Immediately after, there was a dense sound of horses' hooves in Dushante. Wang Xiaotian saw a group of knights galloping from the city, all wearing black embroidered gold-rimmed robes, hoods, and metal masks on their faces, revealing only two eyes.

Seeing this group of knights, Cabal suddenly let out a low exclamation. Wang Xiaotian immediately noticed Kabal's abnormal reaction. He counted the number of knights, and found that twenty horsemen had left Dushant.

When all these black-robed knights had walked away, Wang Xiaocai asked Kabal, "Professor, who are these knights, and why are you so surprised to see them?"

Cabal was silent for a moment before he whispered, "They are the royal guards. ”

Wang Xiaotian was taken aback and asked, "The royal guards of the Canaan Federation?"

Cabal nodded and didn't speak.

Wang Xiaotian thought for a moment and asked, "Could it be that the news of the accident in your visiting group has already been transmitted back to the Canaan Federation? These royal guards are here to look for you?"

Cabal shook his head and said, "If they come to us, they will definitely carry the image with them, and they will not fail to recognize me." Moreover, our delegation's visit to your Eastern Chu State is a purely non-governmental act. Even if the news is sent back, the academy will organize a rescue, as we are now, in a civilian capacity, and it is impossible to alarm the royal guards. ”

Wang Xiaotian was even more surprised, and said, "Dushant is not the territory of the Canaan Federation, right?"

Cabal shook his head.

"Then why, the royal guards of the Canaanite Commonwealth appeared in Dushante in a grand manner? And the soldiers of Dushante also maintained traffic order for their travel, apparently under the orders of their superiors. ”

Kabal thought for a moment and said, "Maybe they have another mission." ”

If it was just an ordinary army, Wang Xiaotian wouldn't care at all. But the duties of the royal guard are special and they are dedicated to the royal family. The presence of the royal guard indicates that there are members of the royal family here, or that they are on the orders of the royal family.

The Canaanite Commonwealth is still more than 1,000 kilometers away from Dushante, and the presence of the royal guards here is a signal. It shows that the Canaanite Federation has extended its tentacles to Dushante.

And Dushant was able to accept, and the royal guards of the Canaan Federation blatantly entered and exited, indicating that their position was also inclined towards the Canaan Federation. This is by no means good news for the Eastern Chu Kingdom.

The military control of the Eastern Chu State is actually on the first line of Jinou City, and for Kashgar further west, due to serious desertification, barren land, and scarce products, the Eastern Chu State cannot station a large army, and only deploys a small number of troops to maintain law and order, as well as city management personnel, which basically belongs to the semi-autonomous state of several major merchants.

The vast area west of Kashgar is even more outside the traditional territory of the Eastern Chu State. Due to the harsh environment and sparse residents, whether it is the Eastern Chu State, the Xiluo State or the Canaan Federation, they were not interested in that area before, and they did not want to spend money and money to garrison troops there.

The influence of the Eastern Chu State on these regions was through caravans and hermit organizations. The means of the Silo Kingdom and the Canaanite Federation are also similar, and the three parties have formed a balance of power with the local self-governing institutions, and they have always been at peace with each other.

Now, that all seems to have changed significantly.

Wang Xiaotian glanced at Xia Xianlong. Xia Xianlong nodded, meaning that he understood Wang Xiaotian's thoughts, and after entering Dushante, he would contact the hermit here to find out the situation.

After paying taxes according to the regulations, the group entered Dushant. Xia Xianlong led the team to the inn where the Yu family firm usually stayed, arranged for everyone to stay and rest, and quietly went to the hermit organization stronghold here to inquire about the news.

The stronghold of the Stealth Organization is a grocery store located in a business district. On the surface, the boss is a descendant of the Eastern Chu Kingdom who was born in Dushant and has been descended for many generations. In fact, it is the Nth generation hermit arranged by the Inspectorate.

In order to make it more conducive to the lurking of hermits, the Inspectorate's usual practice is to send the first generation of hermits to immigrate to the city where they want to go. Their identities are all real. Moreover, the first generation of hermits never engaged in any hermit work. The only task is to gain a foothold in the local area, preferably by marrying a local woman in order to cover up his identity.

After the birth of their children, one of them will be selected, and at the age of seven or eight, in the name of studying, they will quietly send them back to the Eastern Chu Kingdom to receive hermit training. After three to five years of training, after passing the assessment, they are sent back to their parents.

The mission of the second generation of hermits is only to collect intelligence, pass on information, and provide support for the operation, and never participate in the operation, so as not to reveal their identity.

The second generation of hermits would marry local women as needed for their work, or they would be arranged by the organization to marry female hermits who would cooperate with them.

After two generations and decades of hard work, the third generation of hermits has become indistinguishable in appearance and speech and demeanor from the locals, and unless someone has been staring at them from decades ago, they would never have thought that he would be a hermit.

The head of the hermit organization in Dushant, who has served the organization for at least five generations, is absolutely loyal and reliable. If it weren't for the very high level of this operation, Xia Xianlong would not have the right to know this person's information.

Xia Xianlong came to a grocery store with a "Durban" sign, and saw a shop owner in his forties, with deep eyes and a high nose, dark yellow curly hair and a fluffy beard, wiping a shiny silver kettle.

He stepped forward and asked, "Boss Durban?"

The shopkeeper raised his head, glanced at Xia Xianlong, nodded and said, "Hello guests from afar." I am Durban. Is there anything we can do for you?"

Xia Xianlong said: "I came with the caravan and wanted to eat pilaf while I was in a hurry, I wonder if you have a frying pan here that can make the most delicious pilaf?"

Hearing this, Durban was stunned, immediately smiled, and nodded: "Yes, yes." Not only do I have a frying pan to make the most delicious pilaf, but I also have an exclusive secret recipe. When a guest buys my pot, I give it an exclusive secret recipe. ”

Xia Xianlong smiled: "That's great, show me your pot." ”

Durban said: "My best pot is in the back, please come with me, guests." ”

Xia Xianlong followed Durban to the warehouse behind the grocery store. Durban closed the door, grabbed Xia Xianlong's hand, and said excitedly: "Dushant Hermit Head Durban, welcome." ”

Xia Xianlong held Durban's hand and said happily: "Xia Xianlong, leader of the dragon claw team on the left side of the hidden dragon, it's a pleasure to meet you, stationmaster Durban. ”

"Hello, Team Leader Xia. Nice to meet you. After so many years, I was so excited to meet my colleagues from China for the first time. ”

"Stationmaster Dorban, I'm also excited. Time is of the essence, so I'll cut it short. When I entered the city just now, I saw a royal guard of the Canaan Federation going out of the city, and the person in charge of this operation asked me to inquire about the purpose of this royal guard coming here, and whether Dushante's attitude towards the Canaan Federation had changed. ”

Durban was stunned for a moment and asked, "Team Leader Xia, are there any other robes coming over?"

Xia Xianlong said: "Yes." However, his situation is more peculiar. As explained above, your identity is kept secret from him for the time being. ”

Durban did not continue to inquire about the situation of the other person in charge. Not asking what should not be asked is their basic discipline. He nodded, "Okay." I'll inquire about what you're talking about right away. Tomorrow morning, please come here and listen to my report. ”

Xia Xianlong said again: "In addition to these, there is one more thing for you to help. ”

"Please command. ”

Xia Xianlong briefly told the Canaan Federation delegation about it, and asked Durban to inquire about the whereabouts of the other members of the delegation.

Durban immediately agreed. Then, he took a pot and handed it to Xia Xianlong, "Please take this pot back, and then come back tomorrow, just say that this pot can't make delicious pilaf at all, and come to me to exchange it." ”

Xia Xianlong nodded, took the pot and left the grocery store.

The next morning, Xia Xianlong came to the grocery store again with the pot. The two staged an argument for passers-by, and then, entering the warehouse.

Durban said: "The news has some eyebrows. It is said that these royal guards came to find a member of the royal family who left the Canaan Federation without permission. The city lord of Dushante has not changed much in his current attitude towards the Canaanite Federation. It was only because of the involvement of members of the royal family that the city lord made an exception to let the royal guards into the city. ”

When Xia Xianlong heard this, he relaxed and nodded: "As long as it has nothing to do with us, it's fine." What about the whereabouts of the other members of the Canaanite mission?"

Durban said: "At the Oriental Hotel." However, now those royal guards also live there. ”

"What?" Xia Xianlong was taken aback.

The other members of the mission stayed at the Oriental Hotel, where the Royal Guard also lived. Both are from the Canaanite Commonwealth. If it doesn't matter, it's absolutely impossible.

"The Oriental Hotel is the best hotel in the city, maybe they all live there, it's just a coincidence?"

Xia Xianlong shook his head and said, "There can't be so many coincidences. The other members of the delegation, since there is no danger, should rush to our country as soon as possible and join the leader of the team, Kabal. Why don't you stay in a hotel?"

Durban nodded, "What you said makes perfect sense. ”

Xia Xianlong said again: "There is another question, that is, about the member of the royal family who left the Canaan Federation without permission. The palace of the Canaan Federation should be heavily guarded, right, how did that member of the royal family leave the palace?"

"Besides, even if he can leave the palace, how can he successfully leave the Canaan Federation through the border check? Thinking about the visiting delegation of the Canaan Federation, I think there seems to be some connection between the two. ”

Durban's eyes lit up, "You mean, that member of the royal family is actually the Canaanite Federation that came out of the visiting delegation?"

Xia Xianlong nodded and said, "That's right." And I think that the royal guards did not go back, nor did they let the delegation leave, which means that the target they were looking for was not found!"

Durban nodded repeatedly, "You're right. ”

Xia Xianlong said excitedly: "I'll go back and report." Please keep an eye on the Oriental Hotel and let us know as soon as there is a situation. ”

Durban happily agreed.

Xia Xianlong returned to his residence and told Wang Xiaotian in detail about the conversation with Duerban.

Wang Xiaotian thought for a moment and said: "If, as you guessed, that member of the royal family is in the visiting delegation, do you say, will Cabal not know? The royal family members are noble, whether they are students or teachers, and they have infiltrated the visiting delegation, and as the head of the delegation, Cabal will not know about it? Is he the head of the regiment an ornament?"

Xia Xianlong's eyes widened, he looked at Wang Xiaotian in disbelief, and it took a long time before he said, "You mean, Kabal has been lying to us?"

If Kabal really deceived them and deceived them from the Eastern Chu Kingdom here, then their situation would be dangerous.

Wang Xiaotian shook his head and said, "It's not necessarily a lie, it's just that he didn't tell us everything." ”

"So what do we do now?"

Wang Xiaotian thought for a moment and said, "I think it's necessary to tell Professor Hua about this." Listen to Professor Hana's opinion. ”

Xia Xianlong nodded in agreement. The two immediately rushed to Professor Hua's room, knocked on the door and entered, and saw that Cabal was actually there.

Wang Xiaotian couldn't help but think, should he tell all these things in front of Kabal?