Her Power and Favor Span the World

Chapter 98

Yuwen Hao smelled the scent of blood on him, and his heart sank slightly.

Marquis of Huiding was moving freely, so he should be uninjured. Then whose blood was it?

Could that ugly woman Yuan Qingling have already met a tragic end?

Thinking of this, he became anxious and said, "I came today with troops from Jingzhao Prefecture to investigate the case of the missing princess. I ask that the Marquis cooperate."

Marquis of Huiding slowly retracted his piercing gaze and scoffed, "What great authority you wield, Prince. Since you've come to investigate, I certainly won't refuse to cooperate. But if you can't find anything in my mansion, then I'll have to bring charges against you in front of His Majesty."

His words were full of threat. And this threat was far beyond merely filing charges.

Yuwen Hao issued two orders in succession, "Colonel Tang Yang, take men to search the mansion. Remember, look closely for any hidden rooms, tunnels, and leave no corner unsearched."

"Xu Yi, take men to guard the front and back gates. No one leaves before the investigation ends."

"Yes!"

The troops swiftly went into action, searching in several directions.

Marquis of Huiding and Yuwen Hao still stood in confrontation, but Yuwen Hao was already feeling uneasy, lacking the certainty from when he had arrived.

He had brought troops from Jingzhao Prefecture, and Marquis of Huiding would eventually cooperate, but there was no way he would cooperate so thoroughly. Could Yuan Qingling have already been dealt with?

Seeing the unease on his face, Marquis of Huiding coldly laughed, his face hideously twisted, eyes ominous and sinister. "Prince, just wait if you can't find anything."

Yuwen Hao remained silent, his gaze also extremely gloomy.

From Marquis of Huiding's expression, he sensed the aura of a plot.

Either Xu Yi had been duped, and had not captured Yuan Qingling.

Or he had captured Yuan Qingling, but had not brought her back to the mansion.

No matter which was true, he had made a fatal mistake today.

Acting on emotions, without investigating clearly.

But there was no time for investigating. If the ugly woman really fell into his hands, the consequences were unimaginable.

He could only gamble on this, repaying Yuan Qingling's life-saving favor, though he had always been unwilling to acknowledge it.

"Do you know why I've always opposed you?" Marquis of Huiding jeered as nastily as he could, curling his lips in a cold smile, concealing the cruelty and malice in his eyes.

Yuwen Hao appeared rather impatient, "I've always wanted to know, please enlighten me, Marquis."

Marquis of Huiding held up a finger, mocking, "Because I look down on you. Aside from slightly better martial arts, your schemes and tactics are useless. Stubborn and aloof, disobeying orders, disrespecting superiors. Yet His Majesty wants you to establish achievements, so you ride on this to swiftly rise in position. If not for having an emperor for a father, how could you stand here and speak with me today?"

Yuwen Hao smiled. "Too bad you didn't have an emperor father."

Marquis of Huiding laughed wildly. "Is that so? Maybe having an emperor father wouldn't have helped anyway. Today you still fall into my hands. I will beat you until you have no hope of turning the situation around."

His bearing was extremely arrogant and complacent, but his eyes held even crazier obsession, staring at Yuwen Hao as if wanting to incinerate him completely.

Yuwen Hao appeared calm, but was actually extremely anxious inside.

Afraid they wouldn't find Yuan Qingling in the mansion, and afraid they would find her, because if they found her, he feared that she would...

He had a kind of unspeakable dread.

The troops came back one by one to report: "Prince, we've searched the main hall, nothing found."

"Prince, the rear courtyards searched, nothing found."

"Prince, the entire mansion investigated, discovered secret rooms but no princess."

Yuwen Hao's heart sank lower and lower. He looked up at Marquis of Huiding. Marquis of Huiding smiled coldly and arrogantly.

Tang Yang hurried over and reported, "Prince, we discovered a small building near the ear room in the back courtyard, full of torture devices."

He waved his hand, and some troops brought over the torture devices, placing them in front of Yuwen Hao.

Yuwen Hao saw that many of the torture devices were covered in bloodstains.

Marquis of Huiding said indifferently, "What now, does the Prince want to search my torture chamber too?"

"May I ask why the Marquis needs a torture chamber?" Yuwen Hao asked slowly.

"To punish unruly servants. The Prince can report me for having an unauthorized torture chamber, that I'm cruel to my servants." Marquis of Huiding snorted.

Tang Yang seemed very anxious. They had basically searched everywhere possible today, truly not finding any trace of the princess.

Did that little Xu Yi not look clearly? If they caused trouble over a mistake, it would be disastrous.

The Colonel also returned, saying, "Prince, except for a courtyard with vicious dogs, we've searched the whole mansion."

"Vicious dogs?" Yuwen Hao's gaze flashed.

Marquis of Huiding lazily said, "Everyone knows I keep over twenty vicious dogs to guard the mansion. If the Prince thinks I'd hide the Princess there, feel free to search it. But those dogs are fierce, so don't blame me for not warning you if something happens."

"Prince, only that courtyard is left unsearched." Tang Yang said, "Why don't I take men to check it out?"

Yuwen Hao pondered briefly, "I'll go personally."

Tang Yang became anxious. "Prince, it's dangerous."

"It's fine." Yuwen Hao glanced indifferently at Marquis of Huiding. "If something happens to me in the Marquis's mansion, the Marquis will feel bad too."

He couldn't afford that responsibility, as Yuwen Hao was still a prince.

Marquis of Huiding just smiled icily, sunlight filtering through the treetops onto his face, mottled and gloomy.

"I've given fair warning, Prince. If you lose an arm or leg, don't blame me."

"No matter." Yuwen Hao looked at him sternly. "As long as I have one breath left, I will remember the Marquis's kindness."

"Prince, allow me to accompany you inside." Tang Yang said.

"I will accompany the Prince as well." The Colonel also stepped forward.

Yuwen Hao waved them down. "Follow along, but don't enter the courtyard."

He looked at Marquis of Huiding. "Please lead the way."

"My pleasure!" Marquis of Huiding actually bowed.

Seeing this, Marquis of Huiding's confidants revealed cruel smiles.

These vicious dogs would have to be killed eventually. If the Prince of Chu was injured today, killing the dogs then pleading guilty to the Emperor, even the Emperor couldn't stay angry at animals. The mansion would have a reasonable explanation.

And after chasing and biting their master, the dogs would be violently beaten until in a mad frenzy. At the sight of an enemy, it would only take a gesture to sic the vicious dogs on him.

The group headed toward the dog courtyard.

From afar, frenzied barking could already be heard, the sound waves overwhelming, each bark louder than the last, deafening.

The large gate was shut, but the maddened barks seemed ready to explode out from within.

Yuwen Hao steeled himself. He had once saved his manhood from a dog's jaws, and since then had a psychological fear of dogs. If there was any other way today, he would never go in.

Yuan Qingling, you'd better still be alive.

I will beat you to death personally.

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