Chapter 497: Long Time No See

He paused briefly: "Where did they run to?"

The Imperial Guard startled: "No, we don't know. We saw the person disappear, chased outside the Palace, but… later we didn't see even a shadow."

Prince Qing glanced at the still chattering Scholars before him: "Quick! Seal the city gates, all nine gates locked! Rigorously inspect every checkpoint from Jingcheng to Xibei!"

"Yes!"

Prince Qing ignored Cui Jiziu's party, turned his horse abruptly, spurred the horse and raced back to the Circular Mound Altar.

Prince Chen had just slowly stepped down from the Sacrificial Altar, smiling as he listened to the officials' flattery.

"Congratulations, Prince Chen, to be so trusted by His Majesty!"

"Indeed! Since the founding of our dynasty, His Highness Prince Chen is the first minister to perform the Heavenly Sacrifice on behalf of the Son of Heaven!"

"Your Highness, you work so hard on state affairs; you must take care of your health!"

But all that, when he saw Prince Qing's pallid, uncertain complexion, instantly turned to nothing.

He raised his hand to halt the crowd, stepped before Prince Qing: "What happened?"

Prince Qing was about to speak when he saw the Imperial Guard's swift horse that had just galloped nearby, tumble off, yet dared not approach.

He was drenched in sweat, his face a picture of frantic anger, his expression wavering between speaking and staying silent.

Prince Qing whispered: "I'll go take a look."

Having said that, he stepped out of the crowd and faced the Imperial Guard: "Why did you return? I ordered you to seal…"

"Your Highness! I saw countless Imperial Guard corpses on the road!"

"Not a single survivor!"

Prince Qing's already pallid face grew even worse: "What? Who would dare harm the Imperial Guard?"

"Beside us is His Majesty's Ceremonial Sedan Chair!"

Prince Qing's eyes widened instantly: "His Majesty? Have you seen the Empress Dowager?"

"I dared glance inside; the Sedan Chair was empty!"

His Majesty and the Empress Dowager are missing?

Prince Qing's mind buzzed; those Scholars had just accused him of using the Son of Heaven to command disloyal officials, and now, lo and behold, the Son of Heaven is gone?

"Quick! Clean this up! Search the entire city! We must find His Majesty and the Empress Dowager! Seal the news, absolutely no leaks!"

"Yes!"

He turned back to Prince Chen, surrounded by officials, and recalling the auspicious sight of a hundred birds paying tribute, felt deeply ironic.

"Auspicious sign? Ha ha, is this really an auspicious sign?"

He inhaled deeply, straining to untangle this tangled mess, pondering for a long while, yet could not make sense of it.

No way! The Heavenly Sacrifice ceremony is not yet finished; the protocol demands it continue, and we must not let the officials notice any irregularity.

He moved beside Prince Chen, his mouth bitter: "Everyone, thank you for your hard work today; please return immediately to Taiji Hall for the celebratory banquet."

"Yes!"

Civil officials entered the sedan chair, military officials mounted horses, and they proceeded grandly toward the imperial palace.

Prince Chen whispered: "What happened? Why does your complexion look so grim?"

Prince Qing, now also cold, said: "Xiao Ze fled, His Majesty and the Empress Dowager are missing, and all the Imperial Guard escorting them back to the Palace were killed, leaving no survivors."

"I have already ordered the news strictly sealed, all nine gates locked, citywide manhunt, and rigorous inspection of checkpoints from Jingcheng to Xibei."

Prince Chen was stunned.

Just now, while standing on that lofty Sacrificial Altar performing the Heavenly Sacrifice, he almost felt the illusion that he himself was the Son of Heaven.

It made him feel that, as the Regent King, he had already risen above the Son of Heaven.

He never imagined that the most crucial cards in his hand had all vanished!

Half an hour later, he finally regained his voice: "That's not right, so many events, how could they all converge in one place? It can't be such a coincidence."

"It must be someone scheming in the shadows; who could it be? Who is opposing us?"

Prince Qing shook his head: "Now, what's the point of further investigation? Xiao Ze's disappearance is one thing, but he's been under confinement all along."

"If His Majesty and the Empress Dowager cannot be found, you and I…"

Prince Chen's expression darkened: "Return to the Palace first."

"The Qingcheng banquet is the final segment of the ceremony; with His Majesty and the Empress Dowager absent, if we don't attend, it will surely arouse suspicion."

"After the palace banquet ends, we'll go together to meet the Supreme Sovereign and ask for his judgment."

Prince Qing nodded: "Given the current situation, this is all we can do; let's go."

At the same moment.

Wang Mingrui, cradling Tuan Tuan, strode into the Fragrant Garden.

"Tuan Tuan!"

Xiao Ningyuan lunged forward, snatched his sister from Wang Mingrui's arms, and patted her up and down:

"Are you hurt? Are you scared? Are you hungry?"

Tuan Tuan, tickled all over, giggled and dodged: "No, no! Big brother, stop touching! It tickles!"

Xiao Ningyuan finally stopped, yet kept his sister tightly clasped in his arms.

He then looked at Wang Mingrui: "Uncle Wang, thank you."

Wang Mingrui nodded: "Ningyuan, when you return, see Yuan Heng and tell him I'm waiting for him in Jingcheng."

"Alright."

After laughing enough, Tuan Tuan finally noticed the bruise on Xiao Ningyuan's face: "Big brother, what's wrong with your face?"

Xiao Ningyuan pouted: "Hmph, wasn't it that Third Elder Brother who beat you!"

Tuan Tuan looked puzzled: "Why would Third Elder Brother hit you, big brother?"

Xiao Ze gave Xiao Ningyuan a sideways glance, then clapped his hands at Tuan Tuan.

Tuan Tuan spread her little arms, Xiao Ze pulled her over: "As your elder brother, he actually let you impersonate the Emperor—shouldn't he be punished?"

Tuan Tuan's little mouth pouted: "I insisted on going, it has nothing to do with big brother, Third Elder Brother."

Xiao Ningyuan puffed out his chest: "Look, Tuan Tuan also says that, you punched me for no reason, humph!"

Xiao Ze showed no remorse: "She's a child, it's natural to have wild fantasies, aren't you the same? If I were there, I would certainly not let her go."

Xiao Ningyuan, angry and puffed: "You!"

Tuan Tuan rolled her eyes, waved at him: "Big brother, come!"

Xiao Ningyuan gave Xiao Ze a glance, walked up to Tuan Tuan.

Tuan Tuan reached out, pulled his head close, gently blew on the bruise, then kissed it: "Tuan Tuan blow-blow, pain go away!"

"Big brother, does it still hurt?"

Xiao Ningyuan grinned widely: "No pain anymore! Tuan Tuan is the best!"

Xiao Ze rolled his eyes, Tuan Tuan snuggled back into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck: "Third Elder Brother, I miss you so much!"

"Do you see I'm unhappy? Don't be angry with big brother, how about a smile?"

Xiao Ze helplessly pressed her little head into his neck crook: "I miss you too; hearing you actually impersonated the Emperor almost drove me crazy."

Tuan Tuan rubbed against his neck: "I'm fine! It's quite fun!"

"Mother Consort!" Xiao Jin stared longingly at the door, finally saw Noble Consort De, rushed into his mother's embrace: "You've finally come, Mother Consort!"

Noble Consort De embraced her son, myriad feelings surging—had she really left the palace?

What she never dared to imagine has actually come to pass.

Eunuch Cheng raised his sleeve to wipe his eyes: "Little Princess, you've almost scared this old servant to death."

Tuan Tuan slipped from Xiao Ze's arms, lunged into his embrace: "Woong-woong!"

Raising her head, she saw Xiao Er and Lu Qi, happily shouting: "Second Uncle! Seventh Uncle!"

Xiao Er and Lu Qi looked at her with smiles—the young lady is truly beloved by all!

"Little Princess, long time no see!" a woman's voice rang out.