Ji Lingchuan's voice grew increasingly fierce. He even reached out and grabbed Song Nanxin by the neck.
"Don't use quacks as an excuse. Doctor Zhong is currently in the posthouse. How about inviting him here to feel your pulse again?"
Seeing Song Nanxin's face instantly turn ashen, Ji Lingchuan said,
"I'll give you a chance to be honest. I want you to tell me yourself what you've done. If I find out on my own, I'll kill you with my own hands—"
The killing intent in his tone was undisguised. Song Nanxin felt him tightening his grip. The suffocating feeling of having her throat grabbed made her body tremble violently.
"I... I'll tell you—"
Ji Lingchuan released his hand in satisfaction. Just as he was about to hear her confession, a flurry of hasty and panicked footsteps sounded outside.
Song Yihuan, who had left earlier, rushed into the room recklessly, crying, "Ji Lingchuan, Xuan'er... Xuan'er is missing!"
What?!
Ji Lingchuan was greatly shocked. He immediately turned around and supported Song Yihuan, who almost tripped over the threshold. "What's going on? Tell me everything in detail!"
At this moment, Song Yihuan's hands and feet were ice - cold, and a chill seeped into her body. Her face was deathly pale, and her hair had become disheveled.
"I went to the Princess's room just now to talk to her about inviting a doctor to feel my pulse. But when I got there, Xuan'er was nowhere to be seen. The Princess didn't know when he had gone out either. We asked all the maids, servants, patrolling guards, and the posthouse staff, and they all said they hadn't seen Xuan'er. Where could he be at this late hour?"
As Song Yihuan spoke, tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her face. Ji Lingchuan, disregarding their status, wiped the tears from her face with his finger.
"Don't be anxious. The posthouse is only this big, and there are Black Armored Troops guarding it all around. He can't have gone far. We'll search floor by floor and ask room by room. We're sure to find him."
At this time, Song Nanxin stepped forward and said, "Xuan'er is missing? Yihuan, don't be anxious. The Crown Prince is right. He's always a sensible child and shouldn't have gone far. Crown Prince, Xuan'er is also my younger brother. I'll go with you to look for him."
Song Yihuan didn't know what Ji Lingchuan had said to Song Nanxin in the room just now. With Song Yixuan's sudden disappearance, she was extremely anxious. Naturally, an extra person meant an extra chance of success.
"Okay."
Ji Lingchuan turned back and gave Song Nanxin a cold look, temporarily letting her off. Then he strode out quickly.
When they reached the wing - room where Ji Zihuan was staying, Ji Lingchuan briefly explained the situation to him.
Ji Zihuan frowned. "I have a bit of an impression of that kid. Since he disappeared in the posthouse, of course we should look for him. If we can't find him in the posthouse, we'll expand the search area. We can search outside the posthouse and in the town. Cousin, don't have any concerns. Just search freely."
With Ji Zihuan's permission, Ji Lingchuan no longer hesitated. He immediately called Fu Zhou over.
"Master Song, the fifth young master, is missing. You should immediately organize two teams. One team will follow me and be responsible for searching every floor of the posthouse. You lead the other team to search around the posthouse. Don't miss any corner."
Master Song, the fifth young master, is missing? That was the apple of the Princess of Ning's eye. She had protected him like the apple of her eye all the way.
Fu Zhou sensed the seriousness of the matter and immediately said, "Yes! I'll follow your orders!"
At Ji Lingchuan's command, a small team of Black Armored Troops was immediately assembled to start searching every floor of the posthouse and the area outside.
Song Yihuan was concerned about her younger brother's safety and followed Ji Lingchuan to look for him. Song Nanxin didn't dare to get too close to Ji Lingchuan, so she volunteered to search the first floor of the posthouse.
Song Yihuan followed Ji Lingchuan and knocked on the doors of the wing - rooms one by one to inquire.
"Have you seen Master Song Yixuan, the young master of the Marquis's Mansion? He's this tall, with round eyes and a round face. His eyes will curve into crescents when he smiles."
"Have you seen my younger brother? His name is Song Yixuan. He's only four years old and this tall. Could he have accidentally entered your room?"
They searched all the wing - rooms on the third floor, but no one had seen Song Yixuan.
When they reached the second floor and knocked on the door of another wing - room, it was Gu Yunzheng who came to answer. Seeing Song Yihuan and Ji Lingchuan standing outside with solemn expressions, Gu Yunzheng was slightly taken aback. "What's going on?"
"Brother Gu, Xuan'er is missing. Have you been walking around in the posthouse just now? Have you seen his figure or heard any strange sounds?"
Song Yihuan took a step forward and anxiously asked Gu Yunzheng.
After Gu Yunzheng learned about it, his face also changed. "When did he go missing? When was the last time you saw him?"
Ji Lingchuan reached out and held Song Yihuan's arm, pulling her to his side. "He was still sitting in my mother's room an hour ago. But when Yihuan went to look for him at the second watch of the Hour of the Boar, he was nowhere to be seen. My mother didn't know when he left or where he had gone."
Gu Yunzheng saw Ji Lingchuan's protection and possessiveness towards Song Yihuan. A hint of bitterness flashed through his heart. Then he straightened his face and said, "I didn't see him, nor did I hear any other strange noises. I've had a few interactions with him. I'll go with you to look for him."
The commotion of looking for Song Yixuan was quite loud. The door of the wing - room next to Gu Yunzheng's opened, and Cao Jinyu walked out.
"Yihuan, I heard that your younger brother is missing. I'll go with you to look for him too."
The more people there were to look, the easier it would be to find him. Song Yihuan didn't refuse. Instead, she tightly held her hand. "A Yu, thank you!"
Gu Yunzheng and Cao Jinyu joined the team looking for Song Yixuan.
However, the posthouse was only this big, and the number of wing - rooms was limited. They knocked on the doors of every room, but still couldn't find Song Yixuan.
On the first floor of the posthouse, Song Yihuan saw Song Nanxin looking around. She rushed forward. "Sister, do you have any news about Xuan'er?"
Song Nanxin was startled by her. She pressed her chest and glanced at Ji Lingchuan, Gu Yunzheng and the others behind her. "I haven't found him here either."
Song Yihuan looked disappointed and subconsciously took a step back. Fortunately, Cao Jinyu supported her from behind.
A four - year - old child who usually never left Song Yihuan and the Princess of Ning's side and wasn't a playful child. Where could he be?
Song Yihuan's face was full of self - blame and sadness.
She shouldn't have let Xuan'er leave her side. She should have guarded him every step of the way.
Noticing her strange expression, Ji Lingchuan resisted the urge to hold her in his arms and comfort her. He said softly,
"Don't be in a hurry. If we can't find him in the posthouse, maybe he chased after a cat or a dog and ran outside the posthouse. Do you remember that he once got lost in the Prince's Mansion for the same reason?"
How could Song Yihuan not remember? She had a good memory and remembered every word her younger brother had said to her.
Seeing her face looking a bit better, Ji Lingchuan said again, "Don't worry. I've already sent the Black Armored Troops to search around the posthouse and in the town. We're sure to find him."
Wiping away her tears, Song Yihuan stubbornly picked up the lantern and said word by word, "No, I'll find him myself and bring him back."