“What?! The Northern Wei Crown Prince is missing?!” Yan Huai frowned deeply in disbelief. Yuan Qing continued to nod, “Yes, Your Majesty. These guards were the Crown Prince’s attendants, and they got separated—”

Yan Huai furrowed his brows, instinctively looking back toward Wei Mountain. Although Wei Mountain had gentle slopes and its ridges weren’t particularly high, it stretched for dozens of miles with vast areas rarely visited by people. The agreed-upon time had long passed, and even if Tuoba Hong had been delayed by something, he should have returned by now.

“Bring them here. I want to question them personally!”

Yuan Qing immediately turned to relay the order. Meanwhile, Yan Huai looked toward Lin Zhang with furrowed brows, “Go check how many people haven’t returned yet—”

Wei Mountain was too vast. Even though everyone remembered the agreed return time, they could be late due to getting lost or other reasons. Although Tuoba Hong’s absence was a dangerous sign, it didn’t necessarily mean something had happened.

Lin Zhang left to carry out the order, and soon, the three guards who had galloped into camp earlier arrived before Yan Huai.

Yan Huai’s expression turned solemn, “Tell me exactly what happened. Explain in detail.”

The guards exchanged glances, and the eldest stepped forward, “Your Majesty when the Great Hunt began today, our Crown Prince and Fifth Prince headed up Wei Mountain from the eastern side together. Everything was fine until the afternoon when the Crown Prince, seeing that they hadn’t caught much game, led the Fifth Prince deeper into Wei Mountain. Later, as time grew short, the Crown Prince discussed with the Fifth Prince about splitting up to search for a game. We agreed that whoever found the game would signal the others, thus increasing our chances of finding prey.”

“We then separated, with both the Fifth Prince and Crown Prince going their ways. About an incense stick’s time later, we saw someone signal and all rushed over. It was the Fifth Prince who had signaled after discovering a massive brown bear. With many of us there, we planned to hunt it together, but the bear was extremely fast and we failed to catch it. Afterward, we waited at that spot for the Crown Prince, but he never joined us. From that point on, we were separated. We hunted two more times and sent two signals to inform the Crown Prince of our location, but he never showed up. Later, the Fifth Prince felt something was wrong and had us search in pairs for the Crown Prince. However, we searched the entire ridge up and down without finding him. We even looked further out but still found no trace of the Crown Prince—”

The guard’s voice grew increasingly anxious as he continued, “We sensed something had happened to the Crown Prince. There were only nine of us, including the Fifth Prince, and it was impossible to search the entire Wei Mountain, especially since this was our first time here and we weren’t familiar with the terrain. So the Fifth Prince decisively sent some of us back to camp to check if the Crown Prince had returned on his own without seeing our signals. We just arrived and asked around, only to learn that His Highness hasn’t returned to camp at all!”

“Your Majesty, please immediately send people up the mountain to search for the Crown Prince. He’s been separated from us for so long, and we don’t know if he’s injured or what has happened. It’s only been half a day, so the chances of finding His Highness are still high. We beg you, Your Majesty!”

Yan Huai’s heart tightened. What could have gone wrong during this perfectly planned Great Hunt?!

Taking a deep breath, Yan Huai looked toward the returning Lin Zhang, “Lin Zhang, who else hasn’t returned?”

Lin Zhang quickly replied, “Besides the Northern Wei Crown Prince, the Fifth Prince, and his four guards, everyone else has returned.”

Yan Huai’s heart sank further. Today’s Great Hunt had a time limit, and everyone else had hurried back either early or late. The Northern Wei Crown Prince’s prolonged absence was indeed unusual. Although Tuoba Wu had injured Qin Wan, the Northern Wei delegation couldn’t meet with misfortune within Great Zhou’s borders. Not just the Northern Wei Crown Prince, but even Tuoba Wu should be able to leave Great Zhou safely.

After gathering his thoughts, Yan Huai immediately ordered, “Lin Zhang, quickly gather men and prepare to ascend the mountain. Search for the Northern Wei Crown Prince through the night.” After a brief pause, Yan Huai looked at the guards before him, “Did the Fifth Prince say anything about returning?”

The guard quickly responded, “We were the first to return with the news. The Fifth Prince was slightly delayed, searching for the Crown Prince’s traces as he walked. Given how dark it is now, the Fifth Prince must be returning soon.”

Yan Huai nodded, “If your Fifth Prince has found the Crown Prince, that would be best!”

The guards quickly nodded. What Yan Huai described was the best possible outcome—if Tuoba Rui found Tuoba Hong, Lin Zhang wouldn’t need to lead troops up the mountain, and today’s Great Hunt would still end perfectly.

Originally, Yan Huai and the other nobles were waiting for the Imperial Guard to count the game to see who had won first place that day. However, this unexpected situation arose, and since the main platform wasn’t far from the square, news of the Northern Wei Crown Prince’s disappearance spread quickly. Soon, discussions broke out all across the square.

On the high platform, the Empress Dowager frowned and asked, “What’s the terrain like on Wei Mountain? Are there any traps set by hunters?”

Yan Huai looked toward Zhao Yu, who quickly shook his head, “Empress Dowager, Wei Mountain is the imperial hunting ground. There are no civilian villages within ten miles, so there couldn’t be any hunters’ traps. When I led the vanguard here, we had soldiers patrol the mountain several times, both to startle the spring wildlife and to check for traps. We found no traces of hunters, let alone traps.”

The Empress Dowager had worried that Tuoba Hong might have been caught in some trap, but Zhao Yu’s words dispelled these concerns.

Zhao Shuhua also frowned slightly, “Throughout the years of Great Hunts, there have indeed been accidents, but never has someone vanished without a trace. The Northern Wei Crown Prince is skilled in martial arts, so ordinary accidents shouldn’t have left him immobile. He must have carried signals too, right? If he truly encountered danger, shouldn’t he have signaled?”

Zhao Shuhua’s words made everyone’s hearts sink even further.

What catastrophe could have prevented Tuoba Hong from even having a chance to signal?!

“Your Majesty, the Northern Wei Fifth Prince has returned—”

Zhao Yu suddenly called out. Yan Huai looked up and indeed saw several fast horses entering the camp.

Yan Huai quickly said, “Have them come over—”

Zhao Yu immediately sent someone to relay the order. Tuoba Rui and his companions dismounted and headed straight for the platform. The Northern Wei guards who had accompanied Tuoba Hong turned pale upon seeing that Tuoba Rui’s group hadn’t brought back Tuoba Hong.

Following Yan Huai’s command, Tuoba Rui quickly ascended the platform. As soon as he reached the top, he spoke with urgency, “Your Majesty, please immediately send people to search for my elder brother!”

Tuoba Rui, young and passionate, spoke somewhat harshly, but Yan Huai understood his anxiety and replied, “I have already ordered the Imperial Guard Commander to gather troops. They will soon head up the mountain to search for Crown Prince Tuoba.”

After a slight pause, Yan Huai asked, “Did the Fifth Prince find any traces of the Northern Wei Crown Prince?”

Tuoba Rui shook his head, his eyes full of anxiety. Clenching his fists, he said, “Your Majesty, Wei Mountain is Great Zhou’s imperial hunting ground, and we’re all here for the first time. Everyone said Wei Mountain was quite peaceful, yet today, my elder brother disappeared here. Your Majesty, please take this seriously. If my elder brother remains missing, Northern Wei might not let this matter rest easily.” Then Tuoba Rui clasped his hands again, “Please, Your Majesty, you must find my brother!”

Though these words were reasonable, they weren’t particularly polite. Everyone understood the implications—if Tuoba Hong died in Great Zhou, Northern Wei would become hostile. Although Northern Wei currently needed Great Zhou’s help, Great Zhou’s northwest was already stretched thin dealing with frontier enemies and couldn’t afford another adversary. Even without Tuoba Rui’s intense words, Yan Huai absolutely couldn’t allow Tuoba Hong to meet with misfortune on Wei Mountain at this time—

Yan Huai narrowed his eyes and spoke firmly, “Fifth Prince, rest assured. Wei Mountain has been Great Zhou’s hunting ground for years, and we’ve never had anyone disappear before. The Crown Prince will be found.”

Just as he finished speaking, Lin Zhang quickly stepped forward, “Your Majesty, I have gathered one thousand troops—five hundred from the Patrol Camp and five hundred from the Imperial Guard. They’re all assembled and ready.”

Earlier, Tuoba Rui had only nine people, but now Lin Zhang had instantly gathered a thousand men. Once these thousand troops ascended the mountain, they would surely search every inch of ground. Thus, even if Tuoba Hong had truly met with an accident, it wouldn’t be insurmountable.

Yan Huai nodded and looked at Tuoba Rui, “Only the Fifth Prince and the others know where the Crown Prince Tuoba disappeared today. To find Crown Prince Tuoba, the Fifth Prince must lead the way!”

Tuoba Rui quickly nodded, “Naturally, it’s my duty!”

Tuoba Rui usually observed Tuoba Hong handling state affairs like a bystander, but now that Tuoba Hong was missing, he showed rare seriousness. He turned to look at Tuoba Hong’s guards behind him, “All of you, come with me—”

Speaking thus, Tuoba Rui looked up at the sky. The night had become like spilled ink, and the pitch-black sky seemed like a dark, impenetrable net hanging over people’s heads. Tuoba Rui frowned. Today was a moonless, starless night. Wei Mountain was densely forested, and although it had no steep peaks, the terrain was undulating rather than flat. Now, on this pitch-black night, finding Tuoba Hong would be no simple task.

“Commander Lin, have you prepared torches?”

Lin Zhang nodded, “Of course, Fifth Prince, rest assured.”

Yan Huai then looked at Lin Zhang and said, “You’re familiar with the mountain, lead the search personally. Leave the camp’s defense to Zhao Yu. Remember, you must find the Northern Wei Crown Prince tonight!”

Lin Zhang immediately nodded, but at this moment, Yan Che walked up from below the platform, “Father, should I also lead five hundred men to search? Tonight’s weather isn’t good, more people would make the search easier.”

Yan Huai shook his head and turned to look at everyone standing in the square below, “Crown Prince Tuoba’s route is certain. We don’t need to search the entire mountain. Go now and ask everyone below if anyone saw Crown Prince Tuoba this afternoon.”

Hearing this, Yan Che hurriedly went to carry out the order. Everyone had been hunting on Wei Mountain this afternoon, and someone might have seen Tuoba Hong. If someone could point out where Tuoba Hong had gone afterward, their search would be much easier!

The high platform fell silent, with both Lin Zhang and Tuoba Rui waiting for news from below.

An incense stick’s time later, Yan Che returned, his face full of disappointment, “Father, I’ve asked everyone. Besides seeing him at the start, no one else saw Crown Prince Tuoba all day.”

Yan Huai looked at Tuoba Rui, who nodded, “We were hunting on the easternmost side all day and indeed didn’t see others, except twice when we saw flags flash across the opposite ridge, but never met face-to-face.”

Thus, these people’s words were proven true.

Yan Huai looked at Tuoba Rui again and instructed Lin Zhang, “Take good care of the Fifth Prince. All our soldiers must return without exception. Go now, I await your good news—”

Lin Zhang clasped his hands, “Yes, I won’t disappoint Your Majesty’s expectations!”

With these words, Lin Zhang turned and left, with Tuoba Rui clasping his hands and following with several guards. Soon, a line of torches quickly left the camp from the square’s side, circling the camp’s west before heading back toward Wei Mountain behind the camp. Yan Huai watched the line of torches disappear and remained silent for a long while.

An eerie silence fell over the entire square. Originally, they were to celebrate the day’s successful hunt, but now with the Northern Wei Crown Prince missing, Yan Huai had lost interest in these matters, and others dared not appear unconcerned about the Crown Prince’s disappearance.

Yan Che sat silently for a while before turning to Zhao Yu, “Who caught the most game today?”

The game had already been counted, and Zhao Yu quickly replied, “Your Majesty, it was Prince Cheng.”

Surprise flashed in Yan Huai’s eyes as if he hadn’t expected this. Prince Cheng, standing in the first row, raised his chin slightly but didn’t show any pride or joy. Yan Huai looked at Prince Cheng with satisfaction, “Well done, you deserve a reward!”

With these simple words settled, Yuan Qing ordered people to bring rewards. Yan Huai looked at Yan Che for a moment and sighed, “Today was supposed to have a bonfire feast, but with the Northern Wei Crown Prince not yet returned, we’ll cancel the feast. Prince Cheng gets first prize, others will be rewarded according to their ranking. Everyone returns to camp and rest. If the Northern Wei Crown Prince returns tonight, the Great Hunt will continue tomorrow. If the Northern Wei Crown Prince doesn’t return…” Yan Huai’s voice grew heavy at this point, “We’ll discuss it tomorrow.”

If they couldn’t find Tuoba Hong after searching all night, the outcome was predictable—

With Yan Huai’s orders, everyone naturally complied. Yan Huai stood up, taking the lead from the main position, with Zhao Shuhua Feng Lingsu, and other inner palace women following closely. The Empress Dowager also returned to her tent. After the rewards were distributed in the square, everyone dispersed.

“How could someone just disappear like this?”

The Empress Dowager frowned slightly, troubled by this matter. Although she hadn’t involved herself in state affairs for many years in Shoukang Palace, if something happened to Tuoba Hong, Northern Wei, and Great Zhou would certainly become hostile.

Lady Chen said, “Your Highness, could he have been injured by wild beasts?”

Hearing this, the Empress Dowager’s frown deepened, “That’s certainly possible. Wei Mountain used to have tigers and lions, but due to too frequent hunting in earlier years, all the fierce beasts were hunted out. That’s why they changed it to hunting every two years. Now tigers and lions are rare, but bears are still present.”

Qin Wan felt her heart tighten. Earlier, Tuoba Hong’s guards had mentioned seeing a brown bear that several of them together couldn’t hunt down. Although bears didn’t have the explosive power of tigers and lions, they could easily overcome an injured adult man. In her early years in the northwest, Qin Wan had encountered villagers injured by bears.

“Amitabha Buddha, although we were angry at the Northern Wei Crown Prince yesterday, heaven protect him, we must find him tonight. No foreign royal envoy should come to harm in Great Zhou’s territory!”

Just as the Empress Dowager finished speaking softly, a rumbling thunder suddenly sounded outside.

The sudden thunder startled Yan Sui, who dove into the Empress Dowager’s embrace. The Empress Dowager held Yan Sui, her expression growing grimmer. Soon after, several more thunderclaps exploded, and shortly after, a ghastly white lightning flash appeared at the entrance. Yan Sui covered his ears in fright, and the Empress Dowager held him tightly, “This weather truly refuses to cooperate!”

With thunder and lightning, fierce winds soon arose. The outer curtains of the main tent rustled loudly, and after another quarter hour, torrential rain suddenly poured down. Large raindrops hit the tent’s top, disturbing the entire tent’s peace. If the main tent, sturdy as it was, suffered so, the other tents were worse off. They say spring rain is as precious as oil, but tonight’s spring rain was extremely ill-timed, even fatal, for both Great Zhou and Northern Wei!

“In such heavy rain, Wei Mountain must be slippery and difficult to traverse. The searching soldiers are on horseback, and now the horses’ hooves must be slipping. Add to that the rain extinguishing the torches, and tonight’s search has become increasingly difficult!” The Empress Dowager was very familiar with Wei Mountain hunting and couldn’t help but worry. With the rain making such a commotion, the entire camp would find it hard to sleep that night.

As the Empress Dowager predicted, that night’s search indeed faced many difficulties.

On the first ridge of Wei Mountain’s eastern side, the heavy rain prevented half the men from reaching the ridge’s peak. Seven out of ten torches were extinguished, and most people were groping their way up. Lin Zhang and Tuoba Rui stood at the top of the ridge watching this scene, both extremely frustrated. Lin Zhang called over a lieutenant and ordered, “Have half the people still on the ridge abandon their horses and climb up, half circle around from the eastern valley, and those with extinguished torches wait in place!”

The lieutenant went to carry out the orders, and Tuoba Rui frowned, “Commander Lin, we already had so few people, and now with some circling and others waiting in place, how many people are left to search for my brother?”

Lin Zhang frowned, “Fifth Prince if it weren’t raining, all these men would be searching for the Northern Wei Crown Prince. But as you can see now, letting them climb around in this forest blind? That would only lead to more accidents!”

Lin Zhang cared for Great Zhou’s soldiers and naturally wouldn’t show weakness. Seeing Tuoba Rui’s dissatisfaction, Lin Zhang added, “Fifth Prince, rather than thinking about these things, you’d better think carefully about which direction Crown Prince Tuoba might have taken.”

To the direct north of where they stood on the ridge was a very flat gentle slope. Looking down now, Tuoba Rui felt somewhat disoriented. The dense forest was full of massive trees that required several people’s arms to encircle, and everywhere Tuoba Rui looked seemed familiar. Not just him, but the other guards also felt quite helpless. This was their first time at Wei Mountain, and during the first day’s small hunt, they hadn’t come this way. They had only passed through hurriedly while hunting during the day, and now in the darkness, how could they recognize anything? Thus, after leading Lin Zhang around several times, they became increasingly confused.

“Commander Lin, why don’t we split up to search? You ask me, but I’m truly confused now and can’t remember clearly. If you divide the men to search in every direction, wouldn’t that give us a better chance?”

Lin Zhang originally didn’t want to search aimlessly like headless flies, but with the weather not cooperating, he could only agree to Tuoba Rui’s suggestion to cast a wide net, hoping they might find some useful clues and traces.

…

“Princess, the servants outside say something has happened to the Crown Prince!”

Tuoba Wu’s servant rushed into the tent, but even as the words fell, Tuoba Wu’s face remained coldly indifferent.

The servant urgently continued, “Princess, it’s true! The Crown Prince went hunting with his men, but they got separated. The Fifth Prince and the others searched for a long time without finding him. Just now, the Great Zhou Emperor has sent a thousand troops up the mountain. Fifth Prince and several other guards went with them—”

Thunder rolled outside, the wind howled, and rain poured as the servant’s words resonated with these sounds, finally causing a ripple in Tuoba Wu’s eyes, though she still didn’t respond.

Last night, Tuoba Hong had threatened her with these two servants’ lives, and this morning he was still rebuking her. Someone like him wouldn’t come to harm. Tuoba Wu closed her eyes. Tuoba Hong was skilled in martial arts, and Northern Wei valued military prowess, with hunting being as common as daily meals. The Northern Wei royal family hunted in winter far more frequently than Great Zhou, and their hunts lasted three days, incomparable to Great Zhou’s royal hunts. Tuoba Hong had merely not returned—what could have happened?

Thinking thus, Tuoba Wu nevertheless felt uneasy from the wind and rain outside.

Although her tent was among the main tents, tonight’s commotion was too great. The fierce wind made the tent curtains rustle loudly, raindrops fell like beans on the tent top, and occasional thunder shocked Tuoba Wu’s ears with its rumbling. Such thunderstorms were extremely rare in Northern Wei; if they occurred, they represented heaven’s anger.

Tuoba Wu grew increasingly uneasy, yet her knees still ached. She couldn’t forget the humiliation of kneeling before the Great Zhou Empress Dowager’s tent last night, and all this was Tuoba Hong’s doing. She wouldn’t forgive him!

Pulling up the brocade blanket to cover even her face, Tuoba Wu lay there. The servant was extremely worried but didn’t know what to do seeing Tuoba Wu like this. With Tuoba Hong missing, the Northern Wei delegation had lost its leader. With Tuoba Rui away and Tuoba Wu in this state, the servants felt uncertain, and the other accompanying civil and military officials were even more anxious. After a while, seven or eight Northern Wei officials gathered before Tuoba Wu’s tent, requesting to see the princess.

When the servant reported this, Tuoba Wu still refused to respond. Having no choice, the servant had to send the seven or eight people away. After all, Tuoba Rui and the men sent by the Great Zhou Emperor had already gone searching; worrying wouldn’t help.

Tuoba Wu thought the same. Tuoba Hong might be lost or caught up in hunting, or at worst, injured and unable to move. All this would become clear tomorrow morning. A thousand men—if a thousand men couldn’t find Tuoba Hong, wouldn’t that mean…

Tuoba Wu shuddered under her covers, not daring to consider this possibility.

Although pretending not to care, Tuoba Wu slept poorly that night. Early the next morning, as soon as it began to lighten, she awoke. The wind and rain outside had lessened somewhat, and she hurriedly listened carefully.

After waiting for about half an hour, the sound of distant hoofbeats arose.

Tuoba Wu’s expression flickered; she knew the main force from last night was returning.

…

When Lin Zhang returned with his men, Yan Huai knew immediately.

However, to Yan Huai’s disappointment, they hadn’t found Tuoba Hong…

In Yan Huai’s tent, Lin Zhang reported, “With the Fifth Prince leading, I led the men in searching those nearby ridges thoroughly multiple times, almost to the point of cutting down all trees and digging three feet deep, but we still couldn’t find the Crown Prince. Moreover, last night’s heavy rain made the mountain muddy and treacherous. Any traces that might have existed were washed away. And in the darkness of night, searching was extremely difficult. Your Majesty, don’t worry. I’ll gather another thousand men, and when it’s fully light, we’ll go up the mountain again to continue searching for the Northern Wei Crown Prince. A person can’t just vanish into thin air.”

Yan Che, Yan Qi, and others were in Yan Huai’s tent, and even Yan Chi, Yan Li, and Qin Shu had been summoned.

After Lin Zhang finished, Yan Chi asked, “The Northern Wei Crown Prince was on horseback—is the horse missing too?”

Lin Zhang nodded, “Yes, the horse is also missing. In such heavy rain last night, we shouted across the mountain, but besides startling some wild animals, we found no trace of the Northern Wei Crown Prince’s mount.”

Yan Chi’s brows furrowed, as did those of Yan Huai and the others.

Amid the tent’s silence, Tuoba Rui, who was also present, said, “Your Majesty, let’s follow Commander Lin’s suggestion and continue searching later. Neither a person nor a horse can simply vanish. Although we went quickly last night, the weather didn’t cooperate, making it impossible to search properly. We’ll continue today and surely find my brother—”

Yan Huai nodded, “We must certainly continue searching. Lin Zhang, proceed as you suggested.”

Both Lin Zhang and Tuoba Rui were thoroughly disheveled, their hair and armor completely soaked. Their hair stuck messily to their faces, and their shoes and robes were covered in mud. One could imagine how exhausting it must have been crawling around Wei Mountain all night, yet Tuoba Rui showed no sign of slacking.

Lin Zhang left to gather troops again. Yan Huai looked at Tuoba Rui and said, “Fifth Prince, after searching all night, why don’t you change clothes and eat something? You’ll need your strength for today’s search, especially with the rain still falling.”

Tuoba Rui felt his strength failing. Unlike Lin Zhang, he wasn’t well-trained in martial arts. However, Tuoba Hong’s disappearance was a matter that could shake Northern Wei—he had to ensure Great Zhou’s people found Tuoba Hong!

After some thought, Tuoba Rui nodded and withdrew.

Just as he left the tent, Tuoba Rui saw Tuoba Wu rushing toward the main tent without even an umbrella. Tuoba Wu wore a red cloak, her face pale, her expression fierce. Upon seeing Tuoba Rui, she strode quickly to him, “Did you not find Elder Brother Crown Prince?”

Tuoba Rui found Tuoba Wu’s current state somewhat frightening. He nodded, “No, neither person nor horse were found.”

Tuoba Wu’s expression turned cold as she thought of something, and she moved to enter the main tent. At the entrance, Yuan Qing stopped her, “Princess, you wish to see His Majesty?”

Tuoba Wu laughed coldly, “What else?! My Elder Brother Crown Prince disappeared during your hunt!”

Yuan Qing smiled bitterly, “At least let this old servant announce you.”

How could Tuoba Wu wait? She was both angry at and worried about Tuoba Hong, and her anger toward him was now directed at the Great Zhou people. She pushed aside Yuan Qing’s arm and burst into the main tent, only to find it full of people. Though she felt somewhat intimidated, she showed no weakness!

Standing straight, Tuoba Wu looked at Yan Huai and said, “Your Majesty, my Elder Brother Crown Prince would never disappear without reason!”

Yan Huai was already familiar with Tuoba Wu’s impudence. His expression cooled slightly, “What does the Princess mean by this?”

Tuoba Wu stepped forward, “Northern Wei also favors winter hunting. In Northern Wei, the royal hunting grounds are not like Wei Mountain, and other places don’t have such scenic spots for hunting. Although my Elder Brother isn’t familiar with this kind of forested terrain, how could its dangers compare to Northern Wei’s cold plains and snowy mountains? My Elder Brother Crown Prince wouldn’t meet with an accident! Moreover, before the hunt, Great Zhou’s imperial army searched the mountain and found no particularly dangerous elements. With my Elder Brother’s abilities, he and his horse wouldn’t just vanish—”

Yan Huai frowned slightly, “So what is the Princess trying to say?”

Tuoba Wu narrowed her eyes, “I’m saying that my Elder Brother’s disappearance might be deliberate—by human hands!”

This statement startled everyone. Until now, no one had considered human involvement, since any accident could happen in the forest. Now Tuoba Wu was saying the Northern Wei Crown Prince was highly skilled in hunting, and Wei Mountain was nothing special to him—he wouldn’t have an accident here. Yet what evidence was there for human involvement?

“Princess, such words shouldn’t be spoken carelessly. During a hunt, isn’t anything possible?” Yan Huai said mildly.

Tuoba Wu took a deep breath, as if making some decision, and spoke coldly, “Because I knew early on that someone wanted to harm my Elder Brother!”

Tuoba Rui, who had followed Tuoba Wu into the tent, raised his eyebrows at these words, “Royal Sister? What do you mean?”

Tuoba Wu laughed coldly, “We weren’t the only ones who came this time, have you forgotten?”

Looking at Yan Huai, Tuoba Wu continued, “My Elder Brother came with sincere intentions to establish good relations with Great Zhou. He wanted to form a marriage alliance—specifically, to seek the Fifth Princess’s hand in marriage. We were supposed to come at the end of last year but were blocked by heavy snow. When spring came, we finally set out, but coincidentally, someone else arrived in Lin’an at the same time!”

Tuoba Wu was referring to Liu Yun, which everyone present understood.

She continued, “Arriving in Lin’an together would have been fine, but others expressed the same intention as my Elder Brother—all wanting to seek the Princess’s hand. Everyone knows that Your Majesty and the Empress have only one precious daughter. Whoever marries her becomes Great Zhou’s primary ally. We think this way, and others think the same.”

Everyone present knew these matters, but this was the first time Tuoba Wu had spoken of them so directly. Such naked discussion of power politics made people uncomfortable, but Tuoba Wu wasn’t finished. “On the first night after leaving Lin’an, while wandering around the camp, I passed by Western Liang’s Third Prince Liu Yun’s tent. He had just returned from a meeting with the Great Zhou Crown Prince—”

At these words, everyone looked at Yan Che.

The Crown Prince of Great Zhou had met privately with Liu Yun.

Yan Huai frowned slightly, showing displeasure. Yan Che’s expression changed several times, but he couldn’t immediately explain.

Tuoba Wu continued, “He must have been frustrated after failing to get the Crown Prince’s help in arranging the marriage with the Fifth Princess.”

At this, Yan Huai’s expression relaxed slightly. “And then?”

Tuoba Wu’s face showed cold hatred, “Then, I heard him say that if he couldn’t win the Fifth Princess’s heart this time, he’d have to use other methods. After all, during a hunt, any accident would be considered normal, wouldn’t it?”

After she finished, the tent’s occupants exchanged glances.

Though not explicit, the murderous intent was clear.

Yan Huai’s face remained calm, “Does the Princess have any other evidence?”

Tuoba Wu’s eyes widened, “Isn’t this the best evidence?! Liu Yun had planned this all along! These past days, his attempts to curry favor with the Fifth Princess failed, and knowing his chances were slim, he took a desperate measure to eliminate future competition by harming my Elder Brother during the hunt. That’s why both my Elder Brother and his horse have vanished!”

Yan Huai’s brows remained furrowed. After a moment, he looked at Yan Che and said, “Go invite the Western Liang Third Prince here.”

Yan Che nodded and left. Yan Huai looked at Tuoba Wu with composure, feeling somewhat relieved internally. If Tuoba Hong was safe, that would be best, but if something had happened to him, someone would need to take responsibility—and that someone shouldn’t be Great Zhou. Now that Tuoba Wu had suddenly provided this angle, why shouldn’t he follow it?

Soon, Liu Yun was brought by Yan Che. He was surprised to see Tuoba Wu and Tuoba Rui in the tent. After bowing, he smiled and asked, “May I ask why Your Majesty has summoned me?”

Yan Huai hesitated slightly and looked at Tuoba Wu. She snorted, “Third Prince, why pretend? Why don’t you tell everyone how you harmed my Elder Brother yesterday, and where he is now?”

Liu Yun was startled, his expression innocent and surprised. He first looked at Tuoba Rui and Tuoba Wu, then around at the others. Seeing no surprise on their faces, he realized Tuoba Wu must have already accused him. Liu Yun smiled faintly, his pale face composed, “What makes the Princess say this? Yesterday, I was hunting with my guards the whole time and even met the Crown Prince and Prince Gong’s heir. How could I have harmed the Northern Wei Crown Prince?”

Tuoba Wu frowned fiercely, “You dare say this?! I knew early on that you harbored ill intentions. When you failed to win the Princess’s favor, you planned to quietly eliminate my Elder Brother, your competitor, during the hunt! Now that I’ve exposed your actions, you still dare to quibble?! What does it matter that you met the Crown Prince and the heir? Did you follow the Crown Prince the entire time afterward?”

At this, Liu Yun raised an eyebrow, “If the Princess insists on saying this, I have no defense, but I was with my guards the whole time. They can testify for me.”

“Of course, your guards would speak for you! They naturally protect you!”

Liu Yun smiled bitterly with composure, “The Princess is quite sharp-tongued. By your logic, wouldn’t anyone be a possible suspect in harming the Northern Wei Crown Prince?”

Tuoba Wu glared fiercely at Liu Yun, wishing she could tear apart his smiling face. “Others had no reason, only you! Do you think I don’t know what you said in your tent at Fengming Slope three days ago?!”

At these words, Liu Yun’s smile faltered slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. “I don’t know what the Princess is talking about, but I understand her concern for her brother. However, anything can happen during a hunt. In my opinion, the Princess should question the guards protecting the Crown Prince about how they lost their master. Although Wei Mountain doesn’t have fierce beasts like Northern Wei’s snow wolves, it does have bears and wild boars. These large creatures can be formidable when attacking humans, and bears even eat people.”

As Liu Yun spoke calmly, Tuoba Wu became even more enraged. Before she could explode, Yan Huai spoke quietly, “Enough. After all, the Princess only has suspicions, no concrete evidence. In my opinion, finding the Crown Prince is the priority. Once we find him, we’ll know whether he was accidentally injured or harmed by someone.”

Yan Huai looked at Tuoba Wu, “What does the Princess think?”

Tuoba Wu felt her anger gripped by an invisible hand. Moreover, Yan Huai’s gaze made her spine cold. She dared not be too impudent and could only nod.

Regardless of whether Tuoba Hong was harmed or not, he was likely still on Wei Mountain, and finding him depended on Great Zhou’s people. Tuoba Wu nodded, “I’ll follow Your Majesty’s arrangements.”

Yan Huai smiled slightly, offered a few words of comfort, and had them withdraw.

Liu Yun, who had been summoned to face accusations, also received some comforting words from Yan Huai. Liu Yun smiled and said he didn’t mind. When he left the tent, he saw Tuoba Wu waiting outside.

Liu Yun smiled, “What? Princess still thinks I did it?”

Tuoba Wu narrowed her eyes, her expression hostile. Liu Yun spoke leisurely, “Princess was disrespectful to Miss Qin recently, and now you’re being impudent again. In my opinion, if something happened to the Crown Prince, you should also be responsible. During the hunt, he was probably distracted thinking about the troubles you caused.”

Seeing Tuoba Wu trembling with anger, Liu Yun continued, “I hear they haven’t even found a strand of the Crown Prince’s hair. Heh, if he was injured alone and met a man-eating black bear, he’s probably in the bear’s stomach now… Should the Princess ask the searching soldiers to capture all the bears and cut open their stomachs to check?”

After Liu Yun finished speaking casually, Tuoba Wu stared at him intensely, too angry to speak.

Seeing this, Liu Yun felt somewhat satisfied, his anger at being summoned for accusations finally subsiding. “Princess needn’t be so angry. Life and death are destined. Did anyone divine the fortune of the Crown Prince’s journey to Great Zhou? If the Crown Prince truly met with misfortune, the Princess could escort his coffin back to Northern Wei. Northern Wei has many princes; the Crown Prince isn’t the only one who can rule. If that day comes, Princess should accept fate and grieve appropriately.”

Liu Yun grew increasingly pleased as he spoke. Tuoba Wu was too impudent, too arrogant, but she had already lost face by kneeling before the Empress Dowager’s tent the other day. Today, she would probably be so frustrated she’d cough blood… Liu Yun smiled, clasped his hands in salute, and turned to leave for his tent.

“Third Prince—”

After walking a few steps, Liu Yun suddenly heard Tuoba Wu call out.

Still pleased with himself, Liu Yun instinctively turned around. As he turned, he felt a sharp pain on his forehead. Liu Yun was stunned, not knowing what had happened. Before he could cry out, Tuoba Wu’s second punch landed on his cheek. Liu Yun howled in pain, finally realizing Tuoba Wu was attacking him. He frowned fiercely, never expecting that Tuoba Wu, who had just been punished, would be so bold, nor that she would be so strong. Before he could steady himself, Tuoba Wu kicked him in the abdomen—

“Argh—”

With a painful cry, Liu Yun fell to the ground. Before the surrounding guards could reach and restrain Tuoba Wu, she stopped herself. She dusted off her hands while standing beside Liu Yun, “If something happened to my Elder Brother, I promise, I will use you as his sacrifice!”