That evening, Prince Wu threw a banquet for them.

Princess Consort Wu came too, with the baby in her arms.

Ning Chen took the baby and played with it for a while. The little thing already knew who was who, though, and being held by a stranger was too much. It suddenly burst into wails.

Prince Wu muttered, "Doesn't take after me one bit. No guts at all. All the kid knows how to do is cry."

Ning Chen shot him a look, lips twitching.

"Little Xixi, where's the present I got for the baby?"

"Right here. I brought it."

Xiao Yanxi stepped forward and handed Princess Consort Wu a vermilion box... Inside was a longevity lock of solid gold. Ning Chen had had it made back when they reached Xuanwu City.

Princess Consort Wu bowed low. "Thank you, my lord prince!"

Prince Wu waved them over. "Come, come, come, sit down and let's talk!"

Everyone took their seats.

They all knew one another, so nobody bothered with much ceremony.

Prince Wu raised his cup. "Ning Chen, here's to you."

Ning Chen clinked his cup against it. "Starting tomorrow, the four city gates come unsealed."

Prince Wu blinked.

Ning Chen smiled. "Keeping a city's gates shut really won't do. We can't go stirring up the people's anger... I brought some brothers from the Ghost-Shadow Sect with me this time.

Tomorrow the gates open, with a heavy guard on every one. Everybody going in or out gets searched, and searched hard.

I'll post two Ghost-Shadow men at each gate. They're all masters of disguise. If anyone tries to sneak out of the city wearing someone else's face, they'll spot him."

Prince Wu thought it over, then broke into a grin. "Perfect. We'll do it that way!"

Ning Chen and his people had been on the road for days on end, and everything they'd eaten had been so bland they were sick of it. A good meal was a rare treat, so naturally they dug in.

They ate a lot and drank very little.

Just then a soldier came trotting in, dropped…