Cuiji gave the guards a look, and immediately someone stepped forward to pull Ruyi and the other away. Yunyi was forcibly dragged out by him. Just as they were about to step out of the palace doors, Cuiji suddenly stopped and simultaneously raised a hand to protect his neck. A thin long needle was embedded in the back of his hand, with the other end held in Yunyi’s grasp.

“You want to kill me?” Cuiji stared at Yunyi in shock and anger. If he hadn’t sensed the wind behind his neck and promptly raised his hand to protect himself, the long needle would have already pierced his throat. A needle strike to such a vital point would be beyond saving even if Hua Tuo were alive.

Seeing that this needle had failed to take Cuiji’s life, a trace of disappointment flashed in Yunyi’s eyes as she said coldly: “If you want to kill me, then kill me. Apart from my life, you’ll never get anything from me!”

Cuiji forcefully pulled out the silver needle from the back of his hand and gripped Yunyi’s jade-smooth chin, saying coldly: “I truly didn’t expect Princess Jinyang to be such a strong-willed woman. However…” He revealed a cold smile, “I like it. Don’t worry, I’m not the Black and White Impermanence who only collect souls and demand lives. I only want your person.”

“I will never let you have your way!” For Yunyi, surrendering herself to Cuiji, this despicable villain, would be worse than death.

“Whether you let me have my way or not isn’t up to you.” Saying this, Cuiji added: “But don’t worry, this trip isn’t for that matter. I just need Princess Jinyang to help with a small favor.”

With that, he said no more and forcibly brought Yunyi to the city tower. Pei Qiantong had already made arrangements. Seeing him bring Yunyi up, he said: “We can begin now.”

“Good!” After responding thus, Cuiji walked to the front of the city tower. Below was crowded with emaciated people, each holding bags in their hands. They had all received word that court officials would distribute rice here, so they had rushed over.

Cuiji cleared his throat and shouted loudly: “Du Ruhui, I know the reason you’re lingering in Jiangdu City instead of leaving is for Princess Jinyang. Unfortunately, things haven’t gone as you wished. Now, Princess Jinyang is in my hands. If you want her to remain safe, show yourself immediately, or the one who dies will be Princess Jinyang!” He wouldn’t actually kill Yunyi, but was merely using this to force Du Ruhui to appear.

“Back then, you offended my Cui family. If Princess Jinyang hadn’t protected you and arranged your marriage with the Wang family’s daughter, you wouldn’t have lived to this day. Princess Jinyang is your life-saving benefactor. Having read the books of sages for so many years, I trust you won’t repay kindness with enmity.” With each sentence Cuiji spoke, the soldiers below would repeat it, one after another, spreading the words countless li.

Hearing these words, Yunyi finally understood his purpose in bringing her here. She said with disgust: “Cuiji, you’re still as despicable as before.”

Cuiji paid no mind to her rebuke and laughed lightly: “All is fair in war. As long as it’s useful, that’s enough. After catching Du Ruhui, I can share a bed with the Princess.”

Meeting his gaze, Yunyi suddenly smiled: “Share a bed—I’m afraid Yuwen Huaji won’t agree to that.”

Cuiji’s expression changed as he blurted out: “How do you know?”

“I’ve seen Mother Empress.” These six words made Cuiji’s cheek twitch as he said coldly: “Don’t think having the Chancellor protect you means you’re safe. Whatever I, Cuiji, want, I’ve never failed to obtain. You’re the same!” With that, he glanced at a guard beside him. The guard understood and brought over a box, taking out a thick stack of Du Ruhui’s portraits and throwing them down to the people below the city gates. These had all been painted by city artists under Pei Qiantong’s orders.

“Whoever has information about this person will be rewarded with five hundred jin of white rice. If you help us capture him, there will be an additional five hundred jin reward.” Upon hearing Cuiji’s words, all the people below became excited, scrambling to grab the falling portraits. Some even fought over the pictures.

They had all suffered from hunger. For them, nothing was more important than rice. Though they could receive rice distributions recently, what they received daily was barely enough for half a meal. Now hearing that catching one person could be exchanged for a thousand jin of white rice, they all went mad with excitement.

Cuiji watched the frenzied people below with satisfaction. Pei Qiantong came over and said: “Alright, we should go to the next city gate.”

For half a day, Cuiji brought Yunyi around Jiangdu City in a circle. At each city gate, Cuiji would say the same words, then use a thousand jin of white rice as bait to entice the people to scramble for the portraits. One could imagine that as soon as they saw Du Ruhui, they would immediately report to the authorities to exchange for the reward.

Yunyi was anxious beyond measure but helpless. She could only silently pray in her heart that Du Ruhui wouldn’t appear, praying that heaven would protect him through this calamity safely.

Cuiji waited at the last city tower until the sun gradually declined westward, but still didn’t see Du Ruhui appear. Although some people reported seeing Du Ruhui, when investigated, it was either from many days ago or completely false, with no real progress.

Pei Qiantong glanced at the already setting sun and shook his head: “It seems Du Ruhui doesn’t care about Princess Jinyang’s life as much as you thought.”

Cuiji heard the mockery in his words and gritted his teeth: “It’s only been one day. How can you tell if the strategy succeeded or failed? Perhaps he’s hiding in some corner and hasn’t yet learned of today’s events.”

Pei Qiantong said: “Besides what you’ve seen, I also ordered soldiers to beat gongs and drums through every alley, constantly repeating what you said. As long as Du Ruhui is still in the city, he would definitely hear it. The lack of news until now means only two possibilities: either he doesn’t care about Princess Jinyang’s life or death, or… he’s not in the city!”

Cuiji immediately said: “No, he must be here. I will definitely catch him!”

Standing to the side, Yunyi said coldly: “You’ll never catch Ruhui, just like you’ll never measure up to Ruhui in anything.”

“Shut up!” Cuiji glared viciously at Yunyi. “It’s not that I’m inferior to Du Ruhui, but that he’s inferior to me. You watch—I will definitely catch him and then cut him to pieces, death by a thousand cuts.”

Yunyi said mockingly: “Good, then I’ll wait and see!”

Du Ruhui indeed hadn’t left the city—he hadn’t even left the Pei residence. After Pei Qiancheng rescued Du Ruhui that day, he had originally wanted to send him to a safe place to hide temporarily, then leave the city after the situation calmed down. But before they had gone far, they encountered several groups of Imperial Guards. Though they had close calls without being discovered, it made Pei Qiancheng realize that there was no place in Jiangdu City for Du Ruhui to hide. Once his elder brother discovered he was missing, he would definitely think of every possible way to find him. After much consideration, he brought Du Ruhui back to the Pei residence and settled him in his own room.

The most dangerous place is the safest place. No one would think that Du Ruhui was hiding right in the Pei residence. Facts proved that this move was extremely correct. Even though the outside world was searched upside down, the Pei residence remained as calm as still water, without a ripple. No one realized that the person they were looking for was actually right beside them.