Lin Chan was gagged by a masked man and swiftly dragged away.

Lin Hao immediately gave chase, shouting as she ran, “Let go of my elder sister!”

Chen Yi had just been pulled along by Lin Hao and witnessed this sudden turn of events. She first froze in shock, then shouted loudly, “Come quickly, someone stop that villain!”

Unfortunately, the scene was too chaotic. Everywhere were people fleeing in panic and shrill screams rising high. Whether it was Lin Hao’s shouts or Chen Yi’s cries for help, both were drowned out.

Zhu Jiayu and the others, who discovered the situation a step slower, also cried out, “Someone come! There are villains abducting people!”

Two guards from Prince Jing’s Manor had rushed over to protect Qi Qiong as soon as the disturbance began, but were urged by Qi Qiong to go save the person.

“Lady, it is too dangerous here. We cannot leave your side.”

Qi Qiong was both anxious and angry, her face turning ashen. “What danger could there be here? With so many people, can they not stop one wild boar? Hurry and rescue First Miss Lin!”

Ultimately, one guard remained to protect Qi Qiong’s safety while one guard gave chase.

“Caught it, caught it!” Suddenly cheers rang out—the charging wild boar had finally been beaten to death with clubs.

People’s souls had barely settled, with a sense of relief at having survived the calamity.

Only after the danger to themselves was resolved did everyone learn that amid the chaos, a young lady had been abducted by a masked man. Many then joined the search party.

“Who was abducted?” a young lady asked curiously.

Most people shook their heads.

It had been too chaotic just now, and they did not know the person. Who could tell which one had been abducted?

“What should we do? If people learn the abducted one is Sister Chan, it will be very bad for Sister Chan’s reputation.” Tao Qing said in a low voice, her face pale.

Zhu Jiayu stamped her feet anxiously. “At a time like this, who cares about reputation? The person is most important!”

“But Sister Chan is the future Princess Consort…”

Now Zhu Jiayu was also stumped and could not help but look at Qi Qiong and Chen Yi.

Chen Yi’s face was completely bloodless, her words unable to suppress a choke. “And there is Ah Hao too. Ah Hao was the first to chase after them. Could she have also fallen into the villains’ hands…”

Qi Qiong gritted her teeth. “We will deal with future troubles later. Finding them is most urgent. Let us all go search together!”

With so many people present, the abducted person’s identity surely could not be concealed.

“Alright!” Everyone responded in unison.

The servants who had accompanied them had long since been dispatched to search. Only one guard from Prince Jing’s Manor remained, following the group as they searched in the direction the Lin sisters had left.

Just as Qi Qiong had expected, a noble lady revealed Lin Chan’s identity. “The one abducted seems to be First Miss Lin of the General’s Manor Lin family.”

“It is truly First Miss Lin?”

The noble lady nodded hesitantly. “It should be. I also saw Second Miss Lin chase after them. But it was too chaotic at the time, so I did not see very clearly.”

Another young lady spoke up. “I saw it too. It was the two Lin family young ladies.”

Now things became lively.

“Is First Miss Lin not betrothed to Prince Wei? Someone actually has the audacity to abduct her?”

“Perhaps they just wanted to randomly abduct someone, and First Miss Lin had the bad luck to run into them.”

The young ladies had almost all dispatched their servants to join the search party. Unable to contribute much strength themselves, they gathered together in heated discussion.

The young ladies’ feelings were very complex—there was worry, terror, and also a trace of excitement.

“Baozhu!” Qi Qiong discovered Baozhu being helped up by someone and quickly walked over. “Baozhu, what happened to you?”

Baozhu’s eyes were tightly closed, showing no response to the young lady’s calls.

The guard staying by Qi Qiong’s side stepped forward to examine her. “She is unconscious. The back of her neck must have received a heavy blow.”

“Baozhu, wake up!” Qi Qiong shook Baozhu.

Both Sister Chan and Ah Hao were missing. Baozhu had chased most closely and must know more than they did.

Baozhu’s eyelashes moved. The instant she opened her eyes, before she could see clearly, she struggled to get up. “Miss!”

A wave of dizziness struck, causing her to lose her balance.

Qi Qiong steadied her, her voice anxious yet still gentle. “Baozhu, do not rush. First clearly explain what you know.”

Baozhu blinked and finally saw clearly the people gathered around her—the young lady, First Miss Chen, Miss Zhu, Miss Tao…

“There were two masked men. The young miss was also captured. They went in that direction!”

Two?

Upon hearing this, everyone’s expressions became even uglier.

Baozhu forcefully broke free from the hands supporting her. “I must go find the young miss!”

Her head was still dizzy, her steps staggering, yet she walked faster and faster.

Qi Qiong gritted her teeth. “First Miss Chen, you all continue searching. I will go back and bring more people.”

If the villains could have two, there might be three or four. With unknown enemies of unclear strength, even if they found the people, they might not be able to rescue them. Better to go back and bring reinforcements.

“Lady, please hurry.”

“You all also be careful. Do not get separated from the crowd.” After giving these instructions, Qi Qiong hastily departed with the guard’s accompaniment.

From the outskirts of the capital to the prince’s manor was quite a distance. Finding the carriage too slow, she simply abandoned it and rode a horse instead.

The clatter of hoofbeats beat chaotically against the bluestone road, revealing the rider’s urgency.

Though the city streets were wide, there were many pedestrians coming and going. Those galloping on horseback inevitably drew curses.

Walking on the street, Qi Huan was blown by a gust of wind from a racing horse. He could not help cursing, “Which wild girl is that—”

The latter part of his words came to an abrupt halt. Qi Huan stared at the young lady’s increasingly distant back, his face showing suspicion. “Strange, why does that wild girl look so much like Little Sister?”

Impossible. Though his sister loved to bicker and eat in private, in public she would still put on the appearance of a proper young lady from a good family. She could not possibly gallop on horseback through the main streets.

But she really did look like her!

Qi Huan lost his interest in leisure and hurried home.

Prince Jing’s Manor was right before her eyes. Qi Qiong yanked on the reins and jumped from the horse, giving orders to the guard even as she walked inside. “Stop following me. Hurry and report to the General’s Manor.”

The guard handed the two horses to the manor’s servants and turned to head for the General’s Manor.

“Is my eldest brother home?”

“The Heir returned not long ago.”

Qi Qiong rushed like a gust of wind to Qi Shuo’s residence. “Eldest Brother, something terrible has happened!”

Qi Shuo emerged from the study. Seeing his sister with her hair disheveled from running, his heart sank. “What has happened?”

“Today when Ah Hao and I went for a spring outing to the outskirts, a masked man suddenly appeared and abducted Sister Chan. Ah Hao chased after them and also fell into the hands of the masked man’s accomplice…”

Qi Shuo’s expression changed. He immediately ordered Changning and several others to organize manpower. Unable to wait himself, he was first to gallop on horseback toward the outskirts.

Qi Huan had not yet reached home when someone on horseback swept past like a violent wind.

He could not help widening his eyes.

Just now one looked like Little Sister, now this one looked like Eldest Brother. Why was today so strange?

When he entered the prince’s manor and saw the guards assembled together, he grew even more confused and hurried to Princess Consort Jing’s quarters.

Qi Qiong had not rushed back but instead went to explain the situation to Princess Consort Jing. “The Lin family sisters have met with trouble. I asked Eldest Brother to bring some men to search for them.”

Princess Consort Jing hurriedly changed into outdoor clothing. “Let us go see the General’s Manor.”

Her daughter’s good friends had met with trouble, and the two families were neighbors. It would be inappropriate to ignore the matter.