The general's mansion under the moonlight remained solemn and imposing, but it was extremely deserted.
It landed gently, and the once vibrant flowers seemed to have lost their luster under the moonlight.
The servants walked cautiously, as if afraid of offending someone, or as if nothing could make them happy.
"Have you heard? People from the palace came just now and went straight to Young Master Ning's room. They wouldn't let us get close. We don't know what's going on right now."
"Yes, I suspect something might have happened to the general while he was leading troops out in the field..."
"Who knows? Don't say any more. What can we servants do? That Young Master Ning... he's never been a normal person to begin with."
Hearing the conversation between the two servants in the distance, Nan Lingqin immediately took a leap and headed straight ahead.
She knew where Ning Yi lived.
Before they even got close, they could hear noises coming from the courtyard.
"You really don't know where your father went?"
"He's not my father, I don't acknowledge him as my father..."
"Ha! You refuse to acknowledge him as your father and yet you continue to stay in the General's Mansion?"
The question and answer clearly revealed their hostility; it was Yuwen Shi and Ning Yi. General Xie had long ago secretly changed Ning Yi's surname to Xie Ning Yi.
"I'm staying here to wait for my sister."
Ning Yi seemed angry, and her tone changed, "Don't disturb me while I'm waiting for my sister, or I'll kill you all."
Yuwen Shi sneered, his face cold and indifferent. "Your father has betrayed you, and you're now a traitor yourself. I'm still sparing your life, and instead of being grateful, you're spouting nonsense here."
"Treason?"
To everyone's surprise, Xie Ningyi's eyes lit up after a moment of stunned silence. The eleven or twelve-year-old boy jumped up from his chair, very excited. "Does that mean my sister is about to storm in? Once she arrives, I'll be able to see her."
Yuwen Shi looked at this silly child and couldn't understand why he, who clearly had a problem with his head, was so "fond" of Nan Lingqin.
"Someone come here."
"exist."
"Take Xie Ning away."
"What about the Emperor..."
"All the officials must give an explanation, but what can the emperor do?"
Yuwen Shi's question silenced the men, and he immediately led them forward to capture Xie Ningyi.
"Oh, the Fifth Prince certainly has quite the airs."
Under the moonlight, a graceful and unique figure appeared, naturally blocking Xie Ning's path, her starry eyes coldly fixed on Yuwen Shi.
Yuwen Shi was taken aback, and the people behind him immediately became alert as if facing a formidable enemy, their bodies standing on high alert.
"The news only said that General Xie was missing, but the Fifth Prince has already labeled him as a defector."
Nan Lingqin sneered, "Even if he defected, isn't it too unethical to bring people here like this before a thorough investigation?"
Hearing Nan Lingqin's repeated words, the Fifth Prince lowered his eyes, his expression quite serious. "The news about General Xie's disappearance has only just arrived in the capital, and you've already received it. The Heavenly Mystery Hall truly lives up to its reputation."
"No, the news reached my ears even before the Heavenly Mystery Hall was reached, so..."
Nan Lingqin looked at the sky and then at the ground, and smiled cleverly. "Yuwen Shi, although there are only two of us, it is obvious that you cannot defeat me. Moreover, it is necessary to make it clear that there is only hatred between me and General Xie, no favors, and there is no possibility of reconciliation. Therefore, I only want to take Ning Yi away."
She made it clear that she wanted Yuwen Shi to think things through carefully. She didn't want to start a fight with him at this time, because if they really fought, he wouldn't come out on top.
He probably wanted to preserve his strength, since he didn't want to die.
He also had to keep a close watch on Yuwen Yao to make sure he didn't kill Yuwen Shu, otherwise Yuwen Shu would die, Yuwen Yao would die, and he would die too.
After weighing the pros and cons, Nan Lingqin believed that he was a smart man.
Moreover, although he kidnapped her that time, in a way, he was also helping Yuwen Yao, at least letting her know the truth about how cruelly Yuwen Yao had treated her. Therefore, she didn't really want to kill him.
And so Yuwen Shi watched helplessly as Nan Lingqin took Xie Ning away.
"Your Highness, shouldn't we give chase?"
Yuwen Shi shook his head. "Chasing her is useless. If this woman really gets going, she's even more ruthless than Yuwen Yao."
...
Xie Ningyi was extremely excited, and as soon as Nan Lingqin landed, he hugged her tightly.
Nan Lingqin patted his back helplessly, "Ning Yi, you're taller than me now, let me go."
"Sister, I knew you would come to pick me up."
"Yes, Brother Ning has left. I promised him I would take good care of you."
As she spoke, Nan Lingqin gently pushed Ning Yi away and looked at Ting Hai beside her. "Take him down. Hmm, leave him to Suanpizi. He knows how to coax people."
Tinghai accepted the order and looked around again. The three of them did not leave the general's mansion, but stayed in the courtyard where Nan Lingqin had previously lived. It had been so long since anyone had cleaned it, and the place was covered in dust.
"I'll stay a little longer, don't worry."
"yes."
After Tinghai left with a reluctant Ningyi, Nan Lingqin pushed open the door and entered the main house.
The pungent smell of a place uninhabited for a long time wafted in, and a gust of wind blew in from the window, leaving a thin layer of dust when you wiped your hand away.
Everything and every scene is just as it was before, but many things have changed beyond recognition.
Without lingering, Nan Lingqin turned to leave, but stopped a few steps back at the door and looked towards the inner room.
There was dust everywhere, except under the bed in the inner room, where it seemed to be free of dust.
It wasn't obvious at first, but a glance in the moonlight revealed the clues.
Nan Lingqin became suspicious. She took a few steps into the inner room, squatted down, and examined the area with her hands. Indeed, there was less dust and some signs of rubbing, indicating that someone had been there.
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