The whole family was brutally murdered? The ruthless heiress's eldest daughter went berserk aft

The hall erupted in uproar. Nangong Yifeng's sudden disappearance was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up countless waves.

Murong Xuewei stood in the crowd, her face calm, but her heart was churning with turmoil.

Her gaze met Gu Ye's, and a hint of worry flashed in both of their eyes.

The Emperor sat high on his dragon throne, his face ashen. "My esteemed ministers," he said, "Nangong Yifeng is key to the peace talks between our two nations. His sudden disappearance must be suspicious." His gaze swept over the assembled officials. "What are your thoughts?"

The court officials looked at each other, and for a moment no one dared to speak.

Gu Ye stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, “Your Majesty, I believe this matter should be investigated swiftly. If Nangong Yifeng escaped on his own, then the Qu Kingdom was the one who deceived us first; if he was kidnapped, then it concerns the honor of our nation. In any case, it cannot be taken lightly.”

The Emperor nodded. "What you say is quite right, my dear minister. You shall personally take charge of this matter and ensure that the truth is uncovered as soon as possible."

Gu Ye accepted the order and withdrew, exchanging a glance with Murong Xuewei. They both understood the gravity of the situation without uttering a word.

The negotiations reached a stalemate, and the Qu Kingdom envoy angrily demanded to see Nangong Yifeng immediately, or else he would break off the negotiations.

Chaos reigned in the court, with some advocating for a thorough investigation while others believed the envoy from Qu Kingdom should be appeased.

Murong Xuewei stood aside, silently observing the changing situation.

Murong Xuewei's mind raced. Nangong Yifeng's disappearance was no accident; there must be a hidden story behind it.

But who is pulling the strings in the dark, and what is their purpose?

After leaving the court, Murong Xuewei and Gu Ye walked quickly towards Nangong Yifeng's residence. They spoke in hushed tones along the way.

"General, do you think it's more likely that Nangong Yifeng escaped on his own, or that he was kidnapped?" Murong Xuewei asked.

Gu Ye frowned. "Based on my understanding of Nangong Yifeng these past few days, he's not the kind of person who would desert in the face of battle. Besides, if he really wanted to escape, he would have had the opportunity back at the border. Therefore, I'm more inclined to believe he was kidnapped."

Murong Xuewei nodded. "That's what I think too. But who would dare to kidnap the prince of Qu Kingdom in the capital?"

"This is precisely what we need to find out," Gu Ye said gravely. "Whoever it is, their motives are not pure. We must find Nangong Yifeng as soon as possible, or the consequences will be unimaginable."

The two arrived at Nangong Yifeng's residence and carefully searched every corner. Everything in the room was as usual; there were no signs of a struggle, nor any obvious clues.

Just then, Liuli suddenly exclaimed, "Madam, come quick!"

Murong Xuewei rushed over upon hearing the sound, only to see Liuli pointing to a corner behind the door. There lay an exquisite sachet, its embroidery superb, clearly no ordinary object.

“This is…” Murong Xuewei picked up the sachet and examined it carefully.

Liuli's expression was grave. "Madam, I can confirm that Young Master Nangong has been kidnapped."

Murong Xuewei was somewhat surprised, "How can you be so sure?"

A hint of shyness appeared on Liuli's face, but she quickly regained her seriousness. "Before... Young Master Nangong mentioned this sachet to me during a casual chat. He said it was embroidered by his late mother and held great significance for him. He said that even if he lost his life, he would never lose this sachet."

Murong Xuewei seemed thoughtful. "So, if he left on his own, he would never have left this sachet here."

Gu Ye walked over, and after listening to Liu Li's words, his expression became even more grave. "It seems that things are more complicated than we imagined."

Murong Xuewei gripped the sachet in her hand tightly. "We must inform the Emperor of this news as soon as possible. Nangong Yifeng's abduction is no longer just a matter of negotiations between our two countries; it concerns the very face of our Taichu Kingdom."

Gu Ye nodded in agreement, but then frowned and said, "However, Xue Wei, you'd better not go to the palace yourself."

Murong Xuewei understood Gu Ye's worries; the Emperor's feelings for her were no secret. She sighed softly, "I understand. Then go ahead. I'll wait for your news at the manor."

Gu Ye held Murong Xuewei's hand and said softly, "Don't worry, I'll be back as soon as possible. Be careful in the manor; there's probably more to this incident than we know."

Murong Xuewei nodded, watching Gu Ye leave. She turned to Liuli and Uncle Lin and said, "You two go with the general to investigate the surrounding area. Nangong Yifeng is highly skilled in martial arts; if he were to take him away, he would surely leave some traces."

Liuli and Uncle Lin left to carry out their orders, while Murong Xuewei remained alone in the room, carefully examining every corner in hopes of finding more clues.

Inside the palace hall, Gu Ye knelt on one knee and reported in detail about Nangong Yifeng's kidnapping. However, to his surprise, the Emperor didn't seem to care much about the matter.

"Minister Gu," the Emperor said lazily, "I understand. However, I'm more curious as to why Lady Murong didn't come along?"

Gu Ye's heart skipped a beat. Suppressing his anger, he respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, the Lady is unwell and unable to enter the palace."

The Emperor narrowed his eyes, a half-smile playing on his lips, and said, "Is that so? That's a pity. I had intended to personally inquire of Lady Murong about some matters."

Gu Ye felt a chill run down his spine, but he knew he couldn't show any abnormality at this moment. "Your Majesty," he said cautiously, "should we take immediate action regarding Nangong Yifeng's abduction?"

The Emperor waved his hand. "You handle it. I believe in your abilities, my esteemed minister, and you will find Nangong Yifeng soon. By the way," he suddenly changed the subject, "next time you enter the palace, be sure to bring Lady Murong with you. I have some questions I'd like to ask her in person."

Gu Ye's heart was filled with alarm bells, but he remained outwardly calm. "Your subject obeys the decree."

After leaving the palace, Gu Ye's unease intensified. The Emperor's indifference to Nangong Yifeng's disappearance, coupled with his lingering affection for Murong Xuewei, suggested there must be a hidden story behind it.

Meanwhile, Liuli and Uncle Lin searched everywhere for clues, but to no avail. Nangong Yifeng seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace.

“Uncle Lin,” Liuli said somewhat dejectedly, “did we miss something? Young Master Nangong’s martial arts are so high, it’s impossible that he left no trace.”

Uncle Lin frowned in thought. "It is indeed very strange. Unless..." He suddenly stopped, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes.

“Unless what?” Liuli pressed.

Uncle Lin shook his head. "It's nothing. Let's keep searching; we're sure to find some clues."

Just then, Liuli suddenly noticed something unusual about a tree not far away. She quickly walked over and examined it closely, discovering a very shallow scratch on the bark.

"Uncle Lin, come quick!" Liuli exclaimed excitedly.

Uncle Lin walked over and carefully examined the scratch. His brows furrowed deeper and deeper, and finally he sighed, "Liuli, you should go back first. I'll take another closer look at the surrounding area."

Liuli was somewhat puzzled, but she still obeyed Uncle Lin's instructions. She turned and left, but felt a vague unease in her heart.

Uncle Lin watched Liuli walk away, then his eyes suddenly sharpened. He strode behind a tree and pulled a token from his pocket. The token was engraved with a strange symbol, an enlarged version of the scratch.