Having made up her mind, Chi Xuanzhu stopped interfering. Zhong Muyu refused his escort and returned to Lingqing alone at breakneck speed.

Lingqing City was as usual; it seemed Lu Ziying hadn't yet made a move against Lingqing. Zhong Muyu was glad she had run fast, and quickened her pace to reach the Prince's Mansion.

When the guards saw her, they thought they were seeing things and rubbed their eyes: "Your Highness?"

"It's me!"

Zhong Muyu raised the token in her hand.

"Greetings, Your Highness! But why are you here all alone? Aren't you..."

"There's no time for a detailed explanation now. Let me in quickly, and mobilize all available troops to assemble in the city square. Go now!"

Seeing Zhong Muyu's serious expression, the guards did not dare to be negligent for a moment and immediately went to carry out the order. After a while, all the guards in the mansion, except for Chengfeng, Zhiyu, and the few people that Lu Ziyuan had taken away, gathered together.

In early spring, she asked anxiously, "Your Highness, what has happened?"

After Zhong Muyu explained the situation in general terms, everyone gasped.

Uncle Qiu, being the most senior member, was relatively calmer, but his face still turned pale with fear: "If that's the case, what can we do?"

"In any case, we can't just wait to die here. Since I've disappeared, the Emperor will definitely send people to look for me. Before the imperial decree comes down, we should make preparations as soon as possible and go find Lu Ziyuan's whereabouts."

Just then, the men sent to assemble returned. Cao Lin bowed to Zhong Muyu and said, "Your Highness, all the people who can be mobilized in the city have arrived. However, we have no authority over the military camps outside the city. I think that although they were under the Prince's command before, things are different now, and I'm afraid..."

Zhong Muyu nodded: "I understand. How many people are there now?"

"There are currently 100 guards in the manor, 200 subordinate troops, and the city guards of Lingqing."

"Three hundred people are enough. Any more than that will only create a bigger commotion and cause trouble. Everyone, get your equipment ready. We're going to rescue Lu Ziyuan!"

"Your Highness, you mustn't!"

Almost simultaneously, everyone said this.

In early spring, she advised her, "Your Highness, how can your body withstand such a long journey? Why not stay at the palace and wait for news?"

"Staying in the Prince's mansion, waiting for the order to confiscate the property, and then being arrested and taken back? I said we can't just wait to die. Your reminder has made me think of something. Uncle Qiu, dismiss all the servants and do your best to preserve the property of the Prince's mansion. If the order to confiscate the property really comes down, at least we can save the others."

Uncle Qiu nodded: "This old servant understands. Just hand it over to this old servant."

Zhong Muyu gave other instructions, and then, taking advantage of the gap, she retrieved all the high-tech products from the Prince's Mansion. She was determined not to leave any for Lu Ziying.

After a while, Uncle Qiu came again: "Your Highness, I have done as you instructed, but...that person from Tingfeng Hall..."

Uncle Qiu was referring to Yin Ruixin.

She is from the Empress Dowager's maternal family and has been neglected by Lu Ziyuan. It is inevitable that she is not of one mind with the Prince's Mansion. Sending her away would probably cause trouble.

"Ignore her and let her stay in the Prince's Mansion as usual. Go tell Cao Lin to continue to arrange for people to watch her. Remember, Yin Ruixin must not be allowed to leave the Prince's Mansion. If she is found to be meeting with strangers, kill them all."

After Uncle Qiu agreed, everything was prepared by nightfall. Cao Lin, along with three hundred elite soldiers, Zhong Muyu, and Zaochun, set off together.

Zhong Muyu originally didn't want to go in early spring, but she insisted on going, so she agreed after thinking about her health.

The group set off late at night when no one was around, and their journey was very fast, without causing any commotion.

But these things couldn't be kept from Yin Ruixin. Upon hearing Qiu Kui's report, she was greatly surprised: "She actually came back on her own? How did she do that?"

“This servant does not know, but it looks like she escaped back. She dismissed everyone in the palace, but still ordered people to watch over us.”

Yin Ruixin stood up excitedly: "That means she knows everything. The Emperor's plan has already begun. Right now, the Emperor is definitely still hunting her down and doesn't know her whereabouts. We must quickly find a way to send the message to the capital!"

"Miss, although most people have left, the guards are still there. How can we get out?"

“We had a chance before, and we will definitely have a chance now. Although the guards are still there, the entire Prince’s mansion is in chaos right now, so we will have even more opportunities.”

After saying this, Yin Ruixin quickly wrote two secret letters, one for Qiu Kui and one for Qiu Kui, and tried to send them to the capital.

Now she couldn't care less about anything else; she just wanted to tell Lu Ziying the news as soon as possible so she could get out of this cage.

The two women put on makeup, dressed as ordinary maids, and escaped from Tingfeng Hall during the shift change.

Yin Ruixin's guess was correct. Everyone in the Prince's mansion was on edge. Although there were still guards, there were actually many loopholes, enough for her to escape undetected.

Just as they stepped out of the back gate of the Prince's mansion, preparing to split up, the people inside discovered they were gone and shouted, "Help! The people from Tingfeng Hall have run away!"

Yin Ruixin made a quick decision: "Let's split up and make sure the secret message gets out!"

Okra nodded, and the two separated. The pursuers behind them split into two groups to chase after them.

Yin Ruixin was, after all, a rich young lady, and her physical strength was lacking. She was cornered in the alley before she could run very far.

"Tie her up."

The leader ordered his men to tie Yin Ruixin up and take her back, then throw her into the woodshed and lock her up. Not long after, Qiu Kui was also captured and brought back.

"Miss, I'm sorry, I couldn't succeed."

Okra lowered her head apologetically.

Once you're caught and thrown into the woodshed, escaping won't be easy.

At this moment, the soldier commander who had just arrested them returned with his men, holding ropes in their hands, and coldly looked at the two women.

Yin Ruixin looked terrified, her teeth chattering: "What are you going to do?"

"To prevent Miss Yin from causing trouble, on the orders of Her Highness the Princess, we are sending you on your way."

Zhong Muyu was truly pushed to the limit this time.

Okra was already crying in fear, but Yin Ruixin forced herself to remain calm and said, "Stop! If you kill me, you won't survive either!"

The person who made the move was stunned. Seeing this, Yin Ruixin seemed to have gained some confidence: "You have already seen the situation in the Prince's Mansion. I will tell you the truth. The Emperor has already planned to confiscate the Prince's Mansion. He is probably sending people here now. I am the Emperor and the Empress Dowager's person. If you kill me, you will not live either!"

"But if you spare me and let me release the news about the princess, I can plead for you, and you won't be implicated when the Emperor confiscates your property."

Those people were indeed intimidated, but given the current unclear situation, they couldn't rashly believe the words of a woman from the backyard.

Perhaps it was just a lie fabricated to protect himself?

But if what she said is true, killing her would have consequences we couldn't afford.

Yin Ruixin carefully observed the changes in their expressions. Finally, the leader said, "Stop. Let's lock them up here for now."

Thankfully, the gamble paid off.