Speaking of Ning Xuan, Song Fushu couldn't help frowning even deeper. "Your Highness is really prophetic."
"I've been focusing on investigating Young Master Ning's recent whereabouts these days."
"According to the investigation, two days before the last missing girl, Young Master Ning showed up at the sugar - figure stall in the west of the city and bought a lot of sugar figures at once. As far as I know, Young Master Ning doesn't like sweet food."
"If things stopped here, it could still be regarded as a coincidence. But the sugar - figure vendor is the father of that missing girl. Since then, the girl suddenly disappeared, and Young Master Ning has also been missing."
"Could it be that the people who made Young Master Ning disappear are the same ones who made the girls disappear?"
Xie Si pondered for a moment, his fingertips twitching slightly. "It's hard to say."
"Based on the current information, those people have a clear target. They only want girls born in the yin year of the Chinese zodiac and no older than ten. "
"I've checked Ning Xuan's birth date. It's not in the yin year, and besides, Ning Xuan is a man, not a young girl. "
"If they are really the same group of people, why would they break their own rule and kidnap Ning Xuan? Moreover, the missing girls are all from ordinary families in the capital, which means these people have been stationed in the capital for a long time. They couldn't have been unaware of Ning Xuan's identity."
After Xie Si's analysis, Song Fushu's mind was in a mess but also somewhat clear. He wanted to catch something, but he couldn't grasp anything.
Xie Si poured the clear wine into his mouth and said indifferently, "Kidnapping the only heir of the Duke of Dingguo is a rather risky move, unless..."
"Unless they didn't know Ning Xuan's identity!" Song Fushu blurted out as if he had just had an epiphany.
Xie Si nodded. "I think rather than saying they didn't know Ning Xuan's identity, it's more likely that they didn't even know they had kidnapped Ning Xuan."
"On the premise that Ning Xuan was indeed kidnapped by this group of people." After all, Ning Xuan didn't disappear in the previous life. So it couldn't be ruled out that there was someone else imitating the modus operandi of that group to kidnap Ning Xuan.
It was even possible that Ning Xuan was self - directing and self - acting.
After all, even he didn't want to get along with Ning Xuan too much. Ning Xuan's actions were so strange that it was hard to figure him out.
To put it simply, he was a bit crazy.
Xie Si also told Song Fushu his suspicion. "It's very likely that all this was self - directed and self - acted by Ning Xuan. It was probably his stupid idea."
"Ah?" Song Fushu was shocked. "It's unlikely, isn't it? Is Young Master Ning crazy to self - direct and self - act like this?"
"We still don't know who those people are. How could Young Master Ning take such a risk with his own life?"
Song Fushu thought Xie Si's suspicion was rather absurd. According to what Xie Si said, what could Ning Xuan possibly gain? There was no guarantee that he could get out safely.
Xie Si shook his head and snorted softly. "If you look at Ning Xuan with common sense, you'll be making a big mistake."
"Maybe you think it's unbelievable for someone to give up a good life and put himself in danger, but when it comes to Ning Xuan, nothing is impossible. There's only what you can't think of, not what he can't do."
It was normal for Song Fushu not to know much about Ning Xuan since he wasn't raised in the capital.
After all, this wasn't the first time Ning Xuan had played with his own life.
Song Fushu still couldn't understand, but Xie Si didn't give him any more time to think. "Go and check if Ning Xuan has any grudges with anyone, or if there are any conflicts of interest between the Duke of Dingguo's mansion and others."
"See if that's the reason for his kidnapping. Also, check if Ning Xuan really wanted to be kidnapped and how he managed to pull it off without being discovered."
When it came to conflicts of interest, Song Fushu couldn't help but think of the Crown Prince. But Xie Si was the Crown Prince's cousin. He hesitated whether to tell Xie Si his thought.
What he thought of, Xie Si naturally also thought of. "It's not the Crown Prince. He doesn't have the guts."
Hearing this, Song Fushu understood. Just as he was about to take his leave, Xie Si called him back.
Xie Si clapped his hands. Outside the door, Laifu opened the door, and two scantily - clad women came in.
"What..." Song Fushu was confused.
Before he could finish his words, the two women clung to him.
Song Fushu's fair cheeks flushed instantly. He tried to pull his hands out of the women's arms while stammering, "Your, Your Highness... this..."
Xie Si waved his hand and walked towards the door. "They're for you. Enjoy them."
Song Fushu thought: No, he didn't want them!
He finally managed to break free and was about to run out when Laifu quickly closed the door with a bang.
He even locked it from the outside and joked, "My Lord Song, our Young Master said you can't come out until dawn!"
Song Fushu was speechless.
He started to play a game of chase with the two women in the room.
After a long while, Song Fushu stopped, out of breath. He raised a hand and said, "Wait! I'm tired, and you must be tired too. Let's all sit down and rest."
The two women looked at each other. They were indeed tired, so they sat down opposite Song Fushu.
After drinking some tea, Song Fushu calmed down and understood what Xie Si was up to.
He had never visited brothels before, but he had been there more than once these days. It was inevitable that people would be suspicious.
Thinking of this, he had no choice but to accept his fate. After discussing with the two women, they just sat there without touching each other.
On the other side, after Xie Si came out, he didn't leave. Instead, he asked the madam to arrange a singing girl for him. He didn't leave until late at night.
"Your Highness, the tail is gone." After returning to the Rong Prince's Mansion, Laifu walked beside Xie Si and whispered.
Xie Si let out a soft grunt, rubbed his tired eyes, and entered his own courtyard.
He had to wait until tomorrow to send the message to Princess Yining. This life of calculating was really tough.
...
"Master." Yuan Qing saw the purple jade screen in the inner chamber. After getting Xie Weiwei's permission, he stepped into the area behind the screen.
Behind the screen, there was a small table on which there was only a lotus - shaped lamp. The wick was burning extremely brightly.
Xie Weiwei was wearing his inner clothes. His jet - black hair was scattered on his shoulders, making him look otherworldly.
He stared silently at the lamp on the table.
Yuan Qing remained calm. He was already used to his master often staring blankly at this lamp. "Young Master went to the Moonlit Pavilion this time and didn't return to the mansion until the ugly hour. He ordered the same singing girl as before."
Xie Weiwei remained expressionless, his look cold. "Chang'an is so naughty. If he causes any trouble, Father will be angry, and Mother's health will probably get even worse."
Yuan Qing bowed his head and replied, "I understand, sir."
"Has Chang'an had any contact with the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Ningyuan recently?" Xie Weiwei's eyes never left the lamp.
He didn't know if it was his imagination, but it seemed that since he attended the coming - of - age ceremony at the Marquis of Ningyuan's mansion last time, the wick had been burning much faster.
Yuan Qing shook his head. "No. Young Master hasn't bothered Miss Jiang again."
Xie Weiwei lowered his eyelids, his sword - like eyebrows furrowing slightly. The scene of their encounter that day and the girl's beautiful figure kept flashing in front of his eyes, making him feel restless for no reason.
"Knock, knock, knock..." The door was knocked from the outside.
Yuan Qing went to take a look and then came back. "Master, the Prince asks you to go to the study. He said he has something to discuss with you."
Xie Weiwei nodded. "I see. You can go."