Su Fan spent the entire afternoon searching, but found nothing.
He had only visited four households, and none had seen Xiao Yan. There were still fourteen more to visit.
Su Fan felt that searching alone was too slow and decided to fully utilize the authority he held.
Since it was already late today, Su Fan headed straight to the barracks the next morning.
Dressed in the uniform of the Imperial Guard, Su Fan’s token granted him unimpeded passage once he arrived at the barracks.
The soldiers here were not like the yamen runners; they knew the Imperial Guard well, and offending them would lead to dire consequences.
"Commander, I am a Centurion of the City Guard. What are your orders?"
A soldier in uniform approached Su Fan, speaking respectfully.
Su Fan placed the addresses of the remaining fourteen wealthy families on the table, along with Xiao Yan's portrait.
"I am under orders to find the Crown Prince. Please dispatch your men to these fourteen locations to investigate if they have seen the Crown Prince. Be polite and do not frighten anyone," Su Fan instructed the Centurion.
"Yes, your subordinate will see to it immediately."
Without hesitation, the Centurion took the addresses and portrait and dispatched his men.
Su Fan smiled. It was indeed easier to get things done with subordinates. He didn't have to run around himself and could simply wait for news.
Time ticked by, and the residences of the wealthy families were visited one by one by the soldiers.
In a certain courtyard in the northern district, Xiao Yan was enjoying a moment of intimacy with a woman.
"Miss! Bad news! Many soldiers have arrived at our estate, and they seem to be looking for Young Master Xiao!"
A maidservant rushed into the backyard, speaking to the couple.
Xiao Yan was slightly taken aback.
"Soldiers? What kind of soldiers?"
Xiao Yan asked the maidservant, puzzled.
"They are the City Guards from within the city. They look fierce and are carrying a portrait of Young Master Xiao," the maidservant explained.
Xiao Yan frowned slightly.
Could it be that his two younger brothers had discovered his whereabouts? Were they planning to kill him?
Xiao Yan was well aware of his two brothers' ambition. He himself had no desire to be emperor, which was why he had run away.
"Husband, you should leave quickly. I will handle this," Zhao Ling'er said to Xiao Yan, rising from his embrace with a solemn expression.
"What about you if I leave?" Xiao Yan asked, his voice filled with concern.
"Don't worry, husband. Our Zhao family is somewhat known in Tianlong City. Although we are just small merchants, they won't easily trouble us. Besides, if we pretend not to know you, they shouldn't cause us any trouble," Zhao Ling'er said with a smile.
While the Zhao family lacked political power in Tianlong City, they were foremost in business. It was unlikely they would be easily targeted.
Xiao Yan frowned and thought for a moment. He felt her words held merit.
"Alright, I'll be back."
Without further hesitation, Xiao Yan climbed over the backyard wall.
"Miss, the master wishes to see you," another maidservant approached and informed Zhao Ling'er.
Zhao Ling'er tidied her appearance and proceeded to the front courtyard.
In the front courtyard pavilion, a group of soldiers stood neatly on either side, while an officer sat opposite her father.
"Father," Zhao Ling'er bowed slightly to her father.
"Officer, this is my daughter," Zhao Da said to the soldier with a fawning smile.
The officer ignored Zhao Da and, facing Zhao Ling'er, produced the portrait.
"Have you seen the person in this painting?" the officer asked Zhao Ling'er.
Zhao Ling'er shook her head slightly.
"No, I haven't."
Zhao Ling'er's expression was calm, her emotions betraying no change.
The officer frowned slightly.
He had visited so many households, and she was the first person to face them so calmly.
The officer glanced at the nervous maidservant behind Zhao Ling'er.
"May we speak with your maidservant alone?" the officer asked Zhao Ling'er.
In fact, he was being quite polite. With Su Fan's instructions, he was not resorting to forceful methods.
Normally, in such a situation, they would have already apprehended the person.
Zhao Ling'er's heart skipped a beat, and she became somewhat anxious.
"Whatever the officer says goes. She is merely a maidservant who has always been by my side. She knows nothing," Zhao Ling'er attempted to cover up. However, the officer would not give her the opportunity.
"I was merely informing you politely. Do not refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!" the officer's expression turned cold.
"Take her away!"
The officer directly ordered his men to escort Zhao Ling'er aside temporarily.
"Officer, this..." Zhao Da was flustered. He dared not overstep his bounds with the soldiers, yet he couldn't bear to see his daughter suffer.
The maidservant was terrified, having never experienced such a situation.
"Tell me, have you seen the person in the portrait?" the officer asked the maidservant.
The maidservant took a step back in fear and quickly shook her head in denial.
"No! I haven't seen Young Master Xiao!"
Zhao Da was taken aback by the maidservant's words.
Zhao Da was unaware that his daughter had secretly harbored a man in the backyard, nor had he ever met Xiao Yan.
Zhao Ling'er, who had been pulled aside, felt her vision darken and nearly fainted.
"Young Master Xiao? Where is he?" The officer's eyes lit up, and he pressed further.
The maidservant tightly shut her mouth, afraid to say anything more for fear of making another mistake.
"He left. He just left from the backyard," Zhao Ling'er, realizing she could no longer conceal it, spoke up immediately.
Since Xiao Yan had already escaped, even if these soldiers pursued him now, they wouldn't catch him. There was no need for the maidservant to continue suffering.
"Left?" The officer frowned.
He was unsure of what to do. Since these people were connected to the Crown Prince, he couldn't easily apprehend them. Yet, to find the Crown Prince, he had to start with this family. He felt a headache coming on.
"Take them all back."
He decided it was best to hand this mess over to the Commander. After all, their mission was to investigate the owners of these addresses and find clues to the Crown Prince. Now that the clue was found, the rest was for Su Fan to worry about.
Su Fan was in the barracks, chatting with the camp commander over tea, and soon received news.
"Camp Commander, Commander, we have found a clue to the Crown Prince's whereabouts at a residence. I have brought the occupants back," the Centurion reported to Su Fan and the other.
"Then bring them up quickly."
Su Fan was impatient. He only had a week, and it was already the second day.
Soon, Zhao Ling'er, her father, and the maidservant were brought in.
"Have you seen Xiao Yan?" Su Fan asked the three of them.
Zhao Da was utterly bewildered; he didn't even know who Xiao Yan was.
"Yes, we have," Zhao Ling'er replied calmly.
"Where is he?" Su Fan continued to ask Zhao Ling'er.
"I don't know."
Zhao Ling'er had no intention of telling Su Fan. To be precise, she genuinely didn't know.
Su Fan frowned.
"I am not looking to arrest him. His identity is the current Crown Prince, and I am acting on the Emperor's decree to bring the Crown Prince back. Tell me, where is he now?"