Farewell Flower Festival

After Feiyu came up, he reported the situation below to Mu Tianling, and Mu Tianling decided to go down and take a look himself.

After descending to the cave below via a rope, he smelled blood, and then Feiyu came down.

There was a flickering fire behind the rock wall in front, accompanied by a swaying human figure.

When Mu Tianling came over, he saw Han Lie squatting beside a corpse checking it out. He glanced around and saw at least a dozen corpses on the ground. He walked over and checked one of them and found a fatal wound on the chest.

"These people should all be killers." Han Lie walked over and showed something to Mu Tianling. It was a meteor dart used for assassination.

At this time, the other two Tianwu guards came back and found no survivors around.

Mu Tianling didn't see Zhou Li, so he asked. Han Lie pointed in a direction and said that someone went that way, and asked a Tianwu Guard to go over and take a look. After the Tianwu Guard went over, he found that there was a crack on the mountain wall over there, which was just big enough for people to pass through.

Han Lie shone the torch inside and felt that the crack was quite deep. He threw a few stones in and listened to the echo. He determined that the crack was downward and at least several dozen meters deep.

Han Lie asked Mu Tianling to wait outside while he went in to explore the way. At this time, another person came over.

Mu Tianqi also came down.

Han Lie said that Zhou Li should have gone in through the crack and had not come out yet, so he might have encountered danger. He went in to explore the way first, and Mu Tianqi told him to be careful.

He tied a rope around his waist, then holding a torch, he stepped sideways into the crack.

The light of the torch gradually faded away, and the crack in front gradually widened. When the last ray of light disappeared into the darkness, the rope was still moving forward.

When the rope stopped moving, Han Lie shook it to indicate that it had reached the bottom.

What appeared before him was a natural cave with the sound of dripping water and a large pool in front.

He looked around and saw a figure leaning against a rock nearby. He kicked a stone and it landed on the figure, but the figure did not move.

When the light of the torch illuminated the other side, Han Lie saw a dead face, with eyes wide open, and the fatal wound was on the neck, where he was killed by a sword.

He held up the torch and shone it across the pool, but did not see Zhou Li.

There were no other exits around, and the only place to hide was the pool.

He raised the torch and shone it on the water surface. Suddenly, a black shadow swam quickly underwater. The next moment, there was a loud bang and splashes of water. A big white snake rushed out of the water and attacked Han Lie with its bloody mouth wide open.

Han Lie was frightened by the sudden appearance of a huge white snake as thick as a bucket, but he was not so scared that he couldn't even run. He quickly hid back in the cave entrance and extinguished the torch.

There was another loud bang, as if something heavy was rushed back into the water.

Han Lie held his breath and listened for a while, then confirmed that the other party had dived back into the water and was returning along the same path, grabbing the rope.

When Han Lie came out of the crack, he first advised Mu Tianqi to mourn, saying that Zhou Li might have been buried in the snake's belly. Mu Tianqi was shocked and asked what happened. Han Lie told him what happened after he went in. He speculated that Zhou Li went in to look for survivors, but didn't want to disturb the big white snake under the pool, and unfortunately died.

Mu Tianqi didn't believe it and wanted to go in and see for himself.

Han Lie then took Mu Tianqi in through the crack again, but this time they did not reach the cave entrance, but stopped three or four meters away from the cave entrance.

At this time, Han Lie heard the sound of dripping water and light footsteps. He asked Mu Tianqi to stay where he was, walked over to check the situation with light steps, and then walked back supporting a person who was soaked all over.

Mu Tianling was waiting outside. When he heard footsteps, he shone a torch inside. Mu Tianqi came out first, and then Zhou Li, who was soaking wet. As soon as he came out, he staggered and was about to fall down. He was supported by a Tianwu guard. Han Lie came out and said that Zhou Li was really lucky.

Blood was still oozing from Zhou Li's shoulder, and there were two clear holes on it, left by the sharp snake fangs.

After the group returned to the foot of the mountain, Han Lie was a little surprised to find that his eldest brother was also there.

Mu Tianchen and his bodyguard Lu Ping were escorted back by the Tianwu Guards first, and Wen Yunlan and Shang Ye also left with them.

After Han Luo gave Qianfeng acupuncture, Qianfeng's pulse improved. Although it was weak, he regained some consciousness and his fingers moved slightly. Han Luo said that if he could get through tonight, he should be able to survive.

Mu Tianling asked Feiyu to take people to escort Qianfeng back first, and Chaoyan asked Feicui and Amber to go back with them.

Chaoyan was a little surprised to see Zhou Li was seriously injured, and asked Mu Tianling what happened. Han Lie said that he escaped from Shekou.

When the imperial physician was treating Zhou Li's wound, Chao Yan saw two bloody holes on his shoulders. Thinking of the snake Han Lie mentioned, she felt her scalp tingling, and then Mu Tianling raised his hand to block her view.

After the imperial physician bandaged Zhou Li's wound, Mu Tianqi asked someone to send Zhou Li back first. He went over to say hello to Han Luo and asked if he wanted him to be given a ride. Han Luo said that he came here by carriage, so Mu Tianqi left first.

Han Luo asked Han Lie if he wanted to go back with him. Han Lie said that he had to return to the palace to report, so Han Luo left by himself in the carriage.

A cold mountain breeze blew by, and Chao Yan felt dizzy and a little unsteady. Han Lie subconsciously wanted to reach out to help her, but Mu Tianling got there first.

Mu Tianling picked up Chaoyan and put her on the carriage. After going back to say goodbye to Shen He, he got on the carriage and took Chaoyan back to the city.

Han Luo looked at the carriage leaving, a self-deprecating smile flashed across his lips. Shen Cheng saw that he was alone and wanted to come over to comfort him, but before he could come over, he rode away on his horse.

……

The next day, Mu Tianqi and Mu Tianling both came to the Imperial Hospital to visit Mu Tianchen.

Later, Mu Tianyuan also came over.

Seeing Mu Tianling was also there, Mu Tianyuan was a little surprised and asked him why he was here, wasn't he under house arrest?

Mu Tianling said that he went out only with the permission of Emperor Mu, and Mu Tianyuan had nothing to say.

Mu Tianchen's complexion has improved a lot, but he still needs to recuperate for a few days.

"Third brother, what happened? How did you get yourself like this?" Mu Tianyuan asked with concern and curiosity.

Mu Tianchen said: "I was careless."

Mu Tianqi asked again, "Why did Third Brother go to that cave before?" His gaze shifted to Mu Tianling, "Why was the guard named Qianfeng beside Fourth Brother also there?"

Mu Tianyuan immediately pointed the finger at Mu Tianling, saying that he must have been the one who tricked Mu Tianchen over, and questioned what his intentions were.

Mu Tianling said that the criminal he wanted to capture escaped to the mountains outside the city, so he asked Qianfeng to take people out of the city to search for the whereabouts of the criminal.

Mu Tianyuan didn't believe this excuse.

Mu Tianchen said that the people who went out on patrol that night found a suspicious fire near the cave. He took people to check it out and happened to meet Qianfeng on the way. Then Qianfeng followed him into the cave to check the situation.

Mu Tianyuan was still skeptical.

Mu Tianqi asked what happened after entering the cave. Mu Tianchen said that there was a group of killers lying in ambush inside. By the time he realized it was a trap, it was too late as the exit had been blocked by rocks that had fallen from the explosion.

Hearing the word killer, Mu Tianyuan was startled and then shifted his suspicious gaze to Mu Tianling.

"If Your Highness the Crown Prince doubts what I said, why don't we go to the Emperor and talk it out together."

As soon as Mu Tianling finished speaking, someone outside announced that the emperor had arrived.