THE SOUND of the carriage wheels and the horses' hooves echoed throughout the area.
Lord Pei and Lord Bai had dispatched their own people to assist the Lu Clan in investigating the anomaly.
It would have been fine if there was simply something causing it.
But what if it was contagious?
The two Clan Heads couldn't leave their clans unattended. Thus, each appointed one of their elders to lead their respective teams.
The Bai Clan sent its Third Elder, Bai Zhentian, whose expertise lay in Formations.
The Pei Clan, on the other hand, sent Elder Yanshu.
Everything had been arranged.
Except for one small problem.
The convoy had come to a stop by the roadside as Elder Yanshu and Elder Zhentian stared at the three children kneeling on the ground.
One looked guilty.
One looked arrogant.
And one looked indifferent.
Elder Yanshu sighed.
"What should we do with them?" he asked.
"We've already traveled halfway to the Kingdom of Liang," Elder Zhentian said hesitantly. "At this point, we have no choice but to take them with us."
"That's right! If you send us back now, believe me when I say I'll just follow you anyway!" Bai Yichen declared confidently.
"Shut up!"
Elder Zhentian resisted the urge to smack the boy's backside.
This child only knew how to create trouble!
Elder Yanshu turned to Lily.
"Young Heir, why did you follow us? And why did you even bring the Sixth Young Master along?"
At the mention of his name, Tianrui lowered his head even further.
"He kidnapped us," Lily replied, pointing a finger at Bai Yichen.
Although she had been interested in tagging along, it didn't change the fact that Bai Yichen had dragged her into one of the hidden compartments inside the carriage without asking her opinion.
At the time, Tianrui had been busy announcing his presence to her. After becoming interested in joining them as well, he was promptly kidnapped too—to keep him from tattling.
"Traitor," Bai Yichen glared at her.
Hearing this, Elder Zhentian grabbed his staff and started smacking Bai Yichen.
It would have been one thing if this brat had been the only one who came along.
But he had also dragged the Young Heir of the Pei Clan and the Pei Clan's Sixth Young Master with him.
It was humiliating!
"Ow! Ow! Ow! Not the face! Not the face!"
Elder Yanshu, on the other hand, didn't believe Lily.
The Young Heir of the Pei Clan could defeat the Bai Clan's Young Heir using nothing but her fists. If she truly hadn't wanted to come, she would have beaten him up long before they left.
Still, for the sake of the Pei Clan's dignity, Elder Yanshu chose not to expose her.
The Pei Clan wasn't reckless in important matters.
"I-I'm... I'm sorry," Tianrui couldn't help but say.
Lily shifted her gaze away, pretending not to know this older brother of hers.
How embarrassing.
Elder Yanshu smiled.
"It is alright, Young Master Tianrui. This isn't your fault," he said.
"But..."
"It isn't your fault," Elder Yanshu repeated. "You were forced to come, so I understand. From now on, however, the three of you must listen to Elder Zhentian and me."
Tianrui was baffled.
He wasn't forced to come, though.
Before he could explain, Lily stood up and bowed.
"Understood, Elder."
Seeing her act so obediently, Tianrui thought she was currying favor with Elder Yanshu. Not wanting to fall behind, he quickly imitated her.
He stood up, bowed as well, and said enthusiastically, "Don't worry, Elder! I will listen to you no matter what!"
"I-I will, too," Bai Yichen said, wincing between his words. He could feel one of his teeth was about to fall out.
But before Elder Zhentian could knock it out, Bai Yichen ran behind Lily and hid there.
He couldn't let a missing tooth affect his handsomeness!
***
Meanwhile, back at the Pei Clan Main Estate, Lord Pei was reading the report Elder Yanshu had sent.
At first, he thought there was an urgent matter regarding the anomaly.
Instead...
He almost coughed up blood after reading its contents.
No wonder!
Without another word, he immediately left his study and headed toward Lily's courtyard.
Butler Chen quietly followed behind him.
Upon opening the door, Lily was sleeping peacefully on the bed.
Lord Pei strode over without hesitation and pulled away the blanket.
Lily slowly opened her eyes.
She blinked.
Then, with a Hehe, she said, "Good Father, it took you quite some time to realize I wasn't here. How incompetent."
The next moment, she vanished.
"....." said Lord Pei.
"....." said Butler Chen.
"Lily!"
Lord Pei's roar echoed throughout the entire Pei Clan Estate.
No wonder the estate had been quiet for a while. He thought his two children were playing together. With Lily always being alone and never close to any of her siblings, he thought it was an opportunity for her to grow closer to one of them.
Who knew something terrible would happen the moment he took his eyes off that girl!
"My Lord?" Butler Chen asked. Then, after clearing his throat, he added, "Did Concubine Su not notice that the Sixth Young Master was gone?"
Lord Pei frowned.
"Let's go to Concubine Su's courtyard."
**
"These peonies are truly beautiful," one of Concubine Su's four personal maidservants said as she admired the flowers. "They suit you well, Concubine Su."
Concubine Su smiled.
"They only bloom this beautifully because all of you have taken such good care of them."
"But they are growing in your courtyard, Concubine Su," another maidservant said. "Who knows if they would bloom just as beautifully elsewhere?"
"Mind your words," a third maidservant reminded.
"My apologies," the maidservant replied, though her expression showed no remorse.
Concubine Su simply smiled.
Then, her gaze returned to the peonies.
"Concubine Su, His Lordship has arrived."
Concubine Su was surprised for a moment before quickly composing herself.
She went to the receiving room. Upon seeing Lord Pei, she immediately bowed.
"My Lord, this concubine is happy to see you."
Lord Pei waved a hand and went straight to the point.
"Concubine Su, where is Tianrui?"
"Tianrui?" Concubine Su repeated. Then, turning to one of her maidservants, she frowned. "Where is the Sixth Young Master? Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on him and not let him run around?"
The maidservant quickly bowed.
"My Lord, Concubine Su... the Sixth Young Master is in his room. His injury hasn't fully healed yet, so he should still be resting."
Lord Pei said nothing.
He simply looked at the two.
The silence made everyone in the room uneasy.
Finally, he spoke.
"I saw Tianrui playing with Lily a few days ago."
Concubine Su's expression stiffened.
"I... I see. So Tianrui has been disturbing Tianli again," she said with a forced smile.
Lord Pei sighed.
"Concubine Su, I won't reprimand you for not knowing what our son has been doing. After all, I myself failed to notice Lily's actions," He paused before continuing, "But Tianrui is still living in your courtyard. He doesn't have a courtyard of his own yet. Whatever he does is still your responsibility."
Concubine Su's face flushed red.
"My Lord, what do you mean by that? I have taken good care of Tianrui. You saw how well the Second Young Master turned out."
"I know," Lord Pei replied. "And I hope you'll raise Tianrui just as well," He stood up, "My Sixth Son is no longer in the estate. He followed the envoy to the Kingdom of Liang," Then he looked at her, "Concubine Su... let us become better parents next time."
With that, he left.
The moment Lord Pei disappeared from sight, Concubine Su hurried toward Tianrui's room.
Upon seeing that it was empty, she turned around and slapped the maidservant across the face.
Slap!
"What were you doing?! How could you not know the Young Master was gone?!"
The maidservant immediately knelt.
Holding her burning cheek, she inwardly cursed Tianrui.
The young master usually only caused trouble within the estate.
Who knew that damned child would dare leave it this time?
Concubine Su's temper flared.
She wanted nothing more than to beat the maidservant.
But she couldn't.
Doing so would only expose her temper to the rest of the estate.
The maidservant had been tasked with watching Tianrui.
But she, as his mother, was ultimately responsible for his well-being.
She hated that Lord Pei had pointed it out.
Thinking of Tianrui again, she couldn't help but curse the child in her heart.
He knew nothing but how to create trouble.
Unlike her eldest son...
This child had never once made her proud.