Zhuo Lingxiao walked ahead while Feng Linyuan followed slowly. From time to time, some servants of the Third Prince's Mansion would pass by them in a hurry.
Feng Linyuan glanced around, frowned slightly, and then stopped. With his cold eyes fixed on Zhuo Lingxiao ahead, he asked, "Are you sure we need to go this far, Young Master?"
Zhuo Lingxiao was taken aback. Turning around, he saw that Feng Linyuan clearly didn't want to move anymore. So he patiently explained in a low voice, "This matter concerns the five shops of the Marquis's wife. I suppose the Marquis wouldn't want others to overhear.
I don't come to the Third Prince's Mansion often, so I'm not sure where the safest place is. I can only try to find a more secluded one."
It turned out that Zhuo Lingxiao had used this excuse to get Feng Linyuan out.
This explanation seemed reasonable on the surface, but when Feng Linyuan thought it over carefully, he always felt something was off.
With his back to the moonlight, Zhuo Lingxiao didn't notice that the look in Feng Linyuan's eyes had become unpredictable. He only heard the latter's voice remain steady, "You took me away right in front of everyone. The Emperor will surely be suspicious.
No matter where we hide, we can't be sure there are no eavesdroppers. If you're not in a hurry, why don't we meet at the teahouse opened by my wife tomorrow?"
Having said that, Feng Linyuan turned around and was about to leave.
Seeing that there was still no sign of the fire in the expected direction while Feng Linyuan wanted to leave, Zhuo Lingxiao immediately panicked and blurted out, "Please wait, Marquis!"
Feng Linyuan raised his eyes, looking displeased. "What else?"
Zhuo Lingxiao forced a laugh and scratched his head. Looking embarrassed, he said, "You're right, Marquis. It was my impetuosity to take you out like this.
Your Emperor is always suspicious. He will surely be suspicious.
But now that we're going back, if he asks, what excuse should we come up with?"
Feng Linyuan replied indifferently, "Since he's already suspicious, does it really matter how we answer? I suppose the Emperor will find out on his own."
"Then, I've really let down the Marquis of Dingyuan..." Zhuo Lingxiao looked guilt - stricken.
"It's okay." Feng Linyuan waved his hand and stepped towards the main hall.
Zhuo Lingxiao felt a bit helpless. Watching Feng Linyuan's rapidly retreating figure, he tried hard to think of an excuse to delay him.
"Hey! Marquis, look over there!" he suddenly shouted.
Feng Linyuan's heart skipped a beat. He quickly turned around, thinking that Zhuo Lingxiao had seen Bai Zheng.
But he saw Zhuo Lingxiao pointing into the distance where some fireworks were starting to go off in the grass. Zhuo Lingxiao asked, "What's that? I don't think I've ever seen it in the Third Prince's Mansion!"
After Feng Linyuan saw that it was fireworks, he frowned deeply and stared intently at Zhuo Lingxiao.
"Marquis of Dingyuan? You've seen a lot in the world. You must know what it is, right? It's actually..."
Before Zhuo Lingxiao could finish his words, Feng Linyuan suddenly flicked his sleeve, stomped on the ground hard, and flew towards the main hall.
Watching Feng Linyuan's retreating back, Zhuo Lingxiao stamped his foot hard.
"Why isn't the fire lit yet? It's really a mess!"
Looking at the expected fire that still hadn't started in the distance, he cursed in a low voice, then turned around and flew in that direction.
Feng Linyuan flew directly over the eaves, taking the shortest route to the main hall.
He was so fast that the servants of the Third Prince's Mansion only saw a flash as he passed by. When they turned around, there was nothing there. They thought they were seeing things.
Feng Linyuan's face was cold and solemn. He had never felt so panicked.
He shouldn't have been taken away by Zhuo Lingxiao, let alone participated in that damned archery competition.
Something must have happened to Bai Zheng!
Stepping into the main hall, people were already getting up one after another and rushing towards the yard in front of the main hall.
Feng Linyuan quickly scanned the area. As he expected, he didn't see Bai Zheng's figure.
Feng Jingye was walking slowly at the back, looking preoccupied.
Feng Linyuan gritted his teeth. He wasn't willing to give up. He pushed through the crowd and walked a few steps forward to see if Bai Zheng had gone to the front yard first.
"A Yuan."
Bai Yinan suddenly called out to stop him.
"Father."
When Feng Linyuan saw Bai Yinan, his eyes lit up. He quickly stepped forward. Both of them tacitly looked behind each other.
Bai Yinan asked first, "Isn't Zheng'er with you? The fireworks are about to start..."
Hearing this, Feng Linyuan's heart sank to the bottom.
It seemed that Bai Zheng was really missing.
But he didn't show it on his face. He just forced a smile at Bai Yinan and said, "Don't worry, Father. I'll go and find her right away."
Bai Yinan nodded repeatedly and told him, "The fireworks are about to start. We don't know what this rare thing is. It's said that the Third Prince searched for it with great difficulty. It's a rare sight. Tell Zheng'er to hurry up.
Alas, if I had known there would be this, I should have let your mother come too..."
Feng Linyuan didn't bother to listen to his muttering. He quickly exited the main hall and flew away.
The Third Prince's Mansion was fraught with danger under the night sky.
Only in the brightly - lit front yard, everyone's face was full of expectation and curiosity. According to the steward's instructions, they looked up at the sky.
A figure slipped into the crowd unnoticed and whispered a few words in Feng Jingye's ear.
"What?" Feng Jingye stiffened all over and cursed angrily, "Useless thing!"
"He's keeping his mouth shut. He shouldn't reveal anything. But what should we do now?" the man lowered his head and asked carefully.
Feng Jingye thought for a while. "If he falls into the hands of the Third Prince, it'll be hard to rescue him. You guys stop causing trouble and retreat."
"Yes." The man quietly withdrew.
The front yard was getting more and more lively. The servants of the Third Prince's Mansion also heard the news and rushed to the vicinity of the front yard to watch the legendary fireworks.
No one noticed that in a secluded corner of the mansion, Bai Zheng was still trapped in a small house full of sesame oil.
"Elder sister."
Looking at Bai Sheng's dark figure on the door, Bai Zheng asked, "Even if you blame all those things on me, what about in the beginning?
When the Second Sister was engaged to the Third Prince, you used a formation and even sacrificed Zheng Yan's life for mine. Why? At that time, I hadn't formed an irreconcilable feud with you.
I've never been able to figure it out. The Second Sister has disliked me since childhood. She was raised to be arrogant by the aunt. It's not surprising that she wanted to harm me when I didn't meet her wishes.
But you were carefully nurtured by the uncle. You've always been extremely ambitious and never bothered to participate in the petty squabbles between the Second Sister and me. Why did you interfere that time and try to take my life right away?"
"Why?" Bai Sheng said mockingly, "Because you're cheap and you deserve to die!"
"Is it because of the Prince of Xuanning?" Bai Zheng smiled slightly and interrupted her.
The shadow on the door suddenly stopped moving.
The corner of Bai Zheng's lips curled up slightly. "Elder sister was away for a whole year without any news.
We only knew that you went out to find a teacher, but no one knew where you were during that year, who your teacher was, and what you learned."