Cheng Maoming shook Hu Da’s portrait: “Even if she left the city, she still needs to eat and find lodging. Knowing what the maidservant looks like in disguise gives us hope of finding her.”

Over this past year, because Emperor Pingle’s faction had been stirring up trouble with various incidents, the areas around the capital had become increasingly strict in managing unfamiliar faces. Unless that maidservant avoided entering cities, didn’t seek lodging, and only traveled through desolate mountains and wilderness. But in reality, even if the missing maidservant had the ability to survive in the wilderness, she couldn’t avoid using official roads entirely.

“I’ll make arrangements right away. Thank you very much today, Heir.” Cheng Maoming cupped his hands toward Qi Shuo, thanking him sincerely, then hurriedly left the Court of Diplomatic Relations.

“Minister Ouyang, we’ll be heading back as well.”

“Safe travels, Heir and Second Miss Lin.” The Minister of the Court of Diplomatic Relations personally escorted Qi Shuo and Lin Hao outside. After watching the two leave, he didn’t return to his office but instead rushed to the guesthouse.

If the missing Yuliu maidservant couldn’t be found, he as Minister of the Court of Diplomatic Relations wouldn’t escape unscathed either.

On their way back, Lin Hao was somewhat worried: “Do you think the missing maidservant can be found?”

“That depends on the Jinlin Guard’s capabilities. We’ve done what we could.”

Just then, a vendor selling candied hawthorn passed by calling out his wares. Qi Shuo bought a stick and handed it to Lin Hao.

Lin Hao ate one of the sugar-coated red berries. The sweet and sour taste made her stop dwelling on such heavy matters: “A’Shuo, have you noticed that Grand Commander Cheng’s attitude toward you is a bit strange?”

“I’ve helped him a few times, so he’s probably grateful.” Qi Shuo casually guessed, not paying it much mind.

To him, giving the credit to Cheng Maoming was merely mutually beneficial—he didn’t expect gratitude in return. However, after several interactions, he found that this Jinlin Guard Commander wasn’t as ruthless as he’d imagined.

“Perhaps.” Lin Hao still felt something was off, but her instinct told her it wasn’t a bad thing, so she didn’t pursue it further.

Instead, it was Qi Shuo who, seeing her end the idle chat and focus on eating the candied hawthorn, felt somewhat uneasy: “Those three maidservants—”

Lin Hao paused, then smiled and held out the candied hawthorn to him: “A’Shuo, have some candied hawthorn.”

So honest—where was any trace of a young prince? No wonder in her previous life, her impression of him had always been as the sickly heir next door.

Amid the young woman’s warm smile, Qi Shuo accepted the candied hawthorn and took a bite.

“Elder Brother?” A shocked voice rang out.

Qi Shuo, holding the candied hawthorn, looked over to see his younger brother with his mouth hanging open.

“What?” Qi Shuo asked coolly, the flash of embarrassment seeming never to have existed.

“Oh, nothing. I’ll head inside first.” Qi Huan pointed toward the nearby Prince Jing’s mansion, greeted Lin Hao, then quickly walked away.

Once back, he couldn’t help but tell Qi Qiong about his elder brother’s embarrassing moment: “Little Sister, you didn’t see it—Elder Brother was actually eating candied hawthorn while walking down the street!”

Qi Qiong was also surprised: “By himself?”

“No, Second Miss Lin was with him.”

The young princess regained her composure, even feeling somewhat touched: “That makes sense then.”

Qi Huan blinked: “No, did you hear what I said clearly? Elder Brother, a grown man, eating candied hawthorn on the street.”

Qi Qiong gave him a look: “Elder Brother was obviously eating it to accompany A’Hao, all to make A’Hao happy. Unlike you, who only knows how to make Hua Niang from Jinshui River happy.”

Qi Huan: “…” How did this also become a comparison where he lost!

Hu Da’s portrait proved extremely useful. Three days later, Cheng Maoming received a secret report that “Hu Da” had been found.

Cheng Maoming was overjoyed and soon met with the missing Yuliu maidservant.

The Yuliu maidservant who had been hastily escorted back was still wearing men’s clothing, though her face had been restored to its original appearance.

“How did she disguise herself?”

A Jinlin Guard presented a small box. Cheng Maoming took it, opened it, and pinched out a soft, elastic mask with his fingers.

“What’s this made of?” He rubbed the mask but couldn’t determine the material, so he put the mask back in the box and carefully examined the Yuliu maidservant.

Perhaps due to preconceived notions, the more he looked, the more he felt the Yuliu maidservant resembled Hu Da.

“Your name is Bailing, correct?”

The Yuliu maidservant stared at Cheng Maoming and spoke hoarsely: “I want to see our lord.”

Cheng Maoming smiled: “First answer the questions, then we’ll talk.”

The Yuliu maidservant pressed her lips tightly together and said nothing.

“Torture her.” Cheng Maoming gave the order expressionlessly and sat down in a chair.

The Yuliu maidservant’s eyes widened, filled with disbelief.

They were starting torture after just asking her one question?

Soon a Jinlin Guard picked up a long whip and struck the Yuliu maidservant with force. She immediately cried out in pain.

This scream didn’t affect the speed at which the whip continued to fall.

Searing pain swept through her entire body, causing her face to turn pale and cold sweat to pour down.

“I’m from Yuliu—what right do you have to torture me? Our lord will find you, will definitely find you—” the Yuliu maidservant shrieked.

Cheng Maoming stroked his chin, his eyes flickering.

Judging from this Yuliu maidservant’s reaction, she wasn’t a specially trained death warrior. That made things easier.

“Continue the torture.” He coldly uttered these words.

There weren’t that many people with iron will in this world. Ordinary people without special training had almost no possibility of enduring severe torture. As for how to explain this to the Yuliu envoy afterward? Ha—who said the Yuliu maidservant had been found?

The Jinlin Guard dipped the whip in salt water, then with a beautiful flourish struck the Yuliu maidservant.

The Yuliu maidservant’s skin split and flesh tore open. The salt water seeped into the fresh wounds, causing pain that shook her very soul.

Seeing the whipping showed no signs of stopping, she finally broke down and shrieked: “I’ll talk, I’ll talk!”

The Jinlin Guard glanced at Cheng Maoming, and receiving his signal, withdrew to the side with the whip.

Cheng Maoming looked at the pale-faced Yuliu maidservant and sighed: “If you’d cooperated earlier, you wouldn’t have suffered.”

The Yuliu maidservant’s eyelids twitched as tears of pain streamed down.

“Tell me, what was your purpose in secretly leaving the capital?”

The Yuliu maidservant resisted with silence for a moment, but meeting Cheng Maoming’s ice-cold gaze, she choked out: “My lord ordered me to report the princess’s death back to Yuliu…”

“Where’s the letter?”

“There… there is no letter.”

“Hmm?”

The Yuliu maidservant instinctively flinched: “There really isn’t any. I’m the princess’s personal maidservant—the message I bring back will be believed…”

Cheng Maoming raised an eyebrow: “Then tell me how you got this mask. Did you make it?”

Intercepting the Yuliu maidservant who was carrying the message had already completed the Jinlin Guard’s mission, but they also needed to investigate the mask’s origin. Otherwise, if someone else disguised themselves to slip out, it would be impossible to guard against.

“No, it wasn’t me.”

“Then who was it?”

The Yuliu maidservant fell silent again.

Cheng Maoming chuckled softly: “Seems the torture wasn’t enough. Someone, prepare the finger press torture.”

“I’ll talk!” The Yuliu maidservant cried out in terror. “The mask was… was secretly given to me by someone who trims the flowers and trees…”

Someone who trims flowers and trees?

Cheng Maoming’s expression darkened.