Edited by Tnyhy

When Luo Tan was found, she was at an almost abandoned lane on the western part of the city. That alleyway was connected to different smaller roads, and all the messy and complicated alleys made it harder to search. Fortunately someone in Ah Chi’s city guard"s group was very familiar with that corner of the Ding capital, and thus discovered Luo Tan’s whereabouts.

Even though one had found Luo Tan, her condition did not make one relax at all. Luo Tan’s waist has been stabbed deeply, and the wound was extremely deep. Because it took quite some time to locate her, when she returned to the Shen residence, she was already at her dying breath.

A number of good doctors came over and would only shake their heads over and over again, before saying that they lack the strength to reverse the desperate situation. Shen Xin was so angry that he almost pulled his sword out. It was Luo Xue Yan that said, “All these people are quacks, take Ah Xin’s tally and invite a Imperial Physician from the Palace’s Medical Inst.i.tute. Are not those people from the Medical Inst.i.tute, to all have magical hands that bring the dying back to life? Whoever is able to cure Tan-er, the Shen family would reward handsomely.”

Shen Qiu ordered his subordinate to take Shen Xin’s tally to invite an Imperial Physician from the Palace. Everyone surrounded in front of Luo Tan’s bed and Luo Xue Yan’s eyes turned red, “Who did this? So malicious.”

Luo Ling’s gaze was solemn. Luo Tan was his Tang Younger Sister (aka female cousin of his father side), and to be in a situation where her life and death was unknown, he was naturally upset. However the even more disturbing thing was that Luo Tan was found, but there was still no information about Shen Miao’s whereabouts. Upon seeing Luo Tan’s current situation the other party was obviously vicious, so no one dared to think about what Shen Miao would encounter.

The Shen family army searched nonstop in the Ding capital, but there was no slightest clue at all. Those people seemed to have disappeared into thin air. The houses of ordinary people were searched and all the streets and alleys were searched. One could not go into the residences of officials to search, as they did not have the power to do so even if they wanted to.

A terrible silence fell onto the room.

Whatever that happened outside, Shen Miao was not aware of it. When she woke up, she already did not know what time was it.

Her hands and feet were bound and she was unable to move. Shen Miao slowly opened her eyes. The other party had forgotten to cover her eyes or perhaps it was unnecessary to do so.

This was an empty secret chamber and there was only a table, a cupboard and a bed inside. One was unable to know where this was. It looked like this was a secret room within someone’s residence. Shen Miao could not even move and could only watch quietly.

There was no sound at all and nothing could be heard. Shen Miao was previously unconscious and was not aware of what happened, thus she did not know if Luo Tan escaped and pa.s.sed the message to Xie Jing Xing.

Currently Shen Xin was a character that everyone in the Ding capital would have some degree of fear, especially the current situation where the Qin"s and the Great Liang"s envoys had not left. Because Emperor Wen Hui relied on Shen Xin, his position rose steadily, and combined with the return of the military power, ordinary people would not be able to touch his head. However at the moment there were such brainless people who did that, and to be that bold and plainly disregard of the consequences, Shen Miao need not need to use any brains to guess who that person was. Other than Princess Ming An, no one would use such a simple and crude method.

However she had not thought that Princess Ming An would have found help in the Ding capital this quickly. Obviously, Princess Ming An would not do the job herself and even if it was HuangFu Hao, he would also not allow Princess Ming An to use such a stupid method. Moreover the people who kidnapped her could infiltrate the Feng family guards, so they had some understanding of the Feng family, and had inquired very clearly of her entire journey with Feng An Ning. Especially how they were able to cast the Feng family"s guards off that quickly with the horse carriage, and entered in the deserted alleys. Everything made it clear of the fact that the help that Princess Ming An found, was just too familiar with the Ding capital various routes, and it was obvious that they were natives of Ming Qi.

With Princess Ming An infallible self belief, she would not be a.s.sociated with any lowly character, but those people with official positions would not be willing to risk their lives, and gamble with their future prospects to work with Princess Ming An to kidnap Shen Miao. One had to know that if Shen Xin found out about it in the future, Shen Xin would certainly not take things lying down. The officials of the Ming Qi tended to avoid trouble and hastened for advantages, thus for such a dangerous task, they would definitely not do it.

Therefore it could only be those who had a certain level of official position, and were extremely eager to climb up that they would not even care about their own lives. But among the officials in the Ming Qi, who were they? Shen Miao could not determine who these people were for a moment.

However as the matter got to do with Princess Ming An, it would invite trouble for Shen Xin if he were to take action. One did not know why, but the first thing that Shen Miao thought of was that if Xie Jing Xing took action, he would definitely be able to find her. When one thought about it, it was true. Xie Jing Xing had the Feng Xian p.a.w.nshop and the information from it comes from all directions, so how could the people who kidnapped her be more familiar? The Feng Xian p.a.w.nshop had done so much business in the Ming Qi and extend in all directions, so there was no reason for them to lose out.

Shen Miao could only hope in her heart that Xie Jing Xing would find her as soon as possible.

She did her best to pull her hands into her sleeves. The person tied her up with the ropes so very tightly, that Shen Miao"s skin tore before she was able to pull her hands to her sleeves.

She deliberately did this because after her rebirth, in order to prevent accidents from happening, she had a hairpin specially made. The tip of the hairpin was bent to a hook and when one was in an imminent peril, one would be able to use this to stab the other person"s eyes. This was a method that she learnt in the Palace in her previous lifetime, and at the moment it could be used to wear down the ropes.

Just as she was about to do it, she heard footsteps outside. Shen Miao"s heart jumped and she quickly put the hairpin back into her sleeves, and closed her eyes as she leaned against the wall to pretend that she had not awaken yet.

The door opened and someone walked in from outside. From the footsteps, it was more than one person.

One of them said, "The Shen family"s actions are too big. If this goes on, when can one move the person?"

The other said, "What is the panic about? The person is in our hands, so it is not late to send her out when the wind dies down."

It was two persons. Shen Miao"s mind started deliberating. From their tone of voice, they were here temporary to take shelter from the raging winds, and would eventually move her out. Whatever place that Princess Ming An want to send her to, it would not be anywhere good. Her heart was a little relieved to hear that Shen Xin"s actions were extremely fast, as with so many pair of eyes watching, it would be difficult for the other party to move her out now. Thus at least for this short period of time, she would not be in danger.

It was just that Shen Miao"s heart was suspicious. These two persons" voices were so familiar, but she was feigning being asleep and could not open her eyes to look.

She seemed to felt that there were gazes on her and Shen Miao heard one of them speaking hesitantly, "Why is she not waking up? Could it be that one used too much force before?"

"Second Older Brother, what is the time now? You still have time to care if she is awake or not?" The other person said, "Do not worry. Even if Shen Miao does not wake up, the Princess will also be happy. You have already seen the Princess"s att.i.tude, the worse off Shen Miao is, the better. It does not matter if she lives or dies."

"I am just worried." The person that was called "Second Older Brother" sounded really worried, "What if Father find out about this matter?"

"So what if Father find out about it? You and me are Father"s sons. After that little b.a.s.t.a.r.d died, Father can only rely on us brothers in the future." That person continued, "Moreover, the Xie family and the Shen family are already in disagreement. Do you think that Father will report his own sons over to the Shen family?"

Xie family. Xie family.

The corner of Shen Miao"s eyelashes trembled as she was unable to hide the astonishment in her heart.

She had not expected that the people who kidnapped her would be from the Xie family. That person called the other "Second Older Brother" so it was without a doubt that these two persons were Xie Chang Wu and Xie Chang Chao.

Shen Miao could not believe it in her heart. She had never even thought that the people that Princess Ming An allied with, would be Xie Chang Wu and Xie Chang Chao. One knew that even though the Shu Xie brothers had been dissatisfied with Xie Jing Xing all the while, but based on her previous lifetime, they were however like Fu Xiu Yi, adept at enduring silently, so how could they be so arrogant and conceited this lifetime? They did not hesitate to put themselves in danger, and were involved in the shady business of kidnapping others.

The residence of the Marquis of Lin An was a large and influential family of the Ming Qi that even as Shu sons, they outranked many official"s Di sons. Once Xie Chang Wu"s and Xie Chang Chao"s doings were exposed, the entire residence of the Marquis of Lin An would be destroyed. Were these two people insane?

Xie Cang Wu drank a sip and said, "Is this place safe?"

"Naturally it is safe." Xie Chang Chao said proudly, "No one would have thought that the Young Lady of the Shen family would be hidden in our residence. What is more that in this residence, this secret chamber is only known by the two of us. Even if Shen Xin really managed to get His Majesty"s verbal edict and with fortune by his side, come and search in our residence, I can guarantee that he will return in low spirits."

"That is good." Xie Chang Wu sighed in relief and said, "Success and failure of this matter is only just a momentary slip, so there must not be a single mistake. Once the wind outside dies down, one have to quickly move the person away."

Xie Chang Chao nodded his head and took out clean water and rice out from the basket, before walking over to Shen Miao and placing the two bowls in front of her.

"Wake her up. One cannot starve her to death." Xie Chang Wu said.

"No need." Xie Chang Chao said, "Keep her tied. It is not like she does not have a mouth. Do not you find that to let a Young Lady eat like a dog, Her Princess Highness would be happy to heard about it? At that time when the Princess is happy, it would be good for us when she speak a few good words in front of His Highness."

Xie Chang Chao said, "Also good. It is Third Younger Brother that is thoughtful. In this case then let us go out first, so that others would not be suspicious." After both of them finished speaking, they left.

When there was no more sounds, Shen Miao then slowly opened her eyes.

There were two bowls on the floor in front of her. One bowl was filled with clean water and other with rice. Fortunately Xie Chang Wu and Xie Chang Chao did not gave her disgusting things to eat.

Shen Miao sighed.

It is not like she had not eaten such things. In the chilly Cold Palace, even rotten food was provided but in order to live, one would be able to temporarily put down one"s dignity. As long there was a chance to live another day, there would be a day that one could take revenge.

It was just that Xie Chang Wu"s and Xie Chang Chao"s words finally made her knit her eyebrows.

It turned out that this was a secret chamber of the residence of the Marquis of Lin An. If that was true then it would be difficult for Shen Xin to search till here. First, without Emperor Wen Hui"s verbal edict, it was not possible for one to search the residence of a official, unless one was able to produce tangible evidence. However without any rhyme or reason, the Xie brothers did not have any interactions with Shen Miao, so how would anyone suspect that they were the perpetrators? Second, even if Shen Xin was really able to obtain the verbal edict, just like what the Xie brothers said, this secret chamber was extremely hidden that even Xie Ding was not aware of it, so how would Shen Xin be able to find it?

The Xie family did really take different approaches. The most dangerous place was the safest place, as a result, things became even more th.o.r.n.y.

Shen Miao looked at the clean water in front.

Could Xie Jing Xing find her?