Creak.
Crack.
The two weathered old wooden doors slowly opened, and a guard in a short blue outfit poked his head out, furtively surveying the surroundings.
After a moment, once he found nothing unusual outside the rear gate, he waved to those behind him.
"Come out. No one's here."
Then two guards emerged from the residence, each carrying a sack on his back, and looked to either side.
Only after seeing no one around did the tension on their faces ease slightly.
"Old Liu, don't go far. Stay inside the gate. Remember to open it for us when we get back."
"Hurry up, quit talking nonsense."
"Take advantage of this overcast rain and deal with those two lowly maids."
"Alright."
The two guards nodded and said no more, heading directly toward the northern city gate.
Once they had gone far away.
The guard surnamed Liu shut the wooden gate, cursing under his breath.
"This is already the fifth one."
"Hmph, why isn't that old thing Xiao Yuan dead yet..."
Though his voice was low, Chen Yi and Liu Lang, hidden in the shadows outside the gate, heard every word clearly.
A strange look appeared on Liu Lang's face. Glancing from the corner of his eye at the calm Chen Yi, he hesitantly said,
"The Liu Family's Second Young Master must have hit a wall at the Marquis's mansion today. He's probably still angry right now."
Chen Yi glanced at him and nodded. "That's a good thing."
"Huh?"
"Stop huh-ing and lead the way."
Chen Yi did not explain further. After giving the order, his gaze followed the two guards who had gone away.
Faintly, he could still smell a strong scent of blood that was gradually dispersing.
Today, the fifth one...
Heh. It seemed Liu Wen had been thoroughly enraged