The innkeeper had already been highly terrified by the earlier incident with the assassins and when the Imperial Guards shouted at him harshly, he immediately fell to the ground in terror.
“I….. I do not know where Young Master Jun has gone….. He was still around earlier…..”
Yuan Biao stared at the innkeeper with a frown on his face and turned on his heel to come towards Fei Yan who was dressed in female clothing. Compared to the rest of the youths in the Zephyr Academy, he believed that the pretty looking young girl would be the most timid one.
“You! Tell me where the criminal Jun Xie had gone to!” Yuan Biao pulled out the sharply honed sword from his hip, its point pressed against Fei Yan’s neck. The sharp point quickly pierced Fei Yan’s skin and a bright red drop of blood formed on a spot on his neck.
Fei Yan raised up his eyes and looked at the fierce and malevolent looking face of Yuan Biao’s and his lips moved slightly. Suddenly! The expression on his face turned to become highly pitiful looking, a crystalline tear rolling down his face in the next instant.
“Boo hoo….. How would I know where that little brat had run off to? He was still around earlier but after all of you rushed in, before I knew what was happening, he suddenly dashed out the back door! I really don’t know where he ran off to!”
Seeing such a pretty and gentle little beauty sobbing so pitifully, the frown on Yuan Biao’s face still did not relax.
“Send some men to the back of the Immortals’ Loft and pursue him through the back door!” After relaying his orders, Yuan Biao turned back to Fei Yan and said: “You better be telling the truth. Jun Xie injured the Fourth Prince and that is no small crime. If anyone of you dares to cover up for him, you will be charged as an accomplice under the same crime!”
“I do not dare! I do not dare!” Fei Yan said feigning helplessness with teary eyes as he looked at Yuan Biao, shrinking back with his head sunk between his shoulders, looking like an injured baby chick, looking extremely pitiful…..
Volume 10
Chapter 907 : “Imperial Guard Army (4)”
Yuan Biao looked on with satisfaction at Fei Yan who was cringing back in terror, before he slowly retracted his sword.
“Before Jun Xie is apprehended for his crime, none of you within the Immortals’ Loft are allowed to leave this place! The Imperial Guards will be guarding this place day and night and if anyone of you thinks they can walk out unilaterally, do not blame us for being merciless!”
With those harsh words, Yuan Biao led the Imperial Guards to depart from the second level. When he came out of the Immortals’ Loft, he instructed his men to completely surround the building inside and outside.
Qiao Chu and the others helped the “overly terrified” Fei Yan back to the room and when the door was shut tight, the teary eyed Fei Yan immediately shook off Qiao Chu’s paws on him, stepping a foot on a chair and pointing out the window to curse at Yuan Biao: “Bastard, you actually dared to try intimidate me this little Lord here! I’ll allow you to live in your self imagined glee for a few more days. When this entire episode had concluded, I’ll make sure that I’ll beat you so hard you’ll cry out for mommy!”
Just a moment ago, he had looked completely like a weak and frail pretty little thing, the moment he opened his mouth, he had suddenly turned into a barbaric uncouth bandit!
“Little Yan, your acting skills have really evolved and getting a lot more exquisite!” Qiao Chu said as he looked at Fei Yan respectfully. Don’t judge Fei Yan just by the femininely dressed sweet young thing. That guy’s innate personality was one just like a despicable and shameless bandit. On this rare occasion that he had been able to witness Fei Yan portray himself as a weak and hapless little girl, he had been laughing deliriously in his heart all that time.
“Show a hint of a smile and you’ll know! Do you believe one slap from me will take the life out of you! ?” Fei Yan shook his fist at them. He possessed the greatest strength among all of them there, and as his Ring Spirit was a humongous ape, Fei Yan arm power was something even Qiao Chu would not be able to stand up to.
Qiao Chu realised that it was time to pull back and he immediately shook his head.
“This Yuan Biao isn’t as dumb as he looks. He knew to question the innkeeper first before interrogating us. He was quick witted enough to pick one who looked the most likely to “succumb to terror” from his threats. From the way things look, they will not give up without finding Little Xie. Having made a futile trip here at the Immortals’ Loft, their next target would definitely be the Crown Prince’s Residence.” Fan Zhuo analysed as he rubbed at his chin in thought. He still had full confidence in Jun Wu Xie’s capabilities, as her intricate and devious ploys were never something the average person could hope to unravel.
Moreover, Jun Wu Xie was accompanied by the little black cat, Lord Meh Meh, Drunk Lotus, and Ye Sha as her protectors, even if the entire Imperial Guard Army were to move against her, they could never dream of touching a single hair on her.
However…..
“I really cannot fathom the reason why the Emperor of the Fire Country would want to take Little Xie’s life so desperately. Just what kind of secret is that ring holding?” No matter how hard he thought about it, Fan Zhuo was unable to unravel that mystery.
“In regards to that, I believe that Little Xie will gain an understanding after she sees Lei Chen. Lei Chen is the Crown Prince of the Fire Country afterall and the amount of things he knows about this place will definitely be more than what we have gathered.” Fei Yan reasoned.
Fan Zhuo nodded.
“I am not worried about Little Xie’s predicament. Even if the Emperor join hands with the others, they might still not be able to outwit Little Xie. I am instead highly curious to see how Little Xie is going to retaliate this time?” Qiao Chu was filled to the brim with confidence in Jun Wu Xie’s capabilities and he really could not wait to see, pitted against the Emperor, the Fourth Prince, the Empress, and the Prime Minister’s attacks from all sides, just what kind of a astounding ingenuity would come out from the little head of Jun Wu Xie, to bring them all down, one after the other.
“I seriously think the Emperor is going to deeply regret, that he did not manage to capture Little Xie today.” Fan Zhuo said with a laugh filled with sarcasm.
At that same moment, the Imperial Guard Army were searching everywhere throughout the Imperial Capital for any traces of Jun Xie. The entire Imperial Capital was alarmed by the brash actions of the Imperial Guards and the chatter and debates among the people spread and grew. And as the Imperial Guards were turning the Imperial City topsy turvy…..
A petite tiny figure, had silently arrived at the back door of the Crown Prince’s Residence. With a light tap of her feet, she slipped right inside!
Volume 10
Chapter 908 : “Imperial Guard Army (5)”
“What? Father really sent Yuan Biao out to capture Jun Xie?” Lei Chen asked, his eyes wide with incredulity, as he looked at the guard who had brought him the news.
“Then, where is little brother Jun now? Has he been captured by Yuan Biao?”
“The Immortals’ Loft is now heavily surrounded by the Imperial Guard Army, prohibiting anyone from going in or getting out. Your subordinate could only observe for outside but I did not see Young Master Jun being brought out by the Commander of the Imperial Guards. When the Commander left the Immortals’ Loft, he had been alone and judging from the situation, your subordinate is guessing that Young Master Jun had not been at the Immortals’ Loft and Yuan Biao had failed to capture Young Master Jun.” The guard reported.
Lei Chen finally heaved a great sigh of relief. It had only been several hours since last night when he had first gotten to know that Jun Xie was holding the Ring of Imperial Fire within his hands and he had just been planning what steps he could take next when the Emperor had unexpectedly moved so fast where he had immediately mobilised the Imperial Guard Army right at the break of dawn.
“Looking at the w
ay he is going about it, Father is seriously seeking to take little brother Jun’s life.” Lei Chen said, clenching his jaw tight. Thinking back to what Wen Yu had said to him before, he could not help but start to feel that he had looked at things from too simple a perspective then.
Wen Yu must have guessed that the Emperor would do this and that was why he had been so anxious to get Jun Xie to leave this place of turmoil.
“Your Highness. Should we send our own men out to try to locate Young Master Jun’s whereabouts?” The guard continued on to ask.
Lei Chen shook his head immediately. “Little brother Jun is highly quick witted and he would definitely have his own ways of avoiding Yuan Biao. Since Yuan Biao had not been able to find him at the Immortals’ Loft, he will undoubtedly set his sights on my Crown Prince’s Residence next. He knows that I am on rather good terms with little brother Jun, and with him coming up empty handed at the Immortals’ Loft, he will in moments surely arrive here to search. If I am to rashly go search for little brother Jun now, the Imperial Guards are sure to discover it and it will only cause little brother Jun unnecessary trouble.”
Lei Chen calmed his heart down. The situation had suddenly gotten rather terse and he had not had time to make any preparations. The Emperor had taken lightning quick action and mobilised the Imperial Guard Army which just told him that that Emperor was not going to give Jun Xie anyway out of this!
As he had predicted, not too long after Lei Chen had received the news, Yuan Biao arrived at the Crown Prince’s Residence with a team of men.
“By Imperial Decree, your subject is currently in pursuit of the escaped fugitive Jun Xie. I would implore that Your Highness allow your loyal subject to carry out his duties.” Yuan Biao had come to the gates of the Crown Prince’s Residence with a large team of men.
Lei Chen had come to the main doors to confront him.
“What Commander Yuan is saying sounds really strange. You want to arrest Jun Xie, so why have you come all the way here to my Crown Prince’s Residence?” Lei Chen retorted with a cold laugh.
Yuan Biao was highly indifferent. “Your Highness has been known to be on very close terms with Jun Xie before this and Jun Xie has escaped leaving no trace behind. Your subject is just following His Majesty’s decree and I hope that Your Highness will not make things difficult for your humble servant.”
Lei Chen then said: “You want to search my Crown Prince’s Residence? Because you say so?”
Yuan Biao did not want to waste his breath any longer and he pulled out an Imperial Edict.
“Your subject holds here the Imperial Edict personally drafted by His Majesty himself, where I have been granted permission to search for the escaped fugitive in the Crown Prince’s Residence. Does Your Highness really want to defy the Imperial Decree from His Majesty?”
Lei Chen gritted his teeth discreetly. The Imperial Edict must have been on Yuan Biao’s body even before he had stepped out from the palace this morning. It was obvious that the Emperor had thought of the possibility that Jun Xie might very well run away, and he had this prepared well beforehand.
However highly displeased Lei Chen was feeling towards Yuan Biao’s actions, with the Imperial Edict placed before his eyes, and added to the fact that Jun Xie had indeed not come to the Crown Prince’s Residence, he would naturally not resist against Yuan Biao too strongly in this instance.
“Since it is by my Father’s decree, then Commander Yuan, please carry on.” Lei Chen face showed a mirthless smile as he took a step back, opening up the path he was blocking at the doors of the Crown Prince’s Residence.
Yuan Biao nodded slightly in a perfunctory gesture of acknowledgement, and immediately led his men to rush into the Crown Prince’s Residence!
Volume 10
Chapter 909 : “Imperial Guard Army (6)”
The Imperial Guards were meticulous and efficient as they immediately spread out to all parts of the Crown Prince’s Residence, searching for anything suspicious. Lei Chen stood in the middle of the main hall and looked on as the Imperial Guards speedily carried out their duties, laughing coldly in his heart.
Yuan Biao stood on one side, secretly observing Lei Chen’s reactions. When he did not find any sign of Jun Xie in the Immortals’ Loft, the first place he had immediately thought of was the Crown Prince’s Residence. Jun Xie had no friends or family in the Fire Country’s Imperial Capital and was completely unfamiliar with this place. Besides the Immortals’ Loft, the only place he could go to would only be the Crown Prince’s Residence.
But what Yuan Biao found strange was when the Imperial Guard Army was searching through the Crown Prince’s Residence, besides an expression showing great displeasure, Lei Chen’s face had not revealed a single trace of worry or guilt. If it was not Lei Chen putting on a great act, then it could only mean that Jun Xie was truly not within the Crown Prince’s Residence.
Very soon, the Imperial Guards who had turned the Crown Prince’s Residence upside down gathered in the main hall. They had not found any signs of Jun Xie in the entire Crown Prince’s Residence.
Yuan Biao’s brows creased up and Lei Chen had a cold sneer plastered on his face: “So, is the Commander satisfied now?”
Yuan Biao answered: “Can I request for Your HIghness to gather everyone within the residence to come here? The escaped convict is sly and full of tricks. Your subject is worried that he will disguise himself as a servant in the mansion to escape arrest.”
Lei Chen then said in a cold derisive tone: “Commander Yuan is such a meticulous man. Are you so sure that Jun Xie will hide within my residence? Alright! Guards, go gather everyone within the residence here to let the Commander investigate throughly.”
With Lei Chen’s order, everyone within the Crown Prince’s Residence began to shuffle into the main hall from all parts of the mansion. The Imperial Guards had even specially gone to all the rooms to check, making sure that no one was hiding in any of them before they were satisfied.
There were several tens of servants working within the Crown Prince’s Residence, male and female, old and young.
Yuan Biao had even personally walked before all of them, his steely gaze sweeping over each and everyone of them, not willing to miss anything that might seem even remotely suspicious.
Lei Chen was not feeling worried in the least as Jun Xie had not come to look for him at all. So, how could he even be able to hide him from them? He swung his eyes around following Yuan Biao as he gazed at all the people gathered here from within his own residence. And when his eyes swept over an old hunchbacked servant, a tinge of doubt came into his eyes.
Although there were many servants working within the mansion, but they had all served him for many years. It could be said that he was familiar with the faces of every single one of them. However, that old man’s countenance was a stranger to him.
But as Yuan Biao was present at the moment, Lei Chen did not give it another thought and quickly swung his eyes away.
Yuan Biao finally finished inspecting the several tens of people and he paid particular attention to several of the young serving boys and maids. After ensuring that they were not in any form of disguise, he finally walked away from them with a frown on his face.
“Did Commander Yuan manage to find the person you are looking for?” Lei Chen jeered with a cold laugh.
Yuan Biao shook his head and clasped his hand over his fist before him to say: “I seek for Your Highness’ understanding for having disturbed the peace in the Crown Prince’s Residence today. But as the fugitive Jun Xie had injured the Fourth Prince, it was an affront to the prestige of the Imperial Family, and your subject had to carry out my duties impartially.”
Lei Chen glanced at Yuan Biao and with a wide mirthless smile, he said: “How would I dare to lay blame on Commander Yuan? But since you have not found any signs of the fugitive being here, can you then return to me the sanctity of my residence?”
Yuan Biao immediately replied: “Naturally.”
Right
after that, Yuan Biao led his Imperial Guards out to depart from the Crown Prince Residence and the servants dispersed one after another as well.
Very soon, the guards from the Crown Prince’s Residence brought news that although Yuan Biao had left, he had secretly dispatched a team of Imperial Guards to watch the outside the Crown Prince’s Residence, all prepared to wait to arrest Jun Xie.
Volume 10
Chapter 910 : “Intricate Plot (1)”
“Let them wait if they wish to. How can little brother Jun not be wise to their intentions? He will definitely not come here.” Lei Chen said confidently, having complete trust in Jun Xie’s highly intelligent mind.
“Seeing that His Highness has such great confidence in me, I think I might have disappointed Your Highness this time.”
Suddenly, a highly familiar voice rang out from behind Lei Chen.
Lei Chen turned his head back in surprise and confusion, suddenly finding Jun Xie walking out from the back of the main hall, a set servant’s clothes from the Crown Prince’s Residence held within his hands.
“I apologise, I borrowed a set of clothes without asking.” Jun Xie said calmly as he walked to come before Lei Chen, tossing the clothes within his hands towards the flabbergasted guard standing at the side.
The guard stared at Jun Xie with wide unblinking eyes, finding it hard to believe that he had not even felt Jun Xie approach them.
“You…..” Lei Chen stared at Jun Xie, still highly confused, the face of an unfamiliar old man flashing through his mind. “The old man earlier was you in disguise?”
Genius Doctor: Black Belly Miss Volume 10 Page 3
