240 Underground Secret Passage
Du Tao did not move.
At this moment, he had completely lost the enthusiasm and straightforwardness he had when they first met. His entire body seemed to be covered in a layer of haze, making him look exceptionally ruthless.
“This is an internal matter of our Eastern Expedition Army. We can resolve it ourselves. I hope you won’t interfere, Your Highness.”
Xiao Juan said, “Everything in the world is in royal land. How can it be considered meddling in other people’s business when I patrol the Eastern Expedition Army on behalf of His Majesty? On the other hand, you keep obstructing me. You seem to be hiding many secrets.”
His gaze locked onto Du Tao with a strong sense of oppression.
Du Tao smiled. “Your Highness, you have a good eye. I really don’t want the news of General Tang’s illness to spread, at least not in the short term. Therefore, please keep it a secret.”
Xiao Juan asked, “What if I don’t agree?”
Du Tao’s eyes flashed fiercely. “Then don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
Prince Min’s expression darkened as he shouted.
“How dare you threaten us? Are you planning a rebellion?!”
“You’re right. I just want to rebel!” With that, Du Tao took two steps back, before reaching out and grabbing the thin rope beside the bed curtain to pull it down.
With a whoosh, a large net fell from the sky!
Xiao Juan pulled out his No Return Saber and swept the sharp blade across, cutting through the large net above his head.
Du Tao whistled and immediately pressed the mechanism beside the bed.
A tile opened, revealing an underground passage.
He jumped into the secret passage.
Seeing this, Lu Yaoguang wanted to chase after him and flee with him, but he was too late. Xiao Juan, who was faster, grabbed the back of his collar and forcefully pulled him back.
Lu Yaoguang could only watch helplessly as the tiles closed again.
He was exasperated and shouted.
“Wait for me!”
At the same time, a thick smoke entered the house through the door.
Prince Min covered his mouth and nose. “Where did the smoke come from?”
Xiao Juan casually tore off a piece of bedsheet and tied Lu Yaoguang’s hands behind his back.
He hurried to the door and reached for it, only to find it locked from the outside.
When he pushed open the window again, the outcome was the same. They were all locked from the outside.
There was also a huge fire outside as smoke poured into the room.
Xiao Juan called Meng Xizhou twice.
No one answered. It was obvious that Meng Xizhou and the others had been plotted against.
Du Tao was ready. He’d planned everything.
Xiao Juan used his internal energy and kicked the door.
There was a loud clang as the door fell to the ground.
As the flames outside immediately spread into the house with the wind, Xiao Juan grabbed Prince Min and ran out. However, before they could rush out of the door, arrows were shot at them, forcing them back into the room.
Lu Yaoguang coughed and said, “You can’t get out. Du Tao has set up an inescapable ambush outside. No matter how strong you are, you won’t be able to escape death.”
Xiao Juan turned his gaze to the secret passage entrance on the ground.
Du Tao had escaped through the secret passage just now. There must be an exit inside.
Xiao Juan walked past the bed and searched for a moment before quickly finding the mechanism.
With a gentle press, the tiles opened. Seeing this, Lu Yaoguang staggered over and panted.
“Take me with you. Please.”
Xiao Juan looked at the dark secret passage. He did not know what was going on inside. If there was a trap inside, they would be in danger.
But in this situation, he had no better choice. Xiao Juan carried Tang Pei, who was lying on the bed, on his shoulder and said to Prince Min, “Let’s go.”
Prince Min had already thrown away his horsetail whisk. He followed Xiao Juan down the secret passage.
Lu Yaoguang did not want to stay in the house and wait for death.
He sat down and placed his feet in the secret passage. Then he moved down bit by bit. After his feet reached the ground, he walked down the steps.
Not long after they left, the tiles closed automatically again.
The secret passage was dark.
Fortunately, Xiao Juan had the habit of carrying a lighter with him.
He took out the torch. In the faint light, he saw a lantern hanging on the wall beside him.
He took down the lantern and lit the candle inside.
Xiao Juan handed the lantern to Prince Min and let him carry it.
Prince Min walked in front with the lantern, and Xiao Juan followed closely behind with Tang Pei.
Lu Yaoguang walked at the back. His hands were still tied behind his back and his movements were restricted.
He was very afraid that Duke Lang would attack him, so he deliberately kept a distance from the two people in front.
After walking for a while, Prince Min realized that there was a fork in the road ahead.
He asked Xiao Juan which way to go.
Xiao Juan placed Tang Pei on the ground. He squatted down and looked carefully under the dim light of the lantern. He found a shallow footprint.
He stood up and pointed to the right. “Du Tao went this way. We’ll follow him.”
Prince Min agreed.
They continued down the road on the right. Then, they encountered several forks. At first, Xiao Juan could still distinguish the direction with the footprints.
Later, the footprints suddenly disappeared. They were completely lost in this underground passage, unable to tell direction.
Prince Min was terrified. “We’re not going to die trapped here, are we?”
Xiao Juan placed Tang Pei on the ground and turned to look at Lu Yaoguang not far away.
“Do you know how to get out?”
Lu Yaoguang’s expression was ugly as he said hoarsely.
“Tang Pei secretly got someone to dig this secret passage to prevent any accidents. There were only three people in the world who knew the route of this secret passage. One was Tang Pei, the other was Du Tao, and the last was Tang Pei’s daughter, Tang Guixi. Du Tao only told me that there was a secret passage here that could be used to escape at a critical moment.
But he didn’t tell me how to find the exit.”
Prince Min immediately walked to Tang Pei’s side. The hazy lantern light shone on Tang Pei’s face.
His face was frighteningly pale. Even after being carried over his shoulder for so long, he still showed no sign of waking. His eyes were closed and he did not move.
Prince Min tried to shout twice.
“General Tang, Tang Pei!”
Xiao Juan extended his finger and placed it under Tang Pei’s nose.
Seeing this, Prince Min’s heart skipped a beat. “What are you doing? General Tang is unconscious, not dead. Do you need to check his breathing?”
Xiao Juan retracted his finger. “He’s already dead.”
The moment he saw Tang Pei, Xiao Juan felt that Tang Pei was not alive. He wanted to check Tang Pei’s breathing then, but he was stopped by Du Tao.
After that, he carried Tang Pei and fled. He could clearly feel that Tang Pei’s body was frighteningly cold. There was no warmth at all, and his limbs were even a little stiff.
When he checked his breathing, the result was not surprising. The man was really dead.
Prince Min fell to the ground in shock. “D-dead? How did that happen?”
There are only three people in the world who know the exit of the secret passage. Du Tao had already fled, and Tang Guixi’s whereabouts were unknown. It was very likely that she had already perished.
Only Tang Pei was left, but he was already dead.
So what do they do?
240 Underground Secret Passage
Du Tao did not move.
At this moment, he had completely lost the enthusiasm and straightforwardness he had when they first met. His entire body seemed to be covered in a layer of haze, making him look exceptionally ruthless.
“This is an internal matter of our Eastern Expedition Army. We can resolve it ourselves. I hope you won’t interfere, Your Highness.”
Xiao Juan said, “Everything in the world is in royal land. How can it be considered meddling in other people’s business when I patrol the Eastern Expedition Army on behalf of His Majesty? On the other hand, you keep obstructing me. You seem to be hiding many secrets.”
His gaze locked onto Du Tao with a strong sense of oppression.
Du Tao smiled. “Your Highness, you have a good eye. I really don’t want the news of General Tang’s illness to spread, at least not in the short term. Therefore, please keep it a secret.”
Xiao Juan asked, “What if I don’t agree?”
Du Tao’s eyes flashed fiercely. “Then don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
Prince Min’s expression darkened as he shouted.
“How dare you threaten us? Are you planning a rebellion?!”
“You’re right. I just want to rebel!” With that, Du Tao took two steps back, before reaching out and grabbing the thin rope beside the bed curtain to pull it down.
With a whoosh, a large net fell from the sky!
Xiao Juan pulled out his No Return Saber and swept the sharp blade across, cutting through the large net above his head.
Du Tao whistled and immediately pressed the mechanism beside the bed.
A tile opened, revealing an underground passage.
He jumped into the secret passage.
Seeing this, Lu Yaoguang wanted to chase after him and flee with him, but he was too late. Xiao Juan, who was faster, grabbed the back of his collar and forcefully pulled him back.
Lu Yaoguang could only watch helplessly as the tiles closed again.
He was exasperated and shouted.
“Wait for me!”
At the same time, a thick smoke entered the house through the door.
Prince Min covered his mouth and nose. “Where did the smoke come from?”
Xiao Juan casually tore off a piece of bedsheet and tied Lu Yaoguang’s hands behind his back.
He hurried to the door and reached for it, only to find it locked from the outside.
When he pushed open the window again, the outcome was the same. They were all locked from the outside.
There was also a huge fire outside as smoke poured into the room.
Xiao Juan called Meng Xizhou twice.
No one answered. It was obvious that Meng Xizhou and the others had been plotted against.
Du Tao was ready. He’d planned everything.
Xiao Juan used his internal energy and kicked the door.
There was a loud clang as the door fell to the ground.
As the flames outside immediately spread into the house with the wind, Xiao Juan grabbed Prince Min and ran out. However, before they could rush out of the door, arrows were shot at them, forcing them back into the room.
Lu Yaoguang coughed and said, “You can’t get out. Du Tao has set up an inescapable ambush outside. No matter how strong you are, you won’t be able to escape death.”
Xiao Juan turned his gaze to the secret passage entrance on the ground.
Du Tao had escaped through the secret passage just now. There must be an exit inside.
Xiao Juan walked past the bed and searched for a moment before quickly finding the mechanism.
With a gentle press, the tiles opened. Seeing this, Lu Yaoguang staggered over and panted.
“Take me with you. Please.”
Xiao Juan looked at the dark secret passage. He did not know what was going on inside. If there was a trap inside, they would be in danger.
But in this situation, he had no better choice. Xiao Juan carried Tang Pei, who was lying on the bed, on his shoulder and said to Prince Min, “Let’s go.”
Prince Min had already thrown away his horsetail whisk. He followed Xiao Juan down the secret passage.
Lu Yaoguang did not want to stay in the house and wait for death.
He sat down and placed his feet in the secret passage. Then he moved down bit by bit. After his feet reached the ground, he walked down the steps.
Not long after they left, the tiles closed automatically again.
The secret passage was dark.
Fortunately, Xiao Juan had the habit of carrying a lighter with him.
He took out the torch. In the faint light, he saw a lantern hanging on the wall beside him.
He took down the lantern and lit the candle inside.
Xiao Juan handed the lantern to Prince Min and let him carry it.
Prince Min walked in front with the lantern, and Xiao Juan followed closely behind with Tang Pei.
Lu Yaoguang walked at the back. His hands were still tied behind his back and his movements were restricted.
He was very afraid that Duke Lang would attack him, so he deliberately kept a distance from the two people in front.
After walking for a while, Prince Min realized that there was a fork in the road ahead.
He asked Xiao Juan which way to go.
Xiao Juan placed Tang Pei on the ground. He squatted down and looked carefully under the dim light of the lantern. He found a shallow footprint.
He stood up and pointed to the right. “Du Tao went this way. We’ll follow him.”
Prince Min agreed.
They continued down the road on the right. Then, they encountered several forks. At first, Xiao Juan could still distinguish the direction with the footprints.
Later, the footprints suddenly disappeared. They were completely lost in this underground passage, unable to tell direction.
Prince Min was terrified. “We’re not going to die trapped here, are we?”
Xiao Juan placed Tang Pei on the ground and turned to look at Lu Yaoguang not far away.
“Do you know how to get out?”
Lu Yaoguang’s expression was ugly as he said hoarsely.
“Tang Pei secretly got someone to dig this secret passage to prevent any accidents. There were only three people in the world who knew the route of this secret passage. One was Tang Pei, the other was Du Tao, and the last was Tang Pei’s daughter, Tang Guixi. Du Tao only told me that there was a secret passage here that could be used to escape at a critical moment.
But he didn’t tell me how to find the exit.”
Prince Min immediately walked to Tang Pei’s side. The hazy lantern light shone on Tang Pei’s face.
His face was frighteningly pale. Even after being carried over his shoulder for so long, he still showed no sign of waking. His eyes were closed and he did not move.
Prince Min tried to shout twice.
“General Tang, Tang Pei!”
Xiao Juan extended his finger and placed it under Tang Pei’s nose.
Seeing this, Prince Min’s heart skipped a beat. “What are you doing? General Tang is unconscious, not dead. Do you need to check his breathing?”
Xiao Juan retracted his finger. “He’s already dead.”
The moment he saw Tang Pei, Xiao Juan felt that Tang Pei was not alive. He wanted to check Tang Pei’s breathing then, but he was stopped by Du Tao.
After that, he carried Tang Pei and fled. He could clearly feel that Tang Pei’s body was frighteningly cold. There was no warmth at all, and his limbs were even a little stiff.
When he checked his breathing, the result was not surprising. The man was really dead.
Prince Min fell to the ground in shock. “D-dead? How did that happen?”
There are only three people in the world who know the exit of the secret passage. Du Tao had already fled, and Tang Guixi’s whereabouts were unknown. It was very likely that she had already perished.
Only Tang Pei was left, but he was already dead.
So what do they do?
