His brown pupils constricted as Feng Ming’s expression turned serious. He brushed aside Yin Gezhi and turned his head away, saying, “What is the Crown Prince talking about? I don’t understand.”

The Prince Xiao’an Manor was as quiet as the Wu State envoy’s residence. Besides Guanzhi, no one would come to his courtyard. Yin Gezhi didn’t bother beating around the bush and said directly, “I was wondering earlier how Guan Qingyue managed to escape from prison while under torture. Now seeing you, it all makes sense.”

Drawing in a sharp breath, Feng Ming stared at him in shock, grabbing Yin Gezhi’s collar and pulling him close: “You’ve seen Qingyue?”

Pushing away his hand, Yin Gezhi sneered: “You won’t answer my question, yet expect me to answer yours?”

Feng Ming gritted his teeth, the lines of his face tense. After hesitating for a long while, he finally relented: “It was my actions alone. The Marquis Estate had nothing to do with it.”

Turning to sit at the stone table in the courtyard, Yin Gezhi adjusted his sleeves: “Tell me everything from the beginning, what happened?”

“Why should I tell you?” Feng Ming was reluctant, his straight thick eyebrows standing on end.

However, Yin Gezhi quietly said: “I’ve seen Guan Qingyue.”

The next instant, Feng Ming was sitting obediently beside him. Unwillingly confessing: “General Guan was killed in prison, and the Guan family faced execution of their entire clan. I couldn’t save her whole family, but I could save her, so I carefully arranged everything. A few days before the execution, using connections in the imperial prison, I had Guan Qingyue switched out.”

Guan Qingyue didn’t want to leave at the time, nor did she want someone to die in her place. It wasn’t until the Guan family threatened her with revenge that they finally knocked her unconscious and carried her out.

Because of this, he hadn’t dared tell her it was him behind her rescue. That young lady already disliked him enough; he wouldn’t confess to something that would only make things worse.

“Afterwards she left Wu State. Where she went, I don’t know, and where she is now, I also don’t know.” Speaking of this, Feng Ming was a bit sad, because she wrote letters to many people, taking them with her, but didn’t think to write even one to him, even if just to scold him. As a result, three years passed without any news – she didn’t consider him her fiancé at all!

Hearing the last sentence, Yin Gezhi’s mood inexplicably improved. He stood up, adjusted his collar, and turned to walk into the room.

“Hey hey!” Feng Ming reached out to stop him: “I told you everything, shouldn’t you tell me her whereabouts?”

Turning his head calmly to look at him, Yin Gezhi asked bewilderedly: “Why should I tell you?”

“You just said…” Halfway through speaking, Feng Ming clenched his teeth, closed his eyes, and threw a punch at him!

This cunning person had only said he’d seen Guan Qingyue, but never said he would reveal her whereabouts after the confession!

Bastard!

Yin Gezhi curved his lips, nimbly dodging the punch and darting into the room, bolting the door.

When Guanzhi returned from tidying up the manor, he saw Feng Ming with a grim expression holding a torch, about to set fire to the firewood piled at the main house’s door.

“General Feng!” Frightened by a cracking voice, Guanzhi hurriedly ran over to stop him: “What are you doing?”

Holding the torch, Feng Ming said darkly: “This fellow is hiding inside and won’t come out. I’m going to burn down his house!”

Guanzhi: “…”

Unable to laugh or cry, he tried hard to pry Feng Ming’s arm, but couldn’t move it, so he simply threw both arms around him, trembling as he said: “General, this would be attempting to harm His Highness!”

“I don’t care!” Feng Ming raged: “If he still won’t tell me, I’ll burn down his whole manor!”

Wiping sweat from his brow, Guanzhi felt bitter inside. If it were other masters causing trouble, that would be easy to handle – they could be reasoned with. But encountering General Feng, it was simply impossible to talk sense into him! When he got impulsive, he really would do something like burning down the manor!

“Let’s talk this through properly!” Face crumbling, Guanzhi asked: “What do you want to know?”

Thinking of that person, Feng Ming’s throat moved slightly, his eyes growing a bit wet. His mouth opened and closed, but in the end, he deflated like a leaked balloon, threw down the torch, shook off Guanzhi, and turned to leave.

Forget it. If Yin Gezhi wouldn’t say, burning this place down wouldn’t help either. Rather than asking, he’d better search himself.

“General!” The attendant who had been waiting outside rushed up anxiously and said: “News just came that there’s chaos at the He Lan residence. Master He Lan has packed his belongings and fled alone.”

Being accused by the Crown Prince in front of so many people of being bought by Yi Guoru to betray the country – although the Emperor hadn’t paid attention, He Lan Changde wasn’t stupid! While he could still run, he’d run as far as possible!

Feng Ming’s face darkened as he immediately mounted his horse, cursing while galloping wildly: “That bastard! Luckily I reacted quickly and had people watch the He Lan residence. Otherwise, he really might have gotten away!”

He Lan Changde had been living well! These past few years he’d returned to Lidu as an Inspector, the position was lucrative with few worries, and he’d gotten as fat as a ball! Truly good people don’t live long while vermin last forever!

Just wait till he caught him – he wouldn’t let him off without flaying a layer of skin!

While one side pursued in clouds of dust, the other fled in panic. He Lan Changde had thought once he left the city he should be safe. He’d gotten the news and fled immediately – others’ reactions surely couldn’t have been faster than his. Although packing his belongings had delayed him somewhat, and some annoying women had pestered him trying to make him stay, if he could leave the city under cover of night, his life should be secure.

However, he hadn’t expected that just a mile outside the city gate, his carriage would suddenly shake violently, and then the entire compartment would tilt sideways and crash heavily to the ground! The startled horses galloped away as the people inside wailed continuously. By the time the people behind finally cut the reins, he was already covered in blood.

Trembling as he crawled out of the carriage compartment, He Lan Changde was about to raise his sleeve to wipe the blood when he unexpectedly saw two pairs of boots before him.

His heart tightened as he looked up, only to see an unfamiliar face covered in a full beard.

“Sir, you’re an Inspector after all – why flee like a thief in the middle of the night?” Feng Yue looked at him, wanting to give him a sinister smile, but just seeing his face, she couldn’t even manage to smile. The hatred in her eyes burst forth like a thousand-foot waterfall, ready to wash away the person before her in an instant!

This damned traitor!

Nearly diving back into the carriage compartment in fright, He Lan Changde frowned and asked with false bravado masking inner fear: “Who are you!”

Slowly crouching down, Feng Yue looked at him while gripping a dagger, her voice ice-cold: “I am your nightmare. Starting now, you’d better run quickly, otherwise if I catch you, it will be like this!”

As her words fell, the dagger in her hand viciously stabbed into He Lan Changde’s ankle!

“Ahh—” Heart-rending screams echoed throughout the outskirts, making people’s hair stand on end.

Feng Ming, who had been pursuing without direction, brightened and immediately ran toward the sound.

The sharp dagger pierced through flesh and bone, accurately striking the soft spot below the ankle bone. The sound of tendons snapping transmitted through the dagger to Feng Yue’s palm, reddening her eyes.

“Does it hurt?” she asked softly. “Are you afraid?”

Like seeing a ghost, He Lan Changde howled while retreating backward. With his foot ruined, the movement was very difficult. He gritted his teeth, dark light flashing in his eyes. Watching that bearded face approach him, he immediately felt for the hidden weapon in his sleeve, and when she wasn’t paying attention, quickly flung it at her!

After all, he was trained in martial arts, and even though years of comfort had made his skills rusty, the foundation remained. Just now he hadn’t reacted in time due to panic, but now he knew to fight back.

Narrowly avoiding the hidden weapon, Feng Yue curved her lips and looked at him sideways: “Your arms still have some strength, eh?”

Luo Hao beside her stepped forward, grabbed both his arms, and forcefully dislocated them!

“No—ahh—” Rolling on the ground in agony! He Lan Changde was like an overfed rat who’d been caught stealing. His writhing and struggling was horrifying to watch.

“If you don’t run now, I’m coming over,” gripping the dagger, Feng Yue walked toward him step by step: “Heaven’s justice turns like a wheel, who can escape the judgment of the heavens, Inspector He Lan!”

“You… I’ve done you no wrong, what are you doing!” Shaking in fear, tears streaming from the pain, He Lan Changde dragged his one leg and two arms, struggling to squirm away with his other good leg, his expression terrified. It was as if he’d seen the Guards of the Underworld.

Only then did Feng Yue smile, slowly pursuing him while saying word by word: “No wrong? Inspector He Lan truly forgets easily when in a high position. You betrayed Wei State’s anti-Wu army, causing Guan Canghai to be falsely accused of treason – with me too, you claim no grievance?”

Drawing in a sharp breath, He Lan Changde’s eyes widened, whites showing, as he screamed in a shrill voice: “You’re from the Guan family?”

Feng Yue very much wanted to frighten him more, however, hoofbeats sounded in the distance.

Is someone coming to save him?

Expression sharpening, Feng Yue gave Luo Hao a look. He immediately drew his sword and held it to He Lan Changde’s throat, then turned to look east.

Several horses were hurriedly approaching. Seeing the overturned carriage on the ground, the person in front let out a relieved breath and cursed under his breath: “He ran pretty fast!”

Hearing this voice, the hair on Feng Yue’s back stood on end.

Feng Ming dismounted, his dark blue robe cut in a dashing style. As he walked, his robes fluttered, merging with the night. Only the bronze belt at his waist gave off a faint glow in the darkness.

He passed by her like a gust of wind without even looking at her. First glancing at the half-dead He Lan Changde, then raised his head to see which hero had lent a hand.

“Vice Commander Luo?!” Seeing this face, Feng Ming was shocked: “You’ve returned to Lidu?”

Giving a dry laugh, Luo Hao nodded, his gaze somewhat evasive.

Slightly straightening his back, Feng Ming seemed to sense something. He slowly turned to look behind him.

In the bright moonlight stood someone dressed in men’s clothes who, while he was speaking, had already run fifty paces away!

“Guan Qingyue, stop right there!” With a roar, Feng Ming’s eyes filled with blood as he gave chase!

Feng Yue was truly panicked, running while calling out in a falsetto: “You’ve got the wrong person!”

“Pah!” Feng Ming raged: “In all of Lidu, only you would run that fast upon seeing me. Do you take me for a fool? Stand still!”

In the past, when he chased her, he might not have been able to catch up. But now, whether his martial arts had improved too much or for some other reason, in no time at all, he caught hold of her shoulder!