"Your Highness, I swear with my own head that I did not let a single suspicious person enter the capital today," The city gate captain, Bai Changjin, said to the man in a moon-white robe. The robe had distinct silver python patterns embroidered on it.
The man in luxurious clothes waved his hand, indicating for Bai Changjin to stand up, "That person is seriously injured. He must have found a carriage or sedan chair to enter the city. Did any carriage into the city today?"
Bai Changjin thought carefully before finally speaking up.
"I have checked all the carriages that entered and left the city today."
"The Chi Manor's carriage left the city for Jing An Temple this morning. When the carriage returned, I did not want to suspect the Chi family, so it was the only carriage that I did not search,"
Suddenly, a thought crossed Bai Changjin's mind. "It's just that it's a little strange. The Chi family's young miss came back separately from her family..." He slowly said.
Bai Changjin had never seen the two daughters of the Chi family before. He only knew that the person in the carriage was the young lady of the Chi family because the coachman said so, so he could not tell if it was the eldest young lady, Chi Yao, or the second young lady, Chi Yang.
The man in luxurious clothes touched the thumb ring on his left hand. Cousin Chi Yao was always kind, so it was indeed possible that she would save an injured stranger. He thought about how Chi Yang had played the pig to eat the tiger in the palace that day, teasing Chi Yao and Xiao Shuyu. With that thought, he felt that Chi Yang was also a possible candidate.
If he was really hiding in the Chi family's carriage, then that man must be in the Chi residence at this moment. After thinking for a long time, the man in luxurious clothes said, "I'd rather kill the wrong person than let him go."
Bai Changjin accepted the order.
...
When Xiao Lianyi and her husband returned home, they rushed over to Yi Yun Court to ask Chi Yang where the person who kidnapped her was and if she was injured... And so on.
Other than answering the questions regarding her well-being, Chi Yang didn't know anything else.
They could only give up on asking.
"There are so many women of the official family on the mountain, why did he choose Yangyang? Could it be that he doesn't recognize the Chi Manor's mark on our carriage?" Xiao Lianyi couldn't imagine how terrified Chi Yang probably was. She hated the criminal for kidnapping her daughter.
Her words made something in Chi Yi's mind click.
Since that person wanted to enter the capital, he would obviously recognize the Chi Manor's mark.
Because they knew, they got on the carriage. Whoever this kidnapper was, must be using the Chi family's power to intimidate others...
Chi Yi felt that things weren't as simple as they seemed. He summoned the prefecture soldiers to strengthen the manor's defenses to protect Chi Yang.
Of course, Chi Yi did not tell Chi Yang about this, lest Chi Yang was worried.
...
Just as Chi Yi had expected, there was indeed a ruckus in the Chi Manor in the latter half of the night.
When Chi Yang's guards had received Chi Yi's orders to protect Yi Yun Court without a single drop of water leaking... Things weren't looking good for Chi Yao. The masked killer had entered the Bamboo Orchid Court and was searching through the place.
Chi Yao looked at the knife on her neck in fear, tears streaming down her face.
"Tell me, where did you hide him?" The masked man asked sternly.
Chi Yao was shocked, but she didn't know who this person the man was referring to.
"I… I don't know who you're talking about," Chi Yao replied carefully.
The masked man tightened his grip on his knife and threatened, "Don't play dumb. It's the man you saved today."
Chi Yao thought about it and knew they had mistaken her for Chi Yang.
She also knew that her wish would come true today…
"You're mistaken, sir. I didn't leave the residence today. The one who went out was my sister, Chi Yang. She lives in Yi Yun Court..." Chi Yao replied in a trembling voice.
The masked man didn't believe Chi Yao's one-sided story. He sent his men over, and when his men came back, they found out that the defense in Yi Yun Court was much stronger than in this courtyard.
The masked man remembered his boss' instructions before he left, but his heart softened when he saw the crying woman for some reason.
The man spat and slapped Chi Yao unconscious.
What was going on? Why was an assassin like him showing mercy to a woman?