Dongfang Heng stood against the wind, looking in the direction where the cloaked figure had disappeared, his gaze slightly narrowed.
"Quick, quick, they're on the roof!" The guards' urgent cries were almost within reach.
Shen Lixue leaped down to Dongfang Heng's side, grabbed his wrist, and jumped into the night: "The guards are coming! Let's go!"
The guards rushed out of the Duke of Mu's mansion, chasing after the thief. A small group of guards saw the storeroom door wide open and hurried inside. The storeroom was very empty, with a third of the chests missing. The guards were on the verge of tears: "Quickly report to the madam that the thief has stolen a million taels of gold and silver!"
Shen Lixue and Dongfang Heng were both very skilled in light-body techniques. In a short time, they shook off the pursuing guards and returned to the villa.
The night wind carried a chill, penetrating her clothes and seeping into her skin. Shen Lixue tightened her clothes, and a coat with a faint pine scent was draped over her body, its warm temperature comforting her.
"Thank you!" Shen Lixue glanced sideways and saw that Dongfang Heng's face was solemn and he seemed preoccupied: "Dongfang Heng, what's wrong?"
Dongfang Heng's obsidian-like eyes flashed with a cold light: "That cloaked man's martial arts are very high. Xiliang Capital is also full of hidden talents!" What is he going to do in the warehouse of the Duke of Mu's mansion in the dead of night?
Shen Lixue frowned: "The cloaked man is acting mysteriously; we don't know yet whether he's friend or foe." Just because he's not from the Duke of Mu's mansion doesn't mean he's necessarily friends with them.
"I'll have my guards investigate further to see just how many talented individuals there are in Xiliang's capital!" Dongfang Heng didn't tell Shen Lixue that he was very familiar with the cloaked man's back!
The loss of millions of gold and silver was a serious matter, and the Duchess of Mu could not hide it. The news quickly reached the ears of Consort Shu of Chang Le Palace.
"What? The Duke of Mu's mansion has been robbed?" Consort Shu, who was lounging on the chaise lounge, was so shocked that she almost sat up.
"Yes." The palace maid lowered her head slightly and reported to Consort Shu word for word what had happened at the Duke of Mu's mansion: "After the investigation, one-third of the gold and silver is missing!"
Consort Shu's captivating eyes flashed with a cold, sharp light. Who was so audacious as to dare to set their sights on the Duke of Mu's mansion? "Have you seen any suspects?"
"I saw her, but she was too far away and the night was too dark, so I couldn't see her face clearly!" the palace maid replied in a low voice, occasionally stealing glances at Consort Shu's expression. As a noble family of Xiliang, the Duke of Mu's mansion had always been high and mighty, but now, a million taels of gold and silver had been stolen from them without anyone noticing, and the Empress was about to lose her temper.
As expected, Consort Shu slammed her fair hand onto the chaise lounge, her long nails snapping instantly. Furious rage burned in her beautiful eyes. "What a bunch of useless fools! They can't even protect the Duke of Mu's mansion!" she thought. "Send a message to the border, ordering the Second Young Master to return to the capital!"
The palace maid was taken aback: "Your Highness, this is not appropriate!" The general guarding the border is responsible for the border; how can he leave his post without permission?
Consort Shu frowned and glared at the palace maid: "The old lady is seriously ill. Is it inappropriate to ask the second young master to take a two-month leave to return to the capital and take care of his grandmother?"
The palace maid's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly bowed, saying, "This servant understands! This servant will send someone to deliver the message right away!"
Consort Shu lay back on the chaise lounge, her beautiful eyes burning with even more fury: The person who moved a million taels of gold and silver from the Duke of Mu's mansion overnight was definitely not an ordinary thief and should not be underestimated.
Money is a small matter, face is a big deal. The dignified Duke Mu's mansion is being bullied like this. If they can't find the person behind it, the Duke Mu's mansion will become a laughing stock in the entire Western Liang.
The current Duke Mu's mansion is full of old people, women and children; there is not a single capable person among them. The young nephew must be transferred back to the capital to find the mastermind behind this and tear him to pieces.
"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened!" a palace maid rushed in, shouting in alarm.
Consort Shu frowned deeply: "What's all the fuss about?"
The palace maid knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, news just came that all the guards sent by the Duke of Mu's mansion to Yingzhou have fallen to their deaths!"
"What?" Consort Shu jumped up in shock, throwing all the fruit platters on the table to the ground with a loud crash. "How could they have fallen off a cliff out of nowhere?"
The palace maid's body jolted suddenly, and she stammered, "The letter said that we traveled at night, were exhausted, and didn't see the terrain clearly, so..."
"Those guards were handpicked and highly skilled in martial arts. The darkness had no effect on them. Even if they were tired from traveling, if one couldn't see the road ahead, wouldn't two or three be able to see it too?" They rushed to fall off the cliff. What a bunch of fools.
Consort Shu gritted her teeth, her anger reaching its peak. The death of the guard was clearly orchestrated by a pair of dark forces. She didn't want the guard to go to Yingzhou to investigate Shen Li; that Shen Li must have something wrong with her.
"What has Shen Li been doing lately? How many people are around him?" Consort Shu's gaze was gloomy. Could the theft at the Duke of Mu's mansion be related to him?
The palace maid bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Shen Li only has one attendant. Since arriving in the capital, the two of them have been staying at an inn. However, the guard just sent word that he is preparing to move into the Zhenguo Marquis's residence!"
Consort Shu's gaze sharpened. He was so close to the Marquis of Zhenguo's residence; could he really be a distant nephew of the Marquis? But his appearance...
"Continue to monitor her!" Consort Shu's gaze was icy: if Shen Li had any problems, she would definitely slip up.
The warm afternoon sun made me feel drowsy.
Shen Lixue stood in front of Jiang Feng's courtyard, her cool gaze peering through the wide-open gate. The courtyard was filled with flowers and plants, quiet and elegant, with warm breezes blowing and the flowers and plants swaying, creating a beautiful scene.
"Brother Shen, is it alright to stay in the east wing?" Lu Jiangfeng's voice was like a spring breeze, gentle, elegant, and warm.
Shen Lixue smiled and shook her head: "Thank you for your kindness, Third Young Master. This is the master's courtyard. As guests, we, master and servant, cannot stay here casually. The guest room next door is also very nice. We will stay there!"
Consort Shu sent guards to secretly monitor her day and night. If she continued to live in the villa, no matter how careful she was, she would expose Dongfang Heng, and then it would really be like stirring up trouble.
Moving to the Zhenguo Marquis's residence would dispel some of Consort Shu's suspicions and also allow them to subtly probe into the affairs of the Mu State Duke's residence, killing two birds with one stone.
The Marquis of Zhenguo's mansion and the Duke of Mu's mansion are enemies, so they must know each other very well. She won't have trouble getting useful information.
Lu Jiangfeng's two older brothers are only engaged and have not yet married. The Zhenguo Marquis's mansion has few people. In the inner courtyard, apart from the old lady, there is only the Marquis's wife. As an outsider, Lu Jiangfeng invited Shen Lixue to stay in his courtyard to avoid certain suspicions.
But she was a woman, and a married woman, so how could she just move into a man's courtyard?
"Brother Shen, please do as you wish!" Under the sunlight, Lu Jiangfeng smiled slightly, like a refreshing spring breeze, and did not force Shen Lixue: "If you need anything, just say so!"
"Thank you, Third Young Master!" Shen Lixue smiled politely and instructed Zi Mo to move some daily necessities into the small courtyard next door.
The courtyard was uninhabited, but it was very clean and elegantly decorated. As soon as Shen Lixue entered, she saw that the courtyard was filled with all kinds of beautiful flowers and plants, much like Lu Jiangfeng's courtyard.
"Brother Shen, we're friends, so let's skip the formalities of Third Young Master and Young Master Shen. Just call me Jiang Feng, like Grandmother and Mother do, and I'll call you Xiao Li, okay?" As we entered the guest room courtyard, Lu Jiangfeng's warm voice rang out from behind me.
"Little Li!" Shen Lixue raised the corners of her mouth. If a certain jealous person heard her calling him so intimately, she would be in trouble: "I'm more used to you calling me Brother Shen!" That form of address is very polite, and the jealous person won't be jealous.
Lu Jiangfeng looked at Shen Lixue and smiled gently: "My mother said that you look about fifteen or sixteen years old, while I am seventeen. I am older than you, so it seems inappropriate for me to call you Brother Shen!"
Shen Lixue looked at his unfocused eyes and frowned: "I'm not used to being called Xiao Li!"
Lu Jiangfeng's lips curled slightly: "So, at home, what do your parents call you?"