198: Chapter 198 The Fish Has Taken the Bait

Chen Shanzhi emerged from the Yihong Pavilion just as the moon was beginning to climb over the willow branches.

On the long street outside the Yihong Pavilion, red lanterns swayed in the night breeze, their shadows on the ground dancing wildly like spectral figures.

Coachman Zhao Da had been waiting by the carriage for a long time. As soon as he saw Chen Shanzhi come out, a smile immediately spread across his face; he nimbly lifted the curtain and bowed in greeting.

“Heir Apparent, you've finally come out. It's the middle of the night; shall we return to the mansion?”

“Let's go back. After tossing and turning all night, my back and waist are aching.” Chen Shanzhi yawned, waved his hand, and ducked into the carriage.

The interior of the carriage was lined with thick fox fur, making it exceptionally warm.

Chen Shanzhi leaned back, resting his head on his hands. Hearing Coachman Zhao Da's shout of “Jia!”, the wheels began to turn with a rhythmic rumble.

The carriage proceeded at a leisurely pace.

At this hour in the capital, the streets had long been emptied of pedestrians.

The sound of the wheels pressing against the bluestone road echoed with particular clarity through the empty streets.

Chen Shanzhi closed his eyes, his finger tapping his knee intermittently.

He was pondering the movements of the White Lotus Sect's Grand Elder when the speeding carriage suddenly jerked to a halt without any warning.

The horse let out a high-pitched, startled neigh, its front hooves rearing high before slamming back down.

The violent jolt caused Chen Shanzhi's body to sway slightly, but his internal True Qi instantly circulated on its own, keeping him firmly rooted in his seat.

“Who dares to intercept the carriage of the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion? Are you tired of living?!”

Outside the carriage, Coachman Zhao Da's deep, angry shout rang out like a clap of thunder.

In the Great Jiang Dynasty, the name of the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion was a gold-lettered sign of prestige.

In this capital, those who dared to block the Heir Apparent's carriage could be counted on one hand.

Chen Shanzhi raised an eyebrow. He didn't rush out, but simply tilted his head slightly, his ears twitching.

Outside the carriage.

The shops on both sides of the street had long since closed for the night. A figure wearing a voluminous black robe stood abruptly in the center of the long street.

The black-clad man's face was hidden under a large hood. He stood there like a piece of dead wood, his breathing so faint it was almost non-existent.

“Is the Heir Apparent inside?”

The black-clad man spoke slowly, his voice low and raspy.

Coachman Zhao Da tightened the reins, his expression icy.

Although he was a driver, he was also a Martial Artist trained by the Marquis Mansion. His eyes were fixed on the newcomer, and his hand was already pressed against the hilt of the saber at his waist.

The black-clad man ignored Coachman Zhao Da's hostility, staring only at the carriage as he continued in that unpleasant voice:

“This humble one has... medicine, which can cure the Heir Apparent of the stubborn ailment contracted at the Yihong Pavilion some time ago.”

Inside the carriage, the corner of Chen Shanzhi's mouth curled into a playful arc.

The fish had taken the bait.

Jiang Yingrao had just mentioned that she had inadvertently leaked information about the Heart-Devouring Life-Sharing Gu.

In the blink of an eye, the Grand Elder's informants in the capital could no longer sit still and had come directly to his door.

One had to admit, the efficiency of the Grand Elder's people was quite impressive.

Outside the carriage, Coachman Zhao Da clearly didn't understand the hidden meaning. He flew into a rage and cursed loudly:

“Bullshit! You masked piece of trash, what nonsense are you spewing here?

My Heir Apparent is as vigorous as a dragon and a tiger; what kind of damn stubborn ailment could he have? If you don't get lost, I'll chop you down with one strike!”

As he spoke, the steel saber at Coachman Zhao Da's waist was already half-unsheathed, its cold blade-light glinting in the moonlight.

“Zhao Da, stop.”

Just then, Chen Shanzhi's lazy voice drifted out from the carriage.

Coachman Zhao Da's movements paused. Although he was somewhat unwilling, he obediently sheathed his saber, gave the black-clad man a fierce glare, and stepped aside.

The carriage curtain was pulled aside by a slender, pale hand.

Chen Shanzhi poked his head out, his face wearing a look of indolence, even carrying a hint of the playboy air characteristic of an Heir Apparent.

He narrowed his eyes, sizing up the black-clad man before him, appearing somewhat confused yet wary.

“How does a fellow hiding his head and tail like you know about This Heir's private matters?”

Chen Shanzhi's tone sounded a bit weak, the perfect image of a profligate son acting tough to hide his fear after being poked in a sore spot.

The black-clad man lifted his head slightly, revealing a pair of sinister eyes beneath the hood.

Seeing Chen Shanzhi's flustered appearance, he was clearly satisfied, and a trace of certainty entered his voice.

“Your Highness need not worry about how this humble one knows; you only need to know that I have a way to treat it.”

The black-clad man bowed slightly: “Tomorrow at noon, in the Heaven-rank private room of the Zuixian Restaurant.

This humble one will prepare a modest meal and hopes to share a drink with the Heir Apparent.

If Your Highness does not come... then I fear this stubborn ailment will never be cured in this lifetime.”

As the words fell, the black-clad man's figure suddenly blurred.

The bluestone slabs beneath his feet didn't even vibrate, yet he drifted backward several yards like a ghost.

The whistling night wind blew, and his black robe cut a strange arc through the air.

Before Coachman Zhao Da could react, the black-clad man had taken a few leaps and vanished into the darkness at the end of the street, leaving not even a trace of True Qi fluctuation behind.

“What sophisticated movement technique.” Coachman Zhao Da's face looked a bit grim as he muttered under his breath, then looked at Chen Shanzhi:

“Heir Apparent, this person's origins are unknown and he speaks nonsense. Should I mobilize the mansion's guards to hunt him down?”

Chen Shanzhi sat in the carriage, remaining silent for a long time.

He just quietly watched the direction where the black-clad man had disappeared. The playboy smile on his face had long since vanished, replaced by a bottomless calm.

After a long while, Chen Shanzhi rubbed his temples and waved his hand somewhat tiredly.

“Forget it, return to the mansion.”

“Yes.”

Coachman Zhao Da didn't dare ask more and cracked the whip.

The carriage slowly started up again and disappeared at the end of the long street.

Shortly after the carriage had departed.

In the shadows of a dark attic beside the street, the black-clad man reappeared.

Standing in the darkness, he watched the departing Zhenguo Marquis Mansion carriage, a smug smile slowly spreading across his face.

“He hesitated, he was afraid... Hehe, the Heir Apparent of the Zhenguo Marquis is nothing more than a coward who fears death.” The black-clad man sneered.

Once infected with the Child Gu of the Sacred Gu, one's life and death were held in another's hands.

In this world, no normal person could sleep soundly under such conditions.

He was certain that tomorrow at noon, this high-and-mighty Heir Apparent would surely come obediently to the Zuixian Restaurant.

After all, a drowning person will grasp at even a straw with everything they have.

...

The next day.

As noon approached, the sunlight was somewhat dazzling.

The Zuixian Restaurant, the largest tavern in the capital, was currently packed with guests and bustling with activity.

The shouts of the waiters and the sounds of diners clinking glasses intertwined in a lively scene.

However, in the Heaven-rank private room on the top floor, it was eerily quiet.

Chen Shanzhi, wearing an eye-catching moon-white brocade robe with a priceless mutton-fat jade pendant hanging from his waist, fanned himself with a folding fan as he slowly pushed open the door to the private room.

Inside the room was a large round table.

Several plates of exquisite cold appetizers were already set on the table, along with a pot of fine wine emitting a rich aroma.

Seated at the head of the table was a very ordinary-looking middle-aged man.