Chapter 030: The Truth Behind the Arson Case

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“Ah!!”

Huan Tao screamed the instant she saw two masked men suddenly spring out before her, knives in hand and a person slung over one of their shoulders.

The four of them stopped dead, staring at one another.

Gu Nanshu dared not move forward recklessly. Instinctively, she spread her arms and shielded the frightened Huan Tao behind her, her gaze falling upon Feng Yuxi, who was being carried over the shoulder of one of the men in black. She understood at once that they had fallen into a trap.

The sudden fire at the Jiang residence was merely a ruse. Most likely, these two masked men had deliberately set the ancestral hall ablaze, intending to lure everyone away through a diversion. Their true objective was to abduct Feng Yuxi.

Gu Nanshu’s brows drew together as she asked, “Who are you? Why are you taking the bride?”

The shorter masked man raised his knife and shouted, “Smart girl, step aside! We have no wish to harm you, but Feng Yuxi must come with us.”

Hearing that they had no intention of killing anyone, Huan Tao gripped Gu Nanshu’s sleeve and dragged her backward, stammering, “P-Princess Consort, we should leave at once. Please, don’t meddle in this!”

When the maid addressed her mistress as Princess Consort, the masked man carrying Feng Yuxi narrowed his eyes. The life of a princess consort was worth far more than Feng Yuxi’s. With another hostage in hand, they would have another bargaining chip. Surely Jiang Mubai would not dare refuse to come and save them.

Having reached that conclusion, the masked man pointed at Gu Nanshu and ordered his subordinate, “Cheng Yi, take her as well.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Cheng Yi swiftly reached out and struck Gu Nanshu on the neck with the edge of his hand.

Even as she lost consciousness, she was still wondering why the Young Master’s voice sounded so familiar.

Gu Nanshu fell unconscious against Cheng Yi’s shoulder. He hoisted her up and hurried after the Young Master, who had already leapt onto the roof.

Huan Tao had collapsed to the ground in terror, crying for help again and again. Yet there was no one in the courtyard; everyone had gone to the Jiang ancestral hall to put out the fire.

Before long, Feng Zhinian arrived with his men. Seeing Huan Tao sprawled on the ground in panic, he realized that something was wrong. He hauled her to her feet and demanded harshly, “Where is Imperial Aunt?!”

Huan Tao burst into tears. Raising a trembling finger toward the rooftops, she cried, “The princess consort was seized by assassins! They escaped across the roofs. Young Master Feng, hurry and go after them!”

Feng Zhinian followed the direction of her finger, but there was no sign of anyone. He immediately instructed her, “Go and inform Imperial Uncle at once! I’ll take my men after them first.”

“Yes! I’m going now!” Huan Tao wiped away her tears and ran toward the Jiang ancestral hall.

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“Pursue them!”

Feng Zhinian and his men leapt onto the rooftops. In the distance, the two men in black had just forced Gu Nanshu and Feng Yuxi into a carriage and were preparing to drive away.

Feng Zhinian clenched his teeth, leapt from the roof, and gave chase at full speed, sword in hand.

The cold wind rushed past his ears as branches rustled in the night.

Across the rooftops lining both sides of the street, dark shadows suddenly appeared in great numbers.

Like bats, they descended with claws bared, the sharp blades in their hands flashing coldly. They leapt from the roofs and surrounded Feng Zhinian and his men so completely that not even a drop of water could pass through, blocking their path.

Feng Zhinian was secretly startled. There were actually so many of them. It seemed that the two men in black were not the only ones involved in tonight’s abduction of Feng Yuxi. Judging by this formation, they belonged to a large organization and had prepared an ambush long in advance.

Who were these people? And what did they want with Feng Yuxi?

At the Jiang ancestral hall, the raging fire had been extinguished halfway, but the entire Jiang family shrine had been burned beyond recognition. The ancestral tablets inside had almost all been reduced to ashes, a truly heartrending sight.

The destruction of the shrine signified that a great calamity was about to befall the entire Jiang family.

The elders of the Jiang clan knelt upon the ground, weeping and cursing like tormented spirits. They had no idea which bastard had set fire to the ancestral hall. Whoever it was could hardly be called human!

Supported by Yi Fei, Jiang Mubai hurried to the scene. When he saw the Jiang family shrine, ravaged by fire, his face turned deathly pale. His body swayed, and he nearly collapsed. His handsome features were filled with anguish.

His hands clenched tightly into fists as he thought unwillingly, Who had burned his family’s ancestral hall?

If he discovered who was responsible, he would tear that person limb from limb!

Standing before the blaze, Lu Heng wore a grave expression. The destruction of the Jiang ancestral hall was a minor matter to him, but the arson had taken place on the very day of Feng Yuxi and Jiang Mubai’s wedding. It concerned the dignity of his elder sister and the Chief Minister. There was surely more to this fire than met the eye, and the matter had to be investigated thoroughly.

The Jiang ancestral hall was packed with people. Everyone was pointing and whispering. Having reached the shrine, Huan Tao pushed through the crowd and searched anxiously for Lu Heng. The moment she spotted him, she hurried over.

She dropped to her knees and sobbed, “Your Highness, something terrible has happened! The princess consort—she was seized by assassins! Miss Feng Yuxi was taken as well!”

Lu Heng’s gaze sharpened. A furious blaze seemed to burst within his eyes as he lowered his head and demanded coldly, “What did you say?”

Then he looked at the burned ancestral hall before him. He understood immediately.

This was a diversion to lure the tiger away from the mountain.

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The assassins’ true objective had surely been to seize Feng Yuxi and Gu Nanshu. With the Jiang residence so heavily guarded today, they could never have taken the two women so easily.

Only by setting fire to the ancestral hall could they draw away everyone’s attention and vigilance, giving the assassins an opportunity to strike.

Who were those assassins? Why had they abducted Feng Yuxi and Gu Nanshu?

Nearby, Jiang Mubai heard that Feng Yuxi had been taken by assassins. His expression changed at once, and he stared at Huan Tao in shock. How could assassins have appeared out of nowhere?

Could it be…?

He, too, had realized the truth.

“When was the princess consort taken? Did anyone pursue the assassins?” Lu Heng asked sternly.

Huan Tao replied anxiously, “About fifteen minutes after Your Highness left. Young Master Feng has already sent men after them, but they haven’t returned yet.”

Was it because he had left then?

Lu Heng felt a pang of regret. If only he had kept Gu Nanshu by his side, she would not have been captured.

Huan Tao had barely finished speaking when a guard hurried through the courtyard gate. With a furrowed brow, he reported to Lu Heng, “Your Highness, Young Master Feng sent word that the assassins who came to abduct people from the Jiang residence tonight had laid an ambush nearby—nearly one or two hundred of them. The carriage carrying the princess consort has already left the city and disappeared. Young Master Feng asks that you hurry to the city gate and join him.”

The news was deeply troubling. Who could have imagined that nearly two hundred men had been lying in ambush in the shadows? Clearly, the abductors had come fully prepared.

And now the carriage had vanished. No one knew where Gu Nanshu and Feng Yuxi had been taken, or whether they were in danger. A massive search would have to be organized at once to rescue them as quickly as possible.

Calm and composed, Lu Heng swiftly gave instructions to Lie Yan and Yun Feng.

“Yun Feng, send men to search the entire city immediately. Do not overlook the slightest clue or a single corner.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Yun Feng accepted the order and departed at once.

Lu Heng then turned to Lie Yan. “Go summon the Wind-Riding Guards and bring them out of the city with me.”

“Yes.”

The entire capital was thrown into a state of uproar and alarm. The Grand Princess’s residence was likewise filled with thunderous fury. Who could be so audacious as to abduct her daughter and her younger brother’s wife?