“Where’s Ninth Miss? Wasn’t she with you?” Young Lord Yue’s expression darkened. Yue Ning quickly explained, “We got separated in the crowd. Ninth Miss was pushed onto this street. We thought she would make her way to the end of the street, so we waited here, but we haven’t seen her even after waiting for so long.”

Young Lord Yue furrowed his brows, “She might have been pushed somewhere else, or perhaps she’s hiding somewhere trying to find her way back to you.”

He glanced at the Shuang Qing Theater venue in the distance. “There are too many people here to get through. You two should wait here while we go look for her.” Young Lord Yue turned to look at Wei Yanzhi.

Wei Yanzhi promptly responded, “Please instruct me, Young Lord. With so many people around, it would be terrible if Ninth Miss fell or got hurt.”

Young Lord Yue nodded, “Brother Wei, please check back along that street ahead to see if Ninth Miss went back looking for Ning’er and the others. His Highness Shi and I will search this street.”

Since there was a possibility that Qin Wan had gone back, Wei Yanzhi nodded. Just as he was about to turn around, Yue Ning quickly added, “Qin Wan is carrying an orchid lantern and wearing a Xiezhi mask. Keep an eye out for these.”

Young Lord Yue had only recognized Yue Ning and her companions earlier because of their clothing. When searching for Qin Wan in the crowded streets, it would be difficult to identify her quickly, so Yue Ning naturally provided these details!

Wei Yanzhi nodded, then headed back down the street where Yue Ning and the others had come from, carrying his small lantern and peach wood sword. After Wei Yanzhi left, Young Lord Yue looked at Yan Chi, who said, “The possibility of Ninth Miss going back is very small. Most likely, she was pushed somewhere else by the crowd.”

Yan Chi pointed and continued, “Brother Jia, you go straight down this street. I’ll check elsewhere.”

Yan Chi’s gaze shifted to the cluster of buildings on the right side of the market street. Most were back rooms of teahouses and taverns, with small alleys leading to unknown places. Yan Chi felt Qin Wan might have gone there.

Young Lord Yue nodded, “Alright, but be careful.”

Yan Chi’s eyes grew cold as he replied “Understood,” and then headed into the crowd with Young Lord Yue. Fu Ling’s eyes reddened, wanting to follow, but Yue Ning held her back. “Let them search. With your small frame, I’m worried you might get lost yourself before your mistress is found.”

Fu Ling understood this reasoning but anxiously wrung her hands together.

Yue Ning’s expression was also grave. When they had come out, all their attendants had remained with the carriages. Now they couldn’t even send someone back with a message. Yue Ning looked at the colorful Li Shui Lake – if anything happened to Qin Wan tonight, she would never forgive herself for such a grave mistake. Yue Ning paced anxiously while Fu Ling bit her lip nervously.

The Shuang Qing Theater had begun performing “Meeting at the Celestial Bridge.” More people from the market were pushing toward them, making it extremely difficult for Young Lord Yue to move forward. Yan Chi was also struggling to advance. Glancing to the side, Yan Chi noticed an alley and pushed his way toward it without hesitation. The further from the theater stage, the thinner the crowds became, and soon Yan Chi reached the alley entrance.

Due to Shuang Qing Theater’s popularity, even the small alley was full of people. Yan Chi looked around – while there were many masked people, most wore Blue Bird, Phoenix, or Qilin masks. He didn’t see a single Xiezhi mask. His brows furrowed deeply.

Had his deduction been wrong?!

With this thought, Yan Chi had already reached the depths of the alley. He paused, planning to turn back. If Qin Wan had been pushed here by the crowd, she would likely have stopped to rest briefly rather than continuing deeper into the alley, so there was no need to search further inside.

Just as he turned around, his peripheral vision caught a faint light about seventy or eighty feet deeper into the alley, where what appeared to be a lantern lay on the ground.

Yan Chi’s heart leaped. His expression darkened as he strode forward, quickly reaching the light.

Indeed, a lantern lay on the ground. Yan Chi picked it up, his eyes trembling.

It was truly an orchid lantern…

The lantern was exquisitely crafted. Though it had fallen, the shade wasn’t broken – only the oil had spilled, weakening the wick’s flame. While not expensive, this lantern wasn’t cheap for ordinary families either. There was no reason someone would simply discard it. The only possibility was that the owner had dropped it in a panic, without even having the chance to pick it up!

Yan Chi straightened the lantern shade, holding it in one hand as he continued forward.

The alley was already very deep, with the bright lights from outside no longer reaching here. Ahead lay pitch darkness leading to who knows where. Why would Qin Wan come here of her own accord?

Something was wrong – perhaps the situation wasn’t as simple as he thought.

Yan Chi’s brows knitted together as he suddenly recalled the headless female corpse that had frightened Qin Wan at the An Yang Marquis Manor and those inexplicable rumors. Both incidents had been harmful to Qin Wan. Could it be…?

His heart racing, Yan Chi suddenly quickened his pace!

With the lantern on the ground, could Qin Wan have been kidnapped?

Suddenly, countless terrifying thoughts emerged. Even with Qin Wan’s excellent medical skills, she was still a physically weak woman. In this world, there were far too many horrible things that could be done to women!

Yan Chi gathered his internal energy and, after checking that no one was around, suddenly leaped onto the rooftop.

Standing on the roof, his vision immediately broadened. He quickly discovered that this alley led to another end of the lantern market. At the end of the alley was another cross street, filled with lantern towers donated by wealthy families. From his vantage point, he could see a brilliant spectacle of lights!

Yan Chi’s thoughts settled. If Qin Wan had exited the alley onto the lantern market street, that would be for the best. The street was crowded with people coming and going – no one would dare harm her there.

Standing on some unknown household’s roof, Yan Chi watched the alley while moving forward. The alley was pitch black, with occasional back doors of households visible. After a few more steps, there was even a rancid smell of kitchen waste. Yan Chi’s heart sank deeper. He knew that even though brilliant lantern towers lay at the alley’s end, Qin Wan would never choose such a filthy, dark alley to pass through. Something must have happened, or someone had lured her here…

Yan Chi moved faster across the rooftops. Several tiles shattered under his feet, falling from the roof with a rustling sound. The residents below shouted in surprise and came out to look, but only the cool autumn night wind remained in the dark sky!

Yan Chi’s breathing grew ragged, his heart pounding in a way he hadn’t experienced for many years. The dim orchid lantern in his hand was steady, but its owner’s whereabouts and safety remained unknown.

Yan Chi took a deep breath, his gaze falling on the nearby lantern towers. The tower frames were three stories tall, and built with bamboo and wood supports. Each section held hundreds of lanterns of various shapes. During this Mid-Autumn Festival celebration, these were the most spectacular sights after the lantern boats. This area should have been crowded too, but because the Shuang Qing Theater had set up its stage a street away, there weren’t many people there. Those who were present were heading toward the theater stage via the vertical street ahead. Yan Chi used his utmost visual prowess, his eyes like a hawk’s as he surveyed the brightly lit lantern street.

Yan Chi deeply felt something was wrong and didn’t expect to find Qin Wan, but as he narrowed his eyes to peer into the distance, a graceful figure on the long street caught his attention.

That figure stood quietly in the middle of the street, in stark contrast to all the people heading toward the Shuang Qing Theater. Though he couldn’t see her face, Yan Chi recognized her at a glance – that aqua-colored ink-wash dress, the waterfall of black hair cascading down her shoulders, emanating an orchid-like ethereal quality even from this distance – who else could it be but Qin Wan?!

As Yan Chi’s emotions surged, the figure turned around, revealing indeed the ugly and fierce Xiezhi mask! It was Qin Wan! Truly Qin Wan!

Yan Chi’s lips involuntarily curved upward, his tense heart slightly relaxing. His internal energy surged, wanting nothing more than to immediately leap to Qin Wan’s side.

Yan Chi kept watching Qin Wan’s direction, noticing she seemed to be standing still, watching people come and go on the street as if searching for something…

Yan Chi felt slightly puzzled. Just as his swift figure was about to cross the rooftops on one side of the dark alley, Yan Chi suddenly saw the lantern tower behind Qin Wan move. His expression changed a sense of foreboding rising in his heart. Soon, he saw the massive lantern tower holding hundreds of lanterns tilting like a collapsing mountain, falling toward Qin Wan!

While Qin Wan stood helplessly in the middle of the street, completely unaware of the danger behind her!

Yan Chi’s eyes widened instantly. He channeled his internal energy and threw himself toward Qin Wan without hesitation.