Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 144 Infiltration
Cui Zhufeng deliberately chose the most laxly guarded spot, so when they landed on the city wall, they were not discovered for a while. With Senior Cui acting as a human radar, they found the gap without any major incidents and successfully infiltrated Yancheng without being detected by the guards.

They had changed their clothes before entering the city, so no one would suspect their true identities. Jiu Que, being tall and slender, had changed into men's clothing, making him look like a handsome young man.

The other people's attire was also distinctive, and overall quite discreet.

"Which direction is the Binyang Prince's Mansion in?"

Bai Yichun had been here before, so she naturally led the way. The group arrived smoothly at the street outside the Binyang Prince's Mansion, but then they couldn't go any further. It wasn't anything special; the guards here were far too tight. It didn't seem like a normal prince's mansion; it was more like someone was imprisoning someone.
Baiyi Chun, who had initially thought that the trip would not yield any significant results, suddenly became interested.

“When I came here last time, there wasn’t this much commotion, so no one thought anything was strange. But now it seems that the security here is too tight, and something is definitely not right. There must be a big conspiracy here. I have to go in and take a look.”

"Wait, how are you going to get in? You said this place is heavily guarded, don't be too impulsive, we need to think this through carefully."

Jiu Que pulled back the impulsive Bai Yi Chun and stood outside to carefully observe the changing of the guards. However, she quickly gave up; with these guards, not even a mosquito could fly past. Finding any loopholes was too difficult. If this place had been like this for three years, then in the past three years, they must have gained a deeper understanding of how to guard the Binyang Prince's Mansion, and any gaps would have been filled long ago.

Therefore, they can only rely on the biggest human cheat code of this trip.

"Senior~"

Cui Zhufeng's lips twitched. Why hadn't she realized before that Jiu Que was so good at being affectionate? Having no other choice, she had to take her with her, and in a flash, they lightly entered the Binyang Prince's Mansion. Although the guards were very strict, they were completely oblivious to Cui Zhufeng's presence, like the deaf and blind.

Jiu Que felt a blur before her eyes, and when she came to her senses, she was already standing next to the artificial hills in the backyard of the Binyang Prince's Mansion. The artificial hills here were piled up, forming a hidden space where one could easily hide without being discovered. Moreover, this was the back garden of the Prince's Mansion, and it seemed that the owner of the mansion did not like to stroll around the garden, so there were very few people coming and going.

Although it was Cui Zhufeng's first time at the Prince's residence, he instinctively chose an excellent hiding place. Jiu Que, on the other hand, gave him a knowing look. It seemed this senior had frequented many homes before; otherwise, how could he have found such a good hiding spot so quickly?
Although she didn't say it aloud, Cui Zhufeng could tell what Jiu Que was thinking at a glance from her smiling face. However, she didn't care. After all, to Cui Zhufeng, Jiu Que was just a child. What's wrong with a child being a little mischievous? It's normal.

Then Cui Zhufeng brought in several other people, and they hid in the artificial hill, looking around with great curiosity.

"This is the Binyang Prince's Mansion. How desolate..."

Bai Yichun, who had initially intended to offer praise, paused, and her words took a sharp turn, completely changing their meaning. She had visited the Prince's residence three years ago, and it wasn't like this then. Was the difference between the front and back courtyards really that significant?

The gardeners in the Prince's mansion have neglected their duties.

“Normally, even if a prince doesn’t like strolling in the garden, it should still be meticulously maintained, ready for his occasional visit. So, Prince Binyang, something must have truly happened to you.” Wei Yuan had lived in the palace for a long time and was therefore very familiar with the intricacies of the situation. Even if Prince Binyang didn’t like strolling in the garden, it shouldn’t be so desolate; the only explanation is that no one has been here for a long time. And if the master were alive and well, the household would never dare to be so negligent.

It turned out to be the case.

After careful consideration, Jiu Que and the others realized it was indeed the case. They needed to find the Prince of Binyang as soon as possible. But given the current situation, how could they possibly find that prince?
After much deliberation, Jiu Que finally made the decision!
"Regardless of whether the Prince of Binyang is in trouble or not, his palace must be the most heavily guarded. Either it's for his own protection, or someone has imprisoned him. In short, we should go find the place with the heaviest guard."

Everyone agreed, and so they each used their unique skills, spreading out to find their own solutions in no time. Wei Yuan and Bai Yichun were both top-notch fighters. The outer defenses were tight and their targets were clear, so they couldn't fly in. However, the palace was vast, with numerous buildings and landscapes, so hiding within it and finding the most heavily guarded spot wouldn't be a problem for them.

"A small courtyard in the northeast corner was surrounded by people, three layers deep. Even if it wasn't the Prince of Binyang inside, it was still an important figure."

Everyone gave the same answer, so the goal became clear. Jiu Que was carried on Cui Zhufeng's back, while Wei Yuan and Bai Yi Chun, whose martial arts skills were slightly inferior, could only do their job of disrupting the enemy.

Jiu Que held her breath perfectly, barely daring to look left or right, feeling as if the wind was blowing beneath her feet. A short while later, a piercing meow escaped her ears, and the heavily guarded courtyard stirred, with faint sounds emanating from within.

"Where did this cat come from? Catch it! The master ordered that even a fly entering or leaving this courtyard must be killed!"

"Quick, quick! Don't let it get away!"

They won't even spare a cat? The owner behind this is way too cautious.

Before Jiu Que could even complain, a third of the guards surrounding the small courtyard in the northeast corner split up and chased after the cat in the direction it had run off to. That was enough. Cui Zhufeng stepped on a large, leafy tree nearby, and the two of them floated over like leaves falling from the sky, landing on the rooftop. Jiu Que had originally intended to follow what she had seen before and lie on the roof to listen for any sounds inside, but Cui Zhufeng simply grabbed her and slipped inside through the open window. Before she could even react, Jiu Que found herself standing on the roof beam inside the house.

You can see the people below as soon as you look down!

Wow! This is absolutely amazing!
Jiu Que looked excited, but was careful with his breathing. His big, dark eyes darted around, taking in the whole situation inside the room.

There weren't many people in the room. On the bed in the middle lay a tall man with his eyes closed and his face pale. He seemed oblivious to what was happening outside.

(End of this chapter)