"My Princess, please don't! It's all my fault, little Tao. I beg you to spare me. My Princess..."
Just moments ago, Chu Chen had believed Qing Yin was falsely accusing Xiao Tiantian, but Qing Yin hadn't.
This meant it had to be Xiao Tao's doing.
She knew best where the clothes were, and it was she who eagerly ran to inform her that the clothes had been stolen.
"You wretched servant, you dared to steal what you were supposed to guard. It's all because of you that the Prince of Chu misunderstands me."
"My Princess, I will go and explain to Prince Chu right now. Please spare me."
"If you go explain, Chu Chen will think I ordered you to confess. It's too late to say anything now."
"My Princess, please spare me, my Princess."
The guards, ignoring Xiao Tao's pleas, dragged her away roughly.
What awaited her was being ground into fine dust by the giant millstone of the Stone Mill Hell.
...
"Xiao Tiantian, wait for me to explain! Don't run!"
Chu Chen chased after her and blocked Tang Xiaomin's path.
From this, it seemed he hadn't given up his intention to take her as a concubine. What a lustful man.
Since that was the case, it would be simple.
Tang Xiaomin said coldly, "You already have a wife, why do you bother me? I'm not interested in being your concubine."
She emphasized the word "concubine" and wore an expression of disdain.
Chu Chen hadn't expected that a seemingly sweet and charming woman would also have a stubborn side, and was already angry.
However, those who are loved are often emboldened.
No matter how she acted out, Chu Chen's interest didn't diminish; instead, it grew stronger.
"Don't be angry, don't be angry."
"I am the Prince of Chu, after all. It's normal to have three thousand beauties in my harem. If you don't want to be my concubine, you can be my confidante. I will still grant you endless glory and wealth, how about it?"
Chu Chen's concession was already at its limit.
Tang Xiaomin didn't understand why he was so persistent.
Or was he simply wicked?
"I've made myself clear. I'm not interested in being your concubine. Why are you still detaining me?"
"This..."
A flicker of deep loneliness crossed Chu Chen's eyes, dimming their light.
"The long passage of time is incredibly boring. If you stayed by my side, it would surely be very interesting."
Tang Xiaomin understood. He saw her as a plaything to relieve his boredom.
"No, I can't stay here. This place is too backward. I want to go back."
She continued to be willful and headstrong, stubborn as a bull. With every step she took, she counted in her heart.
One
Two
Three
...
"Stop!"
Chu Chen suddenly shouted sternly from behind her.
"What do you take this King for? To come and go as you please? It's not that easy."
Tang Xiaomin spun around, glaring at him furiously.
"What do you mean? Do you want to force me to stay here? I'm not interested in being your confidante or your concubine. Even if you force me to stay, what's the point besides annoying you?"
Chu Chen said in a threatening tone, "Even if you annoy me, you must stay here. Because you know about me going to the Calling Hell. Only by staying here can the secret be kept."
At this moment, several guards surrounded Tang Xiaomin again, their weapons pointed at her.
This time, she didn't resist.
But her unwillingness was written all over her face.
"Meeting you, I'm truly unlucky."
"Heh... How come I feel this is fate arranged by heaven?"
Now, Tang Xiaomin was speechless. She was forcibly taken away by the guards.
This time, she was locked in a room, heavily guarded.
After so much commotion, she was tired and lay on the bed to rest.
She wondered how Yan Jue was doing.
...
Meanwhile, in the Grand Hall of the Underworld, Yan Jue looked at Tang Xu with a dark expression.
"She came looking for you, and he actually told me you didn't know."
Facing Yan Jue, Tang Xu finally understood why Tang Xiaomin had sided with him.
It turned out they were birds of a feather, flocking together.
"I haven't seen her, and I don't know she came looking for me. I'm telling the truth."
"On the other hand, you don't even know where she went. It's clear you don't care much about her either. Otherwise, how could you not find her."
The air was thick with a palpable tension, ready to explode.
Although Tang Xu's words were harsh, the facts were undeniable.
Yan Jue had indeed been negligent, hence his ignorance of Tang Xiaomin's whereabouts. What he said was unpleasant, but not wrong.
"Find her! Even if it means turning the Calling Hell upside down, find her!"
With his command, the Underworld trembled.
Lu Xing arranged all matters before going to Yan Jue's side and said,
"Mr. Yan, you and Miss Tang share a telepathic connection. As long as your minds are one, you can sense her location. Perhaps you should try."
Suddenly, Lu Xing felt a sharp gaze and an icy chill.
"Do you think I don't know? Do I need you to tell me?"
Lu Xing lowered his head, not daring to speak.
When he was angry, anything he said would hit a nerve.
Suddenly, Yan Jue looked sharply in one direction, his face lighting up with joy.
"Quick, focus the search in that direction."
"Yes."
Under Yan Jue's supervision, manpower was mobilized for a carpet search, which continued to the border.
Lu Xing had to remind him.
"Mr. Yan, this is the border. You must not cross it. Otherwise, we'll be in trouble."
"Hmph, the border, huh?" Yan Jue said indifferently.
His gaze was fixed ahead.
"Minmin has crossed the border."
"What! What!"
Lu Xing froze, staring blankly at the area beyond the border, unsure of what to do.
"Mr. Yan, what should we do now? According to the agreement, the Ten Kings of Hell cannot cross borders. If we go looking, we will surely alert the Prince of Chu, and then the matters of the Underworld may not be kept secret."
Yan Jue knew the consequences of crossing the border better than anyone.
The Ten Kings of Hell had maintained peace for so long, but beneath the calm surface, there were hidden currents.
It was just that they were all wary of each other, and no one wanted to be the first to step forward as cannon fodder.
Without any hesitation, Yan Jue made a grave decision.
"Gather the troops, we're going to find her."
"Ah! Mr. Yan, this is absolutely not allowed! If we go, the Prince of Chu will surely use our crossing the border as an excuse to resist and gather the other Kings to deal with us. We are just one of the courts, how can we contend with the entire Underworld?"
In the past, the Ten Kings of Hell were evenly matched in strength.
The Underworld had its army of the dead, and other courts had theirs.
Fighting against nine was a foregone conclusion of defeat. This would invite a devastating blow.
For a moment, he was faced with a difficult choice.
Going to find Tang Xiaomin would surely lead to trouble, spiraling out of control. Not looking for her, however, would mean her safety could not be guaranteed.