On the bustling Zhuque Street in the capital, five fine horses weaved through the crowds.
They moved like lightning, with fierce momentum.
Pedestrians scattered in panic, afraid of being trampled underfoot.
At this moment, Su Xiaoqi and Shen Yun were also present.
They were there to discuss business with Yun Nishang at the Nishang Workshop and to inspect the quality of goods.
Initially, Su Xiaoqi had intended to go alone.
As Shen Yun had a day off, he offered to accompany her.
This would also allow him to personally check if the winter clothing tailored for the Northern Frontier soldiers was ready.
After all, eight days had already passed.
In two more days, it would be the agreed-upon delivery date.
While the excuse was plausible, Su Xiaoqi knew that Shen Yun simply wanted to spend time with her, to stroll out like an ordinary couple, hand in hand.
Such moments were not without their romance.
Su Xiaoqi did not refuse.
They abandoned their carriage and walked hand in hand along Zhuque Street.
Occasionally, they glanced at the passing crowds and browsed the wares sold by street vendors.
There were rouge and powders, and handcrafted gold and silver jewelry.
There was also fine wine being sold, as well as pastries and snacks.
The couple bought nothing, merely enjoying the novelty and the rare moment of peace and tranquility.
Unexpectedly, as they were enjoying their stroll, they encountered a group of people galloping horses.
The kicked-up dust soiled Su Xiaoqi's clothes.
She frowned slightly in displeasure.
Shen Yun recognized the riders and immediately said, "It's Liang Jingchen."
"How could it be him?" Su Xiaoqi found it difficult to associate someone like Liang Jingchen with the image of a dandy galloping wildly in the street.
Shen Yun narrowed his eyes and said, "I suspect there's an urgent matter."
As he spoke, a group of people approached from Xihua Gate.
They were dressed in brocade uniforms and carried embroidered sabers.
It was the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Su Xiaoqi realized belatedly, "They seem to be heading towards Prince Duan's manor."
Shen Yun said softly, "Something has happened at Prince Duan's manor."
Su Xiaoqi exclaimed in surprise, "Let's go and see."
Shen Yun did not hesitate and agreed.
This was a time of intense struggle between the Crown Prince and Prince Duan.
A few days prior, he had received news that the Crown Prince's mansion intended to make a deadly move against Prince Duan's manor.
He had then instructed Liang Jingchen and others to be on high alert.
He presumed this was the arrival.
Rather than waiting for news on the periphery, it was better to rush forward and observe. If an opportunity arose, there would still be time to maneuver.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard were also on horseback.
Walking would not suffice; they would not be able to catch up.
Fortunately, they had reached the Nishang Workshop by then.
They happened to meet He Qiulei and Yun Nishang inside.
The couple no longer bothered to conceal their purpose, stating directly that they needed to go to Prince Duan's manor.
Although Yun Nishang was merely a businesswoman, her close relationship with Su Xiaoqi and their partnership meant she understood their stance. She immediately welcomed them inside, lifted a curtain behind her, and said:
"Quickly, quickly, there's a horse in the backyard. Ride it, and go out from the backyard. It's closer from there."
As they exited, they indeed saw the Embroidered Uniform Guard galloping past.
Shen Yun mounted the horse, pulled Su Xiaoqi with him, and the two rode off together.
Upon reaching a fork in the road,
Shen Yun saw that they had fallen a bit behind the Embroidered Uniform Guard and quickly urged the horse forward.
However, Su Xiaoqi repeatedly stopped him, "Don't go this way. I'll take you on a shortcut."
She pointed to another direction, "Look, that's the Grand Princess's manor. Let me take you inside to use the shortcut."
The two dismounted before the gate. Su Xiaoqi immediately produced the waist token given to her by the Grand Princess, and they passed through without any hindrance.
They rode their horses directly to a side gate connecting to Prince Duan's manor.
"Open it quickly, we need to get through."
Su Xiaoqi's token was very useful in the outer court, but here, it puzzled the gatekeeper.
"This, Madam Shen, this is not quite right. I cannot make the decision," the gatekeeper knew Su Xiaoqi's importance to the Grand Princess and dared not offend her, but also dared not open the gate casually.
Su Xiaoqi was about to try and persuade her again, but the gatekeeper insisted on waiting for the Grand Princess.
However, the Grand Princess happened to be away from the manor that day; she had gone to Marquis Yong'an's manor to handle matters concerning her and Prince Liu.
It would be impossible to summon her back in a short while.
Su Xiaoqi grew anxious, thinking of ways to get past the gatekeeper.
Shen Yun remained silent, stepped forward, and delivered a blow to the gatekeeper's neck.
He opened the door himself and beckoned to Su Xiaoqi, "Come, let's go in."
Su Xiaoqi glanced at him and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Amazing!"
They entered and, using the same method, opened a side gate of Prince Duan's manor.
They walked inside.
However, Su Xiaoqi was directionally challenged. She had only visited once before and did not know the way at all.
She had to grab a courtyard manager to guide them.
Frightened, the woman cried out loudly that there was a thief.
Her voice was so loud that it attracted the guards patrolling the courtyard.
Coincidentally, Liang Jingchen, who was rushing back, passed by.
He saw Su Xiaoqi and Shen Yun inexplicably appear in his backyard.
They had also subdued a woman from his household.
He looked at Su Xiaoqi in disbelief.
Before he could misunderstand anything, Su Xiaoqi quickly explained, "We saw you galloping on Zhuque Street, and then the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Imperial Guards arrived.
We guessed that something might have happened at the manor, so we came directly through the side gate of the Grand Princess's manor to save time."
Upon hearing this, Liang Jingchen immediately understood and inwardly praised Su Xiaoqi's intelligence.
At a critical moment, she never faltered and could even think of this. He stepped forward to the group of guards and rebuked them, "All of you, stand down. They are my guests."
The woman and the guards retreated. He personally led the couple towards the backyard.
As they walked, Shen Yun asked loudly,
"What happened? Did the Crown Prince make a move?"
"The manor was hiding a dragon robe. The Crown Prince did it. The Embroidered Uniform Guard and Imperial Guards must be here on the Emperor's orders to search."
Su Xiaoqi frowned. "The dragon robe again."
She thought that the Crown Prince's method of framing was too cliché.
After more than a decade, it was always the same dragon robe; he couldn't come up with a new trick.
Shen Yun, sensing her thoughts, said in a deep voice, "The trick isn't new, but it's effective."
A living emperor's greatest fear is someone coveting his throne,
especially someone who is not his designated heir.
Therefore, regardless of whether the matter was true or false, Emperor Xingzhao could not tolerate it.
The Crown Prince's move was simple, yet vicious.
If it succeeded, Prince Duan might be spared the punishment of being convicted and exiled fifteen years ago,
but he would undoubtedly be forever barred from the throne.
No one present would want this outcome.
The group hurried to the backyard.
But at that moment, the sound of horses' hooves could be heard from outside. The Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Imperial Guards had arrived.
They moved quickly, and soon surrounded the area.
Prince Duan, already aware of the situation, also rushed over.
He was sweating profusely and, upon seeing Liang Jingchen, quickly asked, "Chen'er, what exactly is happening?"
Liang Jingchen had calmed down, his voice steady, "Father, there is a dragon robe in the manor."
Prince Duan was startled, taking three steps back, "Ah, the dragon robe again! Who put it here, and where is it now?"
In such a vast manor as Prince Duan's, a mere dragon robe would be difficult to locate without inside knowledge.
They would not know where to search.
But given that the safety of everyone in Prince Duan's manor was at stake, they had to look.
Prince Duan immediately ordered, "Quickly, quickly, search everywhere, search everywhere!"
Liang Jingchen looked at the clearly visible brocade uniforms at the gate and said,
"Father, don't bother anymore, it's too late."
The one leading the contingent today was Ji Chenggang, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
But he was not alone.
There was also Huang Fengxian, the Minister of War, who had taken Emperor Xingzhao's Imperial Guard token and personally led the Imperial Guards to join the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Therefore, even if Ji Chenggang wished to show some consideration for Prince Duan's manor, given its connection to the Grand Princess, he found no suitable opportunity.
He was also anxious, but he had to maintain his composure, making it impossible for anyone to discern his true feelings.
Upon meeting, there was a brief exchange of pleasantries.
Soon, Huang Fengxian took over, angrily denouncing Prince Duan's ambition and his secret fabrication of a dragon robe, intending to rebel.
He declared that he had come on the Emperor's orders to arrest him.