Anjiu walked carefully, and only after confirming no one was around did he slip into Pei Qiancheng’s room. Ever since being sold to the Pei residence, he had always followed Pei Qiancheng and was most trusted by him. Apart from Pei Qiancheng himself, he was the only one who knew Du Ruhui was hiding here.

“Young Master Du.” At his soft call, Du Ruhui emerged from the wardrobe. Anjiu quickly took out two steamed buns and a pot of water from his bosom and said: “Because I had to avoid some people, the buns have gone cold. Please don’t mind, Young Master Du.”

“I’m grateful enough that you trouble yourself to bring me food every day, little brother. How could I mind?” After taking the buns he handed over, Du Ruhui said: “By the way, why haven’t I seen Brother Pei return to his room? Where exactly has he gone?”

“The Second Young Master… was called by the General to do some things. I’m afraid he won’t be able to return for a short time. This servant already told you yesterday.” With that, Anjiu said: “Please eat quickly. This servant still has to go out and work. I’ll bring you food again tomorrow.”

“Wait.” Du Ruhui called to Anjiu, who was about to leave, and stared at him for a moment: “You’re lying to me, aren’t you?”

“This servant isn’t lying to Young Master Du. The Second Young Master really…”

Du Ruhui shook his head: “The matter of Brother Pei rescuing me from the woodshed definitely couldn’t be hidden from General Pei. General Pei would be too angry to even think of sending Brother Pei to do anything.” He had felt something was wrong when Anjiu said this yesterday, but was thinking of ways to rescue Yunyi at the time, so didn’t think carefully. Now thinking it over, he felt increasingly that there was a problem.

Seeing Anjiu didn’t answer, his expression changed as he urgently asked: “Has something happened to Brother Pei?”

Anjiu shook his head: “Young Master Du, please don’t ask anymore. This servant… this servant promised the Second Young Master absolutely not to tell.”

This answer made Du Ruhui even more certain something had happened. “What exactly happened? Tell me quickly, or I’ll go out and find out myself.” Seeing him make a move to leave, Anjiu quickly blocked him, saying nervously: “If you go out, all the Second Young Master’s painstaking efforts will be wasted.”

“Then tell me the truth.” Under Du Ruhui’s pressing questions, Anjiu said with reddened eyes: “The General learned that the Second Young Master let Young Master Du go and was extremely angry. With that Young Master Cui fanning the flames beside him, the General in his fury locked the Second Young Master in the woodshed, forbidding anyone to bring him food or even water, wanting to force the Second Young Master to reveal your hiding place. It’s been four days now. This morning I begged those guards for a long time and slipped them a string of cash before they let me peek through the door crack. The Second Young Master… his condition is very bad. If this continues, I’m afraid his life will be in danger.”

Though Du Ruhui had thought Pei Qiancheng would be punished, he never imagined Pei Qiantong would be so ruthlessly heartless. He said guiltily: “I’ve harmed Brother Pei and brought this disaster upon him.”

Anjiu choked up: “I’ll go check the woodshed again later to see if there’s a chance to slip something inside. I hope when the General returns, his anger will have subsided and he’ll release the Second Young Master.”

“Where has General Pei gone?” Du Ruhui’s question made Anjiu’s expression panic as he turned his head away: “The General left early this morning. As for where he went, this servant doesn’t know.”

This behavior aroused Du Ruhui’s suspicion. He asked: “Is there something else?” Seeing him not answer, he added: “Related to me?”

“No.” Though he said this, Anjiu’s expression was extremely flustered, making Du Ruhui even more certain. After repeated questioning, he finally learned about what had happened at the various city gates.

After being stunned for a moment, Du Ruhui came to his senses: “You’re saying… Cuiji is holding Princess Jinyang hostage to force me to show myself?”

“Correct. Young Master Cui said if you don’t appear, he’ll… he’ll kill Princess Jinyang. He also said those who provide information can get five hundred jin of white rice, and those who help catch you can get a thousand jin of rice. Right now all the people in the city are desperately looking for you. If you weren’t hiding in the Pei residence, Young Master Du, you would have been caught by them long ago. So you absolutely cannot go out.”

Du Ruhui hadn’t expected Cuiji to pursue him so relentlessly, even willing to use Yunyi to force him to appear. This person truly had a narrow mind and would retaliate for the smallest grievance.

Seeing Du Ruhui remain silent, Anjiu said: “Young Master Du, please stay here well. This servant will go out to work. This servant will find a way to look after the Second Young Master’s side. Though the General is angry, he probably won’t really take the Second Young Master’s life.” Though he said this, his tone was unusually heavy, clearly the situation wasn’t as easy as he made it sound. After pausing a moment, he said again: “As for Princess Jinyang, sigh, you’re in danger at every step now. You’d better take good care of yourself.” With that, he turned to leave, but Du Ruhui suddenly grabbed him: “Can you help me with a favor?”

While everyone in the residence was methodically doing their own work, Anjiu suddenly rushed out of Pei Qiancheng’s room, clutching his neck while loudly shouting: “Something terrible has happened! Something terrible!”

His urgent shouting immediately alarmed many people, who came running to ask what had happened. Anjiu didn’t explain, only asking: “Where is the General? Where is he?”

One of them said: “Haven’t seen the General return. He’s probably still at the city tower. But what about you? What happened to make you scream like a pig being slaughtered?”

Anjiu ignored them and quickly ran toward the gate, asking the guards responsible for watching the main gate: “Has anyone gone out just now?”

The guard shook his head: “Apart from the accountant going out at noon, no one else has left the residence.”

“Noon—then it wasn’t him.” Before the guard could ask what he meant, Anjiu said again: “Quickly go find the General, quickly!”

The guard didn’t move, just looked Anjiu up and down. The latter often went in and out with Pei Qiancheng, so they recognized him, but no one expected that a mere servant would dare to order them around.

Seeing them not move, Anjiu said even more urgently: “I have urgent business to report to the General. If you delay this, I’m afraid you won’t be able to bear the consequences.”

The guards didn’t take his words to heart and casually asked: “What matter is so urgent?”

Anjiu knew their thoughts and gritted his teeth: “I have information about Du Ruhui’s whereabouts!”

Upon hearing this, the two guards’ expressions immediately changed as they stared nervously at Anjiu: “Is this true?”

“How could I joke about such a thing? It’s absolutely true. In any case, you must quickly ride fast horses to ask the General to return. I need to report to the General personally—it’ll be too late if we delay.” He then muttered: “If I could ride a horse myself, why would I need to tell you?”

The guards didn’t dare delay. They quickly went to get horses and rode at full speed to inform Pei Qiantong. They didn’t know that shortly after they left, a figure wearing the same clothing as Anjiu and a bamboo hat emerged from behind the door. It was none other than Du Ruhui, the very person they were desperately trying to find.