"Good sister, Xiaobai has discovered something."
At 3 p.m., when the guards of the Eastern Palace were preparing to search along the official road from the east of the city to the center of the city, Xiaobai, who had smelled Feng Qiyan's little socks, led Hua Qingcheng and others to the woods at the junction of the east and center of the city.
"Everyone, there's no need to go to the official road. Just follow me." Situ Ye gave a decisive order upon seeing this.
"Yes, Situ Cejun."
Upon hearing this, the guards of the Eastern Palace immediately held their swords and marched into the woods.
"Qi Yan has been missing for most of the day. Everyone, please be quick and search for her as soon as possible." Hua Qingcheng was very worried when she saw Xiaobai carrying Hongfu and walking deeper into the dense forest.
"Yes, Your Highness." After receiving the order, the guards quickened their pace.
"Good sister, don't worry. Feng Qiyan is a smart little girl and nothing will happen to her." Wu Chen comforted her.
"I hope so..."
"Qi Yan! Feng Qi Yan..."
Hua Qingcheng had a stern face and followed Xiaobai closely, calling Feng Qiyan's name as she walked.
"Qingcheng, something's happening!" Situ Ye, who had excellent hearing, suddenly stopped.
"There's the sound of a child crying ahead." Wu Chen also spoke up.
"Hurry up!" Hua Qingcheng heard the words and immediately led everyone to move forward quickly.
"Woo woo woo~"
"Dad~"
"Mom~"
"Er Gouzi~"
…
After Hua Qingcheng and the others had been walking for about a quarter of an hour, they heard the sound of children crying and shouting. Soon, they found the source of the sound.
"Qi Yan!"
Looking at the black-clothed and masked men lying on the ground in front of her, Hua Qingcheng was horrified and ran forward quickly.
At this time, Feng Qiyan and Shan Zuo just rescued the last child from the deep pit.
"Sister Qingcheng!"
Seeing Hua Qingcheng coming, Feng Qiyan, who was exhausted and out of breath, hugged her waist. Feng Qiyan, who had cried once before in front of Shan Zuo, cried again in Hua Qingcheng's arms.
"I'm glad you're okay."
Hua Qingcheng caressed the little girl who was crying in her arms with great heartache. Looking at her disheveled and miserable appearance, she must have suffered a lot.
"master."
Seeing Hua Qingcheng coming, Shan Zuo, holding a black iron dagger, immediately knelt on one knee in front of Hua Qingcheng and saluted with his fists.
"A Zuo?"
Looking at the boy kneeling in front of her, wearing a black suit, with his black hair tied up high with a black headband, his eyes sharp and alert, and looking neat and free and easy, a hint of confusion flashed across Hua Qingcheng's eyes.
"Sister, thanks to A Zuo, otherwise Qi Yan and these children would have been buried alive by those bad guys!" Feng Qi Yan said with lingering fear.
Upon hearing this, Hua Qingcheng glanced again at the black-clad, masked men lying on the ground. Her piercing eyes held an incomparably cold gaze. These unscrupulous people had kidnapped so many children; who knew what their intentions were?
"Come here, notify Fengcheng Prefecture Magistrate Mo Xiaozhu to come and deal with these thieves. Have her conduct a thorough investigation. As for these children..."
Looking at those children who were trembling with fear, some were three or two years old, and some were only eleven or twelve years old, Hua Qingcheng's face was solemn, and the light in her bright eyes dimmed slightly.
Hua Qingcheng, who has always put her husband and family first, discovered for the first time the great responsibility and significance behind her identity as a princess.
When poor, one should take care of oneself; when rich, one should help the world. Since she is now in a high position, while protecting her own people, she should do what she can to help the people. This seems to be what she should do in her current position...
"Qingcheng, before the government takes over, please place them in my villa in the city." Seeing the compassion in Hua Qingcheng's eyes for these children, Situ Ye immediately shook her hand.
"Alright, I'll trouble you, Aye, with this matter. Later, I'll have the Fengcheng prefect notify their mothers, fathers, or other relatives to come and pick them up. As for the orphans... I'll arrange a good place for them by then."
"No rush. We don't live in that courtyard permanently anyway." Situ Ye said considerately.
"Qi Yan, I will take you back to the General's Mansion first."
After settling the children and sending someone to notify the Fengcheng prefect to deal with the body of the masked man in black, Hua Qingcheng planned to send Feng Qiyan back to the east of the city first.
"No, Sister Qingcheng, let me go to the city with these children first and cooperate with the government in investigating those bandits."
Although Feng Qiyan was disheveled and her Imperial College uniform was covered in dust, her small frame remained erect, her eyes filled with determination. These people were truly wicked. If they weren't caught soon, more children would be in danger.
"Okay."
Hua Qingcheng smiled slightly and patted Feng Qiyan's head lovingly. She had underestimated this little girl.
"Lan Mi, send someone back to the Eastern Palace and the General's Mansion to report safety. Leave some people to watch over this place until the Fengcheng government office arrives to take over. The rest of you will escort these children and accompany me to the city."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Lan Mi, the captain of the guards who was in charge of guarding the Eastern Palace, made arrangements promptly after receiving the order.
"Qi Yan, why were you captured by these people? Do you know who they are?"
"Sister Qingcheng, this is what happened. I woke up late this morning. To save time on the way to school, I planned to take a small path to the back hill of the Imperial College and then go back to school through the back gate. Unexpectedly, halfway there, I saw a group of children with their feet bound and their mouths gagged with rags trapped in a deep pit. There were two masked men in black guarding them."
"Two masked men in black?"
Upon hearing this, Hua Qingcheng glanced at the bodies of the men in black lying all over the ground, and then looked at Feng Qiyan.
"Yes, Sister Qingcheng."
Feng Qiyan carefully recalled what happened before and told Hua Qingcheng and others everything.
"I had already subdued the other two, but then a masked man in black suddenly showed up, accompanied by more than a dozen subordinates. They all called him 'Master', so he seemed to be their master."
"That masked man in black not only pressed my acupuncture points, but then he had me tied up, gagged, and thrown into a deep pit. It took me a full quarter of an hour to free my acupuncture points."
"But... strangely enough, when that person saw me, he actually said 'it's you'. He seemed to know me..."
"Know him?"
Hua Qingcheng's eyes suddenly turned cold when she heard this.
Things seem to be getting more and more confusing...
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