Solving the Difficult Problem, Gaining the Second Prince's Trust

As morning light filtered through the lattice window, Chen Wuya kicked the medicine bowl by the table onto the floor. The crash of shattering porcelain startled the maids waiting outside, but he clapped his hands and laughed loudly. "The immortals bestowed wine upon me! Last night, the immortals gave me a jug of golden nectar, and when I woke, all that was left was half a bowl of bitter water!"

He threw himself backward, rolling neatly to the edge of the bed, still humming some nameless tune. Bai Zhi stood in the corner, her fingers trembling faintly within her sleeve, yet in the end, she said nothing. She knew he was putting on an act, and she knew that once this bout of madness was over, the real clash would begin.

Before long, a servant came to deliver a message. "His Highness is waiting in the side hall. The honored guest is requested to come at once."

Chen Wuya flipped up into a seated position. The grin had yet to leave his face, but his gaze was already clear and blade-sharp. He straightened his collar and followed the servant outside. Bai Zhi silently followed. The two passed through winding covered corridors, with smooth blue bricks beneath their feet and towering walls on either side. Every few steps, a personal guard stood watch, their gazes like nails.

As they turned a corner, he suddenly reached out to brace himself against the wall, lightly dragging his fingertips across a crack in the stone. An exceedingly faint current of air seeped from the base of the wall, carrying a damp chill. His expression did not change, but he had already made his assessment.

"Does this estate have underground canals?" he asked casually.

The servant shook his head. "I do not know."

Chen Wuya