Chen Xiaobei was unsure.
He suddenly slapped his head. "Ai, I'm so stupid."
"I think I've figured it out. It must be Guo Chuan."
Upon hearing this, Princess Zhaoning shot to her feet. "Guo Chuan dares to do such a thing? Let's go, I'll go with you."
After Guo Chuan went up the mountain, he did not stay with Princess Zhaoning but had his own tent. This tent had been rebuilt by Hu Fan and the guards when they were taking refuge in Wuguling.
Normally, Guo Chuan had little interaction with the princess, except for delivering charcoal.
Princess Zhaoning, with her retinue, hurried to Guo Chuan's tent. Guo Chuan, having received the news, quickly came to the entrance to greet them.
He was very surprised to see Chen Xiaobei and Liu Rumei also arrive.
"Your Highness, please come inside."
Princess Zhaoning dispensed with pleasantries and got straight to the point. "Guo Chuan, was someone brought up the mountain from below last night?"
Hearing Princess Zhaoning's words, Guo Chuan was stunned at first.
"This, this..."
Seeing Guo Chuan hesitate, Chen Xiaobei knew there was something to it and quickly interjected, "Brother Guo, do you know who was brought here?"
Guo Chuan cupped his fists. "A friend and his wife came to take refuge on the mountain!"
Chen Xiaobei's expression turned serious. "Brother Guo, that is not He Zhen's wife. That woman is Feng Xiaoyue."
Liu Rumei chimed in, "Miss Xiaoyue is the daughter of Feng Peng. She is also betrothed to Fang Jun, the grandson of the former Prime Minister Fang Zheng. It's a pity she has met with such misfortune."
Guo Chuan was dumbfounded.
He suddenly lifted his robes and knelt on the ground. "Your Highness, please forgive me. I truly did not know, I truly did not know."
Princess Zhaoning suddenly raised her foot and kicked Guo Chuan backward onto the ground, scolding him fiercely, "You dog, you blind fool! Go bring He Zhen out at once."
Guo Chuan scrambled to his feet and stumbled away.
Before long, there was a commotion, and more than a dozen soldiers were seen pushing and shoving someone towards the princess.
Liu Rumei saw this and was secretly pleased. It was indeed He Zhen.
Guo Chuan brought He Zhen before Princess Zhaoning and kicked him behind the knees.
He Zhen fell to his knees with a thud.
Guo Chuan cupped his fists again. "Reporting to Your Highness, this young man has confessed. He did indeed have a common woman forcibly taken by his subordinate. I was deceived by him."
Princess Zhaoning drew her sword with a clang and was about to strike He Zhen, but Liu Rumei quickly grabbed her wrist.
"Your Highness, do not be hasty. Let us first clarify the matter."
Liu Rumei looked at He Zhen and asked sternly, "Why did you abduct Feng Xiaoyue?"
By now, He Zhen knew he had caused a great disaster and kowtowed profusely.
"Your Highness, spare me, spare me! It was all my fault for being foolish. I was infatuated with Feng Xiaoyue's beauty and then sent a matchmaker."
"Later I learned that Feng Xiaoyue was already betrothed. Someone gave me the idea to abduct Feng Xiaoyue first, to force the issue, and then marry her."
"Your Highness, please understand, I have not laid a finger on Feng Xiaoyue, not a single finger."
Hearing this, Liu Rumei interjected, "Guo Chuan, where is Feng Xiaoyue?"
Guo Chuan cupped his fists. "I have made proper arrangements for Miss Xiaoyue. I will bring her to see Your Highness shortly."
Princess Zhaoning nodded. "After Miss Xiaoyue has rested, we will return to Xiao Family Town." Then, glaring, she said, "Guo Chuan, what are you still waiting for? Go and prepare food."
While everyone was busy, in Xiao Family Town at this very moment.
He Shun, leading a group of people, had already arrived at the inn with great swagger. He entered the inn, hands on his hips, with an arrogant demeanor.
"Find that brat for me."
Yong Hao and others swarmed forward and quickly located Fang Jun's room.
Fang Jun and the little maid were still asleep. Fang Jun had not slept all night and had only managed to doze off after getting news about Feng Xiaoyue. The little maid, having also gone to Wuguling, was exhausted.
In their semi-conscious state, Fang Jun's door was kicked open. Su Dan Novel Network.
As Yong Hao and his men were about to storm in, a sharp shout came from the side, and several guards arranged by Liu Rumei rushed over.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Yong Hao pointed into the room and sneered, "Do I need to spell it out? Last night, this Fang Jun signed a document with my master. Today, he is to crawl from one end of Xiao Family Town to the other."
The guards blocked Fang Jun. "This matter is not yet settled. We will wait for my lady to return!"
Just then, the little maid, who was in the next room, was also awakened. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she came out and saw the commotion. Enraged, she kicked one of He Family's guards.
The guard, caught off guard, stumbled forward a few steps and fell face-first.
The other guards turned and saw that the little maid was merely a young woman. With a signal, they surrounded her.
Seeing this, the little maid let out a stern shout and charged into the group.
As soon as they clashed, these guards regretted it. The little maid looked young, but her fighting experience was seasoned. In a few swift moves, she had subdued them all.
Yong Hao's heart faltered. He spun his eyes and came up with an idea. He pointed at Fang Jun. "You call yourself a scholar, don't you? Since you lost, why are you afraid to admit it?"
These words made Fang Jun blush a little.
The little maid shouted loudly, "Brother, don't listen to him. I saw them take Sister Xiaoyue to Wuguling with my own eyes. Sister Xiaoyue will be back soon."
This statement made He Shun's heart sink.
Yes, it was he who had arranged for He Zhen and Feng Xiaoyue to be sent to Wuguling.
This meant the matter was likely to be exposed.
With this thought, he hardened his heart and gritted his teeth. "Fang Jun, if you're a man, you'll keep your word."
With that, He Shun pulled out the document signed by Fang Jun from his chest and said to the onlookers, "Everyone, take a look! He calls himself a scholar, yet he caused trouble at my home last night, insisting my son He Zhen had stolen his wife."
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the document I signed with Fang Jun. If his wife is not found in my home, he will have to crawl from one end of Xiao Family Town to the other, and he will also compensate me with the Sīhǎi Restaurant."
"As you can all see, his wife was not found, and now Fang Jun has become a shrinking turtle."
"I truly did not expect Feng Xiaoyue to find such a spineless man."
He Shun's words made Fang Jun lose face. After all, he was a scholar. He suddenly stomped his foot and shouted, "I'll crawl, I'll crawl! A true man's word is as binding as four horses."
"It's just a Sīhǎi Restaurant, I'll compensate you for it."
Seeing that Fang Jun had fallen for his taunt, He Shun secretly rejoiced.
The little maid, however, was anxious. She rushed into Fang Jun's room in three quick steps, blocking the doorway, and pointed at He Shun, saying sternly, "Hey, surnamed He, if you continue to make trouble, I'll cut you down with my sword."