Chapter 67: Surrounded

The capital was far too vast, with hundreds of thousands—possibly millions—of people. It was impossible to find anyone.

After questioning all the servants in the Qiu residence, they only managed to learn that the women had likely left through the South Corner Gate just at dawn. Beyond that, no one knew anything.

Pei Yuan personally led a search party out through the southern gate of the city. They searched a hundred li out, but didn’t even find a strand of Bao Ning’s hair.

Pei Yuan had never been in great health to begin with. It usually wasn’t noticeable, but now, with worry and stress weighing him down, his eyes were becoming increasingly swollen by the day, and his complexion had grown pale. Wei Meng didn’t dare let him continue traveling such long distances. After much persuasion, he finally convinced him to stay in the capital and rest.

But Pei Yuan couldn’t sleep. He felt like something was seriously wrong with him. Ever since leaving the room he had once shared with Bao Ning, no place felt comfortable. There was no trace of her scent, and he simply couldn’t settle down. Yet when he lay on that canopy bed, his mind was filled with her every smile and frown—as if, when he closed his eyes, she was right beside him. But when he opened them again, the room was dark and empty. The loneliness became unbearable, and he had to get up again.

He managed to sleep for half an hour at most, during which he had a string of dreams. Half-asleep, he could no longer tell what was real and what wasn’t. He just felt someone breathing softly by his ear, warm and gentle—just like Bao Ning.

Pei Yuan smiled with his eyes closed and reached out, only to grab a fistful of coarse, stiff hair.

Someone groaned in a rough voice, “Ow—ow! That hurts!” The voice was harsh and grating—nothing like Bao Ning’s.

Disappointed, Pei Yuan withdrew his hand and wiped his palm on his trousers, trying to fall back asleep, hoping Bao Ning would return in his next dream.

Wei Meng looked at the few strands of hair that had been yanked from his head, scalp still tingling. Pei Yuan had truly lost it. If they still couldn’t find the young madam, Wei Meng had no doubt Pei Yuan would burn the entire general’s manor to the ground—possibly taking himself with it.

Wei Meng mulled over the piece of news he had just received—unsure whether it was good or bad—and hesitated on whether to tell Pei Yuan.

After a brief pause, he decided to wake him: “Young General, someone just reported in—turns out that young master Ji has also been missing for two or three days.”

Pei Yuan had his arm resting over his forehead. Eyes still drowsy, he squinted and asked hoarsely, “What?”

“The morning Madam disappeared, Young Master Ji left home too. And he hasn’t returned since,” Wei Meng said. “I’m starting to think maybe the two are connected?”

Pei Yuan shot upright.

He had hardly slept in days, and the area around his temples throbbed like it was about to burst.

He pressed his forehead hard, grabbed the robe by his pillow and began putting it on. “Why didn’t you say this earlier?!”

“We assumed he went to the academy, didn’t think much of it. Only after a few days did people start getting suspicious,” Wei Meng sighed. “But even with suspicion, no one knows where Ji Yun went. Still no leads.”

Pei Yuan froze mid-movement.

There were no lamps lit in the room. It was pitch black. No moonlight, only the sound of wind howling through the cracks in the windows. Aside from that, the silence was suffocating.

Wei Meng stared at Pei Yuan’s blank expression, not daring to speak further.

Pei Yuan exhaled heavily, like all the energy had drained from him. He stopped getting dressed and collapsed back onto the bed.

He had just gotten a glimpse of hope—and it vanished in an instant. His heart had been pounding moments earlier. But now, joy turned quickly into emptiness. He tugged at his collar, trying to breathe, his mind lost in a daze.

Wei Meng felt a pang of pity. Pressing his lips together, he tried to offer comfort: “Young General, maybe let it go? Take a few days’ rest before searching again. Madam might come around and return on her own. She’s a woman alone out there—life won’t be easy. After some hardship, she’ll realize your worth. Besides, your body can’t take this anymore.”

“Bullshit!” Pei Yuan glared and kicked Wei Meng hard in the left shoulder, knocking him to the floor.

“You know she’s suffering out there, and you still tell me to wait? A man like you will never find a wife in his life!”

“And you still can’t find her,” Wei Meng muttered, now sitting cross-legged and shrugging. “The world’s too big. You’re just flailing around blindly. Even if you search for ten years, it’s useless. Who knows?

Madam might be married with children by then…”

Before he could finish, Pei Yuan was already seething with rage. He grabbed the pillow and hurled it at Wei Meng. “Get out! Get the hell out!”

Wei Meng took another hit to the right shoulder. Rubbing it in exasperation, he got up and headed toward the door.

Pei Yuan listened to the sound of his heavy, dragging footsteps. His heart twisted so much it felt like it could wring out tears. Staring blankly at the canopy above his bed, his thoughts spiraled wildly. Then, in a sudden flash, he remembered something—Bao Ning had once murmured something in her sleep.

She said, “Ah Yun, the big house you bought for your sister—she really likes it.”

He’d laughed at her then, calling her money-obsessed for dreaming about counting coins. But… could it be that Ji Yun had really bought her a house?

Pei Yuan’s mind lit up like it had just been struck. He cursed himself for being stupid—for only now realizing such a crucial clue.

All his exhaustion and despair were swept away in an instant. His eyes lit up with a renewed fire. He leapt off the bed and bolted out the door.

Wei Meng heard the commotion and turned around, startled. Pei Yuan’s intense, eerie glow in his eyes gave him a fright. “Young General, you—”

Pei Yuan had no time to explain. He shouted back only one line: “Prepare the horses. At dawn, we’re going to the Duke’s estate!”

Pei Yuan arrived almost to the minute.

He couldn’t wait to go through formalities or send in a visiting card, or even wait for the Duke’s permission—he went straight through the back gate.

The kitchen maids often went out through the back door to buy vegetables. Pei Yuan spotted the door crack open just slightly and immediately slipped in, knocking the old woman’s basket to the ground.

Startled, the old maid nearly screamed, but Wei Meng quickly shoved a silver ingot into her hand with a grin. “That’s the Fourth Prince who just went in—our young master. He has urgent business. Do us a favor and pretend you didn’t see anything.”

Still shaken, the maid clutched the silver, patted her chest, and happily walked away.

Madam Xu had just gotten up and was being helped with her hair. When she heard someone report that her son-in-law had arrived, she didn’t believe it. Peeking out through a crack in the window, she saw a tall figure standing in the courtyard. Only then did she hurriedly wash up and rush out to meet him.

Pei Yuan stuffed a gift he had prepared into her hands and awkwardly called out, “Aunt.”

The term felt strange and forced. Only then did Pei Yuan realize—Bao Ning had been married to him for half a year, and he had never formally met her family.

The thought filled him with guilt, and his fists clenched at his sides.

Madam Xu was utterly flattered.

She had only met Pei Yuan twice. The first time, he was still in a wheelchair—handsome but aloof, not easy to approach. He had sat with Bao Ning for over two hours but hadn’t said a single word to her.

After Bao Ning left, Madam Xu even told her maid that Pei Yuan had a bad temper. He was a prince, after all—though fallen from grace, he hadn’t been removed from the jade registry. He still held noble status. She feared Bao Ning would suffer in that marriage.

But now, here was her son-in-law showing up unexpectedly with lavish gifts. Madam Xu was dazed with delight.

Though her joy lasted only a moment. She quickly came to her senses: “Why didn’t Bao Ning come with you?”

Pei Yuan’s mouth went dry. He lied, “She caught a cold and is resting at home. She said she’d visit in a few days.”

It was odd for him to show up alone—Madam Xu clearly didn’t believe him. Pei Yuan scrambled for an excuse and continued weaving his lie. “Bao Ning said it’s your birthday today, so I brought gifts to celebrate.”

“Oh…” Madam Xu was confused. Her birthday was later in the year—Bao Ning would never forget that.

She immediately sensed that Pei Yuan was lying. But still uneasy in his presence, she didn’t press further.

Smiling, she led him in, “Since you’re here, sit for a while. Have some breakfast before you go.”

The moment she said that, Pei Yuan realized: Madam Xu didn’t know Bao Ning had run away.

His heart sank again. Forcing a smile, he replied, “No need—I just came to see you.”

Hearing this, Madam Xu actually felt relieved. She truly didn’t want to keep him there. An unmarried man lingering in her home might invite gossip, and more importantly—though Pei Yuan was smiling, his expression was stiff and cold, making people uneasy. Madam Xu thought to herself, if her soft and gentle daughter had to live with a man like that, she must be suffering.

Pei Yuan didn’t notice her subtle disapproval. Still anxious, he casually asked, “Where is Ji Yun?”

Xu-shi said, “He went to the academy. He mentioned he had an exam coming up in a few days and didn’t have time to come home, so he’s staying there.”

But the academy had already been checked—he wasn’t there. Ji Yun and his mother were lying. Pei Yuan swallowed his rising anger and asked again, “I heard Ji Yun’s been doing well lately, even managed to buy property. Do you happen to know where?”

Xu-shi shook her head. “He’s grown up. I don’t know much about his affairs and haven’t asked. I only know he’s close with his second brother-in-law—Jia Xian, the second son of Marquis Chongyuan. You could try asking him.”

Finally, a lead. Pei Yuan let out a sigh of relief, gave a quick bow of thanks, and left without even waiting for Xu-shi’s reply, heading straight to the Marquis of Chongyuan’s residence.

Xu-shi looked at her maid, bewildered, and sighed, “This son-in-law of mine…”

She didn’t dare speak ill of Pei Yuan, just clapped her hands together and sighed again. “Oh, my Bao Ning…”

——

Pei Yuan led a small team on horseback, galloping swiftly. In less than fifteen minutes, they arrived at the Marquis of Chongyuan’s gate. Using the same method as before, he slipped in through the back door and went straight to the second household.

Jia Xian was still in his underclothes and was startled to see the Fourth Prince at his door. When he heard Pei Yuan’s question, his face twisted into one of difficulty. “Ah… Ji Yun used his own money to buy the estate. I honestly don’t know where it is.”

Pei Yuan had heard of Jia Xian’s character—he was greedy, the kind of man who’d bend over for a mere bushel of rice.

Grinding his teeth, nearly driven mad by the string of dead ends, Pei Yuan still couldn’t afford to lose control. He signaled Wei Meng to write an IOU and said, “If you tell me how big Ji Yun’s estate is, I’ll give you three in return!”

Jia Xian feigned hesitation for a while before finally revealing a location: “I heard it’s in Lihu.”

Pei Yuan, who had been on edge for three whole days, finally felt a brief moment of relief and immediately rushed toward Lihu.

Lihu was nearly two hundred li from the capital—a fairly bustling little town near mountains and water. It was named after a lake on the edge of the town, also called Lihu. To get there from the capital, one had to pass a tall mountain called Yandang. Fortunately, there was a narrow gorge through the mountains that allowed passage on regular days.

But as luck would have it, just as Pei Yuan’s group reached the foot of Yandang Mountain, thunder cracked overhead.

Wei Meng grew anxious about Pei Yuan’s condition. Only he and Bao Ning knew about the poison in Pei Yuan’s body. Though the leech had drawn out the worst of it and spared his life, rainy and damp weather still caused him unbearable bone pain. It hadn’t rained yet—but it could at any time. What would they do then?

Wei Meng wanted to persuade him to turn back.

Pei Yuan raised a hand to silence him, took hold of his reins, and was just about to charge into the gorge when a scout rushed up in a panic. “Young General! A lightning strike caused a rockfall ahead! The road’s blocked!”

“Then clear it!”

The scout replied, “It can’t be cleared! The rocks triggered more rockslides, completely sealing off the path. It’ll take at least three days to open it back up.”

Pei Yuan’s expression darkened. He stared at the blocked road for a long moment, then suddenly dismounted. “Leave the horses. We’ll take the mountain path!”

——

Inside the house, Bao Ning was crouched by a brazier, roasting sweet potatoes with honey. A-Mian and A-Huang, too hot to move, lay lazily in the corner, occasionally sniffing in the direction of the sweet smell.

Once one sweet potato was fully cooked, Bao Ning wrapped it in oiled paper and stuffed it into Ji Yun’s arms. “Take it. Go back to your room, eat it, and get some sleep. Also, go home tomorrow—you shouldn’t fall behind on your studies.”

“Sis… you’re not planning to go back to that general’s manor, are you?” Ji Yun held the package gingerly and asked cautiously. “Look—this place is nice. It’s cozy, it’s safe. I know you love animals, so I even had someone bring in a pet from another land—for your protection.”

Ji Yun had grown tall and strong, but he was still a teenager at heart. “If that guy dares come back and bother you, just let the dog bite him.”

Bao Ning laughed. Ji Yun had harbored resentment toward Pei Yuan for a long time. She didn’t know how to talk him out of it anymore, and honestly, she didn’t want to.

She asked, “From another land? Is it one of those little brown dogs with curly fur? The kind with bean-sized eyes?”

“Those are boring,” Ji Yun replied proudly. “I got a Tibetan mastiff from Tubo, through Second Brother-in-Law! Sis, have you heard of them?”

Bao Ning shook her head.

“They’re fierce,” Ji Yun said. “Their paws are as thick as your thigh. Vicious animals—they can hunt wolves!”

Bao Ning was amazed. She glanced at A-Huang, who was snoozing with his head tilted, and couldn’t picture what such a dog would even look like.

“It should arrive tomorrow,” Ji Yun said as he stood up, brushing the creases from his robe. “Sis, you rest well. I’ll head out first.”

Bao Ning saw him off, then returned to her room and resumed roasting sweet potatoes—but she couldn’t focus anymore.

While talking to Ji Yun, she had heard thunder outside and suddenly thought of Pei Yuan. A faint worry tugged at her heart. If it rained later, would his body hold up?

Then she scolded herself for being softhearted.

Judging from the way Pei Yuan had spoken to her that day, did he even need her worrying about him? He was probably thrilled she was gone—no doubt out hunting for some beautiful woman by now, basking in tender affections, happy as could be.

Bao Ning angrily bit into her roasted sweet potato.

The skies darkened and the wind picked up. She took the sweet potato, locked the door, washed her hands, and went to bed.

——

Around midnight, Pei Yuan finally arrived. His eyes were bloodshot, his clothes torn and ragged from scraping against tree branches. If not for the overwhelming aura of killing intent around him, he’d look just like a beggar.

He grabbed a servant and asked where Bao Ning’s courtyard was, then gave the immediate order—surround the entire place with soldiers!

Author’s Note:

Bao Ning’s family: Favorability -1 -1 -1 -1 -1

Younger brother: Just wait till I unleash my Tibetan mastiff on you. Let’s see if you survive it.

Sansukini: I hope he begs on his knees.

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