Chapter 93 Better to believe it exists

Chapter 93 Better to believe it exists

At dawn, the first rays of sunlight pierced through the thin mist and shone into the master bedroom of the Regent's Palace.

Tang Li was still curled up in bed, fast asleep, with tear stains still clinging to the corners of her eyes. Clearly, last night's "nightmare" had tormented her quite a bit.

Pei Yunjing had already gotten up and was standing by the bed, being helped by a maid to put on his court robes while looking down at the small bundle on the bed.

If it were in the past...

If anyone dared to tell him, "I should investigate the moat just because I had a dream," he would definitely think that person was crazy and have them dragged away and given twenty lashes to wake them up.

After all, he was a commander who had fought his way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood; he believed in the sword in his hand and never in any supernatural forces or strange phenomena.

But now...

He looked at Tang Li's small face, which was still furrowed in her brows and anxiously clutching the corner of the blanket, even in her sleep.

The way she cried and trembled in his arms last night, and her tearful words, "I don't want you to die," were like a thorn stuck in his heart, impossible to pull out, causing him a dull ache.

Moreover, the incident involving that terrifyingly accurate "feng shui map" is still vivid in my memory.

What if?

What if her inexplicable intuition really was some kind of warning?

"Your Highness, it's time for court," Uncle Zhao whispered from outside the door.

Pei Yunjing fastened his belt, took one last look at Tang Li, and his gaze gradually became deep and resolute.

He didn't want to gamble.

Even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, he wouldn't dare gamble with her life.

"Han Zheng".

Pei Yunjing walked out of the room, keeping his voice very low so as not to wake the people inside.

Han Zheng, clad in black armor, appeared silently in the corridor: "Your subordinate is here."

"Transmit my secret order."

Pei Yunjing straightened his cuffs, his tone indifferent, as if he were merely instructing someone on a trivial matter:

"Assign thirty members of the 'Water Ghost Battalion' (special forces soldiers proficient in swimming) to the moat immediately. Focus on inspecting the piers of the Longevity Bridge, the silt at the bottom of the river, and all nearby drainage outlets."

Han Zheng was stunned for a moment, looking bewildered: "Your Highness, have you discovered any clues? Or have you captured that lone wolf?"

As far as he knew, no new intelligence had come in.

Pei Yunjing remained silent for a moment.

He can't exactly say, "Because the princess dreamed that the bridge collapsed," can he?

This is a huge blow to his authority as regent.

But seeing Han Zheng's puzzled look, Pei Yunjing coughed lightly and, without changing his expression, gave that absurd yet incredibly domineering reason:

"The princess had a nightmare last night."

Han Zheng: "...Huh?"

"She said she dreamed that the Bridge of Immortality collapsed, and she cried all night because she was so scared."

Pei Yunjing said matter-of-factly, his tone even carrying a hint of indulgence, as if to say, "I have no choice, I'm helpless too."

"Although it's absurd, she's timid. If we don't find out the truth, she probably won't be able to sleep tonight."

"Go check it out. Just consider it... to put her mind at ease."

Han Zheng was dumbfounded.

In order to lull the princess to sleep, the most elite water ghost battalion had to be mobilized to dig up the moat.

This is just too much... too much pampering!

"Yes! I'll go right away!"

Han Zheng accepted the order and left, his admiration for the princess flowing endlessly like a surging river.

...

Two hours later, in the study.

"Your Highness, it's been investigated."

Han Zheng returned soaking wet, but his expression was far from relaxed:

"The water ghosts searched under the Bridge of Immortality but found no large number of gunpowder barrels."

Pei Yunjing paused slightly as he reviewed the memorials.

"No?"

"but……"

Han Zheng changed the subject, his expression becoming serious:

“We found some signs of recent disturbance in the silt under the bridge pier. Also, at a hidden drainage outlet on the main bridge pier, we found a small piece of torn tarpaulin that... smelled of sulfur.”

Pei Yunjing's eyes instantly turned sharp as knives.

There are traces.

It has a sulfurous smell.

This proves that someone did indeed tamper with it down there!

Tangli's dream is more than just a dream!

"Where are the things?" Pei Yunjing pressed.

“I can’t find it.” Han Zheng shook his head helplessly. “That drain is extremely narrow, only wide enough for a child to pass through, and it’s bottomless, connected to the city’s underground water network. The water ghost can’t get in at all.”

"That lone wolf is extremely cunning. He must have hidden the gunpowder deep inside the drainage pipe. Unless the entire bridge is dismantled or the moat is drained, it's impossible to find out."

Pei Yunjing fell silent.

Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival Lantern Festival.

Demolish the bridge now?

That would shake public morale, and the Empress Dowager's faction would definitely seize the opportunity to attack him, saying that he was also a frightened bird.

Draining the moat? That's pure fantasy.

"Strengthen vigilance."

After a long silence, Pei Yunjing coldly gave the order:

"Tomorrow is the Lantern Festival. Black-armored guards will be stationed every three steps and sentries every five steps. Both ends of the Longevity Bridge will be completely sealed off. No one except the Holy Chariot Team is allowed to approach."

"If he dares to show his face and start a fire, I'll shoot him full of holes!"

Since we can't find the gunpowder hidden deep inside, let's guard the person who lit the fire.

This is currently the only solution.

...

The backyard, the gazebo.

Hearing the news coming from the front yard, Tang Li's heart sank to the bottom.

"Not found..."

She held a handful of fish food in her hand, her knuckles turning white.

Indeed, there are limits to human capabilities.

Since that "lone wolf" dared to make his move at the Bridge of Immortality, he must have already hidden the gunpowder in a blind spot inaccessible to humans.

No matter how powerful the Black Armor Guards are, they can't possibly squeeze into those pipes that only rats can crawl into.

Pei Yunjing's "strict defense" could only prevent people on the ground.

But it can't prevent the underground fuses.

"It seems... I'll still have to rely on my Plan B."

Tang Li glanced at the inconspicuous mouse hole in the corner of the wall, a resolute glint in her eyes.

Since human hands can't reach in.

Then let all those tens of thousands of rats in the city use their teeth to set off that damned fuse—

Bite it off completely!

"Bringing in wealth."

Tangli silently called out in her heart:

"Tell the brothers to sharpen their teeth."

"Tomorrow night, I'll show that lone wolf what the vast ocean of people's war really means!"