“Let Charles Reed look into it.” Edward Brooks hurriedly said, “He comes from an extraordinary background, and the people he associates with are all figures like imperial concubines and military governors.”

William Carter was slightly surprised, then nodded and sighed, “Although Alang is a subordinate official of the Eastern Palace, it’s just an empty title. He usually doesn’t even dare to talk much with other officials, so how could there be any leverage against him? There’s no leverage! Except…”

“Except for the son-in-law Liu?” Charles Reed asked.

William Carter suddenly shivered, realized, and exclaimed, “Is it really that the son-in-law Liu’s evidence of guilt has fallen into someone else’s hands?!”

This was exactly what Charles Reed had just planned to ask Edward Brooks: was it intentional that Brian Clark took him to Pingkang Ward?

Obviously, anyone who looked at Brian Clark would know he was ambitious but lacking in ability, and easily manipulated.

“Too much of a coincidence.” William Carter muttered, “Not long after Wulang got into trouble, the son-in-law Liu had just quarreled with Alang in the morning, and in the afternoon someone came to arrest Alang. Looking at it this way, the officers came in a hurry. It must be so.”

“Who else could it be but that fool?!” Grace Turner cried even harder when she heard this, cursing loudly, “I knew long ago this arrogant scholar would bring disaster to the Du family! I knew it… wuwu… this scourge!”

“Madam.” William Carter said anxiously, “The son-in-law Liu keeps dubious company. We must send someone to ask if he’s left any leverage in someone’s hands…”

Just then, a servant came running back in a hurry, almost tripping over the threshold.

“Bad news! Thomas Carter was just taken away as soon as he left the back door!”

“What?”

William Carter was shocked, finally losing his composure.

“We’ll climb over the wall.” Charles Reed reacted quickly, pulling Edward Brooks along, “We must find Brian Clark and the Crown Prince as soon as possible.”

“I… I don’t know where the Crown Prince lives.”

“I do.” Ethan Green said, “I once accompanied Madam to visit the Crown Princess.”

“Hurry.”

Ethan Green quickly caught up with them, but then turned back to ask Grace Turner, “Madam, should I go?”

“Hurry, bring Wulang back.”

However, Charles Reed had already pulled Edward Brooks out of the front hall.

Ethan Green stomped her foot and hurried after them…

……

Charles Reed had calculated in his mind: the Du residence had a main gate, a back gate, three west side gates, and two east side gates. The Jingzhao Prefecture had sent about twenty people; guarding these seven gates was possible, but it was unlikely they could surround the entire courtyard wall.

There might be officers patrolling, but he knew the authorities had to follow procedures, so speed was of the essence.

He first went to the front yard stable to get a rope, then to the storage room for a ladder, turned toward the back yard, and headed straight to the area near the rockery on the east side of the fifth courtyard.

This was the farthest from the other side gates, the quietest outside the courtyard, and the easiest place to climb over the wall.

“Follow me.”

Charles Reed set the ladder against the rockery, climbed up the courtyard wall first, glanced around, and beckoned to Edward Brooks and Ethan Green to come up.

“Come.”

Charles Reed tied the rope to the wall, climbed down along it, first helping Ethan Green; Edward Brooks was much clumsier and almost fell flat on his face.

“Ow.”

“Don’t shout.”

“Are we going to the Ten Princes’ Residence?” Ethan Green asked, “This way.”

“No, we need to find Brian Clark first. Confirming the evidence is more urgent.”

“The son-in-law Liu’s house is in Dunyi Ward, to the west.”

……

Tang Chang’an City was laid out in a perfect grid, with twenty-five main streets crisscrossing and dividing the city into two markets and one hundred and eight wards.

With Zhuque Avenue as the central axis, the east and west of the city were governed by two counties: the east by Wannian County, the west by Chang’an County, symbolizing “Chang’an for ten thousand years.”

The Du family was in Shengping Ward, on the east side, under the jurisdiction of Wannian County.

Shengping Ward followed the standard Tang layout of “four gates and sixteen districts.” The four ward gates were called “gates,” but in fact, there were pavilions above the gates where guards could keep watch.

When they reached the west gate of the ward, Edward Brooks was very nervous, kept his head down, and walked awkwardly.

“Don’t be afraid.” Charles Reed whispered, “We’re not fugitives yet; the officers won’t recognize us.”

“Oh.”

“Keep your head up.”

It took some effort to leave Shengping Ward. Charles Reed slowed his pace, looked around, and saw no familiar sights.

Ethan Green noticed how unfamiliar he was with the area outside the residence and pointed him in the right direction.

“We need to go west for three wards to reach Zhuque Avenue. After crossing Zhuque Avenue, we still have to go southwest for five more wards to get to Dunyi Ward. It’s not close…”

Charles Reed had already learned two days ago that the Du residence was in the Leyou Plain area. Now, hearing Ethan Green’s explanation, he finally had a clearer idea.

This place was probably near the intersection of present-day Xiying Road and Qujiang Road. To reach Chang’an Middle Road would mean arriving at Zhuque Avenue, and that was only a small part of the journey.

The whole route was about the same as walking from Qinglong Temple to Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts—truly far.

“Is there a carriage?”

“We’d have to find a driver and hitch up the carriage. There’s no time.”

“The curfew is about to start.”

“We’ll have to run.”

None of the three were in great shape, and after running for half an hour, they were all out of breath.

“I… I… I can’t go on…”

Edward Brooks finally stopped to rest, bracing his knees, almost unable to stand.

“Really, I have no strength left.”

The last rays of the setting sun faded, and the grand silhouette of Chang’an City grew darker and darker.

“Dong.”

As soon as the sun set, the evening drum sounded in the city.