Whether Dominic Zhai believed what Prince Samuel said or not, he had no choice but to go look for Serena Feng. Prince Samuel had given a death order: if he couldn’t find Serena Feng before nightfall, he needn’t bother coming back.
Dominic Zhai was completely unwilling, but he didn’t dare talk back to his grandfather. After dawdling for ages, he finally dragged himself to the city gate.
"Grand Heir." The city gate soldiers immediately stepped forward and saluted him.
"No need for formalities," Dominic said, acting every bit the young lord.
"Grand Heir? Which Grand Heir?" A carriage just leaving the city stopped at those words. A sharp, capable bodyguard stepped forward, saluted, and asked.
"Dominic Zhai, heir to Prince Samuel. Who is the master inside the Rowan Manor carriage?" Spotting the emblem on the carriage ahead, Dominic swung off his horse.
Prince Rowan hadn’t married yet, so technically only Adrian Dongling could use a carriage crafted by the Inner Court. But since Rowan’s injuries still hadn’t healed, Dominic found it strange.
"Wu Chen, at your service. Greetings to the Grand Heir. His Highness Prince Rowan is inside the carriage." Wu Chen was one of Adrian Dongling’s personal bodyguards.
"Prince Rowan? Isn’t he still injured? Why is he leaving the city?" Dominic strode toward the carriage, with Wu Chen accompanying him.
"His injuries have mostly healed. The imperial physicians said as long as he doesn’t exert himself, it’s fine." Otherwise, Prince Rowan wouldn’t be allowed to ride in a carriage.
Dominic nodded and gave a formal salute to Adrian Dongling outside the carriage. As the Grand Heir, he didn’t need to kneel to Prince Rowan.
"Dominic, is Serena Feng here?" Adrian Dongling opened the carriage door and asked directly.
To be honest, he was more anxious than anyone.
If Serena Feng spent another night outside, even if the Emperor agreed, the imperial clan wouldn’t allow her to be given the side-consort position.
Side-consorts also enter the ancestral hall with a jade plaque. In the prince’s manor, she’d be considered a mistress, and wouldn’t need to kneel to the principal consort. If he ascended the throne, she’d be one of the four consorts.
Dominic looked up in surprise, then quickly lowered his head, apologizing: "Please rest assured, Your Highness. Serena Feng will be fine. I’m heading out now to bring her back."
Grandfather was right. Last time, when Duke Zhen’s people made trouble for Serena Feng, it was a minor issue—none of the big players wanted to get involved or bother with it.
But Grandfather never mentioned that Prince Rowan and Serena Feng were this close—close enough for him to go looking for her while still injured. It was hard to believe.
Not long ago, Prince Rowan and Serena Feng were at each other's throats. The rumors were exaggerated, but some of them were true—Prince Rowan used to want her dead.
So what was going on now?
If you said Prince Rowan had no interest in Serena Feng, Dominic wouldn’t believe it for a second.
"Mm, I’ll go with you," Adrian Dongling said, settling back in his seat and signaling the guards to head out of the city.
This was only because Dominic Zhai was Prince Samuel’s Heir. If it had been anyone else, Adrian Dongling would’ve kicked them aside long ago. Anyone daring to scheme against the woman he wanted clearly had a death wish.
Adrian’s words were laced with blame, but Dominic knew exactly what was going on. At a moment like this, all he could do was play dumb. Just as he was about to leave, a voice called out behind him:
"Grand Heir, wait."
Dominic didn’t want to bother, but Adrian Dongling spoke up: "One moment won’t matter. Let’s see what he wants."
"Grand Heir, where’s Serena Feng?" Because William Wayne and Dominic were close, Caleb Wayne also knew Dominic well. And as the Seventh Young Master of the Wayne clan, his status wasn’t low, so Caleb spoke to Dominic without any deference.
"Outside the city," Dominic replied through gritted teeth, annoyed at the busybody.
It wasn’t as if he was hiding anything. He’d made such a show of leaving and entering the city—was it really necessary to ask again? Seriously.
"Hmph..." Caleb Wayne let out a cold laugh. He was the type of aristocrat whose orchid-like elegance always set him apart, and that chilly laugh only made the distance more palpable.
"Grand Heir, you really are something—leaving a weak woman outside the city. I doubt anyone but you could pull that off."
"Caleb Wang Jinhan, don’t push me. Just because you’ve got the Wayne clan behind you doesn’t mean I’m afraid of you." Dominic was already regretting things, and Caleb Wayne just kept stoking the fire.
"Go ahead, try it. Just because you’ve got Prince Samuel Manor behind you doesn’t mean I’m scared." Caleb Wayne wasn’t Serena Feng—he was the Wayne clan’s Seventh Young Master, and their pride wouldn’t let them fear Prince Samuel. Even if they were afraid, they’d never show it. That kind of pride was worth dying for.
Dominic’s temples throbbed. His eyes were wide, fists clenched, fighting the urge to throw a punch.
Normally he wouldn’t care, but if he hit Caleb Wayne today, his grandfather would never let him off. Yet Caleb just kept provoking him with that look.
Adrian Dongling hadn’t watched, but he could tell from the voices. Impatient, he had to step in: "Enough. Stop it. Finding Serena is what matters. Julius Zhu’s remaining followers are still active outside the capital. If we’re late and Serena runs into them, it’ll be a disaster."
"Not worth arguing with you," Dominic said, letting it go.
"Not worth arguing? I don’t even want to talk to you. Grand Heir, let’s find Serena first. If she’s safe, fine. But if something happens, I’d like to see how you explain it to my brother." Caleb Wayne made a face, ignored Dominic, mounted his horse, and rode ahead. As he passed Adrian Dongling’s carriage, he called, "Your Highness, I’m worried about Serena Feng’s safety—I’ll go on ahead."
Behind him were twenty guards from the Wayne clan. Last time, when they ran into trouble in the woods, the Wayne clan was shocked—Caleb never left the city without guards after that.
Wayne clan guards, Prince Rowan’s personal guards, and Dominic’s own men—such a massive group rushing out of the city was bound to attract attention.
Ninth Royal Uncle received the news and just smiled without a word, leaving the eunuch beside him nearly dying of curiosity, unable to guess what he meant.
When the Duke Zhen estate heard the news, they were glad they’d only tested Serena Feng earlier and hadn’t actually made a move against her. Provoking Serena could only end badly, but if open attacks were risky, covert ones might still work. They had to hurry and invite her over for a medical visit.
When the Emperor found out, he stared at the words "Rowan V" for a long time.
"Are you sure it’s Prince Rowan?"
"Your Majesty, I’m certain it was Prince Rowan," the spy said, kneeling with his head bowed.
"You may go." The Emperor read the secret report again and placed it in a wooden box.
Adrian Dongling’s actions were unexpected, but Ninth Royal Uncle’s non-response was even more surprising.
The Emperor didn’t believe Ninth Royal Uncle wasn’t worried. Everyone knew what it was like outside the city—those people weren’t just Julius Zhu’s remaining followers.
Those people were actually Southern Lyn spies operating in Eastlyn, a group of elite agents led by Southern Lyn’s Third Prince.
Even the Emperor couldn’t do anything about them. If Serena Feng fell into their hands outside the city, her chances of survival were slim to none.
A moment later, the Empress received the same news. She wasn’t as magnanimous as the Emperor—she was so furious she nearly fainted.
Her son—the one she was so proud of—had actually left the city injured, all for that little slut.
"Serena Feng, you’d better die out there. Otherwise, I’ll never let you go. I won’t allow—never allow—my son to be entangled with you."
Crack—the Empress snapped her armored finger guard in rage.
She would never allow her son to marry Serena Feng—not even as a side consort, much less as a nameless concubine.