Yu Liu's stubbornness angered the Emperor. Yu Shan quickly stepped forward to explain, "Your Majesty, it's not that she refuses to speak, but that without the Princess's consent, we servants dare not speak freely. Please believe that this matter has nothing to do with the Princess's disappearance. The priority now is to find the Princess quickly."
Qu Linglong chimed in, "Yes, the Princess is in danger now."
"Why is she in danger? Did she use her divine power?" Song Beiting pressed.
Qu Linglong could only nod in agreement, "Yes, nearly a thousand lives. The Princess exerted too much strength and is very weak. If she were taken by villains, the consequences would be unimaginable."
Mingde Emperor and Song Beiting's expressions changed drastically.
She was indeed lying, and the prescription was not from Qing He at all!
"Confine this lowly servant first and deal with her after the Princess is found!" Mingde Emperor commanded hatefully.
"Your Majesty, this servant must go find the Princess, Your Majesty..." Yu Liu struggled as she was dragged away.
The room was sealed, and the palace maids guarding outside saw no one emerge. Song Beiting leaped onto the rooftop and discovered traces of someone climbing on the skylight.
The Princess had indeed been abducted!
Everyone became agitated.
Song Beiting led his men to search every corner of Fengque Tower and then scoured the imperial palace for an entire night, finding nothing. He was consumed by anxiety.
The prepared pills were sent to the outskirts of the capital. The common people received effective treatment and were deeply grateful to the imperial family, singing praises for Mingde Emperor and the divine maiden.
However, Mingde Emperor showed no signs of happiness. After discussing with Song Beiting, they both believed that the person who had harmed Ling Yao was the same one who had spread rumors earlier.
Thus, they ordered Ruan Ji to resume the investigation.
"Also, investigate the backgrounds of all the court officials who were punished by the Princess at the Qionglin Banquet."
"And those who were at odds with the Divine Martial General, they must also be investigated!"
Mingde Emperor and Song Beiting spoke one after another, and Ruan Ji noted everything down.
What else? Who else would abduct her?
Song Beiting's mind was in a turmoil as he desperately tried to recall. Suddenly, he remembered how Ling Yao had looked at his father that day.
Father wouldn't do something so audacious, would he? He held considerable power, but he wouldn't dare commit an act equivalent to regicide.
Yet, once suspicion takes root, it becomes uncontrollable.
Song Beiting still secretly investigated the Left Prime Minister.
The result was that after the Qionglin Banquet, the Left Prime Minister had not left his residence except for attending court, nor had he contacted anyone.
This relieved Song Beiting, and he continued to secretly lead people in searching the capital.
Far away in the southwest, Xiao Shan had just recaptured Lizhou. The city was in chaos. Yuan Bufi led men to pacify the populace, while Xiao Shan and his strategist returned to the military camp to discuss the next plan.
He rubbed his chest again. This was the third time since last night.
Even during the siege last night, when the two hundred thousand troops were waiting for his command, he had suddenly stopped, clutching his chest for a long time without speaking.
His expression didn't seem like he was in pain, but rather as if he were sensing something.
The night had passed, and everyone was exhausted. However, Wu Zhoubai knew General's body best; he could still pick off enemy generals after three days and three nights without sleep.
There was no reason for him to become so weak after staying in the capital for several months.
"What's wrong? Do you have lice inside?"
Xiao Shan himself didn't know. He only felt a slight stirring in his body, his blood boiling, as if a living creature were restlessly moving within.
His heart didn't hurt, it just felt uncomfortable, unsettling.
When Xue Niang had an accident before, his heart had ached. This time... could it still be because of her?
What could have happened?
"How many days has it been since I sent the letter back to the capital?" he asked the orderly.
"Reporting to the General, it has been exactly ten days today."
Wu Zhoubai knew which letter General was referring to. It wasn't sent to the Emperor, but to the divine maiden. Between husband and wife, it was certainly impossible to discuss military matters.
He looked at Xiao Shan with a blank face.
The General was still the same cold-faced General, only the shell was the same, but the core had changed.
His mind was filled with the divine maiden. He really didn't want to play with him anymore!
"Then it should have arrived by now. The reply should be on its way, right?" Xiao Shan muttered to himself.
He rubbed his chest, his arms, even his thighs, his brow furrowed as if troubled by something.
He's gotten used to being held by a woman and can't adapt! Wu Zhoubai rolled his small eyes and snorted heavily through his nose.
"General, the climate here is humid. Perhaps some insect has burrowed into you. Why not go wash up in the river?"
Most importantly, it was to cool him down, so he wouldn't look so lustful all day!
Xiao Shan thought for a moment, "Alright."
Perhaps he was indeed not accustomed to the climate here, with too many mosquitoes and insects. He might have been bitten by something.
There was a river in front of the military camp. After fighting all night, he was covered in dirt. The moment he jumped into the river, it was simply:
Refreshing!
"General, hurry!"
Wu Zhoubai shouted and dove in. When he emerged from the river, he saw that Xiao Shan had already stripped and entered the water.
That enviable muscular physique was the same as before, not softened by the food in the capital at all.
Hey! What is that?
A jade pendant?
It was affixed to his strong chest, glowing red.
What kind of appearance is it for a man to wear such a feminine item!
The General kissed the jade pendant!
His gaze was as affectionate as if he were looking at a young lady!
Oh, heavens! Let him die!
Wu Zhoubai lay down, his small eyes looking at the clear blue sky with no will to live, drifting along with the river's current.
The General had become the divine maiden's slave, no longer an independent person.
Xiao Shan's letter had arrived, but the person who was supposed to read it was nowhere to be found.
It had been three days, three whole days!
Not a single piece of news.
In the imperial court, Mingde Emperor suspected everyone. The officials were unaware of what had happened and lived in fear daily, lest they be singled out and reprimanded by the Emperor.
Even celebrating a concubine's birthday was criticized by the Emperor as favoring concubines over the wife.
The plague had been resolved; it was clearly a good thing. Why was the Emperor unhappy?
Song Beiting's eyes were bloodshot. In the past few days, he slept only one or two hours a day, too afraid to close his eyes, as nightmares filled his mind whenever he did.
He had searched brothels, gambling dens, bathhouses, and all sorts of disreputable places from top to bottom. He had even searched countless hidden brothels.
But he hadn't found the person he wanted to see. However, the atmosphere in the capital had improved considerably.
The common people believed it was the Emperor rectifying order in the capital and publicized it extensively, calling him a wise ruler.
At the same time, Ruan Ji finally found the person who had spread the rumors.
It was Meng Yuan, the chief bodyguard of the Imperial Guards' Sixteen Guards.
Mingde Emperor was almost certain that he was the one who had abducted Ling Yao. He had all the advantages: timing, location, and support.
However, under severe torture, he insisted that he was avenging the King of Runan, who had shown him great kindness. Since the divine maiden had harmed the King of Runan, he wanted to pull the divine maiden down from her pedestal.
Therefore, when he was ordered to surround the plague-stricken populace, he had said that the divine maiden could not save them at all.
But he denied the abduction.
Even when Mingde Emperor threatened to exterminate his nine generations of relatives, Meng Yuan did not confess.
"My father and brothers died fighting the Turks on the battlefield years ago. If the King of Runan hadn't found me starving by the roadside, would Your Majesty have the chance to speak to me now? Haha! Nine generations! I am the only one left of my nine generations. Kill me or flay me as you please!"