At the entrance to Binglan Alley.
Lei Zhixin pulled his head back and once again met everyone's expectant gazes.
"Well?"
"Still no sign of them?"
Lei Zhixin shook his head, his expression grave.
They had already been waiting here for over two hours.
But even military generals like them, who spent years campaigning away from home, could still feel a bone-piercing chill spread through every limb after standing idle in the bitter winter wind for two hours.
Gao Siyuan bounced the oil-paper parcel in his hand, his voice low. "The Egg Pancakes have gone completely cold. Why don't I go buy another batch?"
Someone agreed. "So have the Lotus Pastries. I'll come with you-huh?"
Everyone hurriedly craned their necks to look.
Across from the alley entrance, the Eastern Depot's gates opened again. Another squad of elite soldiers led their horses out, then vaulted into their saddles and galloped away without even waiting to form ranks.
Everyone clicked their tongues in amazement.
"Tsk, that boy Lu Yao has wheedled out quite a bit of information..."
"Whew, he's sure to get a hefty reward this year..."
Amid the chorus of envy, someone murmured, "Her Little Highness should be coming out soon this time, right...?"
That brought every conversation to an abrupt end.
Inside the prison.
Citing Zhuang Xuyao's years of hard work and meritorious service, and the fact that preliminary evidence had already been found, Jiang Yanchuan proposed simply releasing him early. With that justification, he invited the poor, muddleheaded man out of a cell every bit as fine as Duke Wang's former accommodations.
The string of reversals had left Zhuang Xuyao's legs weak. By the time Duke Wang finally supported him outside and helped him stand steady, someone pressed a small, hard sphere into his hand before he could even bow