Did the Seventh Prince attend court today?

Inside the window, a deer was rubbing its paws together, waiting for the kidnappers to break in and abduct it.

Outside the window, a masked man dressed in black peered out cautiously, pressing his face against the window to listen for any sounds coming from inside.

After waiting for ages without anyone coming in, Youlu thought to herself, "What are those people outside dawdling about? It's been ages and they still haven't made a move. Do they expect me to open the door and let them in? Do they think they're here to be my security guards?!"

The Pixiu, watching the masked man from outside, reassured him: "Almost there, almost there. They're preparing the sleeping powder."

It provides real-time progress updates.

[The deployment location has been selected, the window paper has been successfully pierced, and the sleeping gas is ready.]

【Three, two, one—Hold your breath!】

You Lu suppressed the urge to jump up and block the sleeping gas, covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief, and quietly watched the sleeping gas blown into the room slowly dissipate.

A while later, the sound of someone prying open a window was heard.

He quickly hid the handkerchief and pretended to be unconscious from the Chinese medicine.

The next second, the wooden lattice window was gently pushed open, and a dark figure stealthily slipped into the room.

The newcomer didn't rush to attack, but instead used the moonlight to observe the person on the bed. After seeing the girl's stunning face, a look of wild joy flashed in the shadowy figure's eyes. He immediately hoisted her up and climbed out the window.

The moment the shadow leaped out of the window, the Pixiu pounced and grabbed the hem of the deer's skirt, catching a ride.

After leaving the inn, the dark figure flew onto the roof and raced westward under the moonlight.

Meanwhile, a dozen or so bodyguards hidden near the inn silently followed them.

In the dark and silent room, Cang Shuyue slowly stroked the thin blade of the sword, his cold eyes reflecting a glint of icy light.

Yinwu pushed open the door, lit the oil lamp, and bowed, saying, "The man in black went west, and the guards have already followed. Should we follow them now?"

Cang Shuyue shook his head. "Proceed according to plan and keep a close eye on the three entrances."

This is what Pixiu discovered that afternoon when it followed that beggar.

There is a secret passage in the dilapidated temple in the west of the city. It is where beggars and kidnappers meet, and it is also the entrance to the underground trading market.

Just as Lu guessed, this group had their own trading channels, and their trading venue was hidden underground in Cizhou.

According to the message brought back by the Pixiu, there is a secret room underground in the west of the city. The secret room is connected to three secret passages, which lead to the dilapidated temple and Risheng Restaurant in the west of the city, as well as the county government office in the middle of the county town.

The implications are self-evident.

Cizhou connects the north and south trade routes, with convenient transportation and trade. Countless merchants pass through the area every day, making it a good place to do business. However, it is also the most chaotic place, where it is easiest for unscrupulous people to take advantage of others.

The Yi family used this muddy water as a cover to make money by selling human flesh.

The number of people involved was far greater than they imagined, and simply dismantling the kidnappers' hideout wouldn't be enough to capture them all. Youlu's idea was to first go to the kidnappers' stronghold to gather information, and then formulate the next plan based on the situation.

In other words, they could not take any action until they obtained useful intelligence; they could only continue to stay in the inn and put on an act.

Yinwu glanced at his master's gloomy face and said cautiously, "We have sent people to keep an eye on all three entrances. With Young Master Su, Mr. Meng and I here at the inn, there shouldn't be any problem. Master, you might as well go and protect the Seventh Prince."

Cang Shuyue gripped the sword hilt tightly, still shaking his head, and said in a deep voice, "He said he can, and I believe him. I can't leave the inn yet."

Otherwise, it would arouse suspicion and alert the enemy.

Yinwu remained silent.

Thinking of something, Cang Shuyue took out a letter that he had kept hidden for more than half a month from his bosom and began to read it carefully.

Seeing this, Yinwu also stepped forward, and after reading it, he couldn't help but exclaim in shock, "So the Seventh Prince has been using Master all along! This is too much!"

There was no anger in his tone, only shame and annoyance at being emotionally deceived, suggesting he had broken down after making a mistake.

Cang Shuyue glanced at him unhappily, put the letter away, and said, "You don't understand."

Yinwu:? ?

Why doesn't he understand again?

The Empress's letter clearly and plainly stated the word "exploitation," and he wasn't blind!

Cang Shuyue was in a great mood after reading the letter. Seeing his bewildered expression, she patiently explained, "He only used me because he liked me. Otherwise, why would he only use me? Even my older sister advised me to be tolerant of him and to get along with him properly, which means he did nothing wrong."

"Hehe, whatever makes you happy, Master." Yinwu chuckled dryly.

From now on, no matter what earth-shattering things his master says, he won't be surprised.

He realized that his master was completely infatuated with the Seventh Prince, and could even turn black into white.

On the other side, a deer was being carried on someone's shoulders at breakneck speed, feeling like his stomach was about to burst. But that wasn't the worst part; what he couldn't stand was that the kidnapper not only reeked of sweat, but also of body odor!

[Yue—This kidnapper hasn't showered in days, he stinks! Yue—]

To avoid being detected as abnormal, he could only mentally gag.

The Pixiu looked at him with sympathy, saying, "Boss, please bear with it a little longer. A small act of impatience could ruin a great plan!"

"If I had known I would be tortured by biological weapons, I would have rather inhaled some sleeping powder and passed out..." You Lu was so dizzy from the fumes that he had barely finished speaking when he actually rolled his eyes and fainted.

The Pixiu exclaimed in surprise: "Boss!"

She wiped away tears of sympathy with her little paws, [Poor Boss, waaaaah...]

After an unknown amount of time, Youlu slowly woke up. He opened his eyes and saw rows of wooden cages, and he was locked in one of them.

The nauseating smell finally disappeared, and he subconsciously took a deep breath, only to hear hushed voices coming from not far away.

"That girl is really beautiful. I haven't seen such a good one in two or three years."

"I heard she's a bit old, but with looks like that, she'd definitely fetch a good price."

"I bet those officials and wealthy landowners are going crazy fighting over it."

"Of course, let's make a bet and see how much silver she can sell for."

The sound came from the cave entrance. A deer stretched its neck and looked in that direction, only to see two figures, one tall and one thin.

He didn't listen to what was said after that, but instead looked around.

The protruding stone walls and hanging vines led him to a spacious and bright cave. Besides him, there were several young girls imprisoned in the cave, who appeared to have been captured.

He tried to talk to the girl in the next cage, but she huddled up in fear, not daring to even look at him, let alone talk to him.

Left with no other option, he could only shout in his mind: "Pixiu!"

Soon, the Pixiu floated in from outside the cave, excitedly exclaiming, "Boss, you're awake!"

One of the deer moved its stiff neck and asked, "Where have I been taken?"

The Pixiu climbed onto his shoulder, its tiny paws massaging his back, and said, "We're currently in a mountain northwest of the city. After you passed out last night, the kidnappers got into a carriage waiting at the city gate, drove straight out of the city, and brought you here."

You Lu nodded knowingly; it seemed this was where the kidnapped people were being hidden.