The female anchor turned into the dean of an ancient academy

Chapter 143 Xia Chenghao's "Secret Meeting" with Sister Cen Xiao was followed

The young monk tilted his head, his clear eyes like a deep pool, as if he could see through all the secrets in Ji Zhao's heart. He repeated in a childish voice: "Donor, you are blocking my way."

Ji Zhao finally came back to his senses and tried to force out what he thought was a kind smile, saying, "Ah, yes, I was distracted, please don't blame me, young master."

As he spoke, he looked at the little monk in front of him inconspicuously. He was about seven or eight years old, wearing coarse linen clothes, with a bit of childishness on his round face. He looked like an innocent child, but for some reason, Yoshiaki felt a sense of oppression from his clear eyes.

The young monk seemed to see through his thoughts. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing an intriguing smile. He asked, "What are you worried about, benefactor? Why are you so panicked?"

Ji Zhao's heart trembled. Could it be that this little monk had seen something? He tried to calm his mind and forced a smile, "No, no, I was just suddenly scared by the young master, hehe, hehe."

The young monk did not expose his lies, but just looked at him quietly. His clear eyes seemed to see through everything, which made Yoshiaki even more uncomfortable. He felt like a prey targeted by a cunning cheetah, with nowhere to escape.

"Donor, your hands are shaking." The young monk suddenly said, his tone calm, but it was like a heavy hammer, hitting Ji Zhao's heart hard.

Ji Zhao quickly withdrew his hand, hid it in his sleeve, and said calmly, "No, no, it's just that the weather is a little cold."

The little novice monk said nothing, but gave him a meaningful look. Then he lowered his head, clasped his hands together, and chanted the Buddha's name in a childish voice: "Amitabha."

Then he turned around and ran away with a light step, as if nothing had happened.

Yoshizhao watched the young monk walk away, only letting out a long sigh of relief when his figure disappeared into the crowd. He felt a heavy weight finally lift from his heart. He quickly left the tea stall and found a quiet spot. He recalled his brief encounter with the young monk and felt a wave of fear. If it weren't for the crowds of people here, he would have been tempted to kill him.

At this moment, Ji Zhao tried to calm himself down and carefully recalled the scene he had just witnessed. The man's behavior was too intimate, definitely not something that ordinary friends or brothers would do. Could it be that the two of them... The more Ji Zhao thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Alarm bells were ringing in his heart. No, this matter was of great importance. If they wanted to hold Cen Jiexiao hostage, then everyone close to her was a hidden danger. He had to find out the man's identity as soon as possible to decide what to do next!

He followed Cen Jiexiao and her servant from a distance until he saw them board the carriage, then turned and followed the man. The man's carriage was remarkably luxurious, and it was clear at a glance that the occupant was of high status. Ji Zhao followed them all the way, through bustling streets and through several quiet alleys, finally stopping in front of a grand mansion.

Ji Zhao hid in the dark and observed. He saw the man get off the carriage. The guards at the door immediately bowed and saluted, shouting loudly: "Your Highness the Crown Prince is welcome back to the palace!"

"Your Highness?" Ji Zhao was startled. Could this man be Xia Chenghao, the Xixiang Crown Prince sent by the Xixiang Kingdom to the Great Zhou to request his enthronement? Thinking carefully, he felt that the man's appearance did bear some resemblance to Xia Chenghao, whom he had met at the border three years ago. However, Xia Chenghao had been wearing armor back then, but now, in his splendid attire, his demeanor was so different that Ji Zhao didn't recognize him at first.

But why was he so close to Sister Cen Xiao? As a prince of another country, if he were to meet with officials from another country in secret, once it got out, it would not only affect the reputations of the two countries, but it would also likely escalate into an open and covert struggle between the two countries.

Ji Zhao was full of doubts, but he did not dare to act rashly.

The Lord's earlier warnings were still fresh in his mind: "When you go to the Great Zhou, you must be extremely careful. Do not reveal your identity. Be especially wary of Xixiang Crown Prince Xia Chenghao. This man is unfathomable and definitely not a good person!"

It now seems that Cen Jiexiao and Xia Chenghao have a close relationship. If I approach them rashly, I might alert them and even get myself into trouble.

Ji Zhao thought for a moment and decided to hold back until he found out Xia Chenghao's purpose before making any plans.

He quietly noted the location of the house, turned around and blended into the crowd, disappearing into the bustling street.

After returning to the inn, Yoshizhao immediately told his eldest brother Lu Menzhong and third brother Yoshira the news he had found out.

"Big brother, third brother," Ji Zhao deliberately lowered his voice, a hint of solemnity in his tone, as if he were conveying some shocking secret. "I was following Sister Cen Xiao today and discovered something important!" He paused, observing his two brothers' expressions. Seeing his strange expression, Lü Menzhong and Ji Liang were both startled and simultaneously lowered their swords. Lü Menzhong's sword even struck the table with such force that it made a crisp "bang" sound, splashing the tea in the cup on the table, leaving a dark stain on the surface.

"What's wrong?" Lu Menzhong and Yoshira asked almost at the same time, anxiously. They both realized that what Yoshizhao was going to say was of great importance.

Ji Zhao took a deep breath, as if trying to calm his excitement, and said slowly: "I discovered that Cen Jiexiao has a close relationship with Xixiang Crown Prince Xia Chenghao!"

"What?! Prince Xixiang?!" Lü Menzhong jumped up in shock. "How is he related to Cen Jiexiao?" he asked in disbelief, his voice filled with shock and confusion.

Yoshira's face was filled with disbelief, his brow furrowed as thoughts raced through his mind. "Brother, Brother, could this be a mistake? As far as I know, wasn't Crown Prince Xixiang previously involved with Princess Li Lingxuan... How could he be involved with Sister Cen Xiao?" he asked hesitantly.

"I saw it with my own eyes," Ji Zhao shook his head, his tone firm and unquestionable, "That man is indeed Xia Chenghao, the prince of Xixiang, without a doubt, and he is very intimate with Cen Jiexiao. He is definitely not just an ordinary friend." He paused, and then told Lu Menzhong and Ji Liang in detail how he followed Cen Jiexiao, how he discovered Xia Chenghao, and Xia Chenghao's intimate attitude towards Cen Jiexiao.

"The Lord once instructed us to keep our distance from those people from Xixiang State," Lü Menzhong said anxiously, pacing back and forth in the room, his tone filled with worry and anxiety. "Now he's getting involved with Cen Jiexiao. What should we do?"

"Brother, don't be anxious. We need to consider this matter in the long term." Yoshira was relatively calm. He reached out and pressed Lu Menzhong's shoulder, signaling him to stay calm.

Yoshira turned to look at Yoshiaki and asked, "Second brother, have you figured out Xia Chenghao's true intentions towards Sister Cen Xiao?"

Yoshiaki shook his head.

"I was afraid of alerting the enemy, so I didn't act rashly. I just observed from a distance."

"Well, second brother did the right thing. It's better to be safe than sorry." Kira nodded.

He pondered for a moment, as if weighing the pros and cons. "Brother, in my opinion, we should wait and see what happens. Send someone to closely monitor Xia Chenghao and Cen Jiexiao's movements, and at the same time, send someone to report this matter to the Lord as quickly as possible for His Majesty's decision."

Lu Menzhong thought for a moment, nodded, and agreed to Ji Liang's proposal, "This is the only way. Second brother, third brother, this matter is of great importance. The three of us brothers must not take it lightly!"

"Don't worry, big brother!" Yoshiaki and Yoshira responded in unison.