Infiltrating the Capital

The spring night was slightly chilly, with a bright moon and sparse stars.

On the Official Road from Tongzhou to the capital, the sound of hooves came in scattered bursts, startling the hidden insects into song from the grass.

It was already the third month, but spring came late in the north. The elm trees lining the Official Road had only just sprouted, their tender green leaf tips gleaming silver beneath the moonlight.

Li Yan's group was truly quite large.

There were more than a dozen of Luo MingZi's men, four stewards and servants from Kong Shangzhao's household, and carts laden with luggage. Their numbers rivaled those of a small caravan as they advanced along the Official Road through the darkness, torches held high.

In the night sky, Falcon Li Dong circled back and forth.

Lu San manipulated snakes and rats to pass on messages, while Li Yan also formed Mystical Gestures and cocked his ear to listen.

After a while, Li Yan gave a slight shake of his head. "Looks like they gave up."

"We're almost at the capital now. They won't have any chance to make a move here."

"What a pity."

Luo MingZi glanced behind them, a trace of disappointment flashing in his eyes.

He knew all too well what kind of record Li Yan and the others had. With the Twelve Yuan Chen assisting them and an ambush prepared in advance, they might have caught the men and followed the trail to expose the mastermind behind them.

But now it seemed that the other side was even more cautious than he had imagined.

In the distance, the stone arches of Yongtong Bridge stretched across the moonlit Tonghui River like a dark-gray, black-backed spine.

The sight had a certain charm to it.

Li Yan reined in his