Chарtеr 3 (9/19)
А slеndеr, еlongatеd shаdоw mоvеd like a phаntоm along thе narrow раth, unnоtiсеd bу anyоne.
Inside Jue Manor, Gоng Yuаnzhi was wаlking out with а disаррointеd ехрrеssion, fоllowed clоsеly bу Gong Shangjue’s рersonаl guard, Jin Fu.
Gong Yuаnzhi hаd соmе tо sеe Gong Shаngjuе, onlу tо unеxрeсtеdly leаrn thаt he hаd left the Hоuse of Gong аgаin. Нe fоund it quite strange: “Whу did Вrоther lеаvе in suсh а hurrу?”
Jin Fu reрliеd, “This missiоn was issuеd directlу by thе Вlаde Маstеr. I hаve no knowlеdge of the details. Мoreovеr, none оf the оutрosts аlong the route have the authority to report Young Master Jue’s whereabouts.”
Gong Yuanzhi’s expression turned complicated. He murmured softly, “Traveling alone, without even you by his side…”
As he spoke, he walked to the entrance and gazed up at the red lanterns hanging from the high tower. A sense of unease settled in his heart, and he whispered to himself, “Brother, where have you gone? Please come back soon. The House of Gong… is about to face a storm…”
Roughly half an hour later, the Female Guests Courtyard, which had been quiet and still in the deep of night, suddenly lit up as lanterns were lit, illuminating the entire courtyard.
A group of guards rushed in without explanation, bringing with them noise and clamor.
The guards shouted repeatedly, “All female guests, come out of your rooms for a headcount.”
The young women, who had been sound asleep, were abruptly awakened and had no idea what was happening.
Shangguan Qian sat up from her bed, listening to the commotion in the courtyard. She pulled open her door and stepped outside. She saw the other young women opening their doors one after another, peering out to see what was happening. Why would there be a headcount in the middle of the night?
The young women grumbled and complained, reluctant but forced to comply. Footsteps echoed back and forth, and soon almost everyone had emerged. Only the rooms belonging to Yun Weishan and Jiang Lili remained dark and silent, with no lights on and no movement.
Soon, a large number of guards approached these two closed rooms and began knocking on the doors. There was no response from inside. Although no one knew what was happening, the tension in the air became palpable.
Shangguan Qian’s expression froze on her face.
Jiang Lili’s room was the first to be forced open, and guards poured inside.
The moonlit window curtains blocked the view from outside, but from within the room came several exclamations of surprise from the guards.
“What?”
“Quick, hurry!”
Moments later, Jiang Lili was carried out. The reason she hadn’t answered the door was that she had long since lost consciousness, lying pale and motionless on her bed, her condition unknown.
The guard leader checked her breathing. “She’s still alive. Take her to the medical hall immediately!”
No one knew what had happened to Jiang Lili. The prospective Young Lord’s wife had been perfectly fine before going to bed. With this sudden turn of events, the atmosphere grew tense once more. Now, only one room remained without light or response—Yun Weishan’s room.
The guards had already drawn their swords, ready to break down the door at any moment.
Shangguan Qian stood on the corridor, watching everything unfold, when she suddenly heard the sound of roof tiles shifting. She looked up and saw a slender, agile figure dressed in black standing on the opposite rooftop.
By the time Yun Weishan returned, she had already seen the situation unfolding beneath the eaves. There was no time for her to return to her own room. Out of the corner of her eye, she met the gaze of Shangguan Qian below.
Shangguan Qian had spotted her but made no sound. Instead, she gestured toward her own room.
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