I became the tyrant's only belief.

Chapter 321 Personally Visiting Xiancheng
"What did you do yesterday that made His Majesty so angry that he punished you to do these things?" In the imperial kitchen, Zhou Yuande stood next to Chu Liuzheng, glancing at her sideways, his nostrils filled with the smell of bean paste.

Chu Liuzheng replied truthfully, "The Grand Tutor hasn't sent any news back, and His Majesty is worried, so I offered a few words of advice."

【I didn't do anything else, just poured the tyrant a glass of hot water, who knows what kind of crazy thing happened to him.】

With her left hand, she added soaked soybeans and water to the small stone mill, while her right hand turned the millstone at a steady pace.

Thick, white soy milk mixed with soy pulp flowed into the basin from the outlet at the bottom, filling it to more than half full.

Zhou Yuande asked in surprise, "You only offered a couple of words of advice?"

Chu Liuzheng nodded, her expression innocent; she really didn't have the guts to do anything else.

“His Majesty is in a bad mood, so we servants have to be extra careful.” Zhou Yuande glanced at the remaining beans in the basin. After grinding these twenty catties of soybeans, he estimated that Chu Liuzheng’s arm would be ruined.

He now understood why His Majesty had summoned him to the Imperial Kitchen.

If you know how much it hurts, don't punish so harshly. Now you have to find a way to make amends.

“That’s enough. I’ll go to His Majesty and plead for you.” He gestured for Chu Liuzheng to stop, then called over two eunuchs and ordered, “Finish grinding all the beans in this basin.”

Chu Liuzheng rubbed her sore and weak arm, looking at him with teary eyes. What a good person!

Zhou Yuande sighed. Seeing that she couldn't do anything like this, he said, "Go back and rest for half a day. You can go back to serve before the Emperor this afternoon. You should also reflect on your actions and think carefully about why His Majesty punished you. You must never do it again in the future."

Chu Liuzheng agreed haphazardly, and as soon as he returned to the side room, he lay down on the bed, rubbing his sore arms while sighing inwardly.

Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger; it's truly like serving a tiger.

Last time it was playing chess, this time it's grinding soybeans. What if next time it's beheading? I only have one life, so I need to find a chance to make a name for myself as soon as possible and leave the palace. I can't stay in the Emperor's court any longer.

But how can I legitimately earn merit?

Chu Liuzheng closed his eyes and pondered, his thoughts gradually drifting away until he unknowingly fell asleep.

Grinding soybeans by hand is really tiring.

At the same time, Wenhua Hall.

"Your Majesty, may you be well." Lü Fei hurried into the hall and knelt down to pay his respects.

"Rise." Xiao Jingfan looked at him. "What's the matter that you're in such a hurry?"

“There’s news from Xiancheng.” Lü Fei frowned, his tone urgent. “Five days ago, the Grand Tutor and Marquis Wenzhao disguised themselves and entered Sishui Town to scout, staying at the Laifu Inn. That night, the inn caught fire, and a group of men in black attacked the inn. The Imperial Guards were no match for them, and the Grand Tutor was injured.”

"During the battle between the Imperial Guards and the men in black, the Grand Tutor and Marquis Wenzhao were accidentally kidnapped and their whereabouts remain unknown. The Imperial Guards suffered more than half their casualties and had no choice but to go to the county government to reveal their identities."

"Sishui Town is now under martial law, and the remaining Imperial Guards and yamen runners are searching house to house for the whereabouts of the Grand Tutor and Marquis Wenzhao."

Xiao Jingfan frowned upon hearing this. The guards he sent to protect the Grand Tutor and Marquis Wenzhao were all skilled fighters from the Imperial Guard, whose martial arts were strong and not weak. How could they be no match for a group of men in black who suddenly appeared?

He asked, "Can you find out where those men in black came from?"

“No.” Lü Fei shook his head. “Those men in black came and went quickly. Their kung fu wasn’t very high, but they seemed to be immune to pain. Even with their hands and feet cut off, they could continue fighting.”

Moreover, the swords and blades they used were all poisoned, beyond the cure of ordinary doctors; most of the Imperial Guards who fought them died from the poison.

Xiao Jingfan frowned. How could an ordinary person not be afraid of pain? Could this group of men in black be the "Gu people" that Chu Liuzheng mentioned in his heart?
But didn't that woman say that Jiang Zhou had already killed all those Gu people?

How come there are still so many?
He glanced instinctively at his side, which was empty.

He immediately remembered that the woman was still grinding beans in the imperial kitchen. He couldn't help but feel annoyed, and this annoyance showed on his face.

Lu Fei assumed he was upset about the disappearance of the Grand Tutor and Marquis Wenzhao, and comforted him, "Those men in black didn't kill them directly to silence them, but went to great lengths to kidnap them. They probably won't take the lives of the Grand Tutor and Marquis Wenzhao."

Xiao Jingfan thought to himself that he was not going to die, but was locked in a water dungeon and had his beard and hair shaved off.

He asked, "Who is the magistrate of Sishui Town?"

Lu Fei said, "His surname is He. He is fifty-nine years old this year and will be stepping down in another year. When he learned that the Grand Tutor and Marquis Wenzhao had disappeared in Sishui Town, he was so frightened that he fainted twice, and the county government almost held a funeral."

Xiao Jingfan couldn't really count on such an old man. He pinched the bridge of his nose and asked, "Where is the prefect of Xiancheng?"

"It is said that he is ill," Lü Fei said. "When the Grand Tutor and Marquis Wenzhao went there, they were worried about alerting the enemy, so they did not enter the government office to check, but went directly to Sishui Town with their men. After the two disappeared, the Imperial Guards went to the government office and only saw a clerk surnamed Liu, who said that the prefect was very ill and could not receive guests."

At this point, he glanced at Xiao Jingfan: "You gave prior instructions, and Marquis Wenzhao also repeatedly emphasized that the Imperial Guards did not force their way in." It was truly not that his subordinates were negligent in their duties.

After hearing a series of bad news, Xiao Jingfan asked without much hope, "How is Taoran Temple?"

Lu Fei said, "The Imperial Guards searched Taoran Temple inside and out several times, but found no trace of His Highness Prince Rui."

Another step slower.

Xiao Jingfan pursed his lips unhappily, his fingertips slowly stroking the Bodhi beaded bracelet on his wrist, a chilling killing intent rising in his eyes.

Why is Yin Lanci always able to know the court's movements before anyone else?

Lu Fei bowed and asked for instructions on the next steps.

Xiao Jingfan said coldly, "Deploy nearby troops to search for him. Even if you have to turn the entire town of Sishui upside down, you must find him for me!"

"Yes, sir." Lü Fei accepted the order and withdrew, bumping into Zhou Yuande, who had just returned, as he went out.

Seeing Lü Fei's cold and hard expression, Zhou Yuande felt a chill run down his spine, sensing that something was wrong.

Sure enough, as soon as he stood still, he heard Xiao Jingfan say, "Get ready, I'm going to Xiancheng."

Zhou Yuande: !!!

He stared blankly at the emperor. "Do you remember that the palace examination is the day after tomorrow?"

What will happen to the palace examination if you leave?
Who approves these memorials?
What to do about the morning court session?
There's a ton of stuff to do, don't make a scene!!
The chief eunuch was so anxious he was about to have a heart attack.

But there was no use in rushing things; Xiao Jingfan had already made up his mind.

He quickly arranged matters in the court and left the capital with his entourage in the middle of the night on the second day after the palace examination.

The group disguised themselves as wealthy young men on a spring outing and rode their horses along the official road towards Xiancheng.

Chu Liuzheng, who had been vomiting countless times from being jolted around by the fast-moving carriage, was seeing stars.

Why did we have to bring her along?

She's just a weak palace maid, really not suited for fighting!
Couldn't we just let her stay in the palace for a long vacation?!

"Drinking some water will make you feel better." Everyone else was riding horses outside, while Chen Xing stayed in the carriage to take care of her, since Chu Liuzheng was the only one among them who couldn't ride a horse.

She held the teacup to Chu Liuzheng's lips: "We'll reach Longkou Town in another hour. Young Master instructed us to stop and rest after entering the town."

Chu Liuzheng listlessly took the teacup, sipped some water, and lifted the constantly swaying curtain to look outside.