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Chapter 6 - Hard To Move A Single Step
writer:huang.yi      update:2022-06-28 17:33
  When Xiang Shaolong opened his eyes, all he could see nothing but utter darkness. Although he was unable to differentiate between night and day, his head still felt dizzy and he wanted to continue to sleep. 

  He had been startled awake by the sound of someone speaking. At first, he felt shock, thinking that someone had discovered him. Then, he saw that the tunnel remained unchanged, with the sound coming from one corner of the secret room. Only then did he understand that the voice was coming from one of the copper tubes. 

  Since the copper hearing tube could be used to overhear what was being said in the secret room, of course it could be used to overhear what was being said in the room above. 

  Xiang Shaolong took out one of his few remaining matches, struck it, and lit one of the lamps. The copper tube suddenly appeared in front of him. 

  It was located next to the entrance, glimmering under the light. 

  Xiang Shaolong roused his spirit and carefully snuck towards the hearing tube, then pressed his ear against it. 

  He heard a male voice laugh lecherously, “Your body has become more and more voluptuous. No wonder his royal highness was so enraptured with you the other day.” 

  An unwilling female voice replied, “High Lord, if you were to decide to give me to his highness, I would rather go ahead and commit suicide.” 

  Xiang Shaolong inwardly praised this woman, who deeply understood how men felt. Even though she knew and accepted the fact that she was to be gifted to someone else, she still put on an act of being unwilling to acquiesce. 

  Indeed, the sound of a gentle, lingering kiss could be heard from upstairs. 

  The female coquettishly said, “High Lord, didn’t you have a banquet that you needed to attend? Yet you insist on teasing me right now instead.” 

  As he listened, Xiang Shaolong suddenly felt a great sense of shock. 

  If this was time for a dinner banquet, he must have slept for half a night followed by a full day. He must have slept for at least twenty or so hours. How could he still be so sleepy? For a time, he forgot to eavesdrop on the two above as he pondered this. 

  He came to the sudden realization that although the tunnel had openings, there still wasn’t much airflow. If he hadn’t been startled awake, it was very possible that he would have died of asphyxiation in his dreams. 

  He suddenly heard three words, ‘Xiang Shao Long’ enter his ears. He hurriedly began to listen again. That high lord said, “The city is in a total state of uproar right now. All banquets, large or small, have been cancelled thanks to that Xiang Shaolong. His highness has ordered that any residence found to be harboring Xiang Shaolong without reporting him will suffer the penalty of having their entire family line exterminated. Hah, there’s no corpse worth more money than that of Xiang Shaolong’s. The head by itself is worth five hundred taels of gold. Everyone has exhausted themselves searching for this fellow.” 

  The woman said, “In my humble opinion, he must have left the city long ago. Otherwise, how could it be possible that with all of Daliang in such an uproar and searching for him, neither hide nor hair of him can be found?” 

  Sighing, she added, “This person is so formidable. He comes as he pleases and goes as he wishes. Nobody can stop him.” 

  That high lord sighed along with her. “It was easy enough for him to slip away, but he’s caused Lord Fan to be exhausted on his account. Since today he was unable to capture Xiang Shaolong, as the city watch commander, all of the responsibility is now coming crashing down on his head. Just now he came to beg for my help to ask his highness for forgiveness. But right now, the King is filled with rage. I’m not so stupid as to draw trouble to myself.” 

  He added, “Xiang Shaolong really came at the most inopportune time. He wore me out and forced me to miss Feng Fei’s exquisite performance. I hear that tomorrow she will be going to the country of Qi. Who knows when she will be back? Tomorrow I simply must go send her off.” 

  Only then did Xiang Shaolong learn that the head of the Three Famous Courtesans, Feng Fei, was currently in the city of Daliang. His heart was moved, and he had no desire to listen any further. Leaving the treasury room, he snuck out of the tunnel and hid himself near the grove outside of it, so as to breathe some fresh air. 

  It really was around the sunset time outside. Even a few specks of snow could be seen drifting down. 

  Right now, the only safe place for him was this tunnel. But if he were to be found again, it would be impossible for him to escape. 

  Lord Longyang clearly had yet to divulge the fact that they had met, as if he had, that high lord from just then would have mentioned it. But even though this was the case, this wasn’t of much help to him. 

  He thought of Feng Fei again. 

  This beautiful woman with a unique aura. If she were willing to help, maybe she could bring him out of the city. 

  But they had only met once and their relationship was very shallow. Would she risk her own life to save him? What was even more headache-inducing was the fact that he didn’t even know where she lived. 

  Even if he knew, to sneak into her room would be a trivial matter. As he continued to think, his heart grew numb. Just at this moment, the sound of a dog baying came from the inner courtyard. 

  Xiang Shaolong was shocked. He hurriedly dived into the tunnel again. Based on his memory of the above-ground structures, he rushed out of an exit and arrived at a garden within a courtyard house. 

  Lights were seen coming from the front of the courtyard house only. The other parts of the house were all dark and unlit. 

  Xiang Shaolong guessed that the vicious dog was still leashed within the inner courtyard and had yet to be released. Relieved, he moved about freely. 

  Using his grappling hooks and his nimble hands, at a single go he traversed multiple houses. Dodging several servants, he first snuck into the kitchen and procured sufficient provisions for himself along with a kettle of hot tea before sneaking back into the tunnel. After filling his stomach, his fighting spirit became vigorous again. 

  Neither the tunnel nor Daliang itself was a place that he could stay for long. 

  But he still had yet to come up with a method to leave the city safely. 

  When all of the servants and scouts had finished searching the entire city without any success, they would surely guess that he had hidden himself in some secret location. 

  There was no lack of intelligent men in the nation of Wei. Lord Longyang himself was an extremely perceptive person. Sooner or later, he would think of the secret passages and the listening tubes that passed by the former Lord Xinling’s manor and would also come to the conclusion that there might be still-undiscovered passageways in the tunnels. If he were to only occasionally pop out to steal some food or snacks, it shouldn’t be a problem, but in the long run, suspicions would still be raised. 

  After thinking of these two problems, he made up his mind that within two days, he must leave the city. Else, he could forget about leaving ever again. 

  After making sure that the bedroom above the treasury was empty, he snuck up, opened a chest, and took out a set of winter garments and cloak. Just as he was preparing to leave, the sound of footsteps could be heard coming from outside the room, followed the sound of someone sitting down and faintly laughing. 

  Xiang Shaolong’s heart was moved, and he edged closer to the door. Pulling it slightly open, he snuck a peek outside. 

  He was absolutely shocked at what he saw. 

  Three people were seated outside, followed by nearly ten close confidantes. Everyone’s face showed signs of worry. 

  One of them was actually Lord Longyang. 

  His face was ashen pale, and he seemed to have suddenly aged many years. He looked wane and pallid, and no longer seemed like the ‘liquid, gentle beauty’ of before. 

  Of the other two, one was an army general in military regalia, while the other was middle-aged man in a minister’s garbs. 

  The general was the first to speak. “We came to speak with you, Lord Pingqu, regarding our efforts to locate Xiang Shaolong.” 

  Xiang Shaolong’s heart grew cold. He knew that Lord Longyang must have already deduced that he was hiding here. 

  Surprised, that Lord Pingqu said, “General Fan, how has your search for Xiang Shaolong ended up here in my residence?” 

  As soon as he opened his mouth, Xiang Shaolong recognized him as the man who was taking liberties with his concubine the other day. 

  The reason that they were speaking in the inner rooms rather than in the main room showed that they were afraid of the news leaking out. 

  That showed that they had already concluded that he was hiding here. 

  He suspected that this General Fan, the commander of the city watch of Dalian, had already ordered men to surround the entirety of Lord Xinling’s manor. 

  But he still wasn’t concerned, because the exit near the hidden grove was far from Lord Xinling’s manor and would definitely not be easy to discover. 

  Lord Longyang sighed. “General Fan is willing to use his own head as the guarantee that Xiang Shaolong has yet to leave the city. If he is still hiding in the city, the most likely hiding place would be here.” 

  Xiang Shaolong heard him speaking in such a dispirited manner and knew that he felt tormented by the fact that he had to capture his ‘old friend’. He couldn’t help but sigh along with Lord Longyang. 

  Lord Pingqu’s expression changed. “Impossible. Long ago, I ordered my servants to search every inch of the manor. If he was here, he couldn’t have hidden from me, much less the noses of my hounds.” 

  General Fan said, “We have questioned the former subordinates of Lord Xinling. We verified that in the past, Xiang Shaolong must have used some sort of tunnel-like passageway to escape. But no one knows where the entry point and exit point are.” 

  Lord Longyang added, “Lord Pingqu, you could go and ask every single person in the manor if they had noticed any food or clothing gone missing. From this, you would be able to determine whether or not Xiang Shaolong is hiding here.” 

  Xiang Shaolong secretly praised this move as being formidable. How could he dare to stay behind and listen for any longer? He hurriedly snuck back down again and closed the lid, covered it with the previous woven mattresses, then returned to the tunnels. 

  And then, without a second thought, he snuck out towards the direction of the hilly grove. 

  In the midst of the snowy night, he could see soldiers light torches as they moved in the direction that he was hiding. The light of the torches and the howls of the dogs were enough to freeze a man’s blood. 

  Xiang Shaolong put all of the stolen food in one large parcel, put the parcel on his back, then went on the road he had once taken to escape with Zhao Qian, moving in the direction of the nearby houses. 

  He looked around as he walked, secretly groaning. 

  All of the nearby roads had soldiers sealing off the passageways. Even the rooftops all had sentries installed, focusing their attention on any and all activity within Lord Xinling’s manor. 

  Xiang Shaolong felt as though it had become hard for him to take a single step. He fell down within an underbrush next to the road. 

  But he quickly decided that this wasn’t a safe plan either. 

  A troop of fifty Wei soldiers was headed in his direction. Poking their spears into every bush, they were carrying out an all-encompassing search, as thorough as a flood of mercury. 

  Xiang Shaolong had no other options. Before the light had reached him, he clambered towards a nearby street and hid underneath the eaves of a roof. 

  Because this building was a floor lower than all the surrounding buildings, no sentries were set on its roof. 

  The soldiers passed. Just as he was dithering over whether or not to sneak into the building, the sound of hoof steps could be heard. 

  A gaudily-decorated carriage was coming from the direction the soldiers had gone towards, with cavalrymen escorting it front and behind. 

  Watching the situation, Xiang Shaolong landed on the ground again. Dodging and hiding behind a nearby tree, he quickly climbed up onto a particularly thick branch, tightly gripping the ice-covered branch with his hands. 

  If it weren’t for the fact that it was snowing heavily right now, he wouldn’t have dared to take this risk. 

  This could be described as a gamble. 

  If just a single person amongst those ten plus cavalrymen lifted their heads, they would definitely see him. 

  But when it was snowing ferociously, everyone would lower their gaze towards the ground instead. 

  Just as it seemed as though his heart would leap into his mouth, the carriage arrived directly beneath him. 

  Xiang Shaolong first gently set unwrapped the package on his back, then gently tossed it slightly in front of the top of the carriage. He then gently swung his legs down, resting them on the package, before letting his hands slip as he dropped down. 

  Because of the cushioning package, he landed on the carriage noiselessly. Just by bending down, he had accomplished something which was nearly impossible under any other situation. 

  The carriage continued to move forward into this ancient, snow-filled capital, slowly and unhurriedly. 

  He had no idea as to where the carriage would take him, but he knew that for now, he had escaped a dangerous place. 

  As they passed one of the gates, not only did the sentries not block the carriage’s path, they even saluted respectfully as they allowed it to past beyond freely. 

  The status of the person inside the carriage surely was not that of an ordinary person. Otherwise, how could they be so courteous and respectful? 

  Right now, even he was curious as to what sort of nobleperson sat inside the carriage below. 

  The sound of a sigh seemed to drift in from the carriage. 

  His curiosity aroused, Xiang Shaolong pressed his ear against the carriage. But the accumulated ice and snow froze him so much that he immediately abandoned this idea. 

  Instead, he turned around and stared around himself. 

  As he stared, he was struck dumb. 

  My heavens! It appeared as though the carriage was winding its way through the streets in the direction of the palace. 

  Escorted by the guards, the carriage passed onto the drawbridge, through the moat, and into the inner palace. 

  In this era, regardless of size or stature, all palaces were considered forbidden zones. 

  All kings would exhaust themselves and their resources in making their palace an exceptionally centralized military stronghold, a castle within a castle. 

  This was designed to prevent invaders from attacking, but also to prevent traitors from rebelling. 

  Now that Xiang Shaolong had managed to get himself into the royal palace, it would be very difficult for him to leave. 

  Both startled and exulted, he entered the palace. He continued to lie on top of the carriage, unmoving. He allowed the snow to cover him completely. If it weren’t for that, any of the sentries on top of the palace walls would see him right away and he would have nowhere to hide. 

  But this was precisely what worried him the most. 

  A huge blizzard like this was very rare. It would be very difficult for him to use this trick again to leave the palace. 

  Hiding underneath the snow, he pressed his face against his supply package. This could be said to be his sole remaining source of comfort. 

  Although he couldn’t see anything, he could still hear sounds. 

  From the sound of the horse steps and the carriage wheels, he surmised that they were in the winding paths within the palace. They should be headed in the direction of the inner palace. 

  The carriage finally came to a halt. The cavalrymen all dismounted. Footsteps could be heard from all directions, followed by the inner palace maids saying in chorus, “May the Queen live ten thousand years!” 

  Xiang Shaolong nearly let out a cry of shock. He couldn’t resist from lifting his head up slightly and sneaking a peek. 

  The carriage door swung open. 

  Underneath the snow, Dan Meimei’s familiar, alluring back, dressed in gaudy clothes, wearing a ‘phoenix headpiece’, appeared in front of his eyes as though stepping out of a dream. 

  A maid raised an umbrella over her head while offering her elbow for support. They slowly ascended a set of palace steps, followed by the palace maids and the guards in two rows. The sort of dignified aura she now had made it impossible for others to believe that she was a prostitute in Xianyang who was plucked at will by powerful officials. 

  Watching her back slowly disappear into the distance as she ascended the stairs, Xiang Shaolong felt a hundred emotions in his heart. 

  Although he knew that Dan Meimei wouldn’t betray him, it was very difficult for him to come into contact with beauty who had now become a Queen. 

  It was too risky. And maybe Dan Meimei would betray him after all, just like Lord Longyang. 

  The sound of whips being cracked. 

  Xiang Shaolong continued on this free-of-charge tourist trip. 

  Right now, the carriage was definitely headed towards the stables. After the four strong horses were unsaddled, the carriage would be sent to the warehouse where all the snow would be brushed off. If he didn’t leave before that, his hiding place would be exposed. 

  Just as Xiang Shaolong was despairing over how he would leave the carriage, the carriage arrived at a place where trees lined both sides of the road. 

  Xiang Shaolong inwardly exclaimed that heaven was assisting him. He carefully began to rise, readying his package. 

  At a moment when he saw that the carriage driver was wholly focused on the road ahead, he stood up. 

  The snow on his body slid off like sandstone. He reached out and grabbed a vertical branch, immediately escaping this carriage which had taken him out of one dangerous situation but delivered him into another.

  Book 21 Chapter 7 - Leisurely Chatting Within The Forbidden Palace

  Using his grappling hook and the cover of snow, Xiang Shaolong traversed past two palatial buildings and landed within a grassy knoll located inside a courtyard. 

  This building was located directly behind the mansion which Dan Meimei had entered earlier. Most likely it was the place where palace servants and maids resided. 

  He wasn’t worried about running into guards or hounds here, as those would only be stationed outside of the royal palace. 

  All imperial palaces, whether it be the Zhao palace, the Qin palace, or the Chu palace, were unique places, totally segregated from the universe around them. 

  Unless the King of Wei came to grace Dan Meimei with his presence, he wouldn’t run into the King of Wei here either. 

  Right now, the most important thing was to find a place to hide. Only then could he seek out opportunities to procure food and find a way to escape. 

  Right now, he felt that the best option available was to hide for ten days or half a month. After the hullabaloo had subsided, he would sneak out the palace. 

  But just as Lord Longyang said, if he continued to steal food and drinks over a long period of time, sooner or later suspicions would be raised. 

  The ideal option would of course be to masquerade as a palace servant, but asking him to disguise his much taller and stronger than average body frame into a weak, delicate servant’s frame would be nothing more than the ravings of a madman. 

  Glancing around him, Xiang Shaolong saw that the wind and the snow continued to silently fall down everywhere. But light shone from each and every one of the side rooms. 

  Earlier, after he had traversed the various mansions, he had already memorized the various buildings like the back of his hand. 

  These various buildings which surrounded the central palace grounds were themselves surrounded by walls, forming an independent world. 

  Aside from the sentries stationed on the four surrounding walls, the only guards present were the ones stationed at the entry and exit points. No other security was present. 

  Dan Meimei naturally would have her own personal guards as well, but they were neither allowed to nor would attempt to enter her dwellings. 

  So, if he was able to sneak into this beauty’s palace, he would be in the safest of positions. 

  Right now, he was ensconced with an open air garden. There were gates to the east and the south, but the gates were guarded and tightly shut. 

  After having determined his path of movement, he made up his mind and once more flipped onto the roof. 

  Although the rooms of the servants were covered with ice and snow, it wasn’t a third as thick as that of the city walls. In addition, the eaves of the rooms had many locations which his grappling hook could attach to. Although it was not easy to move precisely, the difficulty was hardly insurmountable for him. 

  When he reached the gardens located next to the inner palace, he dropped down. 

  Based on the architectural standards of this era, most palaces would be constructed in a place with lots of light and with intersecting river systems. 

  The palace of the King of Wei was basically based on an array of intersecting lines. It could roughly be divided into the front, middle, and rear districts. Arranged in a rectangular shape, it sat with its rear in the north and facing the south. The northern district was divided into fifteen sections, with the King and Queen’s imperial residences occupying the primary position in the middle. 

  The central district was where the ‘Three Courts’ were held. 

  The ‘Three Courts’ referred to the Large Court, the Outer Court, and the Inner Court. Although the names were different, they basically were places where the monarch and his councilors took care of governmental affairs. 

  The southern district held the main gate to the palace as well as the headquarters of the local guard force. It was separated from the primary palaces by a series of five gates. 

  The reason why Xiang Shaolong paid so much attention to the layout of the palace was because he knew that most palaces had secret passages. 

  This was something which the nobility of this age would definitely install, in order to save their lives and flee as necessary. 

  Logically, the King of Wei’s palace should also have this sort of underground escape route. If he could find it, he could sneakily and stealthily depart the capital. 

  Dan Meimei’s personal rooms most likely had this sort of escape route as well. Most likely, there was at least a 90% chance of one. 

  With the ‘lock opening tools’ hidden within his shoes, and his previous lockpicking experience, the locks of this day and age would absolutely pose no great difficulty to him. 

  As long as he could find Dan Meimei’s personal rooms, he would be able to easily slip away. 

  He contentedly hid within a cluster of underbrush, focusing on observing the activities of the palace. 

  Dan Meimei had just returned not too long ago. Naturally, she would first bathe and change her clothes before retiring to her bedroom. 

  Right now, in the palace, the only place that was lit was the place in front of him. This logically indicated that Dan Meimei hadn’t yet gone to sleep. 

  The blizzard began to weaken, and Xiang Shaolong inwardly exclaimed that this was not a good sign. He decided to first slip into Dan Meimei’s personal rooms. 

  He scurried out of his hiding place and moved beneath the window of what appeared to be a stockroom. After ascertaining that nobody was within, he plucked out the miniature iron crowbar from within his shoes and slid it into the opening within the window, forcing it up. 

  After leaping into the room, he closed the window. 

  After accustoming himself to the illumination within the room, he saw rays of light peeking out from behind the door. Moving to the door, he pressed his ear against it to listen. 

  There was no sound from outside the door. Just as he was about to push the door open, footsteps suddenly could be heard coming from the left. 

  Xiang Shaolong was startled. He secretly exclaimed, ‘How dangerous!’ He hurriedly retreated and hid behind a large cabinet. 

  After the footsteps died away, Xiang Shaolong stepped forward. Pushing the door open, he carefully looked outside. 

  There was a long hallway outside, with three doors on each side of the hallway. It seemed as though this was where Dan Meimei’s personal serving maids resided. 

  Xiang Shaolong felt that this was a miserably tough situation. If he simply charged out, if he ran into anybody, he would have nowhere to retreat. 

  But if he refused to take the risk, if Dan Meimei’s serving ladies were to tidy the room up or come to the stockroom to retrieve anything, the chances of him running into someone would be even greater. 

  Grinding his teeth, Xiang Shaolong rushed out. 

  The inner palace was divided into two sections, with the middle section being an open air garden. Right now, he was located near the rear entrance. The problem right now was that he didn’t know if Dan Meimei’s bedroom was located in the front section or the rear section. If he knew, he wouldn’t have to blindly fumble about like he was doing right now. 

  He swiftly arrived at a hallway crossing on the right. Just as he was about to enter the front section, two serving girls appeared headed in his direction, a scant few meters away. 

  Xiang Shaolong quickly drew back. He pushed open the nearest door and snuck inside without even checking to see if anyone was within. 

  Before he even had the chance to catch his bearings, the door was pushed open again and the two serving girls entered. 

  Out of options, Xiang Shaolong was forced to hide behind the opened door. All he could do was pray that they wouldn’t decide to close it. 

  Lamps were lit. Only now did he see that he was hiding within the inner palace’s dining room. 

  The two clearly were here to gather some food for Dan Meimei. Busy retrieving and then utilizing some supplies from the nearby cupboards, they didn’t even notice in the slightest the presence of this unwelcomed guest. 

  One of the serving maids said, “She seems to be in an extremely bad mood. This is the first time I’ve seen her scold someone so ferociously.” 

  The other maid was much less brave. In a low voice, she reprimanded, “Don’t speak inappropriate things. If those vile gossips catch wind of it, it’ll be terrible.” 

  After a short period of time, the two maids took two trays of tea and snacks and left the room. 

  Xiang Shaolong leapt out of his hiding spot. He snatched a piece of leftover cake, then, walking on tiptoes, followed the two of them. 

  Xiang Shaolong used all of his skills, slithering like a snake and scurrying like a rat, moving fast then moving slow. He avoided several passing servants before finally arriving at a main hallway. 

  The two maids ahead of him entered what appeared to be the inner hallway through a back entrance. 

  After having found the location of Dan Meimei’s bedroom, he hurriedly flipped on top of the roof. Arriving beneath the eaves, he used his steel tools to push a window open, then hurriedly ducked inside. 

  He had entered a rectangular shaped side room, gaudily decorated with the floor covered by a thick carpet. His feet felt very comfortable stepping onto it. 

  Because the stove in the corner had yet to be lit, he felt certain that Dan Meimei would not come to this room. 

  There was a large door in the southern side of the room. Based on the direction it was in, it most likely led to the inner rooms. 

  By now, he had attained a thorough grasp of the layout of the palace. 

  The main entrance gateway towards the north led to the main hall, which was followed by two side rooms to each side of the hall. 

  And Dan Meimei’s bedroom must be located towards the south, next to that open-air garden spot. The two rooms next door must be where her servants stayed. 

  He pressed his ear against the large door and listened intently. 

  He could hear some indistinct sounds, but not the sound of anyone speaking. 

  If he were to go seeking the passageway, this was the best opportunity he would have. Once Dan Meimei returned to her bedroom, he would have missed this golden chance. 

  Xiang Shaolong once more snuck out of this side room. Soon afterwards, he arrived within Dan Meimei’s bedroom. 

  This was a very spacious room with gaudy furnishings. In one corner, the fireplace was burning brightly, causing the room to be as warm as the spring air. In the middle, there was an enormous embroidered bed that was pressed up against the wall, with thick rugs surrounding it. 

  The other corner of the room, facing the fireplace, was a large screening wall. Naturally, that is where she would go for relieving herself. 

  All the other dressing tables were filled with all sorts of necessary cosmetic supplies, ordered neatly and successively. 

  Xiang Shaolong felt a huge headache coming on. Not only would it be difficult to find a secret tunnel in such a location, the very act of trying would immediately be visible and alert others. 

  The first thing he would have to do would be to lift up the rugs, and maybe even have to move the couches and other furniture around. That would be the same as moving everything in the room. How could others not help but overhear the sounds? 

  Even if everyone here was deaf, Dan Meimei might enter the room at any time to go to sleep. How could he have the opportunity to put everything back into its proper order? 

  The most annoying thing of all was that even if he managed to find the tunnel, there was no way he would be able to rearrange everything above into the proper configuration, to the point where nobody would notice that things had been moved. If anyone noticed, it would be as good as directly alerting the soldiers of Wei that he had fled from the tunnel. 

  Just as he was worrying about what to do, the door opened. 

  Frightened out of his mind, Xiang Shaolong didn’t have any opportunity to flee through the window. All he could do was hide behind the screen and squat down. Next to him, just as suspected, was a delicately made chamber pot and a steel night pot. Fortunately, both the pots were clean and empty, and didn’t give off any bad odours. 

  Sneaking a peek, he saw the person who had arrived was, indeed, Dan Meimei, who had now rose to the exalted position of the Queen of Wei. Behind her was a serving girl who looked somewhat familiar. Only after thinking for a moment did he remember that she was one of the maids who had served Dan Meimei at the Drunken Wind Loft. 

  Dan Meimei’s beauty had blossomed even further. 

  The exquisitely made formal attire set off her beauty, making up for the aura and presence that she formerly was slightly lacking in. 

  She gently sat down in front of the copper mirror and allowed the serving girl to remove her formal outer-wear. 

  The servant said softly, “Madame! Don’t worry. A good man like Master Xiang has Heaven’s blessings upon him. And he is so highly skilled as well. He surely has a way to escape.” 

  Hearing his own name, Xiang Shaolong first felt a huge shock, followed by a feeling of gratitude. 

  He hadn’t thought that a lady of the windy, dusty world (ie prostitution) whom he hadn’t previously been on excellent relations with would be more loyal towards him than even Lord Longyang, just because he had helped her once, with little cost to himself. 

  Underneath the light of the lamp, Dan Meimei’s face didn’t reveal the slightest trace of joy, anger, rage, or grief. She tranquilly said, “What use would worrying be. Xiao Qing, the room is too bright.” 

  Sighing, Xiao Qing doused the lamps in the room. The light died down, filling the room with a gentle atmosphere. 

  Xiang Shaolong was indecisive, changing his mind again and again. In the end, he gave up his intention of asking Dan Meimei for assistance. He didn’t want to risk causing Dan Meimei to lose everything that she now had. 

  After she fell asleep, he would sneak out and find a place to hide for the night. The next day, he would return and search for the hidden exit. 

  After having made up his mind, he snuck another peek from behind the screen. 

  By now, Dan Meimei was only wearing a single, thin, skin-tight shift that exposed every luscious inch of the lithe, voluptuous lines of her form. 

  Xiang Shaolong inwardly exclaimed to himself, no wonder so many men of worldly experience were wildly infatuated by her. She really was an extraordinarily beautiful woman, blessed through and through by the heavens. 

  Dan Meimei let out a dispirited sigh, breaking the stillness that seemed to have taken physical form within the room. 

  Xiao Qing sighed as well. “I’m afraid that his highness won’t be coming tonight.” 

  Dan Meimei gently said, “Right now, all he wants is Xiang Shaolong’s head. How could he have the energy to come here. It’s very late! Go to sleep!” 

  Bowing, Xiao Qing pushed the door open and left. 

  Turning around, Dan Meimei walked towards the screen. 

  Xiang Shaolong’s scalp suddenly felt numb. Dan Meimei and him were now standing face to face, and their four eyes met. 

  Dan Meimei let out a quiet cry of surprise, then hurriedly used her hand to cover her mouth. A look of shock in her eyes, she stared disbelievingly while shaking her head. 

  Xiang Shaolong forced out a smile. “Meimei, did I surprise you?” 

  After stabilizing herself, Dan Meimei stretched out her jade-like hand and grasped his own large hand. She pulled him to the couch. 

  Moments later, the two of them were firmly ensconced in each other’s arms on the embroidered couch. 

  After offering him a series of hot kisses, Dan Meimei quietly said, “What sort of help do you need from me? Alas! Master Xiang, your abilities really are simply remarkable. You were even able to sneak in here and find me.” 

  Xiang Shaolong didn’t originally intend to find her. Somewhat awkwardly, he said, “Meimei, when you went to the screen, were you planning to……heh heh……” 

  Dan Meimei’s face turned red. Tossing him a glare, she clasped him firmly around his back. As though she were in a dream, she said, “Wonderful. I finally have a chance to go to bed with you.” 

  Surprised, Xiang Shaolong said, “Meimei, did you really look upon me with favour?” 

  Embarrassed, Dan Meimei said, “I’m easily attracted to capable men, but I grow bored easily as well. But towards you, for some reason, it’s different. You should know that here and now, there’s no reason for me not to speak my mind. Originally, I did hate you. Oh, you horrible man! You never paid me any mind. But I didn’t expect that sister Yang Yu was absolutely correct in her assessment of you. You’re the sort of man who is cold on the outside but hot inside. Only you were able and willing to help me. I hadn’t had the chance to offer you thanks from my own lips!” 

  Xiang Shaolong laughed, “Hadn’t you just thanked me ‘with your own lips’ just now?” 

  Fiery colour burning in her jade cheeks, Dan Meimei initiated another scorching kiss, before drawing back. Seeming somewhat forlorn, she said, “Are you not interested in me at all? Why don’t you have any reaction?” 

  Xiang Shaolong knew that she had a huge amount of experience in handling men. He knew that she had already noticed that he wasn’t showing the normal, expected biological reaction to her attention, and thus was feeling bad about herself. He apologetically said, “For one, I feel that Meimei is a flower who already has a master, whom I shouldn’t violate. But more importantly, right now I am surrounded by danger and am worried about how to escape. That’s why it’s difficult for me to relax with you and enjoy the pleasure that fish feel when they enter the water.” 

  Dan Meimei was relieved, but then she knit her beautiful eyebrows again. “If you were able to enter, you should have the ability to leave as well, right?” 

  Laughing bitterly, Xiang Shaolong explained how he had entered on top of her carriage. 

  After listening to him, Dan Meimei nipped him, then said, “Since you have come to my door, naturally I will send you out safely as well.” 

  Enjoying the soft and fragrant feeling of “murmuring quietly in the middle of the night” with this beauty, Xiang Shaolong’s heart seemed to have melted. Sighing, he nipped her little ear. “That’s too dangerous for you, and there are too many unknown variables at play. I definitely won’t let you take that sort of risk.” 

  Dan Meimei felt a surge of emotion. She sighed, “In the entire world, perhaps only Xiang Shaolong would be so considerate. Xiang Shaolong! Hurry up and think of something. As long as I am capable of doing it, I, Dan Meimei, promise you that I will.” 

  Xiang Shaolong tightly embraced her. Pressing his face against her beautiful hair, he inhaled her fragrant scent. His entire body went weak. In a soft voice, he said, “Has your King ever told you about any secret escape routes located within your palace?” 

  Dan Meimei’s slender body trembled. In a lovable voice, she exclaimed, “I almost forgot! There is such a tunnel, and it’s located right in my bedroom.” 

  But then, she looked unhappy. “But the key to open it lies in the hands of the Chief Custodian. There’s no way for me to open it!” 

  Elated, Xiang Shaolong said, “That’s even better. Even if someone discovered that I had left through the tunnel, you would be able to deny everything.” 

  Surprised, Dan Meimei asked, “You know how to pick locks?” 

  Xiang Shaolong withdrew slightly from her. Carefully examining her flowery, jade-like countenance that was softened even further by the glow of the lamps, he smiled and nodded. Taking another whiff of her delicate fragrance, he said, “Do you know where the exit to the tunnel is?” 

  His mood improving, he was starting to succumb to the allure of this comfortable blanket and began to feel a fleshly lust. 

  Dan Meimei could feel the pressure of him against her side. Her eyes filled with the stirrings of the desire of spring, she gazed at him for a moment before burying herself into his wide chest and saying, “The King said that the tunnel exit is half a li west of the east city gates, at a stable.” 

  Xiang Shaolong felt that this was wonderful. This would allow him to pick out a fast horse and flee. However, he would still need to exit through the east gates. He suddenly had a thought, and asked her where she had just been. 

  Dan Meimei tightly embraced him. Her eyes half closed, she murmured, “I went to visit a sister. She’ll be leaving Qi tomorrow. Oh, Xiang Shaolong! You don’t need to go so urgently! Life here in the palace is so regimented and so stifling. A person can die of boredom in here!” 

  Xiang Shaolong forced out a smile. “Do you regret coming?” 

  Dan Meimei opened her beautiful eyes. Staring vacantly, she said, “I don’t know! I really don’t know! Just yesterday, I dreamt of the Drunken Wind Loft, and dreamt of playing games with sister Yang Yu in its garden! Oh! How has she been?” 

  Xiang Shaolong felt a bitter feeling in his heart. He asked, “Does he treat you well?” 

  Dan Meimei was speechless for a long moment, then said, “I’m not sure either. Ever since he became the King of Wei, he became very ferocious. Even while he is sleeping, in his dreams, he would sometimes call for the execution of some minister or official who had offended him. If it weren’t for the fact that I’m pregnant, perhaps I would beg you to take me with you.” 

  Xiang Shaolong’s lust immediately cooled to nothingness and he woke up. He told himself that at such a critical juncture, he needed to preserve his strength. He had just suffered a serious illness not too long ago, making it even more inappropriate for himself to be enjoying himself with Dan Meimei right now. Changing the subject, he said, “Was the sister you just visited the leader of the Three Famous Courtesans, Miss Feng Fei?” 

  Dan Meimei nodded. “Yes! We even discussed you. She esteems you greatly.” 

  She grew excited. “How about I plead with her to secretly take you outside the city? She is a very capable person!” 

  Xiang Shaolong abruptly shook his head. “No! I don’t want to implicate any more people. Why is she going to the country of Qi?” 

  Dan Meimei replied, “It’s for the King of Qi’s 50th birthday. I heard that Shi Sufang and Lan Gongyuan are both planning to go for the celebration. Every country, including even Qin, will be sending representatives to celebrate.” 

  Xiang Shaolong was growing more and more confused as he listened. Surprised, he said, “Aren’t Yan and Zhao at war with Qi? How did their relations improve so much?” 

  Dan Meimei shook her head. “I’m not too sure about these sorts of matters either. From what the King said, it seems as though the King of Qi still hasn’t decided who the Crown Prince should be. The choice will implicate Tian Dan’s powerbase, so the King has a decided interest in the question of who the Crown Prince will be.” 

  Right now, Xiang Shaolong didn’t even have time to take care of himself, much less care about the internal affairs of Qi. In a soft voice, he said, “Dear Meimei! Please tell me where the entrance to the tunnel is!” 

  Aghast, Dan Meimei said, “Don’t be so quick to leave, alright? I have ways of hiding you here for many days! Wait for the search to die down before leaving. Isn’t that safer?” 

  Xiang Shaolong kissed her fragrant lips before saying, “No! I need to sneak out now, while the blizzard is still here. Once the snow disappears, it will be impossible for me to leave.” 

  Unwilling to part from him, Dan Meimei tightly clasped his waist. She mournfully said, “When I embrace you, it feels like I am embracing all of the things which were important to me in the past. But you are so unwilling to remain behind and want to leave so urgently. Xiang Shaolong! Please don’t be so heartless towards me!” 

  In his heart, Xiang Shaolong felt touched. He knew that Dan Meimei hadn’t really fallen in love with him. What she felt towards him was a complicated mixture of gratitude and memories of the past. With the palace being so stifling, she desperately desired for him to stay behind and accompany her. 

  But he still felt some degree of empathy for her. He gently sucked on her soft, warm red lips, then gently said, “How could I bear to be heartless towards you? But right now, I have to save my energy, because I have a very difficult road that I must travel.” 

  Dan Meimei returned his kiss. Her cheeks as scarlet as the setting sun, she said, “Fine, I won’t force you anymore! But you should at least make an expression of good faith, such as caressing my body. That way, in the future, you won’t easily forget about me, Dan Meimei.” 

  Listening, Xiang Shaolong felt as though his blood was about to boil. 

  To tell the truth, in a situation like this, where he was embracing the writhing, naked body of this voluptuous woman filled with the energy of youth, while the gentle, warm smell of the blanket entered his nostrils, if he were to claim that his vessels were not expanding to the point of explosion, he would be lying through his teeth. 

  He couldn’t help but reach out and place his hand on her firm posterior and let his hand roam about. 

  Dan Meimei immediately began to breathe rapidly. Like an eel, she began to writhe on his lap, her soft body pressing against him, filling Xiang Shaolong with even more fiery lust. 

  Xiang Shaolong’s hands increased their roaming area, sliding from her thighs all the way to her petite face. The ineffable process of his hands sliding up filled both of them with the ecstatic, stimulating feeling of having a tempestuous affair. 

  Xiang Shaolong was like a fully drawn bow, with no choice but to shoot. Just as he was about to press her down beneath him, Dan Meimei pushed him away. She panted delicately and thinly, “The entrance to the tunnel is beneath the main armoire. There’s a trapdoor beneath it. Open that up, and you’ll see the locked entrance to the tunnel.” 

  Xiang Shaolong was shocked awake. He felt a sense of gratitude in his heart. He knew that she was afraid of exhausting his strength, which was why she forcibly controlled her own urges. 

  After sharing a kiss with her that was so scorching, it nearly set the two of them aflame, he jumped off the couch. Just as he was about to push the armoire aside, he suddenly remembered something. “Are there any other entrances?” 

  Dan Meimei said, “Thereare two other entrances in the imperial gardens. Everyone in the palace knows about them.” 

  Xiang Shaolong gave her a last hug. “That makes it even better. With multiple entrances, even if someone finds out that I left through the tunnel, nobody would suspect you of any complicity.” 

  After this last, lingering embrace, he finally stepped down into this road which would save his life.