"What? Gu Qingyan isn't dead?"
Inside the Dragon and Phoenix Hall, Gu Qingling slammed her right hand heavily on the table. Xu Dong silently brought over a teacup, "Your Highness, please have some water."
"I sent out all the assassins I've secretly trained over the years, and all I got in return was the news that none of them survived?"
Gu Qingling was so angry that he was panting heavily. His current situation was extremely difficult. His father was unwilling to see him again and even stopped him from attending the morning court. As for Gu Qingfeng, he had no face to see Gu Qingfeng again.
That night, Gu Qingling tossed and turned, and finally decided to put on her robe and go out into the courtyard.
"Xu Dong, you've been by my side for so many years, what do you think I should do now?"
Gu Qingling looked in the direction of Gu Qingfeng's room, where the candles had long been extinguished and it was completely dark.
"If Your Highness hadn't saved me back then, I would be a handful of dust by now." A fleeting darkness crossed Xu Dong's eyes. "I was foolish and only knew that Your Highness is the Crown Prince and should have helpers by your side."
"What do you mean?" Gu Qingling turned to look at Xu Dong, and felt that Xu Dong, who was usually taciturn, was different today.
"In any case, Your Highness is the eldest son of the Great Qing Dynasty, and the important officials whom Your Highness has visited in the past must also be supportive of Your Highness."
Xu Dong's words immediately cleared up Gu Qingling's conflicted mind.
Since these close relatives have now become estranged from him, he no longer needs to cling to these relationships.
As long as Gu Qingfeng's legs don't heal, the two brothers will never be able to reconcile.
"This servant believes that the Second Prince's actions cannot be entirely blamed on His Highness," Xu Dong said again. "His Majesty originally did not allow the Second Prince to go to Heng County. If anyone is to blame, it is the Second Prince for being too willful."
"Besides, His Highness only wanted to teach the Second Prince a lesson at the time, and the Second Prince's broken leg was an accident."
Gu Qingling was excited upon hearing this, "Xu Dong, you have truly spoken my mind."
Gu Qingling was already resentful that Gu Heng blamed him entirely for Gu Qingfeng's injury.
Gu Qingling found it even more unacceptable that Gu Heng had threatened his position as crown prince.
"This servant remembers that Minister Wei of the Ministry of Personnel has always praised Your Highness highly. Your Highness might as well go out of the palace more often at this time."
A resolute look flashed across Gu Qingling's face; no one could shake his position as crown prince.
From the moment he was born, Gu Qingling was destined to become the future emperor of Daqing.
......
On the other hand, Gu Qingyan spent three whole days searching through the village where the woman disappeared, but to no avail.
"The villagers seem to have been threatened beforehand, remaining silent about the woman's disappearance." Gu Qingyan's brows furrowed slightly. "But their clear understanding of our actions suggests there's a mole within the county government as well."
The more Gu Qingyan investigated, the more suspicious he became, and the more likely there were even more powerful people behind the scenes.
“I’ll secretly go to this village again tomorrow.” Gu Qingyan glanced around. “I’ll say I’m not feeling well and want to rest in the house for a day. As for my safety, Brother Huo…”
Gu Lin, who was sitting in the corner, nodded upon hearing this. "Leave it to me."
The menacing aura emanating from the soldiers brought by Gu Qingyan was undeniable, while Gu Lin, in disguise, was able to better conceal Gu Qingyan's identity.
The next day, Gu Qingyan and Gu Lin acted alone.
"Brother Huo, you wouldn't happen to be sent by someone behind the scenes, would you?" Gu Qingyan asked meaningfully, as he was surprised by the inexplicable sense of closeness he felt towards the person in front of him.
“The Third Prince has investigated me thoroughly, and even sent soldiers to test my martial arts skills.” Looking at Gu Qingyan’s meticulous actions, Gu Lin was satisfied. “The fact that I can still stay by the Third Prince’s side proves that I am innocent.”
"Brother Huo is indeed clever."
Gu Qingyan pursed his lips. "We're going to Ping Village later. Those five Hengxian villagers who went to the capital to appeal their grievances are all from Ping Village. Maybe we can find out something from them."
When they arrived at Ping Village, Gu Qingyan hesitated to move his feet.
The entire Ping Village was almost a completely different village from when he arrived yesterday. There were hardly any young or middle-aged people in the village; instead, there were only elderly people with hunched backs gathering firewood.
Gu Lin immediately pulled Gu Qingyan and hid.
"Why did you bring me here?" Gu Qingyan's eyes were slightly red. The scene he had just witnessed had greatly shocked him.
"Let's wait until tonight to take action." Gu Lin glanced at Gu Qingyan. "They might be under surveillance and control. Otherwise, a village shouldn't only have elderly people and not even a single child."
The two waited patiently until night fell, then quickly knocked on the door of a courtyard under the cover of darkness.
"Mother-in-law, I am..."
Before Gu Qingyan could finish speaking, his mother immediately invited Gu Qingyan and Gu Lin inside. As soon as they entered, his mother knelt on the ground.
"Yesterday... I know you are the Third Prince. Please, I beg you, do justice for us! My daughter and daughter-in-law have been kidnapped by villains."
The mother-in-law burst into tears, saying, "And my son and grandson, they've been locked up to threaten us and shut us up."
Gu Qingyan and Gu Lin exchanged a glance, and Gu Qingyan personally helped his mother-in-law up.
“Mother-in-law, please tell me the details, and I will definitely stand up for you.”
That night, Gu Qingyan felt his blood run cold; he couldn't believe such a horrific tragedy had happened in Daqing.
"That old woman said that none of these missing women are in Heng County, and they have even searched the area around Heng County." Gu Qingyan's face was extremely pale, and he tightly held the peace crane folded by the old woman in his hand. Most women in Heng County would fold such peace cranes.
"Brother Huo, do you think these women might have been abducted to Da Ning?"
Gu Lin's lips twitched violently upon hearing this.
"Why did Da Ning kidnap women from Da Qing?" Gu Lin asked through gritted teeth. "Let's go back and discuss this first."
Back in the courtyard, Gu Qingyan placed the peace crane on his desk.
The next day, Gu Qingyan summoned his soldiers to his study to discuss matters. One burly soldier, upon seeing the Peace Crane, was so flustered that he could barely speak, only pointing at the Peace Crane repeatedly.
Chang Qing, do you recognize this Peace Crane amulet?
Gu Qingyan jumped up. "Where have you seen this Peace Crane?"
Chang Qing blushed with embarrassment, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. "Third Prince, I saw this Peace Crane in Mei'er's room at Yichun Garden."
Soon after, the sound of a board hitting Chang Qing's buttocks echoed in the courtyard. Soldiers of Daqing were forbidden from visiting brothels; this was an ironclad rule in the army.
Inside the room, Gu Qingyan stared at the Peace Crane in silence.
Yichun Garden was the largest brothel in the capital.
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