Weren’t you supposed to be resting? How did you end up like this, as if you’ve gone mad…

After a long while, Shen Qian finally opened the door, his face calm again: “It’s nothing, I just saw a mouse in the room.”

Xiao Wan, who shared the room with him: “Huh? Ahhhhhhh!!!”

Ye Gui, who was rinsing his mouth again: “…” Well, this time he didn’t spit it out, he swallowed it.

Shen Qian calmly said, “It’s fine now, I’ve already chased the mouse away. Later, I’ll bring the fat cat from the kitchen over for a couple of days, and the mouse won’t dare to come back.”

Xiao Wan hurriedly ran into the room to check on the snacks he had hidden. Recently, Shen Qian had someone make a lot of delicious food for the gongzi, and they managed to snag some too. Xiao Wan couldn’t bear to eat it all at once and was now worried the mouse might have nibbled on it.

Zhan’er scolded, “It’s because you hide these sweets in the bedroom that you attract mice, isn’t it?” Then she turned to Shen Qian, “You’re already a grown man, and you got so scared by a mouse. That scream just now was so loud it startled the gongzi.”

Shen Qian thought, so what if I startled him? Doesn’t he realize how lucky he is not to have his soul scattered?

By now, Shen Qian had gradually calmed down and was slowly accepting the fact that he couldn’t switch back for the time being. Ha, it’s just a little magic, right? He had spent over two hundred years in a world of cultivation, who knew more about magic than him!

He didn’t know before that this world allowed for cultivation, but now that he did, why couldn’t he cultivate if others could? He would start cultivating immediately, and once he succeeded, he would catch the person who recklessly used magic in public places and swap souls with a toad!

As for now… Shen Qian gritted his teeth. So what if he’s a servant? So what if it’s a disastrous start? The strong never fear their environment; they change it. Watch him turn the tables against the odds! Command the wind and rain! Break through the void (not really).

He! Shen Qian! The strongest of the strong!! The king of kings!!! No difficulty can defeat him!

Shen Qian’s eyes burned with fiery anger and determination: “I’m going to sleep!”

Zhan’er: “?” If you’re going to sleep, just sleep, why shout?

With great ambition, Shen Qian lay down, but he hadn’t slept long before Xiao Wan shook him awake. He glanced out the window; it was still dark: “What’s wrong?” He sat up, looking around in confusion, with a hint of nervousness: “…Did you really see a mouse?”

Xiao Wan excitedly leaned over his bedside: “The city is no longer under lockdown! The forbidden army and city guards have withdrawn from the streets. Tonight, my uncle is on night duty in the outer courtyard, and he just found out and secretly sent me a message.”

Shen Qian was taken aback, feeling under his pillow until he found the letter Ye Gui had given him, and immediately started getting dressed: “Didn’t your uncle say he wouldn’t care about our courtyard’s affairs anymore?”

“He’s just stubborn; he can’t really ignore me,” Xiao Wan pouted, then lowered his voice, “Besides, my uncle said that the recent actions in our courtyard have made the people below start to watch, thinking that the eldest gongzi is going to rise up, so they don’t dare to neglect us like before.” Zhang Jiuquan thought the same, taking advantage of his nephew working beside the eldest gongzi to quickly curry favor.

Shen Qian chuckled, “A bunch of people who don’t appreciate kindness.”

Seeing him dressed and with the letter tucked in his chest, Xiao Wan asked, “Die Ge’er, are you going now? Why not wait until morning?”

Shen Qian shook his head: “In the morning, Boye and Liu Yiniang will be back. Remember what the gongzi said, as soon as the lockdown is lifted, deliver the letter immediately. It’s always better to be early than late.” Whether he could switch back was still unknown, and being in a lower position meant he had to be extra vigilant, not allowing any mistakes.

Xiao Wan nodded, somewhat understanding, and helped Shen Qian prepare a fire striker and lantern. As they left the room, they saw the main room was also lit, and soon Ye Gui came out, only wearing an outer garment.

Shen Qian noticed his clothes weren’t properly fastened, with a large part of his thin inner garment exposed. Although he wasn’t sure if he could switch back, taking care of this body had become a habit, and he instinctively went forward to help him adjust it: “Gongzi, why are you out here?”

Ye Gui hadn’t expected the autumn night to be so cold, or maybe this body was just too weak… If it were his own body, he wouldn’t mind being shirtless in this weather. Shen Qian’s hands moved around his neck, causing his throat to move a few times, exhaling a breath of white mist. Ye Gui grabbed Shen Qian’s restless hand and, under Shen Qian’s puzzled gaze, handed him a piece of paper: “This is a map of the capital… You haven’t been out much, so you might not recognize the way. Follow this, and you can find Yongkang Lane.”

This was indeed the most practical, a real lifesaver… If Shen Qian had any flaw, it was that he was a bit of a directionally challenged person. This was like giving him a pillow when he was sleepy.

Last time he came back, he mentioned he got caught by that commander because he got lost. Was it a coincidence? Or was this Ye Gui really that attentive?

He unfolded it and saw the map was simple, only depicting the route from Duke Fuchang’s Residence to the east of the city, Yongkang Lane. Although it was a simple line drawing of the market, each place was clearly marked, and there was a route map, very easy to understand. Shen Qian sneaked a glance; it seemed this Ye Gui was quite familiar with the capital in his lifetime.

Shen Qian carefully put the map in his chest: “Thank you, gongzi, I’m off.”

Ye Gui hesitated for a moment: “Be careful on the way… If Hua Xiangming asks you anything, just tell the truth, don’t be afraid.”

This “don’t be afraid” fell on Shen Qian’s heart, making him feel a bit more at ease. He nodded and said, “I understand.”

The capital had been under lockdown for four whole days, and now that it was suddenly lifted, even in the middle of the night, many people couldn’t help but go out to take a look. Some families had run out of food and went out with growling stomachs to beg or borrow from their neighbors. For a moment, it was as lively as daytime.

Shen Qian carried a small lantern, watching his step as he headed east. For some reason, compared to the last time Shen Qian left the residence, many of the stone slabs on the capital’s roads were gone, and there were many pits on the ground, making it difficult to walk. Many of the pits were still damp, clearly dug recently, as if searching for something.

Was the capital locked down for four days to search for something?

Yongkang Lane’s Hua Residence was brightly lit, with many soldiers coming and going. Shen Qian watched for a while at the entrance, then seized the opportunity when a steward was seeing someone off, quickly stepped forward, and handed over the letter: “Please, daren, deliver this letter to Commander Hua.”

The steward was startled by the sudden appearance of the young man in the dark, squinting to scrutinize Shen Qian, “Which family are you from? Why didn’t you even present a name card?”

These days, countless people wanted to see their commander, even pleading with the soldiers at the gate despite the lockdown. The steward was already impatient. However, the young man called him “daren,” and his appearance was pleasing, making the steward feel comfortable and not wanting to make things difficult for him.

Shen Qian whispered, “I’m from Duke Fuchang’s Residence, and this letter was sent by our gongzi…”

Hearing it was a letter from a boye’s gongzi, the steward was even more reluctant to accept it. A young man privately sending a letter to a young military officer, what kind of propriety was that? He was about to refuse when he inadvertently glanced down and saw the wave-patterned wax seal on the envelope, and his expression changed immediately.

The current crown prince, Li Xun, styled Mingquan, was harmed by the remnants of the former regent’s party using witchcraft, suddenly fainting after court four days ago. Emperor Jiawen was furious, locking down the city for four days to thoroughly investigate, executing traitors and slaying demons, yet the crown prince remained unconscious.

This wave-patterned wax seal… was precisely the private seal of Crown Prince Li Mingquan, unseen by anyone not close to him.

The steward’s voice was dry: “…Follow me inside.”

It was already close to the fourth watch, and Hua Xiangming hadn’t slept all night, being attended to by maids and servants as he changed into his court attire. The capital had been locked down for four days, and the emperor had also suspended court for four days. Except for the forbidden army, city guards, and key ministers, all commoners, officials, and nobles were forbidden from leaving their homes.

If the lockdown continued, people in the city might starve to death, and the emperor probably wouldn’t relent.

The lockdown was lifted in the middle of the night, and a middle official delivered an order for court to resume as usual today. Hua Xiangming had just arranged for several teams to inform the ministers at their homes.

The accumulated state affairs over the four days of lockdown were one thing, but the crown prince remained unconscious, and even though some people had been arrested, the emperor’s mood likely wouldn’t improve…

Hua Xiangming was pondering how to respond if the emperor asked, when the steward hurriedly ran in with a letter: “Commander, just now a young man delivered this letter. I’ve detained him in the flower hall for tea.”

Hua Xiangming was a bit impatient: “What letter, read it after court.”

The steward wiped the sweat from his forehead: “You’d better take a look! I didn’t pay attention at first, but when I looked down, it turned out to be the crown prince’s private seal with the wave pattern!”

Hua Xiangming’s expression changed immediately, taking the letter at once. The wax seal was a small wave, a pattern used by the crown prince and a few close confidants for communication, known to few. Hua Xiangming had been the crown prince’s companion reader since childhood, later joining the forbidden army and serving as the commander of the East Palace guards, naturally recognizing this pattern.

But the crown prince was currently unconscious, who dared to use this private seal to send him a letter?

Hua Xiangming immediately dismissed the maids and servants, went to the desk, and opened the letter himself. Inside were two sheets of paper, the first in the crown prince’s handwriting. He quickly read through it, his expression darkening: “Where is the person who delivered the letter?”

Steward: “Knowing the matter was serious, I didn’t dare let him leave, kept him in the flower hall.”

Hua Xiangming hurried to the flower hall, and both parties were a bit surprised upon meeting: Hua Xiangming was the young general who had caught Shen Qian on the street the day he bought medicine.

That’s right, at that time, the young man had said he was from Duke Fuchang’s Residence, serving the eldest gongzi.

“This letter…” Hua Xiangming’s voice trembled slightly, hesitating for a long time with the letter in hand, but ultimately asked nothing: “Go back and tell the person who gave you the letter to rest assured, I will handle this matter properly. If there are any further instructions, feel free to come to Hua Residence to find me, don’t hesitate.”

Shen Qian nodded somewhat confusedly. The letter had a wax seal, so he hadn’t dared to open it and didn’t know what was written inside. Hua Xiangming said no more, sending someone to escort him back.

This time it was a real escort, and they didn’t insist on sending him through the main gate. The two guards watched in disbelief as Shen Qian crawled back through the dog hole.

After sending Shen Qian off, Hua Xiangming immediately instructed his men: “Keep an eye on Duke Fuchang’s Residence.”

A soldier beside him said, “Commander, we’ve been watching Duke Fuchang’s Residence all along, never withdrew. There was even some trouble at Duke Fuchang’s Residence these days.” The confrontation between the servants of Ganlin Courtyard and Shen Chun was overheard by the forbidden army and city guards watching Duke Fuchang’s Residence.

Hua Xiangming: “…Keep watching. Also, send someone to Li Yushi’s residence, saying I’ll be waiting for him at the palace gate, asking him to meet me before court.” Hua Xiangming quickly ran through the matter in his mind, already having a plan, and added, “Invite Liu Shilang from the Ministry of Rites to meet as well.”

Returning to Ganlin Courtyard, Shen Qian first went to see Ye Gui—who was actually the crown prince, Li Xun, who had suddenly fainted after court four days ago due to witchcraft.

He recounted everything he had seen and heard on the way and what happened at Hua Residence in detail. Hearing that Hua Xiangming asked nothing, Li Xun smiled: “He’s still as honest as ever, not curious at all.”

Shen Qian sneaked a glance at him. When he mentioned Hua Xiangming, his tone was quite affectionate, without any reverence for his commander’s status. Zhan’er, also curious, whispered, “When did gongzi meet Commander Hua? It seems like I’ve never heard you or furen mention it before…” Hua Xiangming was the youngest son of Duke An, though not in line to inherit the title, he was the crown prince’s companion reader, deeply favored by the crown prince, and likely to be heavily used in the future, possibly even granted a title.

In short, both Duke Fuchang’s Residence and Duke Sheng’s Residence were high-reaching compared to the well-favored Hua family. Where did the gongzi get the connections to know him?

Li Xun: “You’re not as honest as he is, why are you so curious?”

Zhan’er: “…”

But with him saying that, the others, though itching with curiosity, dared not ask further. Li Xun stared at Shen Qian for a long time, making Shen Qian feel uneasy, wondering which of his words had caused such deep thought?

Then Li Xun said softly, “What are we having for breakfast?”

These days, it was this Xiao Die who arranged the meals, nourishing his body. Li Xun wasn’t one to indulge in food, but this Xiao Die always managed to come up with dishes he hadn’t seen before, fresh and interesting, making him look forward to it.

Zhan’er and Xiao Wan also looked at him with wide eyes.

Shen Qian: “…I just ran a big circle outside, can’t you let me rest for a bit?”

Zhan’er felt a bit embarrassed hearing this: “Then you rest, okay? You weren’t feeling well last night, sleep a bit more. I’ll go make some porridge, there’s still some meat floss you made before, I’ll use it to accompany the porridge for gongzi.”

Though Shen Qian complained, he wasn’t sleepy after running outside, feeling quite energetic. He thought, “Today the whole city is no longer under lockdown, the farm should send vegetables, right? We’ve grown tired of the previous ones, why not check the kitchen for something fresh?”

Li Xun smiled at him: “Not resting anymore?”

“Resting after eating is the same.” Shen Qian stood at the door and called out, “Who wants to go to the kitchen to get a share?” 

A call and everyone responded.