Purple Pavilion Manor

Within Great Harmony City stood an enormous, resplendent manor!

This was Purple Pavilion Manor.

The manor was extravagantly magnificent. Two white-jade lions, each some thirty-odd meters tall, lay before its main gate, exuding an overwhelming majesty.

Behind those two white-jade lions stood nine flights of steps. Only after ascending them could one reach the manor's main entrance.

At this moment, the entirety of Purple Pavilion Manor, inside and out, was guarded by heavily armed soldiers.

After Liu Qingni handled the full set of verification procedures on his behalf, Su Qingyang followed her into the manor.

These so-called procedures consisted of documents and tokens intended to corroborate his identity and prove that he might be the Sixth Prince who had been lost among the common folk.

Su Qingyang glanced over them from the side. The process was complex and stringent; every piece of evidence had to be supported by verifiable records.

Ordinary people would have no way of acquiring this evidence. It seems that the many Sixth Princes who have surfaced lately are all, to a greater or lesser extent, backed in secret by various forces.

Upon entering Purple Pavilion Manor, they found rows upon rows of eunuchs waiting inside.

Aside from them, an elderly eunuch who looked utterly decrepit stood in the very center.

The moment Liu Qingni saw the old eunuch, a glimmer lit her autumn-water eyes.

"Eunuch Huang, why are you personally waiting here?"

Liu Qingni stepped forward and greeted him with a smile. Clearly, she knew Eunuch Huang.

"Hehe, this old servant heard that Miss Liu had returned safely, so I came especially to see you." Eunuch Huang looked at Liu Qingni with weathered eyes, his tone carrying joy.

Though he claimed he had come to see Liu Qingni, most of his attention could not help but settle on Su Qingyang.

Yet the instant his gaze fell upon Su Qingyang's face,

A flicker of dazed recognition passed through Eunuch Huang's eyes, as though he had seen an old image long buried beneath the dust of time.

Su Qingyang raised his brows slightly.

This old eunuch appeared gaunt and frail, as if a gust of wind could knock him over. Yet standing here, he radiated an immense authority!

Interesting. He was presumably someone specially dispatched from the palace to verify Su Qingyang's identity.

It seemed Liu Qingni truly had not lied. She did indeed possess some influence in the Secret Bureau. Merely on the strength of the information she sent back, someone from the depths of the imperial palace had come to investigate.

Lost in thought, Su Qingyang followed a young eunuch toward the room arranged for him.

Before leaving, Liu Qingni discreetly gave Su Qingyang a meaningful look.

Purple Pavilion Manor had an unusual layout. Layer upon layer of unevenly arranged pavilions and towers rose around it, enclosing a vast, crystal-clear lake at the center of the courtyard.

At the lake's center stood an exquisite waterside pavilion.

Within the waterside pavilion was a broad pond filled with blooming green lotuses.

A gentle breeze swept past, and a subtle fragrance drifted through the air.

Su Qingyang followed the young eunuch along the corridor. Looking down at the lake below, he nodded lightly.

"This place is rather elegant."

But just then, an ill-timed voice suddenly rang out from the corridor railing beside them.

"Another one!?"

Su Qingyang looked over. The speaker was a handsome young man with a face like polished jade, sword-like brows, and a spirited bearing.

At that moment, the young man held a black wooden folding fan and leaned casually against the corridor railing.

The young eunuch leading the way acted as though he had heard nothing, keeping his head lowered and eyes downcast as he hurried onward.

Yet Su Qingyang suddenly stopped, stared at the man for a moment, and frowned faintly.

Seeing this, the young man straightened up, his eyes narrowing slightly.

In his eyes, the various "Sixth Princes" here were all his rivals. Any one of them might start spouting wild nonsense and belittling him.

Su Qingyang had no intention of arguing with him. After a brief consideration, he continued onward.

After leaving the young man's line of sight,

Su Qingyang suddenly called out to the young eunuch guiding him ahead.

"Young master, what does this servant do for you?" The young eunuch bent at the waist and spoke tremblingly, clearly nervous and afraid.

"Don't be nervous. I merely wish to ask about that young man from earlier," Su Qingyang said.

Upon hearing this, the young eunuch began trembling even more, his face full of hesitation.

Before the real Sixth Prince appeared, lowly eunuchs like them, without power or influence, truly did not want to get involved in such matters.

"Rest assured, they are only a few simple questions. And if your answers satisfy me, then..."

As he spoke, Su Qingyang flipped his right hand, and a heavy ingot of silver appeared in his palm.

Eunuchs loved money!

This had always been so, from ancient times to the present!

They had been castrated to qualify for service in the palace. Having lost a man's dignity, they could no longer enjoy the pleasures they otherwise might have enjoyed.

Naturally, they would seek to reclaim it many times over through other means—for instance, money and treasures!!

Just as Su Qingyang expected, the instant the young eunuch saw the silver, deep greed immediately surfaced in his eyes!!

He quickly swept his gaze around. Once he confirmed that no one was watching, his broad sleeve flicked shut, and the silver ingot vanished soundlessly into it.

His movements were skilled and practiced. He had evidently accepted quite a few gratuities from passing visitors in his daily life.

Weighing the silver ingot inside his sleeve, the young eunuch instantly beamed and bowed repeatedly.

"Young master, please ask whatever you wish. So long as this servant knows, I will tell you everything without reservation."

Su Qingyang nodded and asked softly, "Do you know that young man's background?"

"In reply to young master, he is a 'Sixth Prince' whom Six Doors brought back from Barbarian Prefecture. He was sent into the manor only half a day before you."

The young eunuch answered honestly.

"Since entering Purple Pavilion Manor, has he never gone out?" Su Qingyang continued impassively.

"This... Those are the manor's rules. All those awaiting verification may only leave after their authenticity has been determined and their identities confirmed."

"In this servant's opinion, he should not have left during this period."

The young eunuch secretly glanced up at Su Qingyang, answering with exceptional caution.

"From Barbarian Prefecture..." Su Qingyang murmured in a low voice.

"Yes, young master. This servant personally saw it written clearly in the documents that he was brought back from Barbarian Prefecture!"

"Barbarian Prefecture... Hasn't the White Lotus Cult recently been causing chaos and occupying the region? If Six Doors could bring someone out from there, could it be that the war in Barbarian Prefecture has already been pacified?"

Su Qingyang asked with a frown.

The young eunuch did not know why this man had suddenly begun asking about Barbarian Prefecture again, but he hurriedly answered nonetheless.

"Young master, those rebel scoundrels of the White Lotus Cult are nothing but clay chickens and porcelain dogs. Uprisings like this have happened eight or ten times, yet they have never managed to stir up any real waves."

"How could mere commoners possibly stand against the imperial court's great army!!"

Su Qingyang fell into thought. He turned to glance in the direction of the young man from before, then said to the young eunuch,

"You needn't lead the way anymore. Just tell me which room I am staying in."

At this, the young eunuch quickly turned back and bowed, handing Su Qingyang a jade token at the same time.

"Young master is staying in the East Courtyard, Room Eight. This is your door token. Should you require anything in daily life, you may go to the house at the end of the corridor and instruct us servants."

After saying, "This servant takes his leave," the young eunuch turned and departed without looking back.