Pan Yucheng was struck dumb and staring.

"The President of the Secretariat may be high in rank and heavy in power, but he isn't grand enough to hook the Prince Regent of Wu, is he?"

Ning Chen gave a slight nod. "So you've thought of it too... That's right. There's someone else behind Li Hongzhuo. He's only the piece they've put out in the open."

Pan Yucheng asked, "Who's behind him?"

Ning Chen shook his head. "I have a few suspects, but who exactly it is isn't clear yet."

"Li Hongzhuo may know about me and the woman emperor, but he has no proof."

Pan Yucheng said, "So he's come to Wu this time to look for proof?"

Ning Chen gave a slight nod. "He certainly has that in mind."

"Then this man..."

Pan Yucheng did not finish. He made a throat-cutting gesture instead.

The corner of Ning Chen's mouth lifted, and he nodded slightly. "Keep a close watch on his movements for me."

Pan Yucheng made a sound of assent. "Rest easy. Leave it to me!"

The next day.

Ning Chen and the others were up early.

Having arrived in Wu, the first thing to do was of course to present themselves to the Wu woman emperor.

Fu Lu and Li Ruishi were already waiting outside.

Not everyone needed to go.

Ning Chen, Pan Yucheng, Li Hongzhuo and Shen Min had to.

Feng Qizheng and the rest did not — to put it plainly, they were not of high enough standing.

"Did you gentlemen rest well last night?"

Fu Lu had gone back to his crinkling smile — a textbook case of a blade hidden in a laugh.

Li Hongzhuo nodded, smiling.

"My thanks to Lord Fu for his concern. I slept very well!"

Ning Chen shot the two of them a glance.

He could be certain now: Fu Lu was the Prince Regent's man.

At the banquet last night, Fu Lu and Li Hongzhuo had been making eyes at each other, and later one of them had gone out on the pretext of visiting the privy.

Fu Lu…