Chapter 648: She Will Be Made Into Incense
The moment Ye Qianning was taken, the escort party, shaken from their shock, scattered frantically to search for her.
Qian Fu, Zhan Yi, Qian Fanji, and Gu Shuo—all of them were suffering a double blow, their hearts burning with anguish.
Old Man Gu, who had already been forcing himself to stay upright, finally succumbed when he heard that the child’s body would be used to make incense. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious.
"Ye Qianning—!"
Sang Zhi shrieked from within the crowd.
He was like a man possessed. The Hidden Guards following close behind immediately restrained him.
"Let me go! Let me go!" Sang Zhi struggled. "Why didn’t you do anything? Why didn’t you save her...?"
"The Emperor only ordered us to bring the Eighth Prince to watch Miss Xiang leave the city," a Hidden Guard said coldly.
"Aaargh... Let go..."
"Eighth Prince, it is time to return to the palace." The Hidden Guard ignored his struggles, lifted him up, and flew out of the crowd.
Elsewhere in the crowd, Gao Qi, his clothes in disarray, stared numbly at the distant pavilion.
He had gone through so much trouble to sneak out of his residence just to see her one last time, only to witness her corpse being carried away.
She was going to be made into incense...
’No...’
’She’s already dead. Why are there so many people who won’t let her rest in peace? Why?’
"Aaargh..."
Gao Qi clutched his head and screamed.
The onlookers, recovering from the chaos, recalled the old Taoist’s words. He was going to use Miss Xiang’s body to make incense?
Heavens, what kind of hatred would drive someone to do such a thing?
She couldn’t be buried in Beili, and now her body was gone. A six-year-old child, left with no remains to be found. It was too pitiful!
News of Ye Qianning’s body being stolen spread like wildfire among the powerful families of the Capital City. Prime Minister Gao’s faction was ecstatic, feeling an immense sense of satisfaction.
Xiang Minghou’s daughter was dead, with no body left to bury. They were certain that Xiang Minghou would cause a huge scene upon his return to the capital. As long as he showed the slightest dissatisfaction with imperial authority, they would band together and drag him from his position.
Others who heard the news simply found it a pity. The fate of a six-year-old child stirred their compassion.
The Changyang Prince Mansion, the Helian Royal Mansion, and the Gu family mobilized nearly all their connections to search for the old Taoist’s whereabouts.
Mrs. Zhan was so devastated she fell ill and couldn’t get out of bed. The concubines were grief-stricken, their faces constantly washed with tears.
When the Beili Emperor heard the news, he was first shocked, then overjoyed. He didn’t know which deity had intervened to have the body taken away right here in the Capital City, but it was for the best.
’If I had known this would happen, why did I need to make so many arrangements?’
"Your Majesty, that old Taoist also boasted that he wants to be the emperor," a Hidden Guard reported from the shadows.
The joy on the Beili Emperor’s face instantly froze. "Wants to be emperor? Heh, what audacity! Men, investigate this matter! I want to see just where this old Taoist came from, daring to dream of replacing me as emperor."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Has the Eighth Prince returned to the palace?"
"Not yet."
"Go to the General’s Mansion and bring him back."
"Yes..."
"Your Majesty..." A Hidden Guard rushed in.
The Beili Emperor recognized him at a glance as one of the Hidden Guards assigned to Sang Zhi. "Where is the Eighth Prince?"
"Your Majesty, this subordinate has failed. The Eighth Prince is missing..." The Hidden Guard knelt on the floor.
"Missing? What do you mean, missing?" The Beili Emperor slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet.
"Your Majesty, I was escorting the Eighth Prince back to the palace. As we passed through Chongde Street, I was struck down by a powerful surge of Inner Strength. By the time I regained consciousness, the Eighth Prince was gone."
"Men! Lock down the Capital City! You must find the Eighth Prince!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The Beili Emperor’s fury rose. "Get out! If you can’t find the Eighth Prince, you will all die."
"Yes, this subordinate will go and search immediately." The Hidden Guard scrambled away.