Qi Wang’s footsteps were quick at first, but gradually, they grew heavy.
It wasn’t that he hadn’t suspected anything.
Why was it that so many people had died on the road, nearly all the men he’d sent to the capital had perished, yet this one woman, supposedly unconscious, had survived unscathed all the way?
Especially a woman like Qi Yuan, so cunning by nature.
But perhaps he had just wanted too badly to believe.
Wanted too desperately to think she’d truly lost consciousness, wanted too much to obtain her smoothly, so he chose to ignore every gap and flaw.
He lowered his gaze and gave a self-deprecating laugh.
Yes, a woman like Qi Yuan, there’s nothing she could do that would surprise him anymore.
He shoved open the study doors and stood at the threshold, scanning the room with cold eyes.
But the study was completely empty.
Eunuch Feng, still unaware of what was going on, followed behind and whispered: “Your Highness, the archers are in position.”
Qi Wang entered without expression, his gaze falling on the desk, he didn’t bother checking the drawers, but instead walked over to the bookshelf, pulled aside several volumes, and pressed a hidden switch behind them.
With a faint click, the bookshelf slowly rotated, revealing a hidden passage behind it.
Eunuch Feng jumped in shock: “Your Highness!”
Qi Wang raised a hand, Eunuch Feng fell silent at once and followed him into the hidden room.
But no one was inside.
Qi Wang didn’t feel relief. Instead, he quickly scanned the room, and when his gaze landed on the locked document chest, his pupils shrank sharply.
A beat later, he hurled the chest to the ground with a loud crash.
Liar!
Whore!
Truly, a vile woman!
He clenched his fists tightly, suppressing the fury in his heart. Closing his eyes for a moment, he turned and gave a freezing command:
“Search! Search the entire manor, turn it upside down if you must, but bring Qi Yuan to me!”
Eunuch Feng’s eyes went wide.
What?
Did the prince just say… Miss Qi is awake?
Had Divine Physician Xue already cured her?
But clearly, Qi Wang wasn’t pleased. At least, not the way a man would be if the woman he loved had recovered.
He stormed straight toward Qi Yuan’s courtyard, kicked the gate open, and strode up the steps. But when he kicked the bedroom door open,
The room was empty.
Qi Yuan was gone.
So was Qiu Mama, and everyone else.
Qi Wang’s rage boiled into bitter laughter.
So she had been lying to him.
Lying to him this entire time.
He grabbed a prized potted camellia from the table and smashed it to the ground, his teeth nearly grinding to dust as he growled: “Find out! Find out where Qiu Mama and the others went!”
The house steward was scared out of his wits. After being summoned, he knelt with a thud, trembling all over: “Your Highness! Qiu Mama said she was going home to see her daughter-in-law, she just gave birth…”
After all, the manor staff weren’t prisoners, they were allowed to go out.
Especially someone like Qiu Mama, who had a good reputation in the household and had followed them all the way from the capital. Whenever she wasn’t on duty, she’d often return to her own house on the back street.
No one had thought to stop her.
And that just made Qi Wang even more furious.
It was as if a fire was blazing in his chest, one that, if it couldn’t burn someone else, would burn himself instead.
He gave a cold laugh: “Search.”
What Qi Yuan probably didn’t know was: Though he had believed she was truly unconscious, he never once relaxed the surveillance on her.
And Qiu Mama’s group, they had families.
Maybe they could run, but could they take every last member of their families with them?
Not to mention, so many people trying to flee would definitely leave traces.
—
But at this moment, Qi Yuan wasn’t on the run.
She was standing calmly before Divine Physician Xue.
“Will you spend the rest of your life in Qi Wang’s manor, or will you walk free under the vast sky, with your name renowned across the world? Divine Physician Xue, have you made up your mind?”
His expression was complicated: “You say we can just walk out of here… but is it really that simple?”
He scoffed: “The world belongs to the emperor, and all who dwell in it are his subjects. Jiangxi is Qi Wang’s domain, if we try to leave, we’ll likely be dead before we even reach the border.”
Qi Yuan also smiled: “You don’t have to worry about that. If you’re willing to leave, I can make sure you get out.”
Divine Physician Xue was about to retort sarcastically when several shadows dropped from the trees, landing silently beside Qi Yuan.
His expression shifted.
Liujin leaned in immediately and whispered: “Miss Qi, Qi Wang has already returned. He went to the study first, then your courtyard. He’s now searching everywhere for Qiu Mama and the others.”
Divine Physician Xue was stunned. He stepped off the stairs: “You went to Qi Wang’s study?”
Qi Yuan admitted it bluntly: “Yes. I also took the secret correspondence between him and Li Changqing, as well as his letters with the Minister of Rites and the Astronomical Bureau.”
She looked straight at Divine Physician Xue. When she saw the dazed look in his eyes, her tone dropped: “What, are you still loyal to your former master? Feeling guilty?”
Divine Physician Xue had no words.
He genuinely hadn’t expected a girl like Qi Yuan to act so decisively and cleanly.
She had infiltrated the manor, and on the very next day, went straight to steal classified letters from the study!
Most people wouldn’t dare. They’d at least wait a few days, until the situation was stable.
But not Qi Yuan.
She acted immediately, striking before anyone could react.
He glanced at Liujin and the others, wanting to say something, but in the end, only murmured: “Even with these few men… you’re ants trying to shake a tree.”
Qi Wang had personal guards, military men, and he could summon forces from Xiong Liangyong too.
Trying to escape from Hongdu?
That was a fantasy.
Qi Yuan understood his worry.
She replied calmly: “If that’s what you’re concerned about, Divine Physician, there’s no need. Because if Qi Wang dies, who would his guards take orders from?”
Who indeed?
Divine Physician Xue suddenly thought of what Qi Wang had once said, about Xiao Yunting.
If Qi Wang died, then his guards… who else could they follow but Xiao Yunting?
Would they really rebel after their master’s death?
His throat felt dry. After a long pause, he rasped out: “Fine. I’ll go with you.”
Qi Yuan turned to Chunsheng: “Chunsheng, take Divine Physician Xue and leave immediately. Head straight for the capital, don’t stop for anything!”
Qi Changting’s condition needed urgent treatment. The sooner Divine Physician Xue returned, the better it would be for him.
Chunsheng let out a startled sound. He never imagined this task would fall to him.
It wasn’t that he was unwilling, it was just…
He really wanted to keep following Miss Qi.
Liujin and Beize exchanged a glance, then quietly stepped back a pace.
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