Zhu Xiu ultimately escaped. When Dongfang Wei returned with the child, Chu Qingge hurried forward, took the infant, and meticulously examined him before finally breathing a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Young Master Dongfang. If it weren't for you, my child would have been in danger."
"Madam Xiao, please rest assured. We will protect the young master," Dongfang Wei reassured her. "It is only a pity that the scoundrel got away. Otherwise, I would have brought him before Madam for whatever punishment you deem fit."
"As long as the child is safe, it doesn't matter if the villain escapes," Chu Qingge said, still shaken. She dared not let the child out of her sight, even for feeding by the wet nurse.
"By the way, where is Xiao Ling?"
"Brought her back." Yu Qianmo threw Xiao Ling onto the ground. Xiao Ling had been knocked unconscious and had not yet woken.
"What happened to her?"
"Knocked out." Yu Qianmo sat down and crossed his legs. "Do you want to chop her up?"
Chu Qingge quickly waved her hand. "She was also compelled. Moreover, Ziyang is unharmed, so there's no need to blame her excessively."
"Aren't you afraid she'll be manipulated again and harm the young master?"
"Let's keep her locked up for now. We don't know when she might have an episode or do something irreversible. Besides, with A'man gone, we cannot dispose of her arbitrarily. She is, after all, part of the Xiao family. We must wait for A'man to return before making any decisions."
"Very well." Dongfang Wei had people escort Xiao Ling to a room and assigned guards to watch over her, preventing her from losing control again and doing something irreversible.
"Madam, it's not good. The Second Princess has been attacked."
"What?" Chu Qingge's face showed alarm. "How is the Second Princess? Is she injured?"
"The Second Princess is severely injured."
"Quickly send for the imperial physician to treat the Second Princess."
"Yes, Madam."
Chu Qingge paced anxiously in the room. "This damned lunatic, what does he truly want?"
"He probably couldn't capture the child and now wants to take others as bargaining chips. After all, the more bargaining chips, the better," Dongfang Wei explained. "Madam, don't worry. The princesses are accompanied by many guards; they will be fine."
"I'm still not entirely at ease. The Grand Preceptor is a man of deep schemes and wicked actions. Young Master Dongfang, Young Master Yu, could you please go and check on the Second Princess?"
"No, we cannot leave your side." Dongfang Wei refused without hesitation. He hadn't forgotten what Xiao Man had said before she left. If Chu Qingge and her son met with any misfortune... Xiao Man would tie him and Yu Qianmo up and send them to Yan Yuqing to be her male consorts! No, absolutely not!
"One of you can go and check."
"You go. I'm not going." Dongfang Wei stated unequivocally. He would never leave Chu Qingge's side.
Yu Qianmo snorted. "I'm not going either. I only promised Xiao Man to protect their mother and son's safety. The lives and deaths of others have nothing to do with me."
As he finished speaking, a hidden weapon flew in. Dongfang Wei caught it. Yu Qianmo immediately chased after it. "You scoundrel! How dare you harm someone right under my nose? Stop!"
"Yu Qianmo!" Dongfang Wei hurried to the doorway, trying to stop Yu Qianmo from pursuing, but Yu Qianmo had already vanished.
"Are there assassins in the palace too?" Chu Qingge asked uneasily.
"Young Madam." Yin Zhu ran in. "Young Master Dongfang." Su Dan Fiction Network
"Miss Yin Zhu."
"I saw the guards searching for assassins everywhere and felt uneasy, so I came to guard Young Madam and the young master," Yin Zhu said, approaching Chu Qingge. "Young Madam, don't worry. The palace guards have been tripled. Not even a fly could get in."
Chu Qingge nodded. "I hope no one else gets hurt."
"You must be tired after a day of worry. Please rest early. I will guard outside."
"Young Master Dongfang, rest assured. This servant will accompany Young Madam and the young master."
"Thank you, Miss Yin Zhu."
Dongfang Wei withdrew and guarded outside. Yu Qianmo had chased after the assassin and had not returned for a long time. Dongfang Wei felt uneasy but could not leave his post.
After midnight, Yu Qianmo returned dejectedly. Seeing that Dongfang Wei was unharmed, he sighed in relief. "You didn't catch him."
"That person was too slippery! With my Qinggong, I still couldn't catch him," Yu Qianmo said indignantly. "In the past, when Duguao the elder was good at Qinggong, I accepted it. Later, I met Xiao Man, whose Qinggong was better than mine, and I accepted it. Now, some petty thief has even better Qinggong than mine!"
"There's always someone better. There are many people whose skills surpass yours, but they remain hidden, and you haven't encountered them," Dongfang Wei was more philosophical. In the martial world, those old monsters appeared unremarkable, but they were all hidden masters.
"Many people have better skills than me?" Yu Qianmo was unconvinced. "It's true that there are a few more people with better skills than me, but those with better Qinggong than me can be counted on one hand!"
"Where did you lose him?"
"At the palace gate." Yu Qianmo crossed his arms. "The moment that person reached the palace gate, he vanished. I chased him out of the palace but found no trace. It's truly unbelievable."
"An assassin? Could he still be in the palace?" Dongfang Wei frowned. If the assassin was still in the palace, Yu Qianmo naturally wouldn't find him outside. If the other party was inside the palace, where would they hide?
Dongfang Wei stood on the rooftop, looking around. The target was Chu Qingge and her son, so they must be... Not good!
Dongfang Wei leaped down from the rooftop and hurried into the hall. The moment he entered, he smelled a sweet, familiar yet unfamiliar scent.
Yu Qianmo followed behind and quickly covered his nose and mouth. "It's the Soul-Bewitching Incense."
Dongfang Wei was greatly alarmed. He quickly covered his nose and mouth, but unfortunately, he had already inhaled a considerable amount. His vision began to blur.
Yu Qianmo looked around and then grabbed a nearby vase, splashing the water inside onto Dongfang Wei's face and body. Dongfang Wei managed to steady himself.
"Quickly see what happened to Chu Qingge and the child!"
Yu Qianmo rushed in swiftly. However, besides Yin Zhu, who had fainted on the ground, and the wet nurse attending to the child, Chu Qingge and her son were nowhere to be seen.
"Dongfang Wei, it's over! Chu Qingge is missing!"
"The child?" Dongfang Wei felt his limbs go weak. He struggled to stand and asked, leaning on a pillar.
"They're both gone."
Dongfang Wei stumbled inside. Yin Zhu and the wet nurse were lying on the ground, unconscious. Chu Qingge and her son were nowhere to be found. He had been guarding outside, never leaving his post. How did they manage to take them away so silently?
"Go inform the Second Princess and seal the imperial city. Search house by house!" Dongfang Wei decided instantly. "We must find them!"