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Weichi bowed and reported in a low voice.

A sharp glint flashed in Xiao Jinyan’s phoenix eyes, "Let’s go have a look."

Weichi took the order and followed Xiao Jinyan to Concubine Xu’s tent.

Meanwhile, in the forest

As soon as Concubine Xu stepped in, someone pulled her behind a tree, yet this time she was much calmer than before.

"What are you doing here?"

The man in black got straight to the point, "I want you to ask the Crown Princess about Feng Wuyou."

Concubine Xu said, "The Crown Princess doesn’t know about Feng Wuyou."

The man in black asked in confusion, "How do you know?"

Concubine Xu replied, "The Crown Princess once asked me if I knew the person Feng Wuyou. If she knew about her, would she have come to ask me?"

The man in black frowned upon hearing this answer. He hadn’t held out much hope, but he still felt some disappointment.

Unable to restrain herself, Concubine Xu asked again, "Who exactly is Feng Wuyou to you, that you have been searching for her for so long?"

Seeing her curiosity, the man in black decided not to keep hiding it, "Feng Wuyou is my sister."

To think she was his sister, not his lover.

A hint of joy emerged in Concubine Xu’s heart, "Having a sister is nice."

"I’ve searched almost everywhere in Daxia, but I have not found her," the man in black said somberly, wearied by the prolonged search and the repeated disappointments, unsure of what to do next.

Concubine Xu, hearing the urgency in the man’s voice, soothed him, "Don’t worry, you will definitely find her."

The man in black sighed, "I’ve been searching for eight years, it’s easier said than done."

Although Concubine Xu had never lost a sister, she could understand the desperation one would feel if their sister had been missing for eight years.

"Did your sister run away from home?"

The man in black nodded, "Mmm."

"Why would she run away? Didn’t you treat her well?" Concubine Xu believed that only poor treatment would drive someone to run away from home, unlike her, who would never think of running away as she was doted on by her entire family.

"It’s not that." The man in black thought of Xiaojiu, the darling of the family cherished in the palm of everyone’s hands, how could they have treated her badly?

"If you treated her well, why would she run away?" Something occurred to Concubine Xu, "Could it be that some villain abducted her?"

The man in black fell into deep thought at these words. He had considered the possibility of her being taken by someone, and his first suspicion was Xiao Jinyan, as Xiaojiu had been very close to Xiao Jinyan at that time.

He had initially come to Daxia and, after failing to find Xiaojiu, went to other places in search not to delay the quest, fearing that enemies had abducted Xiaojiu for revenge.

Concubine Xu, driven by curiosity, asked, "How old is your sister now?"

The man in black answered, "One year younger than you, eighteen."

"I heard my brother say that pretty girls who are abducted by bad people, especially the beautiful ones, might be sold to a brothel..."

Concubine Xu caught herself as she spoke, realizing she was saying the wrong thing. How could she think such a thing?

The man in black’s gaze darkened.

Concubine Xu quickly explained, "I’m just speculating. Your sister must have good fortune to protect her and would be rescued by someone if in danger."

The man in black had known Concubine Xu for two years and understood her nature somewhat, she spoke hastily, often offending people unintentionally.

"You should go back first."

Concubine Xu was reluctant to leave, "What about you?"

The man in black said, "If I can’t find her in Daxia, I’ll have to leave."

On hearing that he would leave Daxia, Concubine Xu felt an abrupt sense of emptiness. She reached out to grasp his hand, "When will you leave Daxia? Will you ever come back?"

The man in black looked down at his hand, which was seized by Concubine Xu.

Concubine Xu, realizing she had actually grasped a man’s hand, blushed and withdrew her hand, stumbling over her words, "I was just... It was a moment of urgency. I don’t usually grab a man’s hand like that."

The man in black gave a barely audible chuckle, "I’ll probably leave early next month. When I find Xiaojiu, I will come to Daxia for a visit."

Concubine Xu pressed on, "How long will that be? Two months? Or half a year?"

"Of course, the sooner the better," the man in black sighed. He wished he could find Xiaojiu right now; over the years, the little girl had grown into a young woman.

Filled with a sense of loss at the thought of the man in black leaving Daxia, Concubine Xu returned to her own tent and didn’t even notice the person sitting at the table.

Xiao Jinyan watched as Concubine Xu came in, her appearance dispirited, not even offering him a bow, and he asked coldly, "Concubine Xu, where have you been so late?"

Startled by the cold voice, Concubine Xu looked up to see Xiao Jinyan sitting at the table, those piercing eyes on her, and she felt another wave of unease.