Xiao Jingcheng's expression changed.
To gain his trust, Ye Wanmian had told Xiao Jingcheng everything that had happened in Dongli Town recently. So he knew that there had been a "fake corpse" in Dongli Town, and the King of Mu had taken that "fake corpse" back to the capital to report on his mission.
It had been almost half a month since the corpse was transported away from Dongli Town. That meant that within these half - months, news of his "death" had spread throughout the entire Great Sheng Empire!
However, the King of Mu was in poor health and couldn't travel day and night. Presumably, the convoy escorting the ice coffin hadn't returned to the capital yet.
If he left Dongli Town now, he might still be able to catch up with the King of Mu.
If he wanted to break the rumor of his death and prove that this was all a conspiracy, nothing was more convincing than his own appearance.
But Xiao Yixuan and Xiao Wuchen were still in Dongli Town. As soon as he showed up, they would immediately notice.
Moreover, there had been three groups of people chasing him that day. Who knew if they would be lying in ambush on the way?
He was all alone now, with not even a single guard he could mobilize. How could he resist them?
Should he send someone to deliver a message to his uncle, the King of Mu, to tell him that he was still alive?
Xiao Jingcheng immediately dismissed this idea.
Even Ye Wanmian could tell that the corpse wasn't him. With the King of Mu's capabilities, how could he easily believe that he was dead?
Before he understood his uncle's attitude and stance, he couldn't take this risk. Otherwise, he would not only harm himself but also implicate others.
After this analysis, Xiao Jingcheng found that he was surrounded by wolves and alone. The only people he could rely on and trust now were those in the "Huichun Hall" medical clinic.
Or rather...
Ye Wanmian.
Seeing that he had already understood, Li Zhao sighed silently in his heart.
Although this young man was impulsive and proud, he was indeed very smart. With just a little hint, he understood the key point. No wonder Mujin had said that he was a man blessed with great fortune.
But so what?
If he couldn't experience the hardships of the common people, understand what "the country and the people" meant, and know that "water can carry a boat and also capsize it", even if he ascended to the throne in the future, he would eventually end up like the State of Chu.
"Actually, there is a way to break this deadlock," Li Zhao said.
Xiao Jingcheng raised his eyebrows. "I'm all ears."
Li Zhao said, "Actually, it was a very smart move for Mujin to hide Your Highness in Dongli Town, in the Huichun Hall."
Her?
Xiao Jingcheng subconsciously looked at the figure squatting beside the well, washing the dishes.
In the moonlight, the girl's back looked even more frail. It was hard to imagine what kind of courage she had mustered to dig him out of the coffin and bring him back to Dongli Town.
Was what had happened at the Spring Banquet two years ago really that important?
So important that she would risk saving someone she didn't like and had even had a feud with?
"Because in the eyes of the world, Your Highness is already 'dead'. Not only 'dead', but the body has also been taken back to the capital by the King of Mu. Dongli Town is indeed dangerous, but it is also the safest place. The mastermind behind this can no longer search every household on the pretext of 'searching for the Crown Prince's whereabouts'."
"Moreover, Mujin got a yellow talisman for Your Highness that can make people overlook him. There is no safer place than the Huichun Hall. It can be said that as long as Your Highness doesn't deliberately flaunt his identity, no one in the world can discover that Your Highness is still alive and is right here in Dongli Town."
Although Li Zhao hadn't experienced that night, he could easily understand Ye Wanmian's real intention of hiding the man here just by thinking about it.
"Since the biggest threat at the moment is the King of Xuan, then we just need to get the King of Xuan and his people to leave Dongli Town."
"Now the enemy is in the open and Your Highness is in the dark. Your Highness can definitely find a way to mix into the King of Xuan's team. He will never expect that the person he is looking for is right under his nose. After returning to the capital, Your Highness will naturally be able to find a way to break the deadlock."
Xiao Jingcheng was secretly surprised. He squinted his eyes and sized up Li Zhao, tapping his fingers lightly on the table.
This man had an extraordinary bearing and a clear mind. He was definitely not an ordinary accountant, but more like a strategist.
In this small Dongli Town, there was actually such a capable and unusual person?
Xiao Jingcheng had the intention of recruiting him. He changed his previous arrogant attitude and humbly asked, "Then in Uncle Li's opinion, with our current situation and capabilities, how can we lead the King of Xuan away from Dongli Town?"
Li Zhao asked in surprise instead, "Can't Your Highness even figure this out?"
Xiao Jingcheng: "..."
That tone seemed to be saying, "If you can't figure this out, what kind of Crown Prince are you? You might as well abdicate and give the position to someone else."
He could figure it out. He wasn't that stupid. But being asked so bluntly made him seem like a useless person!
Grinding his back teeth, he forced a smile and said, "Of course I know. This matter needs to be planned carefully. In any case, thank you, Uncle Li, for your advice tonight."
...
Ye Wanmian washed all the dishes and put them back in their proper places. When she returned to the yard, Xiao Jingcheng's figure was no longer there at the stone table.
Ye Wanmian looked around and asked curiously, "Uncle Li, where is he?"
Li Zhao looked at the closed door not far away and took a sip of tea. "He's gone back to his room."
Gone back to his room so early?
Ye Wanmian wiped her hands with a handkerchief and looked thoughtful.
"Mujin."
She came back to her senses and looked at Li Zhao. "What's wrong, Uncle Li?"
Li Zhao raised his hand and pointed at her neck, asking gently, "Does your neck still hurt?"
Ye Wanmian shook her head with a smile. "The blood - activating and stasis - resolving medicine left by Master is very effective. It doesn't hurt anymore."
Mentioning Doctor Wang, Ye Wanmian felt a bit melancholy for no reason. "I don't know where Master is now. I haven't been able to contact him since he left Dongli Town."
Actually, there was a way to contact Doctor Wang. She could have asked Xiao Yixuan to deliver a message to Doctor Wang. But she didn't want to have any connection with Xiao Yixuan. So even though she missed Doctor Wang in her heart, she didn't take any action.
Remembering the medical records he had accidentally seen on Ye Wanmian's table, Li Zhao asked casually, "Is your master named Wang Hengyong?"
Ye Wanmian was stunned and looked at Li Zhao. "How does Uncle Li know Master's name?"
It was really that old guy, Wang Hengyong!
Oh, he never thought that the old guy would have an old acquaintance in Dongli Town. Moreover, this old guy had met Mujin even earlier than he did, and he had also had the discerning eye to take Mujin as his apprentice and teach her medicine.
Just thinking about that old guy, Wang Hengyong, being chased by Mujin all day long and called "Master", and being missed by Mujin, made him extremely jealous.
Facing Ye Wanmian's curious and somewhat inquisitive gaze, Li Zhao said, "I accidentally came across your master's medical records last time. The signature on them was so scribbled that I had to study it for a long time before I could recognize what it said."
Ye Wanmian couldn't help but laugh.
"Master's handwriting is really scribbled. No, it should be said that doctors' handwriting is really scribbled. I also had to study it for a long time before I could read it smoothly."
Li Zhao couldn't help but rub the top of her head and asked with a smile, "That's because you're smart. For someone else, they might not be able to figure it out for three to five years. By the way, what did you learn in the Ye family before? Did they send you to school?"