The Princess Mansion and the Dali Temple Guards mobilized in full force, turning the entire city upside down in search of the missing Tao Chuyi.
Tao Siqing had always been a picture of composure and propriety, but now he paced restlessly, his face etched with worry. Though the Third Princess had already entered the palace to report to the Emperor and the Imperial Guards had sealed off the city for a thorough search, a full day had passed with no news whatsoever.
To think that those thugs would strike in broad daylight, under the clear sky and watchful heavens—it showed just how brazen they were.
Nangong Yunshang was also growing restless. She had personally guaranteed that Tao Chuyi was in no danger, insisting that all the missing victims were women. Now proven wrong, guilt gnawed at her. After all, Chuyi had never done her any harm; she should have ensured their safety.
Yinghong, attending at her side, couldn’t help but speak up. “Your Highness the Princess, it’s already pitch black outside—well past midnight. Please rest. The Prince Consort is blessed by heaven; the moment he’s found, this servant will inform you right away.”
Nangong Yunshang merely shook her head. With this weighing on her mind, she had no hope of sleep. Lying down would just mean staring at the ceiling, so she might as well sit.
At that moment, a commotion erupted outside, mingled with Xichan’s voice.
“Young Master! You’re back—you’re finally back!”
Xichan rushed forward, looking Chuyi up and down. Seeing her covered head to toe in grime, tears immediately spilled from her eyes.
“Young Master, you’ve suffered so much. This servant deserves to die for failing to watch over you!”
With that, she dropped to her knees, clinging to Chuyi’s leg and sobbing uncontrollably. During that day and night of Chuyi’s disappearance, she had imagined every possible nightmare. Now, seeing her return safe and whole, a wave of relief washed over her.
Chuyi was stunned by the tears, but Xichan’s crying set her off too. Master and servant wept together, nearly flooding the place.
As soon as Chuyi started crying, Xichan stopped, jumping to her feet to check for injuries.
Nangong Yunshang hurried over from the main courtyard. Seeing that it was truly Chuyi, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, her guilt easing a little.
“Your Highness the Princess!”
Spotting Nangong Yunshang, Chuyi perked up at once, ceasing her tears and tantrums. Even with her grimy, flower-streaked face, she demanded praise.
The exquisitely handsome young prince consort had turned into a soot-covered lump of coal, and Nangong Yunshang felt a twinge of disgust. But her worry outweighed it, so she quickly ordered servants to notify Tao Siqing.
“You finally bothered to come back. Where the hell did you run off to? Do you have any idea how frantic Tao Siqing has been—practically ready to bash his head against the wall?”
Chuyi hurriedly clutched her head. “Bashing walls hurts.”
Nangong Yunshang: “…”
Suddenly remembering something crucial, Chuyi shook the guards behind them, urging them to bring the others along. The guards, nearly rattled apart, wondered how the Prince Consort had so much strength.
Soon, eight young women followed the guards into the Princess Mansion. Each bore wounds, their clothes in tatters, looking utterly bedraggled.
The eight knelt in a row before Nangong Yunshang, kowtowing deeply.
“This humble girl greets Your Highness the Princess! We thank Your Highness the Princess and the Prince Consort for saving our lives!”
Nangong Yunshang had been utterly baffled at first, but after hearing their account, she was astonished. The little fool had actually rescued people?
When Tao Siqing arrived, he embraced Chuyi, tears streaming down his weathered face. Once his emotions settled, they learned the rough details from the eight women—the thieves’ hideout and their descriptions. Combined with Chuyi’s mention of the noodle shop, the Dali Temple Guards swiftly moved to the scene.
After a meticulous search, the guards discovered that the noodle shop’s cellar led to a brothel. The abducted women had been stashed in the Colorful Fragrance Tower’s wine cellar, subjected to brutal torture and forced training. Those who refused were beaten to death, their bones crafted into all sorts of trinkets and sold at exorbitant prices.
The noodle shop owner and his staff, along with everyone at the Colorful Fragrance Tower, were rounded up. From their confessions, the ringleaders emerged: a family operation led by the tower’s owner and the Tower Madam, along with their children. The scheme’s mastermind was the family’s second uncle—the very man in the portrait.
Numerous women trapped in the Colorful Fragrance Tower were rescued, allowing them to return home and reunite with their families. The eight Chuyi had led out were also tracked down by the Dali Temple, their families located and reunited one by one—leaving only Fendie behind.
Chuyi was in her room, munching on pineapple crisps, when a pink figure burst into the main chamber and dropped to her knees before her, startling Xichan.
“I beg the Prince Consort to take me in! This servant has no home to return to, nowhere to go! I am willing to serve as your slave or maid!”
Fendie kowtowed forcefully, continuing without an answer.
Chuyi blinked, setting aside the pineapple crisp to help her up, heedless of her greasy hands.
“Your head hurts from all that knocking.”
A bloody mark had already formed on Fendie’s forehead. “Does that mean the Prince Consort agrees? This servant can cook—I’ll make all sorts of delicious things for you.”
Hearing about good food made Chuyi beam. Before she could respond, a cool voice sounded from behind.
“If you wish to stay in the Princess Mansion, shouldn’t you be begging this Princess instead?”
Nangong Yunshang stepped through the door, beholding the bizarre scene.
At those words, Fendie spun around and kowtowed to her. “I beg Your Highness the Princess to take me in.”
Once Nangong Yunshang had taken her seat, she crooked a finger at Chuyi, who scampered over eagerly.
“The Prince Consort is soft-hearted and easily bullied. This Princess is not. Why must you stay in the Princess Mansion, Miss Fendie? You will give this Princess a reasonable explanation today.”
Faced with a Third Princess far removed from the rumors, Fendie gritted her teeth and recounted her story in full.
“In truth, this servant was once a maid in the Rongrong County Princess Mansion.”
She had been a new servant girl there, and due to her good looks, the County Consort had harassed her repeatedly. But the Rongrong County Princess was blind to it all, convinced it was others seducing her husband, who was merely innocent and gullible, bearing no fault.
“One day, this servant was drugged. When I awoke, I was in that dark, sunless wine cellar.”
Fendie kowtowed again. “This servant can never return to the County Princess Mansion. The County Princess will take my life.”
After hearing this, Nangong Yunshang took real interest. She had been planning to deal with that girl someday, and now opportunity had arrived at her doorstep.
“Will you provide testimony? Accuse her before the Emperor? If you do, this Princess permits you to stay.”
“Rongrong County Princess?” Chuyi piped up belatedly. “That annoying pest?”
Nangong Yunshang smiled. “Exactly—that annoying pest.”
“This servant agrees!”
Fendie clenched her jaw. “This servant is willing to testify.”
It was death either way; she might as well fight for a chance at life.
The next day, Nangong Yunshang brought Chuyi to present the matter before the Emperor. Prince Ning, the Rongrong County Princess, and the County Consort were also summoned to the palace.
The two sides faced off like opponents in court, the air thick with tension.
“Just the ravings of some resentful maid! She hates me for throwing her out of the mansion, so she’s making up slander.”
The Rongrong County Princess fumed, looking ready to lunge forward and rip Fendie’s mouth apart.
Fendie knelt amid the crowd, holding her written testimony aloft, as if she had already cast aside any fear of death.
“This servant swears on her life—every word is true.”
“You filthy wretch! How dare you spew such lies!”
As Nangong Rong seemed about to charge regardless of decorum, Chuyi suddenly leaped in front of Fendie, baring their teeth at her.
Startled, Nangong Rong halted, not daring to advance.
“In my humble opinion, Rongrong is indeed willful. But selling off a maidservant isn’t exactly a grave offense for a county princess of the court.”
Prince Ning chuckled, trying to play peacemaker. “This prince will surely discipline her strictly upon our return.”
Nangong Yunshang let out a sudden light laugh. “Whether selling a servant counts as a grave offense, this Princess won’t debate for now. But colluding with bandits to force women into prostitution and taking a cut—surely that’s serious? Does a prince’s kin escape the law like common folk?”
Prince Ning’s face darkened, and he barked, “Third Princess, do not slander without proof!”
