Chapter 59: Rong’er Abducted

Chapter 59: Rong'er Abducted

Zhu Yunxuan fell ill after a night of heavy drinking, developing a fever that kept him confined to his bed.

Zhu Yunjing brought Rong'er along to visit, filled with regret when he saw his brother in such a weakened state. He never imagined that a simple night of drinking could lead to this.

Lying in bed, Zhu Yunxuan weakly shook his head. "It has nothing to do with the alcohol. I asked someone to open the window in the middle of the night and caught a chill."

Gao An was overwhelmed with guilt, repeatedly apologizing to Zhu Yunjing for failing to take proper care of the emperor. Zhu Yunjing looked at Zhu Yunxuan, wanting to say something but held back, frustrated by his brother's imprudence.

Was it worth it for a man who had lost his head?

Zhu Yunxuan glanced at Rong'er, who was peering at him timidly from the edge of the bed. He reached out to stroke the child's face and reminded Zhu Yunjing, "Brother, take the child back home. Don't let him catch my illness."

"Rong'er insisted on seeing you. You can talk to him for a while, and I'll take him away shortly."

Zhu Yunjing left to consult with the accompanying Imperial Physician Fang about Zhu Yunxuan's condition. Rong'er leaned closer, pressing against Zhu Yunxuan's side, and whispered, "Father, are you sick?"

"I'm fine, dear," Zhu Yunxuan forced a smile, comforting the child. "Be good and wait until Father recovers before we play again."

The child nodded obediently. "Then Father needs to get better quickly."

"Alright."

Placing the two candies carefully by Zhu Yunxuan's pillow, Rong'er tiptoed and gently kissed Zhu Yunxuan's forehead.

Zhu Yunxuan smiled, closing his eyes. "Good baby, you eat them. Father doesn't like this kind of candy."

"The candy is very sweet. Father has to take medicine because you're sick, and it tastes bitter. Eating candy will make it less bitter," the child earnestly advised. Zhu Yunxuan couldn't bear to refuse his kindness again, so he chuckled and accepted both candies.

His illness lasted for half a month. Before he knew it, summer had arrived. Fortunately, during this time, there were no disturbances in the capital. The cabinet ministers who remained in the city managed daily affairs, while urgent matters were conveyed to Fujian through express deliveries. Thus, no important business was neglected.

Doctor Fang privately mentioned to Zhu Yunjing that a significant part of Zhu Yunxuan's illness stemmed from emotional distress. Three years of pent-up emotions erupted when he suddenly encountered the person at the root of his troubles. His feelings were tangled and unresolved, resulting in an emotional sickness.

For a complete recovery, Zhu Yunxuan needed to resolve these issues himself.

During this period, Rong'er visited Zhu Yunxuan every day for an hour, deepening their bond as father and son. Zhu Yunxuan had made up his mind: once he recovered, he would return to the capital. As for how to formally discuss this matter with Rong'er, after consulting with Zhu Yunjing, they decided to wait for an opportune moment before setting off, so they could tell him together.

When Zhu Yunxuan finally recovered, the following day marked the Buddha's birthday on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month. On this day, the emperor of Great Yan typically visited the royal temple to burn incense and pay respects. Even though he was currently outside the capital, this tradition could not be skipped. There was a mountain-backed Buddhist temple west of Quanzhou, which, although smaller than the Yuanji Temple in the capital, was a renowned temple in the Fujian-Guangdong region. The Ministry of Rites officials had already arranged for the emperor to personally worship the Buddha at this temple for this year's celebration.

On that very morning, Zhu Yunxuan donned his imperial regalia and, surrounded by attendants, made his way to the temple on West Mountain. The children wanted to tag along for the spectacle, so Zhu Yunjing took them along to witness the ceremony.

Since the establishment of Great Yan, it had been customary for the emperor to personally visit a temple on Buddha's birthday, following a strict and tedious protocol. After only a short while, the children, constrained by decorum, could hardly stand it anymore and pleaded with Zhu Yunjing to let them go play outside.

Zhu Yunjing, fearing that their commotion might reflect poorly on them, led the group out of the temple and into the bustling fair outside. As the emperor was present, the temple was closed to the public, but the fair remained open and, due to the royal visit, was even more crowded than usual – it seemed as if the entire city had turned out.

With one hand each, he held onto Ming'er and Rong'er, constantly keeping an eye on Yuan Bao to ensure he didn't drag Zhu Yunqiong around. Despite the entourage of guards and servants trailing behind, it was a struggle to keep hold of the two children in the sea of people. On several occasions, he nearly lost grip on them.

Seeing Rong'er almost trip, he had no choice but to scoop the child up. He regretted bringing all four children to such a crowded place on his own.

After walking a short distance, Ming'er tugged at Zhu Yunjing's hand, eager for some sugar figurines. Rong'er nodded in agreement, "Me too."

Zhu Yunjing was already contemplating heading back home, "Do you really have to have them?"

The two toddlers nodded in unison, "Yes, please."

Reluctantly, Zhu Yunjing, with a headache, placed them in a less crowded alleyway corner, instructing, "Stay here and don't move. I'll send someone to get you your sugar figurines."

Just as he was about to instruct the servants to make the purchase, Yuan Bao loudly volunteered, "I'll go, I'll go!" He squeezed into the crowd and disappeared in an instant.

Zhu Yunjing hurriedly sent someone to follow him and instructed the others to protect the three children by retreating with them to a corner for safety.

Yuan Bao waited in line for a long time at the candy figurine stall. Just as it was his turn, a teenage boy pushed his way in, knocking him aside. The child angrily confronted the boy, and a quarrel seemed imminent. Zhu Yunjing's head spun; he turned back to remind the children to stay put and not run around. He personally waded through the crowd to deal with his eldest son's situation.

Zhu Yunqiong held the two toddlers' hands tightly, nervously watching the bustling scene before them. Though a group of guards shielded them, he felt a faint sense of unease, his palms growing sweaty.

Suddenly, a distant commotion could be heard, and a young beggar, no more than ten years old, darted towards them. A woman, shouting profanities and chasing after him, accused him of being a thief. The agile beggar weaved in and out of the crowd, causing chaos and knocking down numerous pedestrians. As he drew closer, the guards readied their swords, vigilantly on high alert.

Simultaneously, dozens of black dogs emerged from an unknown direction, charging straight at them. The two curious toddlers were terrified, and Zhu Yunqiong panicked, instinctively pulling them back until there was nowhere left to retreat. The guards, occupied with the dogs, were caught off guard when the rushing beggar knocked down two of them. In a flash, he disappeared into the crowd, while the pursuing woman seized the opportunity to burst into the ranks of the guards, snatching up Rong'er. With the protection of the dogs, she rolled on the ground, evading the approaching guards and blending into the throngs.

Zhu Yunqiong, taking advantage of his small size, dodged the dogs and grabbed hold of the sobbing Rong'er's hand, attempting to reclaim him. The woman forcefully kicked him away, leaving him sprawled on the ground, unable to get up.

Watching this unfold helplessly from a distance, Zhu Yunjing was both furious and anxious but couldn't push through the dense crowd. The frightened pedestrians, who had been knocked down by the dogs, blocked the path entirely. By the time the guards managed to clear a way and pursue, the woman who had taken Rong'er had vanished without a trace.

The hurried prayer session ended, and upon hearing the news, Zhu Yunxuan was so distraught that he could barely stand. Heeling immediately, He Huailing commandeered troops to seal off the entire temple area. However, with tens of thousands of people present, tracking down the culprit would prove challenging.

Zhu Yunjing's eyes reddened with anxiety. When Yuan Bao was young, he had also been kidnapped by bandits, and now Rong'er was facing a similar fate under his care. This made him feel deeply responsible and guilt-ridden.

"A Xuan..."

"Brother, don't say anything more. This has nothing to do with you. They're targeting me because of my status as the emperor," Zhu Yunxuan said, his fists still trembling slightly but his composure gradually returning. He forced himself to stay calm and quickly issued orders to close the city gates, guard all exit routes and major docks, and search every household.

After giving these instructions, Zhu Yunxuan's mind calmed somewhat. He asked, "How is Yunqiong doing?"

Zhu Yunjing shook his head. "He was kicked in the waist; he'll need time to recover."

Zhu Yunxuan closed his eyes briefly. "After this incident, I must reward him somehow. He's endured so much."

"For now, let's put that aside," Zhu Yunjing said gravely, reminding his brother, "The priority right now is Rong'er. The one who took him... could it be a remnant from the previous dynasty?"

Zhu Yunxuan's expression darkened, and he spoke in a hoarse voice, "Regardless of who it is, they came for me. For the time being, Rong'er should be safe. It just depends on what they want, but..."

But his child was so young and gentle. Could he endure until they rescued him?

"...I fear they might have insatiable demands, wanting everything."

"Whatever they want," Zhu Yunxuan clenched his fists resolutely, "I'll risk my life to bring him back."

Until late afternoon, every person who had been stranded at the fair was thoroughly investigated, but no clues emerged. Not only was there no trace of the woman who had taken Rong'er, but the beggar and the young man who had collided with Yuan Bao had also vanished amidst the chaos. It was clear that these individuals were part of a group, well-prepared and determined to create confusion to seize the child.

As the sun began to set, the emperor's carriage returned to the General's Manor. Shortly after entering, the head of the Imperial Guards rushed in with an urgent report, handing over a letter that had just been shot into the main gate of the manor by an arrow. The envelope bore only four characters: "For the Emperor's Eyes Only."

Zhu Yunxuan tore open the envelope, revealing a slip of paper inside. It contained handwriting he knew intimately: "At midnight tonight, at the eastern city dock. Please come alone, our meeting is not to be missed."

At the bottom of the note, a jovial rabbit sketch was drawn, seemingly taunting him alongside the extravagant calligraphy. Zhu Yunxuan's eyes narrowed, his anger surging as he slammed his fist violently onto the table.