After hearing what Chu Qing said, Wei Zhi was stunned for a moment before she realized what Chu Qing meant.
Then, forcing back the sourness in her heart, she turned around to give out Chu Qing's order.
Chu Qing sat on the grand master's chair where she usually sat in the courtyard and closed her eyes.
It had taken her so long to finally meet someone who had walked into her heart. Now, was he going to leave?
At this moment, her mind was filled with memories of Wei Ying.
...
"Your Highness, everyone has arrived."
In less than half an hour, Wei Zhi had returned. When Chu Qing looked up, she saw five people following behind Wei Zhi.
Wei Zhi first bowed respectfully to Chu Qing and then said, "Reporting to Your Highness, the leaders of the five departments of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth have all arrived."
Chu Qing nodded and then sized up the five people in front of her.
When the five people noticed Chu Qing's gaze, they glanced at each other and then introduced themselves in the order of the five elements.
The first one to step forward was an acquaintance.
Wu Ya.
Wu Ya was dressed in white, but without his previous gentle smile. Instead, he bowed to Chu Qing seriously and said, "This subordinate... is from the Wood Department."
Chu Qing nodded in response. She remembered that the Wood Department was mainly in charge of medicine.
Then a red - dressed woman stepped forward. Her originally charming eyes were now cold, and she seemed a bit reluctant as she said, "This subordinate is Hong Ling from the Fire Department, in charge of punishment and interrogation."
Chu Qing raised her eyebrows in surprise.
She had never expected that the punishment in Pohuang would be under the management of a woman.
After Hong Ling finished speaking, a tall and thin man in black said, "The Earth Department, Zhen Kun."
His words were concise. Chu Qing narrowed her eyes and thought for a moment. The Earth Department, if she remembered correctly, was the department under Wei Ying that collected intelligence.
But... they hadn't received any information about Wei Ying?
Chu Qing held back the questions in her heart and shifted her gaze to the next person.
An amiable old woman slowly said to Chu Qing, "This old one is Wei Min from the Metal Department."
Although she didn't call herself a subordinate, her expression and tone were so gentle that Chu Qing couldn't find any fault.
The last one to step forward was actually a young boy with a smiling face, about thirteen or fourteen years old.
After bowing to Chu Qing, he introduced himself, "This subordinate is Wei Sheng from the Water Department."
The Water Department, which was mainly in charge of killing, was actually under the leadership of a young boy?
Although she was a bit curious, Chu Qing knew that this wasn't the time to find out.
After all five people had introduced themselves, Chu Qing had a general understanding of their personalities.
She already had a simple understanding of Wu Ya.
Hong Ling and Zhen Kun should be cold and difficult - to - get - along - with characters.
Wei Min and Wei Sheng seemed kind, but it was hard to tell what they were really like.
Seeing the five people looking at her, Chu Qing finally spoke in a deep voice:
"The Prince of Ning has gone missing in the east of Chuanzhou City. His life or death is unknown."
After saying that, Chu Qing carefully observed the expressions of the five people.
Without exception, they all looked shocked.
Especially Zhen Kun from the Earth Department.
Feeling Chu Qing's inquiring gaze, Zhen Kun took the initiative to say, "The Earth Department has received no information about the Lord for several days. We originally planned to investigate today."
"When did you stop receiving information?" Chu Qing's eyes turned slightly cold.
"On the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, all the intelligence networks about the Prince of Ning suddenly disappeared."
Chu Qing frowned. The fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month...
That was the day he went missing.
So what exactly had happened to Wei Ying...
"Your Highness?" Seeing Chu Qing's silence, Wei Zhi couldn't help but call out to her.
Chu Qing then came back to her senses. Meeting several pairs of eyes with different meanings, she concentrated and said, "Wei Sheng and Wu Ya, be on standby at any time. Zhen Kun, you lead the people from the Earth Department to search for the whereabouts of the Prince of Ning. Remember, don't miss any clues. I want to see him alive, and if he's dead... I want to see his body. Wei Min and Hong Ling, just continue with your previous tasks."
After giving the order, except for Wu Ya, the others seemed to look at her with different expressions.
Chu Qing hooked the corner of her lips, but there was coldness in her eyes. Then she said slowly, "The Prince of Ning's life or death is unknown now. Do you still want to make things difficult for this Princess at this critical moment?"
"Your Highness!" At this moment, Lu Luo suddenly rushed in.
Chu Qing looked up at her, with a sharpness in her eyes that was different from usual.
In the past, Chu Qing had always been gentle and rarely showed such an expression, except when they made mistakes and needed to be taught a lesson.
Therefore, Lu Luo trembled, but still said, "Your Highness, just now... Liu Xin told this servant that when she went shopping on the street... she heard people discussing the matter of the Prince of Ning..."
"What?" Chu Qing stood up from the chair in a daze.
"The common people have already started spreading... the news about the Prince of Ning..." Lu Luo lowered her head and repeated in a low voice.
Chu Qing steadied herself and forced herself to calm down. "How is it being spread?"
She mustn't panic at this moment.
If she panicked, what would happen to Wei Ying?
Having lived one more life than others, she couldn't waste it in vain.
Seeing that her mistress's expression seemed to have eased a lot, Lu Luo continued in a low voice, "It's rumored outside that... the Prince of Ning... died in battle..."
"Nonsense!" It was Hong Ling who spoke first.
Hong Ling said with a cold face and even exuding a killing aura, "The Lord is not that weak. He will never die in battle."
Chu Qing just gave her a cold look and then said to Lu Luo, "Continue. What other rumors are there?"
Lu Luo, who had been intimidated by Hong Ling's terrifying killing aura, took a deep breath and said, "Some people also say that... the Prince of Ning was taken away by the people from Xiliang..."
After hearing this, Hong Ling was about to scold again, but was stopped by Wu Ya.
Perhaps Wu Ya's eyes were too calm, so Hong Ling had to shut up.
At this moment, Chu Qing showed no particular expression. She just continued in a cold voice, "Do you know where this news came from?"
"This servant... this servant doesn't know."
"How could a little girl like her know anything?" Hong Ling sneered.
Chu Qing looked up at Hong Ling, her voice without any warmth. "If you have any opinions, just speak up. There's no need to pick on a little girl. I just wonder if you're also like this when facing the Prince of Ning?"
Hong Ling blushed, but was intimidated by Chu Qing's expression and didn't say anything more.
It was because at this moment, Chu Qing was too similar to their Lord when he was angry.
Seeing that Hong Ling finally calmed down, Chu Qing continued, "Zhen Kun, you go and investigate where this news came from. Logically, only this Princess and the Emperor know about this matter. This Princess and the Emperor would never do such a thing. Moreover, this person not only spread the news that the Prince of Ning... died in battle, but also the news that he was taken away by the people from Xiliang, which would disrupt people's hearts. So, the other party must have some ulterior motives. Wu Ya, Wei Sheng, you two..."
At this point, the coldness on Chu Qing suddenly burst out:
"You, come with this Princess to Chuanzhou."
"Princess!"
"Your Highness!"
Everyone was shocked.
"You don't need to say anything. This Princess has made up her mind. Even if I die in Chuanzhou, I will find the Prince of Ning myself."
Whether he was alive...
Or... really...
Dead.