Old Man Yun sighed and poured a cup of tea for Prefect Chen.
He didn't know why Prefect Chen was so anxious. After all, his daughter wasn't his biological child...
Could it be because of Young Master Xiao?
"Brother Yun, I'll be going back now. These constables will stay with you. You'll need people to run errands!" Prefect Chen sighed.
Upon hearing this, Old Man Yun quickly refused, "Your Excellency Prefect, please take the constables back with you. We don't need them, and there's nothing going on here at the moment. Don't delay their investigation or anything else..."
Yun Sanman and the others had gone into the mountains. Old Man Yun prayed that they could find his little daughter this time.
Sometimes, waiting for news at home was more agonizing than searching for someone in the mountains.
Old Man Yun's cold hadn't gotten better yet. His head was buzzing. After being pestered by Liu Cuirong, he had two large sores on his gums. When he licked them with his tongue, they stung.
Prefect Chen didn't say anything and shouted outside the door, "Xiao Ran, hurry up and pack your things, we're going back!"
Madam Huang had been nagging him recently, asking what was the meaning of their daughter staying at the old Yun family's house every day.
They weren't related by blood, and if she wasn't brought back soon, Xiao Ran would become someone else's daughter...
Chen Xiaoran walked in listlessly, pouting. "Daddy, can I stay a few more days? Xi Tian hasn't been found yet, and I'm so upset!"
"Who isn't upset?" Prefect Chen frowned. "What's the use of being upset? Where are your things? Pack them quickly, your mother is waiting for you at home..."
The old Yun family was in chaos. It would be too improper to keep their daughter here any longer.
After returning, he decided to write a letter to Prefect Qin, asking him to think of a solution.
The little prince had been missing for a day and a night. Even if his official hat was at stake, he had to find the person...
Chen Xiaoran packed her things while wiping away tears.
"Hurry up, don't dawdle!" Prefect Chen urged.
This darn girl, she had been staying at the old Yun family for so long that she had forgotten where her own home was.
Chen Xiaoran stuck out her tongue at him and left with great reluctance.
At the same time, on the back of Camel Peak Mountain.
Kong Xingzhuo, accompanied by two secret guards, was searching in the dense forest...
Ever since Xiao Jinheng and little Xi Tian were swept away by the flood, the three of them had not rested.
At this moment, they were too tired to walk.
"Commander Kong, let's... let's rest for a while. I can't walk anymore!" Secret Guard A leaned against a large tree, panting heavily.
Secret Guard B also looked exhausted, his beard unkempt, and his eyes full of sleep crust. "Yes, Commander Kong. People can go without food, but they can't go without sleep. My arms and legs aren't obeying me..."
Kong Xingzhuo glared at them and said angrily, "It's better to die of exhaustion than to lose your head. The young master's whereabouts are unknown, can you sleep soundly?"
The two secret guards nodded simultaneously, "Yes!"
And they could fall asleep as soon as their eyes closed.
Kong Xingzhuo: "..."
These two simpletons were truly useless.
He was wondering if he should send a carrier pigeon to inform the palace about the little prince's disappearance and ask them to send people to search the mountains.
As Xiao Jinheng's personal bodyguard, he was fundamentally responsible for the prince's disappearance.
Minor offenses would result in fifty lashes, and severe offenses would lead to execution as atonement...
"Commander Kong, look, there seems to be a pool of water ahead, and there are many footprints on the ground!" Secret Guard A said excitedly.
Kong Xingzhuo narrowed his eyes and looked ahead.
On the sandy bank, there were not only footprints but also a pile of burnt charcoal, and many fish bones around the ashes...
Kong Xingzhuo's face lit up with joy. He rushed over and searched around the pool.
"Great, we finally have a clue!" Kong Xingzhuo was so excited he almost cried.
Judging by the small footprints on the ground, the young master and little Xi Tian were definitely not dead.
"Haha, Commander Kong, can we sleep now?" Secret Guard B asked.
Kong Xingzhuo glared at him, "Sleep your head off, hurry up and follow the footprints!"
All they did was eat and sleep. Were these two dead things pigs...
As the three searched, the footprints disappeared.
When little Xi Tian and Xiao Jinheng climbed onto a large rock, they jumped onto a patch of grass and headed towards the dense forest.
Unless they deliberately left some clues, it would be difficult to find two children in this deep mountain forest.
"You two, go search separately. Shout louder, don't be so quiet like you haven't eaten..." Kong Xingzhuo ordered.
The two secret guards exchanged glances, both looking helpless.
They hadn't eaten!
To search for people, they didn't even have time to hunt. The roasted wild rabbits from yesterday were long gone...
This morning, they ate a stomachful of sour gruel, and now when they burped, sour water came back up.
So the three of them began to shout at the top of their lungs in the thicket, "Young Master, Little Sweet Treasure..."
Half an hour later, the shouting grew weaker and hoarser, and finally, there was no sound.
Xiao Jinheng carried little Xi Tian for only a short distance before he was covered in sweat. Finally, he had to put her down on a large rock to rest.
"Here, have a piece of milk tofu. It tastes delicious!" Little Xi Tian took out a piece of milk tofu from her space and handed it to Xiao Jinheng.
She made this herself, without sugar. One bite filled her mouth with the fragrance of milk...
"What is milk tofu?" Xiao Jinheng asked curiously.
He had never eaten such a thing.
"You'll know when you try it. Don't worry, it's not poisoned!" Little Xi Tian winked at him.
Ever since the two of them had eaten the grilled fish, they hadn't had anything to eat or drink. They had walked for the entire morning and were already dizzy with hunger...
Xiao Jinheng picked up the milk tofu and took a small bite. "Mmm! Fragrant and soft!"
It was a bit like dried bean curd.
The two little buns sat on the large rock, eating milk tofu and observing the terrain around them.
"Little village girl, you're so resourceful, can you really not find the way back to the village?" Xiao Jinheng asked.
Why was the little monster not so powerful at the critical moment?
Little Xi Tian rolled her eyes at him. "I'm not an immortal..."
She didn't know where the flood had washed them.
The forest here was very dense, and the terrain was low. The surrounding mountains rose and fell, stretching endlessly. She couldn't even tell east from west.
"Right!" Little Xi Tian's big eyes lit up.
When lost in the mountains, the most crucial thing was to be able to determine direction. She took out a compass from her space. With a slight adjustment, little Xi Tian could distinguish north from south...
"Little village girl, have you been carrying a compass all along?" Xiao Jinheng curved his lips.
Why didn't she take out such a good thing earlier?
Was she doing it on purpose again?
Little Xi Tian squinted and smiled. "I found this compass, do you believe me?"
Xiao Jinheng: "..."