Chapter 629 Qiao Ning Disappears
"Why did Miss Yu leave without even saying goodbye when we met again?"
Xia Linyuan's familiar tone made Zhenren involuntarily frown.
"If I remember correctly, during the Great Slaughter, Crown Prince Xia almost took my life."
She gave Xia Linyuan a truly ironic look, "This is what Crown Prince Xia calls an old friend?"
Xia Linyuan laughed dismissively, "I was just joking. But you came to assassinate me. Let's call this even."
He kept a straight face and said in an icy tone, "But your joke killed A-Jiu!"
Moreover, was he really just joking when he forced the old lady to make a choice?
Although they all felt that the greatest responsibility for A-Jiu's death should lie with Min Pan'er, it was Xia Linyuan's coercion that was the final straw that drove A-Jiu to her death.
If Xia Linyuan hadn't presented the old lady with such a difficult problem, Ajiu wouldn't have taken the opportunity to end her own life.
Xia Linyuan's smile vanished, for he saw killing intent in Yu Zhenhuan's eyes.
"You want to kill me!?"
He looked Xia Linyuan in the eye without flinching and said seriously, "Yes. If I could, I would kill you to avenge Ajiu. But I know I can't kill you, and I'm not capable of killing you."
So, don't get in my way.
After saying that, he turned and left.
Xiao Feng and Xiao Yu quickly bowed and followed Zhen Huan.
Xia Linyuan was left standing there, his eyes deep as he watched Zhen Huan's departing figure.
Just then, the King of Chu caught up with his men.
"I've kept Crown Prince Xia waiting." Following Xia Linyuan's gaze, the King of Chu saw only two maids turning the corner.
Those two maids looked somewhat familiar. They seemed to be Yu Zhenhuan's maids.
The King of Chu suddenly turned to look at Xia Linyuan.
He was just looking at... Yu Huanzhen?
He left in such a hurry just now, was it to chase after Yu Zhenhuan?
Did they just meet alone?
What did they just say? What did they just do?
The King of Chu was filled with turbulent thoughts.
He hasn't forgotten the purpose of holding this flower banquet today!
Could it be that Xia Linyuan has taken a liking to Yu Zhenhuan?
***
On the other side.
Seeing that Xia Linyuan had something to say to Huanzhen, Qiao Yuanyao immediately took his leave and went back to find Qiao Ning.
But when she returned to the place she had arranged to meet Qiao Ning, she couldn't find Qiao Ning anywhere. The two maids who had been with her were also nowhere to be seen.
Thinking of what Qiao Qinghe had told her about the Yongchang Marquis's mansion potentially harming Qiao Ning, she immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
He hurriedly instructed the old woman to return to the waterside pavilion to see if Qiao Ning had gone back there first.
If she goes back, come and let her know.
If Qiao Ning is not at the waterside pavilion, go directly to Tingzhu Pavilion to report to Qiao Qinghe.
After the old woman left, Qiao Yuanyao checked the spot again but found nothing unusual. There were no signs of a struggle, nor were there any beaded handkerchiefs or similar items left behind. It was clear that Qiao Ning had left voluntarily.
But how could Qiao Ning possibly leave on her own initiative?
They had agreed that she should just wait for her to come back.
Moreover, her aunt kept emphasizing to Qiao Ning not to wander off and to stay close to her at all times.
Thinking of this, Qiao Yuanyao was filled with remorse.
She shouldn't have left Qiao Ning here alone in the first place!
Yu Zhenhuan is the young lady of the Yongning Marquis's mansion and the future Princess Consort of Chu. Even if it's one against five, there's no reason for her to be wronged!
But Yu Huanzhen's maidservant was so eager to ask her for help...
Just then, Zhen Huan came over with Xiao Feng and Xiao Yu.
"Miss Qiao, why are you here alone?"
He actually stepped forward, and as soon as he finished speaking, he noticed that Qiao Yuanyao's expression was off, and quickly asked, "Is something wrong?"
Qiao Yuanyao glared at Xiao Feng, "Tell me, did you deliberately send me away?"
Xiao Feng looked at Qiao Yuanyao with a completely bewildered expression.
He was genuinely confused and quickly asked, "What exactly happened?"
Qiao Yuanyao glared fiercely at Xiao Feng before explaining, "We received news early on that the Yongchang Marquis's residence might do something bad to Qiao Ning at the flower banquet. So before we came, my aunt told me to stay with Qiao Ning at all times."
“But your maid came to me for help. I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. So I went with her to find you.”
"But now, Qiao Ningren is gone."
"I just want to ask this girl next to you, did she conspire with someone to deliberately lure me away from Qiao Ning?"
Xiao Feng quickly waved his hand, "I didn't! Miss, you have to believe me, I was just worried that my young lady would be taken advantage of, so I went to find someone to help her. But you were the only person I could turn to at the entire flower banquet."
"Miss, please believe me, I have absolutely not done anything to betray the Qiao family..."
"Alright, that's enough."
He interrupted Xiao Feng, saying seriously, "Now is not the time to pursue these matters. The most important thing right now is to find the person."
As she spoke, she looked at Qiao Yuanyao and asked, "Have you reported this matter to the old lady?"
Qiao Yuanyao suppressed her doubts and anxiety and nodded, saying, "I've sent someone back to the waterside pavilion to check. If Qiao Ning has returned, the old woman will come and tell me. If Qiao Ning isn't there, she'll go directly to my aunt to report."
He actually nodded. "This is the place you and Qiao Ning agreed to meet, right?"
"yes."
I actually looked around and saw that this was the slope leading to the bamboo forest, and there was only one road.
But after going down the slope, there is a crisscrossing gravel road.
Each cobblestone path leads to a different place.
"Xiaofeng, Xiaoyu, and I will search for people in this area first. You are on good terms with Princess Huaiyang, so go and ask her to send someone to secretly help us search."
Qiao Yuanyao nodded, said "Thank you for your trouble," and then quickly headed towards the waterside pavilion.
As soon as Qiao Yuanyao left, Xiao Feng, with red eyes, said to Huan Zhen with a wronged expression, "Miss, I really didn't..."
They weren't bribed, and they didn't deliberately separate Qiao Yuanyao and Qiao Ning...
She really didn't do anything; she simply felt that the only people she could trust at the entire banquet were the Qiao family.
Who would have thought things would turn out so coincidentally?
"I trust you."
He said calmly, "Don't think too much about it, let's find someone first."
"Mmm," Xiao Feng responded. Tears welled up in her eyes, but so did her eyes.
Just trust her, Miss!
Xiaoyu squeezed her hand and gave her a reassuring smile, "Go find someone quickly."
"Um."
The three of them, master and servant, continued forward until they reached a fork in the road, where they separated and each followed a different path in their search.
***
On the other side, Qiao Qinghe was unaware of Qiao Ning's accident and was talking to Madam Zheng.
When she, Madam Zheng, and Madam Bai took their seats, they deliberately chose a spot not far from the head of the table.
In this way, she could also keep an eye on Madam Wen, who was sitting in the main seat, from time to time.
No one knows what happened, but an old woman whispered something in Madam Wen's ear, and after hearing it, Madam Wen smiled and subconsciously glanced in her direction.
Qiao Qinghe felt a sudden jolt in her heart, a premonition that something bad was about to happen.
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