Fan City, Northern Liang.
As soon as Yang Qing and Jiang Zhizhou entered the city, they abandoned their carriage, hired two sedan chairs, and settled into an inn.
The inn was small and had few guests coming and going, but to Yang Qing, its peace and quiet were a rare pleasure.
Yet the moment Yang Qing stepped inside and looked up, he spotted a painting hanging on the wall.
The painting itself was utterly unremarkable, but Yang Qing studied it with unusual care.
Puzzled, Jiang Zhizhou found an opportunity to ask Yang Qing quietly, "Is there some hidden secret in that painting?"
Yang Qing pressed his lips together slightly and lowered his eyes. "There are too many eyes and ears here. This is no place to discuss it."
Jiang Zhizhou faintly frowned. Had Yang Qing stirred up more trouble?
After returning to their room, Yang Qing surveyed their surroundings, then grabbed Jiang Zhizhou by the arm. "Let's talk by the window."
"What did you find in that painting?"
Jiang Zhizhou stood beside Yang Qing as instructed and looked outside.
Yang Qing remained silent for a long while, leaving Jiang Zhizhou utterly bewildered. "Do you really need to keep me guessing?"
Yang Qing shook his head slightly. "I have no intention of hiding anything from you, but this is truly strange."
"Strange? In what way?"
Yang Qing said softly, "Someone has come from Western Chu."
Western Chu?
Jiang Zhizhou was astonished. "Are you certain?"
Jiang Zhizhou naturally understood why Yang Qing had left Western Chu and accompanied him to Northern Liang.
But Jiang Zhizhou had always believed that Chu Jinghui, the emperor of Western Chu, had some other scheme in mind.
They had only just arrived in Fan City. How could Western Chu know their movements so thoroughly?
Could it be...