Dong Ran had successfully invited Dong Lok to his Crown Prince manor. He had also carried out his master’s orders and had stealthily given her food laced with the vial of blood. He was exceptionally happy that day. He trusted his master’s plan and was not worried about Xia Feng’s fate.

And since his mood had been flipped completely after making sure that Dong Lok consumed the poisoned food, he decided to throw a party that night. He had always established a facade of benevolence and kindness in front of the people. And now, he was going to stamp his reputation on all his guests that night. All important people in the kingdom had been invited that night.

While at Prince Chen’s residence, invitations from the Crown Prince had arrived. And Prince Chen had asked Bai Hua to accompany him as his special guest. Bai Hua could not say no as he had his own agenda that night. He felt that the mystery about the life attempt on Xia Feng and Dong Lok may be brought to light if he met certain people. And besides, he was curious to meet the fake immortal who was responsible for organising such a competition for recruiting disciples. And if he was lucky, he might get to meet the real immortal whom he had met at the arena the other time.

The Xia brothers and Dong Lok had relayed messages to them saying that they would meet them at the party.

Since Bai Hua was going as a guest this time and not as a musician, his zither took its place on his wrist as his loyal wristlet with a dragon head. He decided not to lay low that night but mingle freely among the mortals.

When Bai Hua and Dong Chen reached the hall where the party was being thrown, they were immediately noticed by the guests gathered there. Initially it was because of the status of Dong Chen as one of the princes of the kingdom but gradually people started to notice the calm and graceful disposition of the emerald-eyed friend of the sixth prince that was tagging along behind him. He looked like a noble young master from a prestigious family.

And even Dong Chen had been revising his views about Bai Hua ever since he met him. It was too coincidental for Bai Hua to have saved Xia Feng and also to have established a friendship with Dong Lok. And the more he was in his company, the more he realised that Bai Hua was exceptionally wise for his age, more like a prodigy. He never forgets what he reads, and Prince Chen was also shocked when Bai Hua could read and understand books with different languages effortlessly. He could never be a simple musician like he modestly always claimed to be. But since, Prince Chen trusted him; he decided to follow his guts. Bai Hua did not seem to be a bad guy and besides, he had never displayed any evil intention towards anyone.

While Prince Chen was musing over the identity of Bai Hua, Bai Hua had spotted Dong Ran and Dong Lok . They were looking towards them and seemed to be approaching towards them. Clearly, Dong Lok had noticed their entrance and was now going towards them.

“What took you so long, brother Chen?” scolded Dong Lok as soon as they were near, “the Crown Prince had been waiting for you for a while now. He has been looking forward to meet brother Hua who I said was coming with you.”

“Ah, sister, now you’re showing your true colours. Now that you have met a new friend, you are tossing this brother away. Alas! I am nothing but a toy for this royal sister,” complained Dong Chen jokingly.

“En, so this the musician friend that my sister has been praising since her return from her travels,” smiled Dong Ran.

“Oh, royal brother, this is the friend I met during my short travels. He was the one who really liked the tea leaves that you gave me. And he is also a good musician. You must give him a reward because he even saved the young master of the Xia family too.”

Bai Hua now realised that it was this kind looking Crown Prince who had been poisoning Dong Lok and though this Prince seemed to be smiling, his eyes showed shock and anger. This implied that he was related to the incident of the drowning of Xia Feng.

Bai Hua didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He wanted to scout out the area and look for suspicious persons, but he didn’t think that the most suspicious person would present himself in front of him right after he entered the hall. Either he was lucky, or that Dong Lok’s luck was rubbing off on him?

Bai Hua gave a bow and said, “Ever since I had met the princess, I had wondered who was this brother that she spoke highly of all the time. It turned out to be your royal highness. And please, I desire no reward for helping the young master of the Xia family. Goodness should be done for goodness sake.”

“My sister hardly goes out of the imperial palace but this time she seemed to have hit upon a very fortunate encounter. Please, I must show my gratitude in some ways,” begged the Crown Prince.

“Oh well, if you insist, your highness, if it isn’t a big trouble for you then I would like to have the same batch of tea leaves that you had gifted the princess. I am sure the tea has many benefits which I am unaware of. Look how the princess is glowing. Surely, your highness must be taking really good of this princess.”

The Crown Prince turned white for a brief second thinking that Bai Hua had discovered his plot. But he managed to calm his heart in time before anyone had noticed.

But it didn’t escape the eyes of Bai Hua, in fact, he could even notice the trace of a very lethal blood poison in Dong Lok’s system. But he wasn’t worried because he knew that no poison could harm her ever since the gift he had bestowed on her on their first encounter.

The Crown Prince is going to be more furious later when he realised that the princess was unaffected by any kind of poison in the world.

The Crown Prince managed to say, “I will have one of the servants prepare for you after this party. It may not be expensive, but the tea leaves are indeed rare in this kingdom.”

“Now, come and join the rest of us. I am sure you our musicians will not disappoint you with their talents though Xiao Lok tells me that you are by far the best she has heard.”

Anytime now the Crown Prince expected Dong Lok to take ill and slowly die of the poison his master had given him.

And Bai Hua was looking forward to witness how the plans of this brother that really knows how to "pamper" one's sister were going to fail.