Ye Li nodded. “Come in.”

In the room, both Ye Li and Secret Guard No.3 looked at Han Ming Xi. However, he who had always known how to behave in a delicate situation wasn't as sensible. It was as if he didn't get that he wasn't wanted here at all as he leaned calmly on the chair while helping himself with some dim sum.

Ye Li had no choice but to wave at Secret Guard No.3 as she said: “Well, tell me the news.”

Secret Guard No.3 nodded and answered in a serious tone: “Princess An Xi has met Mr. Qing Chen or... someone who has something to do with him.”

Her brows drew together. “Where do you get that from?”

He answered: “When she came back, she had a special scent. People of Nan Zhao aren't into scent and don't know much about it. They don't know that in Great Chu even the same scent has different uses. For examples, except the third and fifth young lords of Xu Family who don't use scent, the second young lord usually uses plum scent, the fourth young lord prefers orchid scent. Mr. Qing Chen who travels all the time uses scent made by Lady Xu with herbs that is good to one's health so he smells faintly of herbs. It is hard to tell the difference, even harder to make.”

Ye Li said with a frown: “Where has she been to?”

“The palace. The emperor of Nan Zhao summoned her in the morning. After that, she returned directly to the manor.” Secret Guard No.3 answered affirmatively.

Han Ming Xi smiled curiously: “Mr. Qing Chen can't be in the palace?”

Secret Guard No.3 hesitated and said with a frown: “I don't think Princess An Xi has seen Mr. Qing Chen herself. She was in my sight since she entered the palace till she came out, except for the time she met the emperor of Nan Zhao. She didn't have a chance to see Mr. Qing Chen, unless she saw him when she was with the emperor of Nan Zhao. Besides... after she returned, she sent more men in search for Mr. Qing Chen.”

Ye Li shook her head as she said: “The emperor of Nan Zhao knows big brother. It will do him no good if anything bad happens to big brother here. So... I don't think big brother is in the palace. As for the scent... I think he is trying to send us a message that he is safe.”

Secret Guard No.3 was confused. “If Mr. Qing Chen isn't in the palace, why does the message come from there? Why was his scent in the palace?”

“I think the one who is holding him belongs to the palace, if not, it must be someone who can go in and out of the palace at will.”

Han Ming Xi shook his head lazily and said: “That's not it... Jun Wei. n.o.body except the inheritress can go in and out of the palace at will, not even the other princess, who isn't here right now.”

Ye Li glanced at him. “Not that we know of, but what if it's in secret?”

“In secret?” The two men asked together.

She said with a frown: “Any news about those a.s.sa.s.sins?”

Secret Guard No.3 nodded. “Yes, but we were a step late. They were killed at a hill out of town, their bodies disposed in a deserted cave.”

“Details.”

“We found their bodies in a secret cave three miles away from town. But there wasn't any evidence of fighting. Though the cave wasn't very far away, it wasn't easy to get there. It was very desolate. I don't think the a.s.sa.s.sins would have gone that way even if they were running for their lives. Luckily, the concealed weapons that hurt them had tracking medicine on them but it still took a whole night to find them. I think they were killed soon after they were out of town. After that, their bodies were dumped in that cave.”

Ye Li rubbed her forehead as she pondered and asked: “Which direction were they heading for?”

“East.”

“They were heading for the east but were killed, their body dumped in the cave. What's in the east?” She stood up. “Give me a map of the capital.”

Secret Guard No.3 lowered his head and pulled a thin paper out as he unfolded it carefully on the table.

Craning his head over for a look, Han Ming Xi said with curled lips: “A detailed map of the capital of Nan Zhao? Jun Wei, you didn't need Tianyi Pavilion's information when you have something like this.”

Ye Li answered with a smile: “With one more source of information comes more safety. I value my life very much. Besides... Tianyi Pavilion can come up with something like this as well.”

It wasn't a defense chart, just a map.

Circling the palace, Princess An Xi's manor, the place that Xu Qing Chen went missing, the cave where the bodies were dumped and the place that the a.s.sa.s.sins were killed, she looked up and asked: “What do you think?”

Han Ming Xi ran his fingers over the map as he said: “The cave where the bodies were dumped and Princess's Manor aside, the other places are very close to the Holy Princess Shrine. Speaking of that... I would never notice that the Holy Princess Shrine is so close to the palace if it isn't for this map.”

The Holy Princess Shrine was on a mountain two miles to the east of the capital. However, starting from the palace, including the trip up the mountain, it took a journey of at least four miles.

Ye Li said in a small voice with her head lowered: “n.o.body actually did. In fact, the direct distance between the palace and the Holy Princess Shrine is less than a mile.”

“A tunnel?” Said Secret Guard No.3.

“We do know how good Nan Zhao is with tunnels on our way here.” Ye Li laughed. Without a word, they both recalled the mountain with an enormous tunnel inside it.

“What was the first emperor of Nan Zhao thinking, building a palace at the foot of a mountain?” Han Ming Xi asked in confusion.

In the history of Great Chu, only palaces for short stays away from the capita would stand next to a mountain. The real palaces are without a doubt at the center of the capital which not only shows the superiority of the royal family but also authority that the whole country pledges its allegiance.

Ye Li answered casually: “Different traditions, I guess.”

Han Ming Xi knew at once that was just to satisfy him so he glared at Jun Wei for a long time only to find that person lost in thought which made him even angrier. He forced a few coughs to draw their attention. Then he said with a smile: “Do you think Mr. Qing Chen is in the Holy Princess Shrine? It is well-known that the Holy Princess is a virgin pure as jade and clean as ice. No man is allowed inside that shrine, let alone hid there. If people of Nan Zhao know what you are thinking about, believe me... they'll swallow you up with rage.”

Ye Li didn't care about that and said: “Exactly. That's why it is more likely that he's there.”

Han Ming Xi rolled his eyes. “Well, let me ask you this, Mr. Jun Wei. How do you plan to enter the shrine which has as many guards as the palace and find Mr. Qing Chen whose whereabouts you know nothing about? If you are found out before you have Mr. Qing Chen, we are going to be beaten to death.”

“I never intend to enter through the door of the Holy Princess Shrine.” She said.

Han Ming Xi acted as if he was surprised with admiration. “Well, Mr. Jun Wei plans to break through the palace? Brother Jun Wei, even though the palace here isn't half as big as that of Great Chu, don't look down on it. Remember... there's no snake in the palace of Great Chu. However, it might not be the case here.”

Ye Li smiled thinly. “Don't speak as if you've never been there, Master of Feng Yue. Didn't someone brag about having visited every royal palace in this world a few days ago?”

Left without an argument, Han Ming Xi started to regret having boosted his past love affairs to Jun Wei. “Even if you manage to get in and find Mr. Qing Chen, how are you going to bring him out?” Asked Han Ming Xi. “As far as I know, Mr. Qing Chen doesn't know martial arts at all.”

Ye Li answered with a frown: “Well, I have to think about that.” It won't do to break through even if secret guards have such ability, it will still leave a lot of problems behind. Besides, there will be more trouble if it is known that Prince Ding's Manor is behind it.

Looking at Jun Wei deep in thought with a frown, Han Ming Xi chuckled: “Well, do you need help?”

Ye Li looked at him and shook her head. For her, Han Ming Xi was just a business partner. Last time, she had him gone through a lot of trouble with her. This time, she wouldn't get him in danger anymore.

Han Ming Xi looked at her smilingly as he said: “Don't make your decision so quickly. Tianyi Pavilion is open for business. As long as you can afford it, we can do more than collecting information.”

Ye Li was partly persuaded and asked as she turned to Han Ming Xi: “Brother Han, what do you want?”

Han Ming Xi smirked and said: “Another 20% of Grace Fume Pavilion's profit.”

Ye Li said: “I thought Tianyi Pavilion loves ready money like gold and silver. You know whatever price you ask for, both Xu Family and me will agree to it.”

Han Ming Xi looked back, hurt. “Jun Wei, I'm your friend. A friend won't take advantage of your difficulties.”

A friend?Ye Li's brows rose. “I don't think Tianyi Pavilion is up to what I want. I don't want to trouble you with it, Brother Han.”

“Jun Wei, don't treat me as an outsider.” Said Han Ming Xi with a smile. “Though Tianyi Pavilion isn't good at it, we are very familiar with this place. Given our friends.h.i.+p, don't you think Tianyi Pavilion is more trustworthy?”

Ye Li frowned and thought for a good while before she finally said: “Well, thank you very much, Brother Han. After this, I'll compensate Tianyi Pavilion for its loss. Of course, you still have the 20% more profit of Grace Fume Pavilion.”

“Like I said, you see me as an outsider, Jun Wei.” Han Ming Xi exclaimed, unhappy.

Ye Li smiled and lowered her head without a word, considering whether she needed Princess An Xi's help.