The three were cowardly, but their confessions were remarkably consistent.
After being interrogated by Qi Xuan for a long time, they claimed to have spotted Feng Jinchen on the street the day before. Seeing that he was cute and alone, they developed the idea of kidnapping him.
The three didn't say much, but from their tone, it was clear this wasn't their first time doing such a thing.
Thinking of what Zhao Yong had said at the Jingzhao Prefecture that day, Qi Xuan's brow tightened, and his sword point pressed even closer.
"Get up, and come with me to the Jingzhao Prefecture!"
"Ah? This...!"
The faces of the three changed instantly upon hearing this.
"Sir, we've already said everything we need to say, why do you still need to take us to the Jingzhao Prefecture?"
"Yes, yes, and besides, this young master wasn't harmed..."
They wanted to say more, but Qi Xuan's glare forced them back.
In the end, they were obediently tied up in a line and dragged behind the carriage towards the Jingzhao Prefecture.
Like rats crossing the street, they were cursed by everyone. And these were three rats at that.
The jeers and curses didn't stop all the way.
Feng Jinchen had originally wanted to poke his head out to watch the fun, but after nearly being injured by a rotten egg thrown at him, he decisively retracted it.
The commotion was quite significant. As the carriage passed a street corner, a group of people brushed past them.
"Miss, be careful."
Rotten vegetable leaves flew everywhere. The subordinate, fearing Feng Yinwan would be hit, stepped forward and shielded her.
Feng Yinwan looked towards the source of the commotion, her brows furrowing slightly.
It was the Mo Prince's carriage, and the driver was Qi Xuan.
Her gaze swept over the three ruffians behind, and then she looked away.
"Let's go, continue the search."
...
Less than an hour later, the Mo Prince's carriage returned. Zhao Yong, unaware of the situation but not daring to delay, quickly stepped forward.
Qi Xuan was the one who jumped down from the carriage.
Zhao Yong looked at him with confusion, then shifted his gaze to the three groaning figures on the ground behind.
"Qi attendant, what is this?"
Qi Xuan clasped his hands.
"Master Zhao, these three ruffians attempted to harm the young master in the bustling market just now. After interrogation, I learned they are likely habitual child traffickers, so I've brought them to you for judgment."
Zhao Yong's expression immediately turned serious upon hearing this. He stepped forward to examine them, and then exclaimed in surprise.
"It's you!"
"Master Zhao recognizes them?"
Zhao Yong snorted coldly, "Recognize them? They're notorious for petty theft and causing trouble, they're practically repeat offenders!"
The three were beaten black and blue, which was why he hadn't recognized them at first glance.
Looking again now, weren't these the "tumor brothers" of the underworld?
He then looked at Qi Xuan and clasped his hands.
"Qi attendant, thank you for your righteous intervention. You've saved our Jingzhao Prefecture a lot of trouble."
"Regarding the child trafficking, I will thoroughly investigate and ensure they do not escape punishment!"
Qi Xuan nodded, "Master Zhao, you are too kind. I shall take my leave now."
With this incident, his mother would surely not be found. Fearing further complications, Qi Xuan immediately took Feng Jinchen back to the prince's manor at the fastest speed.
Back in the cage, Feng Jinchen wanted to cry.
"Young master, rest assured, those bad people will receive their just punishment."
Feng Jinchen (crying): Who cares if they're punished or not! Wuwuwu...
The only consolation was that Ye Tinglan was not in the manor at the moment.
He wiped away the tears that hadn't yet fallen and had to make new plans.
At the same time, a figure hurried into Xiuchun Courtyard.
"Miss, that... that child is back again."
"What did you say?!"
Qin Rulian's eyes flew open, and she slammed her hand on the table, "What's going on! Did you explain clearly what I asked you to do?"
"Servant... servant has explained everything clearly."
"Then what is going on! Where are they? Dead?!"
The maid glanced at her and mumbled, "The young servants outside said that those three ruffians were apparently beaten up by Qi attendant and sent... sent to jail."
With a crash, the items on the table were swept to the ground.
Qin Rulian's fingertips clutched the edge of the table tightly, as if trying to crush the wood.
"Get out!"
Ye Tinglan returned to the manor in the evening. Upon hearing of the incident, the coldness on his face was somewhat difficult to suppress.
He glanced at the little dumpling still sleeping soundly, his expression growing even darker.
"It is my dereliction of duty for failing to look after the young master."
"What is the situation at the Jingzhao Prefecture? Is there any news?"
Qi Xuan shook his head, "I've reviewed all the files, and so far, I haven't found any matching cases."
He paused and added, "Your Highness, perhaps it would be best to temporarily keep the young master in the manor. There's no rush to send him away until we find some news."
After all, he could sense that His Highness genuinely liked the little dumpling.
He waited quietly for Ye Tinglan's reply, but to his surprise, after a long moment of contemplation, His Highness spoke with a sudden chill.
"You said the anesthetic you smelled in the carriage had a familiar scent?"
Qi Xuan was taken aback and immediately nodded.
"Yes."
He thought for a moment and added, "The scent of the anesthetic was very faint and dissipated quickly. As soon as I detected it, I retreated. However, I can be certain that it was not ordinary anesthetic."
Ye Tinglan nodded, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.
"Did the three of them have any trace of anesthetic on them?"
"This..."
In the heat of the moment, he hadn't noticed.
But with his keen sense of smell, recalling it now, there was indeed nothing special.
Qi Xuan frowned and shook his head, "I didn't detect any. However, they were fighting amongst themselves at the time, and the situation was indeed a bit strange."
He still didn't understand why, when they were supposed to be teaching the little dumpling a lesson, they had started fighting each other first.
He paused and looked up again, "What does Your Highness mean?"
Ye Tinglan's gaze darkened, but his thin lips did not part further.
By the time he woke up, it was already dark.
Feng Jinchen ran a hand through his hair, filled with regret.
He had just been lying there thinking, but somehow, as he thought, he had fallen asleep, and slept for so long!
It was over. Once it got dark, he wouldn't be able to leave today.
With a dejected face, he got up from the bed. As he was about to go out, he caught a faint, unusual scent from the incense burner.
His brow furrowed suspiciously, and he immediately stopped.
The incense in the burner had long since burned out, but from the wisp of residual fragrance clinging to the inner wall, he accurately detected the presence of something calming.
He frowned, and his small face immediately drooped.
No wonder he had slept so soundly. It turned out someone had secretly lit calming incense for him!
Hmph!
He was angry!
He had just reached out to pat the incense burner when the door was suddenly pushed open.
The moment he saw Ye Tinglan, his body trembled, and he quickly retracted his hand.
"Uncle... Uncle Wang?"
Why did he come in so suddenly?
Also, had he seen him secretly touching the incense burner just now?
Feng Jinchen stared at the tips of his shoes, still feeling guilty. To his surprise, Ye Tinglan lowered his gaze, looked at him, and directly reached out to pick him up.
"Awake?"
"How was it, did you sleep well?"
With that look and that tone, Feng Jinchen's small face trembled slightly.
This incense, was it him who lit it?