Chapter 211 Journey to Southern Frontier

“This… this is the giant water bug unique to the Southern Frontier! Qingqing, don’t—”

Before she could finish, Yu Qing had already grabbed one without hesitation and popped it into her mouth.

Crunch! A crisp sound rang out.

Yu Qing chewed with relish, her eyes sparkling.

“Wow! It’s really crunchy! Full of flavor, and protein overload!”

She turned around, grabbed another one, and without asking, held it out to the two people behind her.

“You two try some too! This is really good stuff!”

Following them were Shen Jue and Lu Yan, dressed in ordinary merchant attire.

They stared at the terrifying bug dripping with oil, held right under their noses.

Two living hellish figures who could summon storms and shed blood without blinking in the court now simultaneously went pale.

Shen Jue suddenly raised his folding fan to cover his face and silently stepped back three paces, his voice dripping with unmasked disgust.

“Take it away! Don’t dirty my… my clothes!”

Lu Yan’s whole body stiffened even more.

“I’m not eating something of unknown origin.”

Yu Qing pouted, swallowing the bug in one bite.

Pfft, and they’re supposed to be the Eastern Depot Director and the Commander of the Embroidered Guards, yet they can’t even eat a bug—what a lack of experience.

With such cowardice, how are you going to survive in the Southern Frontier?

Lu Yan took a deep breath, forcing down the impulse to throw this woman into the oil pot, and turned his face away coldly.

To avoid alerting anyone, they didn’t reveal their identities as imperial officials.

Instead, they posed as merchants from the Central Plains purchasing Southern Frontier specialties and checked into the largest inn in Dongzhou City.

The Guiyun Inn.

The inn was decorated with a strong Southern Frontier style, and mugwort burned in the corners to repel mosquitoes.

Dongzhou City at night was even more bustling than during the day.

However, inside the inn’s spacious “Tian”-shaped room, the atmosphere was extremely tense.

Shen Jue had already changed into tight night clothes.

Lu Yan also wore black from head to toe.

Both sat at the table.

“We’ve got the information,” Lu Yan said, sheathing his knife, his voice low and measured.

“The Zhennan Prince’s Mansion is located in the eastern part of the city, heavily guarded. It’s even trickier than we expected.”

Shen Jue sneered, pulling a black face cloth over his mouth.

“Tonight, we go ourselves!”

“The Prince’s wife just died suddenly. The entire mansion is on edge.”

“If there’s nothing to fear, why guard the estate like a fortress?”

They exchanged a glance, and that familiar tacit understanding surged once more between them.

“Be careful!” Su Hewan whispered.

Yu Qing had already fallen asleep from exhaustion.

“Miss Wanwan, please watch over Qingqing,” Lu Yan said with a slight smile.

Su Hewan nodded, smiling gently. “She’s really tired today. Let her sleep! Don’t worry.”

“Wanwan, remember—don’t open the door for anyone until we return!” Shen Jue reminded sternly.

“Got it!”

After giving their instructions, the two wasted no more words. They pushed open the window and silently melted into the heavy night.

The Zhennan Prince’s Mansion covered a vast area.

Yet unlike the bustling streets outside, this enormous estate was now shrouded in dead silence.

Pale mourning lamps swung in the night wind around the mansion, casting eerie, chilling glows.

Teams of royal guards clad in heavy armor patrolled the mansion, torches in hand, their expressions solemn as they moved back and forth.

Their steps were perfectly synchronized, armor clinking with a cold, metallic sound.

Lu Yan and Shen Jue crouched atop a high glazed-tile roof of the Wang Mansion, using the shadow of the eaves to conceal their forms flawlessly.

Lu Yan made a hand gesture, pointing toward a blind spot in the guard rotation below.

Shen Jue nodded slightly, acknowledging it.

The two moved with cat-like grace, making no sound as they slipped along the shadows, delving deeper into the mansion.

The further they went, the heavier the oppressive atmosphere became.

Even the chirping of insects had vanished without a trace.

Soon, they reached the core area of the mansion’s rear courtyard.

It was an extremely secluded, standalone courtyard, surrounded by high walls, with four long-breathed hidden guards stationed at the entrance.

Lu Yan frowned, silently mouthing to Shen Jue: “Top-tier experts.”

Shen Jue’s gaze also turned grave.

If top-tier experts were guarding the gate, there was undoubtedly a secret inside that must not be revealed.

Holding their breath, the two silently climbed up a century-old tree along the outer wall, hiding in its dense branches to get a high vantage point over the courtyard below.

In the very center of the yard stood a strikingly large ebony coffin.

Around the coffin, there were no offerings as in a traditional ceremonial hall; instead, bizarre vermilion symbols were drawn all over.

In front of the coffin stood a burly middle-aged man with graying temples.

He was the reigning Prince of a different surname, commanding a strong garrison and guarding the Southern Frontier.

The Prince of the South, Xiao Zhengnan!

At that moment, under the dim candlelight, the Prince’s expression was extremely somber.

Three steps in front of him stood a mysterious figure shrouded in a voluminous black robe.

The figure was hunched over, most of his face hidden by the hood, only revealing a pale, gaunt chin.

They were too far to hear clearly—but one thing was certain: the two were conducting some kind of exchange.

For the black-robed man had handed a wooden box to the Prince of the South.

The first rays of morning sunlight pierced the uniquely bright Southern Frontier sky.

In a “T-shaped” guest room at the Yuelai Inn, the bed covers were suddenly tossed aside.

Yu Qing stretched out with utter abandon, showing not a hint of decorum.

Barefoot on the soft Persian carpet, she walked to the window in a few steps and pushed open the half-closed shutters.

Outside, the bustling streets were filled with exotic charm.

The vibrant Southern Frontier attire interwove in the morning light, and the vendors selling local breakfast treats were already shouting loudly in their halting official language.

The clinking of silver ornaments rang clearly across two streets.

Yu Qing took a deep breath of this lively, human-filled air, feeling utterly refreshed and in an incredibly good mood.

“Wanwan, you’ve got to admit, days where you don’t punch in at work and can travel around like this are just amazing!”

She turned around, her bright eyes sparkling with mischief.

“If it weren’t for the murder case, this would totally be top-tier VIP government-funded travel!”

On the other side of the room, at the dressing table,

Su Hewan was already dressed neatly, her pale cyan gown making her look even more ethereal and refined.

She held a boxwood comb, running it through her waterfall-like black hair.

Hearing Yu Qing’s carefree exclamation, Su Hewan gave her a helpless side-eye through the polished bronze mirror.

“You really are carefree.”

She neatly pinned a white jade hairpin into her bun, then turned with a light smile to urge her friend.

“Enough of your musings about ‘government-funded travel.’ Get up and wash up; change your clothes.”

Su Hewan pointed toward the door, lowering her voice.

“Otherwise, those two little devils next door will come banging on the door demanding you hurry again.”

Yu Qing casually pursed her lips, elongating the word as she replied.

“Alright, alright—I’m coming—”