Xia Chunyu brings a group of people with him to the cold palace.
“You guys, go over there to search, and don’t even skip the bushes and rockery.”
The guards accept their orders and disperse.
Xia Chunyu tells the remaining guards “There are three wells in this vicinity. Pry open all the stone slabs and search carefully.”
Ye Jiayao who was sitting in despair at the bottom of the well suddenly springs right up. She thought she heard footsteps.
Someone is coming.
Ye Jiayao starts to shout out loud “Is anyone there? I am at the bottom of the well…”
Her voice echoes in the empty well but due to the thick stone slab sealing the well. If one does not pay attention, it is impossible to notice.
However, the person who is squatting by the well, preparing to remove the stone slab at this moment jolts up in happiness, shouting out joyfully “Master Xia, there is someone in here.”
Xia Chunyu rushes forward, pushing the man squatting by the well and squats down himself, lifting the stone slab with might. Just as he lifts one side of the slab up, a clear voice travels from the almost pitch dark well “Is anyone there? I am Ye Jinxuan…”
At this moment, it is as though Xia Chunyu heard the most beautiful sound in this world, his heart almost leaping out of his mouth. Suddenly, he seems to have gained immense strength and with a push, the stone slab was sent flying out.
The top suddenly lights up with brightness and the shining rays of the sun sting Ye Jiayao’s eyes as she has been staying in the darkness for a while. She quickly covers her eyes, shouting out “I am Ye Jinxuan, the person in charge of Yu Wang’s wedding feast, quick, get me out of here…”
“Yaoyao…” Xia Chunyu leans at the mouth of the well, almost tearing up from the joy. For six hours, his heart is gripped with anxiousness and he almost broke down several times. Now that he has finally found Yaoyao, the joy of regaining something you lost overwhelms him.
Ye Jiayao recognises Xia Chunyu’s voice and the strong girl who refuses to cry suddenly broke down in tears. She knew that Chunyu would save her, Chunyu would definitely find her.
“Chunyu, quick, get me out..” Ye Jiayao chokes on her tears while she wipes away the tears that fell against her will.
“Yaoyao, don’t be afraid, I am coming down to save you now. Wait for a while more.” Hearing her cry, Xia Chunyu really wants to just jump down and hug her tight to comfort her but his rationality tells him that the well is very deep. If he goes down without any tools he wouldn’t be able to get back up.
The guards already went to look for a rope without needing him to order.
“Yaoyao, are you hurt?” In order to pacify the emotions of his lover at the bottom of the well, Xia Chunyu just leans at the mouth of the well without a care for his image, sticking his entire head in. The guards are afraid that he would fall in and keep a close eye on him, getting ready to grab onto him at any time.
“I… I am alright, just that it is very dark here.” Ye Jiayao starts to stabilise her emotions. Chunyu’s voice seems to be shaking, he must be so anxious.
“It is wet down here and there is also mud, I am so dirty now.” Ye Jiayao self-mocks.
“It is okay even if you are a little dirty, as long as you are not hurt.” Xia Chunyu is extremely touched, he even wants to thank the abductor for not harming Yaoyao.
“What is the time now? Is the wedding feast starting soon? Will I make it in time if I rush over now?”
Xia Chunyu starts to feel upset again. She is already in this situation but is still thinking about the wedding feast. Tears start to well up in his eyes uncontrollably and the person at the bottom of the well becomes increasingly blurred.
“It is late afternoon now. If you are quick, you can still make it for the main dish.” Xia Chunyu tries to sound as relaxed as possible.
“That’s good…” Ye Jiayao heaves a sigh of relief. This is Ah Ruan’s wedding feast. She has to help her run the event well, she promised to do so.
“Master Xia, the rope is here.” The guard runs back, huffing and puffing.
Xia Chunyu ties the rope on his waist without hesitation.
“Master, let me do it instead!” His subordinate says worryingly. How can he let the Master go down the well personally!
Xia Chunyu turns a deaf ear to his words. The person at the bottom of the well is his wife. Of course he has to go down. He can’t possibly allow someone else to carry Yaoyao up.
“Enough of the nonsense, hold the rope well, just listen to my cue later.” Xia Chunyu tightens the rope and jumps right into the well. He supports himself with his arms and legs against the wall of the well, resisting his fall as he slides down quickly.
Watching the man fall from the sky, Ye Jiayao pounces into his embrace the moment he lands, holding tightly on to him. It would be a lie to say that she was not afraid. She was so scared that she would die in this well just like that. Besides, no one would even discover her corpse here. She doesn’t want to die yet. She still has many unfulfilled wishes, she still wants to spend the rest of her life with this man.
Xia Chunyu hugs her tightly, wishing that she could just become one with him, never to part again. That way, he would not have to worry that she would suddenly disappear.
He kisses her forehead and cheek passionately, comforting her incoherently “It’s okay, don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, I’m here…”
He said that to comfort her but at the same time, he is also comforting himself. This half-day ordeal would be unforgettable.
“Master, Master…” the guard on the ground shouts worriedly.
Xia Chunyu grabs hold of her waist tightly with a hand, saying gently “Yaoyao, hold on tight to me.”
He tugs on the rope with the other hand and shouts out his command powerfully “Pull!”
Helian Jing is still searching in the imperial garden, not missing a single spot but he was greeted with disappointment and cannot help but feel a little despair, could it be that his analysis went wrong?
“Young Royal Highness, Young Royal Highness…” A guard rushes over.
Helian Jing recognises him as one of the men with Brother Chunyu, his heart suddenly tightens “Is she found?”
The guard smiles, revealing his pearly white teeth “She’s found, Master is sending Madam to Princess Ah Ruan’s place right now and got me to inform you.”
Helian Jing looks up at the sky. In the vast area of azure blue, a few white clouds dot the sky, floating around leisurely. His heart that was held up by a thread can finally be at ease.
Ah Ruan is already dressed up neatly, just waiting for the auspicious hour to arrive to cover herself with the red veil and sit on the marriage sedan, moving towards an unknown future. However, at this moment, she is worried for Sister Yaoyao. Sister Yaoyao entered the palace because of her. if she is unable to return, how would she ever be in a peace of mind?
Hearing the palace maid report that Sister Yaoyao is found and is currently changing in the side chamber, Ah Ruan could not contain her happiness, springing up to look for Sister Yaoyao.
The old granny quickly stops her “Princess, you cannot move casually, the marriage sedan will arrive any moment.”
Ah Ruan could not be bothered with her running straight towards the side chamber. Behind, trails a group of palace maids, eunuchs and the old granny, chasing her.
“Sister Yaoyao…”
Ye Jiayao has already changed out of her muddy and dirty clothes and is washing her face.
Seeing Ah Ruan rush over, she quickly dries her face and hands “Ah Ruan, what are you doing here, quick, go back, a bride should not be running around.”
Ah Ruan could not care, rushing over to give her a tight hug, choking on her tears “Sister Yaoyao, it is great that you are alright, you have no idea how worried I was, I was about to die from the fright.”
Ye Jiayao feels a warmth creep into her heart, smiling “Today is your big day, you are not allowed to say this kind of things, can’t you see that I am all well?”
“Then where on earth did you disappear to? did someone abduct you?” Ah Ruan asks impatiently “Are you hurt?”
Ye Jiayao smiles “No, no, don’t worry, just rest assured and be a bride. I am going to the imperial kitchen right now, if I hurry, I can still make it in time to prepare your wedding feast.”
Xia Chunyu sends two guards to protect Ye Jiayao while he reports to His Majesty.
“Your Majesty, Ye Jinxuan has been found in an abandoned well near the cold palace. Thankfully, she is not harmed and just suffered a little fright. She will proceed to the imperial kitchen immediately and would not hold up the wedding feast.”
The Emperor wears a solemn expression “Do you know who did it?”
This matter is infuriating, it is Yu Wang’s big day and someone actually dares to try to sabotage the event. On top of that, that person is someone in the palace. This is too scary, too hateful, too unpardonable.
Xia Chunyu replies “According to Jinxuan, she almost knocked into a little eunuch while she was on her way to the imperial kitchen. That person has his head down and she could not see his face clearly. Immediately after that, someone stuck the back of her neck and by the time she regained consciousness, she was already in the abandoned well. Currently, there is no knowing who the perpetrator is.”
“Investigate, you have to get to the bottom of this.” His Majesty is enraged.
“I accept my orders. Only, this person is extremely cautious and was not seen by anyone from when he abducted Jinxuan all the way till he threw her in the abandoned well. Additionally, the well is at a place without an owner. There is a high level of difficulty in the investigation.” Xia Chunyu has long analysed it. Unless Yaoyao can identify the eunuch, even the identification of that person would be highly unlikely. There are thousands of eunuchs in the palace. This is like searching for a needle in a haystack.
“You have to get to the bottom of it no matter how difficult it is. If someone can abduct a person in the palace so easily, how can the consorts and ladies in the palace be at ease, how can His Majesty be at ease?” The Empress says with resolution.
She is upright and abroad, if she cannot find out who did it, she can never erase this suspicion that would be attached to the crown prince and her. It would not be advantageous for her or the crown prince once His Majesty harbours ill-feelings and suspicion.
Consort Shu concurs “Of course you have to get to the bottom of it, we cannot allow such a vile character that harbours ill intentions to go scot free.”
“Yes.” Xia Chunyu accepts his orders. This case would be difficult to investigate but he is only worried that it would be more difficult to make a decision once they find out who it is.
The news of Ye Jiayao escaping danger has travelled to Yong He palace. A big rock weighing on You’s heart is finally removed. She chants Amitabha under her breath. It is really thanks to the protection of Bodhisattva that Jinxuan can change this misfortune into a blessing.
Yu De asks “Where is she now?”
The eunuch who came to report the news replies “She has gone to the imperial kitchen.”
Yu De laments “It is really hard on her, she has yet to recover from her fright and doesn’t even have time to take a breather.”
The Empress Dowager asks “Do you know who did it?”
The eunuch answers “His Majesty has already sent orders, commanding Master Xia to investigate this matter thoroughly.”
The Empress Dowager nods thoughtfully.
Liu Li opens her mouth to speak but swallows her words back, staying silent.
Seeing Ye Jiayao’s arrival, Lu Yiming is relieved from a burden “I would really be at a loss of what to do if you still do not appear.”
Ye Jiayao smiles “Why would I not appear? I would definitely have to come.”
What shocks Ye Jiayao is that she discovers the figures of Zhong Xiang and Deng Haichuan in the crowd of imperial chefs.
“What are you guys doing here?”
Lu Yiming laughs bitterly “Isn’t it because you did not appear no matter how long we wait? The main in-charge of the imperial kitchen had no choice but to get them here first.”
Deng Haichuan and Zhong Xiang were called over the last minute and are not certain of what exactly happened to Ye Jiayao, their hearts and minds are in a mess. Now that they have seen Ye Jiayao, Deng Haichuan cannot help but ask “Second Young Mistress, are you alright?”
