Night Talk at the Prince's Residence, Imperial Expedition

Knock, knock, knock~

Three knocks sounded, and Wang Jie'an immediately grew wary.

"Who is it?!" he barked.

Neither his wives and concubines nor the stewards and servants would knock like that.

Only someone unfamiliar with his habits would do so.

Therefore, it had to be a stranger.

He had practiced martial arts, though he was not particularly strong—merely middling by Jianghu standards.

Anyone capable of slipping silently into his residence and evading the guards, retainers, and Attendants within was absolutely no ordinary person.

"A guest," Chu Danqing replied. He had not expected Wang Jie'an to be so alert.

Either he had a guilty conscience, or assassination attempts were common around him.

Wang Jie'an frowned upon hearing this. Logically speaking, a visit at this hour could bring nothing good.

But since things had come to this, refusing them at the door would not only be useless, it would also make him seem guilty.

"Please, come in," Wang Jie'an said, smoothing out his expression.

Chu Danqing pushed open the door and entered. Wang Jie'an saw Guo Ming and Da Bao following behind him.

"Your visit at such a late hour—do you have urgent business?" Wang Jie'an asked, casually closing the official document in his hand.

"There was something, but it should no longer be urgent now." As Chu Danqing spoke, he took out the note he had retrieved from the wax pellet.

"This concerns Zhu Shichang, the Grand Tutor of Wo Yila."

Chu Danqing explained the situation, including Zhong Hao's death and everything else.

"That Imperial Decree was fake." Wang Jie'an sighed. "What a pity for such a loyal and worthy minister."

Though Zhong Hao had rubbed him the wrong way, Wang Jie'an would not go so far as to kick a man when he was down.

Zhong Hao might have been