"One day, I couldn't find him, and there was no news. My heart has been hanging on this matter! Zhen Nan can't be replaced by anyone else. Those who are thinking of him in their hearts won't be at peace working for me. This is really getting in the way!"

  With no outsiders around, Ma Xi Sheng stopped calling himself Gu (orphan) and instead looked like he was waiting for his mother to come and save him.

  "You're also too impatient! Isn't it just a month or two? Wait until someone has been missing for a year or half a year, who will still remember him? Who can still stop you?"

  "So you won't care about him?" Ma Xi's voice was full of surprise, he never thought that the Queen Mother wasn't worried at all.

  "Don't worry, just wait patiently for the outcome. Calm down." Yuan De Fei was consoling her when they heard someone speaking outside the palace.

  "General Zhao, please be flexible! I must see the king, this matter cannot wait!"

  "How annoying, they've even chased us all the way here......" Ma Xi said discontentedly, Yuan De fei cleared her throat: "Your Majesty, are you not going to see them?"

  "Bring him in!" Ma Xi shouted impatiently, ordering Zhao Jichang to lead the man into the hall.

  "What's the hurry?"

  General Cheng knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, Wu Yue has recently been recruiting soldiers extensively, bordering on the water domain. The military envoy came to report that Wu Yue is suspected of having an aggressive mind. I sincerely request Your Majesty to deploy troops to defend against the enemy and stabilize the army's morale!"

  "What? Wu Yue is also trying to take advantage of the situation?! How despicable! I'll..."

  "Cough, cough." Ma Xi's words were cut off by Zhao Jichang's sudden cough. He looked at Zhao Jichang and then showed a hesitant expression: "I'll... discuss it with the Right Minister and others before making a decision!"

  "Your Majesty..."

  "General Cheng, the king has already given his orders, you can go back and wait for news!" Zhao Jichang immediately drove him away.

  "But..."

  Zhao Jichang glared at General Cheng: "Don't you see that there are still important matters here with His Majesty?"

  What's the big deal? What can be more important than the country's safety? But this clearly showed an attitude of not allowing further discussion, and General Cheng could only reluctantly retreat.

  As soon as General Cheng left, Ma Xi's enthusiasm for talking to the Empress Dowager disappeared. He was about to take his leave when Yuan De suddenly asked: "What is the Peng family's reaction to the disappearance of Prince Qi?"

  Ma Xi thought for a moment: "Peng Hui has been on sick leave for over a month..."

  "Really? I thought they would ask for the engagement to be called off!"

  Ma Xi's eyebrows shot up - he had actually forgotten about this!

  ……

  Peng Lan brought rouge and lip balm just as she arrived at her mother Xu Shi's door, only to run into a group of maids being chased out.

  She glanced at the untouched dishes on the tray, and after the servant withdrew, she knelt down beside Madam Xue's feet.

  "Mother, I'm unfilial as a daughter, no matter how angry you are, this meal can't be skipped!"

  Mrs. Xu's face was filled with a bitter expression, she didn't let her daughter get up, instead she took out a handkerchief and started wiping away tears.

  "Mother..."

  "Lan'er! You're engaged to Qi Wang, and you said he's been very good to you. How is it that at this critical moment, you don't have any news from him, not even knowing what happened to him?"

  Peng Lan bowed her head in distress: "Mother, I don't understand either..."

  "Don't understand? These three words are spoken so lightly! Now the one in the western wing is watching our joke!"

  Peng Lan was shocked and looked up: "Xixiang? What right does she have?"

  "She also has a daughter!"

  Xu said, a tear fell, Peng Lan suddenly panicked: "Could it be..." Before she finished speaking, her face changed greatly, and then she jumped up: "I'll go find Dad!"

  Peng Lan hastily ran out, Yan Zhi hurriedly chased after her, while Madame Xu wiped away tears with a handkerchief.

  Peng Lan hastily arrived at the front yard and rushed straight to the study, but was stopped by the steward standing at the door.

  "Big sister!"

  "Shòu shū, wǒ lái jiàn diē..."

  Translation: "Uncle Shou, I've come to see Father..."

  "Shh!" The housekeeper made a quiet gesture, glanced at the study, and then made a please-follow-me gesture, leading Peng Lan to walk a little further away.

  "Miss! The master is receiving a noble guest in his study, it's not suitable for you to enter at this time."

  "Who is it? A noble guest?"

  "The housekeeper pursed her lips: 'You'd better not ask.'"

  Peng Lan's face turned gloomy upon hearing this, she glanced at the study: "Who is it?"

  The housekeeper lowered his head and didn't respond, but Peng Lan had already gotten her answer: "Sixth Young Master?"

  The butler looked at Peng Lan in surprise, apparently not expecting the clever young lady to have already guessed the answer, but he remained silent.

  "My father wants to marry Rong'er off to Sixth Master, right?"

  The housekeeper sighed: "Young lady, since you're as clear-minded as a mirror, why bother asking?"

  Peng Lan's face showed a hint of pain upon hearing the words, and she immediately turned around and walked away. She rushed to a secluded corner of the garden and stopped in front of an old tree, her eyes reddening.

  "Miss! Over there!" The maid, Rou'er, tugged on her sleeve and pointed to one side, where the second daughter of the Peng family, Peng Xiang, was strolling in the garden with her maid, Xiuxiu, beaming with joy.

  Peng Lan hastily pulled up her skirt and retreated to one side, she didn't want to see the other party on this festive occasion. At this time, a small servant ran in from the side door and rushed to Peng Xiang's side.

  "Congratulations, Second Miss!"

  Xiu Xiu's voice rose eight degrees in excitement: "Did it work?"

  "It's settled! The young one heard it clearly, the old master spoke up, and the sixth son also agreed. He said that in a few days, he would have someone send over the eight characters (of his birth date)."

  Peng Lan's face behind the old tree suddenly looked a few shades worse.

  "This is the reward given by the second young lady! If there's any news, hurry up and run quickly!"

  "Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, Miss Er!"

  The little servant walked away, and Peng Lan's hand behind the tree had already clenched into a fist.

  "Miss, you're going to turn over this time!"

  "Heaven will give me a chance and I will seize it."

  Peng Xiang walked away happily with Xiu Xiu, while Peng Lan looked at her with a pained expression and whispered: "Miss, if Sixth Master really marries Second Miss, and you... then what will happen to you in the future..."

  "Shut up!" Peng Lan gritted her teeth, her eyes gleaming like a knife: "I will never allow myself to become a failure because of Prince Qi's disappearance!"

  Peng Lan said and turned back to walk towards Peng He's study, but as soon as she stepped into the courtyard, she saw the steward Peng Shou leading Peng Yan into the study.

  "Isn't that Peng Zhang? How could he..."

  Peng Er is a distant relative of the clan, serving as an eighth-rank Yijie School Lieutenant in Nan Chuan County. According to convention, he should not appear at the Peng manor. Moreover, his father had only returned to Changsha Prefecture temporarily after the previous king's passing and the new king's ascension. Their meeting now made Peng Lan feel strange, so she quickly walked to the front of the study and listened in through the window.

  "Are you sure?" His father's voice was filled with a hint of joy.

  "Of course, I'm sure! At first, I didn't think it was Prince Qi either. It wasn't until General Du led his troops to chase after me and showed me the portrait that I realized it was 70-80% similar to the person! At the time, I felt something was off, but I didn't dare speak up, afraid of hurting our young mistress..."

  "Cut the nonsense! I'm asking you, do you know where he went?"

  "He left from the west gate of Nanchuan, and after crossing the Headman Mountain, it was Shu territory..."

  "Shu territory?" Peng Yue's voice was full of surprise: "He actually ran out of the borders of Chu State?"

  Peng Lan heard this and lifted her skirt as she rushed into the study room, "Father, please let me take someone to Shu to find Qi Wang!"