Chapter 672

The guard beside him hastily reached out to steady him: "Your Highness!"

Qing Wang raised a hand to support his head, and fully understood.

It turned out that the fake courier and the false military report today were all to save Xiao Ran!

Who did it? Is it Princess Jiayou again?

He steadied his mind, put on a stern face, and asked: "Who came to take him? How many people? What did they look like?"

Zhang Tiegen trembled as he replied: "Report, report, Your Highness! Two people came in total."

"One was tall and dark-skinned, the other shorter, looking like a scholar."

"They, they were wearing our own people's clothes, and, and they were holding your jade pendant."

"They said they were acting on your orders, taking Xiao Ran away to prepare for the flag sacrifice."

"I, we had seen that jade pendant before, so we let them take the person."

"Our own people's clothes?" Qing Wang slowly turned, kicked Zhang Tiegen to the ground with one foot, and roared, "How could you be so stupid!"

"You actually let Xiao Ran be abducted from my mansion!"

"Don't you want your heads anymore?"

All the guards guarding the prison knelt down together: "Your Highness, please calm down! Your Highness, spare us!"

Zhang Tiegen sprang up from the ground, knelt straight, and hurriedly reported: "Your Highness! When they left, an old prisoner recognized one of them!"

Qing Wang urgently asked: "Who?"

"Xiao Yuanhang's chief guard, Xiao Er!"

"The old prisoner said he was Xiao Yuanhang's brother! He used to be the second master of the Ning Prince's Mansion!"

"Xiao Yuanhang's brother?" A glimmer of hope rose in Qing Wang's heart.

"Xiao Ran is missing; this person will do as well!"

"Bring the person to me!"

Zhang Tiegen's face showed difficulty.

"How?" Qing Wang's face turned ashen: "He was also taken away?"

Zhang Tiegen gritted his teeth, stood up, waved his hand, and the two guards hurriedly followed him.

Soon after, Xiao Yuanhua was dragged by three people before Qing Wang.

Qing Wang lowered his head and looked, his whole body stiffened.

The person on the ground was curled into a ball, like a worm stepped on and crushed.

His face was covered in blood and grime, his hair clumped into strands stuck to his face.

Both arms hung limp, twisted at an eerie angle at his sides, as if there were no bones inside.

His mouth was slightly open, a dark hole, his tongue gone, only a half-inch pink root remained, still oozing blood.

Qing Wang stepped back, a flash of shock crossing his face: "How did he become like this?"

Zhang Tiegen fell to his knees with a thud, bowing his head to the ground: "Your Highness, please calm down! I had no choice!"

"He shouted out Xiao Yuanhang's chief guard; how could I not be suspicious? At the time I immediately brought my brothers and surrounded them."

He swallowed saliva, glanced quickly at Qing Wang, then lowered his head again:

"But this person! He not only said the big dark-skinned man was Xiao Er, he also said the scholar-looking one was Xiao Er."

"What's more, he even pointed at me and said I was Xiao Er too!"

"I realized then that this person must be mad!"

"He probably bears a grudge against the one called Xiao Er, and sees everyone as him."

Qing Wang's face was as black as a pot bottom.

Zhang Tiegen's voice dropped lower: "I saw him shouting and raving like a madman, so I ordered his tongue cut off."

"But who would have thought, after the madman lost his tongue, his strength actually grew greater!"

"When he struggled, several people couldn't hold him down! Moreover, he nearly injured our brothers."

"No choice; I could only, I could only cripple both his arms."

Having said that, he knocked his head heavily to the ground, prostrated himself, and dared not move again.

Qing Wang lowered his head to look at Xiao Yuanhua, who was like mud on the ground.

His lips kept moving, but no sound came out.

On his bloody, blurred face, his eyes were wide open, his mouth opening and closing, as if he were still shouting Xiao Er.

Before Qing Wang's eyes went dark again.

"He's become like this; how can I use him tomorrow?"

"He probably won't even survive tonight!"

Qing Wang looked at the guards kneeling on the ground: "You neglected your duties, lost the prisoner—go! Each will receive fifty military strokes!"

"Replace everyone here with me! Get a few clever ones!"

Zhang Tiegen and the guards hastily kowtowed: "Thank you, Your Highness, for your mercy!"

"Attendants! Change my clothes! Prepare the horse! I am going to the palace!"

"Yes!"

Half an hour later, in Zichen Hall.

Qing Wang briefly recounted what had happened in his mansion.

Chen Wang listened, his face as still as water.

The Masked Man sat upright on the dragon throne, looking at them: "Has today's pacification notice been issued?"

Chen Wang replied: "It has already been issued."

Then tomorrow we will issue another notice, saying that the Nine Prince Xiao Ran, in prison, feared guilt and committed suicide; the rebel army has already lost its vanguard; the Imperial Court's royal troops will defend Jingcheng unto death.

Because of the losses caused by today's panic, each household can receive two taels of silver from the Imperial Court as compensation.

Order the Ministry of Revenue to first allocate this sum from the national treasury.

Qing Wang inwardly sighed in admiration: 'Supreme Venerable, your wisdom is outstanding! Today my mind is all in disarray; I am ashamed—my mansion is actually full of idiots!'

The Masked Man said: 'Not so.'

Qing Wang was startled.

Xiao Yuanhang's younger half-brother Xiao Yuanhua—I once had dealings with him in his youth.

Although he has been locked up for many days, he may not truly be mad.

Qing Wang asked: 'What does the Supreme Venerable mean?'

It should still be the work of Princess Jiayou.

Qing Wang, somewhat incredulous, said: 'Supreme Venerable, are you saying she drove Xiao Yuanhua mad?'

'No,' the Masked Man shook his head, 'her nature is purely good; she would certainly not do such a thing.'

But as long as she can make Xiao Yuanhua have everyone admit their mistake, the people in your mansion will naturally consider him mad.

The Xiao Er he recognized must also be in Jingcheng at this moment, right beside Princess Jiayou.

Don't underestimate him; he is no ordinary guard—Xiao Jieyun even ennobled him as Loyal and Brave General.

Chen Wang raised his head to look at the Masked Man: 'Supreme Venerable, this Princess Jiayou always thwarts our schemes; she is truly a formidable opponent.'

For now, we must first find her hiding place; we cannot allow her to continue stirring up trouble in Jingcheng.

The Masked Man nodded: 'That's correct.'

Qing Wang snorted: 'Brother Prince, you say it lightly, but we have searched the city several times and found not a trace.'

Now we don't even have any bait; how are we to find her?

Chen Wang's expression unchanged: 'Please, Supreme Venerable, make a decision.'

The Masked Man thought: 'Starting today, we will withdraw all those stationed before the doors of Princess Jiayou's old friends and acquaintances.'

Princess Jiayou is still young, loves to eat and play; she cannot stay put.

Since bait is useless, we might as well wait by the stump for the rabbit.

Chen Wang's face showed doubt.

Qing Wang couldn't help but ask: 'Supreme Venerable, we also need a stump first!'

The Masked Man's eyes held a smile: 'She once saw through the golden hairpin of the owner's wife of the Skillful Crisp Pavilion, saving her life; this story spread throughout Jingcheng.'

It is said that thereafter she would go to the Skillful Crisp Pavilion every few days to buy its pastries.

He shook his head: 'After all, she is still a child.'

Chen Wang nodded silently.

Qing Wang suddenly realized: 'Supreme Venerable, you are indeed brilliant!'