The Prince Wants to Assassinate Me Every Day-Chapter 21 - Strategy (4) Living Together in the Same Room

The next day.

Dawn breaks.

Suddenly, there is a commotion in the courtyard.

Ye Zhengde was sleeping soundly, having been tired from last night's birthday banquet, and he had even visited Qin Mengxi's quarters... It was a rare loss of control for him.

"Who's making such a racket outside?!" Ye Zhengde demanded authoritatively.

At the entrance, Nanny Zhang hastily reported, "It is Lady Zhou seeking an audience."

A look of undisguised disgust crossed Ye Zhengde's face.

He turned to glance at Qin Mengxi beside him, seeing that she too had been woken up by the noise and immediately softened, "You must be tired from last night, sleep a while longer, I'll go see what's going on."

Qin Mengxi nodded, truly exhausted from last night and unable to get out of bed now; she certainly did not wish to see Zhou Ruotang first thing in the morning.

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Ye Zhengde asked a servant to help him change his clothes, and as he went outside, he saw Zhou Ruotang with eyes red from crying, waiting for him.

Zhou Ruotang, upon seeing Ye Zhengde, quickly stepped forward and sobbed, "Master, Lan'er has disappeared."

Ye Zhengde was about to lose his temper, but was taken aback by Zhou Ruotang's words.

"Yesterday, Lan'er accidentally fell into the water, and after coming back she wouldn't stop crying, saying she no longer had the face to meet anyone. I thought she had come to her senses after I comforted her for a long time yesterday, only to have the maids report to me first thing this morning that Lan'er is nowhere to be found, despite a thorough search. Lan'er has always been shy, and I'm worried... she might have done something rash in her despair..." She couldn't finish her sentence before tears streamed down her face.

Ye Zhilan, who has been Ye Zhengde's beloved daughter for more than a decade, was also concerned by Zhou Ruotang's words.

He hastily ordered all the household servants to start the search, and he too began searching the Minister Mansion with Zhou Ruotang.

After a full round of searching, most guests who hadn't left were also alarmed.

The entire Minister Mansion was looking for Ye Zhilan.

"Where else haven't we looked?!" After an hour, Ye Zhengde was becoming increasingly impatient and asked the servants loudly.

"Reporting to master, only the Prince's and Princess's quarters remain unchecked."

Ye Zhengde hesitated.

Zhou Ruotang cried and whimpered beside him, "Master..."

"Go to the Princess's quarters first," Ye Zhengde decisively stated.

He led the group straight to Ye Qichi's courtyard.

Zhou Ruotang smirked to herself.

Excitement surged within her at the thought of the scene she would witness soon.

She hurriedly followed Ye Zhengde's footsteps.

Ye Zhengde ordered someone to announce their presence, but there was no response from inside the courtyard.

Ye Zhengde gritted his teeth, and without further ado, he pushed the courtyard gates open and walked in.

The courtyard was empty.

Approaching the chamber door, Ye Zhengde knocked.

There was no response.

He was anxious but did not dare to kick the door open directly.

"Master, let me take a look inside; after all, we are all womenfolk," Zhou Ruotang volunteered.

Ye Zhengde nodded, then ordered the door to be pushed open.

As soon as the doors were opened, Zhou Ruotang quickly went inside.

She rushed to the bed, lifted the curtains in excitement, but at the peak of her anticipation, she saw that the bed was empty!

How could this be?!

She was certain that the servant Zhang San entered Ye Qichi's quarters last night and had not left all night!

How could there be no one?!

Where could they be hiding?!

Zhou Ruotang, now frantic, searched everywhere.

Impatient, Ye Zhengde waited outside, "Isn't the Princess inside?"

Zhou Ruotang searched the room and, confident that Ye Qichi was not there, said through gritted teeth, "The Princess is not here, the room is empty."

Ye Zhengde's expression turned grim in an instant.

Could it be that both his daughters had disappeared this early morning?!

He refused to believe that he had just encountered a ghost!

"Master, you still have the Prince's courtyard to visit." A servant reminded by the side.

Ye Zhengde immediately turned and quickly left.

Zhou Ruotang unwillingly took another few glances, clenched her teeth, and followed Ye Zhengde out.

Although her heart was filled with doubts, she decided to put them aside for the moment and first ascertain the relationship between Lan'er and the Prince.

Originally, her plan was just to make use of this method to get Lan'er into the Prince's bed, forcing the Prince to have no choice but to accept Lan'er. Nonetheless, it was because Ye Qichi and Qin Mengxi truly angered her yesterday that she thought of making them pay a price!

The group then went straight to Xiao Jinxing's courtyard.

"Your Highness, this lowly official requests an audience." Outside the door, Ye Zhengde was much more respectful.

The main door opened.

Xiao Wu came out, his face cold, "The Prince is still resting; Lord Minister, please refrain from disturbing him."

"It's genuinely a matter of urgency to see the Prince."

"Once the Prince wakes, I will surely report to him."

Ye Zhengde hesitated.

Logically, Ye Zhilan couldn't possibly be in the Prince's courtyard.

Zhou Ruotang saw through Ye Zhengde's thoughts, and suddenly, ignoring everything else, she rushed into the courtyard.

Xiao Wu purposefully showed that he didn't manage to stop Zhou Ruotang.

Seeing Zhou Ruotang rush in, Ye Zhengde had no choice but to follow her.

Zhou Ruotang directly pushed open the door to Xiao Jinxing's bedroom, rationalizing that what she was doing could all be attributed to her anxious search for her daughter.

She hurried to the rear of the screen and abruptly lifted the bed curtains.

She had expected to see the Prince and her daughter sleeping on the same bed, but never did she anticipate... lying together on the large bed were Xiao Jinxing and Ye Qichi!

How could this be?!

How could Ye Qichi possibly be sleeping with the Prince?!

Where had Ye Zhilan gone?!

Zhou Ruotang's impulsiveness led Ye Zhengde to follow her into the bedroom.

When Ye Qichi saw a group of people coming in, she feigned a startled shriek and quickly hid under the covers, clinging tightly to Xiao Jinxing's side.

Xiao Jinxing's expression darkened, and he barked at those who entered, "Get out!"

Ye Zhengde also saw the two on the bed, and in that instant hastily pulled Zhou Ruotang a few steps away, directly kneeling down, "Your Highness, for having offended you and the Princess, this lowly official deserves to die a thousand times over."

"What exactly happened for Father-in-law to stir up such a commotion this early in the morning?" Xiao Jinxing asked from behind the bed curtains.

Ye Zhengde explained the situation.

"Father-in-law is so anxious to find his daughter, I understand today's rashness was unintentional. This Prince will not hold it against you. However, the young lady you seek is not here, I'd ask Father-in-law to search elsewhere," Xiao Jinxing stated.

"Yes, this lowly official will take his leave now." Ye Zhengde quickly pulled Zhou Ruotang along to leave.

Zhou Ruotang felt aggrieved.

To this very moment, she could not believe it was Ye Qichi and not Ye Zhilan on the bed?!

However, with Ye Zhengde pulling her forcefully and the Prince already making his stance clear, she dared not act too presumptuously.

Reluctantly, she had no choice but to leave along with him.

Inside the room, it soon became just Xiao Jinxing and An Ning left.

"Are you not leaving yet?!" Xiao Jinxing ordered Ye Qichi under the covers.

Ye Qichi was displeased.

She threw back the covers, and looking up, she met Xiao Jinxing's poker face. Annoyed, she muttered, "Fussy!"

As if she wanted his favor or something.

"What did you say?" Xiao Jinxing's eyes narrowed.

"I was saying you're handsome," Ye Qichi smiled ingratiatingly, but barely so.

Xiao Jinxing clearly didn't believe her, his expression turning even colder, seemingly showing great distaste for her.

Ye Qichi was speechless, got up and said unhappily, "I'm not the one with the bodily reaction!"

So much for pretending!