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Lian Bao had indeed noticed the clues, and by now, his heart was certain without a doubt that this person was the chubby man seen at Yanqing Mansion.

As she withdrew her gaze, Lian Hua’s peripheral vision swept over the last guard to dismount.

This man’s demeanor was distinct from the others, tall and slender. As he dismounted, he naturally emitted a formidable presence, and a glimpse of subtle imperial yellow flickered deep within his sleeve.

Lian Bao felt something amiss and squinted again, and though that nouveau riche was at the forefront of the crowd, the guards around him seemed to defer to this man as if he were their superior, avoiding his gaze, with no one daring to look directly at him.

As this man walked towards the gate, everyone naturally stepped aside.

He also noticed that this man, who was initially second to last, had moved to the center after dismounting. All the guards displayed a protective stance around him, and even the chubby man’s position at the gate was strategically guarded.

Just as Lian Bao tried to take a closer look, that man seemed to sense something and turned his head, shooting a look in his direction.

He involuntarily shuddered, quickly lowering his head and using his straw hat to shield himself from that gaze, not daring to look directly.

His heart started pounding fiercely. This man was incredibly sharp, with a powerful aura!

That gaze was almost tangible, exerting an immense pressure on him; it was the first time he had felt such a presence in a person.

Lian Bao fixed his shoes, called Uncle Ma over with his head down, suppressing the chill in his heart, and motioned for everyone to leave without showing any signs.

Uncle Ma, having a tacit understanding with him, had already started chatting idly with a passerby porter to cover for him when he sensed something was off.

He continued walking with Uncle Ma without stopping, sorting through the clues he had gathered in his mind, revisiting everything he had witnessed thus far:

An agile expert, an extraordinary hidden sentry, a fortress-like mansion, extravagant traps and baits, the privilege of entering the capital at night!

And the commanding aura of that man, and that hidden dash of imperial yellow...

All these connections made him involuntarily stop in his tracks, his mind suddenly struck by lightning, leading to a daring speculation. Could it be...

A tidal wave surged in his heart. If it was true, then it all made sense, perfectly so!

All these people came from within the Imperial Court, from the Imperial Palace!

If viewed separately, he couldn’t associate them with the Imperial Palace; noble families too, could nurture skilled individuals. But what about together?

Who else in the world could easily manage these things, especially the privilege of entering the capital at night? Even Guo Neng’s backbone—Xue Ping couldn’t easily accomplish this.

And that barely discernible dash of imperial yellow, the answer was almost summoning itself.

He also remembered something someone had said, that there was a good sword in the palace, a sword bearing the surname Lian, that if properly wielded, could completely eradicate the Xue Family’s influence within the palace!

Thinking back, he might have misunderstood the word. It should be "Lian"!

How could this be! How could this be!!

With this realization, Lian Bao’s heart raced wildly, his face instantly turning deathly pale.

"Young Master, what’s wrong? Was there something off about that group just now?" Uncle Ma also stopped, calling out with concern.

Ever since encountering that nouveau riche, the Young Master had seemed uneasy, and now he stood there, not moving, his face deathly pale and his expression dazed.

Fortunately, they had already moved out of sight of that group, otherwise, they might have been discovered.

Lian Bao suddenly woke up with a start, letting go of his carrying pole and urgently grasping Uncle Ma, lowering his voice, "Call off tonight’s action, quickly notify everyone."

Uncle Ma hurriedly supported him, asking with confusion and concern, "Young Master, why is this? Wasn’t it..."

"Uncle Ma, just listen to me first, I’ll explain it to you once I figure things out." His mind was somewhat chaotic at the moment; he needed to sort things out and give himself some time.

Upon hearing this, Uncle Ma immediately responded, "Alright." He trusted Lian Bao wholeheartedly.

He then asked with concern, "Young Master, are you alright?"

"I’m fine." Lian Bao shook his head, his heartbeat slowly calming down, his expression easing as he looked toward the direction of the Imperial Palace, as if trying to see through the layers of buildings to the depths beyond: "It’s just that I need to verify something..."

In front of the manor, the Emperor dressed in guard clothing redirected his gaze, thoughtfully walking toward the main gate.

Just moments ago, he had sensed a probing gaze, distinct from that of a passerby, faintly hostile.

When he looked in the direction he felt it, the gaze had disappeared.

Yet, at the roadside outside another manor some hundred steps away, were several porters and peddlers.

They chatted like ordinary people. One of them spoke loudly about which family wanted to buy mountain goods and which family was preparing winter coal. After a few words, they quickly dispersed, one of the porters walking in this direction.

The situation appeared entirely normal.

The Emperor suppressed his suspicions.

He entered the manor and closed the big gate.

Hu Miaomiao set aside her nouveau riche demeanor and hurried over, nodding and bowing to the Emperor, "Oh, Your Majesty, this servant has really offended you, it’s just that all the nearby homes belong to merchants, and if not disguised, it would be too conspicuous.

To spare the Imperial Censor of the former court some trouble, I had to inconvenience you.

But rest assured, even so, your dignity is not compromised in the least—"

The Emperor raised his hand to stop his chatter, saying indifferently, "The situation dictates the action, it’s fine."

Across from that manor was the place where the Rebel Prince was once imprisoned; he knew all too well who the people around here were.

Hu Miaomiao, with a beaming smile, replied, "Yes, yes, yes, Your Excellency is magnanimous, I admire you in my heart. It is said that a premier’s stomach can host a boat, but Your Majesty’s embrace is like the sea, broad enough to hold the myriad rivers, the entire world."

His Majesty’s disguise served two purposes: one was to avoid the eyes and ears of court officials and nobility. His Majesty was the weathervane of the entire court, watched by countless eyes, both overt and covert, and leaving the palace was always a major event.

Recently His Majesty had visited Yixiang Palace, a place he frequented often, yet it still sparked some baseless speculations, truly ludicrous.

The second purpose was to evade the surveillance of those whom they intended to capture.

Previously, a group had brazenly attempted to capture Beauty Lian’s relatives, but were annihilated by his men, with a communicator escaping. Unable to trace this group’s origins, Hu Miaomiao deliberately exposed a flaw to capture them alive.

Recent signs indicated that the fish were about to bite; they would soon be able to report back to their lord, hence the desperate measures, to prevent any leaks.

The Emperor’s suspicion hadn’t dissipated; that gaze from outside earlier, he didn’t believe it was an illusion. After pondering briefly, he looked toward Hu Miaomiao.

Hu Miaomiao quickly bent down, his round belly bulging, moving closer with a smile, "What are your orders, Excellency?"

"Increase security in the next few days and ensure everyone is well protected," the Emperor commanded, not bothering to explain further, as he strode toward the artificial hill in the southeast corner.