CHAPTER 623: CHAPTER 623: MISSING

Zhan Lan saw Little Anzi’s cheerful expression and asked, "Running so fast, is there good news?"

Little Anzi smiled and said, "Reporting to Madam, Little White has just given birth to another litter of puppies."

Zhan Lan beamed with joy and eagerly asked, "How many?"

"Three." Little Anzi respectfully replied.

Zhan Lan nodded, "Little Black has become a father again! Then make sure to nourish Little White well!"

Xiao Tao laughed, "Madam, it seems Little Black has also contributed; perhaps he should be rewarded too!"

Zhan Lan raised an eyebrow, "He’s not tired at all, Little White has already given birth to six!"

Xiao Tao stuck out her tongue, "True."

Qiuyue smiled, and Zhan Lan looked at the two of them, her expression joyful, "Let’s go, let’s have a look."

Little White, having just given birth, lay on its side on a cushion indoors, looking quite spirited. The three little puppies were lying on her belly, eyes not yet opened, already nursing.

Little Black wagged its tail, lying next to Little White, nuzzling its head against hers.

When Little Black saw Zhan Lan enter, it immediately got up and ran towards her.

Zhan Lan didn’t need to bend down to touch Little Black’s smooth-furred head with her hand.

Little Black kept circling around Zhan Lan, wanting her to see its children.

Zhan Lan came before Little White, whose round, watery eyes looked at her, panting with a pink tongue lolling out.

Zhan Lan reached out to stroke Little White’s head. Little White didn’t guard her pups at all; instead, she lay down, letting Zhan Lan touch the newborn puppies.

Zhan Lan looked at the one white and two black little male dogs and praised, "They’re really beautiful."

Little Black lifted its head proudly, as if it understood Zhan Lan’s words, and she glanced at it, "Look at you being proud, but it’s your wife who’s amazing."

"Madam, should these three puppies be sent to Master Chu Xiao when they grow up?"

Chu Yin had a boy named Zhan Chuxiao, now over two years old.

Zhan Lan nodded with a smile, "Mm, sure."

When the puppies grew up, they weren’t suitable to stay together.

The first litter of three puppies was raised by Xiao Chen, one by Dugu Yan, and one by Huang Gun. The second litter was three male dogs, one for Zhan Heng and one for Zhan Chuxiao.

The puppies born to Little White were all very beautiful, and several friends wanted them, so they were given away. Fortunately, everyone lived nearby, making it convenient for Little Black, Little White, and their children to reunite.

Zhan Lan petted one of the little black puppies, "Let this one stay to accompany Little Black and Little White!"

"Yes, Madam."

Zhan Lan, along with Qiuyue and Xiao Tao, and other palace maidens and eunuchs, left the residence of Little Black and Little White, preparing to return to the Imperial Study Room.

Just halfway there, the palace attendants saw Commander of the Imperial Army, Yang Wu, hurrying towards them with a stern expression.

Xiao Tao puzzledly asked, "Didn’t Commander Yang go to Wu’an City with His Majesty? Why did he return alone?"

Qiuyue nudged Xiao Tao with her elbow, and Xiao Tao realized she had overstepped, clamping her mouth shut.

Seeing Yang Wu return alone, Zhan Lan immediately said, "Commander Yang, follow me to the Imperial Study Room to talk."

"As you command."

Yang Wu returned travel-worn and weary, having not returned with His Majesty. The palace eunuchs and attendants noticed and whispered among themselves.

"Isn’t His Majesty supposed to return tomorrow?"

"But why has Commander Yang come back on his own?"

"Pirates are rampant around the islands near Wu’an City; could it be that His Majesty..."

"Don’t speak nonsense, would pirates dare to harass our Dayu now?"

The palace attendants gathered in small groups, speculating on why His Majesty hadn’t returned.

On the other side, Zhan Lan and Yang Wu entered the Imperial Study Room one after the other.

"What on earth happened? Why didn’t His Majesty return with you?" Zhan Lan asked.

Lowering his eyes, Yang Wu answered, "Madam, His Majesty he..."

Zhan Lan furrowed her brows, "Speak."

Yang Wu, full of shame, struggled to speak, "Madam, His Majesty has gone missing."

Zhan Lan’s fingers pressed on the desk; she asked in a lowered voice, "How did he go missing?"

Yang Wu fell to his knees with a thud, "It is my fault for failing to protect His Majesty. His Majesty wanted to see you as soon as possible, so we took the waterway by night to return to Ding’an City. At the entrance to the Grand Canal of Wu’an City, His Majesty encountered an ambush, and during the fight, to avoid a hidden arrow, accidentally fell into the water. We searched everywhere but couldn’t find His Majesty."

Zhan Lan’s brow furrowed tightly, and she urgently asked, "Besides your Imperial Army, does anyone else know about this?"

Yang Wu shook his head, "I have instructed my men that no one is to spread news of His Majesty’s disappearance, and just say His Majesty was worried about you, so we came back first."

Zhan Lan continued to ask, "Did you capture any assassins alive?"

Yang Wu’s eyes were deep, "Reporting to Madam, their skills were exceptional, and they were adept swimmers; after shooting the harquebus, they fled."

Zhan Lan clenched her fist and looked at Yang Wu, instructing, "You return to Wu’an City as usual, pretending like nothing happened. No matter who inquires, just say His Majesty’s return has been delayed, and you were sent back to inform me."

"To Bai Chen and Li Sui, convey my verbal orders; everything should proceed as usual without any sign of disturbance."

"Yes, Madam!"

Once Yang Wu left, Zhan Lan summoned Vermilion Bird and Yun He, directly stating, "His Majesty is missing."

The pupils of Vermilion Bird and Yun He constricted simultaneously; His Majesty was missing!

It was like a bolt from the blue, sending a shiver down their spines.

If their master hadn’t ordered them to protect Madam, they wouldn’t have failed to follow their master.

Zhan Lan saw the shock in their eyes and said in a deep voice, "His Majesty disappeared at the entrance to the Grand Canal of Wu’an City. The two of you secretly search for His Majesty’s whereabouts and inform me immediately once there is news."

"Yes."

Yun He and Vermilion Bird, with heavy expressions, quickly left Ding’an City with the Hidden Guard.

Early the next morning during court at the Golden Throne Hall, Zhan Lan sat on the dragon throne overlooking the assembled ministers.

The ministers engaged in a heated debate over whether to abolish the curfew system following a recent night robbery case in Ding’an City.

Some agreed, "After curfew, civilians don’t go out, and serious crimes won’t occur."

Some opposed, "But you can’t make such a sweeping judgment; restricting civilians’ freedom will only incite more conflict!"

Zhan Lan listened to both sides’ contentions and calmly stated:

"For a hundred years, Nanjin’s Capital City has maintained a curfew. During curfew, shops must close, and citizens are not allowed to leave their homes. Starting Emperor Xuanwu’s era, the curfew began to loosen, with many restrictions, essentially making it a semi-curfew, semi-open system. In this century, taking Ding’an City as an example, there have been fifteen hundred cases of various sizes."

The ministers listened attentively to the Empress’s words.

"Gentlemen, does anyone know how many cases have occurred in the three years since we lifted the curfew?"

Zhan Lan’s gaze swept across the crowd, her voice steady and powerful.

Everyone fell into silence; they did not know.