Chapter 134: .Night Visit to Jade King's Mansion (Part 2)

The three princes walked along the white wooden corridor.
There are now many people in the palace hall, and it is more secluded in this vast snowy night, but it also avoids the trouble of encountering with others. They didn't walk slowly, they didn't talk on the road, but they were thinking about their own things, and they arrived at Chef A Bing's residence not long after.
Because he was a distant relative of the princess, the only remaining chef in this mansion lived in a spacious room. In the low wooden building on the upper and lower floors, some sausages and bacon hung on the eaves, four pickled vegetable jars were neatly placed underneath, and two white paper lanterns hung in the corner of the building, but they were not lit. The night is getting dark, the door of the cabin is closed, and the inside is pitch black. I think the owner has fallen asleep long ago.
Mo came forward and knocked on the door of the room. He thought he was going to wait for a while, but a few trembling exclamations came out from the room immediately: "Who...who! Most of the night, I, I'm sleeping, something will happen tomorrow Come find it."
"...It's me, Mo." The black guard felt that his reaction was really strange. Suspiciously, he pushed the door hard and found that the door was locked from the inside.
"Quickly open the door, your Highness wants you for something." He whispered again, and the people in the room hurriedly responded: "Here, you are coming, quietly..."
There were a few short sounds of going downstairs, the wooden door was opened with a gap that only allowed one person to pass, but the owner was not seen, obviously still with a lot of defense.
Although I don't know why this inexplicable alert came about, Mo still led the two guests into the room with a muffled voice. The door was locked with a snap, and in the dark room, only four pairs of eyes with different looks were looking at each other.
"Turn on the light..." The prince didn't have time to wait for him to relax and directly spoke. Mo Ziran did it right, and he walked to the wall with his impression and dialed a switch, and a dim yellow light appeared on the ceiling of the hall.
The late Guangming finally showed the appearance of the owner of the house in front of everyone. Chef Ah Bing is a middle-aged fat and fat man, slightly shrunk, wearing a gray cotton robe and wearing a thick fur cap. At the moment, he is trying to stare at the three uninvited guests.
His gaze first focused on the water monk wearing bright red clothes, he was silent for a moment, and suddenly he exclaimed: "You...Aren't you Aling!"
"Uncle A Bing..." Seeing this elder who had been acquainted with him since childhood, Monk Shui was still quite restrained, and bowed his way.
"Oh hello, you, where have you been these years? I won't say a word!" Because of this accidental encounter, A Bing forgot all the previous guards, and said with a heartbreak, "The lord blames you for a few words and you run away. Now? You are the most aggrieved person of the family? It's not bad for you to leave, and I haven't seen you back in ten years! Your Royal Highness's deserted temperament still has to say a few words to you during the New Year, you, why are you willing Let her remember!"
He ranted a big deal, but the female monk did not answer her words uncharacteristically. Although the other party didn't actually know the real reason for her departure back then, what she said was reasonable. She was guilty of her heart, and Nuno responded a few times, only hoping that the other party could calm down early.
Shun was a little impatient to hear from the side, and glanced at Ling in surprise. Since seeing the princess, the old lady's temperament has really changed a hundred and eighty degrees, so she is so compliant, how can she still look like normal nonsense.
Ling felt the prince's weird gaze, and naturally guessed what he was thinking, and couldn't stop gritting his teeth secretly. Although she was embarrassed in her heart, she did not dare to show it, so she could only fly him a stab at him calmly.
After speaking, the fat chef took a few breaths, and was a little surprised to see the girl's well-behaved response. How did this girl go out for ten years, her temper became so good...He was confused, and he didn't know what to say for a while, and then turned his head, he recognized the prince standing beside him with no expression, and he was shocked and sweaty. It's coming out: "Oh my god! I don't know if your Royal Highness arrives, how small is he who is negligent and offensive, please forgive him!"
Caimo only said that his Highness had something to do. How could he expect that the "His Royal Highness" in this sentence was actually the prince who had no contact with the Jade Palace, and he hurriedly bent over to salute. Shun has been here for a long time listening to complaints, how can he still have the mind to deal with the courtesy with him, waved his hand at will: "No need to be polite. I have something to ask you, you must answer truthfully."
"Yes, yes..." The fat chef didn't dare to raise his head, and the cat cried his waist repeatedly.
Shun thought about the cause and effect before and after he pondered for a while and asked, "After the Jade King is in retreat, are you the only one to deliver food to that side hall?"
"His Royal Highness, there were still others, but then they... after they left, I was left alone."
"Have you ever been in the temple when you delivered the food?"
"The guards did not allow me to enter the hall, they only passed by the door, and someone followed. But I later discovered that although those people took the food, they didn't eat it at all..." He couldn't help but shudder at this point. , I don’t know what I’m afraid of.
"Well...you went there the night the accident happened to the side hall?"
"It was a mess that night. I went late and didn't see anything. It's just..." A Bing paused after thinking about it, or gritted his teeth and said, "I don't know if I am confused. A few newly hired soldiers were injured that day. I went too late and happened to see them dealing with the injuries in the corner. I didn’t care much at all. I glanced at it and saw one of them showing his arm, on that arm. ... There was a slap-sized birthmark, exactly like my deported good brother A Ming!"
His voice suddenly rose, screamed like he was frightened, and then stopped immediately. He didn't dare to say another word. He just rolled his eyes in panic, and cold sweat began to trickle down his cheeks.
Shun couldn't help frowning when he saw him look panicked. After thinking about it, he confirmed again: "Are you sure you are right?"
"Never, Amin's birthmark is bright red in color and looks like a pony... He usually likes to be shirtless when cooking. I have watched it for so many years, and I will never admit it!" Ah Bing shouted at the high pitch. He looked like a chilling cicada, his eyes drifted, and he glanced straight out of the locked door.
The three visitors were a little bit astonished by his surprise, and they didn't say anything for a while, each digesting the newly received clues.
Shun originally didn't take the group of new guards seriously, at most he thought they were weird in character or possessing secret skills, but now it seems that things are not that simple... he thought for a moment, turning his head habitually. Casting a wink at the people around him, he wanted to listen to his advice, but he was shocked to realize that there was ink standing on his shoulders, and he couldn't help but hesitated.
The black guard understood what he meant by mistake, and explained softly: "A Ming is also a chef in the palace. He has been hired from outside the palace six years ago and has been in the palace. He has a good relationship with A Bing, and he should not admit his mistake. "
"...Hmm." Shun could only respond, and Monk Shui suddenly interrupted: "Uncle A Bing, have you met that soldier these days? Didn't you recognize it?"
"How could I have never met..." The fat chef sighed, "But the man looks tall and thin, a lot different from Amin, and he covered his face. If it weren't for the birthmark that night, he called How can I recognize it!"
"No wonder..." Ling nodded deeply, and couldn't help muttering to himself, "This group of people have unknown origins and behave so strangely. They will never... all those who were fired from Jia Dingzhong changed their faces and came back. Right..."
This terrible conjecture caused the fat chef to tremble again, but the prince remained silent. What he said seems to be justified, but after all, it is a family statement. What is the fact, you have to go to the scene to confirm it in person...
"Go and have a look at the side hall." Shun made up his mind, raised his hand to compare, opened the door and walked out. The black-clothed guard followed, and the two of them walked a few steps forward but found that Monk Shui hadn't gone out, they turned their heads in unison, and met her hesitant eyes.
Perhaps because of the natural sensitivity of women, Ling always feels a little uneasy. After turning his eyes around for a long time, but can't think of one, he can only try to suggest: "Why... tell my aunt again?"
"No, I don't know whether it is true or not at this moment, so I don't have to bother the princess again." The prince shook his head and vetoed it.
Although Monk Shui was still a little worried, he didn't think that the Partial Palace was far away, and it didn't take much effort to explore the truth. The two men were standing outside the door and waiting for her in the wind and snow. She was too embarrassed to procrastinate, and looked at the fat chef who was not squeaking by the cat's waist, and hurriedly comforted him before walking out of the room. By the way Shaking his hand, he led the two water chains to bring the door back on.
Chef Ah Bing did not say a word of goodbye, obviously still in deep panic. As soon as the door was closed, there was a locking sound in the house, followed by a barely audible footstep, which gradually disappeared silently.
The investigation seemed to be becoming a mystery. The three princes did not delay for a moment, and continued to walk along the long corridor towards the side hall of the front yard.
Chef A Bing said it strangely, and Shun also had to be on guard. The situation was unclear at the moment, he didn't want to stun the snake, and used his hand to use the magic enchantment to hide the three-person hiding. The only slight footsteps were also swallowed by the howling wind and snow, and there was no trace to be found.
The three of them hurriedly walked around the giant tree forest in the atrium, and saw the dark ebony hall from a distance. There were no lights inside or outside the hall, and under the gloomy night, only a few rows of soldiers in black were standing around the hall. There was thick snow falling on them, but they remained motionless like tree stumps, seeming to be extremely loyal to their duties.
The Fangmu Corridor had come to an end. Mo, who led the way, stopped first, turning his head and using his eyes to signal that his companion's destination had arrived.
The prince glanced from a distance. There was still about a few tens of meters away from the side hall, and there was no light, and in the dark night covered by wind and snow, there was almost no useful information. Under the blessing of the illusion, he was confident that he would not be spotted by ordinary soldiers. With a forward gesture, he led the two gently down the steps and stepped on the snow to continue walking.
But I don't want them to have just taken a dozen steps. The row of samurai closest to the temple seemed to have noticed something and suddenly pulled out his knives as a warning. A few crisp knives sounded like a signal, causing all the guards around the Piandian to take out their weapons. After a clank, there was only a cold wind running away in the heavy snow.
The prince and the three were taken aback by this unpredictable noise, and they all settled in place in an instant.
Could it be that there are explorers among these guards who can see through the illusion? Shun squinted his eyes and stared at the rows of black shadows who couldn't see their figures. He thought of the Sacred Tower inspector who had been with him not long ago, and felt a little guessing. This partial hall retreat is the most severe forbidden place in the palace today, and it is no exaggeration to arrange for investigators to be stationed here...
But this is an unfounded guess after all, or maybe it's just a coincidence? He swept back and forth around the hall several times, trying to see if another abnormality had triggered the guards' vigilance. He did not act rashly for a while, and the two behind him also reacted to the sudden change.
Mo silently held the dagger hidden in his waist, staring at the prince, waiting for his order. The female monk thought more than he thought: These guards of unknown origin are extremely alert, and their movements are surprisingly consistent. They seem to have been trained for a long time, and they are not like those chefs who are not good at martial arts...
Naturally, she was willing to believe in Uncle A Bing's judgment, but the facts were puzzling. While secretly trying to figure it out, the prince suddenly made a sideways gesture to signal the two to follow.
Shun took them around a few steps from left to right, trying to test whether the other party could really find himself, but the result was shocking. All the guards changed their direction according to where he was, always facing the three of them on full guard, as if someone was pulling them in secret.
After several attempts, the prince finally stopped. The almost identical actions of the black guards made him feel weird. Even if there are explorers among them, it is impossible for everyone to react at the same time, right?
He faintly felt that the situation was shifting in an uncontrolled direction, and then quietly led his companion back to the wooden corridor, intending to ask more details. Unexpectedly, as soon as they stepped on the stone steps with their front feet, the group of guards immediately retracted their weapons and turned into a static posture like wooden stakes again.
It seems that this stone staircase should be the furthest distance they can detect...Shun secretly noted this point, and compared to a retreat gesture, he turned his head and left without hesitation. Several people walked around the corridor for a while, found a shelter from the wind, and made sure that there was no one on the left and right, and then they talked about the countermeasures.
Only when Mo had contact with these guards, the prince asked him first: "You come here on weekdays, have you met them like this?"
The guard thought for a moment, then shook his head and replied: "I usually come here alone, and they have no response at all, only if I don't exist."
"Have you seen them use their supernatural powers?"
"Never saw it, even if something happened to the palace last time, I haven't seen them behave strangely."
After two questions, he still found nothing. Shun felt a little anxious, thinking whether he wanted to show his identity and rush directly. The female monk who had been silent until now noticed this feeling of anxiety from his unconsciously heavy breath, and suddenly said. "I don't think there is any need to worry about this. The guards won't be able to run for a while... It's better to go back to Uncle A Bing and ask about the situation. At the worst, you can go out and ask for help.
Her words awakened Shun a little. Coming in a hurry in the middle of the night, he just thought about how to solve the rumors quickly, and now it seems that he was a bit hasty. But this is nothing for others, but it came from someone like Ling who is even more impulsive than him. It really makes him unbelievable.
The prince’s surprised look as if looking at a stranger also made the female monk annoyed. At this time, when no elders were watching, she rolled her eyes and cursed unceremoniously:
What’s the matter, the old lady can’t be more cautious? Wang Ye and Yu Ming Ke is retreating in the partial hall, so my old lady can't worry about them!?"
She was anxious for a while, and her tone of voice could not help raising a lot. Fortunately, the snowy night was so windy that it mostly covered her whistling voice, and she didn't see any movement after two shouts.
As soon as this mantra came out, it seemed to have taken on the wildness that was hard to change since childhood, and there was a posture that it was not appropriate to do it. Shun was willing to talk to her about the length of this lip, and turned away with a dry cough.
Ling saw that he seemed a little guilty, and he was even more unreasonable. In order to demonstrate the identity of the "proposer", she unceremoniously took a stride to get forward, but instead became a high-spirited leader.
Since the meeting, Mo was the first time he saw her swearing, and instantly he felt "oppressed" as when he was a child when he was practising divine power together, and he couldn't help but pause. Regaining his senses, the two companions were already fast to the corner, and he quickly followed with his waist knife. After a few breaths, the footsteps of the three of them all disappeared.
The heavy snow was still flying, and the blade-like wind swept across this shelter in the giant wood forest with cold white mist, and quickly wiped away the only marks left on the bluestone steps.