Hu Xiaotian said, "I'll be leaving the Kang Capital soon."
"Are you going back to Eastern Liang Commandery?" the two men asked in unison.
Hu Xiaotian smiled. "I should be making a trip back, but I have other things to do as well." His gaze settled on Liang Yinghao. "Yinghao, I want you and Brother Zong to stay in the Kang Capital and protect Xiyue."
Liang Yinghao nodded solemnly. "Rest assured, my Lord. I will do everything in my power and never let Her Highness come to any harm."
Hu Xiaotian said, "I wouldn't call it danger. She's simply too kindhearted, and I'm worried someone might exploit her kindness." He turned to Xia Changming. "Changming, make your preparations. We may be traveling a long way this time."
Xia Changming nodded. He never asked why when Hu Xiaotian had made a decision. Then something occurred to him. "By the way, my Lord, I've made some headway with the matter you asked me to investigate."
Hu Xiaotian's brows twitched. "The matter of Liang Dazhuang?"
Xia Changming nodded. "He's been visiting a place called the Crimson Pavilion quite often lately."
The name alone marked it as a haunt of painted beauties amid flowering willows. Who would have thought Liang Dazhuang had a taste for such places?
Hu Xiaotian asked, "Have you looked into the Crimson Pavilion's background?"
Xia Changming said, "I didn't dare follow too closely, but after Liang Dazhuang left, I took a painter inside and had him draw the proprietor's likeness." He handed Hu Xiaotian a portrait.
Hu Xiaotian unfolded it, and his brows knitted. "Xiangqin?" he asked in a low voice.
Xia Changming looked startled. He had not expected Hu Xiaotian to recognize the person in the portrait. Naturally, his first thought was that his Lord had visited this brothel