Chapter 715: Relative? Enemy?

When he woke up again, Old Tang was no longer in the room.

His heart skipped a beat, and after a careful search, the identifier he had brought was nowhere to be found. Looking around in confusion, he finally remembered his drunken experience and hastily crawled out of the house.

He searched around but couldn’t find Old Tang’s figure, so he could only return to the manor with a stomach full of questions.

But as soon as he reached the intersection, he stopped, looked back at the hut, and shook off the strange feeling in his heart. He always felt that he overlooked something, but he couldn’t remember what.

He needed to go back and report this information to Nan Tianzong.

Nan Tianzong clearly hadn’t expected the result to be like this!

“You’re saying that Old Tang, who you know, told you that the identifier is unique to Empress Dowager?”

Nan Tianzong repeatedly confirmed: “Ye Lei, have you ever thought about who Old Tang is and how he recognized that this identifier was unique to Empress Dowager? Even I can’t recognize the identifier, but he, who is nothing more than a small leader in Macheng County’s armory, could recognize it. Don’t you find that suspicious?”

These words sent shivers down Di Yelei’s spine, finally understanding the origin of the strange feeling he had.

“Yes, you’re right. How did Old Tang know? He…”

“Either he was once the Empress Dowager’s man, hiding in Macheng County under a false name. Or he’s just talking nonsense, trying to confuse our vision deliberately. Regardless of the answer, there is only one thing we should do now: go to the armory immediately and bring this Old Tang you’ve mentioned over!”

Nan Tianzong slammed his fist on the table, his eyes filled with brutality.

“This can’t be done! Although Old Tang is only a small leader of the armory, in my heart, he is my Master. A day as a teacher means a lifetime as a father, and I will never lay a hand on him! Also, I firmly believe he has his reasons; we don’t need to dwell on this! Otherwise, what’s the difference between us and others?”

Di Yelei stood firm.

“You’re being softhearted. Have you ever thought about how dangerous it would be if this man were truly the Empress Dowager’s man? Do you understand that by letting the tiger return to the mountain at this moment, you’re endangering us all?” Nan Tianzong wished he could punch him directly.

Di Yelei had never been to the capital city, so he didn’t know about the Empress Dowager’s means. However, he had experienced the Empress Dowager rolling in the capital city circles, so he was very tense.

“I trust him; he would never harm me!”

Di Yelei stubbornly insisted on his view, refusing to relent. If Old Tang had wanted to harm him, he could have done so when he was drunk. It would have been easier, and he wouldn’t have to face these accusations, so why not?

“Fine! Very well.”

Nan Tianzong didn’t say much more but instead stormed out of the manor in anger.

This was the first time the two had quarreled over public affairs, but Di Yelei had no regrets.

As soon as Nan Tianzong left the Di Residence, he hesitated for a moment before shouting in a low voice: “Come here, go to the county government’s armory and capture Old Tang for this prince. If he resists, take him dead or alive!”

“Yes, Prince Gong!”

Two shadows suddenly appeared on the empty avenue, bowed to Nan Tianzong, and disappeared into the air again.

There must be a problem with Old Tang; how could he just let him go?

What was supposed to be an easy capture ended in failure, which surprised Nan Tianzong.

“What happened?”

“None of our men found him; they all said that Old Tang hadn’t been seen since yesterday.”

Nan Tianzong frowned: “It seems he has escaped. Forget it! We’ll deal with it later, if we have the chance.”

Considering the Empress Dowager’s hand had even reached Macheng County, it seemed this area was no longer safe. He needed to leave as soon as possible, and some things needed to be resolved.

Liu Sisi didn’t know about the matter between Di Yelei and Nan Tianzong. At the moment, she was busy preparing gifts, planning to visit Heilong Mountain.

Each time she went to Heilong Mountain, something bad would happen, casting a shadow over Liu Sisi’s heart. She would be satisfied only if Heilong Mountain was leveled.

But this time, she had no choice but to go.

After some consideration, she decided to go with a light entourage. Going up the mountain with a larger group wouldn’t solve the problem.

It wasn’t until she sat in the carriage to Heilong Mountain that she realized, belatedly, that she had always placed herself on Zhao Yuanlang’s side in her heart, believing herself to be his daughter.

Thinking about it carefully, compared to the former Crown Prince Zhao Jiong’s secretiveness, Emperor Zhao Yuanlang was much more candid.

When Liu Sisi returned to Heilong Mountain, she encountered no resistance. Instead, she easily met with Zhao Jiong.

“Old He told me that your old illness has recurred. But it looks like you’re fine now; there’s no problem at all.”

Liu Sisi stood by the big rocks, facing the gusty mountain wind, her face calm.

On the flat land on top of the mountain, Zhao Jiong sat naturally on the ground. His gaze towards Liu Sisi was still filled with startling intensity, as if looking through her at someone else.

“You’re not her after all…”

Zhao Jiong’s sigh seemed to come from the bottom of his heart, filled with deep melancholy.

“Yes, I’m not her, because she’s already dead, killed by your own hands here!”

Liu Sisi didn’t know why Zhao Jiong went mad last time, but today’s Zhao Jiong had clear eyes and looked at her with a mix of complex emotions.

“Yes… it was I who killed her.”

Zhao Jiong suddenly laughed softly, his smile revealing an indescribable meaning. Gradually, his low laughter grew louder and finally turned into uproarious laughter.

“That bastard Zhao Yuanlang has acknowledged you, hasn’t he? He came here recently and nearly stayed behind forever.”

His Majesty had been to Heilong Mountain?

Liu Sisi’s heart instinctively tightened, and she felt a bit dizzy. Zhao Jiong said it was a recognition, which meant that what Zhao Yuanlang said about her being his daughter was true!

She immediately reacted and suddenly laughed: “Sect Master, are you upset by this? After all, the current Emperor is your blood brother, and he should cherish the bond of brotherhood and spare you a way out.”

The naked mockery in her words made Zhao Jiong’s smile fade.

“Did you come up the mountain today just to make fun of me?”

“No! I don’t have the habit of kicking someone when they’re down. I came today to ask you a few questions.”

Liu Sisi’s heart relaxed somewhat, and she walked silently around the area that seemed to contain a grave, sighing softly.