Qiu Xianguang's request met with no cooperation from Li Chenzhou. He merely said he would arrange for Shangguan Yunchong to visit the Sword Palace and explain matters when the time was right, without committing to a date. Seeing that Li Chenzhou was putting him off, Qiu Xianguang naturally left disappointed.
Li Chenzhou had never intended merely to brush him aside. A little thought revealed far too many suspicious points in Qiu Mubai's disappearance. Ever since Shangguan Tianhuo and his son had sought refuge with him, their movements in the Yong Capital had been secretive. Few besides him knew their whereabouts or how to contact them. Now that Qiu Mubai had been abducted, every accusation pointed toward Shangguan Yunchong. Qiu Xianguang's desire to meet Shangguan Yunchong was perfectly reasonable, but the possibility remained that someone was using this method to force Shangguan Yunchong into the open. That made vigilance all the more essential, lest they fall into someone else's trap. Still, this also presented an opportunity. They could turn the scheme against its makers, arranging for Shangguan Tianhuo and his son to appear once their preparations were complete and luring out their hidden enemies.
After Qiu Xianguang left, Li Chenzhou took a carriage to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Today was the day the new sovereign, Xue Daoming, was to honor his ancestors. Li Chenzhou arrived at the appointed time, only to find the temple deserted. After asking around, he learned that Xue Daoming had come early, traveling with a light carriage and a small entourage. He had merely paid brief homage to the Imperial Ancestors, spending no more than an hour at the temple in all.
In Li Chenzhou's eyes, Xue Daoming's behavior was anything but modest restraint. It was avoidance, tinged with resentment toward him and resistance to his authority.