Fan Liang had been tailing the master of the house for several days, and by now, he had uncovered his identity. The man was Zhou Chengxiu, whose family had been merchants for generations; the extent of their wealth was unknown. However, the Zhou family was remarkably low-key. Their residence was not particularly large, and it looked quite aged. Given the family’s financial standing, it was certainly not for lack of funds that they left it unrepaired—they were intentionally keeping it that way so as not to reveal their true strength.
To get to the bottom of the Zhou family's affairs, Fan Liang had been sneaking into the residence every night over the past few days to observe from the shadows. As he had suspected, the dilapidated exterior concealed a completely different reality. Zhou Chengxiu’s study housed a collection of precious paintings, calligraphy, and antiques. After several nights of surveillance, Fan Liang also discovered that the study contained a hidden underground chamber. Although he hadn't ventured inside, he observed Zhou Chengxiu bringing items he had collected into the room and later retrieving others that he favored. It was clear that the cellar was a vault for his treasures.
For a first mission, Fan Liang’s ability to dig this deep left Zhao Yi very satisfied. Receiving the Prince’s praise, Fan Liang broke into a guileless grin. He then gestured with his hand and asked, "Prince, what do you intend to do next?"
Chapter 139