“At first, the people didn’t believe that those people had really left. I forcibly led a few people to the intersection to see, and when they saw that no one was blocking the way with knives and swords, they believed me. When I left, they had already started putting out the fire,” Dongbai said.

"Alright," Ye Qingxue said. "Before dawn, you should take the Crown Prince and Princess Rongqing back to the capital."

"I'm afraid the Marquis's residence is now heavily guarded. You can't take the Crown Prince back to the Marquis's residence. After you return to the capital, find a place to settle His Highness the Crown Prince, and then send Princess Rongqing back to Prince Yu's residence so that Prince Yu and his wife know that we rescued Princess Rongqing."

Dong Bai frowned: "I'm worried about leaving Miss here alone."

Ye Qingxue said, "I am not alone. Young Master Pan will be back soon. I will wait for him to come and then return to the capital."

She beckoned Dongbai to come closer, and whispered a few more words in Dongbai's ear.

Finally, he added, "This matter needs to be handled by you, so you must return to the capital before me."

Dongbai had an important task, so he had to carry Princess Rongqing onto the horse, while Ye Qingxue's horse was prepared for the Crown Prince to ride back.

However, the prince was seriously injured and had not eaten or drunk anything for days. He was very weak and was able to follow Ye Qingxue here by leaning on a bamboo cane, all thanks to the sweet soup he had earlier and the ginseng in his mouth.

But this is already his limit.

When Ye Qingxue went to call him, she found that he had fainted at some point, and his wounds had started bleeding again.

They must be sent back to the capital immediately for rest and recuperation.

Together with Dongbai, she helped the prince onto the horse, cut off a piece of reins to tie him up, and then tied the reins of the horse he was riding to the neck of Dongbai's horse.

Dongbai rode ahead on his horse, and his horse followed.

Once their figures had completely disappeared into the darkness, Ye Qingxue suddenly realized that the place where she was had fallen into complete silence, as if she had suddenly become the only person left in the world.

I had walked through the night countless times when I was in the village before, but I never had this feeling.

During my fifteen years in the village, I experienced seven or eight times losing sheep while herding them, searching for them on the mountain late at night with the villagers, and occasionally getting separated from others. But I had never felt such silence as I do now.

At that time, she was very convinced that the sheep could not escape her grasp and would be found sooner or later.

I also firmly believe that getting separated from others is only temporary. Maybe we'll meet again at the next corner. If we don't meet at the next corner, then we'll meet at the next corner, or the next corner after that. In short, we will definitely meet again.

Life back then was full of hope. She believed that someone loved her and that someone was worthy of her love.

So, when she got separated from the others on the mountaintop, although it was quiet around her, love spread through her heart, nourishing her soul, so that she never felt lonely or isolated.

But what about now?

She stood on the relatively flat road, the darkness and the pale moonlight seeming to engulf her like a cold tide. She felt that she would never again meet anyone who loved her or whom she loved.

Her path ahead was one of hatred and death.

She walked step by step to the border between Jingzhou and the capital, chose a high place, and waited for Pan Heng to return. When dawn broke, Dong Bai successfully settled the Crown Prince and sent Princess Rongqing to the Prince Yu's residence.

At this moment, the Prince Yu's mansion was shrouded in an atmosphere of despair, making it almost impossible to breathe.

As the sky gradually brightened, the hair at Prince Yu's temples turned even whiter.

Princess Rongqing was his and the Princess's youngest child, and their only daughter. They had four sons before having this one daughter, whom they doted on like the apple of their eye.

Now that he has been kidnapped and his whereabouts are unknown, and only twelve hours have passed, his queen has almost cried herself blind.

A night passed, and there was still no news of the youngest daughter. Everyone knew that the child was likely dead.

He couldn't face his queen, but just then, his queen, supported by her nanny, came out of the house.

Her eyes were terribly red and swollen, as if covered by a layer of mist. At this point, she could only discern directions and could not see things very clearly.

Overwhelmed with grief, Prince Yu quickly stood up from his chair and looked at her. Before he could speak, he choked up and could not utter a sound. He simply stepped forward and held the princess's hand tightly.

Princess Yu said, "Little Commander has never been separated from me overnight. I can't bear to leave her. If anything happens to her, I will go to be with her."

"My sons are a little older. Although they are in pain because of their mother's departure, it is not unbearable. I hope Your Highness will take good care of them and teach them in the future."

This is her dying words! Prince Yu's heart skipped a beat, and he gripped her hand even tighter: "Don't talk nonsense, Little Tuantuan is very lucky, she will definitely return safely!"

Princess Yu remained remarkably calm: "A day and a night have passed, and there is still no news. She is a woman; those people will not let her return alive. I only hope... that her death will not be too tragic."

She waited in the house all night, finally convincing herself to accept the fact that her daughter had an accident and to give up hope.

She was willing to go down with her daughter, but she didn't want to go crazy and forget about dying, because her daughter would be lonely and scared over there by herself.

Before Prince Yu could say anything more, hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the door. This time, it was Princess Yu who grabbed his hand tightly, but her tone was deliberately calm: "Is there any news about the Princess?"

After a pause, he asked again, "Is her body... intact?"

Prince Yu could almost hear the sound of his own heart breaking!

"No, Your Highness, Your Highness, a woman has come from outside. She says she has found the Princess and that she is still alive, but you two need to go and pick her up in person! I don't know if it's true or not, so I came to report to Your Highness and Your Highness!" The servant was extremely excited.

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