Dong Chenglang just asked, and Xie Jingchen spat out the words "Zhao Xu".

Dong Chenglang was quite shaken.

He really knows?!

He’s not just talking casually?!

Dong Chenglang looked at Xie Jingchen with a face of astonishment.

That day, he didn’t even see Zhao Xu’s face, how did he recognize him?

Eavesdropping?

That must be it!

Just as he was about to ask, Xie Jingchen said, "Or should I say Yuan Xu from Donglin Prince Mansion."

Dong Chenglang, "...!!!"

That day, he and Zhao Xu hardly exchanged a few words, and didn’t mention Donglin Prince Mansion.

Brother Li not only knows, but might know more than he does.

To know so many secretive things, what kind of person is he?

A thought flashed through his mind, and Dong Chenglang said, "Could it be that you’re from Donglin Prince Mansion?"

Xie Jingchen nodded lightly.

The Nanliang Donglin Prince Mansion is his maternal grandfather’s family.

He, as a grandson, is naturally a member of his grandfather’s family.

Despite his shock, Dong Chenglang also breathed a sigh of relief.

Being from Donglin Prince Mansion, he felt reassured.

His biggest fear was that he could be a spy.

Though he saved him multiple times, if he were a Daqi spy, Nanliang wouldn’t spare him.

Dong Chenglang patted Xie Jingchen’s shoulder and said, "Had you told me early on you were the son of a Hidden Guard from Donglin Prince Mansion, I wouldn’t have speculated for so long, fearing you were a Daqi spy."

Xie Jingchen, "...."

This conversation—

He couldn’t respond.

Fortunately, he didn’t need to, as Young Master Shi stood by, his brows tightly furrowed.

He was unaware of Dong Chenglang and Zhao Xu’s private interactions.

As for Donglin Prince Mansion...

At the time, Donglin Prince Mansion had been exterminated over a decade ago, hadn’t it?

Dong Chenglang hadn’t mentioned all this to his cousin, though Duke Huguo was always coveting the military power in General Shi’s hands, General Shi remained loyal to the court.

To directly tell his cousin to rebel against the court would be asking for trouble.

Even now, he didn’t dare admit that he intentionally delayed arriving in the Capital City to ruin his uncle’s plans.

He had originally intended to find an appropriate time to inform his cousin, but now was forced by Xie Jingchen to reveal it.

Dong Chenglang relayed to Young Master Shi that Zhao Xu was the sole remaining bloodline of Donglin Prince Mansion, saying, "Zhao Xu plans to gather the remnants of Donglin Prince Mansion and overthrow the court under the guise of being the orphan of the Prince Donglin."

"Nonsense!" Young Master Shi interrupted Dong Chenglang.

Dong Chenglang knew he would be reprimanded, and he looked at Young Master Shi, "Cousin, have you forgotten who wanted your life despite insufficient evidence?"

"How corrupted and rotten the current court is, you should understand better than I do."

"Is such a court truly worth your loyalty?"

Young Master Shi was also very disappointed with the court, but despite his disappointment, he never thought of overthrowing it and establishing a new ruler.

"You are risking everything for nothing!" Young Master Shi said.

"Have you considered what would happen to Changning Marquis Mansion if this were exposed?!"

Dong Chenglang looked at Young Master Shi, "Father does not oppose my actions."

Young Master Shi was dumbfounded.

He hadn’t expected Marquis Changning to agree.

Looking at his cousin, Dong Chenglang said, "To seize Donglin Prince Mansion’s military power, they falsely accused them of colluding with the enemy, exterminated the entire family, even resorted to digging up their ancestral graves; should Brother Zhao not seek revenge as the orphan of Donglin Prince Mansion?"

"Ah Rou, married to the Crown Prince for less than half a year, was murdered, yet the Crown Prince didn’t even offer an explanation, shouldn’t I as her elder brother seek vengeance?"

Ah Rou was none other than Dong Chenglang’s younger sister, and Young Master Shi’s cousin.

Bringing her up softened Young Master Shi’s stance somewhat, "This is too risky; a single misstep could lead to irreparable consequences."

"Would you have known that I was collaborating with Zhao Xu if I hadn’t told you, Cousin?" Dong Chenglang asked.

Even his own cousin was unaware, wasn’t that secretive enough?

Young Master Shi had no reply.

In any case, he still didn’t agree with taking such risky actions.

Yet he couldn’t oppose Zhao Xu.

"I will pretend I know nothing of this," Young Master Shi said.

The guard stood afar, holding the painting in his hands.

Young Master Shi didn’t want to involve himself in the matter of Zhao Xu seeking vengeance for Donglin Prince Mansion and overthrowing the court, but Xie Jingchen’s favor must be repaid.

"Help him deliver the painting to Beimo and place it in the hands of Prince Beimo."

The guard mounted his horse and rode off.

Young Master Shi also rode away.

Xie Jingchen said to Dong Chenglang, "Persuading your cousin will not be easy."

Dong Chenglang smirked and said, "You don’t know my cousin; he might seem strong now, but once he enters the barracks and sees how Duke Huguo makes things difficult for my uncle...."

"I bet in less than two months, he’ll come around to my side."

Dong Chenglang wasn’t worried about getting past his cousin, he was more concerned about his uncle...

He’ll just have to take it one step at a time.

"If worst comes to worst, help Duke Huguo ensure my uncle returns home to enjoy his grandchildren, letting my cousin inherit his father’s career," Dong Chenglang said.

"....."

Xie Jingchen’s mouth twitched.

This truly was a case of the kind of nephew who wouldn’t mind breaking his uncle.

Dong Chenglang flicked his whip and went after his cousin.

Xie Jingchen mounted his horse and pursued.

Three days later.

The maid Lan Xiu, who served Princess Jing Mountain, was brought to the Capital City by assassins.

These days, the assassins had not given up searching for Princess Jing Mountain.

But after she was rescued, it was as if she had vanished into thin air, with no trace found.

With no other choice, the assassin sent the fake Princess Jing Mountain to the Capital to report.

The decision to capture Princess Jing Mountain was made by the Crown Prince of Nanliang and Beimo Cheng King.

The assassin belonged to Beimo Cheng King.

The palace maid was directly taken to the Crown Prince’s Separate Courtyard.

Beimo Cheng King saw the palace maid and frowned deeply.

He couldn’t differentiate who was the real Princess Jing Mountain.

All these years, he had been feigning illness, never seeing Princess Jing Mountain.

During the marriage negotiation, had it not been for Prince Beimo’s intervention, the palace maid could have even passed herself off.

On that day when meeting Beimo Cheng King, the palace maid was dressed as a princess, yet Prince Beimo insisted she wasn’t; in his anger over her deception, he pushed her a bit too hard and she hit the table corner, fainting.

Privately, Beimo Cheng King himself felt the palace maid was genuinely the princess; yet, having unintentionally harmed her, he had no choice but to go along with Prince Beimo’s claim that she was a fake.

In hindsight, he truly had been duped by the Eldest Prince.

Beimo Cheng King was unaware that Prince Beimo’s original plan was to use a game of truth and falsehoods to protect Princess Jing Mountain.

However, plans couldn’t keep pace with changes; when the palace maid fainted, Beimo Cheng King became afraid of being blamed for harming the princess, accepting whatever Prince Beimo said.

Prince Beimo likely never dreamed that his plan failed but in time tricked Beimo Cheng King.

Beimo Cheng King looked at the palace maid and said, "Well done, there’s a reward."

Assassin, "...???"

They were practically shaking like leaves inside.

The master wasn’t angry and even wanted to reward them?

Assassin cautiously asked, "Is she truly Princess Jing Mountain?"

"Undoubtedly," Beimo Cheng King replied.

"....."

The assassins exchanged worried glances.

What is going on here?

Could it be that Princess Jing Mountain secretly left the palace and switched identities with the palace maid for safety?

That wasn’t entirely impossible.