After Yan Wan finished dinner with Ji Mohan, he went to his study to handle state affairs, while Yan Wan took out the account book she had taken from Yan Ji Hotpot that day and carefully checked the accounts.
She and Jingxi agreed to each reconcile their accounts quarterly, and then exchange accounts to greatly reduce the probability of errors.
Outside the palace.
After parting ways with Yan Wan, Jing Xi did not return to the Jing residence immediately. Instead, she went to the Jiang residence to find Jiang Bai. Recently, both she and Jiang Bai have been very busy every day. Counting the time, it has been almost half a month since they last saw each other.
Jing Xi smiled and shook her head. She would secretly go to see Jiang Bai and give him a little surprise.
When Jing Xi arrived at the Jiang residence, the servants at the gate bowed respectfully and said, "Miss Jing." This was because the young master had already instructed that Miss Jing was the future mistress of the house and should not be neglected.
"Um, is Jiang Bai here?" Jing Xi asked directly.
"Young Master went out this morning and hasn't returned yet," the servant at the door said truthfully.
Jing Xi nodded and instructed, "I'll wait for him in his study. When he returns, remember to tell him to come find me."
"Yes, Miss Jing," the servant replied.
Jing Xi looked up at the setting sun and thought, "It's so late, Jiang Bai should be back soon."
Jing Xi waited until the moon was high in the sky, but still couldn't see Jiang Bai. She left the study and found the Jiang family's steward, asking, "Steward Li, where did Jiang Bai go today? Why hasn't he returned yet?"
Steward Li also looked somewhat anxious. He said urgently, "Young Master went to inspect the shops in the outskirts of the capital today. He should have returned long ago. This old servant doesn't know why Young Master hasn't returned yet."
Jing Xi paused, realizing she needed to calm down. She calmly instructed, "Steward Li, here's what we'll do: first, gather the servants from the Jiang family and come with me to the outskirts of the capital to find Jiang Bai. Leave one person behind to go to the palace to find Yan Wan at dawn tomorrow and tell her that something has happened to us."
Jing Xi calculated the time. It would take three hours to travel from the Jiang residence to the outskirts of the capital and back. Finding Jiang Bai would take two hours. If she successfully found Jiang Bai and returned to the Jiang residence, it would be dawn. If she did not return by dawn, then something must have happened to Jiang Bai.
"Yes, Miss Jing, this old servant will go and gather the servants right away." Butler Li hurriedly went to make preparations.
Jing Xi looked up at the moonlight and prayed in her heart, "Jiang Bai, please don't let anything happen to you."
Steward Li was very quick. After he gathered the servants, Jing Xi led the group to the outskirts of the capital.
Two hours later, Jing Xi led her men to the outskirts of the capital. Jing Xi ordered, "Everyone, in groups of five, search separately."
"Yes, Miss Jing." The servants quickly divided into groups and dispersed to search for their young master in the outskirts of the capital.
"Jiang Bai, Jiang Bai, where are you?" Jing Xi called out as she walked deeper into the woods.
"Young master, young master."
"Young master, where are you?"
"Young master, young master."
"Do you have any over there?" Jing Xi asked.
The servants in the Jiang household shook their heads, but Jing Xi nodded and waved for them to continue searching.
"Miss Jing, this is the young master's carriage." Suddenly, a servant's voice came from the west.
Jing Xi immediately turned and walked west. As soon as she got there, she saw a carriage in the dense forest. There were no signs of fighting or struggle nearby.
Jing Xi looked around the carriage again but found no clues. All of Jiang Bai's servants had also disappeared, leaving only the carriage at the scene.
Under what circumstances would there be no trace at the scene and everyone have vanished without a trace?
Jing Xi's eyes darkened. It was someone he knew, someone Jiang Bai knew, who had taken him away, so there were no signs of a struggle at the scene.
Jing Xi looked around the dense forest, then walked to Steward Li's side and asked, "Whom did Jiang Bai take with him when he left the Jiang residence today?"
Butler Li thought for a moment and said, "When the young master left today, he only took a few guards with him. He said he was going to inspect the shops today and that it would be useless to bring too many people."
Jing Xi then asked, "Has Jiang Bai been acting strangely lately?"
Butler Li shook his head; the young master showed no abnormality.
Jing Xi was completely baffled and continued to ask, "Has Jiang Bai offended anyone recently, or has he met anyone special?"
Steward Li shook his head. The young master was gentle and refined, kind-hearted, and known for his good character. There was probably no one who could be his enemy.
There are probably no special people. For the young master, the most special person is Miss Jing. Although the young master looks gentle and kind, he is actually very conscious of boundaries with others. Over the years, even the master thought that the young master would grow old alone. Unexpectedly, the young master suddenly had an epiphany and brought back his first girl, Miss Jing Xi.
Jing Xi sighed. Where exactly was Jiang Bai? Who took Jiang Bai away? What was their purpose in taking Jiang Bai away?
"Are there any people from your young master's restaurant around here?" Jing Xi asked persistently.
Butler Li shook his head and said, "Miss Jing, there is only the royal palace nearby, and no other people live here."
Jing Xi suddenly raised her head and repeated, "The royal palace is nearby? Is the palace only occupied by the retired emperor and his concubines?"
Butler Li nodded. After the new emperor took power, the retired emperor moved out of the palace and into a temporary palace in the suburbs of Beijing. Because of this incident, the common people all knew that the relationship between the new emperor and the retired emperor seemed to be somewhat delicate.
Jing Xi then asked, "In which direction is the royal palace?"
Butler Li pointed to the southeast and said, "The royal palace is built on the mountain in the southeast, about fifteen kilometers away from us."
Jing Xi nodded, mounted her horse, and instructed Steward Li, "I'm going to the royal palace to check. You take your men and go back first. If I haven't returned by noon tomorrow, then something has probably happened to me. Go to the palace and find Yan Wan, and have Wan'er bring her men to the palace to find me."
After saying that, Jing Xi glanced resolutely at the mountains to the southeast, raised her whip, and charged into the dark night. Soon, her figure disappeared into the dense forest.
Meanwhile, Steward Li led his servants toward the capital. He knew that none of them knew martial arts, and if they insisted on following Miss Jing, they would only hinder her. Therefore, he decisively chose to take the Jiang family's servants back to the mansion.
Jing Xi rode her horse southeast, and a quarter of an hour later, she arrived at the foot of the mountain where the royal palace was located. She dismounted, gently patted the horse's rump, and let it go back on its own.
Further up, Jingxi had to be extra careful. The Emperor Emeritus's palace, whether in the open or in the shadows, must be guarded by many soldiers and assassins. She absolutely could not let her guard down.
Jing Xi closed her eyes, listened to the sounds around her, and then disappeared into the night in a flash.
Jiang Bai, are you here? Don't be afraid, I've come to find you.
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