Chapter 23：Unbridled Thief

The Yin clan, since the beginning of Da Xia always had solid family ties.

For one of the female younger generation to have a child out of wedlock, it was clearly a huge scandal and would undoubtedly smear the family's distinguished reputation.

Any other sensible aristocrat would toss away that daughter for causing such humiliation.

But never the Yin clan. Firstly, they couldn't throw away an important clan member who knew the ins and outs of their family business.

Secondly, Yin Hua Lei didn't break any rules regarding the sovereign which was the utmost priority of the clan.

Thirdly, all generations of the Yin clan underwent rigorous training since young. They practically grew up under martial law inside the fu while everyone outside believed them to be pampered xiaojie and gongzhi. The probability of Yin Hua Lei breaking their highest rules was very low so this event could only be related to personal matters.

And lastly, they still didn't know the exact circumstances of what happened three years ago.

Nothing would result to rash actions, so to speak.

A day had passed but she had no signs of waking.

Midnight at Feng wangfu...

Feng prince had just entered his courtyard. He'd been out of the capital for a few days to check up on the situation of the Huoyang troops.

He gave up his authority as Commander General the day he returned to the capital but it was only to satisfy the officials who were uneasy leaving prince Feng to wield such power inside the imperial city.

"Bao Bei?" Xia Lian Bei lightly asked for his daughter.

The head steward who greeted him knew that the first thing his Highness would ask about was his precious daughter.

"The little highness is asleep, your Highness. She's quite exhausted from playing around all day so this servant let her rest early."

Xia Lian Bei's lips automatically hooked on the corners, imagining his little darling daughter chasing around butterflies in the garden.

Seeing the prince this way, it was hard not to be charmed by him ah! The familiar playfulness and unruliness in his bearing was mixed with tenderness that no one could deny.

The moon light made his pale hair look silvery and even caused the normally eye-threatening robes to be quite subdued.

It was as plain as day that Xia Tiandi was his heaven and earth.

The head steward glanced at his master with traces of admiration. The eunuch clearly knew Prince Feng treated the world as a huge playground and never really took any matter seriously.

Even the beauties living inside this prince residence, who among them received the favor of serving the master? His Highness only looked at the beauties, said some flirtatious and ambiguous words but never moved further than that.

The only person who could elicit genuine and serious emotions from Prince Feng was the little Highness, ah!

But wait, the head steward seemed to be off-tracked. This wasn't the time to contemplate about Prince Feng's life.

Shai, who was behind Xia Lian Bei this whole time, sensed the change in the head steward's mood. He already saw earlier that the eunuch seemed so relieved at seeing his master but it was a look of a dying man admiring his savior. Why did he have such countenance?

"If Eunuch has matters to speak of, just go with it. Why does one need to look so pained?" Shai's quiet voice sounded.

The eunuch got stimulated by these words and didn't dare keep it any longer.

Rubbing his hands together under his sleeves and glancing nervously, "Earl-- Earlier this noon, his Majesty sent people to the wangfu to inform your Highness to immediately report inside the imperial palace once you arrive."

Xia Lian Bei's eyebrow shot up. Just this action made the eunuch's back drench in sweat. It was difficult serving Prince Feng because his thoughts and actions were very erratic. You wouldn't even know how you offended him before your head rolled.

The head steward had no choice but to toughen himself up even if the future was unknown.

"It seems this matter is related to her Highness, Gao Le princess."

Just as the last words rolled off the eunuch's tongue, Xia Lian Bei's ruddy eyes dilated and focused on him.

The eunuch was shocked for it was the first time he saw his master make an expression. A sharp contrast to the usual devil-may-care attitude. The eunuch even felt that a large boa was crawling up his body and slowly constricting his movement.

Sensing his master's increasing agitation, Shai stepped up. "Someone, come report!"

When it came to the matters about the Gao Le princess and his master, even Shai himself wasn't too clear. What more of a head steward who was only concerned of managing the wangfu?

One of the hidden guards who stayed in the capital quickly appeared and knelt to report.

"Master, the Yin clan concealed this matter well but Gao Le princess, after confining herself for months... yesterday morning, finally decided to take her life-"

The guard wasn't able to finish his sentence because Prince Feng's whole body froze. Without warning, he seemed to have turned into a statue.

For a person who never really took his life seriously and offended people left and right, it was strange to see him be this shaken...?

Seconds passed by but it was pitifully so slow.

Xia Lian Bei wore a blank face and only seemed to have realized what he just heard.

In that moment, he lost control of his body. Xia Lian Bei felt his vision darken and the ground beneath his feet seemed to tilt.

That damnable woman... did what...?

That very second, a huge explosion ruptured inside his mind. Questions popped out one after another.

Was it because of him? Did she suffer that much? Wasn't she supposed to retaliate against him? Or even scheme to kidnap his daughter? Why did she suddenly...

...leave just like that?

An unspeakable woe drowned Xia Lian Bei. It was beyond words to explain. Like he felt this before but he couldn't recount any experience that warranted such grief.

Even visiting his parents' graves never evoked this kind of great suffering. He never met them in the first place for they both died before his consciousness flourished.

And so, three pairs of eyes witnessed Da Xia's Feng wang almost crumble like a dried leaf being crushed under someone's foot.

Shai couldn't believe his eyes. Didn't master hate princess Gao Le? In the end, did that hate actually root from deep love?

Imagining his master pouring earnest affections on someone was mentally challenging for Shai.

When the hidden guard saw that the situation wasn't right, he fought the urge to flee back to his post and bravely stated: "Ma-Master, her Highness didn't die...! But she hasn't woken up either."

His voice was a few pitches higher and sounded slightly defensive though he didn't really understand why either.

When Xia Lian Bei heard this, his taut shoulders relaxed and his head sank so nobody saw his expression.

Afterwards, he raised his hand to cover his eyes and laughed in a lighthearted manner.

But the three people inside the room with him grew more apprehensive the more cheerful his laugh became. Especially the hidden guard.

Just before Xia Lian Bei doubled up in laughter, he abruptly stopped. Aiy, really caused their bodies to be wrapped with great chill!

"From this day forward, you'll be reassigned to Mogui Mountains." Dropping this one sentence, Xia Lian Bei didn't even bother to get a horse and used his fastest speed to go to Gao Le palace.

The guard knew he made a grave mistake. Mogui Mountains! Who wanted to be assigned to that wretched place where the highest profile criminals of Da Xia were being kept and gods knew what kinds of hellish torture they experienced?

Even the bravest men would feel their knees go weak just being near the mountains and hearing the ghost-like screams.

I'm screwed ah!

But Xia Lian Bei already said his piece.

Technically, Yin Hua Lei's princess residence was just next door but the two estates were not small in size so the entrance of Feng wangfu was still a bit of a distance to the entrance of Gao Le palace.

Xia Lian Bei thought of just jumping over the wall without care for anything but Shai was able to pull him towards the right direction with a warning.

"If master annoys the Yin clan to the point of no return, what would the consequences be?"

But as it was the middle of the night, of course, the gates were tightly shut.

Xia Lian Bei shrugged at Shai with a look saying 'this prince has no choice.'

And as though he wasn't acting like a thief, the dignified prince actually jumped on the roof of the palace entrance.

Shai wanted to crack his head. Having such a willful master was a pain in the ass. He had no choice but to follow the path of being an unbridled thief.

As expected, countless hidden guards reacted and pointed their weapons at the figures standing on the roof.

Their killing intent was massive and condensed in one direction. Even a person with good martial aptitude would faint from this pressure.

If not for Xia Lian Bei's distinct pale hair, they would have struck him down instantly.

Zhao Gang was naturally among one of the guards surrounding the two thieves on all sides.

"Let ben wang pass." Xia Lian Bei said in a carefree manner but Zhao Gang instinctively knew that he wasn't joking.

Prince Feng left a deep psychological impact in Yin Hua Lei's weird guard ah.

No one replied. They didn't have the authority to accept or reject the prince's audacious request.

The stalemate lasted for quite a while.

Until a voice was heard.

"Let Feng prince pass."

The Yin hidden guards all knew that voice. It was Xiu Commander Yin Fang Qi.

Just like that, all the guards returned to the darkness. It was as though the earlier atmosphere of thick intention to shed blood didn't happen at all.

Xia Lian Bei leisurely landed on one knee and with cupped hands in front of Yin Fang Qi.

Shai's soul almost flew when he saw this scene. Master... you're really set for this attendant to die early?

Prince Feng's right hand man went completely dull when he heard his master's next word.

"Shifu..." There was still a hint of a frivolous smile.

Yin Fang Qi looked down to see the prince's fair hair which fell to his shoulders down to his waist.

"You still know how to call this one your honorable master?" The middle-aged man's lips were pursed, his stare stern.

Xia Lian Bei's lips tugged at the corners as he looked up. Under the blanket of the night, he was the image of forbidden passion, coming straight from the underworld to steal youthful souls.

"In this life, this worthless disciple only has one master."

Yin Fang Qi had the urge to beat the crap out of him. This guy was quite the smooth talker whenever he wanted.

"Lian Bei, you have a lot of explaining to do." He warned in a no-nonsense tone.

The smile in Xia Lian Bei's face cracked, almost revealing what he truly felt. "En... This disciple knows however-"

"Go... before this master of yours gets pissed and suddenly commits treason here." Yin Fang Qi halted the younger man's speech with a somber tone.

Shai who was quiet on the sidelines, gulped his saliva. Lord Yin, you shouldn't crack such jokes with a very solemn face!

He suddenly remembered Gao Le princess who provoked his master to such a degree that night.

Are all members of the Yin clan such great overlords?

But Xia Lian Bei obviously didn't treat this as a joke as he quickly stood up and sped towards the Blazing Rain pavilion.