The two lovebirds in the Plum Blossom Garden soon received the news: After Li Jingyun and her sister entered, they had quietly slipped away and were now nowhere to be seen.
Princess Yongjia lost the mood for her tryst with Yang Yuzhi. In a hurry, she sent people to look for them.
Yang Yuzhi said, "Princess, don't be anxious. Where else could they go? They must still be in the Princess Mansion. Maybe they're just playing in some small room. If we search room by room, we'll surely find them."
"How can I not be anxious? If they're missing, what about your plan?"
Princess Yongjia was so anxious that she started to stamp her feet. The guards who came to report quickly dispersed to search for the girls.
She truly loved Yang Yuzhi. Even at this moment, she still remembered his plan.
"This matter must never be spread. Otherwise, people will say that two princesses got lost during my birthday banquet. What would that look like? Where would I, Princess Yongjia, put my face?" Princess Yongjia said harshly. "Go quickly and suppress this news! Don't let those servants gossip!"
"Princess, please rest assured. This servant will surely manage their tongues."
Ziyuan followed behind her, keeping her head down tightly. There was even a hint of killing intent in her words.
No one knew what means she used to discipline the servants.
Two quarters of an hour passed. More and more guests came to Princess Yongjia's Mansion. They were either the mistresses of marquis mansions or the county princesses from the royal families of counties. They came in an endless stream.
Looking for two little girls among this crowd was a huge challenge. Before, they were allowed to ask passers-by, but now they couldn't even do that.
But for Li Jingyun and her sister, it was a huge game of hide-and-seek.
At this moment, they were behind a huge rockery, watching a team of guards pass by. They let out a long sigh of relief.
This was much more exciting than playing with their siblings in the imperial city. They were so familiar with the palaces in the imperial city that they more or less knew where everyone was hiding. It was no fun at all.
Li Mingda was almost crazy with fun. Li Jingyun still had to remember to find Dou Fengjie and tell him about Princess Yongjia and Yang Yuzhi so that he could prepare in advance.
"Come, sister. Hold my hand and jump down slowly."
Li Jingyun jumped down first and then reached out her hand to firmly catch Li Mingda. The two sisters were having a great time.
There was a long corridor in front. They used the same trick again and came behind a group of noble ladies. Just then, a team of guards walked towards them.
This place was exquisitely decorated and well-ventilated. They couldn't hide on the eaves, so they had to ask others for help.
"Sister, let us hide here for a while!"
"Okay!"
Although the noble ladies didn't understand, they knew how to cooperate.
They thought that it was just the naughtiness of children. It was okay to play with them.
Li Jingyun and her sister simply hid behind the wide sleeves of two noble ladies and were completely blocked.
When the guards walked past, Li Jingyun could see the shadows and feet of those people when she lowered her head.
At this moment, their hearts were in their throats.
A young lady of fourteen or fifteen, with a horse-falling hairstyle and two jade and glass lily hairpins, looking fresh and innocent all over, couldn't help laughing at the expressions of the two sisters and directly attracted the attention of the guards.
The leader walked over and asked, "May I ask why Miss Yuan is laughing?"
"What? Do you even need to inquire about my laughter? The airs of Princess Yongjia's Mansion are too great."
Miss Yuan from the Yuan family instantly showed her aura and retorted.
"I've offended. I'll take my leave now."
After the guards left, Miss Yuan covered half of her face with a fan and talked to Li Jingyun and her sister. "What's going on with you? Did you anger Princess Yongjia?"
"This matter is a long story. Thank you, ladies, for your help. Let's talk in detail next time we meet. Okay?"
Li Jingyun used all the conversation techniques she had when socializing outside.
"Of course, it's okay."
After they left, Li Mingda pointed at Li Jingyun and laughed. "I just saw your face turn completely red. It's even more beautiful than the plum blossoms in the Plum Blossom Garden just now."
"Sister, you're making fun of me! You're not much better than me!" Li Jingyun retorted with a pout. The two children were laughing so hard that they were almost falling over by a frozen stream.
Actually, Li Mingda had the intention of teasing her younger sister.
She didn't expect that Manjing, the maid beside Li Jingyun, could use the excuse of "the princess is missing" to divert the guards in the Plum Blossom Garden. She also didn't expect that the situation would become more and more intense. Her younger sister was actually addicted to playing and didn't want to go out.
As for whether to tell Dou Fengjie about Princess Yongjia and Yang Yuzhi, she didn't care.
It didn't make much difference to her if she went to find him a few days later.
But unfortunately, her younger sister was so stubborn. Once she made up her mind, she had to accomplish it. She could only go crazy with her once.
You know what? It was actually quite fun!
After an hour, they had walked all over Princess Yongjia's Mansion, but they still hadn't seen Dou Fengjie.
Now they didn't find it fun anymore. They were so tired that they were out of breath.
Li Jingyun was even thinking if Dou Fengjie had just gone to a place right after they left? Was he just avoiding them?
In this game of hide-and-seek, they were both the seekers and the hiders.
Li Mingda couldn't walk anymore. Her physical fitness was not as good as Li Jingyun's. She didn't have as much experience of going outside the imperial city on an empty stomach to take charge of the overall situation. In the imperial city, she ate small meals frequently. Anyway, whenever she wanted to eat, the palace servants would immediately bring the food to her.
"I'm so hungry, Hongxuan. Let's go back." Li Mingda suggested.
"Go back now? But we still haven't found him. What on earth is he doing?"
Li Jingyun didn't understand. They had had a great time playing, but they still had to do what they were supposed to do.
Since Sister Mingda had said so, they should hurry back.
Who would have thought that when they turned around, they saw the figure standing in the bamboo forest in the back courtyard. Wasn't that Dou Fengjie?
The person they had been looking for for so long, almost sweating all over from exhaustion. They didn't expect to meet him here.
She pulled Li Mingda over. "Marquis Dou?"
"Your Highnesses are too polite. Why aren't the two princesses in the front yard? The back yard hasn't been tidied up yet, and the scenery is not as beautiful as that in the front yard." Dou Fengjie turned around and bowed.
Li Jingyun hesitated for a moment. "We just met Princess Yongjia and Yang Yuzhi in the Plum Blossom Garden. They were very intimate..."
She only said so much, worrying that if she said more, Dou Fengjie would feel more embarrassed.
Dou Fengjie's face suddenly changed. He bowed deeply to them again. "Thank you, two princesses, for telling me. I, Fengjie, will never forget this great kindness."
Li Jingyun was standing a little closer to him. She could even hear that Dou Fengjie was gritting his teeth when he spoke.
Then, the two of them walked with him on a small path to the front hall.
Only then did they find that the road they had walked for more than an hour could actually be reached in a quarter of an hour.
They couldn't help but sigh at the finesse of the Princess Mansion.
At this moment, the banquet was about to start. Princess Yongjia came to the hall to greet the guests. Who would have thought that when she looked up, her husband was actually leading out the little princesses whom she had sent people to look for for a long time without success.