Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

When we returned to Hutou Village, the sky was already beginning to lighten.

As soon as Xiao Yi stepped into the room, he saw Elder Li sitting upright in the hall, holding a cup of tea in his hands, with a calm expression.

"You're back?" Elder Li looked up and glanced at him, his brows furrowing slightly. "You're suffering from both qi and blood deficiency, yet you still risked your life."

You young people really don't value your lives.

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Xiao Yi's face, and he clasped his hands apologetically, saying, "Thank you for waiting so long, Elder Li."

Qingfeng quickly tried to ingratiate himself, "Elder Li, why did you arrive before dawn?"

"Qingfeng, you brat, how dare you ask me such a question?"

"What I told you, did you just ignore it?"

Elder Li glared at Qingfeng.

"Elder Li, it's all my fault. You can scold me all you want, hehe!"

I'm thick-skinned, but if you've insulted me, don't insult the master!

Qingfeng said with a grin.

"You brat, the sect leader doesn't take care of his health, couldn't you have stopped him?"

Elder Li sighed and shook his head.

Elder Li…

You know my master's temper; how could I possibly stop him...?

Qingfeng looked at Xiao Yi.

Xiao Yi then smiled and said, "Elder Li, please don't scold Qingfeng. He's just following my orders."

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. It's good that you two are back safe and sound."

Master, please sit down.

"I'm about to administer acupuncture!"

Elder Li put down his teacup and glanced at the two of them helplessly.

Qingfeng quickly stepped forward to help Xiao Yi remove his outer robe.

Xiao Yi sat cross-legged on the couch, revealing his lean back.

Elder Li took out a silver needle and skillfully inserted it into the acupoint.

Xiao Yi felt a warm current seep into his body through the needle tip, slowly dispelling the chill from his limbs and bones.

"The slap that knocked you unconscious yesterday was delivered by this old man."

This old man apologizes to the Pavilion Master!

Elder Li suddenly spoke.

Xiao Yi closed his eyes and said calmly, "Elder Li, there's no need for that."

I know you mean well.

I don't blame you!

"Although I was thinking of my master, I overstepped my duty as a servant of the master."

If Your Excellency does not blame me, it is my good fortune.

Elder Li spoke calmly, his hands moving without stopping.

"Since Elder Li knows, let's not do it again," Xiao Yi said.

Elder Li smiled slightly and said nothing more.

The acupuncture treatment was completed after one incense stick had burned.

Elder Li accepted the silver needles and instructed, "The poison has been almost completely cleared. From now on, take good care of yourself. Do not engage in any physical violence, drink alcohol, or..." for the next two weeks.

"Understood, thank you Elder Li!" Xiao Yi interrupted him.

Otherwise, he'll have to keep giving endless explanations.

He was so familiar with those clichés that he could practically recite them from memory.

Elder Li nodded, gave Qingfeng a few more instructions, and then left with his medicine box.

Xiao Yi leaned back on the couch, closed his eyes to rest for a moment, then suddenly opened them: "Qingfeng."

"exist."

"Go and invite Miss Winter Mallow here."

Qingfeng was taken aback: "Master, it's not even dawn yet..."

"Go." Xiao Yi glanced at him.

Qingfeng dared not ask any more questions and ran out in a flash.

Before long, Dongkui came in with the breeze.

She had clearly been dragged out of bed; her hair was still a little messy, and her face showed a mixture of confusion and unease.

"Brother Shi Qi, you wanted to see me?" She stood at the door, somewhat reserved.

Xiao Yi pointed to the chair in front of the couch: "Sit."

Dongkui hesitated for a moment, then sat down.

Xiao Yi looked at her and got straight to the point: "Tao'er and Ayan have been found!"

Dongkui's eyes immediately lit up, and she instantly perked up. She stood up and asked with a joyful expression, "Really?"

Where are they?

I want to see them…

"I'm sorry, I don't know where they went either."

Xiao Yi shook his head.

Dongkui looked puzzled. "Brother Shi Qi, Brother Qingfeng, what do you mean by this?"

I don't understand at all!

Didn't you just say you found them?

Could it be that they have already...?

Impossible...

Waaaaah………

It's all my fault..."

As Dongkui finished speaking, she was on the verge of tears, making a convulsive sound.

Qingfeng quickly explained, "Miss Dongkui, don't cry. Miss Tao'er and the others are alright."

Dongkui's voice stopped abruptly, "They're fine, why didn't you say so sooner?"

Where are they?

Dongkui glanced around; apart from the three of them inside the house, there was no one else.

"Qingfeng, briefly explain the situation to Miss Dongkui."

Xiao Yi couldn't stand it any longer and spoke up.

Qingfeng then recounted what had happened in a few words.

The part about burning the food into provisions is omitted; there's no need to go into such detail.

Dongkui finally understood.

"Brother Shi Qi, Brother Qingfeng, do you mean that Sister Tao'er and the young master have both escaped?"

But instead of returning to Tiger Head Stronghold, they went somewhere else?

"That's what 'Winter Okra Girl' means."

You know where she went.

Xiao Yi thought to himself that this silly girl had finally figured it out.

Dongkui pursed her lips and remained silent.

She wondered why her younger sister, Tao'er, hadn't returned to Tiger Head Village. Did she not want to go back?

Xiao Yi wasn't in a hurry; he simply watched her quietly.

That gaze wasn't sharp, but it made Dongkui feel like she was sitting on pins and needles.

Dongkui bit her lower lip, "I..."

I don't know exactly where the girl went.

She figured that Peach Sister definitely didn't want to have anything to do with the people from Tiger Head Village.

So I simply decided not to come back.

She might even want to stay in Tiger Head Village, since the First Madam and Brother Shi Qi are now in charge.

However, she couldn't stay at Tiger Head Stronghold; she could catch up with them herself, since she knew their route.

Xiao Yi raised an eyebrow.

Dongkui raised her head, her eyes showing a hint of stubbornness and a pleading: "Seventh Brother Shi, Sister Tao'er is a person with her own ideas."

She must have her reasons for not returning to Tiger Head Village.

Please...please don't blame her.

Xiao Yi was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

He said, with a hint of gentleness in his tone, "Miss Dongkui is overthinking it, I don't blame her."

She escaped from under King Cheng's nose with the young prince, and even burned the people's grain and fodder.

I can't praise a girl like that enough.

She probably has her own reasons for not returning to Tiger Head Village.

Xiao Yi guessed that she probably wanted him to investigate the injustice done to the Xiao family, and didn't want to become a burden to him.

Dongkui froze, her eyes slowly widening: "Since you know what Sister Tao'er is thinking, then..."

Xiao Yi leaned back on the couch, a smile playing in his eyes. "So I wanted to ask you, do you know where she's going?"

This is very important to me, and I hope you can tell me the truth.

I don't believe she didn't tell you where the three of you were planning to go...

Don't worry, I'm not a bad person, and I won't persecute them.

I just wanted to protect them.

You can't be unaware that Prince Cheng has always wanted to kill Tao'er and the young master, can you?

Xiao Yi's tone was sharp at this moment.

Dongkui lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers, and after a long while said, "Sister Tao'er... she said she's going to the Chen family in Jiangnan."

The old lady's maternal family name is Chen, and although he is a cousin, it is still a surname.

"Go to the Chen family in Jiangnan?"

Did Miss Peach say why she was going there?

Xiao Yi continued to ask, wondering if this little girl was related to the Chen family.

But that doesn't mean she didn't...

"Sister Tao'er said that the Chen family in Jiangnan is the cousin of Old Madam Xiao, and asked Tao'er to take the young master to seek refuge with them."

At this point, Dongkui no longer hid it.

Thinking of how Tao'er and the others were being chased by King Cheng all the way, she thought that it would be safer for Qi and the others to protect them.

Xiao Yi knew nothing about the Chen family and had never heard of them, so he was unaware that his grandmother had a cousin in Jiangnan.

It's likely they didn't have much contact normally, or perhaps he was away fighting all year round and didn't know.

But now we finally know where they went.

"Miss Dongkui, it's almost dawn. Go back and pack your things. We'll set off to catch up with Miss Tao'er and the others when it gets light."

Xiao Yi made a decision without hesitation.

With a joyful expression, Dongkui agreed and turned to leave.

Then Xiao Yi began to arrange for Qingfeng to summon the First Madam and Chef Wang.

He then had Qingfeng assign tasks to his two bodyguards.

Tao'er, however, was completely unaware of this; her plan was exactly the same as Xiao Yi's.

Little did she know that they would also follow Dongkui.

Meanwhile, in the capital city.

Xie Jingxing fled back to the palace in a sorry state. The next day, after the morning court session, the emperor summoned him.