Chapter 603: That place might just be a cover...
Two servants carried the limp Madam Gu San and, not daring to delay even a moment, dragged her towards the Buddhist temple in the backyard.
Mrs. Gu San was in a state of despair, repeating over and over again: "It's over, it's all over..."
In the yard, Master Gu San watched his wife being dragged away. It was as if all his strength was drained away in an instant. He staggered back a step and barely managed to stand steady by leaning against the pillar.
His face, which usually looked very respectable, now turned the color of liver and then gradually turned gray.
He turned his head and looked at Gu Junze. His lips trembled for a long time before he squeezed out a few words: "Junze, look at this...what should we do? Those two children..."
"Uncle San, now is not the time to pursue responsibility." Chu Ruohan stepped forward.
"The most important thing is to find Brother Lu and Sister Lan immediately."
Gu Junze held her hand and looked at his personal guards.
"Block the news, don't let it spread outside."
"You, immediately take a team of men, disguise yourself and leave the city, and search carefully along the official road in the direction of Qingyun Mountain. I want to know the results before dark."
"You, go to all the checkpoints leading out of the capital and check all young men and women leaving the city. Remember, do not alert the authorities and conduct your investigations in secret."
"Also, all the carriage houses, inns, and ferry crossings in the city must not be spared!"
"Yes!" The guards left.
Suddenly, only a few masters of the Gu family were left in the yard.
Master Gu San felt a little relieved when he saw this swift and decisive arrangement.
Chu Ruohan looked at the note with "Qingyun Mountain" written on it and frowned slightly.
"Brother Lu is very careful. Qingyun Mountain is high and densely forested. He would never really go deep into the mountains with Sister Lan. That place might just be a cover."
She raised her head and looked at Gu Junze: "They don't have much money on them, so they can't go far. Most likely, they'll go back to a place they think is absolutely safe."
"A safe place?" Master Gu San suddenly raised his head. "They have no relatives or friends in the capital. Where can they go?"
The atmosphere in Gu Qingchen's yard was depressing.
She was staring at a thick account book in a daze. Qian Zhenyun came in from his usual place like a gopher, looking panicked.
"Sister! Something terrible has happened! Your two cousins, Brother Lu and Sister Lan, have run away from home!"
With a "click", the brush in Gu Qingchen's hand fell on the account book, spreading a pool of ink.
She stood up suddenly: "What did you say? Ran away? Why did you run away?"
Qian Zhenyun briefly recounted the dirty deeds of the third room.
Gu Qingchen's clenched fists were shaking.
"Damn old witch!" She was so angry that she paced around the room.
"My father said that the Duke of Zhenguo has sent people to Qingyun Mountain to look for him." Qian Zhenyun said in a low voice.
"Qingyun Mountain?" Gu Qingchen stopped abruptly, frowning.
She tried to recall, trying to catch the thought that flashed through her mind.
Lu Ge'er... He likes reading the most on weekdays. He is calm and steady and will never do anything without preparation.
Qingyun Mountain is too far away and too conspicuous, which is not his style.
A thought flashed through her mind like lightning.
"In the capital, the only place they can go is our Zhenguogong Mansion. Where else could it be?"
Qian Zhenyun asked, "Could he be hiding in a private school?"
"Impossible!" Gu Qingchen rolled his eyes at him, "Brother Lu was taught by my father."
"Wait," Gu Qingchen suddenly thought, "He learned Kung Fu from Uncle Ying."
"Then we must have gone to my second aunt's house." Gu Qingchen clapped his hands, his eyes sparkling.
She grabbed Qian Zhenyun's arm and said, "Hurry up, let's go find them!"
As she spoke, she grabbed Qian Zhenyun's hand, lifted her skirt and rushed out, not even caring about the maid's screams behind her.
Chu Yueshu and Yingqing lived not far from the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.
This was the scene that Gu Qingchen and Qian Zhenyun saw when they pushed open the half-open gate, panting.
At the stone table in the yard, Lu Ge'er and Lan Jie'er sat side by side.
Lu Ge'er was slowly handing a piece of date paste cake to his sister's mouth, while the tea in front of him was still steaming.
The two of them ate pastries with calm expressions.
He was drinking his tea leisurely, and when he saw the two people who broke in, he didn't even raise his eyebrows, but just raised his eyes calmly.
It looked like he was waiting for them to come.
"Brother Lu! Sister Lan!" Gu Qingchen finally let go of his worries and rushed over. "I knew you would be here!"
Lu Ge'er smiled gently at her and pushed the plate of untouched osmanthus cake next to him towards her: "I knew you would come, so I saved this for you."
As soon as he finished speaking, two figures appeared at the gate of the courtyard.
Chu Ruohan and Gu Junze walked in side by side.
Chu Ruohan's eyes swept over the safe and sound brother and sister, and then fell on her daughter who was standing beside them with a smug look on her face, and she understood.
A gentle female voice came from the main room, with a hint of surprise: "Sister, brother-in-law? What's going on?"
Chu Yueshu, dressed in casual clothes, walked out quickly. Seeing the scene in the yard, she couldn't help but feel a little confused.
Before Chu Ruohan could speak, Lu Ge'er had already stood up and bowed respectfully to the elders.
He spoke first, "Master's wife, my sister is feeling depressed, so I thought of bringing her out to the master to learn some boxing techniques to ease her mind. I didn't want to alarm the elders. It was Lu'er who was inconsiderate."
This excuse was perfect, explaining why they were there while hiding all the storms under a calm surface.
The group returned to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.
The lights in the study in the main courtyard were bright.
Gu Junze stood in front of the desk with his hands behind his back, his face calm and his expression unremarkable.
He didn't look at anyone, his eyes only fell on Lu Ge'er, who was standing in the middle of the room with his head bowed respectfully.
"Kneel down."
Without any hesitation, Lu Ge'er lifted up his clothes, straightened his back, and with a "thump", he knelt firmly on the cold ground with his knees.
Gu Qingchen and Qian Zhenyun, who were hiding by the door and peeking, were both startled.
The two children held their breath instantly, and no one dared to make a sound.
Lan Jie'er was so scared that her face turned pale.
"elder brother!"
As soon as she took a step, she was gently pulled by a warm hand.
Chu Ruohan had come to her side without her knowing when, and she said, "Let's go out first."
She didn't give Lan Jie'er a chance to refuse. She took her cold little hand and turned with her to walk towards the door.
When she reached the door, Chu Ruohan paused slightly and glanced indifferently at the two little heads peeking out from behind the door.
"Qingchen."
Gu Qingchen's body froze instantly, and Qian Zhenyun was so frightened that he almost fell to the ground.
"Mother..." Gu Qingchen stuck out his tongue, knowing that he had been caught again.
Chu Ruohan didn't say much, just gestured outside the door with her eyes: "You two, come out too."
Gu Qingchen and Qian Zhenyun did not dare to disobey in the slightest. They hung their heads and followed behind obediently like quails that had done something wrong.
Chu Ruohan took the three children out of the study and slowly closed the door with her own hands.
With a slight "creak", the door closed, completely isolating the two worlds inside and outside.
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