Zhiwan and Hu Ke traveled day and night to the capital. Along the way, they encountered Yanzhi's attempts to stop them several times, but she and Hu Ke cooperated and successfully arrived in the capital.
Li Ping arrived only half a day earlier than them. When Leng Chuchen learned that Yi Ming had been kidnapped, she slammed her fist on the table in frustration.
"What happened?"
Li Ping shook his head.
"I was unaware that when we arrived, Yiming was already gone. Hu Ke stayed behind to continue the search, and I returned to deliver this message to you."
"It's been half a month already, what's going on over there? Can't you send someone back? Why did you come back in person? What if something else happens over there?"
"The messenger has returned, but his life is uncertain. I fear that this will delay our mission."
After spinning around in place a few times, Leng Chuchen, with a calm expression, gave the order:
"Prepare the horses and head to Yong'an City."
As soon as he finished speaking, Hu Ke led Luo Zhiwan in.
Upon seeing the two of them, Li Ping was momentarily stunned and didn't react. Leng Chuchen blinked a few times in surprise, then eagerly went to greet them.
"Zhiwan, what brings you here?"
Zhiwan approached him, coldly staring at him. Caught off guard, she raised her hand and slapped him across the face.
"Leng Chuchen, give Yiming back to me."
Hearing her words, Leng Chuchen froze on the spot, then looked at Hu Ke.
What's going on?
Hu Ke frowned slightly and replied in a low voice:
"I see clearly that the person who kidnapped Yiming is none other than Yanzhi."
"What?"
Leng Chuchen took a few steps back helplessly. He was worried that his mother would harm Zhiwan and her son, so he sent people to protect them. Unexpectedly, what he feared still happened.
"Leng Chuchen, I moved to Yong'an City with my family. We were living a good life. Why did you have to show up? Why did you have to disturb us? If anything happens to Yiming, I will kill you..."
Zhiwan's voice became hysterical, her face turned ashen, and her eyes were filled with tears.
Seeing her sad and upset, Leng Chuchen felt a pang of heartache.
He waved his hand directly at Li Ping and Hu Ke, who, seeing this, tactfully withdrew.
"Zhiwan, listen to me."
"What are you talking about? The Empress is just afraid that I will take her niece's position. Go to her now and tell her that as long as she returns Yiming to me, I promise I will never appear in front of her again and never see you again. Go tell her that."
“Zhiwan…”
He raised his hand and pulled her into his arms, refusing to let go even as she struggled to break free.
"Zhiwan, listen to me, don't worry."
How could I not be anxious?
Her fists pounded on his chest, one punch after another, but he kept his eyes tightly closed, neither dodging nor flinching, letting her keep hitting him.
He knew that it was all his fault, that it all started because of him.
After she finished hitting him, he put his arm around her shoulders and gently comforted her.
"Zhiwan, wait for me here, I'm going to the palace now."
'I'll go with you.'
"No, wait for me here, I'll be right back."
His eyes held a firmness that gave her the trust to believe him.
"Don't worry, Yiming is our child. I'll risk my life to bring him back."
After saying those words, he patted her shoulder lightly and strode away.
Watching his departing figure, Zhiwan paced back and forth in the room, her heart pounding with anxiety, like an ant on a hot pan.
...
Fengyou Palace
Rouge knelt before Empress Qi, her face unusually pale.
Empress Qi narrowed her eyes, then suddenly raised her hand, causing the teacup in her hand to fall and land directly in front of Rouge.
"You're becoming less and less reliable when it comes to getting things done."
"Your Majesty, please calm down. That woman is skilled in martial arts; I underestimated her."
"Hmph! Now that she's run off to the Crown Prince's residence, what do you think we should do?"
Rouge hesitated for a moment, then replied in a low voice:
"Fortunately...fortunately, that child is still in our hands, perhaps we can make use of him."
Mentioning that child, Empress Qi's eyes instantly filled with murderous intent.
"Yes, and that child too. Go kill him now, then hang his body at the execution ground. When that woman sees it, she'll hate Chen'er. How will she have the face to stay in the capital then..."
Kill the child?
Rouge thought of the image of Yiming sweetly calling her "pretty sister," and reluctantly nodded.
"Yes, this servant will go right away..."
A sinister glint flashed in Empress Qi's eyes.
She has always been a person who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Over the years, in order to secure her position as empress, she has killed countless people.
Now, in order to ensure that her two nieces can marry Leng Chuchen as they wish, what's wrong with killing a child?
Just as Leng Chuchen was thinking about these things, she ignored the palace maids at the door and forced her way in.
He approached Empress Qi and his first question was impatiently:
Where is Yiming?
Empress Qi waved to the palace maids who were following her, and they quickly withdrew.
She then casually replied with her question.
"What Yiming? Chen'er, what's wrong with you this early in the morning? What are you shouting about at Fengyou Palace?"
"Mother, tell me, where is Yiming? Where is he?"
"Yiming? That Luo Zhiwan's child? Where is he? How would I know?"
Seeing that her mother was acting as if she knew nothing, Leng Chuchen angrily spun around in place.
He wanted to tell her that Yiming was his child, but after thinking about it, he became hesitant.
He had witnessed his mother's methods firsthand. Over the years, she had used all sorts of cruel methods to prevent other concubines from giving birth to sons. His father, the emperor, sometimes had to turn a blind eye because of her family's status.
If he tells his mother that Yiming is his child, there's no guarantee she won't try to kill him.
According to the Empress Dowager's idea, the position of the eldest son of the Crown Prince's family, the future heir apparent, must be the child born to the daughter of the Yue family.
Thinking of this, he glared at Empress Qi with resentment, turned around, and strode away.
As she watched his retreating figure, a sinister glint flashed in Empress Qi's eyes.
It seems that Luo Zhiwan came to the Crown Prince's residence to demand an explanation. She'll probably go crazy when she discovers her child is dead!
As she thought about these things, a smug smile spread across Empress Qi's lips.
After leaving Fengyou Palace, Leng Chuchen went straight to Changshou Hall.
Aside from being somewhat wary of the Emperor, the only person Empress Qi feared was the Empress Dowager.
If the Empress Dowager were willing to step in to save Yiming, Empress Qi would certainly not dare to act rashly.
When he arrived at the Longevity Hall, Granny Zhen stopped him at the door.
"Your Highness, the Empress Dowager is sleeping. Please come back later!"
"I have urgent business to attend to, so I would like to trouble Granny Zhen to inform her."
Granny Zhen, however, showed no intention of making an exception.
"The Empress Dowager has been a light sleeper lately, and she has finally fallen asleep. This old servant cannot bear to wake her, and I hope Your Highness will understand..."
"But I have an urgent matter, a matter of life and death."
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