Volume 1 Chapter 122: Turning the Heavens Upside Down

  Happy Dragon Boat Festival

  The Admiral of Nine Gates, Li Wei, arrived soon after.

  He came obediently, and Wan Cai let out a sigh of relief.

  "…General's wife disappeared on the night of the Lantern Festival, I was ordered by General Shen to secretly search for her." Li Wei replied with a trembling voice.

  "Ten thousand years were shocked, 'Mrs. Shen is missing?!'"

  "It's been four days since he went missing."

  It turned out that Zhen Shining had returned to Wutong Town overnight, and Guo Xiu and Chi Jiwei chased after her at dawn. Not seeing Zhen Shining, Ji Huifeng panicked and left Sun Qingliang to protect Jian Wu and Jian Wen. He personally led his men to search for her along the way, but still didn't see any sign of Zhen Shining even when they reached the capital city. Wanting to enter the palace to send a message, he coincidentally encountered the palace coup, with strict security inside and outside the palace, and all the waist plaques and passwords had been changed. Ji Huifeng was anxious but couldn't do anything.

  Until Shen Zhongge returned home from the palace, Rong Sheng found him and only then did he learn that Zhen Shi'niang had indeed gone missing.

  Li Wei bowed his head and said, “...Following General Shen's orders, I secretly searched all the inns, teahouses, brothels, and civilian residences in the capital city for a whole day and night, but found nothing. Fearing that Madam had been kidnapped by Gu Yu's former subordinates, General Shen ordered me to set up checkpoints at the city gates to conduct secret inspections.”

  I secretly mobilized troops and sealed off the city overnight, turning the entire capital upside down, all because Shen Zhongxi was searching for a woman!

  What a fright! The green veins on Wan's forehead throbbed violently, and with one fierce punch, he slammed his fist onto the dragon-shaped desk. This Shen Zhongjie!

  Mobilizing troops to seal off the city to find a woman, such an absurd thing, only Shen Zhongjie, this straightforward and overbearing villain who dares to defy even him, would dare to do it, and can actually do it!

  Shen Zhong's son, Shen Que, was notorious in the imperial court. Every time they won a battle and rewards were given out, if he slightly overlooked or missed one of his subordinates, he would slap the table and glare at himself. But what was even more infuriating was that his mother, Old Lady Shen, was a village woman by birth, and she was notorious for her loudmouthed and unreasonable behavior in high-society gatherings. Even the imperial concubines would whisper warnings to him, but as soon as he slightly mentioned it to her, she would glare at him with eyes wide open and turn against him.

  Recalling Shen Zhong's past misdeeds, Wan Si's anger suddenly vanished into thin air.

  Shen Zhong's temper is just like that of a spoiled child. Once he has made up his mind, even eight oxen cannot change it, and getting angry with him is asking for trouble.

  After some self-reflection, Wan Si furrowed his brow again.

  Is he going to such great lengths to find her, doesn't that mean he has already included Zhen Shiniang in his sphere of influence, treating him as one of his own people, and making him an object of protection under his wings?

  Wan's face changed greatly as he recalled Shen Zhongge's perverted protection of his own people.

  Zhen Shiniang, he had seen her before, but she was not comparable to Old Lady Shen. She was just an ignorant and foolish village woman, who would get into trouble if she were reckless, but she wouldn't cause any big problems even if the sky fell apart. Zhen Shiniang was wise and intelligent, if Shen Zhongjie were influenced by her... Just as he was about to call someone over, the calm and collected demeanor of Zhen Shiniang, which was similar to wisdom, appeared in front of him again, facing the intimidation of Anqing Hou... A woman who clearly knew what she wanted, with only two years left to live, and two sons... She would not waste her time on meaningless things!

  Thinking of this, Wan Cai let out a breath and his face returned to calmness.

  For the first time, Li Wei saw Wan Sui's face change in an instant. "Wan Sui..." he called out softly, replaying their previous conversation in his mind and secretly guessing which sentence had triggered Wan Sui.

  "Go down...". Wan Cai waved his hand.

  Fu Gonggong came in and replied, “...Madam Shen has already returned to Wutong Town. Old Madam Shen has been summoned alone to the palace.”

  Shen Zhong's filial piety is extremely heavy, no matter what, he will not abandon his mother and ignore her. Shen Lao Furen still lives in the General's Mansion, which means that his private mobilization of troops was indeed not intended to rebel.

  At this point, Wan Si had completely believed Li Wei's words. Shen Zhongjie mobilized the troops of Fenggu only to find Zhen Shiniang!

  At this moment, Wan Si didn't know what to say anymore.

  Fu Gonggong was somewhat puzzled, having hastily summoned Shen Lao Furen into the palace, why wasn't she speaking now?

  Just as they were in a state of uncertainty, a small eunuch came and went, saying "Xiao Zhongting and Zheng Ge Lao have arrived."

  "Let them all kneel in peace." Seeing that Fu Gonggong was still standing there, he ordered, "Pass on my decree, instructing General Shen to find Madame Shen and immediately come to the palace to see me!"

  ……

  Zhen Shiniang didn't return on time, she must have gone to Zhong Tang Fu.

  Before leaving, the young lady of her family had said that this time in Beijing, she would find an opportunity to visit Old Lady Xiao and stay for a few more days. Unbeknownst to Zhen Shiniang, who was driven out in the middle of the night, after hearing the "bad news" brought back by Guo Xiu, Ji Kuai didn't show any anxiety at all.

  She was still worried about Zhen Shiniang, "......How unlucky is Miss, actually letting the general win?" Unbeknownst to her, Shen Zhongjie had already turned the entire city of Beijing upside down in search of Zhen Shiniang over the past two days. Seeing him jump off his horse with a fierce aura, Jixiao thought it was just that her mistress had bad luck and had secretly gone to visit Old Lady Xiao without returning before he suddenly arrived at the ancestral mansion.

  "......Has your wife not returned yet?" Shen Zhongge suppressed the anxiety in his heart, his eyes searching around the courtyard.

  “N...no......” She wanted to say she was back, but facing this fierce and evil person, Jixiao didn't have the courage to lie. Feeling the air around her suddenly turn cold, she shivered and subconsciously explained, “L...little madam said when she left that she wanted to take advantage of this trip to the capital city to find a few big hospitals to check on her illness......” Shen Zhong's piercing gaze shot over, and Jixiao immediately became stuttering, “M...madam probably went to which hospital, delayed her return journey.”

  Clinic?

  Shen Zhong's heart moved slightly, and he immediately vetoed it. Even if she had gone to the doctor's house, it had been four days, and she should have returned by now. Li Wei couldn't find Zhen Shi Niang, so he came to the ancestral mansion with a glimmer of hope, hoping that Zhen Shi Niang had just gone out to play for a few days and was now back safely.

  The magpie's expression was one of fear, not anxiety. Upon hearing that Zhen Shi Niang had yet to return, Shen Zhong Ke felt a surge of apprehension in his heart. He suddenly turned around and ordered, "Send word to Commander Li to pay attention to the major clinics in the capital, has Madam gone to see a doctor?"

  Although he knew it was futile, as long as there was a thread of clue, he wouldn't let it go.

  He must see people when he is alive and see corpses when he dies!

  The voice out of control was like a wounded beast, a violent breath instantly filled the entire yard.

  With a thud, Xu Fenglan, the kitchen maid, fainted on the spot.

  "Madam, you have a good destiny, nothing will happen to you. General, don't scare everyone." Seeing the people in the ancestral house were all frightened pale, Rong Sheng whispered to advise, his eyes looking at Jixiao who was trembling with fear, "Jixiao is still pregnant." Rong Sheng suspected that if Shen Zhongjue shouted again, she would give birth prematurely.

  Shen Zhongji was so startled that he scared himself.

  What's wrong with him?

  He actually showed his violent temper in front of a group of slaves.

  He owed her so much, and before he paid it back, he wouldn't let anything happen to her. He shook his head vigorously, and Shen Zhongge found a reason for the inexplicable fear in his heart. He suppressed the emotions that were about to spill out and strode towards the main house.

  The fierce momentum seemed to have dissipated, and everyone let out a sigh of relief.

  Intimidated by Shen Zhongjie's majestic aura, even Ji Dajie and Dong Jiu didn't dare to enter the house to attend to him. The ravens stood silently in the corridor. Even the guards brought by Shen Zhongjie were holding their breath, standing quietly at each corner.

  In the old mansion of Nuo Da, forty or fifty people were gathered, yet it was as quiet as an ancient tomb, without a single sound.

  "The general hasn't eaten..." Seeing Rong Sheng bring out the dishes without a single thread out of place, Ji Kuai asked anxiously.

  Rong Sheng shook his head silently.

  Looking at the lonely figure of Rong Sheng leaving, the magpie wanted to speak but hesitated.

  Judging from this situation, Shen Zhongge won't leave before Zhen Shiniang returns. Should we tell them that Zhen Shiniang might have gone to the Zhong Dang Fu?

  Just as he was hesitating, a royal guard rushed in on horseback, "...the Emperor's oral decree, please have the General enter the palace immediately." The imperial edict was to let Shen Zhongxiao find Zhen Shiniang and then enter the palace, but Chu Xinyi feared that delaying for too long would offend the Emperor's dignity, so she took it upon herself to change the Emperor's oral decree.

  He held in his hand the wooden hairpin that Zhen Shiyin was accustomed to using, rubbing it back and forth, while Shen Zhongjie sat motionlessly in the chair where Zhen Shiyin usually sat, not a thread out of place.

  "General..." Rong Sheng called out cautiously.

  It's been four days since she went missing in the middle of the night, and there has been no news from Zhen Shiniang. The possibility of her being alive is extremely slim, and even mourning won't do any good. However, the imperial edict of the Wan Sui Emperor cannot be disobeyed.

  Shen Zhong Xiao slowly raised his head, "You..."

  "General, General, the lady has been found!" Just then, a commotion broke out in the courtyard as guards rushed in, "Reporting to the General, Wei Zhanzhuang has found the lady!"

  She's still alive!

  Shen Zhong's eyes were fixed on the approaching guard, his expression as still as a mud sculpture. After what felt like an eternity, he suddenly sprang to his feet, "How is my wife?!"

  "Madam is safe and sound, Wei Zanzan has been protecting her all the way, they have already arrived at Wutong Town."

  "Saddle up!" Shen Zhongqiu lifted his foot and headed out.

  Look, Shen Zhongjie is standing at the gate of the ancestral mansion. Zhen Shiniang's heart skipped a beat, "How did he come too? Isn't he busy with the imperial court after just going through the coup?" On the way, she was intercepted by Shen Zhongjie's elite soldiers, and Zhen Shiniang already knew that he was looking for her, but she didn't expect him to come in person. She was surprised in her heart, but Zhen Shiniang dared not slow down her movements. She calmed herself, supported Qiuju, and walked down from the carriage with ease, came to Shen Zhongjie's side and slightly bowed, "General is here."

  It turned out she was saved by Xiao Yu.

  Unbeknownst to Zhen Shining, she had indeed fled to the Xiao estate and was now sitting in a carriage with the Xiao family crest. Shen Zhongke assumed that she must have been rescued by someone from the Xiao household and couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. When he had first left the capital, he had actually overtaken this very carriage, but since it belonged to the Xiao estate, he hadn't dared to stop it for inspection.

  As he gazed at Zhen Shining standing in front of him, Shen Zhongge forcibly suppressed the surge of excitement that had been building up inside him, using all his might to control the urge to rush forward and embrace her. He turned his face away and asked gruffly, “...where have you been these past few days?”

  He wanted to ask her about her recent experiences, his heart was full of concern, but because his emotions were intentionally suppressed, his stiff tone had a hint of blame.

  Zhen Shining suddenly felt a surge of displeasure in her heart.