"To Xiaoyue Pavilion!"
Zhao Yi boarded the carriage and shouted the order.
The moment the carriage rolled out of Prince Qing's Estate, a furtive figure retracted its head from the dark alley across the street.
A low voice echoed from the shadows: "Inform His Master that Prince Qing has gone to Xiaoyue Pavilion!"
"Ah, Master Zhao, you're back again!"
Catching sight of Zhao Yi, the madam immediately swayed over with a ingratiating smile.
Zhao Yi looked with a faint smile at the madam, who was deliberately dressed up to look old and vulgar, and asked, "May I ask how you are called?"
"I am the third-born in my family, Master Zhao can call me Sanniang."
Zhao Yi nodded and gave a direct order: "Send Hongling to me!"
"I'll go call Hongling right away."
Watching Sanniang leave, Zhao Yi narrowed his eyes.
A madam who deliberately dressed to look old and ugly, and a suspicious odd-job man who helped the Huolu people pass messages.
This Xiaoyue Pavilion was truly rather fishy!
His purpose in coming to Xiaoyue Pavilion today was to investigate.
Therefore, instead of choosing a private room, he requested a corner booth along the second-floor inner corridor.
This spot offered a broad view, taking in the entire scene of Xiaoyue Pavilion at a glance.
Before long, an odd-job man delivered wine and dishes.
However, this odd-job man was not the same one from yesterday.
Zhao Yi secretly observed him, but this odd-job man showed nothing out of the ordinary.
Sipping a cup of wine, Sanniang walked over alone, her expression somewhat peculiar.
Zhao Yi frowned: "Where is Hongling?"
Sanniang squeezed out a forced smile and said eagerly, "Master Zhao, Hongling is feeling a bit under the weather today. How about I change someone else for you?"
"We still have many pretty girls here at Xiaoyue Pavilion."
"Under the weather?" Zhao Yi gave a cold internal chuckle. "Then please, Sanniang, take me to go see Hongling."
"Uh..." Sanniang's face stiffened, and she said with a guilty conscience, "Master Zhao, you'd better not. Hongling is sick and shouldn't receive guests."
Zhao Yi looked at Sanniang and raised an eyebrow. "Sanniang, this lord does not like being played for a fool!"
With that, he gestured to the two guards beside him and said in a chilling voice, "These guards aren't just for show. If this lord gets angry, I'll tear down your Xiaoyue Pavilion!"
Zhao Yi spoke in an extremely arrogant manner.
For one thing, it was to maintain the original owner's persona.
For another, it was to test Sanniang's background.
Hearing this, Sanniang's face darkened.
As someone capable of running the Xiaoyue Pavilion as a madam, she naturally had a sharper eye than most.
In the Capital City, guards who followed with sabers at their waists were definitely not ordinary folks.
Daring not to offend him, Sanniang had no choice but to tell the truth.
She had just called Hongling out.
Yet on the way over, Hongling had been forcibly intercepted and taken away by a certain young master.
Daring not to offend that young master, Sanniang had resorted to making up excuses to put Zhao Yi off.
"Which blind scoundrel dares to snatch this lord's person?" Zhao Yi feigned displeasure.
Sanniang gave an awkward laugh, a look of dread on her face as she said, "It's Peng Huayu, the second young master of Marquis Wuning."
"Marquis Wuning..." Zhao Yi murmured, slowly standing up. "Take this lord to meet this Young Master Peng!"
Sanniang's eyes flashed.
She had originally thought that dropping the other party's name would make this Master Zhao retreat in the face of difficulty.
To her surprise, he was pressing forward despite the difficulty!
Could it be...
Sanniang rolled her eyes, made an inviting gesture toward Zhao Yi, and said, "This way, please, Master Zhao!"
Guarded by his men and led by Sanniang through several turns, Zhao Yi arrived in front of a private room.
Two servants dressed as guards stood at the entrance of the private room.
Daring not to approach, Sanniang exchanged a glance with Zhao Yi and motioned with her eyes.
Zhao Yi walked up to the door of the private room, and the two guards immediately raised their hands to block him: "Unauthorized persons keep out!"
"Audacious!" Zhao Yi's two guards immediately stepped forward, drawing their sabers and placing them against the necks of the two guards.
Though "guards" and "house guards" differed by only a single character, their strength and confidence were worlds apart.
Zhao Yi raised his hand and pushed open the door of the private room, instantly revealing the scene inside.
A young man in lavish brocade robes was embracing Hongling and drinking. Catching sight of Zhao Yi at the door, he immediately stood up and bowed respectfully.
"Greetings, Your Highness Prince Qing!"
"Greetings, Your Highness Prince Qing!"
Several other young men in the room also rose to bow.
Their voices were loud, immediately drawing the attention of many passersby outside the door.
Doubts arose in Zhao Yi's mind.
The leading young man was undoubtedly Peng Huayu.
Yet judging by his unhurried, calm, and composed demeanor, he did not seem surprised by his arrival at all.
Could it be that he was waiting for him?
Glancing at the panicked and uneasy Hongling, Zhao Yi grew even more certain of his guess.
This Peng Huayu was coming straight for him!
With a half-smile, Zhao Yi looked at Peng Huayu and probed, "I was wondering who snatched my Hongling, and it turns out to be Young Master Peng!"
"I wonder why Young Master Peng has snatched my Hongling?"
Peng Huayu cupped his fists, feigning ignorance. "Your Highness, it is clearly we who requested Hongling first. How can you speak of snatching?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yi instantly understood.
His persona as a prince was one that loved to bully others using his status.
Peng Huayu was merely the second young master of a marquis's estate; the disparity in their status was vast. Upon hearing his words—regardless of reason—the correct course of action for Peng Huayu should have been to apologize and return the girl.
Yet Peng Huayu wore a righteous expression and actually wanted to reason with him, which clearly showed he had ulterior motives!
"Sanniang," Zhao Yi called out.
Sanniang, who had been waiting outside the door all along, hurried to Zhao Yi's side and bowed. "Your Highness Prince Qing!"
"Tell Young Master Peng who requested Hongling first!" Zhao Yi kept his gaze straight, his tone unquestionable.
Sanniang looked at Peng Huayu. "Young Master Peng, it was indeed His Highness Prince Qing who requested Hongling first."
Hearing this, Peng Huayu immediately wore an expression of grievance and indignation, gritting his teeth as he said, "Your Highness Prince Qing, you are a prince, and if you wish to use your power to oppress others, we have nothing to say!"
"This humble person takes his leave!"
With those words, Peng Huayu cupped his fists at Zhao Yi and flicked his sleeve to leave, followed by the other young gentlemen.
What was going on here?
Zhao Yi was left somewhat dumbfounded. He had thought Peng Huayu was plotting something.
To his surprise, he just left like that?
"Hongling, go accompany His Highness Prince Qing for a drink." Sanniang shot a glance at Hongling.
Understanding, Hongling came before Zhao Yi, bowed, and said, "Hongling pays respects to Your Highness Prince Qing."
Not figuring out Peng Huayu's intention and too lazy to ponder it further, Zhao Yi put his arm around Hongling and walked out.
Outside Xiaoyue Pavilion.
After coming out, Peng Huayu walked straight toward a carriage parked diagonally across the street.
Standing by the carriage window, he cupped his fists toward the interior and said, "Your Highness, I have already spread the matter according to your instructions."
The carriage curtain was lifted slightly at the corner, revealing a handsome face.
It was none other than the Ninth Prince, Zhao Qi.
The Ninth Prince looked toward Xiaoyue Pavilion, the corners of his lips curling up slightly. "Tomorrow, Zhao Yi will be drowned in the spittle of the censors!"
Zhao Yi did not spend the night sharing a romantic evening with Hongling in the small courtyard.
After completing his investigation mission, he returned straight to his estate.
His harvest tonight had been meager.
Aside from deliberately dressing up old and ugly, Sanniang showed no other suspicious behavior.
As for that odd-job man—
Zhao Yi had only learned from Hongling that his name was Lin Ping, and that he had been introduced by an old odd-job man; nothing else could be uncovered.
The next day.
In order to find out what was written on that note, Zhao Yi went to the Court of State Ceremonial early in the morning.
At the same time, within the court of Dayong, numerous censors launched impeachments against Zhao Yi.