For the past three months, everyone in Huai City, regardless of whether it was the monarch, ministers, peddlers, or ordinary folk, they were all suffering in hellfire.
This was due to the fact that a certain person had returned to Huai City three months ago. This person first went to stroll around the Imperial City and tear down the imperial study, then went to the Second Prince’s residence to say a couple things in front of his door. Xi Qiulin was resentful to the point his teeth itched, but he still had no choice but to lock Xi Qiuyi up.
Following that, that person returned to Plum Garden and, as if he had gone mad, sent out countless secret orders like he was distributing snowflakes. It caused the entire country to tremble as everyone tried to guess what exactly happened to cause this person, who had always been low-key, to adopt such a high-profile stance.
From start to finish, no one ever saw a trace of anger on his face. However, at the same time, those mild as water pupils seemed to contain a myriad of emotions, making it completely impossible for people to guess what he was thinking.
The entire country was shaking, and Huai City was the epicenter of this earthquake. Everyone feared for their lives. They didn’t even dare to speak too loudly in fear that they would anger the person in that garden and bring about their own deaths.
These three months, too many people had died in Huai City.
There was an especially large number of Imperial Court casualties. Regardless of whether they were big officials or low-ranking ones, as long as they had any history of entanglement with the Second Prince, they would be secretly murdered in the shadows.
On the surface, the Emperor ordered people to investigate, however, everyone knew who had done it. This was simply to keep up appearances. Who truly had the time to care about this when their own lives were in peril?
Several people were guessing that Baili Yu wanted to seize the throne.
However, those who knew the actual situation shook their head helplessly, they never thought that the world would end up going through such an upheaval for a single person.
Moreover, it was even for a person whose gender was ambiguous.
Plum Garden.
Spring had already passed, new lotus blooms were already started to emerge.
The snow-white plum flowers had already wilted, but lush green leaves stretched as far as the eye could see. However, this green scene simply caused a chill to seep into one’s heart.
Qing Yin had come countless times to this sea of plums. She sighed as she gazed at the person who was in the distant pavilion.
At her side, Meng Yu asked quietly, “Did Master say anything when he came back?”
“During this time while Lady Doudou is missing, Master hasn’t opened his mouth except when he needed to give orders,” said Qing Yin with a sigh. She retrieved her gaze worriedly. “Who exactly took Lady Doudou away? It’s already been three months, yet there hadn’t been a single bit of news.”
She wanted to say that, for there to be no news after three months despite Master’s extensive network, could it be that Tang Doudou was…
However, she didn’t dare to say it, because she knew that Baili Yu would find out everything that was said about Tang Doudou. Moreover, there was no way Master hadn’t thought of this possibility, it was simply that he didn’t dare to admit it.
Qing Yin’s heart ached when she saw his haggard face. The number of times Master had eaten these past three months were so few they could be counted on one’s fingers.
Most of the time, as soon as he heard even just a rumor, he would immediately head over to the place to check it out.
Just as she was thinking this, she saw Ye Chuan rush over. Before he even landed in the garden, he started shouting, “Master, there’s news!”
That dispirited figure immediately stood up, almost as if simply by reflex. The sound of an emotionless voice came, “Speak.”
“N-news came from Green Maple City. They said they saw someone carrying Lady Doudou and heading to Huai City. The news was brought back by a qianfei bird!” Ye Chuan was gasping for breath. It was obvious that he had immediately rushed here right after hearing of the news. (qian = thousand, fei = fly, it’s a made-up bird.)
“Green Maple City?” repeated Baili Yu softly, then he made to leave the garden. However, after a few steps, he was hit with a coughing fit and coughed up a mouthful of blood. His facial color immediately turned as pale as paper.
Qing Yin hastily ran out from the concealed area she was in and took out a jade bottle from within her sleeves. “Master, you must pay attention to your health!”
Master had already coughed up blood countless times. The medicine she was holding was something Cang Baicao had sent over. There had been a letter delivered together with it. The contents pretty much said that if Baili Yu didn’t find Tang Doudou within half a year, he would certainly die.
She had destroyed the letter right after she read it, she didn’t even tell Master about it.
“If Lady Doudou came back and saw Master like this, wouldn’t she die from heartache?” persuaded Qing Yin as she passed the medicine to Ye Chuan so that he could give it to Baili Yu.
Baili Yu took the medicine and was originally going to continue towards Green Maple City when something suddenly occurred to him and he stopped.
“I’m heading to Green Maple City first. You guys follow and bring the Chrysanthemum Glass Jade Palanquin.” After he finished speaking, he immediately left.
Qing Yin and Ye Chuan looked at each other, confused as to what Baili Yu meant.
Ye Chuan said, “In the past Master never allowed us to follow him. This time…”
“It’s the first time the qianfei bird delivered news. This time is probably for real.”
“I hope so. If it keeps on going like this, even if Master didn’t go crazy, I’ll go crazy first!” Ye Chuan gave a bitter smile as he rubbed his temples. “Oh, Qing Yin, is Young Master Jun still out?”
“Young Master Jun said three months ago that he was heading off to search, but he hadn’t sent any news back even now. I think he probably hasn’t found anything either. I also hope that this time it’s true.” As Qing Yin spoke, a trace of melancholy flashed through her eyes, but it was soon blown away by the wind. “I’ll go start preparing and call the sisters to bring the Chrysanthemum Glass Jade Palanquin. You should also take advantage of this time to rest a little. You look so worn out, you’re going to make Meng Yu die of heartache.”
“Meng Yu? Why would her heart ache for me? The thing that’s making her heart ache is probably that no one has been eating her cooking lately!” Ye Chuan continued to massage his temples. “I need to go. I seriously can’t relax when Master’s like that, I’m going after him. You guys should hurry as well!”
After he finished speaking, he turned to leave. However, as soon as he turned around, he saw Bai Feiyun rushing over.
“Bai gongzi, why are you here?” Ye Chuan looked at Bai Feiyun with surprise.
Bai Feiyun seemed to be in a great rush. The moment he saw him, he asked, “Where’s Baili gongzi?”
“He left just now!”
“He left?” Bai Feiyun spoke anxiously, “News came just now that someone had seen the Alliance Head in Green Maple City…”
“So your Alliance Head Residence had gotten the news as well?” asked Ye Chuan. “Master is heading there.”
Only then did Bai Feiyun loosen a breath in relief. There was a sheen layer of sweat on his handsome face and he casually wiped at it. “That’s good. I still have to tell the City Lord about this news so I won’t stay any longer.”
“Bai gongzi, since even the Alliance Head Residence has gotten the news, Cloud City probably already knows. I’m about to head to Green Maple City as well, would you like to go together?” Ye Chuan was thinking that Bai Feiyun’s medicinal technique was pretty good. Master definitely wouldn’t let him look at his condition but from what he knew about Lady Doudou, after being gone for this long, she would definitely be injured all over. If Bai Feiyun went, then they wouldn’t need to find a doctor.
Bai Feiyun muttered to himself for a little bit, then said, “Alright. Let me head back to Bai Courtyard to prepare first. If it really is the Alliance Head, we’ll probably need quite a lot of medicine.”
Ye Chuan laughed upon seeing that the same thought had occurred to Bai Feiyun. “Alright, I don’t have anything to do anyway, so I’ll head over together with you.”
After finally getting some definite news, even though it wasn’t confirmed yet, everyone felt much more relieved.
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