Chapter 191
Inside the Eastern Palace, the candlelight shone brightly, yet it could not dispel the oppressive atmosphere deep within the halls. Crown Prince Xiao Qiyun stood with his hands behind his back by the window. The inky night stretched his tall figure long, making him appear even more lonely.
His fingers gripped the window frame so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and his eyes, usually as calm as a deep pool, were now churning with a storm of anxiety and rage.
The news brought by the head of the secret guards was like a bolt from the blue, shattering his mind and spirit—Su Zhelan had been kidnapped! Right there in the Su residence, even after he had sent extra men!
"Useless!" A deep, furious roar escaped his throat, filled with unprecedented rage. He slammed his fist on the sandalwood table beside him, sending fine porcelain shattering to the ground with a piercing sound. "A bunch of useless trash! What use are you to me!"
The head of the secret guards knelt on one knee, his head bowed low: "This subordinate has failed in his duty! I am willing to accept Your Highness's punishment! The other party's methods were extremely secretive; they used a specially made sleeping potion, and... and they seemed to be extremely familiar with the layout of the mansion's sentries, avoiding all eyes and ears..."
“Familiar?” Xiao Qiyun turned around abruptly, his eyes flashing with cold light. “Investigate! Check every possible channel through which the information may have leaked, leave no stone unturned!” His chest heaved violently, a feeling of powerlessness that almost tore him apart swept over him.
A stay-at-home order! This damn stay-at-home order!
He was the crown prince, second only to the emperor, yet now he was like an eagle with its wings clipped, trapped in this magnificent cage, unable to even protect the most important person in his life! He could only stand here in helpless rage, listening to his subordinates report on the dangers in the distance, unable to even take a single step out of the palace gates himself!
“Su Zhelan…” He closed his eyes, Su Zhelan’s pale yet serene face appearing in his mind. His heart felt as if it had been ripped open by a sharp blade, the pain suffocating him. If Su Zhelan were to suffer even the slightest harm because of him… he simply couldn’t bear to imagine it.
Overwhelmed by intense self-reproach and an unprecedented sense of powerlessness, he was nearly drowning. This position of Crown Prince, this power that everyone looked up to, had now become the greatest shackle binding and hindering him! An extremely strong, unprecedented thought grew wildly in his heart like weeds—if this position of Crown Prince is destined to make me lose him, unable to protect him, then what use is this empty title to me?!
He forcefully suppressed the violence that was about to burst forth from his body, his voice hoarse and cold from extreme suppression: "Issue the order: spare no effort, use all your undercover agents, find him for me! Dig three feet into the ground to find him! Prioritize the safety of Su Zhelan, and kill anyone who obstructs you! Immediately send all the clues we have to General Sheng Xuan and Gu Linzhao!"
"Yes!" The leader of the secret guards felt his master's almost tangible killing intent, his heart tightened, and he dared not delay for a moment before disappearing instantly.
In the empty hall, Xiao Qiyun stood alone, his back stiff as iron. The night outside the window was heavy, like ink that could not be dissolved, just like his heart, which had sunk to the bottom. Every second of waiting felt like being slowly tortured to death.
Inside the central command tent of the Western Camp of the Capital Region, Sheng Xuan was discussing military affairs with his deputy when a personal guard rushed in, looking flustered, and handed him a secret letter branded with the most urgent code of the Crown Prince.
Sheng Xuan opened the letter and his expression changed drastically!
"Bang!" The hardwood desk in front of him shattered into pieces with a single slap!
"You bastard!!" A roar echoed through the tent, and a terrifying killing intent instantly filled the air, silencing all the generals inside and causing them to break out in a cold sweat.
Sheng Xuan's eyes were bloodshot, and the veins on his forehead were bulging. He looked like a volcano about to erupt.
"Assemble the Royal Guard! Immediately!!" he practically roared, his voice trembling slightly with rage. "Prepare the horses! The fastest horses!"
Without any hesitation or even a moment to explain, Sheng Xuan swiftly mustered his trusted cavalry. Based on urgent leads delivered almost simultaneously by Xiao Qiyun's secret guards and Gu Linzhao, their objective was clear: to head straight for an abandoned warehouse southwest of the capital!
The thunderous hooves shattered the silence of the night. Sheng Xuan led the charge, his face ashen, his eyes burning with a fury and panic capable of destroying everything. Only one thought occupied his mind: Faster! Faster! Su Zhelan, you absolutely cannot be hurt! Wait for me!
Boom!
The already rotten door was kicked open by Sheng Xuan, sending wood chips flying everywhere!
"Su Zelan!" Sheng Xuan charged into the courtyard like a raging beast, his sword already drawn, its cold light gleaming. Before the outer guards could react, the guards who followed him in swiftly dispatched them.
Sheng Xuan was extremely anxious. Following the clues, he rushed to the main warehouse and kicked open the tightly closed warehouse door!
The stench of blood was overwhelming!
The sight before him caused Sheng Xuan, who had rushed in in a rage, to abruptly stop in his tracks, his pupils contracting sharply—
Inside the dimly lit warehouse, Su Zhelan stood silently. His robes were stained with blood and dust, his collar slightly disheveled, and a few strands of dark hair clung to his sweat-dampened forehead, giving him a somewhat disheveled appearance. But what truly made Sheng Xuan's heart stop was the sight of several corpses lying haphazardly around Su Zhelan, their deaths gruesome, and dark red blood flowing on the ground…
Su Zhelan stood in the center of this bloody killing field, his handsome face expressionless.
Sheng Xuan's gaze was instantly drawn to Su Zhelan's slightly disheveled clothes, and a worst, most insane thought suddenly surged into his mind! His eyes widened in fury! Overwhelming rage and murderous intent instantly devoured his reason!
"Beasts! I'll kill you all!!!" He roared like a wild beast, raising his knife to charge at the corpses, wanting to tear them to pieces!
“Sheng Xuan”.
A calm, even slightly weary voice rang out, clearly piercing through Sheng Xuan's fury.
Su Zhelan raised her eyes to look at Sheng Xuan, whose eyes were bloodshot and who looked like a madman. Her tone was calm and even, as if she were simply stating a fact: "It's all resolved. Go back."
Sheng Xuan froze completely. He turned his head in disbelief, staring intently at Su Zhelan. All done packing? Going back? What…what does this mean?
His massive figure froze on the spot, his gaze sweeping uncertainly over the corpses of those clearly experts who had died swiftly and decisively, before finally settling on Su Zhelan, who stood in the middle, her expression cold yet unusually calm…
The rage receded like the tide, replaced by utter shock and...bewilderment.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He strode forward, and without hesitation, took off his black outer robe, his movements even trembling slightly, and carefully draped it over Su Zhelan's shoulders, wrapping him tightly.
Then, he grasped Su Zhelan's shoulders with both hands, his eyes urgently scanning him up and down to confirm that apart from some scratches and disheveled appearance, there were no signs of assault or serious injury on his body...
Only then did Sheng Xuan's heart, which was about to explode, suddenly settle back down. He let out a long, heavy sigh, and his tense body relaxed slightly, feeling a sense of exhaustion.
"Let's go!" Without asking another question, he grabbed Su Zhelan and pulled her close, his voice hoarse but resolute, "I'll take you home!"
He shielded Su Zhelan and quickly retreated from the blood-soaked battlefield, shouting sternly to his guards outside, "Clean it up! Leave no trace!"
"yes!"
The guards immediately sprang into action.
Sheng Xuan didn't look back. He embraced Su Zhelan, mounted his horse, and held him tightly in his arms. With a tug on the reins, the horse neighed and carried the two of them like an arrow, quickly disappearing into the deep night.
The sound of hooves came to an abrupt halt outside the quiet side gate of the Su residence. Before the horse had come to a complete stop, Sheng Xuan scooped Su Zhelan up and dismounted, kicked open the half-closed side gate, and rushed into the residence.
“Mr. Su Yan!” Sheng Xuan’s voice, tinged with barely perceptible hoarseness and lingering fear, rang out in the courtyard late at night.
Having already received the news and pacing anxiously back and forth in the main hall, Su Yan suddenly looked up upon hearing the sound and rushed out immediately. Following closely behind was Gu Linzhao, whose face was ashen.
When Su Yan saw Su Zhelan, who was unharmed in Sheng Xuan's arms, only slightly pale, and wearing Sheng Xuan's large outer robe, his tense heartstrings suddenly relaxed. He stumbled and almost lost his balance, but Gu Linzhao caught him.
"Su Zhelan!" Su Yan broke free from Gu Linzhao's hand and rushed forward, his voice trembling. He grabbed Su Zhelan's shoulders in a panic and looked her up and down carefully. "How are you? Are you hurt? Did they do anything to you?!" His eyes swept anxiously over Su Zhelan's body, afraid of seeing any injuries.
Seeing the undisguised worry and lingering fear in his master's eyes, Su Zhelan felt a warmth in his heart. He gently shook his head, his voice slightly hoarse: "Master, I'm fine. It was just some sleeping pills; the effects will wear off soon. I'm not injured."
Upon hearing this, Su Yan let out a long, heavy sigh, as if a tremendous burden had been lifted, leaving him feeling utterly exhausted. He pulled Su Zhelan into a tight embrace, his voice choked with emotion, "It's alright...it's alright...you scared me to death! I'm so glad you're back!"
Gu Linzhao stood to the side, his expression still cold and hard, but his clenched fists slowly loosened, and the fierceness in his eyes subsided slightly. He stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Let's go inside first. It's not safe outside. Zhelan needs to rest."
The group quickly entered the inner hall. Su Yan immediately had Su Zhelan sit down, personally poured him hot tea to calm his nerves, and insisted on carefully taking his pulse. Only after confirming that he only had some fluctuations in his blood and qi and slight residue of the sleeping drug, without any signs of internal injury or humiliation, did his heart finally settle down. A wave of lingering fear washed over him, leaving his face still somewhat pale, and he held Su Zhelan's hand tightly, unwilling to let go for a long time.
Inside the Eastern Palace, the flickering candlelight illuminated Crown Prince Xiao Qiyun's figure, which resembled that of a trapped beast. He could not sit still and could only pace back and forth in the hall, each step heavy with pain. Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, every second an agony.
The sent-out guards had yet to send back any new information, and the silence was like the cruelest torture, tormenting his nerves. Countless terrifying images flashed uncontrollably through his mind, each one tearing at his heart, fear coiling around his heart like a cold, venomous snake.
He didn't even dare to think about what he would do if Su Zhelan really met with misfortune...
Just as he was about to be consumed by his inner anxiety and violence, a very faint sound of something breaking through the air finally came from outside the hall.
"Your Highness!" The leader of the secret guards appeared like a ghost, kneeling on one knee, his voice carrying a hint of relief, "Your Highness, Young Master Su has been escorted back to the Su residence safely by General Sheng Xuan! The young master is unharmed and has not suffered any real injury!"
Xiao Qiyun suddenly stopped, his tense body suddenly relaxed, and he staggered, only managing to steady himself by grabbing the table next to him.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, the turbulent waves in his eyes had slowly subsided, but the deep fear and cold anger had not dissipated; instead, they had become even more profound.
“All right… good… good…” he repeated softly, his voice hoarse. The weight on his heart finally lifted, but with it came an even heavier resolve.
This time it was luck; Su Zhelan managed to carve out a way out for herself! But what about next time? As long as he remains in this position, and as long as the Second Prince's ambitions persist, Su Zhelan will always be his most vulnerable weakness, and he will always be in danger!
This can't go on any longer!
He must solve the problem completely! He must sever all the sinister hands reaching towards Su Zhelan! Even if… the price is his position as crown prince!
Xiao Qiyun's gaze sharpened and hardened. He looked at the leader of the secret guards, his voice as cold as iron: "Send more men to keep a close watch on all the movements of the Second Prince's residence and the Southern King's subordinates in the capital! I want to know their every move!"
"Yes!" The leader of the secret guards felt a chill run down his spine as he sensed the unprecedented determination and killing intent in his master's words. He immediately accepted the order and left.
In the empty hall, Xiao Qiyun stood alone. The crisis had temporarily subsided, but the storm was far from over. He knew that the Second Prince would not give up easily after his plan failed, and a more intense conflict was imminent.
Just as Xiao Qiyun had predicted, the Second Prince soon received news that the operation had completely failed and that Zhao Cangqu and his men had been wiped out.
The delicate teacup was smashed to the ground and shattered into countless pieces.
"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!" The Second Prince's face was ashen, his eyes burning with shame, anger, and rage. He hadn't expected that they couldn't even capture a mere youth with no background, and instead had suffered losses!
“…Well done! I underestimated you!” He gritted his teeth, naturally blaming Xiao Qiyun for this, believing that Xiao Qiyun must have been prepared and set a trap.
This defeat, far from deterring him, has instead ignited his ferocity. Su Zhelan's existence has transformed from a potential pawn into a thorn in his side that must be removed! The Crown Prince's counterattack has made him feel threatened like never before.
"Since you care about him so much... then I can't let him live!" A sinister glint flashed in the Second Prince's eyes. "Send down the order: use all available resources to investigate! Investigate the background of that Su Zhelan! I don't believe he's without any background! Also... continue to put pressure on me in court! I want to see how long he can protect me!"
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