was inwardly cursing Hu Miaomiao.

The white fatty’s mouth was truly deceitful; even he was unwittingly tricked and believed in his mischief.

All the words from last night were but comforting lies to him; that dead fatty had never planned to take him along, saying he had forgotten that his "older brother" wasn’t skilled in martial arts, and everyone he brought along was light as a swallow.

His Majesty was also among the experts, and then full of apologies, he said that to make the trip there and back quick, it was better for his "older brother" not to go.

Aiyo, having been in the palace so long, who couldn’t read between the lines of the white fatty’s words? Wasn’t he just saying that he was a burden!

The most infuriating part was that the dead fatty, while stepping on him, conveniently lavished praise on His Majesty.

As if His Majesty, adept at both the pen and the sword, needed his flattery!

Truly despicable!

Next time he listens to his smooth talk, he might as well change his last name from Zhang.

Zhang Qing, with a smile on his face, turned away a court official, telling him that His Majesty had eaten and since he drank quite a bit last night, he had a bit of a headache. He needed to rest for a while, and it was best for everyone to wait for the summon.

The visiting court official also knew His Majesty rarely drank, having been coaxed into drinking quite a bit the previous night, and upon hearing Zhang Qing, chuckled awkwardly before leaving.

Zhang Qing sighed internally. In fact, he knew that what Hu Miaomiao said was not wrong. His presence wouldn’t be much use; His Majesty had left him behind to guard the Star Palace, to maintain the pretense of His Majesty still being there, and to handle any emergencies should they arise.

His staying was more useful than going.

But that white fatty, knowing full well His Majesty wouldn’t let him go, still fooled him. It was too hateful.

That dead fatty better not fall into his hands; he needed to get even.

Zhang Qing viciously backbited Hu Miaomiao.

In another mansion, a lean old man clad in a Confucian robe and a silk scarf, hands clasped behind his back, strolled confidently towards the small door on the western side of the residence as naturally as if he were exiting his own home.

But merely four or five steps from the door, a neatly dressed man in black emerged, blocking his path and bowing as he said, "Sir, this way is closed, please turn back."

The lean old man, without uttering a word, tossed his sleeves and turned to leave, not wasting time with pointless chatter.

Ever since they were captured, he had tried countless times to leave, but to no avail.

He had no idea what these people of unknown origin wanted, taking him and his family along with that good-for-nothing brother in tow!

These people treated them quite well, providing them with ample food and drink, granting anything they requested; they neither beat nor scolded them, never mistreated them, nor even questioned them. If someone fell ill, they would summon a doctor; their treatment was nothing short of excellent.

Only when they attempted to leave did they encounter obstructions like the one he faced now, being barred from exiting, restricted from taking even a single step away.

This was undoubtedly soft imprisonment, pure and simple!

Yet they were nothing but common folk, and his status as a Scholar hardly set him apart much; in the Capital, where a falling brick could casually claim the life of a court official, they amounted to very little.

Don’t think he was unaware that they were in the Capital. When he first entered in the dead of night, silent and deserted, a tour around the mansion’s layout and a look at its tiles and bricks were all it took for him to recognize it.

He couldn’t fathom why they were under house arrest, what the intent was, what they could possibly gain from his family, for what could they possibly be targeted?

Additionally, from time to time, a fat man would come, chatting and cozying up to them with a smiling face.

Tch, undeserved kindness is either a trick or a theft; who couldn’t see that he was there to pry for information? Only his foolish brother would consort with that fatty, treating him like kin and bonding with him.

Lian Bingcheng’s thoughts grew vexing as the situation became less and less clear, an unease festering in his mind.

There had been some incidents before that shed light on the situation.

Now, it seemed likely that these people, seeing no success with force, had switched to a gentler approach, ultimately leading to an armed confrontation.

His family likely faced a catastrophic disaster. It was fortunate that he had no children by his side, but he felt sorry for his spouse and his employees.

As for his brother, if he died, so be it; the world would be rid of a nuisance. Thankfully, his brother’s wife and children were not captured, leaving some legacy behind.

Lian Bingcheng’s mood was far from optimistic as he worriedly prepared to try another door.

The mansion was a strange place; he had combed through the entire property during these days, trying every door, climbing over walls, yet he could not find the main gate.

If he dared to climb over the wall, he was sure to uncover the oddity.

The man in black clothes felt helpless; this obstinate old man had elicited such situations hundreds of times.

The old man’s body was lean, yet full of vitality. Each time he was turned back, he would return, over and over again, for hundreds of times.

The key was that this old man, over the twelve Shichen each day, attempted to escape or climb the walls at different times without any foreseeable pattern, even at midnight.

The guards surrounding the property could not relax for a moment; otherwise, they might actually let the old man find a gap and break free.

The man in black, expressionless and unmoved, felt a twinge of sympathy; he wanted to persuade the old man to settle down, if only for a while.