Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

On the second floor of a teahouse in Taiyuan city.

"Lord Xue, that charlatan was disguised and used a false identity. He even took a detour after leaving the capital."

Tang Zhe looked out the window at the Taiyuan Left Guard Commander's Mansion not far away.

"But I never expected that after arriving in Taiyuan, this person would actually enter the residence of the Commander of the Taiyuan Left Guard!"

According to intelligence, Duan Chaoyong's reason for sending Wang Ziyan away from the capital this time was the same as before: to purchase key medicines needed for alchemy.

His Highness's order is to find out who he purchased the medicine from without alerting him.

Could it be that the person providing Duan Chaoyong with the medicinal ingredients needed for alchemy is hiding in the Taiyuan Left Guard, or even the commander Zhang Yin himself?

"That is certainly possible, but it's hard to say for sure."

Xue Ting nodded.

"I heard that Prince Yan disguised himself and left the capital several times before, and the people His Highness sent out to follow him all lost track of him."

Commander Tang, you have been His Highness's trusted confidant since Linqing.

His Highness has appointed you to lead the team and even transferred me, a courtier from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, to assist you, which shows how much importance His Highness attaches to this matter.

We must thoroughly investigate who Prince Yan met and who provided him with the necessary ingredients for alchemy before returning to the capital to report to His Highness.

"This is the Taiyuan Left Guard Commander's Office, which has many subordinates and staff."

After Wang Ziyan went inside, we outside had no way of knowing who he met.

Tang Zhe frowned slightly.

"His Highness instructed us not to alert the enemy and not to let Prince Yan know that he was being followed."

But this is the residence of a high-ranking military officer of the third rank. If we don't reveal our identities, we probably won't be able to get in.

"From the time this person left the capital all the way to Taiyuan, he was either traveling or resting in inns. He never went to brothels or gambling dens even once."

Xue Ting picked up a teacup and played with it in his hand.

"When he was in the capital, he was a frequent visitor to these places."

This shows that this person is quite focused when doing serious business.

However, after entering Taiyuan City, he did not go to an inn to stay, but instead went to the Taiyuan Left Guard Commander's Mansion.

Even if this wasn't his final destination, it was a place he absolutely had to go.

This is a place we absolutely must investigate!

"Unless you alert them or reveal your identities, it will indeed be difficult for you to enter the mansion to investigate, but that won't stop me!"

"What does Lord Xue mean?"

Tang Zhe turned to look at Xue Ting.

"You intend to infiltrate the Taiyuan Left Guard Commander's residence alone to investigate?"

"That's right!"

Xue Ting laughed.

"With my abilities, it would be a piece of cake for me to sneak into the residence of the garrison commander at night."

Prince Yan entered the mansion openly and honestly in broad daylight, and many servants saw it.

"Whom he saw inside, Xue could easily find out by secretly capturing a few maids and servants in the mansion in the middle of the night and questioning them."

"With Lord Xue's martial arts skills, this matter will naturally be a piece of cake."

Tang Zhe had practiced the martial arts technique that Xue Ting had given to Lu Chen, and Xue Ting himself had personally instructed him. Although he hadn't been able to develop internal energy, he still had some understanding of how powerful Xue Ting's martial arts were.

"However, Wang Ziyan had just arrived at the Commander's Mansion when a skilled person came to spy on him at night. Even if the people in the mansion did not know who came, they could very well connect the two events."

Moreover, it remains unknown whether this is where Prince Yan retrieved his medicine or where he came to do something else.

It would be better to wait until Prince Yan leaves the mansion, then I will lead my men to continue to follow him secretly and see whether he returns to the capital or goes somewhere else to get the medicine.

Several days after Wang Ziyan left Taiyuan, Lord Xue went to investigate the Taiyuan Left Guard Commander's residence at night.

. . .

The next day.

Outside the east gate of Taiyuan City, on a mound.

"It seems this person hasn't added any more luggage."

Tang Zhe held up a monocular telescope and looked at Prince Yan, who was riding his horse eastward along the official road.

This thing was made by Lu Chen. The process is very simple. It only requires grinding transparent glass into a convex lens and attaching one to each end of a retractable copper tube.

The focal length can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the copper tube.

Of course, Lu Chen has not yet promoted this item on a large scale. At present, it is mainly supplied to Chen Yunniang. The telescope plays a very important role when sailing at sea.

During this mission to track Wang Ziyan, Lu Chen also provided Tang Zhe and Xue Ting with a monocular telescope each.

"Indeed."

Xue Ting put down the binoculars.

"This person only stayed one night at the Taiyuan Left Guard Commander's Mansion, and did not add any luggage."

Moreover, he is not taking the same route he took from the capital.

"Commander Tang, your guess is likely correct; Taiyuan City is not where he obtained the medicine."

"His destination should be Pingding Prefecture."

Tang Zhe nodded and said,

"I will lead my men to follow at a distance, and we will leave markers along the way."

Lord Xue can find it by following the markings in the future. If he really can't find it, that's alright; he can simply return to the capital.

. . .

Three days later, at midnight, outside the north gate of Taiyuan City.

We've finally escaped the city!

Turning around to look at the slowly rising suspension bridge, Xue Ting finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But as soon as he relaxed his guard, he could no longer suppress the injury, and a mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth.

No, we're not truly out of danger yet!

In order to trick his way into opening the city gate, he had to show his badge as a deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Zhang Yin knew that the person who had sneaked into his residence at night was a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and he would definitely chase after them and kill them at all costs!

He had only created a time difference just now; Zhang Yin would soon find out that he had tricked his way into opening the city gate.

It won't be long before the pursuers catch up!

Xue Ting glanced eastward toward Pingding Prefecture and quickly dismissed the idea!

Among the three guards of Taiyuan, the Taiyuan Left Guard is the strongest.

Now that the entire Taiyuan Left Guard has fallen into the hands of the rebels, it is unlikely that the Taiyuan Right Guard and Taiyuan Front Guard will be able to escape unscathed!

Even if they haven't been completely taken over by the rebels, the generals of the two guards have at least been bribed and are turning a blind eye to the unusual behavior of the Taiyuan Left Guard.

Having discovered the true identity of Zhang Yin, the commander of the Taiyuan Left Guard, he had become their target for assassination.

All the government soldiers encountered throughout Taiyuan Prefecture could be accomplices of the rebels!

Tang Zhe led his men eastward to Pingding Prefecture. If I also went eastward, I would bring the pursuers with me!

Even he himself was no match for that old devil. If Tang Zhe and his men were discovered, they would have no chance of escape.

Oh no! We just went up the suspension bridge, and now it's starting to go down again!

There's no time to think about it; the pursuers will be coming out of the city soon!

Once again, Xue Ting used his internal energy to forcefully suppress his injuries, then spurred his horse into a sparse grove of trees and galloped northward.

Whether we can escape alive or not, we have to take a gamble!

Xue Ting turned his head and looked in the direction of Pingding Prefecture again.

Even if he wasn't lucky enough to die here, at least Tang Zhe and his men could return to the capital.

They knew that I was going to infiltrate the Taiyuan Left Guard Commander's residence at night!

If I fail to return to the capital, His Highness Prince Ying will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly!