In the crowd, on the second floor of the restaurant, Dunjie and Prince Yu, along with other generals, sat together drinking and chatting.

In a few days, they would be heading back to the battlefield, so they took advantage of the free time during these few days to get together.

The others chatted about fine wine and their families, but Dunjie showed no interest whatsoever. He sat alone by the window, aimlessly gazing at the bustling scene below.

He was stunned when he saw a familiar figure.

If Nan Chu is here, will she be here too?

Dunjie's heart leaped with a joy and anticipation he himself was unaware of.

He searched his vision and soon spotted the person he had been thinking about.

A familiar slender figure appeared. The girl wore a long, deep blue dress and a veil over her face, revealing only her captivatingly beautiful eyes. She was watching the iron flower performer with delight, her eyes sparkling like the stars and the sea.

As Dunjie watched, he couldn't help but notice that many young men and women around Qingyin were looking at her.

He couldn't help but blame Nan Chu. The Zhalute Fujin was so beautiful, even with a veil, she was incredibly alluring, and the chief had brought her out. What if they encountered danger today, with so many people at the Lantern Festival?

Dunjie stared at Qingyin downstairs with a mixture of anxiety and joy.

So they didn't notice that a large group of people behind Qingyin were approaching her, seemingly attracted by the iron flower performers.

The tall, imposing crowd quickly blocked Qingyin's path and pushed aside Nan Chu, who hadn't noticed Qingyin and was holding pastries he'd bought for his wife.

Looking at the crowded people, Nan Chu saw that Qing Yin was nowhere to be seen and a sense of foreboding suddenly arose in his heart.

Sure enough, after the crowd dispersed, Qingyin was no longer there.

Nan Chu's face darkened, and he crushed the pastries in his hand into crumbs.

"Chen Si, hurry and find the Fujin (wife)."

"Yes, Master."

Chen Si dared not look at his master's expression and quickly directed the guards who had followed him to search for the whereabouts of the Fujin (princess).

Upstairs, Dunjie also saw Nan Chu's drastically changed expression and the vanished Qingyin. His expression changed as well, and he jumped out of the window.

Prince Yu, who had just returned with a glass of wine, witnessed Dunjie's drastically changed expression and the commotion of him jumping out of the window.

"Dunjie, where are you going?"

Dunjie did not reply.

Prince Yu: "?"

Prince Yu: What major event has occurred?

He and the other young men sitting in the room looked at each other, full of questions. Prince Yu glanced suspiciously at the window where Dunjie had been sitting.

That one glance made him grateful for the thought he had that day, a thought that would stay with him for the rest of his life.

Nan Chu!

The guards of Yehenara Prefecture seemed to be anxiously searching for someone important. Combining this with Dunjie's drastically changed expression and Nan Chu, Prince Yu easily recalled a name in his mind—Zhalute.

Zhalut is missing!

Prince Yu's expression changed, and he strode out the door.

"I have to go now."

The soldiers inside were left looking completely bewildered: "?"

—

Meanwhile, Qingyin, who was being watched by several people, was covered up by a strange man and carried into a secluded courtyard.

The man's face was covered, so his features were not visible. He carried Qingyin rather roughly, throwing her onto a bed. Qingyin couldn't help but let out a cry of pain.

"ah"

The man was tall and his expression remained unchanged, but his brows furrowed slightly.

"Delicate."

A man's hoarse voice rang out.

The man also casually tossed aside a set of coarse cloth men's clothes.

"Change into it quickly, if you don't want to die."

After saying that, the man walked out without any hesitation.

Qingyin: "..."

Alright, things are different now. When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Qingyin understands that.

Although she was somewhat disgusted by the men's clothes that the kidnapper had somehow gotten, Qingyin had no choice but to put them on. The clothes were a bit big, but they still fit Qingyin's figure just barely.

"Is it changed?"

The kidnapper's urging and banging on the door could be heard from outside.

Qingyin pouted, but still opened the door.

"alright."

The man was quite satisfied with the various exquisite jewelry that Qingyin had taken off, but he couldn't help but frown when he saw the veil still on Qingyin's face and the somewhat oversized clothes.

"Why are you still wearing a veil?"

Qingyin lowered her head timidly and said, "If I take off my veil, I won't be able to escape."

The man scoffed, "How could I not escape?"

After saying that, she removed Qingyin's rather elegant veil, and the man froze.

"No wonder..."

"No wonder what?" Qingyin asked boldly.

The man gave her a warning glance with his sharp, gloomy eyes, and Qingyin lowered her head guiltily again.

A man's warning voice also rang out.

"Don't think that just because you're pretty you can do whatever you want. Not all men fall for that."

Qingyin: "..."

I don't think I could turn kidnappers away at first glance just because of my looks.

The man looked at her for a while, then quickly walked out, leaving the door unlocked.

Qingyin's desire to escape began to stir again, but before she could leave, the man's warning voice rang out once more.

"If you dare to run, I'll break your legs."

Qingyin: "..."

After measuring her own arms and legs and the tall, strong, and skilled kidnapper, Qingyin guiltily retorted, "I didn't intend to escape."

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