PFC Chapter 412 Tracking
Chapter 412 Tracking
Chapter 412
Lu Zhaozhao moved her feet slightly, turned her toes quietly, and then changed direction and walked towards the shopkeeper's counter. The shopkeeper's counter was located downstairs and did not attract anyone's attention.
The shopkeeper saw her coming and hurriedly greeted her with a smile: "Miss, have you had your drink?"
Lu Zhaozhao responded softly: "How much silver? I will pay you."
"It's only ten cents." The shopkeeper glanced at where she was sitting and knew what kind of tea she was drinking, and answered skillfully.
Lu Zhaozhao paused as she reached into her purse. There were no coins in it, only small change. She then picked up the smallest piece of silver and placed it on the table. "I don't have any coins. Could you please give me some change, boss?"
Although the shopkeeper was surprised that she had only drunk a pot of ordinary tea and did not even have a copper coin on her, he did not dare to neglect her and nodded in agreement.
"Wait a moment." The shopkeeper took the silver and weighed it in his hand for a few times, then opened the cash box and counted out a handful of copper coins and handed it over.
Just then, a series of thumping footsteps echoed down the stairs. Lu Zhaozhao and the shopkeeper both glanced over. A waiter in a blue shirt came running down the stairs. Before he even arrived, a voice reached him: "Shopkeeper! I just saw that with all the commotion, the guests upstairs have lost their interest and have all left!"
The shopkeeper had anticipated this and had a rough idea of how many customers were upstairs. After the previous visit, most people had probably left, and with several more coming down, the place was probably empty. Hearing this, he sighed, "Walk slower! How reckless is that? Since no one's upstairs now, go clear the table and don't delay our future business."
"Yes, I'll go right away!" the waiter replied, only then noticing a woman standing in front of the shopkeeper. He was young and shy, and thinking of his own rashness and embarrassment, he scratched his head and ran to the kitchen with a face full of shame.
The shopkeeper withdrew his gaze, then handed the copper coin forward again, with an apologetic look on his face: "I'm really sorry for spoiling your fun today."
"No problem." Lu Zhaozhao was preoccupied with something and had no intention of chatting with him. She replied softly, then reached out to take the copper coin, stuffed it into her purse without even looking at it, nodded and said goodbye to the shopkeeper, then turned and left the teahouse.
Outside the teahouse, Lu Zhaozhao quickly glanced around and caught sight of the man disappearing around the corner. She gritted her teeth, hesitated for a moment, then resolutely followed him. For some reason, she had a hunch that the young man might be the Third Prince.
Although his clothing and appearance were completely different from when she'd glimpsed him from across the street, the ebony hairpin holding him up in his hair made her almost certain he was the Third Prince. This was thanks to her excellent memory; while she'd been shocked, she'd carefully scrutinized his attire. Furthermore, when the man came downstairs, the waiter had clearly stated that the guests upstairs had all left. So, even if she wasn't completely certain, she still had to give it a try.
Thinking about the news he received today and the group of people who had just come to search for him, the Third Prince felt a little annoyed, so he did not notice the "tail" following him closely not far behind.
The assassins who were secretly protecting them had noticed Lu Zhaozhao as soon as they left the teahouse. However, in his opinion, he only needed to ensure the safety of the Third Prince and prevent his death. The girl's steps were unsteady and her figure was frail. At first glance, she looked like an ordinary, weak woman, not threatening at all. So he didn't bother to care what she wanted to do by following them.
Lu Zhaozhao followed them for a long time, trailing far behind them for fear of arousing suspicion. As they neared the edge of town, she paused, hesitant. She'd followed them all this way, but if anything happened outside, she'd be left with nothing to turn back. After such a journey, she'd be reluctant to turn back. As she hesitated, she heard footsteps ahead. Frowning, she saw the same group she'd been searching for suddenly appear, blocking the man's path.
Lu Zhaozhao was startled and quickly turned sideways to hide behind a big tree, covering her lips tightly, fearing that she would make any noise and attract other people's attention.
Up ahead, the Third Prince's heart tightened as he looked at the group before him. He instinctively wanted to turn and retreat. However, at that moment, he felt the tension coming from the mask on his face, and he stopped abruptly. If he retreated rashly, it would surely arouse their suspicion. It would be better to feign deception first. He didn't believe that these people would still recognize him, even after all his disguise.
The assassin wasn't familiar with the town's routes, and confident that his meticulously crafted appearance for the Third Prince was flawless, unrecognizable to anyone. He hadn't anticipated these people would intercept him there. However, seeing the situation still unclear and the situation not yet irreversible, the assassin remained hidden, holding his ground, and didn't rush out to protect his master.
The Third Prince gathered his thoughts, a bewildered expression on his face. He looked at the people in front of him and asked, "What are you doing? Why are you blocking my way?"
Upon hearing this, the leader narrowed his eyes slightly, sizing him up and down with a hawk-like gaze. He then asked, "I suspect you have some connection to the fugitive, so I've come to ask about it. Sir, could you please show me your pass?"
The Third Prince's hands clenched into fists behind his back, but an expression of irritation crossed his face. "I've seen the portrait of your fugitive myself. It looks nothing like me. How could I possibly be related to him?"
The leader seemed to be deaf to his words and repeated, "Bring up your pass so I can check it and make a final decision on whether it's true or not."
The Third Prince's face showed an expression of anger but resignation. He took two steps forward and handed the pass to the leader. The leader took the pass, read the information on it, and then looked at the Third Prince before him. He said, "Since you are from Qingzhou, why did you come here alone?"
The Third Prince frowned, his face clearly showing dissatisfaction, but he could only obediently explain, "My family originally had some property, but unfortunately, a natural disaster destroyed all of our land. My father left a letter asking me to go to the capital to seek refuge with my relatives, but I didn't know they had disappeared long ago. I've also spent all my money and dismissed all my servants. I had no other choice but to turn back, and I just happened to pass by here."
The identity the Third Prince was currently assuming, from the information on the pass to the human skin mask he wore, was meticulously prepared by the assassins and was completely consistent. Without this, he wouldn't have made it all the way here safely, and naturally, he wouldn't be afraid of the other party's inquiries.
Sure enough, the leader nodded after a careful inspection, but still had a question: "If that's the case, if you return home, all your land will have been destroyed by the flood. What's the point of going back?"
The Third Prince feigned a bitter smile and said, "Although the world is vast, I have nowhere to stay. It would be better to go back and start a new life than to wander around without a home."
The people behind the man couldn't help but feel a pity when they heard this. They had also heard about the natural disaster in Qingzhou, and now seeing the victims with their own eyes, they felt even more heartbroken. So they advised, "Perhaps I'm mistaken. Although this person's family had some wealth before, now they have suffered such a great disaster. Although his temperament is still outstanding, he is far from the person in the portrait. Why not, let's look for him in the next place?"
After hearing this explanation, the leader's doubts were temporarily dispelled, and he waved his hand, signaling the third prince to leave.
Upon seeing this, the Third Prince breathed a sigh of relief. He reached out to take the pass and was about to turn and leave. While the assassins around him were all exceptionally capable, he was now alone. If he were to confront this horde of pursuers, it would be difficult to determine the outcome. Furthermore, if he took action, his whereabouts would be exposed, attracting even more pursuers. Thinking of this, the Third Prince knew that the best strategy was to use words to get away with it.
But at this moment, the leader withdrew his gaze and caught a glimpse of the hairpin in the Third Prince's hair and the hair that was pressed against his head. His eyes suddenly became stern and he spoke again: "Wait."