16: Chapter 16 The Princess of the Former Dynasty Comes Seeking Zhao Zilong!

Zhao Zilong returned home, where Zhao Xiaotian had prepared a lunch that was much more sumptuous than usual.

There were two meat dishes, one vegetable dish, and a jug of Shaodaozi liquor.

"Xiaotian, didn't I buy you new clothes yesterday? Why are you still wearing the old ones?"

Yesterday, Zhao Zilong had taken Zhao Xiaotian out for a big meal and bought several sets of clothes for both of them.

After all, he had some silver now.

He had gotten over a thousand taels from Jin Rong, and Cao Yun's side had compensated him with another five thousand taels, which had been delivered yesterday.

"Dad, I was afraid of getting them dirty while cooking, so I changed out of them."

Zhao Xiaotian's face beamed with a happy smile; his dad was truly good to him now.

"Remember to wear your new clothes when you go out."

Zhao Zilong instructed.

He knew in his heart that his good days were coming.

He likely wouldn't be living in this residence for much longer before moving into a new one.

Reaching middle age, were things finally going to get better?

Zhao Zilong felt a small surge of excitement in his heart.

He drank some wine at noon and fell into a deep sleep.

By the time he woke up, it was already evening. After a simple dinner, he returned to his room and began to meditate with his eyes closed.

Zhao Zilong discovered that he didn't need to sit cross-legged at all; he could enter the dream state just by lying down.

In the dream, those monks appeared.

Compared to before, because his mental strength had grown stronger, Zhao Zilong could see the phantoms of these monks more clearly.

"No matter how you look at it, I'm a member of the Fuzheng Division. I'll have to use an official saber later; I can't keep doing things with a staff."

Thinking of this, Zhao Zilong concentrated his energy and locked onto the phantom of a monk wielding a saber.

"This is Shaolin Saber Technique."

The saber technique was wide-sweeping and bold, incredibly fierce and unstoppable.

It looked simple and unadorned, but every move was lethally powerful.

After spending some time locking onto the saber-wielding phantom monk, Zhao Zilong began to follow and learn...

He didn't know how long he had been learning, but his progress was decent.

He wanted to learn for a bit longer, but his mental strength was clearly unable to sustain it. Zhao Zilong felt a bit of a headache and had no choice but to withdraw.

Before he even opened his eyes, he felt a chill on his neck.

Zhao Zilong couldn't help but snap his eyes open.

Moonlight shone into the room, revealing the figure of a woman holding a long sword, its blade pressed against his throat.

Instantly, Zhao Zilong's heart went cold, and he cried out in alarm, "Hero, spare my life!"

"Do as you're told, and I won't kill you."

It was indeed a woman; though her voice was cold, it was crisp and pleasant to the ear.

Although her face was masked and her features hidden, the moonlight silhouetted her fine figure, revealing a truly graceful and exquisite curve.

"Heroine, what do you want me to do?"

Since she could press a sword to his neck without him noticing, her strength was clearly superior to his. He didn't dare do anything rash and could only try to stabilize her.

"Your name is Zhao Zilong. You have a wife and a son. Your wife betrayed you and left, and now you live with only your son, Zhao Xiaotian. You are a clerk of the Fuzheng Division, but currently, you have the authority to enter and leave the Princess's Residence."

"Heroine, who are you, and what exactly do you want?"

The other party knew his secrets so well; clearly, she had investigated him thoroughly. But he was just a clerk—why was she investigating him?

However, since she mentioned the Princess's Residence, Zhao Zilong thought her target must be the Princess.

"Take me into the Princess's Residence."

"Heroine, why do you want to enter the Princess's Residence?"

"That is none of your concern. You only need to do as I say; otherwise, I will kill Zhao Xiaotian and, of course, you."

Zhao Zilong had already guessed her identity: she was one of the Remnants of the Previous Dynasty.

But why did she have to find him? Talk about bad luck.

"Heroine, I am just an ordinary clerk. I can enter and leave the Princess's Residence these days only because I'm helping the Princess organize the scrolls in the library. After that, I won't have the right to go anymore. Most importantly, I can only enter alone and have no power to bring anyone with me. You should look for someone more capable."

"That is your problem, not mine. I will give you only three days. In three days, take me into the Princess's Residence, or else prepare to collect Zhao Xiaotian's body and your own."

With that, the woman vanished.

She was incredibly fast, like a ghost, disappearing the moment she spoke.

"Wait, with strength like hers, does she really need my help to get into the Princess's Residence? Is it possible she's just coming for me?"

Zhao Zilong was speechless. His neck felt sticky; she had actually made a small cut on his throat. Was this a warning?

Zhao Zilong didn't dwell on it and hurriedly got up to go to the other room.

Zhao Xiaotian was sleeping soundly, his snoring audible from time to time.

Seeing that Zhao Xiaotian was fine, Zhao Zilong felt relieved.

He now truly looked upon Zhao Xiaotian as his own son; if anything happened to the boy, he would be devastated.

"No, I must find a way to resolve this."

---

"Princess, by doing this, I'm afraid the other party will report to Princess Zhu Yunxi to seek her protection. Won't that cause us trouble?"

The Princess of the Former Dynasty, Ning Hongxiu, left Zhao Zilong's residence and went into an alley where someone was waiting.

"What I want is for Zhao Zilong to seek protection from Princess Zhu Yunxi. Only then, when Princess Zhu Yunxi knows what we intend to do, will the Princess's Residence be stirred into action. That is when we will have our chance."

The masked Ning Hongxiu's exposed eyes were extremely cold and sharp.

"The best outcome would be for Princess Zhu Yunxi to return to the Imperial City, which would be even more favorable for our assassination. Once Princess Zhu Yunxi is dead, no matter how much Daye cedes territory or pays indemnities, the Northern Barbarians will not easily withdraw their troops."

"When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman catches both. A brilliant strategy, Princess."

Her subordinate flattered her.

Ning Hongxiu said, "Have someone keep an eye on Zhao Zilong's side. If you see anyone taking Zhao Xiaotian away, do not stop them."

"Yes, Princess."

---

"Young Master Cao, it's so late, are you not sleeping yet?"

In Cao Yun's private residence, Cao Yun was draped in a robe, drinking wine.

After leaving Zhao Zilong's place, Jin Rong had found her way here to Cao Yun.

"Sleep? How do you expect me to sleep? I was badly injured by Zhao Lao Si; I can't even get it up down there right now."

Cao Yun looked furious, downing another large gulp of wine as he spoke.

Jin Rong said, "Young Master Cao, there's no need to be anxious. The doctor has already seen you. As long as you take your medicine on time, you'll be fine in a few days."

"Yes, my physical injury will indeed heal in a few days, but the hatred in my heart won't. As long as that Zhao Zilong is alive, the hatred in my heart can never be appeased."

Cao Yun's expression was cold: "Jin Rong, tell me, how can I kill Zhao Zilong without bringing trouble upon myself?"

Jin Rong was stunned for a moment. She also hated Zhao Zilong and wished she could kill him.

But now she knew that Zhao Zilong was a martial artist, and one with an official post at that; he wouldn't be easy to deal with.

If anything went wrong, they would both be finished.

"Why aren't you speaking? Can't bear to part with that Zhao Lao Si?"

Cao Yun was somewhat displeased, his gaze toward Jin Rong carrying a hint of coldness. Jin Rong grew nervous.

She said, "Young Master Cao, could we lure Zhao Zilong to a secluded place and then kill him?"

"That's not a bad idea. As long as it's done without anyone knowing, we'll be fine. However, luring Zhao Lao Si out will be very difficult."

Cao Yun snorted.

Jin Rong said, "Young Master Cao, I actually have a way."

"What way?"

Jin Rong said, "We can kidnap Zhao Xiaotian and then lure Zhao Zilong out."