Chapter 91

Chapter 91: Lai Fu Went Missing

“Gone?” Sheng Zhi Wan frowned.

Lai Fu always loved eating and hated moving. Yesterday, if they had not lured Lai Fu with a chicken leg, Lai Fu would not even have run out to walk. How could Lai Fu have vanished?

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Check every nook and cranny.”

Sheng Zhi Wan felt uneasy. Sheng Zhi Wan quickly rinsed her mouth and went with them to search the courtyard.

They searched for a long time, but they still did not find any sign of Lai Fu.

Instead, a maid found half of a greasy chicken leg outside the gate of Ping Lan Residence.

The maid touched it and blurted, “Sister An Zhi, this chicken leg is still warm!”

The small kitchen had not started stewing chicken yet today, so where did this chicken leg come from?

When they looked again, the dirt by the bluestone under the wooden door also seemed to have traces of being dug at.

An Zhi immediately decided that Lai Fu, that greedy mutt, had definitely been lured out by someone using a chicken leg.

People from Ping Lan Residence began searching all over the Duke residence at once.

An Zhi and the others called, “Lai Fu!”

They shouted, “Lai Fu?!”

They searched the back garden, the front courtyard, and even turned the main kitchen upside down. They still did not see the little thing anywhere.

Sheng Zhi Wan looked at the water bowl, which was clean and had not been touched at all, and panic rose in her chest.

An Zhi tried her best to comfort Sheng Zhi Wan. “Princess, do not worry. Lai Fu is so cute. Someone must have liked him and taken him out for a walk. Maybe they will bring him back in a while. If he has not returned yet, he might just be playing outside and forgot his way back.”

An Zhi said this, but An Zhi was just as worried. Over the past month, everyone in Ping Lan Residence had truly come to love Lai Fu.

Sheng Zhi Wan forced a small smile. “You are right. That little heartless thing really did go with whoever had food.”

Even so, they had to keep searching.

They searched from daytime until evening.

The unease in Sheng Zhi Wan’s heart grew heavier and heavier. Sheng Zhi Wan had a very bad feeling.

Sheng Zhi Wan suddenly stood and said, “An Zhi, Ting Lan, stop searching for now. If we could find him, we would have already. If we still have not found him by now, it is likely someone hid him.”

Sheng Zhi Wan thought of what happened yesterday, and the first people she suspected were from Wei Yang Courtyard.

Sheng Zhi Wan immediately brought people straight to Wei Yang Courtyard.

Inside Wei Yang Courtyard, the lamps were bright. Maids and nannies hurried in and out nonstop.

Ever since Meng Yang began managing the household, Wei Yang Courtyard was no longer as quiet as before. Now the servants attending inside and outside were even more numerous than those in Sheng Zhi Wan’s own courtyard.

Qi Shu Xian stood in the courtyard with tightly furrowed brows.

From inside the room, Qing Liu’s excited voice rang out, “She is awake! Heir Apparent, Concubine is really awake!”

Qi Shu Xian’s brows loosened, and Qi Shu Xian strode inside.

Meng Yang’s eyes looked misty and unfocused as she opened them. She seemed unable to see clearly at first. After staring blankly for a moment, Meng Yang finally fixed her gaze on Qi Shu Xian.

Then Meng Yang’s lashes trembled, and tears fell like pearls. Meng Yang cried, “Heir Apparent! Heir Apparent, I thought I would never see the Heir Apparent again in this life…”

Meng Yang struggled to sit up.

Qi Shu Xian quickly bent down and gently helped Meng Yang up from the bed.

A strong smell of blood filled the room. Qi Shu Xian’s mouth tightened into a hard line as Qi Shu Xian ordered, “Dispose of it.”

Qing Xing’s face turned pale. Qing Xing picked up the porcelain basin on the floor and did not dare look closely. “Yes.”

Meng Yang seemed to notice the smell at last. Meng Yang asked, “Heir Apparent, what was that?”

Qi Shu Xian said, “Nothing.” Qi Shu Xian was afraid of frightening Meng Yang. “You were scared. Do you feel better now?”

As if remembering something terrible, Meng Yang immediately burrowed into Qi Shu Xian’s arms and trembled. Meng Yang said, “Heir Apparent, I had such a frightening nightmare. In the dream, a red-eyed vicious hound kept chasing me…”

Qi Shu Xian stroked Meng Yang’s back and said, “Do not be afraid. It was only a dream.”

Meng Yang leaned against Qi Shu Xian’s chest and said, “The Heir Apparent is right. How could there be such a frightening vicious hound? I must have been scared by how bloody Qing Liu looked.”

Meng Yang suddenly remembered and said, “Right, Qing Liu! Heir Apparent, I have to go see how Qing Liu is doing!”

Meng Yang tried to get up again.

Qi Shu Xian feared Meng Yang would hurt herself, so Qi Shu Xian could only calm Meng Yang while lifting Meng Yang into his arms and carrying her outside.

Sheng Zhi Wan arrived at that exact moment.

When Sheng Zhi Wan saw the scene, coldness flashed through Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes.

Qi Shu Xian clearly did not expect Sheng Zhi Wan to come. Qi Shu Xian paused without thinking, then frowned and demanded, “Why did you come?”

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Relax. I did not come to block the Heir Apparent and Concubine Meng from being affectionate. My dog went missing, so I came to ask around here.” Sheng Zhi Wan’s gaze swept across the courtyard.

Qi Shu Xian pressed his lips thin, looked away, and said, “What dog? There is no dog here! Yang’er is sick. Do not cause trouble here!”

Sheng Zhi Wan narrowed her eyes.

Meng Yang was sick? Sheng Zhi Wan looked more closely. Meng Yang’s lips were pale, and Meng Yang did look weak and fragile from illness.

Sheng Zhi Wan asked, “What illness did Concubine Meng get?”

Qi Shu Xian was about to answer.

Meng Yang suddenly let out a small cry.

Qi Shu Xian immediately lowered his head, full of concern. “What is it? Are you uncomfortable again?”

Meng Yang bit her lip. A shy, embarrassed look appeared on Meng Yang’s pale face as Meng Yang said, “N-no. It is just that Bao’er is not very well-behaved.”

Meng Yang struggled to climb down from Qi Shu Xian’s arms.

While struggling, Meng Yang also kept glancing at Sheng Zhi Wan, as if afraid Sheng Zhi Wan would be unhappy.

Sheng Zhi Wan smiled and said, “Concubine Meng does not need to be afraid. As long as you two do not mind embarrassing yourselves, you can take off your clothes and roll together, and I will not care.”

Qi Shu Xian flared with anger. “You!”

At that moment, Sheng Zhi Wan’s gaze suddenly landed on something behind them. Sheng Zhi Wan paused, then strode forward!