Not daring to say another word, his subordinate immediately took the portrait and exited the room.

Beitang Rui remained standing with his hands behind his back for a while, his pleasant mood snuffed out because of Yuan Xin. In the end, he decided to go to his concubine’s courtyard.

…

The servants created quite a racket during their search.

Yuan Xin knew what the commotion outside was about, but she remained seated calmly in her room and did not let her servants rouse Lu Liangwei from her sleep.

No matter what, Beitang Rui had to show her some respect. He could kick up the biggest disturbance out there, but it would not affect her courtyard.

She was still confident about that.

Thinking of something, she lifted a hand and touched the left side of her face, a pensive gloom in her eyes.

The servants ended their search in the evening empty-handed.

Long Chi was crestfallen. Had Lu Liangwei really fled the Prince Rui Mansion?

Beitang Rui comforted him, “She’s just a weak woman. No matter how capable she is, she can’t possibly escape the capital city. I’ll order my men to go outside and search for her this instant. I’m sure we’ll find her.”

Long Chi nodded. “Thank you for taking the trouble, Your Highness.”

The glumness on his face piqued Beitang Rui’s curiosity. “Is that woman really so important to you?”

“Very.” Long Chi turned his gaze upon him. “Because of certain reasons in the past, I let her slip through my fingers. Now, I can’t lose her again.”

Hearing this, Beitang Rui cast a thoughtful look in his direction.

To him, she was just a beautiful woman, nothing more. What did she have in her that could make Long Chi so mesmerized?

He and Long Chi had known each other for a long time, so they knew each other’s disposition well.

Long Chi was a person of fierce ambition. If he had to choose between power and a beautiful woman, he would definitely choose the former and sacrifice the latter without hesitation.

Now, however, Beitang Rui was starting to doubt his understanding of him.

Long Chi was clearly besotted with that woman.

Was there something different about her?

Beitang Rui started to develop an interest in Lu Liangwei.

“Don’t worry. I promise I’ll find her for you,” he assured Long Chi.

However, Long Chi was still not fully convinced. After Beitang Rui had sent his men on the search, he started a search party of his own as well.

…

Wanyan Jin was also in the Yan Kingdom to attend the Emperor’s upcoming birthday celebration.

Just when he and his entourage were coming out from the coaching inn, he caught sight of the Prince Rui Mansion’s servants searching for someone on the streets.

Noticing his probing gaze, one of Wanyan Jin’s guards immediately approached one of the servants to ask them about their search.

Not long after, the guard returned and reported to him, “It appears that a maidservant in the Prince Rui Mansion has run away after stealing some valuables. They’re looking for her right now.”

Hearing this, Wanyan Jin withdrew his gaze and continued on his way indifferently with his entourage in tow.

Right then, a sudden gust of wind ripped the portrait from one of the servants’ grip.

To make the search easier, Beitang Rui had ordered his men to make copies of the painting provided by Long Chi, one to be handed to each servant.

Seeing that the portrait had been carried away by the wind, the servant hastily chased after it.

To his surprise, he saw that it had landed in the hands of a sickly-looking man.

The man had a pallid complexion but handsome features. Right now, he was holding the portrait, his eyes glued to it despite his occasional coughs.

Noticing the entourage around the man, the servant paused in his steps and said politely, “That painting is mine, sir. Please give it back to me.”

Wanyan Jin looked up from the portrait. His gaze landed on the servant’s face, and a smile formed on his lips. “May I ask if the woman in this painting is really a maidservant from where you work?”

The man was smiling, but for some reason, the sight of it sent chills down the servant’s spine.

The servant blinked, then shook his head. “I’ve never seen this maidservant in all my years in the mansion, but if the Prince says she’s a maidservant, then she must be one.”