The Grand Master Strategist 028 Predicting Matters Like a God

  Xiao Huazi slid down the rope from the top of the wall and slipped into Wuyou Palace, which was locked behind the high palace walls. Inside Wuyou Palace, it was pitch black, so dark that you couldn't see your fingers in front of you.

  Xiao Huazi had never been to the Worry-Free Palace before. Although he had carefully studied the instructions for each of the large halls in the Worry-Free Palace drawn by Princess Worry-Free, the palace was really too big. Under a piece of black lacquer, he didn't dare light up the fire to illuminate it, and could only rely on intuition to walk around. As he walked back and forth, all the places he entered were not the Hall of Joy.

  He had no choice but to take the risk of being discovered, quickly pulled out a lighter from his pocket, glanced at the direction, and immediately extinguished it, his thin body darted across like a cat.

  It wasn't until they entered the Leisure Heart Palace, the bedroom of Princess Worry-Free, that Xiao Huazi dared to re-light the fire starter.

  Under the faint light, he looked around at the spacious but desolate and dusty Le Xin Hall, thinking of Princess Wuyou's orders. He first felt along the wall, tapping lightly, but there was no response.

  The princess said that if there was no hidden compartment on the wall, then... Xiaohua came directly to the bedside, with the bed as the center, and the whole person was pressed against the ground, inch by inch, searching and tapping lightly.

  Until he had almost touched and knocked on all the floor tiles under the bed without finding anything, as time passed by, Xiaohua's forehead was covered with thin sweat. He was unwilling to risk his life in vain, nor did he want to disappoint the princess.

  He knew the princess had brought him here with great expectations.

  Xiaohua closed her eyes and calmed down. Then, she started again from the bed as the center and tapped on all the floor tiles once more, but still didn't find anything.

  Could it be that the princess was wrong? The thought had just flashed through his mind when he immediately overturned it, no, the princess would never remember wrongly.

  Just as Xiaohua decided to search for the third time, his movements suddenly stopped, and he slowly backed away, looking at the brick under his knees, tapping it lightly with his hand, hearing a hollow sound that was different from the others. He was overjoyed, and his whole body leaned forward, carefully prying open the brick, taking out the lighter to illuminate it, the hidden compartment was very small, inside there was only one book.

  After putting the booklet away and restoring the floor tiles to their original state, Xiaohua quickly blew out the fire and left the music hall, looking at the sky outside, guessing that it was almost dawn.

  He gritted his teeth secretly, at this moment the imperial guard's patrol was definitely very strict, he wanted to sneak back as smoothly as when he came, it would be difficult.

  If he is found out, it's just a dead end, but if the things on him are discovered, they will implicate the princess.

  Xiao Huazi's body was tightly pressed against the wall, listening to the sound of soldiers patrolling outside from time to time. His eyes were red with anxiety, but he also knew that the more anxious he became, the easier it would be for him to make a mistake.

  Sticking close to the wall, Xiaohua moved cautiously, the cold wind blowing against him made him shiver and break out in a cold sweat.

  It can't go on like this, and it's almost dawn.

  Xiao Huazi had just climbed onto the wall when he saw a team of imperial guards walking by, and he immediately ducked his head. Although Wuyou Palace was sealed off, it was adjacent to Shengyang Palace, where the defenses were as tight as a fortress.

  The sky slowly brightened, and the view was no longer pitch black. Xiaohua gritted his teeth and decisively took off the dusty night-traveling clothes, revealing the eunuch's palace attire that Xiao Gao had obtained for him. Fortunately, the princess was wise and had anticipated this possibility.

  Another team of forbidden troops had just made their rounds and left. He climbed down from the wall and, taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, walked calmly along the palace path.

  Just a short distance from the Worry-Free Palace, they ran into a patrol of Imperial Guards.

  Xiao Huazi quietly tidied up his clothes, forcibly suppressing the trembling of his hands and feet, and proactively stepped forward to ask. His tense voice made it unnecessary for him to pretend: "Excuse me... sir, may I ask which way is Liang Jing Palace?"

  The leading eunuch stared at Xiaohua with piercing eyes: "Which palace are you from? What do you want to do in Liangjing Palace?"

  "I'm just a humble eunuch serving in the inner palace, yesterday the manager of Liangjing Palace, Mr. Xu Ren, sent someone to tell me to go see him early this morning, but... I've been walking around and can't find the way, it's still early now and there's no one around, so I'm taking a chance to ask you honorable officials for directions."

  "What does Mr. Xu want from you at this time?"

  Xiao Huazi's face revealed a hint of a shy smile, and she secretly glanced at the stern-looking eunuch before speaking in a voice that was barely audible: "I... I'm from the same hometown as Master Xu, and I heard that the Emperor is selecting a new batch of eunuchs to serve him. He told me to go to the Liangjing Palace to find him, saying that he would let me meet with Imperial Concubine Gui."

  "Haven't you been to Liangjing Palace?" The imperial guard asked suspiciously.

  "Been there... been there once before, last time had... someone leading the way, I didn't even look at the road."

  "The Liangjing Palace is not here."

  "Ah, not here? Then..." Xiaohua's eyes widened in surprise before she became flustered.

  The leading eunuch looked at the simple and innocent little eunuch in front of him, although he had already believed that the little eunuch was lost, but he still had to be vigilant.

  "Alright, follow us and we'll pass by Liangjing Palace in a moment."

  Xiao Huazi was overjoyed: "Really? Thank you, Master Cha, thank you..."

  Seeing this little eunuch without a hint of hesitation, the last bit of vigilance in the leader of the Imperial Guard relaxed.

  Xiao Huazi followed them respectfully towards the direction of Liangjing Palace, his heart had risen to his throat, looking at the imperial guards' appearance, he really thought they would take him to see Ruan Ren before feeling reassured.

  All the way, I thought of countless possible reactions that Xu Ren might have, but the princess only said that this method can be used in emergency situations. The problem is that Xu Ren doesn't know anything, what if we encounter eunuchs from the Imperial Palace on the road?

  Or what if the little eunuch on duty at Liang Jing Palace exposes him as a eunuch from You Ning Palace, not Nei Wu Palace? Or what if Xu Ren doesn't react or simply refuses to help him, then what?

  Just as Xiaohua's mind was racing, he heard the cold voice of the leading imperial guard: "The front is Liangjing Palace."

  Xiao Huazi's heart skipped a beat, he looked up and stared with wide eyes in surprise, then bowed hastily to express his gratitude: "Thank you, Chancellor."

  Only then did the leader of the imperial guards turn his head and order, "You all wait here for a moment, I'll take this little eunuch to Liangjing Palace."

  Xiao Huazi's heart skipped a beat, and the cold sweat on his back poured down, but his face was filled with gratitude and surprise: "This... how can I be so lucky?"

  "Let's go." The man only uttered two words, using his eyes to indicate that he should lead the way.

  "Yes, yes, thank you, Master Cha. You're really a good person!" Xiaohua thanked him repeatedly before heading towards the Liangjing Palace.

  The closer they got to Liang Jing Palace, the more cold sweat there was on Xiao Hua's body, and his close-fitting clothes were all wet and stuck to his skin. Fortunately, he was wearing a down jacket, so it wasn't easy for the cold sweat to completely soak through his clothes. The cold sweat on his forehead was also blown dry by the cold wind.

  At this time, around 4 am, a fish belly white streaked across the horizon, and the sky brightened.

  The little eunuch on duty at Liangjing Palace was surprised to see Xiaohua and thought: "It's so early, why has Xiaohua come?"

  Xiao Huazi looked at Xiao Duzi and hurriedly ran over, excitedly saying: "Xiao Duzi, please go tell Xu Ren that I've arrived."

  Xiao Duzi looked suspiciously at the Imperial Guard behind Xiao Huazi: "Xiao Huazi, this...this officer?"

  Xiao Huazi suddenly seemed to remember that the Imperial Guard was still following behind him, and hastily apologized with a bow: "Thank you, sir. Thank you."

  Facing Xiaohua's shining eyes, which seemed to say "You're really a good person", this suspicious imperial guard felt somewhat uneasy and looked away. After glancing at Xiaoduzi, he coldly warned in an expressionless tone: "Be more careful next time, the palace is off-limits, no wandering around."

  "Yes, thank you, Master Chai. I'll remember." Xiaohua bowed so low that his waist almost touched the ground.

  Just as the imperial guard was about to leave, a surprised voice came from the gate of Liangjing Palace: "Xiao Huazi, how are you at this time..."

  Xiao Huazi's eyelids twitched, and he quickly turned around to interrupt Xu Ren's words: "This... this isn't me getting lost, is it? Xu Ren... no, I should call you Lord Xu, haha... didn't I miss the timing?"

  "What were you saying?" The words that followed were swallowed back when Xu Ren saw Xiao Huazhi's pleading eyes, and he only furrowed his brow, staring at Xiao Huazhi.

  Xian saw Xu Ren frowning as if dissatisfied with the eunuch's late arrival, and only then did the imperial guards relax and leave in big strides.

  Xiao Huāzi's eyes widened as he watched the Imperial Guard finally leave, and his throat constricted with tension until it hurt. His heart finally relaxed a little bit, but in the next moment, Xǔ Rén tightly grasped his hand, his voice cold and low, threatening: "Xiao Huāzi, you'd better tell me the truth, what have you been doing? How did you provoke the Imperial Guard? Otherwise... even if they've left, I can still call them back."