The eunuchs immediately resumed their search with renewed vigor.
Watching his chambers being turned upside down, the Crown Prince’s face alternated between white and blue, more colorful than a painter’s palette. He could only silently reassure himself: They won’t find it, they definitely won’t find it…
Time ticked by as they searched every corner of the Crown Prince’s chambers, even digging up the soil beside the stone steps outside.
One by one, the eunuchs reported to Pan Hai.
“Commander, no suspicious items found.”
“Commander, nothing discovered!”
“Commander…”
Pan Hai’s expression grew increasingly grim. His peripheral vision caught the Crown Prince’s rising smirk.
He secretly clenched his fists.
The Crown Prince must be guilty, but where was that object hidden?
“Commander Pan, found anything?” the Crown Prince asked coldly.
Pan Hai lowered his gaze: “Please be patient, Your Highness.”
“Patient? Hmpf! I say Father Emperor has been deceived by treacherous people to allow this random search of the Eastern Palace, insulting me, the Crown Prince! Pan Hai, if you stop now, I can overlook this incident as if nothing happened. Otherwise, at daybreak, I shall report this to Father Emperor!”
The Crown Prince’s threat made Pan Hai’s heart heavier.
By now, he had thoroughly offended the Crown Prince beyond reconciliation. If he couldn’t find that object, his life was forfeit.
Tonight would end either with the Crown Prince’s downfall or his destruction!
Pan Hai steeled himself and bowed to the Crown Prince: “Then Your Highness can wait for daybreak. Continue the search!”
“How dare you!”
Pan Hai simply joined the search party, deaf to the Crown Prince’s curses.
Where could it be?
Walking through the chaos, Pan Hai maintained a calm exterior while hiding his mounting desperation.
He couldn’t just wait for death!
Under immense pressure, Pan Hai suddenly thought of someone… no, a dog: Fourth-Rank General Xiaotian!
Prince Yan’s General Xiaotian had mysterious abilities. Perhaps using him to search would create a miracle…
After brief consideration, Pan Hai immediately sent his trusted aide Little Le back to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to seek Emperor Jingming’s permission.
Having learned from the Crown Princess that both palace maids had been the Crown Prince’s favorites, Emperor Jingming’s suspicions of his son grew like wild weeds. Upon hearing Little Le’s request, he nodded without hesitation.
Paternal affection could be maintained in ordinary times, but when matters of life and death concerning the fate of the empire arose, it had to be set aside.
At this moment, Emperor Jingming wasn’t just a father, but a sovereign – the master of Great Zhou.
The gates of Prince Yan’s mansion were knocked on again in the night.
“Your Highness, the palace requests to borrow General Xiaotian.”