With so many people around, there were prying eyes everywhere. Shen Yangge's group stood near the back. Besides the twenty or thirty smaller children in their group, another fifteen or twenty children around Little Bamboo Shoot's age had arrived after them.
"Silence!"
The children who had been making a racket a second earlier all fell quiet.
Shen Yangge's hands were slick with sweat, palms and backs alike.
He kept his head down.
Seeing how nervous he was, the boy beside him instinctively drew him closer, shielding him from view more effectively, and whispered:
"Don't be scared. Your senior brother will protect you."
What was it like to be comforted by a child even younger than himself?
"Last night, His Majesty was attacked by assassins. During the chaos, several assassins abducted the child His Highness had taken in. That child is extremely important. Today, His Highness the Crown Prince captured the assassin and subjected her to severe interrogation. She confessed that she had hidden the abducted child."
"Don't be afraid, children. If you've noticed anything, you can speak up. His Highness will reward you."
"Because that vicious assassin spent so long hiding in the Imperial Medical Bureau, His Highness the Crown Prince has begun his search here."
It seemed Little Bamboo Shoot's lie hadn't raised any suspicions. Chu Xuanzhen didn't know he was hiding in Little Bamboo Shoot's room, either.
Shen Yangge let out a relieved breath.
The last time he'd had such a fright was... the last time.
He hoped this inspection wouldn't take too long, or the Dragon Horns he'd concealed on his head would be exposed.
The Imperial Medical Bureau's steward checked them one by one. When he stopped in front of Shen Yangge's group, Shen Yangge clenched his sweaty hands. Once Xiao Zhi's name had been matched