...
A hundred or so soldiers of the Tiger Guard, spears in hand, eyes gleaming, charged into the gate with a killing aura.
They were the patrols of the Imperial City, the ones most eager to find the spies from Great Xia. Many days had passed since the incident at Sword Pavilion, and the spies had been in the Imperial City for many days, yet they hadn't apprehended a single one. This had brought immense shame to all the patrolling officers and soldiers, and indeed, to the entire Great Zhou Dynasty.
Therefore, when Zhou Wuji spoke, telling the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War that he had a way to catch the spies, the minister approved the memorial without a second thought.
Hearing that the Crown Prince himself was leading the troops to catch spies, the Tiger Guard was filled with murderous intent. Even though a moment before, as they surrounded the Third Prince's mansion, the soldiers felt a pang of apprehension, for this was after all a prince's residence, and one they usually admired.
But the thought that the Great Xia spies were likely waiting within the courtyard made them forget everything else. Spears glinted with cold light, blades were sharp and chilling. Over a hundred Tiger Guard soldiers surged into Zhou Yuan's mansion, prepared to push forward and conduct a thorough search, leaving no corner unchecked.
However, someone had already been waiting for them in the courtyard.
It wasn't Zhou Yuan's private army, nor were they any top-tier guards ready to go down fighting the intruding Tiger Guard in a battle of mutual destruction.
It was a group of maids and servants.
The searching Tiger Guard officers and soldiers were momentarily stunned. They had served in the army for many years and searched the residences of numerous court officials, but never had they encountered a situation like Zhou Yuan's mansion, where the people within the courtyard had already gathered before they even entered.
Zhou Wuji frowned deeply and shouted in a cold voice:
"Search carefully, don't miss any corner!"
"Elder Brother is truly mighty," Zhou Yuan said, standing at the lower end of the courtyard, looking at Zhou Wuji with a smile. "It's just that these Tiger Guards will probably be wasting their time this trip."
Zhou Wuji casually glanced at the servants, then gave Zhou Yuan a contemptuous smile. "Third Brother, are you trying to trick me into believing that everyone in the royal mansion is here, and then have me withdraw the Tiger Guard?"
"A trick for children, do you take your elder brother for a fool!"
In the latter half of his sentence, Zhou Wuji's voice suddenly rose, causing the entire courtyard to tremble. Zhou Yuan's face turned pale, and he clutched his ears, staggering back two steps.
Zhou Wuji was many years older than him and had served in the army for many years, thus his cultivation and strength were naturally superior to his.
Zhou Yuan steadied himself, a faint smile returning to his pale face. He looked at the crowd before him and said:
"Elder Brother's foresight is indeed remarkable, guessing what I was about to say. As you can see, everyone in my royal mansion is here, including twelve maids, eighteen male servants, forty guards, and two stewards."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Wuji swept his gaze across the crowd, then turned back to look at Zhou Yuan and the soldiers standing alertly outside the courtyard, facing the Tiger Guard.
"Including yourself, there should only be seventy-three people. But I count seventy-five now." Zhou Wuji's expression was subtle.
Zhou Yuan himself had reported the mansion's deployment, appearing confident and unafraid of verification. Yet the result was that he counted seventy-four people, plus Zhou Yuan, making seventy-five.
Where were the two extra people, and who were they?
"Those two are my friends."
Zhou Yuan said with a faint smile.
"Oh, friends?" Zhou Wuji's expression became even more complex, and he looked at Zhou Yuan with mockery. "At this early hour, what kind of friends could be visiting you? Could they be ministers who have just finished the morning court, or perhaps these so-called friends are spies from the Great Xia Dynasty?!"
Zhou Yuan heard this and smiled faintly.
"Friends are friends, not ministers, nor spies."
At this, Zhou Wuji's expression turned as stern as rocks on a cliff's edge, his eyes bursting with brilliance. He said coldly:
"Since they are friends, do you dare to have them come out and meet me, or do you want me to search one by one?"
Zhou Yuan heard this and smiled faintly, indicating that either was fine.
Zhou Wuji stared quietly at Zhou Yuan, a sense of unease growing in his heart. He felt something was odd about Zhou Yuan; why wasn't he afraid when disaster was imminent?
At this moment, the Tiger Guard soldiers who had rushed in for the search also returned. The副将 (fùjiàng - deputy general) at the front respectfully cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to His Highness the Crown Prince, the search is complete. There are no other hidden individuals in the mansion; everyone is accounted for."
"Really only two?"
Zhou Wuji was somewhat surprised. He glanced at Zhou Yuan with astonishment, realizing he had guessed wrong. Not everyone was here.
But it didn't matter. When it came to catching spies, catching even one was enough. After all, those six had acted together, so no matter who was caught, Zhou Yuan couldn't escape responsibility!
Zhou Wuji's tone was calm:
"Call out your two friends."
Zhou Yuan smiled faintly. "They are a bit shy. Elder Brother, you should speak carefully and not be too enthusiastic."
"Come here."
Zhou Yuan's voice was calm, though it was unclear to whom he was speaking.
Outside the courtyard, two guards, dressed in black and wielding long swords, walked in silently and then stood beside Zhou Yuan.
Zhou Wuji turned around and looked at the two black-clad figures behind Zhou Yuan. His gaze lingered on them for a long time. Only when he clearly saw Li Zao's pale face did he begin to smile sinisterly.
"Your two friends, Brother, why do they look so familiar to me? Especially the one on the left, she looks... very much like your fiancée from Plum Blossom Valley!"
Zhou Wuji recognized who Li Zao was, but he deliberately didn't state her identity, merely looking at Zhou Yuan with mockery. He recognized Li Zao, and he had emphasized the word "fiancée."
He hadn't expected things to go so smoothly after entering this courtyard. It had been less than fifteen minutes, and Li Zao had been found. And Zhou Yuan had even personally called her out; they hadn't needed to search.
"It is Li Zao."
Zhou Yuan nodded and said calmly.
"It is Li Zao!" Zhou Wuji repeated Zhou Yuan's words loudly, then grabbed Li Zao by the shoulder and brought her outside the courtyard. Facing the assembled officials and Tiger Guard soldiers with a ferocious expression, he said:
"Everyone, look carefully. This is Li Zao, born of Plum Blossom Valley, who killed her own master alongside Great Xia spies at Sword Pavilion – Li Zao!"
"She has appeared in Third Prince Zhou Yuan's courtyard!"
"Let go of me!" Li Zao pushed Zhou Wuji's hand away and then, with a pale face, fell to the ground. Her long black hair, previously tucked into her helmet, scattered.
Seeing this, Zhou Wuji raised his hands again, a smile plastered on his face, and said to the crowd, "See, I told you she was Li Zao."
"Are you alright?" Zhou Yuan walked out of the courtyard, looking at Li Zao on the ground with concern. He knew what she had experienced at the city gate, and it was already difficult enough for her to survive and return.
Zuo Mingqiu also had a pale face, but his condition was much better than Li Zao's. So, he sat cross-legged on the ground and circulated his inner energy to heal Li Zao in front of everyone.
Zhou Wuji looked on, stunned for a moment, then cursed with a laugh, "You two Great Xia spies, you still want to struggle? Do you think anyone can protect you in front of all these court officials?!"
"His Highness Prince Zhou Yuan, what is going on?"
Tan Yongzhi, the Minister of Rites, looked at Zhou Yuan with a stern face, his eyes sharp as shattered ice crystals on the heavenly mountains, his gaze filled with bone-chilling coldness. "I need an explanation from you."
"Is this woman Li Zao?"
"Yes."
Zhou Yuan answered calmly, then looked at Zhou Wuji with an innocent expression.
"Didn't my elder brother already recognize her? Why are you asking me again?"
...