"The Medicine Elder?" Jiang Zhizhou was surprised to hear the name, but understood after a moment's thought. "Then Prince Ding must also have been the one who sent him to snatch you back from the gates of death."
Who else would have happened to come calling at that precise moment?
"I thought so too. But the Medicine Elder actually wanted to take me away from here, and I refused."
Hearing Yang Qing's words, Jiang Zhizhou said, "It seems Prince Ding, or perhaps the emperor of Northern Liang, has some new scheme..."
As they spoke, two knocks sounded outside the door, followed by Bu Er's voice. "Young master, I'm back."
Bu Er pushed the door open and entered, bringing a gust of cold air with him.
He handed Yang Qing the bamboo tube he held. "Word has come from the Northern Hawk. Something has changed in the palace."
Something has changed in the palace? Could Duan Hongzhuo have led his old followers back to storm it?
But why hadn't they heard so much as a whisper beforehand?
Jiang Zhizhou and Yang Qing exchanged a glance, then both looked down at the bamboo tube.
There were only a few brief lines on the white paper inside, but both Jiang Zhizhou's and Yang Qing's expressions changed as they read them.
"His Majesty's thinking is no different from Duan Hongzhuo's!"
The note mentioned nothing else, only that Duan Ziqian was discussing a campaign with Prince Ding—one he would lead in person!
With such a plan, he clearly intended to use what Duan Hongzhuo had failed to accomplish as a show of force.
Yang Qing's heart sank.
He had devoted himself to dealing with Duan Hongzhuo and joined Jiang Zhizhou in supporting Duan Ziqian solely because the latter was peaceful by nature.
After all, marching