The old Madam Bai could feel Xiao Chizhan watching her reaction. She pursed her lips, a sharp glint in her cloudy eyes.
What treason, what colluding with rebels, were all excuses!
This Prince of Dingbei wanted to pry the whereabouts of Ah Luan from their mouths, to force her hand!
Seeing her son threatened on the instruments of torture, she said, "Your Highness wishes to punish, the Bai household has no complaints. But I beg Your Highness not to resort to torture for confession."
"Grandmother!"
"Mother!"
Madam Bai supported the old Madam's arm, crying torrents of tears.
Xiao Chizhan raised an eyebrow, his voice cold, "Old Madam does not wish to speak?"
"This subject knows nothing!"
As soon as the words fell, a flash of white light appeared, and blood splattered out. Bai Wennian's pained cry instantly echoed throughout the entire Bai residence.
"Master, Master--" Madam Bai cried and rushed over.
Old Madam Bai's face turned pale, her heart ached, and she fainted directly.
The main hall descended into chaos.
Nannies and concubines rushed to help the old Madam, weeping softly.
Xiao Chizhan coldly drew his saber, looked at Bai Muheng who glared at him, and said slowly and chillingly, "Will you speak or not?!"
Bai Muheng's father's shoulder blades were bleeding profusely, and he was in agonizing pain. Bai Muheng's hands trembled.
"Your Highness only wants to know Ah Luan's whereabouts, but our Bai family knows nothing. Even if you kill us, we won't know where she has gone?"
What?
Wasn't it treason and rebellion?
The Prince of Dingbei came to the Bai residence to cause trouble for Ah Luan's whereabouts?
Everyone's expressions varied.
Madam Bai looked at her husband, who was on the verge of fainting from pain, and said angrily, "Bai Muheng, do you even know where Ye Luan went? Do you want to watch your father die?"
"Mother, I truly don't know."
Xiao Chizhan sneered, his eyes terrifyingly dark.
"Very good!"
The sharp blade struck again.
Bai Muheng dodged and grabbed the saber from Long Tian's hand, glaring at Xiao Chizhan.
"Your Highness has crippled my father. If Ah Luan returns and sees this, won't she be disheartened!"
Xiao Chizhan's red eyes were sinister, "She left of her own accord, and her own safety is precarious. Do you think she will have a chance to live if she returns?"
Bai Muheng's heart sank. He held the saber tightly, refusing to retreat a single step.
Just then, several figures strode in from outside.
"Holy cow, Ye Luan really ran away?" Li Qiongyu, dressed in a red robe, was particularly striking in the night.
Looking at the tragic scene in the hall, Tantai Ye's hawk-like eyes flashed with a proud smile.
"It's all been arranged. In a day, she can't run far. Bring her back, and remember to discipline her properly."
This fellow, going to such great lengths for a woman.
The palace had summoned many old ministers overnight. Tomorrow, there would probably be a pile of impeachment memorials.
Sigh.
He really was a worrier!
Hearing this, Xiao Chizhan's gloomy eyes turned to Liu Rongruo, who then spoke, "An imperial decree has already been drafted overnight. Tomorrow, all counties and districts in the capital will conduct strict searches. She will not be allowed to escape."
Tantai Ye remembered important matters and said, "Xie Beihan has rescued Xie Beichen. Tomorrow, the censors will surely impeach us for sending troops to pursue Ye Luan. We can use the pursuit of Xie Beihan as an excuse to silence them."
Xiao Chizhan threw down his saber and strode out, his voice terrifyingly bloodthirsty.
"If the censors dare to impeach, I'll reward them with a fox-skin lantern."
"Where are you going?"
Xiao Chizhan stopped, looked at the dark sky, and said slowly and chillingly, "I will personally go and capture her."
Li Qiongyu rubbed his hands excitedly, "Tantai Ye and I will go with you."
Catching people!
He loved it the most.
"Heh heh, brother, you stay behind and clean up the mess."
Liu Rongruo flicked his claw away with annoyance.
These arrogant scoundrels!
Bai Muheng's hands were clenched tightly, wishing he could take a saber and split the man in front of him to death.
As he reached the doorway, Xiao Chizhan stopped.
He looked back at the Bai family in the hall, his gaze lingering, and said indifferently to Liu Rongruo.
"Issue an imperial decree announcing to the world that the Duke of Bai's residence colluded with Northern Qi and intended to usurp the throne. Ten days later, execution!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Rongruo licked his lips and chuckled, "Good."
Madness!
To go against the world for a woman.
What good would it do to force the person out with such methods? If she returned unwillingly, trouble would surely follow.
But he knew Chizhan too well; he wouldn't listen even if he spoke.
The Bai family was already lifeless. Some of the fainter-hearted had already fainted from fear.
Bai Muheng watched the figures leaving, his eyes darkening.
They were now confined to the residence. As long as Ah Luan did not return, they would not be able to leave.
A heartless lunatic!
Did he think this would keep Ah Luan?
His methods would only make Ah Luan detest him more and want to escape him even more.
A chilling aura emanated from behind.
Liu Rongruo lazily glanced back, smiling faintly, "Come, find a imperial physician to treat the Duke."
"Yes."
Bai Muheng's eyes were cold, "No need to trouble Prime Minister Liu. We have a physician in the residence."
He was of the same ilk as the Prince of Dingbei and feared poison from him.
Liu Rongruo smiled and patted Bai Muheng's shoulder, "Don't be angry. The Prince only wants Miss Ye to return, he won't harm the Bai family, rest assured."
"As for the Duke's shoulder wound, with the snow cream gifted by Beidi, it won't leave a scar."
A smiling tiger.
Bai Muheng ignored him and turned to help his father.
Liu Rongruo smiled helplessly and watched them leave.
After they left, his expression turned cold. He said to the dark guards, "Keep a close eye on Bai Muheng. If he has any contact with Ye Luan, report it to the Prince immediately."
"Yes."
----
The next day, in a quiet forest, golden dawn light pierced through the dense canopy and into the woods.
A carriage was speeding along.
Behind it, five figures on horseback in black robes were in close pursuit. Their bows and arrows glinted silver, piercing the west wind and aiming directly at the carriage ahead.
"Ah, Miss, are you alright?"
Ye Luan, while driving the carriage, countered the black-clothed figures behind her with hidden weapons.
"I'm fine. Lie down, don't move rashly."
Silver needles imbued with intense killing intent flew towards them, extremely fine and small.
Before the two leading black-clothed figures could react, they suddenly felt a pain in their necks. The horses neighed in fright and then, with a crash, flipped over.
It was a trap!
Ye Luan whistled and stopped the carriage. Her body leaped eerily onto a tree. She raised her hand, pressed a mechanism, and several silver needles flew out rapidly.
A bag of powder in her hand was also scattered.
The black-clothed figures' pupils widened in shock. They immediately dismounted, but a terrifying killing intent followed close behind.
Their heads felt dizzy.
Having inhaled too much poisonous powder, they couldn't even lift their swords.
A sharp cold light flashed, and pain surged through their abdomens, blood gushing out.
The leading black-clothed figure watched his brothers die like this, his fear making him scramble away. But his whole body suddenly became weak, and he collapsed on the ground.
Ye Luan emerged from the mist, looking coldly at the last black-clothed figure. She stepped on his head and sneered.
"The Gao family only sent a few trash like you to kill me?"