"Currently, the Prince is handling the case ahead. If the Princess wishes to find someone, I can lead the way," the Guard Commander said obsequiously.
"Is Xie Jiuxiao nearby as well?"
The Guard Commander was almost sweating bullets; only the Princess Consort Su would dare to call Prince Su by his name so brazenly.
"Could it be that he’s investigating the case of our missing child?" Ms. Liu hoped eagerly.
The Guard Commander shattered her hopes, "It’s not so; supposedly it’s the Tang Family’s child that’s missing."
Yu Nianzhao’s eyelid twitched, inexplicably finding the surname familiar—could it just be an illusion?
"Indeed, it’s from the residence of the prince who recently passed away due to illness. No one knows whose child it is, and it’s relatively young too, but gone missing now."
Said the Guard Commander regretfully.
After saying that, there was nothing Yu Nianzhao could not understand.
It was almost certainly one of Tang Jing’s two illegitimate children who went missing.
"Hiss... How can one be so audacious? Stealing children right in Shangjing, once exposed, isn’t that courting death?"
Liu Yi couldn’t help but click his tongue.
"Perhaps they aren’t afraid to die."
Yu Nianzhao pursed her red lips, "There are certain people who, to achieve their goals, act regardless of the consequences."
"Let’s not look for Xie Jiuxiao for now. Please convey a message, asking him to come if he’s free..."
Yu Nianzhao paused for a moment and looked at Liu Tong, asking, "What’s your husband’s name again?"
Liu Tong quickly responded, "His name is Shen Qing; he works at the Hanlin Academy, and my father-in-law is a sixth-rank ceremonial officer."
"Oh, Shen Qing, Mr. Shen, do you know of him?" Yu Nianzhao turned to ask the Guard Commander.
The Guard Commander wiped his cold sweat, humbly answering, "Princess, yes, I know."
"Then have Xie Jiuxiao come to the Shen Mansion to find me when he’s free."
"Is it not possible?"
"Of course... it can be done!" The Guard Commander was almost in tears, finding this method of communication hard to imagine.
"Then let’s go to the Shen Family and hold someone accountable."
When they arrived at the Shen Family, the lights inside were dim, the gates tightly shut; an outsider might have thought the place was uninhabited.
Liu Yi wondered aloud, "It’s just dinner time, why is it so dark? Could they have gone to bed unusually early?"
Liu Tong responded bitterly, "Since the child went missing, the Shen Family has lost its former laughter and joy—perhaps that’s why they closed early."
"Knock on the door; if no one answers, break it down." Yu Nianzhao instructed.
Zhixi and Liu Yi eagerly went to knock on the door, but indeed, no one responded.
Just as Zhixi and Liu Yi were about to break down the door, footsteps were heard from inside.
"Who’s there? Knocking on the door at this hour—are you looking for trouble?" Someone inside cursed.
Accompanied by a ’creak,’ the door was opened.
A potbellied Mr. Shen appeared with a servant holding a torch, glaring at them, "Who are you all? Knocking on the door rudely at night."
"Nighttime? It’s barely been a while since the sunset; how is it already nighttime?" Liu Yi retorted unabashedly.
"What? The sun only set?" Mr. Shen eyed him suspiciously, then looked up at the sky. Upon seeing the twilight glow, his pupils contracted abnormally, and he muttered incessantly, "This is madness; how can it be? Clearly, it’s nighttime, and time to sleep."
"What’s going on? Did the sun really set just now? Are we experiencing hallucinations?"
The servants behind him rubbed their eyes in disbelief.
"This is a ghost veil."
Yu Nianzhao looked up at the Shen Family residence, surrounded above by dark Evil Qi, much like clouds blocking out the sun, making one feel detached from reality.
Mr. Shen nearly jumped out of his skin, accusing Yu Nianzhao by pointing a finger at her nose, "And who are you, here to cause trouble at our Shen Mansion? Saying such ominous things right off the bat."
"Do not be insolent! This is our Princess Consort Su!" Zhixi scolded.
Mr. Shen jumped again, then frowned as he scrutinized Yu Nianzhao and said, "She looks quite attractive and young, but you tell me she’s the Princess Consort Su? Are you joking? What reason would she have to look for me? If you’re lying, at least come up with a plausible story."
"She truly is the Princess Consort Su; you lack courtesy." Zhixi almost laughed in disbelief.
"Haha, she’s the Princess Consort Su, whereas I’m royalty then."
Mr. Shen was entirely unconvinced, scoffing at their words.
"Father, everything they said is true."
Liu Tong stepped forward timidly.
Mr. Shen’s eyes blazed with anger on seeing her, "You jinx! What are you doing at our Shen Mansion? We have no need for such a daughter-in-law. The child is so young, yet you lost them after merely visiting your parents’ home—are you fit to be a mother, a wife? How dare you come back? I should have made Shen Qing divorce you; you’re unwelcome here."
His accusations caused Liu Tong unbearable pain, her body swaying nearly fainting.
Ms Liu couldn’t bear it, supporting her daughter and chided, "In-law, the child went missing when I took it out; why attribute all the blame on my daughter? Besides, the nanny is at fault. Do you remain a man, accusing my daughter this way? My Tong’er is more hurt than anyone, yet you show no empathy."
"Oh! Here to cause a ruckus with backup?"
Mr. Shen, noticing Mr. Liu and Ms Liu, hesitated momentarily but then brazenly stated, "So what if you were in-laws? With such scandalous actions of losing a child, our relations mean little."
Mr. Liu fumed, "A lost child was never desired; yet you act as if our Liu Family did it deliberately—utterly despicable. How blind of us to marry Tong’er into your household back then." The source of thɪs content is N0velFire.ɴet
"Ha! Speaking ill of us now? If not for your ties to Liu Fu, what are you?"
"Still better than ruthless, heartless people like you."
"Divorce! Shen Qing must divorce!"
The two men argued back and forth; Liu Tong was already crying inconsolably.
Liu Yi clenched his fist, "This is outrageous, truly outrageous."
Amidst the quarrel, Yu Nianzhao’s ears perked up at the sound of a baby’s cry.
"Did you hear that?" Yu Nianzhao asked.
They turned to look at her, bewildered.
"Evil Qi shrouds above Shen Family, with sky-high red glow at four corners; it has transformed into an ominous land unbeknownst to you."
Yu Nianzhao calmly stated, producing a talisman, "Collecting one thousand taels!"