Chapter 299: Reveal of True Character I

Chapter 299: Reveal of True Character (I)

Back in the tent, ‘Pang Xiao’ flung off the three layers of blankets to take a look at himself in the reflection of a water basin. He turned back to Xie Yue. “Sir Xie is stunning indeed! Your art of disguise is absolutely magical! You can even change voices with the help of medicine!”

The one who’d received Zuo Jinwei and delivered the nonsense about military exercises was naturally a disguised Qin Yining.

Xie Yue waved a hand and responded humbly, “You praise me far too highly. This is all just smoke and mirrors. Thank goodness you remained lying down. The gig would’ve been up had you sat upright, as there is no method available to disguise height.”

Qin Yining smiled. “No worries. I’ll claim that I’m sick once we start moving. I’ll take a carriage back to the capital. Judging from General Zuo’s expression just now, it looks like he’s already sent out the secret report criticizing the prince for falsifying imperial orders.”

“Indeed.” Xie Yue wore an answering smile. “I gave specific orders for it not to be stopped. Both reports have gone out, entrapping Zuo Jinwei firmly into your plot.”

“His Majesty is a cautious person and won’t do anything without firm proof. Even if he receives word, he’ll be concerned that it’s a trap and won’t easily search the prince’s manor. The second report will confirm that the prince isn’t at home. His Majesty will want both person and evidence, so the time he spends waiting for this absolute certainty is our opening.”

“Precisely.” Xie Yue agreed with approval. “Miss Qin has a most excellent plan. The time in which His Majesty hesitates is enough for His Highness to return home and continue pretending sick. Even if the manor is searched, we will be fully prepared.”

“And if His Majesty doesn’t search the manor and believe Zuo Jinwei’s second report that the prince is in the camp? He’ll wait for the twenty thousand Valiant Tigers to return to the capital and catch him in the act of deploying troops for his personal use!

“But how would I possibly let them do that? I’ll get rid of the disguise when we return to the capital. They won’t be able to find the prince even if they turn the entire camp inside out. We’ll see who’s committed the crime of deceiving the emperor then!” Qin Yining laughed darkly.

What, would she wait for someone else to protect the one she’d chosen, instead of take action herself? Whoever wants to scheme against Pang Xiao has to get through me first!

Zuo Jinwei wants some easy pickings in the form of the Valiant Tigers? He’d first have to prove that he had the ability to do so!

Xie Yue was completely, utterly, and absolutely won over. He bowed respectfully to Qin Yining. “His Highness was in too much of a hurry to give much thought to any plans. With Miss Qin’s stratagem, we’re in no danger of anything going wrong!”

He was well and truly accepting of the Qin fourth miss now. I knew that the prince had a good eye of character! What daughter of an enemy? The Qin miss was obviously the best candidate for a sage wife! With her wits, she’d be able to entrap the prince himself if they weren’t careful!

At the head of twenty thousand Valiant Tigers, Zuo Jinwei returned to the capital triumphantly with those he’d rescued. Adrenaline coursed through his veins the entire time. He fixated his eyes on Pang Xiao’s carriage, deeply afraid that the slippery fellow would run off halfway.

But Pang Xiao behaved himself on the trip back. Perhaps due to his severe sickness, he didn’t even leave the carriage. He only kept a young commandant by his side, and a young girl they rescued in the mountains was the one in charge of his medicine.

Zuo Jinwei once summoned the little girl for an interrogation, but she turned out to be mute and only knew to stare skittishly at people. The naive air of a simple person from the woods wreathed about her, fully quashing any interest the general had in questioning her.

……