"Wasn't Ninth Miss with you? Where did she go?"
Yue Jia's expression darkened. Yue Ning quickly explained, "We got separated in the crowd. Ninth Miss was pushed onto this street. We thought she would make her way to the end, so we waited here, but she never appeared after all this time."
Yue Jia frowned. "She might have been pushed elsewhere. It's also possible she hid somewhere, trying to find her way back to you."
He glanced toward the Double Purity Troupe's performance nearby. "It's too crowded here—hard to move through. You two should stay put while the rest of us search." Yue Jia then turned to Wei Yanzhi.
Wei Yanzhi promptly responded, "At your command, Young Master. With so many people, if Ninth Miss has been knocked down or fallen, it could be dangerous."
Yue Jia nodded. "Brother Wei, please go back along the street we came from and see if Ninth Miss returned to look for Ning'er and the others. His Highness Yan Chi and I will search this street."
It was indeed possible Qin Guan had turned back. Wei Yanzhi nodded and was about to leave when Yue Ning added, "Qin Guan was holding an Orchid lamp and wearing a Xiezhi mask. Keep an eye out for those."
Yue Jia had recognized Yue Ning and the others earlier only by their clothing, but in this dense crowd, identifying Qin Guan would be difficult—hence Yue Ning's reminder.
Wei Yanzhi acknowledged this and then set off down the street with his small lantern and peachwood sword. Once he left, Yue Jia turned to Yan Chi, who said, "It's unlikely Ninth Miss went back. The most probable scenario is that she was swept away by the crowd."
He pointed ahead. "Brother Jia, continue straight down this street. I'll check elsewhere." His gaze shifted toward the rows of buildings lining the right side of the street—mostly the back rooms of teahouses and taverns, with narrow alleys leading to unknown places. Yan Chi suspected Qin Guan might have ended up there.
Yue Jia agreed. "Very well. Be careful."
Yan Chi's eyes cooled slightly as he replied, "Understood." The two then pressed forward into the packed crowd. Fuling, her eyes reddening, wanted to follow, but Yue Ning held her back. "Let them search. With your small frame, you might get lost before your mistress is found."
Fuling knew this was true but still clenched her hands anxiously. Yue Ning also wore a grim expression. Their attendants had stayed with the carriages when they arrived, leaving no one to send word back now. She looked at the dazzlingly lit Lishui Lake—if anything happened to Qin Guan tonight, it would be an unforgivable betrayal on her part. Yue Ning paced restlessly, while Fuling bit her lip hard.
The Double Purity Troupe had begun their performance of Meeting at the Immortal Bridge , and more people were still squeezing in from the other end of the street. Yue Jia could barely move, and Yan Chi also struggled to advance. Spotting an alley nearby, Yan Chi pushed his way toward it. The farther he got from the stage, the thinner the crowd became. Soon, he reached the alley's entrance.
Due to the troupe's fame, even the narrow alleys were packed. Yan Chi scanned the area—many wore masks, but most were of bluebirds, phoenixes, or qilins. Not a single Xiezhi mask was in sight. His brow furrowed deeply.Had he made a wrong deduction?!
With this thought, Yan Chi had already reached the depths of the alley. He paused, intending to turn back. Qin Guan, pushed by the crowd, would likely take shelter here for a moment rather than continue all the way down the alley. There was no need to search further.
Thinking this, Yan Chi turned around. But the moment he did, a faint glimmer of light caught the corner of his eye—about seven or eight zhang ahead, deeper into the alley, a lamp seemed to have fallen on the ground.
Yan Chi’s heart immediately tightened. His eyes darkened as he strode forward, quickly reaching the source of the light.
Sure enough, it was a lamp lying on the ground. Yan Chi picked it up, his pupils trembling violently.
It was indeed an Orchid lamp...
The craftsmanship was exquisite. Though it had fallen, the lampshade remained intact. Only the oil had spilled, weakening the flame. The lamp wasn’t overly expensive, but for ordinary households, it wasn’t cheap either. There was no reason to discard it for no reason. The only possibility was that its owner had dropped it in a panic, without even a chance to retrieve it!
Yan Chi adjusted the lampshade, holding the lamp in one hand as he continued forward.
The alley was already deep, the bright lights from outside unable to penetrate. Ahead lay only darkness, its destination unknown. Why would Qin Guan come here for no reason?
Something was amiss—perhaps it wasn’t as simple as he thought.
Yan Chi frowned, suddenly recalling the headless female corpse that had frightened Qin Guan in Marquis Anyang Manor and the inexplicable rumors. Both incidents had been unfavorable to her. Could it be...?
A surge of urgency gripped him, and Yan Chi quickened his pace.
If the lamp had fallen here, had Qin Guan been abducted?
Suddenly, countless terrifying thoughts flooded his mind. No matter how skilled Qin Guan was in medicine, she was still a defenseless woman. And in this world, there were far too many horrors that could befall a woman.
Channeling his inner strength, Yan Chi glanced around. Seeing no one nearby, he leaped onto the rooftop.
From this vantage point, his view expanded instantly. Soon, he realized this alley led to the other end of the Lantern Market. At its end was another cross-street, lined with Lantern Towers donated by wealthy families. From where he stood, the scene was a dazzling spectacle of Trees of Fire and Silver Flowers.
Yan Chi steadied his thoughts. If Qin Guan had exited the alley and reached the Lantern Market, that would be ideal. The market was bustling with pedestrians—no one would dare harm her there.
Standing atop an unknown household’s roof, Yan Chi moved forward while keeping an eye on the alley below. The alley was pitch-black, occasionally revealing the back doors of a few homes. A few steps further, the stench of sour, rotting waste filled the air. Yan Chi’s heart grew heavier. He knew that even if the alley led to the radiant Lantern Towers, Qin Guan would never choose such a filthy, dark path unless something had happened—or unless someone had lured her here...
Yan Chi’s steps quickened. A few roof tiles shattered underfoot, clattering down to the ground. Startled shouts came from inside the house as the residents rushed out, only to find the cool autumn night breeze sweeping through the dark sky.Yan Chi's breathing was slightly uneven, his heart pounding wildly—a state of mind he hadn't experienced in many years. The unlit Orchid Lamp in his hand was held steady, yet its owner's whereabouts and safety remained unknown.
Taking a deep breath, Yan Chi turned his gaze toward the Lantern Tower looming ahead. The structure stood three stories high, its bamboo and wooden frames adorned with hundreds of lanterns of varying shapes. On this Autumn Festival night, it was the most dazzling spectacle aside from the Lantern Boats. This street should have been teeming with crowds, but with the Double Purity Troupe's stage set up just a block away, few remained here. Those who did were already veering toward the main street, rushing to the troupe’s performance.
Yan Chi sharpened his vision, his hawk-like eyes scanning the brilliantly lit street. He didn’t hold much hope of finding Qin Guan, but as he narrowed his gaze, a slender, graceful figure standing motionless amidst the bustling crowd caught his attention.
The figure stood in stark contrast to the passersby hurrying toward the Double Purity Troupe. Though he couldn’t see her face, Yan Chi recognized her instantly—the pale cyan ink-wash dress, the cascading ink-black hair, and even from this distance, an ethereal, orchid-like grace. It had to be Qin Guan!
Just as his heart surged with excitement, the figure turned around—revealing a hideous, fierce Xiezhi mask. It was her! Qin Guan, without a doubt!
The corners of Yan Chi’s lips lifted unconsciously, his tension easing slightly as his inner energy surged, urging him to leap to her side at once.
His eyes remained fixed on Qin Guan, who seemed rooted in place, scanning the crowd as if searching for something.
A flicker of doubt arose in Yan Chi’s chest. But just as his swift figure was about to vault across the rooftops lining the alley, he suddenly noticed the Lantern Tower behind Qin Guan shift. His expression darkened—a foreboding sense of dread rising within him.
Then, in an instant, the towering structure, laden with hundreds of lanterns, began to collapse like a crumbling mountain, bearing down directly on Qin Guan!
And there she stood, oblivious in the middle of the street, completely unaware of the danger descending upon her.
Yan Chi’s eyes widened in horror. Channeling his inner energy, he lunged forward without hesitation, desperate to reach her.
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