Yu Jian, seeing that Bi Xi still wouldn't tell the truth, said coldly, "Then don't blame me." She picked up a stone from the ground and smashed it towards Bi Xi's head.
Watching Bi Xi collapse on the ground, seemingly lifeless, Yu Jian felt a pang of fear. However, recalling how Ye Qingcheng had treated her, she hardened her heart and dragged Bi Xi, intending to pull her into the bushes.
After tonight, once she was eaten by wild beasts down to her bones, Yu Jian would falsely claim that Bi Xi had climbed the back mountain and been attacked by wild beasts. No one would suspect her.
Although Ye Qingcheng had settled into the prince's manor, for some reason, she felt uneasy, as if something bad was about to happen.
But it was already late, and the mountain roads in ancient times were dark and prone to bandits, unlike the brightly lit modern times. Furthermore, rushing back to Ye Shan Village would inevitably arouse suspicion in Xiao Wangye.
So, she patiently tossed and turned all night. As dawn broke, unable to bear her unease any longer, she went to the stables and took out her horse.
She gently stroked the horse that had come out of the stables and said to the yawning stable hand beside her, "When Lin Xiao arrives, tell him I've left first. I'll see you in Ye Shan Village."
"Ah, Princess Consort." In the blink of an eye, Ye Qingcheng mounted her horse and galloped away.
The stable hand scratched his head. The Princess Consort had just left, without even informing the Prince?
Fortunately, the city gates were already open. Many small vendors from outside the city were pouring in, and many businessmen were exiting the city. Ye Qingcheng discreetly rode her horse slowly out of the city, only to spur her horse into a gallop once they reached the small road outside the city.
By the time she reached Ye Shan Village, it was already broad daylight. Many villagers were working in the fields. Seeing Ye Qingcheng return, they greeted her enthusiastically.
"Princess Consort, you're back."
Ye Qingcheng reined in her horse, greeted the villagers, and then asked, "I went back to the prince's manor. Is everything alright in the village?"
"Everything's fine, nothing's happened." As they spoke, they glanced around Ye Qingcheng. "Why didn't Miss Bi Xi return with you, Princess Consort?"
"Bi Xi?" Ye Qingcheng frowned. "She didn't return to the manor with me."
"Then why haven't we seen her all afternoon?" an old woman said. "Last night I wanted to get some ointment, but I couldn't find anyone from your residence, Princess Consort. It was pitch black."
Ye Qingcheng's heart tightened. Had something happened to Bi Xi?
"Where is Yu Jian?" Upon arriving at their lodging in Ye Shan Village, she found the place deserted.
Ye Qingcheng's heart sank. She asked the villagers to search the mountain with her.
Could it be that Yu Jian had made a move on Bi Xi in her absence? How dare she.
With the villagers numerous and familiar with the back mountain, they quickly searched the entire mountain.
"Princess Consort, we've searched, but we haven't found her."
"We haven't found her either." Ye Qingcheng grew anxious. With so many people unable to find Bi Xi, where could she be?
Xiao Wangye woke up that morning and heard the news that Ye Qingcheng had already left. Was she that eager to go?
He looked at Lin Xiao, who was waiting at his side, and said, "Go." It was truly vexing.
"Your Highness, Miss Murong is here," the newly promoted steward reported to him in the study.
"Brother Xiao," Murong Yun arrived with large bags of gifts. "Is your leg feeling better?"
"Yun'er," Xiao Wangye put down the book in his hand. "I'm much better now." Xiao Wangye felt a bit guilty about scolding Murong Yun yesterday.
"The weather is nice today. How about we go to a teahouse for some tea? The Qingshan Tea House is having a tea ceremony competition today."
"Alright," Xiao Wangye thought, since Ye Qingcheng wasn't here, it was indeed quite boring.
"Really? That's great!" Seeing that Xiao Wangye was willing to go out with her, Murong Yun couldn't help but rejoice. Brother Xiao still had her in his heart. Recalling the rumors she had heard at recent gatherings about Xiao Wangye and the Princess Consort's intimacy, she couldn't help but snort coldly.
To Brother Xiao, she was unique. Even though he had married the Princess Consort, their feelings for each other were different.
As Xiao Wangye went into the room to change, Murong Yun sat in the outer room sipping tea. A guard rushed in from outside.
Upon seeing Murong Yun there, he paused and immediately bowed to her.
"Get up. Is there something important?"
Murong Yun had a premonition that this guard would ruin their tea outing. She immediately stopped him.
"Miss," the guard knew Murong Yun's special status with his Prince, but this matter concerned the Princess Consort, and he didn't know how to speak.
"What, is there something my lady cannot know?" Murong Yun's maid said indignantly. Murong Yun merely sipped her tea gently, allowing her maid to speak.
"We dare not," the guard lowered his head. "It's just about the Princess Consort's affairs, which require the Prince's decision."
"Sister Princess Consort's affairs," Murong Yun frowned. At such a time, it was truly displeasing.
"What did the Prince say?" Lin Xiao grabbed the guard who had dismounted and asked urgently. Ye Qingcheng's gaze was fervent.
"The Prince..." Under the gaze of the two people before him, the guard stammered, "The Prince has already gone out and is not in the manor."
"Didn't the Prince's leg ailment relapse yesterday? How is he going out today?" Ye Qingcheng looked at the guard suspiciously.
"Did you even see the Prince?" Lin Xiao could tell at a glance that the guard was lying.
"Your subordinate did not see the Prince," the guard could only lower his head. "When your subordinate arrived, the Prince had already gone out."
"Did the Prince say where he was going?" Ye Qingcheng stepped forward and pressed.
"Your subordinate heard the steward say that he seemed to have gone to the teahouse with Miss Murong." Miss Murong Yun didn't allow me to see the Prince at all. Fortunately, I inquired about the Prince's whereabouts from the steward before leaving.
Ye Qingcheng bit her lip fiercely, mounted her horse, and sped towards the teahouse.
"Princess Consort," Lin Xiao's obstruction was futile. He could only watch Ye Qingcheng leave. It seemed like the teahouse would inevitably become a bloody scene later.
He had brought a team of guards here and heard the news of Bi Xi and Yu Jian's disappearance. Helpless, they searched the mountain again with no success. Only then did he think of using the Prince's manor's special means to search.
If the Prince knew this news, he would surely help the Princess Consort. It was just that he hadn't expected Murong Yun to intercept him.
Ye Qingcheng galloped her horse. Upon reaching the city, she didn't go to the teahouse to cause trouble. Instead, she tied her horse at an inn and asked the waiter to feed it some grass. Then, she took many winding turns and arrived at a dilapidated courtyard.
She knocked on the door, but there was no response. Ye Qingcheng went to a broken window and called out, "Xiao Hua."
After a while, scattered footsteps could be heard from behind the door. The door opened, and several dark little faces poked out.
"Sister Ye," the leading child said. "Are you looking for Xiao Hua? She's gone out."
"I have something to ask Xiao Hua for help. When she comes back, tell her Bi Xi has gone missing in Ye Shan Village and ask her to help me look for her."
Xiao Hua had traveled the jianghu and was experienced, so she might have some connections.
"Okay, when Xiao Hua comes back, we'll tell her." Several dark little faces nodded at the door.
And Master, she had to ask him for help too.