CHAPTER 621: CHAPTER 515 XIAO BAI SHOWS HIS POWER

Meng Qianqian pondered for a moment, then muttered in confusion, "Prince Jin orchestrated such an elaborate scheme—was it really just to test Lu Qi?"

Lu Zhaoyan said, "And Xiao Bai."

Testing Lu Qi, kidnapping the Princess of Miaojiang—is that really the full extent of Prince Jin’s plan?

The thought flashed across Meng Qianqian’s mind, and her eyes sharpened. "Father, for the next three days, please keep a close watch on Lu Qi. Don’t let him return to the Jin Prince Mansion. If Lu Yuan is exposed, the consequences will be unimaginable. I’ll go find Mother."

It wasn’t easy for Lu Yuan to infiltrate the Jin Prince Mansion. They had to seize this opportunity to uncover Prince Jin’s secrets.

Lu Zhaoyan nodded. "Be careful."

"I will."

Meng Qianqian had a Hunting Eagle deliver a message to Lu Yuan, while she headed to the stables at the Crown Prince Mansion.

The white horse that Lu Yuan had tamed had kicked seven people at the Crown Prince Mansion. Aside from Lu Yuan, no one else could approach it.

But this horse was the only one capable of catching up to Liu Qingyun, who had been "missing" for two hours.

"Miss Yan, that’s not advisable!"

The stableman tried to stop Meng Qianqian as she entered the stable. "It’s ferocious and might hurt someone!"

Meng Qianqian said softly, "Step aside."

The stableman hesitated, "No, I mean—it might hurt you."

Meng Qianqian replied, "I’ll be careful."

"Ah, this..."

The stableman and the servants exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of what to do.

As they debated whether to report to the Crown Prince, Meng Qianqian entered the stable.

Their hearts immediately jumped into their throats.

The stableman reached out his hand. "Miss Yan—"

Meng Qianqian raised a delicate hand and touched the white horse’s mane.

An unbelievable scene unfolded.

The white horse did not attack Meng Qianqian. Instead, it sniffed at her, behaving as docilely as a domesticated foal.

Everyone was stunned.

So obedient? Then what was the Imperial Grandson’s suffering all about?!

"Did you smell it?"

Meng Qianqian smiled, took a carrot from her pouch, smeared honey from a porcelain jar on it, and fed it to the horse.

The white horse munched on it eagerly, unable to stop.

Meng Qianqian stroked its head. "If you eat my food, you’ll let me ride you, okay?"

The white horse obediently allowed her to mount it.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Meng Qianqian donned a veil and rode out of the Crown Prince Mansion.

In the Jin Prince Mansion, Lu Yuan received the message from the Hunting Eagle and learned Meng Qianqian was going after Liu Qingyun.

He wanted to follow, but he couldn’t.

In this battle for the crown, everyone had their battlefield.

He trusted her.

He was willing to entrust her with the responsibility of protecting their mother.

Just as she had always trusted him without hesitation, entrusting her back to him unreservedly.

Meng Qianqian galloped for over an hour, finally tracking down Cui Hu at dawn.

At that moment, Cui Hu was crouched on a field ridge, poking at a small Gu worm on the ground. "Why’ve you stopped flying, huh? Can’t you fly a bit more so I can find someone?"

"Cui Hu."

Meng Qianqian spoke.

Cui Hu turned his head, startled. "Miss Yan? Why are you here? You’re so quiet!? Wait—your horse makes no sound either?"

His gaze dropped downward, noticing a strange fabric wrapped around the white horse’s hooves, muting its hoofbeats significantly, though not completely.

He couldn’t help but marvel at Miss Yan’s horse taming skills, rivaling those of the Imperial Grandson.

Hold on—

"Miss Yan, is this the Imperial Grandson’s white horse?"

"Yes."

Meng Qianqian nodded.

Cui Hu was dumbfounded.

A horse this stubborn—how did you manage to ride it?!

"Two questions."

"Ask the second one."

"Ah." Cui Hu looked wistfully at the white horse, still craving it, and asked, "Miss Yan, how did you find me?"

Meng Qianqian answered, "I planted a Lost-Track Gu on you."

Cui Hu was startled. "Ah?"

Meng Qianqian explained, "Every Imperial Guard has one, but yours is the only one still active."

Cui Hu wasn’t sure if he should feel proud or disappointed.

Meng Qianqian glanced at the small Gu worm in the field ridge. "Is this the Lost-Track Gu from Madam?"

Cui Hu nodded. "It flew here and stopped."

Meng Qianqian said, "It’s too exhausted to fly. From here on, we’ll have to rely on ourselves."

Meng Qianqian whistled at the sky.

A Hunting Eagle swooped down with fierce precision, piercing through the morning mist as it flew towards a village wreathed in smoke.

"Mount up."

Meng Qianqian said to Cui Hu.

"Ah, this—this—isn’t appropriate between—men and women—oh—"

Cui Hu was yanked onto the horse by Meng Qianqian and thrown behind her, gulping down a cold draft of wind.

"I’m riding! I’m riding! Old Cui’s riding—hahaha—ugh—"

The white horse bucked once.

Cui Hu was jostled so hard he retched.

The Hunting Eagle flew past village after village, heading deeper into increasingly remote areas.

Cui Hu asked, "Are you kidding? Where even is this? Can we trust that bird?"

Thwack!

The Hunting Eagle rewarded him with a splatter of eagle droppings.

Cui Hu was speechless: "...!!"

But when they reached the base of a mountain, the Hunting Eagle began circling high above.

"The person’s in the mountain," Meng Qianqian said.

Cui Hu looked up at the endless mountain range. "You don’t mean... this mountain—known for trapping people for decades?"

This was no different from finding a needle in a haystack!

The dense forest on the mountain made it difficult for the Hunting Eagle to search.

Meng Qianqian took out Liu Qingyun’s veil and let the white horse sniff it. "It’s up to you now."

Cui Hu said, "This... will it even work?"

It’s a horse, not a dog!

-

In an isolated village, Liu Qingyun slowly opened her eyes in a damp, dark room with no windows or ventilation.

She had been drugged, with her hands and feet bound and her eyes covered with a cloth.

Her fingertips moved slightly, and a blade slipped into her palm.

After cutting the ropes, she removed the blindfold and let out a long breath. "That was exhausting."

Although she didn’t have the Golden Silkworm Gu, the Life Gu crafted for her by the old man made her resistant to common sedatives.

She stretched lazily.

Creaaak—

The door swung open.

Blinding light streamed in, causing Liu Qingyun to instinctively squint.

Then, a man wearing a straw raincoat, conical hat, and mask stepped inside.

Liu Qingyun glanced at the broken ropes on the ground and decided to drop the pretense. She sat boldly in a chair, crossed her legs, and asked, "So, which traitor of Miaojiang are you?"

The man began speaking in a deliberately hoarse, low voice. "Oh?"

Liu Qingyun replied coolly, "Oh, what? If it weren’t to catch a traitor like you, would I have bothered pretending to get captured?"

A distorted voice came from behind the man’s mask. "You’re as arrogant as ever. Do you think you’ll walk out alive after stepping into this trap?"

Liu Qingyun chuckled coldly. "Hiding your face and masking your voice—so I know you, and we must be quite close. I’d better take a good look. Which shameless bastard betrayed my father and Miaojiang?"

As she spoke, she sent the conical hat flying with a single strike.

She reached out to remove his mask.

He caught her slender wrist. "Bai Zheng, are you courting death?"