Chapter 503: Disguised Evasion

Chapter 503: Chapter 503: Disguised Evasion

The matter was originally quite simple, but when Shen Hao led his men to knock on the gates of Qin Xiuyuan’s residence, they were stopped by several guards. These wore dark red warrior robes with a golden Rice Field Three Spear Pattern on their chests, gold python-patterned belts, and red-handled straight swords at their waists.

If they were just Qin Mansion’s servants, Shen Hao would have slapped them without a word, but with this uniform, he couldn’t act so recklessly.

Red robes with gold python patterns, the Rice Field Three Spear Pattern, and the red-handled straight sword—these were the Royal Guards.

Where Royal Guards appeared, it meant they were garrisoning the royal family. This was completely different from the Qin Family’s own servants, which made Shen Hao instantly think, "Not good," realizing things had taken another turn.

"This is an arrest warrant from the Jingxi Governor’s Office. We are here by order to take Qin Xiuyuan back with us. Please step aside." Shen Hao cupped his fist towards the opposing guard commander, showing his identity and hoping to negotiate.

But the other side showed no courtesy at all, hands on their sword hilts, encircling the entrance hall of the Qin Mansion in a semicircle, refusing to let Shen Hao and his men enter the residence.

"...You are Lord Shen? My apologies, but His Highness has given orders. Today, he is drinking with Master Qin and does not wish to be disturbed. If you have business, please return tomorrow."

"May I ask which Prince is drinking in the inner courtyard? I, Shen Mou, wish to pay my respects as well." Shen Hao also placed his hand on his sword hilt, his tone stripped of earlier politeness, now cold as ice.

"Hmph, it is His Highness Prince Shou. Lord Shen, you’d better take your bad luck elsewhere and not offend the Prince."

"How dare you!"

These words were openly unfriendly, even blatantly provocative. Shen Hao narrowed his eyes slightly; behind him, Wang Yiming glared angrily, shouting "How dare you," as he half drew his sword with a metallic ring. Both sides now confronted each other with drawn blades, tension crackling in the air.

Shen Hao raised his hand to hold back his soldiers. The cultivation of Royal Guards far exceeded that of ordinary Xuanqing Guard soldiers. Never mind that the Xuanqing Guard outnumbered them several fold here—if it came to real combat, unless Shen Hao risked everything, there was no way they could best the other side, and a bloody clash was not how he wished to handle matters.

"Go report to the Jingxi Governor’s Office and ask Lord Jiang to send reinforcements at the General Flag rank, fully equipped with talismans and Breaking Arrows—go quickly." Shen Hao saw no value in disputing or fighting directly. He motioned for some men to continue blocking the entrances front and back, then removed his own waist token, handed it to Wang Yiming, and issued the order to seek swift reinforcements.

So what if it’s Prince Shou? Back in Fengri City, Shen Hao had already defied him to his face, back when his own position was far less secure than now. Besides, he wielded a formal warrant from the Jingxi Governor’s Office—he was here on official Xuanqing Guard business, not his own. It wasn’t just a Prince—even if Left Minister Ye Lansheng were here, he wouldn’t drive Shen Hao off so readily.

"Yes, my lord!"

Wang Yiming responded loudly. What did it mean to have a fully armed General Flag detachment from the Xuanqing Guard? That meant all-out armed investigation. The Royal Guards were formidable, but did they really dare challenge an organized Xuanqing Guard battle array head-on? Especially if they could be accused of "obstructing official duty"?

"Lord Shen! Are you determined to embarrass the Prince?" The guard leader hadn’t expected Shen Hao to immediately call for forceful backup after barely a word. Had this man not heard what was just said?

Shen Hao didn’t spare the Inner Guard another glance, turning to instruct Wang Yiming: "Go quickly. If you are obstructed, use the Summoning Talisman—call for full reinforcements and kill any who resist!"

The opposing guard commander’s cultivation seemed somewhat higher than Shen Hao’s, yet he didn’t feel threatened. In fact, he thought that if it came to a fight, he could take the other’s life in ten breaths. The sensation was strange—he’d never felt this way before.

This time, Wang Yiming drew his sword and left with five Xuanqing Guard soldiers in close formation, escorting him out through the Qin Mansion’s main gate toward the Jingxi Governor’s Office.

But just as they reached the gate, a voice rang out: "Hold on for this Prince!"

The voice came from within the Qin Mansion. Since the speaker declared "this Prince," Shen Hao signaled Wang Yiming—already at the door—to halt, and ordered his soldiers to sheathe their swords, though their hands remained on the hilts.

The Prince had declared his identity; that token respect had to be given, or Shen Hao would be accused of "disrespecting the royal family."

"Deputy Thousand Households of Fengri City Black Banner Battalion, subordinate to the Jingxi Governor’s Office: Shen Hao, greets His Highness Prince Shou!" Shen Hao saw Prince Shou—Yang Lin—emerge from a rear building, his face sullen and dark.

"Heh, no wonder you’ve grown more arrogant. You’ve been promoted? I remember you were just a Hundred Households before, wasn’t it? Others rise in rank for killing the enemy; as for you, you gained promotion by killing your own men. The Xuanqing Guard’s customs are a riddle."

"Your Highness is joking. The Xuanqing Guard is Your Majesty’s blade, charged only with executing the deserving, be they whoever... status does not matter. We simply fulfill our duty, as now, to arrest the wanted criminal Qin Xiuyuan. I ask that Your Highness not make things difficult for this official."

"Ha, Lord Shen, you claim to be carrying out your duties? Hahaha... Never mind, you won’t give me face, but I still have to give Pang Ban face." So saying, Yang Lin headed toward the door, Shen Hao quickly signaling his people to step aside.

Yang Lin left, with several dozen guards and retainers following him out.

"Search!" Shen Hao’s brow furrowed; he felt a bad premonition.

Soon, the Qin Xiuyuan residence descended into chaos as the Xuanqing Guard searched, but aside from women, children, servants, and slaves, there was no trace of Qin Xiuyuan himself.

"My lord, we didn’t find him." Wang Yiming was drenched in sweat, not just from the heat but from anxiety. He had been tasked with the advance surveillance, yet had failed to detect Prince Shou’s presence at the Qin Mansion and now lost track of Qin Xiuyuan entirely.

Something is wrong!

Shen Hao had no mind to blame Wang Yiming, not for now. At this moment, finding Qin Xiuyuan was the top priority.

A living person couldn’t simply vanish. Either there was an issue with the prior surveillance, or Qin Xiuyuan escaped right under their noses.

Shen Hao’s instincts pointed toward the departing Prince Shou. Earlier, the Inner Guard had said Yang Lin was drinking with Qin Xiuyuan, which meant Qin Xiuyuan had been at home. Moreover, Shen Hao’s impression was that Prince Shou, Yang Lin, was not one to concede so easily. Why retreat after just a few words? Qin Xiuyuan, after all, was essentially his "father-in-law"—surely he’d have at least argued?

"He probably slipped away disguised among Prince Shou’s entourage." Shen Hao’s face darkened as he reached this inevitable conclusion.

The scene had been chaotic when Prince Shou left. If Qin Xiuyuan had disguised himself beforehand and left with the Prince’s group in the commotion, it would have been easy to slip by unnoticed.

"My lord, what do we do now?"

"Send the sea arrest warrant to the Local Government Office overnight to pursue and arrest Qin Xiuyuan. Also, write up a report of today’s events and have it on my desk before dawn..."