The cannon fodder heiress trembled with fear after being recognized as a member of her family.

The fourth prince, who had been lying on the small boat, immediately sat up upon seeing the strange phenomenon:

“Jingqian, look, there’s a black hole on the mountaintop ahead. It looks like something is going into the black hole.”

He didn't even bother eating the dried fish; he was filled with curiosity about the mountaintop.

"You go back to the big ship first! I'll go take a look over there. That should be the stronghold of Changji Village. We'll make a decision after I get back."

Luo Jingqian wore a mask, completely covering his face.

"No way! How can I miss out on a good show? Besides, I'm pretty good at martial arts. I'll just hide while you're sparring with someone."

"Besides, you don't even know who the lieutenants on the official ship are connected to. Do you really think I'm stupid?"

The Fourth Prince, Zhao Changshou, grabbed Luo Jingqian's robe, preventing him from leaving alone.

Upon hearing this, Luo Jingqian stared intently at him:

"Fourth Prince, aren't you afraid I'll tell everyone about this? The First Prince is very attentive to my maternal grandmother, and she might actually support him."

Zhao Changshou chuckled, "You won't. Once I get you under control, the forces behind you will naturally support me."

He wouldn't be like his eldest brother, trying to please the wrong person.

Luo Jingqian was clearly the most sought-after person by the Grand Princess's Mansion and the Duke of Dingguo.

"Fourth Prince, I didn't expect you to be so good at hiding your abilities." Luo Jingqian sighed, realizing he had misjudged you.

He didn't have much contact with the princes, except that he had entered the palace as a child and played with the fourth prince a few times in the Empress's palace with his mother.

As for the other princes, either the princes were too old, or their birth mothers were of too low a rank to be seen by their mothers.

Luo Jingqian recalled briefly and remembered the Fourth Prince's temperament when he was young.

"I'm not hiding my talents and biding my time; my second brother is the one who's been deceiving everyone!" the fourth prince sneered. "I'm no match for him!"

Luo Jingqian seemed not to hear him and did not react at all.

Throughout history, the path to the throne has been fraught with bloodshed, and he had no desire to get involved.

As far as he knew, his maternal grandmother, Princess Jinghe, did not give the eldest prince a kind look.

The eldest prince is of low birth, while the third prince's mother comes from the Imperial Preceptor's residence.

The eldest prince is trying to use someone else's strength against them; does he think everyone else is a fool?

Luo Jingqian had seen the eldest prince several times at his maternal grandmother's house, and each time he would hurriedly avoid him.

Fortunately, his health was poor in the eyes of outsiders, and the eldest prince did not take him seriously.

Even during this bandit suppression campaign, the public narrative was that the emperor wanted his cousin to achieve merit so that he could smoothly inherit the title a few years later.

He suffers from a strange illness, and many people covet the power and wealth that he possesses.

Many people avoid him like the plague, and once they get a cold shoulder from him, they stop trying to get close to him.

Apart from the fourth prince in front of us.

This person would occasionally send over some things, nothing valuable, just a token of their goodwill.

Luo Jingqian naturally looked at the Fourth Prince with a different eye.

"Don't blame me for pretending to be obedient!" Seeing that he didn't speak, the Fourth Prince thought he was angry and quickly explained, "I received a letter a few days ago, which said that I—"

Luo Jingqian interrupted, "Wait for me at the foot of the mountain. Hide well and don't let anyone find you. I'm going up to check!"

The mountaintop on the right side of the canyon has been flattened, while the left side is in better condition.

Thick smoke is billowing out from the left side.

"The mountain on the left is the stronghold of Changji Village. I'll go up there and look for that Miss Yang."

"Who cares if she lives or dies! What does she matter—the daughter of a discarded woman?"

Seeing Luo Jingqian's look, the Fourth Prince stopped talking.

"Don't run around! You know your brothers aren't sheep; they're fiercer than tigers and leopards." Luo Jingqian handed something to the Fourth Prince. "Take this signal arrow. Send me a message if there's danger!"

"Looks like you still consider me a friend, hehe~" The Fourth Prince hid the small boat in a bush on the shore. "Go! Those people won't make a move easily."

If we take action, that would be fine. If we can find something to hold against them, no matter what happens, the Emperor can't say anything.

His ambition is about to be exposed.

Luo Jingqian stepped onto the protruding rock and leaped into the air.

"I don't know where this sickly fellow learned it from. The Duke of Dingguo doesn't have this ability."

The fourth prince looked up at the sky with envy.

There are four temples in the palace.

Unfortunately, they were too proud to accept just anyone as a disciple.

He had been pestering Master Mo for a long time, but was still rejected.

He had secretly touched that stone, but there was no reaction.

I heard that the incident at Changji Village was also related to Master Mo. If I could catch Master Mo's eye this time, he would be willing to become a disciple.

Han Zhen also didn't want to fight, but it was just a casual remark. In the end, it was the Fourth Prince who benefited.

If he knew, he would definitely spit out a mouthful of blood, but that's a story for another time.

When Luo Jingqian arrived at the original site of Changji Village, he saw thick smoke everywhere, mixed with a foul stench.

He already had a hunch that Changji Village was likely in grave danger this time.

"Miss Yang~ Miss Yang~"

Luo Jingqian called out a few times, but he didn't hold out much hope.

The thick smoke shows how fierce the fire was before; the ground was completely covered in gray and black smoke.

Judging from the cut surfaces of the two mountain peaks, it appears that two people at the Innate Realm fought fiercely here.

Those at the Innate Realm cannot act rashly, otherwise the world might collapse; this is an established rule.

Why would Old Master Mo act so recklessly?

Why was Miss Yang kidnapped?

"Cough cough~ Help!"

Four people emerged from underground, their faces covered in soot, making it impossible to discern their features.

They lost consciousness after they came out.

Luo Jingqian approached, initially not intending to save the person.

These men were likely bandits from Changji Village, scoundrels who disregarded human life. Just as he was about to make his move, the shorter man suddenly regained consciousness.

"Miss Yang descended the mountain a quarter of an hour ago."

The eldest brother was the one who woke up.

Han Cuiyin had stayed in their treasure vault for two days, and he thought that this dark-skinned girl was surely dead.

As a result, Han Cuiyin emerged safely, and flames followed her wherever she went.

The leader then realized that they had provoked someone they shouldn't have messed with.

Luo Jingqian remained calm and asked, "Why did you arrest her?"

"Because of the Longevity Diagram," the eldest brother initially tried to bluff his way out, but seeing Luo Jingqian's air of nobility, he had no choice but to tell the truth, "a senior in black, a few days ago..."

Only after the leader explained the man in black's background and the events of the past few days did he dare to plead, "Please, sir, save my brothers! That man in black used some kind of magic on me; he can find me no matter where I am!"

Luo Jingqian immediately understood the unspoken meaning: "You're quite quick-witted. Are you the leader of Changji Village?"

"Yes!"

"Don't let anyone else know about Miss Yang, or your lives will be in danger." Taking advantage of their weakness, Luo Jingqian stuffed a pill into each of their hands. "This poison requires one antidote per year. If you go out and talk about the Longevity Diagram and Miss Yang, you'll be in deep trouble."

At this moment, Han Cuiyin was unaware that Luo Jingqian had actually arrived.

She took a small boat from the pirates' large ship. "Oh, I still have to go to the capital myself. What a hassle."

The Pinglian River was not clean, so in order to calm her mind, she could only take out a wooden fish, strike it, and go upstream.

The small boat traveling alone on the river is inconspicuous, but the water beneath it is anything but calm.