Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

Every time the night owl came, Xiao Ce would ask about the mad Taoist's condition.

But the madman seemed to have disappeared.

This time, his absence for such a long period of time is unprecedented...

Night Owl shook his head: "He didn't come back. I've already sent people to look for him, but they didn't find a body, so he probably isn't dead."

Xiao Ce nodded: "Yes, no news is good news. This guy was already traveling the world before, he shouldn't be dead so soon..."

Night Owl nodded, then continued, "By the way, big brother, I noticed you and the agent seemed to have a pretty good relationship before...did you reveal your identities?"

Seeing Ye Mao say this, Xiao Ce shook his head with a wry smile: "You brought up this matter, and I was just about to ask you about it. I didn't follow him! However, I feel like he seems to have discovered something."

Xiao Ce then recounted the events that had transpired between the two of them to Ye Mao.

Do you think Yin Pan'er recognized me?

After a moment of silence, the two came to completely different conclusions.

Night Cat said to Xiao Ce, "Brother, I think she recognized you! After all, our sister-in-law is a smart woman... Even though your face is different, and even though the way you speak is different, people who truly know you can still easily recognize you..."

"Of course, this is based on one premise... that is, that is, someone you know well. I think your sister-in-law would know."

Da Lei shook his head: "I don't think so... If my sister-in-law knew, and if she came here for our eldest brother, given their relationship, she would definitely acknowledge him! Of course, if she has changed her mind and wants to harm our eldest brother... then with her power, she would have already taken action against him!"

"In my opinion, this is a honey trap! It's not that my sister-in-law recognized him, but rather that she thinks my brother is very capable. So she wants to keep him by her side!"

Looking at Xiao Ce's expression, Da Lei said, "Big brother, it shouldn't count as being cuckolded, right?"

Xiao Ce was utterly speechless upon hearing Da Lei's words...

I instinctively kicked him: "Bullshit!"

Da Lei, who was very familiar with Xiao Ce, said, "Brother, don't be so quick to deny me... What I'm saying is still very possible! Your wife was indeed very good before... But, brother, have you considered this issue?"

Xiao Ce looked at Da Lei's serious expression.

Xiao Ce could see that Ye Mao kept secretly pulling Da Lei, seemingly hinting to Da Lei not to say anything.

Seeing this, Xiao Ce said to Night Cat, "Don't nudge him, let him talk. What? Is this the first day you've met me? Do you think I can't accept these things?"

After listening to Xiao Ce's words, Da Lei nodded and said, "That's right... Night Owl, you underestimate the Prince too much..."

Night Owl said to Big Thunder, "You let it slip again."

Da Lei said, "We've set up a tight network of traps around here. Not to mention people, even if some stray cats or dogs get close, I'll know immediately... Calling me 'Big Brother' all the time... Big Brother... it feels awkward. Your Highness is Your Highness!"

Night Owl looked at Da Lei and smiled helplessly.

He then said, "Okay...okay...okay...then you tell me."

Xiao Ce wasn't in a hurry at this point, and simply said to them, "Alright, you two, can you get to the point already?"

Da Lei then said, "Your Highness, have you ever considered that if our appearances can change, then is it possible that the Princess's appearance could also change..."

"In other words, this is not the real princess!"

After Da Lei said this, Xiao Ce was genuinely taken aback.

Xiao Ce had indeed considered many possibilities, but this one was the one he hadn't considered...

However, we cannot rule out that possibility.

Seeing that Xiao Ce did not speak, Da Lei continued, "Actually, Your Highness, do you know why we sent Night Owl over before?"

Xiao Ce suddenly remembered that he and Da Lei had both disguised themselves, but Ye Mao had not.

Although Night Owl had lost a lot of weight and changed into Japanese attire, sporting that lewd Japanese beard, he was still recognizable upon closer inspection.

Moreover, back in the Northern Desert Prince's Palace, Night Cat and Yin Pan'er had quite a few collaborations.

It's no exaggeration to say that Ye Mao spent more time with Yin Pan'er than with Xiao Ce.

Because when Xiao Ce was at the Northern Desert King's Palace, he was always running around, going to the Western Regions and later to the Turks.

On the contrary, night owls spend a lot of time there.

Xiao Ce said to Night Cat, "When you came here, you didn't meet with Yin Pan'er either, did you?"

Night Cat said to Xiao Ce, "That's right, but I've met her subordinates a few times... and actually, we've met when there were many people around... but of course, it's also possible that he didn't see me at all."

Da Lei said to Ye Mao, "If you didn't recognize me, you didn't recognize me."

As he spoke, Da Lei looked at Xiao Ce and continued, "I personally think it's a fake. Your Highness, don't you think she's acting strangely...? You're familiar with the Princess Consort, right...? Do you think she's changed? Because based on what I know of the Princess Consort, she shouldn't be so frivolous, actively trying to get close to you..."

Xiao Ce was truly stumped after hearing Da Lei's words.

Xiao Ce might sound a bit like a scumbag if he said it, but he didn't really understand Yin Pan'er's true personality.

In reality, the only time he truly spent with Yin Pan'er was during his visit to the Northern Desert Prince's Mansion, and even then, their interactions were merely superficial, consisting of physical intimacy.

There was truly no genuine spiritual exchange.

Later, the two spent very little time together.

Seeing that Xiao Ce was unsure, Night Cat said to him, "Your Highness, next time you come to see me in front of that agent... let's see her reaction."

Xiao Ce nodded, finding it feasible: "Alright, let's go back tomorrow..."

Just then, the sound of bells suddenly came from outside.

At that moment, Night Owl and Da Lei immediately became alert and then made a shushing gesture to Xiao Ce.

This sound must be coming from the so-called trap they set.

The person coming here, who didn't come through the main entrance, is definitely not a good person.

The entire room fell silent.

Just then, a figure appeared at the doorway, and the door was pushed open.

Then a familiar face appeared in the doorway.

Upon seeing who had arrived, the three men looked at each other in bewilderment.

The person who came was none other than the Mad Taoist.

The mad Taoist was soaking wet, and his clothes were even more tattered than before.

The mad Taoist glanced at the three people, then went to the bed in the room and fell asleep without saying a word.

The three people looked at each other.

The three people walked over, and the mad Taoist priest was still sleeping with his eyes open, just like before.

"Won't he catch a cold sleeping like that?" Xiao Ce asked.

As Xiao Ce spoke, Night Cat began rubbing his hair and body, and then stripped off his clothes.

"It smells like seawater again!" Da Lei said after taking a sniff.

Night Owl said, "Could it be that he went swimming in the sea during the time he disappeared?"

Da Lei checked his clothes again: "There's blood..."

After Da Lei said that, Xiao Ce and Ye Mao went over to take a look.

Night Owl instinctively said, "He doesn't have any wounds on his body."

Night Owl said, sniffing the clothes again: "It smells like human blood."

Looking at the two of them, Xiao Ce subconsciously picked up the clothes and smelled them.

To be honest, the bloodstains have been diluted by seawater, so they don't even smell like human blood anymore.

He couldn't even smell the blood.

As the night owl spoke, she followed the old woman's example and found a needle and thread, and began to sew him up.

Xiao Ce said to Night Cat, "Let's change his outfit."

Night Owl said, "He was wearing this outfit. We were going to throw his clothes away, but he somehow found them again..."

Xiao Ce walked over to the mad Taoist and gently patted his face: "Hey...hey...hey...wake up...wake up..."

But the mad Taoist priest didn't wake up no matter how much Xiao Ce patted his face.

Da Lei smiled and said to Xiao Ce, "Your Highness, you've known him for so long, do you still think you can wake him up?"

After hearing Da Lei's words, Xiao Ce smiled and said, "Well, we're just killing time anyway... What do you think he's been up to? We're busy, but he seems even busier than us..."

The three chatted for a while, then went to sleep.

The next day, Xiao Ce thought he had woken up very early. After waking up, he subconsciously looked towards the mad Taoist's bed.

Unsurprisingly, the mad Taoist priest ran away again.

The clothes I washed, mended, and dried for him still got worn away by him...

Xiao Ce even suspected that he had come back specifically to have Night Owl do his laundry!

However, he finally knew that the Mad Taoist was still alive.

Even after they woke up, Okamoto Juzo was still keen to invite everyone to dinner.

After dinner, I originally planned to have Night Owl come back with me.

However, Okamoto Juzo made the night cat follow him to the Tojo residence.

Xiao Ce wasn't in a hurry. It didn't matter whether Yin Pan'er was real or fake.

He doesn't know what to do with her right now.

After they finished breakfast together, Xiao Ce went back.

After Xiao Ce's empty promises yesterday, Okamoto Juzo and Okamoto Juroku no longer doubted him...

It's all about complete trust...

Tojo Seisuke and Tojo Senichi had originally planned to wait for Xiao Ce to arrive.

However, instead of Xiao Ce arriving, the father and son found Okamoto Juzo and Okamoto Juroku...

They still treated them warmly, after all, they knew very well that Okamoto Juzo and Okamoto Juroku wouldn't come over rashly.

"Head of the Okamoto family, what brings you here?"

Okamoto Juzo smiled and said, "Hey, I don't usually want to bother you. But as you said before, now that it's just the two of us in Fusang, we should help each other... support each other... so, as soon as we received the news, we came to share it with you!"

Tojo Seisuke didn't hide anything this time, and instead showed a touched expression.

"Thirteen, I'm so touched! I just heard that Mr. Okamoto Kazusaku was back, and you're already here to keep us updated on the news, only two days later..."

Okamoto Juzo laughed and said, "Haha, you seem to be quite interested in our Mr. Ichisaku..."

Tojo Seisuke laughed and said, "That's right... It would be a lie to say I'm not interested... Come on, let's go inside and talk..."

With that, Tojo Seisuke invited them into a room.

Immediately afterward, Tojo Seisuke asked Okamoto Juzo curiously, "Juzo, what news did Mr. Ichisaku bring this time?"

Okamoto Juzo didn't hide anything and repeated what Xiao Ce had said to them.

Tojo Seisuke wasn't surprised at all, since it was practically an open secret that Tokugawa Heiyasu was controlled by the Illuminati.

After Okamoto Juzo finished speaking, he turned to Tojo Seisuke and asked, "By the way, Tojo Seisuke, have you received an invitation from the Illuminati?"

Tojo Seisuke shook his head and said, "Of course not... Besides, didn't you say that those who sought out Tokugawa Heiyasu have already been eliminated? How could an opposition faction spring up so quickly..."

Before Okamoto Juzo could speak, Tojo Seisuke interjected, "Juzo, if you can pass on a message to Mr. Ichisaku, tell him... no matter what people say to us, no matter how big the promises they make to me, I will not betray the Illuminati."

Okamoto Juzo nodded and smiled, saying, "I knew it. You must be a smart person... Actually, even if we didn't say it, you would know exactly what's going on in your mind."

Tojo Seisuke smiled and said, "That's true, but after you explained it to me, I feel even more confident..."

At this point, Tojo Senichi, who had been standing nearby, couldn't help but ask, "Uncle Thirteen, if we're going to exterminate these Tokugawa family members... who will we send to do it? We shouldn't be asked to do it, right?"

After listening to Tojo Senichi's words, Okamoto Juzo shook his head and said, "I really didn't ask about that..."

Okamoto Juroku chimed in, "Alright then, Seisuke! How about we make a deal?"

Seeing this, Tojo Seisuke asked curiously, "Agreement? What agreement?"

Okamoto Juroku said, "The Illuminati members haven't actually been decided yet; they still need to vote. We only have inside information... so they haven't said what they'll ultimately do. What if they ask us to take action?"

“I know your concerns… How about this: no matter who the Illuminati ultimately chooses to carry out the execution, we’ll each provide half the executioners. When it’s time to oversee the execution, both of our family heads will be on the battlefield together. How does that sound?”