52: Chapter 52 The Dark Pavilion's Schemes

Ye Hua skillfully navigated the streets and alleys of Nanyue City with Yun Song, taking seven or eight turns along the bluestone path.

A moment later, an inn with grey tiles and white walls appeared before them.

Though the facade was unassuming, it exuded a sense of grounded comfort, and the faint scent of tea drifted from the open wooden doors.

Manager Wang behind the counter was fiddling with an abacus; hearing footsteps, he instinctively looked up and, upon seeing Ye Hua, his face filled with smiles.

"Ye siblings, it has been a while!"

But before he could finish, his smile froze on his face.

He saw that both were tattered and stained with blood, their weary expressions masking an indescribable state of disarray.

Ye Hua cupped his hands in a salute: "I have brought a friend today and would like to impose upon you for a few days."

Manager Wang finally snapped back to reality and nodded hurriedly, his eyes full of concern: "Young Master Ye, your friend is an honored guest of my humble shop!"

"Although the guest rooms are not luxurious, they are clean and warm; you will certainly find them comfortable." Ye Rong forced herself to stay alert and bowed slightly in gratitude.

"Young Master Ye, what is this..." Manager Wang could not help but ask.

Ye Hua's expression darkened, and he lowered his voice: "An incident occurred at home, and we need to take shelter here for a while. I hope you can keep this a secret."

"That goes without saying! Master Ye has often looked after my shop; you can rest assured regarding this small matter!" Manager Wang promised, patting his chest.

Ye Hua frowned slightly and suddenly asked: "I felt it was strange when entering the city; why are the usual patrol guards nowhere to be seen?"

Manager Wang was stunned and shook his head: "This... I really haven't paid attention."

"Could I trouble you to find three sets of clean clothes?" As Ye Hua spoke, he pulled a silver ingot from his sleeve.

"Done! Let me settle you in first, and the clothes will be here shortly!" Manager Wang took the silver and led the three towards the guest rooms.

Before long, Manager Wang returned carrying three sets of new clothes and gently knocked on the door: "Young Master Ye, please make do with these for now; if you need anything, just let me know."

Ye Hua thanked him repeatedly and delivered the clothes to Ye Rong's and Yun Song's rooms respectively.

Once the three had tidied up, Ye Hua went to Yun Song's room, and Ye Rong arrived shortly after.

The atmosphere in the room was heavy; everyone understood that they needed to come up with a countermeasure as soon as possible.

Just then, Ye Hua and Ye Rong's stomachs rumbled simultaneously, and the two looked at each other awkwardly.

"We haven't eaten properly since leaving home," Ye Hua said with a bitter smile.

Upon hearing this, Yun Song took an exquisite porcelain bottle from his cloth bag and poured out three Medicinal Pills that were glowing faintly.

"Take these bigu pill first; while they cannot replace a meal, they can stave off hunger and replenish Qi."

Ye Hua and Ye Rong took the Medicinal Pills, seeing that the surface of the round pills shimmered with a strange luster and emitted an enticing fragrance.

The Medicinal Pill melted the moment it entered their mouths, and a warm current spread through their bodies down their throats, instantly dissipating the feeling of hunger.

"This Medicinal Pill is truly magical!" Ye Hua exclaimed.

"The top priority is to discuss a rescue plan." Yun Song's expression was serious as he recounted what he had seen and heard inside the Escort Agency in detail.

Ye Hua's eyes sharpened, and he said in a low voice: "The place you described with guards should be the main hall of the Escort Agency. Daily business of the Escort Agency is discussed there, and now that it is heavily guarded... I fear the escorts are all trapped inside."

Ye Rong's delicate brows were knitted tightly: "The area around the main hall is open and has no cover; getting close would be difficult, let alone saving anyone."

Yun Song nodded and said: "Although there are many difficulties, it is not impossible. Perhaps we could lure the guards away first, create chaos, and then seize the opportunity to sneak in."

Ye Hua shook his head and vetoed: "Once the enemy is alerted, everyone in the hall might meet with misfortune. If we are not careful, we might end up harming them instead."

The room fell into a dead silence, with only heavy breathing echoing in the stillness.

Meanwhile, atop the highest pavilion in Nanyue City, the cold wind howled, and clothing fluttered in the air.

A tall man stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at the whole city with a gloomy expression.

Suddenly, he turned his head to look at the burly subordinate beside him, his eyes like knives: "Has the thing not been asked out yet?"

"Reporting to the City Lord, that guy has a very stubborn mouth; all kinds of methods have been tried, but he just refuses to speak." The burly man replied with his head lowered, his voice filled with a bit of fear.

The City Lord frowned, a flash of ruthlessness in his eyes: "Resolve it as soon as possible! I temporarily withdrew the city patrols under the pretext of the wind and snow, but this excuse won't last long. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Understood! I will go handle it right away and guarantee to pry his mouth open as soon as possible!" The man nodded and bowed, cold sweat seeping from his forehead.

The City Lord narrowed his eyes, his tone cold: "Do not forget our agreement. I allow you to enter the city for revenge, and you must help me get what I want. If you dare to play any tricks, you know the consequences."

"I would never dare!"

The man felt as if needles were pricking his back and hurriedly bowed and retreated.

As he went downstairs, he was still calculating what means he could use to make that stubborn guy talk.