You Yuji hurriedly found Chen Anzhi, who was sitting and talking with Cui Ling. Since the matter involved the inner courtyard, it was inconvenient to speak in front of Cui Ling, so You Yuji had Wangshan relay a message.
Chen Anzhi turned his head and looked at You Yuji standing in the corridor not far away.
It had snowed the entire night before, and this morning the distant mountains were completely swallowed by the snow. The lacquered red corridor had been washed by the snow, becoming unusually vivid. Chen Anzhi had just praised its beautiful color. But now, as You Yuji stood in the corridor, that vivid red seemed to dim.
Chen Anzhi came back to his senses, slightly unhappy with how her brightness had caused him to lose focus. He said something to Cui Ling, then stood up and walked toward You Yuji.
“What matter could bring you to seek me out so actively?”
“This morning, Yingying was kidnapped by mountain bandits on her way home to visit her mother!” You Yuji furrowed her brows, her tone filled with urgency. The closer it got to the end of the year, the more rampant the bandits became. Being kidnapped by mountain bandits could mean a tarnished reputation at best and losing her life at worst. How could she not be anxious?
“Why did she go home again?” Chen Anzhi was displeased. “If she had stayed obediently in the manor, nothing would have happened.”
A trace of anger instantly arose in You Yuji’s heart. But Lin Yingying was, after all, Chen Anzhi’s concubine, so she had to calm down and explain, “Her mother is seriously ill, so she often goes back to accompany her.”
Chen Anzhi gave a nonchalant “Oh.”
Suppressing her urgency, You Yuji said, “Please, Your Highness, send someone to search for her immediately.”
“Wangshan!” Chen Anzhi called out and instructed, “Get a few household servants to quietly search for her.”
You Yuji frowned and asked, “Only sending a few household servants to search quietly?”
“If we make a big fuss, what will happen to her reputation?” Chen Anzhi glanced at Cui Ling not far away. “Alright, there are guests at home. It’s just a concubine. I need to get back.”
With that, he had already turned and walked back to Cui Ling’s side.
“Cousin, is there something urgent?” Cui Ling inquired.
“It’s just a small matter…”
You Yuji let out a long sigh, understanding that Chen Anzhi did not care about Lin Yingying. On that day, he had merely been muddle-headed after drinking and brought Cuiyu and Lin Yingying into the manor on the day of the grand wedding. Later, he kept them for the sake of his reputation.
As You Yuji walked back, she asked a servant about the situation at that time. After pondering for a while, she knew that Chen Anzhi could not be relied upon, so she immediately had a maid call over Zhenxu.
“Go find Zhuo Wen and have him send someone to Boya Hall. Fu Xuesong has seen Concubine Lin before; have him draw several portraits of her and send them to Wanshun Hall. Ask Manager Su to send all his men to search.”
Wanshun Hall was a security agency. The You family’s business was quite extensive, and Manager Su oversaw several of their security agencies. These agencies traveled far and wide, making them faster at finding Lin Yingying.
“Got it!” Zhenxu nodded heavily and turned to leave.
“Wait!” You Yuji called her back.
“Do you have any other instructions, Madam?” Zhenxu asked.
After hesitating for a moment, You Yuji said, “If you find those bandits, regardless of whether she is injured or not, as long as she’s alive, you must rescue her. Life is more important than anything.”
Zhenxu nodded and quickly set off to carry out her orders.
You Yuji’s brow remained tightly furrowed.
She worried that the bandits, who might have originally kidnapped Lin Yingying without knowing her identity, would now realize she was from the Jinnan Prince’s manor and decide to kill her to silence her.
Nothing was more important than life.
You Yuji slightly raised her face, looking at the pale sky. Lin Yingying had always been sweet-talking and clever. She hoped that this time, Lin Yingying could also cleverly turn misfortune into blessing.
As long as she came back alive.
In the warm chamber, Princess Huarong lazily leaned on one end of a soft couch, eating the peeled grapes handed to her by a maid. She casually asked, “A concubine is missing?”
“Yes,” reported the matron beside her. “One of the Heir’s concubines was kidnapped by mountain bandits on her way home. It seems she isn’t very favored, as the manor isn’t making serious efforts to find her. However, the Heir’s wife is urgently sending people from her family to search.”
Another matron laughed and said, “This Heir’s wife is interesting. Not only does she not get along with the Shizi, but she also treats his concubines like sisters.”
Princess Huarong snorted coldly.
The two matrons exchanged a glance and immediately fell silent.
Princess Huarong pushed away the maid’s hand offering grapes, irritably saying, “Bandits running rampant right under the Emperor’s nose, is there no law and order?”
“Yes! What the Princess says is very true,” the two matrons replied in unison, their expressions solemn.
“I despise these lawless bandits the most!” Princess Huarong’s anger flared, and she swept the grapes off the table.
In her rage, all the servants in the room immediately knelt down and fell silent.
After a long while, Princess Huarong slowly closed her eyes and said wearily, “Prepare the carriage, we’re returning to the Prince Consort’s residence.”
“Yes.” The kneeling matron quickly got up and went out to give orders.
All the kneeling maids lowered their heads, none of them daring to look at the usually arrogant and domineering Princess Huarong, whose eyes were now red-rimmed.
If it hadn’t been for encountering those bandits who robbed and kidnapped back then, her daughter wouldn’t have…
Princess Huarong sighed deeply.
She was the Emperor’s only daughter, the sole princess of the Great Chen. All her life, she had her way in everything. Even the Crown Prince dared not speak loudly in her presence.
But what use was that?
She was a failed mother.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye, and there was no news from the people You Yuji had sent out. Lin Yingying had vanished, along with the bandits who had taken her, without a trace.
With no news for five days, everyone believed that Lin Yingying was likely facing grave danger, though no one said it out loud.
The flower hall in You Yuji’s residence suddenly became desolate.
Cuiyu sat dejectedly by the charcoal brazier, staring blankly at the flames.
Chunxing sat quietly beside her, frequently glancing at her. The clothing on Cuiyu’s shoulders slipped slightly, but she seemed unaware. Chunxing helped her adjust it.
Cuiyu looked back. Chunxing immediately said, “Yingying will definitely turn misfortune into blessing.”
Cuiyu slowly nodded, then looked at You Yuji standing under the eaves. Even though she was extremely anxious, she understood that the lady had already done her best.
“I haven’t made a fortune yet…” Cuiyu mumbled softly.
Chunxing looked at her in confusion.
Cuiyu sniffed and explained dejectedly, “I promised her that once I made a fortune, I would take care of her and protect her… so she wouldn’t have to always think about how to make others happy…”
You Yuji was talking to a maid from Lin Yingying’s room, inquiring about her family’s situation. After five days with no news, it was likely that the outcome was grim. From their time together, You Yuji knew that Lin Yingying was a filial child. If something had indeed happened to her, You Yuji felt she needed to help take care of her family.
You Yuji heard Cuiyu and Chunxing’s conversation and fell into deep thought.
Over two years ago, she had traveled from Si Kingdom to Chenjing, encountering many refugees and bandits along the way. In the two years since, the situation had improved significantly under the Emperor’s rule.
The Emperor was a wise ruler.
She decided to wait a few more days. If there was still no news, even if the Jinnan Prince’s manor was unwilling, she would escalate the matter and let the court intervene. Even if they couldn’t save Lin Yingying this time, striking against the hidden bandits would help many future Lin Yingyings.
Cuiyu suddenly stood up and hurriedly said something to You Yuji before quickly walking away. She returned to her room, crouched by the bed, and reached for the jewelry box hidden underneath. She placed the jewelry box on her lap, unlocked the two locks, and looked at all the savings she had accumulated over the years.
She had no parents or family since childhood, and if something truly happened to Lin Yingying, she would take care of Lin Yingying’s parents as her own, honoring and supporting them in their old age!
Another day passed with no news from the people You Yuji had sent out.
Early the next morning, You Yuji woke up to find that Si Que had risen before her. She got up and walked to the outer room, seeing Si Que sitting by the window, wiping the strings of a zither.
“You got up early today,” You Yuji said with a smile.
Si Que looked up, smiling earnestly, “Sister is going back to the You family today and won’t return until tomorrow night. I feared that if I didn’t get up early, you’d leave while I was asleep. I wanted to see you more and have breakfast with you.”
Looking into Si Que’s clear, pure eyes, You Yuji felt her gloom lift a little.
She walked over to him and softly said, “Ah Que is getting better at making me happy.”
“Everything I say is sincere,” Si Que said, hooking his arm around her waist, pulling her close, and resting his face against her.
Hearing a maid approaching, You Yuji pushed Si Que away. When Zhenxu entered, she immediately asked, “Any news?”
Zhenxu shook her head.
You Yuji’s eyes dimmed slightly.
After having breakfast with Si Que, You Yuji boarded a carriage to return to the You family. Today was You Jiamu’s birthday, and she wanted to visit home. With the recent constant snowfall, the round trip would be too taxing. Therefore, she decided to return tomorrow night instead.
Shortly after You Yuji left the Jinnan Prince’s manor, Si Que took out a pair of scissors and cut the zither strings he had just been wiping.
He looked coldly at the snapped strings, his lacquer-black eyes deep and unreadable.
With You Yuji away for two days, it seemed like an opportunity for him to leave the manor and find Si Lang to get the fake death medicine.
Si Que was reluctant to seek out Si Lang.
He sat alone by the window, staring at the broken strings for a long time before finally standing up. With a cold expression, he took a veil hat from the rack and left the Jinnan Prince’s manor.
Ever since he had escaped from the other palace, Si Lang had never left Chenjing.
Si Que had always known where he was hiding. After all, even Si Lang’s hiding place was arranged by him.
Si Que quietly stepped into an ancient courtyard, his steps crunching softly on the snow-covered path as he approached the main hall.
Inside the hall, seven or eight people were gathered, deep in discussion.
Si Que listened for a moment; it seemed they were talking about Si Hua.
“Who’s there?” A wary voice suddenly rang out from the hall, and simultaneously, a hidden weapon shot out from the window.
Si Que slightly tilted his face. The poisoned dart grazed the white gauze of his veil, shooting past him and embedding itself into the distant courtyard wall behind him.
Immediately, several doors were flung open, accompanied by the clinking of weapons.
The men in the hall rushed out, each gripping a weapon and staring vigilantly at Si Que.
Si Que remained motionless, his expression unchanging. Through the fluttering white gauze of his veil, he looked into the hall at the one person still seated there—Si Lang, his twin brother.
Si Lang sat at the head of the hall in an elegant chair, his tall frame wrapped in a dark blue embroidered robe. He had the same features as Si Que, but his complexion was not the pale, sickly hue of Si Que’s; instead, it was a healthy, radiant white. A faint smile played on his lips, unlike Si Que’s cold indifference.
There was an innate noble grace in Si Lang’s demeanor.
“Ah Que?” He stood up, one hand behind his back, and walked forward with a smile. Standing at the threshold, he gazed at Si Que in the courtyard.
Beneath the white gauze of his veil, Si Que’s face was impassive as he slightly curved his lips and spoke, “Crown Prince Brother.”
Si Lang instantly broke into a brilliant smile, his charm boundless, “It really is you. Come in quickly!”
The men surrounding Si Que finally lowered their weapons and breathed a sigh of relief.
Si Que stepped forward slowly, coming to stand before Si Lang.
Though they had identical faces, they had walked vastly different paths since birth.
He was the shining sun, born to be radiant and honored.
Si Que, however, had lived his life hidden in the shadows.
Si Lang raised a hand, patting Si Que’s shoulder with a smile, “When did you leave the Jinnan Prince’s residence to come to me?”
Si Que lowered his eyes slightly, his voice indifferent, “That depends on whether Crown Prince Brother is willing to give me the fake death drug.”
“There’s no need for formality between us brothers,” Si Lang said with a smile, “Come, let’s go get it.”
Si Que followed Si Lang through the hall and outside.
“By the way,” Si Lang said, “When you left the Jinnan Prince’s residence, could you bring You Yuji along as well?”
