Xiao Yingxun drank a cup of tea in silence. When Gu Lingwan still did not return, his gaze slowly shifted toward the door.
One has physical needs, and urgency varies. Because the situation was delicate, he could not simply ask for the whereabouts of a person. He did not know how to phrase it properly, so he decided to wait a while longer. Xiao Yingxun silently refilled his finished teacup, lifted it with an elegant motion, took a light sip, and waited quietly for Gu Lingwan to return.
Time flew by. Before long, the tea in his cup was gone again. From the moment the young man left to use the restroom until now, two full rounds of tea had passed. Even for someone with a hidden ailment, such a long time was excessive.
Xiao Yingxun’s brows furrowed slightly, and his eyes narrowed. He hesitated over whether he should go look for Gu Lingwan. Although they were both men and did not need to adhere to strict social avoidances, their situation was different. They were technically a married couple, so he still felt a sense of restraint. However, since so much time had elapsed and he did not know why the Heir had not returned, he found it necessary to investigate.
After a moment of deliberation, Xiao Yingxun stood up and walked out of the private room.
The restroom was at the end of the corridor, a few steps after a left turn. Xiao Yingxun stopped at the door, stood still for a moment, and knocked twice. “Heir?”
Perhaps his voice was too soft, as the person inside did not hear him. Xiao Yingxun glanced around; he was alone, and no one else was coming to use the facilities. He raised his voice. “Heir?”
The silence from within remained unbroken.
Xiao Yingxun had no choice but to raise his voice again. “Heir?”
This time, before his voice could even fade, the door was pushed open from the inside. “What are you shouting for?”
A middle-aged man walked out. “We are all men. If you are looking for someone, just walk in.” He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Xiao Yingxun. The man standing before him was extraordinary, and more importantly, his fine robe was embroidered with a python pattern. Who else could he be but a prince?
He bowed and scraped, smiling apologetically. “This commoner has eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. I have offended you, Your Highness. If you are looking for someone, I will go inside and find them for you.”
Xiao Yingxun had come directly from the palace and had not had time to change into casual attire. He despised such fawning behavior, ignored the man, and stepped into the restroom. The area for urinating was immediately visible, and while the other sections were shielded by partitions, one could easily hear any speech within.
“Heir?”
Xiao Yingxun’s voice was loud enough, yet there was no response. This proved one thing: the person was not there.
Certain that he was not in the restroom, Xiao Yingxun left with a furrowed brow. Where had the young man gone? They were in the middle of a meal, and he would not have left without a word. Xiao Yingxun’s brow tightened as he started back toward the private room. Perhaps he had returned by the other path. There were indeed two ways to get from the restroom to the room, though the other was slightly longer.
Gu Lingwan had always struck Xiao Yingxun as having a unique way of thinking, and it was normal for him to do things beyond expectation. Xiao Yingxun quickened his pace. He soon reached the room, but it was empty.
Looking at the empty space, Xiao Yingxun closed his phoenix eyes. “The Heir must be in trouble.”
Just then, Xiao Yanming arrived carrying a jar of wine. Seeing only Xiao Yingxun in the room, he asked, “Where is the Princess Consort?”
Xiao Yingxun turned, his deep eyes fixed on Xiao Yanming. “Does the Eleventh Brother not know?”
His question was loaded with meaning. Xiao Yanming placed the jar on the table. “The Princess Consort was with you, Sixth Brother. Why are you trying to hold me accountable?”
Xiao Yingxun’s face was as cold as water. “If the Heir did not return to the estate himself, he has been abducted.” The possibility of him returning on his own was negligible.
“What?” Xiao Yanming slammed his hand on the table. “Who has such nerve?” He immediately frowned. “The Heir was with you, Sixth Brother. How could he have been abducted?”
Xiao Yingxun observed every subtle change in his expression. “I do not know.”
Without another word, he walked out of the room. Xiao Yanming quickly followed. “Are you not going to look for him, Sixth Brother?”
Xiao Yingxun remained silent.
Xiao Yanming asked again, “What are you doing, Sixth Brother?”
“Follow me back to the estate, Eleventh Brother.”
He wanted to confirm whether it was truly Xiao Yanming who had abducted the Heir. By keeping him close, he would give him no opportunity to leave, and eventually, the culprit would surely show his hand. They rode at top speed back to the estate.
It was now certain that Gu Lingwan had been abducted. When Dongming learned the news, he burst into tears, begging to report it to the authorities.
Xiao Yanming was almost amused by the notion. “The Prince is the authority. Who would you report it to?” Ultimately, he offered Dongming some comfort. “The Prince has already dispatched a large number of guards to find the Princess Consort.”
Xiao Yingxun kept a close watch on Xiao Yanming. Meanwhile, the guards he had sent to secretly investigate reported that it was indeed Xiao Yanming who had gone to the Changxuan Wine Shop, and there were no helpers with him. It seemed certain he had not hidden Gu Lingwan away.
At that moment, one person came to Xiao Yingxun’s mind: his elder brother, Xiao Lanjie. He could sense that the Emperor held a deep interest in the Heir. Earlier today, the Emperor had even wanted to keep Gu Lingwan in the palace. Furthermore, the Emperor had openly expressed doubts about the validity of the Heir’s identity and mentioned needing to verify it.
Xiao Yanming was also lost in deep thought, trying to fathom who would be daring enough to abduct Gu Lingwan at such a time. Seeing the man beside him walking away in a hurry, Xiao Yanming called out, “Sixth Brother! Where are you going in such a rush?”
“The Imperial Palace.”
Hearing the answer, Xiao Yanming muttered to himself, “Is he suspecting that Xiao Lanjie sent someone to abduct the Princess Consort?”
As he pondered this, he suddenly recalled the banquet at the Honghua Hall earlier that day. Xiao Lanjie’s gaze had been locked firmly onto Gu Lingwan, just like a fierce beast staring at prey it had long coveted. He shivered, a sense of inexplicable unease washing over him. Could it be that Xiao Lanjie had some unknown designs on the Princess Consort?
Xiao Yanming did not waste another second and followed Xiao Yingxun out of the estate.
Xiao Yingxun rushed to the stables, vaulted onto the fastest horse, and gripped the reins tightly. With a kick to the horse’s flank, the animal, sensing its master’s urgency, erupted with incredible power. It galloped like a bolt of lightning, the sound of hooves echoing through the sky, kicking up clouds of dust as it raced toward the palace with the speed of an arrow released from a bow.
Even with his best effort, Xiao Yanming was left far behind.
Hiss. Gu Lingwan regained consciousness. He raised a hand to rub his aching neck and observed his surroundings.
He was in an opulently decorated bedroom. There were white marble floors, crystal wall lamps, rosewood furniture, and gold-traced tea sets. The bed he lay on was soft and comfortable, made of high-quality silk.
Just then, the intricate, carved wooden door creaked open, and someone stepped inside.