"What? They escaped?"
Upon hearing the report from the head guard Qin Ke, Su Xuerong asked in surprise, "Is there no one guarding the stables?"
"There were some at the time, but for some reason, the grain and hay next to the stable suddenly caught fire. We all went to put out the fire, and when we went back to check, we found that everyone was gone..." Qin Ke lowered his head and looked dejected.
Xiao Yuan's Western Region horses were priceless. When the granary caught fire, all they could think about was preventing those horses from burning, and they never expected that the people would be rescued in that moment.
Su Xuerong said coldly, "Did you search them?"
"Your Majesty, I have already sent men to search the surrounding area for miles, and at the same time, I have ruled out any suspicious persons who may have infiltrated the hunting grounds..." Qin Ke hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Cui Yun'er beside Su Xue Rong.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Cui Yun'er suddenly felt something was wrong.
Qin Ke said, "We also checked the grooms and found that two of them are missing. One is Qiu Cheng, who was arranged by Cui and Madam Cui, and the other is a villager from the neighborhood. We have already sent people to the village to investigate..."
Cui Yun'er's face immediately flushed red: "Don't talk nonsense, how could Qiu Cheng possibly rescue that woman?"
She hurriedly said to Su Xuerong, "Your Majesty, Zhao You's idea to send me to see Zhao Ning today was on a whim. How could Qiu Cheng have known her before this? This matter must have nothing to do with him!"
Looking at her resolute expression, Su Xuerong remained silent. After pondering for a while, she said to Qin Ke, "Regardless of whether it was these two who did it, today's events were indeed caused by your mistake. You must investigate this matter thoroughly and bring the people back!"
Qin Ke hurriedly replied, "Yes!"
After he left, Su Xuerong waved for Xiuchun and the others to leave, then looked at Cui Yun'er with a serious expression: "Yun'er, do you really understand this Qiucheng?"
Cui Yun'er looked very uncomfortable: "I... I think I understand him fairly well... Your Majesty, I can guarantee that he is definitely not a criminal!"
Although it's not clear who took Zhao Ning away, Cui Yun'er felt that Qiu Cheng wouldn't easily involve her in this matter.
But why did someone take Zhao Ning away?
Su Xuerong frowned deeply and gently closed her eyes.
She was reflecting on how, having come this far, who among her still harbored hostility towards her?
The man who took Zhao Ning away is very likely still here to deal with her.
Suddenly, a person popped into Su Xuerong's mind. Ever since that person saw her in Zhenjiang, he had been giving her a wolfish look...
Later, when he went to Hangzhou, he helped Chen Siyi deal with him, and after being captured by Xiao Yuan, he escaped from the dungeon...
She was suddenly startled!
Yue Jin!
She immediately summoned Xiuchun: "Send someone to His Majesty immediately and tell him that Yue Jin may have infiltrated the hunting grounds. Tell him to send people to conduct a large-scale search immediately."
Xiuchun immediately felt the urgency of the matter and went to make arrangements.
Su Xuerong added, "Later, bring Chou Chou and my mother to Qingquan Palace and tell Jian Ge'er and Yuan Jie'er to stay here and not go anywhere."
Xiuchun went off to do something busy.
Cui Yun'er then realized the seriousness of the situation and hurriedly asked, "Yue Jin?"
It's best if it's not Qiucheng!
Su Xuerong's face stiffened: "I suspect it was him. He was able to escape from the dungeon of the Prince's Mansion back then, so he must have been extraordinary!"
Cui Yun'er's face turned pale: "If it's him..."
She dared not continue.
Yue Jin was Chen Siyi's personal bodyguard.
The fact that Chen Siyi was able to do those vicious things to Su Xuerong while she was in Hangzhou was all orchestrated by Yue Jin.
Unfortunately, he escaped from the Hangzhou dungeon last year and has not been heard from since.
While Su Xuerong was in the capital, she stayed in the palace, so he probably didn't have a chance to make a move.
However, once he arrived at the Quanzhou Imperial Palace, the guards were bound to be negligent, and it wouldn't be difficult for him to disguise himself and sneak in.
Just then, a panicked voice rang out from outside the door: "This servant wants to see Your Highness, something has happened to the young prince!"
Su Xuerong was startled: "Let them in!"
When the little eunuch came in, he looked panicked and hurriedly pulled out a gold lock stained with blood from his pocket. Su Xuerong's eyes narrowed sharply when she saw it.
This is the gold lock on Yuan Jie'er's body!
The young eunuch said, "Guard Xiao gave this golden lock to me, asking me to deliver a message to Your Majesty, saying that someone has taken the young prince to the official kiln in Pozhai, Dehua. If Your Majesty does not arrive within an hour, the young prince will be thrown into the kiln..."
Su Xuerong suddenly felt a chill in her hands and feet.
Cui Yun'er asked sternly, "Where is Xiao Hongren?"
"Guard Xiao was seriously injured and went after that villain..." The little eunuch trembled with fear.
Xiao Hong happened to meet him on a small path when she was chasing after him, so she gave him the bloodstained gold lock to pass on a message.
It took him a great deal of effort to get into Qingquan Palace to deliver the message.
"Prepare the carriages and horses!" Su Xuerong immediately stood up.
Cui Yun'er stopped her, saying, "Your Highness, you can't go!"
This is clearly a trap!
They were clearly trying to trick Su Xuerong into going to her death!
Su Xuerong coldly replied, "No matter who it is, I have to go!"
She suddenly felt a strong sense of unease.
This person knows her very well!
Perhaps it's not Yue Jin.
Cui Yun'er immediately said, "Then I'll go with you!"
Su Xuerong said, "You must stay and take good care of Chou Chou and my mother for me. When His Majesty returns, you must explain the whole story to him."
Cui Yun'er was at a loss for words.
"Don't worry, I'll bring Yuan'er back safely." Su Xuerong patted her hand, then turned to Xiuchun and said, "You'll come with me alone later!"
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