Free Web NovelChapter 34: Chapter 34: The Ninth Prince
It was the Ninth Prince and the army that he led. There were thousands of people, and it filled the space around them.
Fragmented memories that didn’t belong to her flashed in Ye Lingyue’s eyes. They were blurry, like an old television.
At this moment, Ye Lingyue suddenly realized that these memories belonged to Shen Wuqing. Her childhood memories.
She had heard about this Ninth Prince, a brilliant strategist who had lived on the border.
And the place where he lived... was near the Shen family.
Besides his latest victory in keeping an enemy nation in check and actually conquering one of their nearest cities, it seemed that he was returning to the Capital for the Shen family.
After all, he had studied under the Grand General Shen for some time and could be considered as his student.
Ye Lingyue blinked. This person possibly also knew Shen Wuqing ever since he was little. Luckily, she was not Shen Wuqing now and didn’t need to deal with the stupid missions anymore.
She didn’t need to pretend any longer.
The Ninth Prince’s convoy camped around their exile party for the night. She found it rather weird... which meritorious prince wanted to be seen getting close to an exiled minister’s household?
Everyone might just regard it as a coincidence, but is it really a coincidence? Ye Lingyue’s brain nearly burst because of it, and she shook her head.
"Yes. Don’t go anywhere tonight." Ye Lanxi warned her with a hard tone. "If they catch you, the consequence will be fatal."
The other family’s branches and imperial guards were still not aware of her recovery. The first and third branch might notice that she had gotten smarter, but they wouldn’t overthink it since she hadn’t done anything too out of place.
As for the imperial guards, they didn’t know about her personally, so they wouldn’t find it strange if she occasionally showed cleverness.
"Why should I follow your words?" Ye Lingyue blinked cunningly, revealing her stubbornness and rebelliousness.
"Lingyue!" Ye Lanxi raised his voice slightly.
She ignored him and walked toward the carriage. Once the night passed, they would move again early in the morning, abandoning the search for Ye Shaoqin.
Although she had just known him for less than a month, Ye Lingyue already regarded the clever little guy as someone close. She didn’t want to abandon him.
There was only one chance to slip away, and it was tonight.
Commander Leng Hai had gone to talk with the Ninth Prince. There were so many soldiers under the Ninth Prince that she never saw a glimpse of the leader himself.
The soldiers also built their own camping site, only a little far away.
Ye Lingyue furrowed her brows, hoping that she wouldn’t encounter the patrolling soldiers tonight.
When the sky gradually turned a lot darker, the imperial guards distributed rations to them. Only the second branch was roasting meat because Ye Lingrui had ’accidentally’ caught a wild chicken.
In a gentle tone, Ye Lingrui said, "We will roast it for dinner."
It actually wasn’t just them who were roasting meat. Quite a strong aroma also wafted from the direction of the camping tent nearest to them.
The first and second branches of the Ye family, the servants, and the imperial guards suddenly felt that the steamed bun in their hands didn’t feel tasty anymore.
They could only cast a look of envy in the people closest to them, the second branch of the Ye family. The scent wafting in the air was so mouthwatering that they subconsciously swallowed their saliva.
"The imperial guards that Commander Leng dispatched have returned," Ye Zhiqiu said, pressing his lips together.
They had just finished dinner, and the dejected Ye Shaoyin was already back in the carriage, accompanied by Shen Jingyi who was trying to lull her to sleep.
Ye Shaoyin had stopped crying long ago, but her eyes were still full of worries and distress.
They watched as the dozen imperial guards headed to their camping site, directly going to Commander Leng’s tent. They searched for a small figure among the tall imperial guards.
When they noticed that there was no one, their hearts sank.
The imperial guards had returned empty-handed without Ye Shaoqin.
Not far from them, Pei Cuiyun was biting her lips hard. Worry clawed into her eyes, and she was back sobbing again. Ye Yaoting’s expression didn’t look too good either.
Their family also hurriedly went to Commander Leng’s place to find the latest update about their son’s whereabouts.
"Commander Leng, where is my son? Did you find him?" Pei Cuiyun asked, her voice shaking and full of distress.
Commander Leng waited until his people finished their report before he went out to meet the third branch. He delivered the devastating news they had expected.
"They have searched all over the place and didn’t find your son." He shook his head.
Pei Cuiyun collapsed to the ground. Ye Yaoting crouched down, and she instantly clutched onto him, crying, desperately shaking her head.
She repeated with choked sobs. "Husband, it’s my fault. It’s my fault!"
Commander Leng didn’t say anything more. He glanced at the direction of the camping tent nearest to them. A flash of confusion appeared in his eyes.
Everyone already knew that the search didn’t yield a positive result judging from Pei Cuiyun’s reaction. They could only lament their son’s pitiful fate.
Ye Lingyue guessed that the third branch was looking for Ye Shaoqin desperately because he was their only male descendant for now. Or perhaps... they really care about him?
However, she did admit that the couple from the third branch was confusing sometimes.
When the night became deeper, Ye Lingyue opened her eyes and slipped away. She looked in the distance and could see some activity still happening on the other camping site where the Ninth Prince resided.
She didn’t think much and headed in a certain direction.
When she was washing the wild chicken earlier she noticed something. She doubted the imperial guards would want to continue the search for Ye Shaoqin during the night time.
"Who is it?" Ye Lingyue stopped abruptly.
She sensed someone approaching.
