After the narration, the king breathed in deeply and said "i clearly told him to go with the Royal guards, he has disobeyed him and is now facing the consequence. As for you, your only saving grace is the fact that you grew up with my son and he wouldn't be happy if you are executed. Otherwise, I would've ordered them to behead you on spot"
"My Liege..." Lu Yi bowed and cried his eyes out
"My Liege" the other officials chanted to pacify the King
"Now send men out. The Prince has to be found before nightfall! My son has to be found!"
"And we have to find out whoever is behind this immediately and annihilate them..." one of the officials gave unsolicited advice
"finding the Prince comes first"
"exactly"
"did these assassins leave no clue?" one of the officials turned to Lu Yi
"No my Lord, they left no clue whatsoever... they were masked. And even when some of them got unmasked during the fight, they weren't men we had seen anywhere..."
"that is so strange. Who could be bold enough to attack the crown Prince!'
"you said a man took the Prince and ran into the forest?'
"Yes my Lord, it was the man that saved his Highness from the arrow shot by an assassin before the fight" Lu Yi would not forget the incredible man with the speed that saved them
"this is strange... two groups of unknown men"
"we should send some men to the fight scene and check if these assassins left any clue. Perhaps, we can decipher where they have taken the Prince to"
"do that immediately!" the King ordered
And so, they put a hold to the discussions they were having about diplomatic affairs and dispersed to do their findings on the Prince's whereabouts.
Rumours that the Prince has been taken by masked assassins spread throughout the kingdom. The tension level was really high.