Chapter 7: Origins

The veiled woman’s expression remained indifferent; Li Musheng’s words did not cause the slightest ripple of emotion in her.

“I am from the Great Li Hidden Spy Bureau.”

The woman gazed at Li Musheng, her eyes deep and cold.

She raised her hand slightly and tossed a token toward Li Musheng, saying

“I have come on this journey for the sake of your origins. I presume you should be interested in this.”

Li Musheng reached out and caught the silver token. He glanced at it, his brows immediately furrowing, a look of suspicion appearing on his face.

Since he had transmigrated here, he only knew that the original owner was a refugee orphan.

Before joining the martial arts school, he had been taken in by an old beggar for a period of time, but those memories were extremely hazy.

As for who the original owner’s parents were, or whether he was even from this Shun’an City, Li Musheng knew absolutely nothing.

Of course, he didn't actually care about his own origins.

After all, he was a transmigrator, and an orphan at that; he had no need for family members he had no emotional connection to.

At this moment, seeing Li Musheng suddenly fall silent, Cang Yinyue spoke up again

“It is highly likely that you are the Seventh Prince of Great Li, who was lost among the common people.”

Upon hearing this, Li Musheng leaped down from the city wall and landed beside Cang Yinyue.

“Miss, are you joking? A prince has been missing for twenty years, and you only just thought to look for him?”

Cang Yinyue stepped back gracefully, maintaining a distance from Li Musheng, her voice still cold as she said

“The reasons for this are somewhat complex. If you wish to confirm your identity, you may accompany me to the imperial capital, Shangyang City.”

“So my princely status isn't even confirmed yet.” Li Musheng rubbed his chin. “I was just thinking, with my poor aptitude and foundation, how could I possibly be some sort of prince?”

However, Cang Yinyue shook her head, frowning

“Do not belittle yourself. Although many factions in the capital are searching everywhere, in my opinion, you are the most likely candidate to be that lost prince.”

“Why?” Li Musheng asked, curious.

“Because I am the top Silver-Patterned Agent of the Great Li Hidden Spy Bureau. Every mission I have taken on has never failed, nor has there ever been any error or omission.”

Cang Yinyue’s eyes revealed immense confidence, and combined with her "keep-away" attitude, she radiated an air of aloofness and cold pride.

*She’s definitely a tsundere!*

Li Musheng raised an eyebrow. After pondering for a moment, he said

“Actually, going with you isn't out of the question. I was planning to wander the world anyway; it’s all the same to me where I go.”

“However, I cannot just follow you blindly. At the very least, you must let me know the ins and outs of the whole affair. I’m not a fan of people who speak in riddles!”

Cang Yinyue stared at Li Musheng for a while, then nodded slightly

“As long as it does not involve the secrets of the Hidden Spy Bureau, I will answer any questions you have truthfully.”

Li Musheng clapped his hands lightly and said quite readily

“In that case, let us be on our way. We can talk as we travel.”

However, at this moment, Cang Yinyue’s figure suddenly retreated, appearing several yards away in the blink of an eye

“Give me half an incense stick of time. I still have some matters to attend to. Once I am finished, I will certainly come to find you!”

Seeing this, Li Musheng didn't mind and waved his hand

“Go ahead then, I’ll wait for you.”

He then simply sat down in the shade of a tree to cool off.

Half an incense stick later, Cang Yinyue was punctual, appearing in Li Musheng’s line of sight leading two black-maned yellow horses.

Walking closer, she handed the reins of one horse to Li Musheng, her voice still icy

“Let’s go.”

“Rich, aren't you? These horses must cost several dozen taels each, right?”

Li Musheng tossed Cang Yinyue’s token back to her, took the reins, and leaped lightly onto the horse’s back.

“Once your identity as a prince is confirmed, mere gold and silver will mean nothing to you.”

Cang Yinyue spoke indifferently. Just as she was about to mount her horse after putting away the token, she saw Li Musheng slap his horse’s rump. With a sharp neigh, the horse shot out of the city like an arrow from a bow.

“He isn't trying to escape, is he?”

Cang Yinyue furrowed her delicate brows. She immediately kicked off the ground, quickly mounted her horse, and followed in the direction Li Musheng had left, calling out

“You’re going the wrong way!”

……

As sunset approached, the two riders, accompanied by the rhythmic "clatter-clatter" of hooves, neared a remote small town.

“We shall rest here tonight and continue our journey tomorrow morning.”

Cang Yinyue did not enter the town, choosing instead to stop on a slope outside of it.

Li Musheng looked around, said nothing, and casually left his horse to find grass to eat on its own.

He, meanwhile, gathered some dry firewood and started a campfire in a sheltered spot.

“Miss Cang, come over and sit. Let’s chat.”

Li Musheng gestured for her to join him.

Throughout the day, Cang Yinyue had already given him a rough overview of the matters concerning his origins.

He found the whole thing quite melodramatic—swapping infants, fake princes, palace intrigue...

One had to admit, these royal nobles certainly knew how to play the game!

“No need. I am used to being alone. If you have questions, you may ask them directly.”

Cang Yinyue leaned against an old tree, showing no intention of moving.

Li Musheng didn't force the issue. As he poked at the firewood, he calmed his mind and thought about the matters concerning himself...

Four months ago, the Imperial Capital’s Tianjin Guard received a secret letter addressed directly to the Commander.

The letter stated that the current Seventh Prince was not the Emperor’s biological son, but had been swapped by a conspiracy twenty years ago.

The true Seventh Prince had been abandoned in the Damian River outside Shangyang City, and his fate was unknown.

The matter was quickly presented to Emperor Yuanwu, who summoned the Seventh Prince, Li Zhi, in the middle of the night.

No one knew what happened in the Tianqian Palace that night, only that before dawn, several secret edicts were issued from within the palace.

Seventh Prince Li Zhi was thrown into the dungeon, and the Tianjin Guard, the Six Doors, and the Hidden Spy Bureau all received secret orders to thoroughly investigate the prince-swapping incident from twenty years ago in total secrecy.

Clearly, the palace had intended to cover up this royal scandal, but for some reason, the news leaked out anyway.

By the next day, it had spread throughout the entire capital of Shangyang City, and even the commoners on the streets knew of it.

It was from that moment that various factions in the capital began to stir. Not only were they convinced that the prince had been swapped twenty years ago, but they also began to use their own resources to search everywhere for the true Seventh Prince who had been lost among the people.

According to Cang Yinyue, she had mobilized every overt and covert agent in the Hidden Spy Bureau, and after countless investigations and combining all relevant clues from the past twenty years, she had finally found Li Musheng.

Of course, the Tianjin Guard and the Six Doors, who had also received the secret orders, were searching for the "Seventh Prince" as well, but since each faction held different information, it was estimated that the people they eventually found would differ.

“Miss Cang, are you truly certain that I am that Seventh Prince? If, by any chance, I am not, what will you do then?”

Li Musheng collected his thoughts and suddenly asked.