The Powerful and Favored Coroner Imperial Concubine

Chapter 76 : Danger Emerges, a Hero Saves the Beauty!

76: Danger Emerges, a Hero Saves the Beauty!

"Wasn't Ninth Young Miss with you? How is she missing?"

Yue Jia's face darkened. Yue Ning hurriedly explained, "We were separated by the crowd. Ninth Young Miss was pushed onto this street. We thought she would walk to the end and waited here for her, but we've waited a long time and she hasn't come out."

Yue Jia's gaze turned grave. "She might have been pushed elsewhere. It's also possible she's hiding somewhere, trying to go back and find you."

He glanced toward the Shuangqing Troupe's stage in the distance. "There are too many people here; it's difficult to get through. You two should wait here. We men will go look." Yue Jia turned his eyes to Wei Yanzhi.

Wei Yanzhi promptly said, "Please instruct me, Heir-Apparent. There are many people here. If Ninth Young Miss gets jostled and falls, it would be bad."

Yue Jia nodded. "I'll trouble Brother Wei to go back along the street you came from and see if Ninth Young Miss went back looking for Ning'er and the others. I and His Highness Yan Chi will go down this street."

It was indeed possible Qin Wan had turned back. Wei Yanzhi nodded and was about to leave when Yue Ning quickly added, "Qin Wan is holding an orchid lantern and wearing a Xiezhi mask. Remember that when you look for her."

Yue Jia had recognized Yue Ning and the others earlier only by their clothes. But when searching for Qin Wan amidst a jostling crowd, it would be hard to spot her quickly. Yue Ning naturally reminded them.

Wei Yanzhi acknowledged this, then, holding his small lantern and peachwood sword, headed back along the street Yue Ning and Fuling had come from. Once Wei Yanzhi left, Yue Jia looked at Yan Chi. But Yan Chi said, "It's unlikely Ninth Young Miss went back. The greatest possibility is she was swept by the crowd to another place."

As he spoke, Yan Chi pointed. "Brother Jia, go straight along this street. I'll look elsewhere."

Yan Chi's gaze shifted toward the dense cluster of buildings to the right of the street market. Those buildings were mostly the back rooms of teahouses and wine shops on the street. Numerous small alleys led who-knows-where. Yan Chi felt it highly possible Qin Wan had gone into one of these.

Yue Jia nodded. "Alright. You be careful too."

Yan Chi's eyes turned cold. He acknowledged with a "Understood," then he and Yue Jia headed toward the congested crowd ahead. Fuling's eyes reddened; she also wanted to follow. Yue Ning held her back. "Let them search. With your small frame, you might get lost yourself while trying to find your mistress."

Fuling knew this was true but anxiously wrung her hands.

Yue Ning also wore a somber expression. When they came out, their attendants had all stayed by the carriages. Now, there was no one to send back with a message. Yue Ning looked at the brilliantly lit Li River Lake. If something really happened to Qin Wan tonight, it would be a grave sin, an immense wrong she had done her. Yue Ning paced back and forth anxiously. Fuling also couldn't help biting her lip tightly.

The Shuangqing Troupe's "Meeting on the Immortal Bridge" had already begun. More people were still pushing toward the stage from the other end of the street. Yue Jia's progress was agonizingly slow. Yan Chi also found it difficult to advance. His gaze swept around and landed on an alley beside him. Without further thought, Yan Chi pushed his way toward the alley. The farther from the stage, the looser the crowd became. Soon, Yan Chi reached the alley entrance.

Due to the Shuangqing Troupe's fame, the small alley was also crowded. Yan Chi scanned the area; many wore masks, mostly of auspicious birds like the Blue Bird, phoenixes, or qilin. He didn't see a single Xiezhi mask. Yan Chi frowned deeply.

Had he misjudged?

Thinking this, Yan Chi had already walked deeper into the alley. He paused, intending to turn back. If Qin Wan had been pushed here by the crowd, she would most likely have taken shelter briefly, not ventured deep into the alley. So, there was no need to search further inside.

Just as he turned, a faint glimmer of firelight caught the corner of his eye. In the deeper part of the alley, about seven or eight zhang ahead, something seemed to be lying on the ground, a lantern.

Yan Chi's heart immediately clenched. His expression darkened, and he strode forward. Soon, he reached the source of the light.

On the ground lay a fallen lantern indeed. Yan Chi picked it up, his pupils contracting sharply.

It was indeed an orchid-patterned lantern...

The lantern was exquisitely crafted. Though fallen, the shade wasn't broken. Only the oil had spilled, weakening the wick's flame. This lantern wasn't cheap, though not prohibitively expensive for ordinary folks. There was no reason to discard it in good condition. The only possibility was that its owner had dropped it in a panic, with no chance to retrieve it.

Yan Chi righted the lantern shade, holding the lantern firmly in one hand as he continued forward.

The alley was already quite deep. The bright lights from outside barely penetrated. Ahead, a stretch of darkness led to an unknown destination. Why would Qin Wan, perfectly fine, come here?

Something was wrong. Perhaps it wasn't as simple as he thought.

Yan Chi's brow furrowed. He suddenly remembered the headless female corpse that had frightened Qin Wan at the Anyang Marquis's household and those inexplicable rumors. Both incidents were unfavorable to Qin Wan. Could it be...

A surge of urgency gripped him. Yan Chi suddenly quickened his pace!

This lantern dropped on the ground... Could Qin Wan have been abducted?

Suddenly, countless terrifying thoughts sprang to mind. No matter how skilled Qin Wan was in medicine, she was ultimately just a weak woman with no strength to restrain a chicken. And in this world, there were too many dreadful things that could be done to a woman.

Yan Chi gathered his inner energy, glanced around, and seeing no one nearby, he suddenly leaped onto a rooftop.

Standing on the roof, his view instantly broadened. Soon, he realized this alley actually led to the other end of the lantern market. At the alley's end was another cross street. That street was lined with lantern towers donated by wealthy families. From his vantage point, it was a dazzling spectacle of fiery trees and silver flowers!

Yan Chi's mind settled somewhat. If Qin Wan had exited the alley and reached the lantern market, that would be best. The market was bustling with pedestrians; no one would dare do anything to her openly.

Yan Chi stood on the rooftop of some unknown household, watching the alley while moving forward. The alley was pitch black, with occasional back doors of houses visible. After a few more steps, a sour, rotten smell of slops assaulted his nose. Yan Chi's heart grew heavier. He knew that even if a splendid lantern tower awaited at the alley's end, Qin Wan wouldn't choose such a filthy, dark passage unless something had happened, or unless someone had lured her here...

Yan Chi's steps grew faster. Several roof tiles cracked under his feet, clattering down. The residents inside the house cried out in surprise and came out to look, but in the dark night sky, only the cool autumn breeze remained.

Yan Chi's breathing grew slightly ragged, his heart pounding fiercely. He hadn't felt this state of mind for many years. The orchid lantern in his hand, its light dim, was held steadily, yet its owner's whereabouts and safety were unknown.

Yan Chi took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the lantern towers now close at hand. The lantern tower framework stood three stories tall, constructed of bamboo and wood. Each section of the frame hung hundreds of lanterns of various shapes. For the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration, these were the most magnificent and eye-catching spectacle besides the lantern boats. This street should also have been teeming with people, but because the Shuangqing Troupe's stage was just one street over, this street was now sparsely populated. Those who were here were trying to circle around to reach the troupe's stage. Yan Chi focused his vision, his eyes scanning the brightly lit lantern tower street like a hawk's.

Yan Chi deeply felt the situation was not simple. He wasn't looking with the expectation of certainly finding Qin Wan. But just as he narrowed his eyes to observe from afar, a graceful, slender back in the middle of the long street caught his attention.

That figure stood still amidst the street, a stark contrast to all the other pedestrians hurrying toward the Shuangqing Troupe. Though he couldn't see the face, Yan Chi recognized her at a glance: that misty blue-green gown with water-ink patterns, the waterfall of black hair cascading over her shoulders and back. Even from this distance, she exuded an ethereal, orchid-like elegance. Who else could it be but Qin Wan?!

Just as Yan Chi's heart surged, the figure turned around. Upon turning, indeed, there was a hideous, fierce Xiezhi mask! It was Qin Wan! It was definitely Qin Wan!

Yan Chi's lips unconsciously curved upward. His tense heart relaxed slightly. Inner energy surged within him; he wished he could leap to Qin Wan's side instantly.

Yan Chi kept watching Qin Wan's direction. He noticed she stood still, seemingly not intending to move. She watched the people coming and going on the street as if searching for something...

A sliver of doubt arose in Yan Chi's heart. Just as his swift figure was about to cross the expanse of rooftops beside the dark alley, Yan Chi suddenly saw the lantern tower behind Qin Wan... move. His expression changed; a sense of foreboding rose within him. Soon, he saw the massive lantern tower, hung with hundreds of lanterns, collapse like a toppling mountain toward Qin Wan!

And Qin Wan stood helplessly in the middle of the street, completely unaware of the danger behind her!

Yan Chi's eyes widened instantly. He gathered his inner energy and lunged toward Qin Wan with everything he had.