Chapter 740 Why haven't you come back yet? It's already dark, what if...

The sky gradually darkened and wisps of smoke rose from the Xiyuan Hunting Ground.

People who returned with a full load gathered around the campfire, happily showing off their prey of the day, and their laughter and joy could be heard far away in the cold air.

However, as time passed, someone finally noticed that something was wrong.

"Hey, why hasn't His Royal Highness the Crown Prince come back yet?"

"The eldest lady of the Gu family seems to be missing too."

Whispers quickly spread through the crowd, and everyone exchanged knowing glances. Everyone witnessed the Crown Prince chasing after Miss Gu.

Young people like to play and they are in love, so it is normal to delay for some time.

Princess Jiahe sat in her tent, listening to the news from the maid outside. She just said "hmm" lightly and waved her hand to let her leave.

She picked up the teacup and looked at her blurry reflection in the clear tea soup, her expression calm without a trace of disturbance.

Wang Ruoyu and An Qing'er sat aside, feeling very uncomfortable.

Looking at Princess Jiahe's stubborn look, they felt anxious and afraid, and had no idea what she was thinking.

Night fell completely, and the campfire in the camp burned even more vigorously, but the two figures who should have appeared were nowhere to be seen.

The atmosphere in the tent of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion was as solemn as iron.

Chu Ruohan was feeling restless. She walked to the door of the tent again and again, looking into the depths of the dark forest, her beautiful face full of unconcealable anxiety.

"Why haven't you come back yet? It's already dark, and the roads in the mountains are dangerous. What if..."

"It'll be okay." Gu Junze interrupted her in a deep voice.

He was a military god of his generation, who remained calm even when faced with a mountain of collapse. But at this moment, his heart as a general and a father was tightly grasped by an invisible hand, making him feel a little breathless.

At this moment, the curtain was lifted, and the chief eunuch beside Emperor Zhao Yunci walked in and bowed, saying, "Duke, Madam, His Majesty invites you two to come over."

Gu Junze and Chu Ruohan looked at each other, immediately stood up, and walked quickly towards the brightly lit imperial tent.

Inside the imperial tent, Zhao Yunci still had a smile on his face. He looked at Gu Junze, whose expression was heavy, and said soothingly, "Junze, be patient."

"I know Chen An. It's rare for him to be so attentive to a woman. Perhaps he was just too playful and wanted to show off in front of Miss Chen, so he forgot the time."

His words were meant to comfort her and also to set the tone for their future relationship.

Gu Junze suppressed the ominous premonition in his heart and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty is right. I was too concerned and became confused."

But another hour passed.

The cold wind was howling, and even the noise around the campfire gradually died down. There was still no news from Zhao Chenan and Gu Qingchen.

At this moment, even Zhao Yunci's expression changed.

Gu Junze could no longer sit still. He stood up suddenly and clasped his fists towards the emperor, "Your Majesty, I will personally lead people to look for him!"

Chu Ruohan's eyes were red, and her voice was trembling: "Your Majesty, please grant me your permission!"

Zhao Yunci looked at the anxious couple below and had a bad feeling in her heart.

He immediately gave the order: "Pass on my order, order the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards to lead a team of soldiers to search with the Duke of Zhenguo!"

"As you wish!"

The torches were like dragons, instantly illuminating the dark forest.

Gu Junze jumped on his horse and took the lead. The torch in his hand flickered, illuminating his frozen face.

The search team soon arrived at the secluded red plum forest based on what everyone had said during the day.

"General! There are signs of fighting here!" a guard shouted.

Everyone gathered around immediately. They saw a mess of footprints on the snowy ground, several red plum trees had their branches severed by sharp weapons, and the dirt was flying everywhere, creating a mess.

An experienced guard squatted down, picked up a bit of dark snow, put it to his nose and sniffed it, his face changed drastically: "It's blood!"

Gu Junze's heart sank as he followed the messy traces all the way.

The trail was intermittent, and eventually, it extended all the way to the edge of a bottomless cliff.

The howling cliff wind blew up the snow on the ground, making a ghostly wailing sound.

Everyone's footsteps stopped here.

Gu Junze's eyes were like those of a hawk, scanning every inch of the cliff edge. Suddenly, his pupils contracted.

On a protruding black rock on the edge of the cliff, a small piece of bright red cloth was shaking slightly in the cold wind.

He was very familiar with that color and texture.

It’s exactly the riding clothes Qingchen is wearing today!

Gu Junze felt his eyes go dark and the whole world was spinning.

He staggered forward and stretched out his hand, but the hand that had killed countless enemies on the battlefield was now shaking violently.

He trembled as he gently picked up the torn piece of clothing.

“Qingchen——!”

The news spread back to the camp like a thunderclap.

Inside the imperial tent, Zhao Yunci listened to the guard's report, and the blood drained away from his face.

He suddenly crushed the white jade teacup in his hand, and the scalding tea mixed with blood dripped from between his fingers, but he seemed unaware.

"Okay, very good!" He slowly stood up, a storm in his eyes, his voice frighteningly low, "You touched my prince right under my nose! You touched my future daughter-in-law!"

He turned around abruptly and gave a bone-chilling order to the commander of the imperial guards standing outside the tent.

"Seal off the West Garden immediately! Not even a fly is allowed to fly out!"

"Pass on my oral order. All nine gates of the capital are under martial law! Thoroughly investigate all suspicious individuals!"

The commander of the imperial guards knelt on one knee and listened in fear.

Zhao Yunci's gaze penetrated the curtain and looked at the dark cliff, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

"Order the Duke of Zhenguo to personally lead the search! Dig three feet underground for me!"

"If he's alive, I want to see him. If he's dead, I want to see his body!"