Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

"Gentlemen, I have something to say."

Pei Zeyu calmly and deliberately unraveled the mystery that had trapped everyone.

"We searched for a long time, going east, west, north, and south, everywhere, but still found nothing. Could it be that we were looking in the wrong direction from the very beginning?"

Xiao Chenlin frowned slightly: "What does Second Young Master Pei mean?"

"If that jade dove were an inanimate object made of jade, hidden somewhere in the hunting grounds, we should have found it long ago after searching like this. But the fact that we can't find it proves that it is not an inanimate object, but a living one."

He paused, then continued, "Or rather, it is carried by living creatures and moves around the hunting grounds at all times."

As if the clouds had parted to reveal the light of day, some people suddenly realized the truth.

"Yes, if the jade pigeon is carried by a living creature, it will be difficult to find. It's constantly moving; how can we catch up?"

Liu Wenying nodded in agreement; what the Second Master said was exactly what she had thought.

The wind has ceased in the woods, and sunlight filters through the leaves.

After listening to Pei Zeyu's words, Xiao Yiheng's eyes cleared, and after thinking for a moment, he made a suggestion.

"Since the jade pigeon might be carried by a living creature, then according to what Young Master Pei said, we should change our approach."

He pointed out the key oversight.

"Previously, we all thought the jade pigeon was an inanimate object that wouldn't move, so we searched all the way. Even when we encountered traces of wild animals, we didn't pay any attention to them. Now that I think about it, we may have missed something."

An official behind Xiao Chenlin questioned, "Has Your Highness considered that the Western Hill Hunting Grounds are a royal hunting ground, teeming with countless birds and beasts? If we search for them one by one, how long will it take?"

Many people echoed this sentiment.

Just as everyone was arguing, Pei Dingxuan suddenly remembered something, his brows relaxed a little, and he asked calmly.

"Gentlemen, we were so focused on finding the jade pigeon that we forgot something: has anyone seen where Crown Prince Yelü is?"

A moment of silence fell over the crowd, and someone hesitated before answering.

"After Crown Prince Yelü announced the rules of the third round at the training ground, he remained by His Majesty's side and did not step into the hunting grounds."

Pei Dingxuan and Pei Zeyu's eyes met briefly in the air, and they both caught the understanding in each other's eyes.

Pei Zeyu then pressed on, "Does he know if the snow leopard he keeps is also at the training ground?"

The man thought for a moment and then reported back truthfully.

"His Majesty is at the training ground. That snow leopard is fierce and a wild beast, so it naturally cannot be left there. As for where it went... I haven't paid attention."

At this point, someone asked, "The most urgent matter now is finding Yu Ge. Why is Minister Pei still worrying about the Snow Leopard?"

Pei Yaojun scoffed, mocking, "Isn't it obvious? If Yu Ge really wants to be carried around the mountains by a living creature, what could be more suitable than that snow leopard?"

The snow leopard was Yelü Yuanjia's most beloved pet, kept by his side every day and well-trained. It was perfect for it to carry a small jade dove.

"Excellent! As expected of the descendants of the Duke of Yu, they are all exceptional individuals."

In my opinion, this deduction is reasonable. The snow leopard is swift and intelligent, making it an excellent choice for carrying the jade pigeon.

Xiao Yiheng clapped his hands, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration as he looked at the three members of the Pei family.

Pei Yaojun proudly raised his chin, accepting the praise with ease.

With the Second Prince speaking, everyone began to rub their hands together, ready to track down the snow leopard.

Only Xiao Chenlin's expression darkened.

Pei Zeyu had just proposed the theory that a living creature carried a jade pigeon, and he had already fallen behind.

Now Xiao Yiheng is taking the opportunity to curry favor, praising the three Pei brothers to the skies, while also showing off his ability to recognize and appoint capable people. He is clearly using Xiao Yiheng to climb the ladder by stepping on him.

"Your Highness, please wait! Even so, the snow leopard's movements are elusive, and the hunting grounds are vast. How are we supposed to find it?"

"Now that things have come to this, instead of continuing the aimless search, we should focus on tracking the snow leopard. Even if we guess wrong, it's better than sitting idly by and waiting to die, thus delaying the competition. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

Xiao Yiheng's words were all reasonable, and he gently tossed the decision back to Xiao Chenlin, adopting an extremely humble posture, which left Xiao Chenlin with no way out.

Xiao Chenlin's temples bulged slightly as he looked around at the crowd. He saw that although most people hadn't said anything, their eyes were shifting, indicating that they had clearly been persuaded.

Continuing to argue will only cause us to lose face.

"Then... let's do as my brother says!"

Even so, Xiao Chenlin's resentment grew stronger.

She resented Xiao Yiheng for always putting her ahead, and also resented the three Pei brothers for not giving her any face.

He secretly resolved to find an opportunity in the future to thoroughly dampen their arrogance.

After making up their minds, the group split into several teams and dispersed into the forest, following the tracks that the snow leopard might have left behind.

Liu Wenying walked with the three Pei brothers.

"Slow down, pay close attention to your footing and the surrounding vegetation, and don't be impatient."

Pei Dingxuan walked ahead, reminding everyone. He walked slowly, calm and meticulous, as if he were inspecting a scene at the Ministry of Justice.

Suddenly, he stopped and squatted down, having made a discovery.

"There is animal hair here."

Everyone's spirits lifted, for they saw a tuft of white hair stuck in the thorn bushes.

Pei Zeyu nodded: "It's pure white, definitely a snow leopard, and it went east."

There are traces there too.

Pei Dingxuan then discovered several claw marks on the trunk of the old tree to the east.

"Let's go. There are many of us. The snow leopard must have already noticed and fled eastward..."

Suddenly, several exclamations came from ahead.

Then came the dull thud of a person falling to the ground, mixed with screams.

The crowd rushed over to the sound and found several of the prince's men lying sprawled in a pit, which was not deep but full of slippery mud.

They were covered in dirt and looked utterly disheveled.

"A trap! It's a trap set by the Northern Barbarians!" someone shouted.

Pei Yaojun leaned over for a look and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

That trap won't kill anyone, it'll just leave you covered in filth.

The people in the pit struggled to get up, looking like mud-covered monkeys, their faces pale and bluish, wishing they could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

But it's not necessarily a bad thing; the trap is here, and the Jade Pigeon isn't far off either.

Pei Dingxuan said calmly, "Everyone be careful. Since the Northern Di have set up traps, this is not the only one."

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines and became even more cautious.

After bypassing the trap, the group continued forward.

After walking a while longer, the people in front exclaimed in alarm.

Pei Yaojun also stopped, only because the seemingly solid turf under his feet suddenly collapsed.

Liu Wenying followed behind him, her heart tightening, and she almost cried out.

In a flash, he twisted his waist and turned in mid-air, using his toes to propel himself up like a hawk, and landed steadily on solid ground beside the pit.

The servants nearby were not as quick-witted or agile and fell into the pit again.

After landing, Pei Yaojun deliberately stomped on the solid ground beneath his feet and raised his eyebrows to look at the Crown Prince's guards in the pit.

"The traps of the Northern Barbarians are nothing special; they can't do anything to me."

The change happened in the blink of an eye. Seeing that he was safe and sound, Liu Wenying's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

Third Master really is... quite skilled.

She silently cheered in her heart. Pei Yaojun seemed to notice, glanced at her, and smiled even more blatantly.

Liu Wenying secretly gave a thumbs-up, a subtle gesture visible only to the two of them.

…………