Chapter 104: Leaving the Palace Token

Chu Ran's heart instantly sank to the bottom of the valley. He didn't believe it and asked, "What valley?"

"I don't remember what valley it was, it seemed to be Tiger Valley or something. Anyway, from what I heard, it seemed that Li Fu fell into the enemy's trap..."

Chu Ran smiled and said, "Impossible."

Li Dingning added, "I heard about it as well... But Xiao Linzi, you and Li Fu should just be acquaintances, right? After so many years, your relationship shouldn't be that good anymore, right?"

"Who did your Highness hear this from?" Chu Ran ignored the second half of Li Dingning's question and asked with a calm expression.

"I also heard about it from the palace servants. It seems that the news came out last night, but you went home early last night, so I didn't hear about it."

"Yeah." Chu Ran said, "It might be fake. Your Highness knows that there are always some fake news coming out of the palace."

"Really?"

Li Dingning looked puzzled. There were indeed all kinds of gossip in the palace, but generally speaking, the news that reached Li Dingning's ears were true. Li Dingning was not sure whether what Chu Ran said was true or false. Perhaps Chu Ran and other palace people would be exposed to more false news?

"That's right." Chu Ran said firmly.

"Oh, that should be it."

Li Dingning saw that Chu Ran didn't seem to be very nervous, and he completely relaxed. He was about to talk to Chu Ran about something else, but Chu Ran suddenly said, "Your Highness, I have something to do and I want to leave for a while."

Li Dingning asked: "Oh, okay, but when will you come back?"

"It should be soon." Chu Ran said.

"Then go ahead."

After Chu Ran turned around and left, he went directly to Zhao Zhongyi.

Zhao Zhongyi was getting older and his sleep time became very short. When Chu Ran came over, Zhao Zhongyi was making tea in the house. He put a spoonful of fresh tea leaves into the teapot, poured boiling hot water into it, and covered the teapot. Hearing footsteps approaching, Zhao Zhongyi glanced at Chu Ran who was walking in, "Why are you here so early today?"

"Sit down."

Chu Ran had already walked to Zhao Zhongyi's side, but after saying "Sit down", Chu Ran did not sit down. Zhao Zhongyi looked up at him, and Chu Ran said, "Have you heard about Li Fu's disappearance?"

Zhao Zhongyi paused as he was about to pour the tea from the teapot, then continued pouring. "I have indeed heard about this."

Chu Ran immediately felt that his breathing seemed to become difficult, "Is this true? Or is it..." Chu Ran took a breath before he could breathe smoothly, "Actually, this is all just a rumor among the palace people."

"It's true."

Zhao Zhongyi's seemingly casual words seemed to have sent Chu Ran into hell in an instant.

Zhao Zhongyi put the teacup that was already at his lips back on the table. He looked up at Chu Ran who was standing beside him. The sudden blow made Chu Ran petrified, standing there in a daze. He opened his lips slightly, looking ahead, but he had completely lost his focus.

Zhao Zhongyi sighed softly.

At his age, he has long been indifferent to life and death, so even though he was shocked after hearing the news, he soon calmed down. But Chu Ran was different, he was still young and had never experienced life and death.

If it was anyone else, Zhao Zhongyi would have just let the person go, but towards Chu Ran, he always had more tenderness and compassion in his heart.

"The military intelligence reported back only said he was missing."

Zhao Zhongyi was not unwilling to tell a lie that had been embellished. He could say that Li Fuji was a man of good fortune and nothing would happen to him. He could also say that the news was false and told Chu Ran not to believe it. But Zhao Zhongyi knew that Chu Ran wanted to hear the truth more than that.

The truth is, Li Fu is indeed missing.

He just wanted Chu Ran to think that being missing was good news, because being missing did not mean that something would really happen. If you think positively, being missing is much better than seeing the other person's body directly.

But Zhao Zhongyi was not suitable to tell Chu Ran the truth that followed.

Because according to Zhao Zhongyi's experience, someone like Li Fu who was ambushed by the enemy and disappeared, and had no news for such a long time, was most likely to have met with an accident.

But these cannot be discussed.

"So, just missing, huh?"

After a long time, Chu Ran asked with a trembling voice.

"Just missing." Zhao Zhongyi gave Chu Ran a definite answer.

"That's fine."

Not sure if he was lying or comforting himself, Chu Ran said to himself: "He is very smart. When I was a kid, I spent a long time trying to solve the nine-ring puzzle but couldn't. But he solved it in one go. Not only can he solve it, he can even put the nine-ring puzzle back together."

"He is the smartest person I have ever met. There is nothing he cannot solve. Even if...even if he encounters danger, he can always think of a way to survive."

"Besides, he is the villain. The villain will not die until the very end..."

Chu Ran muttered to himself. His voice became hoarse and intermittent. "He also said...he also said that he would spend the Mid-Autumn Festival with me every year..."

When he was about to choke up, Chu Ran took a deep breath and swallowed his fear. He said calmly, "It's okay. It's definitely okay."

Zhao Zhongyi looked at Chu Ran's departing back and couldn't help but sigh.

Returning to Qiluan Palace, Chu Ran said to Li Dingning: "Your Highness, I want to leave the palace. Can Your Highness give me a token to leave the palace?"

Li Dingning was puzzled: "Now?"

"Um."

"Wait a moment, I'll go get the token."

Li Dingning took out the token to leave the palace and just as he stretched out his hand to give it to Chu Ran, he thought for a moment and retracted his hand halfway. He asked, "Why do you want to leave the palace?"

Chu Ran said in a serious tone, his expression was the same as usual, "I'm going out to do something."

Li Dingning didn't see anything unusual on Chu Ran's face, so he handed the token to Chu Ran and said, "Then remember to come back early."

The eunuchs in the palace usually go out during the day unless allowed by their master. They must return to the palace before the palace gates are closed. Otherwise, they will be violating palace rules and will definitely be severely punished.

Chu Ran has been in the palace for so many years and he knows the palace rules best, so there is no need for Li Dingning to remind him too much, Chu Ran is sure to know it.

After getting the token, Chu Ran went back to his room first. He took out all the savings he had accumulated over the years, basically everything he could carry. As for the large items that he could not take away, Chu Ran repacked them and put them back.

After taking the things, Chu Ran left the palace without looking back.

After leaving the palace, he first bought a horse at the market and then went to find Xing Ji.

After he knocked on the door patiently for a long time, Xing Ji came to open the door. When Xing Ji saw that it was Chu Ran, he wanted to pull him in.

But Xing Ji did not pull Chu Ran, and Chu Ran said expressionlessly: "I want to go to Yunzhou."

Xing Ji was puzzled.

Chu Ran briefly told Xing Ji about Li Fu's disappearance on the battlefield. Xing Ji was shocked for a long while, gesticulating frantically: "I... didn't... get the news... could it be... that I got it wrong..."

Of course Xing Ji wouldn't get the news.

Xing Ji has always been in direct contact with Li Fu. If Xing Ji got the news, it would mean that Li Fu was fine. But Xing Ji has not received any news from Li Fu, which proves that something really happened to Li Fu.

Moreover, Zhao Zhongyi would not give him false information, so this matter must be true.

After the competition, Xing Ji seemed to finally realize that the information Chu Ran received should be correct. He indeed had not received any news from Li Fu for a long time.

He had doubts at first, but because there was no news, Xing Ji did not dare to act rashly.

"Uncle Xing, do you want to go to Yunzhou with me?"

Chu Ran's expression was too determined. Xing Ji nodded heavily. If, as Chu Ran said, the prince's life or death was unknown, he would definitely find the prince back.