Chapter 345: We Have Completed The Task

　　Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

　　Xu Que left the Second Prince’s chamber, using his movement skill to quietly leave the palace. He reappeared near a main street.

　　Just as he tried to return to the inn, he stopped abruptly as if he had just thought of something. He slapped himself on the head, face full of regret.

　　“Damn, I acted too fast… I forgot to pay a visit to the Empress Dowager’s chamber!”

　　Xu Que furrowed his eyebrows, then turned around, intending to go back to the palace again. He wanted to grab whatever other treasures he could find as well as have a look at the beauty of the Empress Dowager.

　　If she was as beautiful as a fairy, then he would really give her a tongue-lashing!

　　How do you teach your grandchildren?

　　Do you know that your grandson is secretly collecting something that belongs to you?

　　Do you know that you’re poisoning a young man? Those things should be given to me for safe-keeping…

　　Xu Que decided how he should go about closing in on his imminent target. He was now ready to go back to the palace!

　　But just as he was about to execute his movement skill, he saw several horses, a group of guards and a horse carriage emerge in the distance. It was the Second Prince and his men.

　　Ha, this cunning Second Fatty actually took so long to get to the palace in order to buy time… he really is out to fool this Act Tough King!

　　Heheh!

　　Didn’t you lie to me about being in a state of poverty?

　　How can this Act Tough King let you go back on your word? Just you wait and see what’s waiting for you!

　　Xu Que felt amused. He concealed his presence as he quietly sneaked to the rear of the group and entered the horse carriage within the blink of an eye.

　　The carriage driver seemed to feel something and hurriedly turned around. With a suspicious and confused look, he asked, “Young Master Xu, are you okay?”

　　“No, I’m not okay! Stop the carriage!” Xu Que shouted from the carriage.

　　As he had spoken rather loudly, even the Second Prince who was in front of them heard his exclamation as well. He frowned immediately, but raised a hand. The slow-moving team stopped in their tracks.

　　All of them turned to look at the horse carriage, waiting to see what Xu Que was up to now.

　　“Young Master Xu, what’s wrong?” the carriage driver asked, quickly stopping the carriage by pulling on the reins..

　　Xu Que lifted the curtain on the horse carriage and hopped down. “You’re moving so slowly that it’s boring. Forget it, I don’t want the mansion or the silver and gold. As for the 3,000 beauties, let them go back to where they belong. Goodbye!”

　　With that, Xu Que turned and walked away.

　　The Second Prince was startled by his actions and looked astonished:

　　What the hell is this guy doing?

　　Why is he suddenly saying that he isn’t going to come anymore? Why doesn’t he want the mansion or the 3,000 beauties?

　　Is this a sudden discovery of his conscience?

　　It’s strange. It’s too abnormal!

　　“Xu Que, what exactly are you up to?” shouted the Second Prince, thinking of the IOU that had yet to be returned to him.

　　“Am I the kind of person who likes to play tricks?” shouted Xu Que. “You think you can fool me… by moving so slowly, you must be concealing some motive or conspiracy. If I can’t get anything out of this trip, why should I waste my time? Come, here’s the IOU!”

　　Xu Que waved his hand, crumpled the IOU and threw the ball of paper towards the Second Prince.

　　“Don’t thank me, I need to go back and write in my diary now, goodbye!”

　　And Xu Que strode away.

　　The Second Prince was puzzled. He could not understand Xu Que’s motives. He caught the ball of paper and hurriedly unfolded it to check.

　　He was surprised and stunned for moment. It really was the IOU, written in his own handwriting:

　　Why is this happening?

　　Why did Xu Que’s temperament change so drastically? It’s as if he has become a good person!

　　He just handed over the IOU so easily…

　　Could it be that he has undergone some kind of enlightenment during the ride inside the horse carriage?

　　“Your Royal Highness, this old servant feels that this rascal must have gotten frightened, as we are about to enter the palace!” said the old eunuch beside the Second Prince, smiling as he spoke in a low voice.

　　Hearing this, the Second Prince immediately responded with a smirk. “So that’s how it is! At first, I was perplexed at his courage in daring to enter the palace with this prince. Seems like it was all a pretense!”

　　“Your Royal Highness is wise!” The old eunuch immediately flattered the Second Prince.

　　The Second Prince gave a cold smile as he stared at Xu Que’s back disappearing into the distance. “The Imperial Palace has many skilled people protecting the royal family,” sneered the prince. “It is natural that he will feel scared. However… this doesn’t mean that I will let him off. Go and make the necessary arrangements. I want to see his corpse before the Imperial Tombs Contest ends!”

　　“Yes, Your Royal Highness!” the old eunuch quickly responded.

　　The group of people entered the palace, holding their heads high and forming an impressive formation.

　　Meanwhile, the Imperial Palace was in a chaos. Many palace guards were conducting a search everywhere. Many of the major chambers were now being heavily guarded.

　　When the Second Prince entered the palace, he noticed that something was not quite right. He swiftly stopped a guard and asked, “what happened in the palace?”

　　When the guard noticed that it was the Second Prince, he hurriedly got down on one knee down and replied, “Your Royal Highness, about an hour ago, an assassin appeared in the palace. He knocked out a eunuch from Seeping Fragrance Palace!”

　　“Seeping Fragrance Palace? Isn’t that the Empress Dowager’s chamber?”

　　The Second Prince furrowed his brows, his eyes flashing slightly.

　　The guard nodded his head. “Yes, it was said that the assassin had inquired about the positions of several chambers from the little eunuch. According to the eunuch, he suspected that the assassin has come for the Empress Dowager. We have deployed more guards to protect the various major chambers.”

　　The Second Prince’s face was grim when he heard that. His fists clenched tightly and he spoke in a low, serious tone. “These despicable people are really bold! Do send more guards to the Empress Dowager’s place. I will come later to protect the Empress Dowager personally!”

　　“Yes, Your Royal Highness!”

　　The guard hurriedly went away to execute the new order.

　　Somehow the Second Prince felt that there was something amiss. He rushed to his own chambers with his group of men.

　　However, when the Second Prince arrived at the entrance of his chamber, both he and the old eunuch paused for a while when they stepped inside. Then both of them stepped out at the same time.

　　“Presumptuous!” cried the Second Prince. “Where did you lead us? Can’t you even remember the way to my chamber?”

　　This chamber was too unfamiliar. There was nothing inside it, and it looked uninhabited and completely empty!

　　The abundance of sweet viburnum shrubs on the front porch; the agate and other precious ornaments that were displayed inside… they were all absent..

　　Not to mention the various random treasures that were conducive for cultivation, accumulated by the prince over the years. For example, the foreign ambergris incense burner that had a calming and relaxing effect; the foreign fragrant rosewood chair and the thousand year cold jade that had been made into the cold jade bed…

　　These were all the treasures that the Second Prince had collected through various means over the years. Now… he did not even see a single one of them in this chamber.

　　That was why when the Second Prince entered the room, he was unable to recognise it.

　　The old eunuch was also stumped by the sight. He hurriedly kneeled on the ground and kowtowed. “This old servant is wrong! Your Royal Highness, please be appeased!”

　　Just then, the eunuchs inside the chamber heard sounds and ran out to receive the Second Prince. They had joyous expressions and were prepared to claim credit from the prince. “Greetings, Your Royal Highness, we have completed the task that you ordered us to do!”

　　“The task that I ordered?”

　　The Second Prince was confused for a moment.

　　“Yes, didn’t Your Royal Highness issue a secret order to put away all the treasures in the chamber?” replied the eunuchs.

　　The old eunuch who was kneeling on the ground suddenly remembered that he had sent out the secret order earlier!

　　But… isn’t this too f*cking clean?

　　No…

　　Can this even be called clean?

　　This is a total wipe-out of all the items!