Stay calm.
I had to stay calm.
Third Master Du clenched both hands, trying hard to look composed, but how could that strange expression escape Wang Yang's eyes?
It was not that Third Master Du lacked experience. His guilty conscience had simply left him on tenterhooks, seeing snakes in the shadows of bows.
Third Master Du thought that if Wang Yang demanded A-Wu as soon as he arrived, that would be fine. It would mean Wang Yang had told Shopkeeper Xue to mention the Prince of Luling merely to frighten him with the prince's name.
He had entertained that hopeful calculation on the way over.
But upon seeing Wang Yang, he realized that was not the case.
No sooner had A-Wu disappeared than Wang Yang came knocking. Instead of asking about A-Wu, he went straight to the Prince of Luling. That probably meant he already knew about that matter!
No, not necessarily. He only knew A-Wu was connected to the Prince of Luling, not how. That had to be it!
Third Master Du clung to that sliver of hope, never imagining that Wang Yang had not connected A-Wu's kidnapping to the Prince of Luling at all!
Wang Yang had merely thought that, given Third Master Du's relationship with the Prince of Luling, and the rumors that the prince was the true owner behind the Vast Source Pawnshop, their long-standing business collusion must have involved some secret, unlawful dealings. He had therefore brought up the prince to stall for time. Little did he know that he had hit upon the very moment A-Wu was abducted-and that her abduction could happen to expose a staggering crime involving the Prince of Luling!
That was a crime punishable by the extermination of three clans!
On top of that, Wang Yang had previously told Shopkeeper