Chapter 158 Demanding a Person

The confusion on Chu Junhan's brow deepened, and with a slight tremble of his brows, he murmured, "Shuangjiang has a fierce personality and knows some martial arts. How could she be so easily captured by Liu Yan'er?"

"Liu Yan'er had a dozen martial arts experts with her. Shuangjiang was no match for her. When I went out, Shuangjiang had already been taken away by Miss Liu." Yun Yi was so anxious he was almost in tears. He pulled Chu Junhan toward the Prime Minister's Estate and pleaded, "Pretty brother, I beg you, save Shuangjiang! You are the Young General; if you go, Liu Yan'er will surely give you this face."

"Face?" Chu Junhan suddenly came to realization, a cold flash crossing his eyes. "So she wants to make me owe the Liu family a favor!"

Yun Yi stopped his pulling motion, released the youth's hand, and his excitement vanished, replaced instead by a layer of frost on his face. "Was this a trap they set, with the sole purpose of luring the pretty brother there?"

"I heard Liu Yan'er is the foremost talented woman in Pingzhou. She surely wouldn't act so recklessly, unless..." Tang Chen murmured from the side, casting watchful glances around, "Unless she has ulterior motives."

"Pretty brother, what should we do now?" Yun Yi lowered his head in shame and frustration, never expecting that he too would one day fall into a trap due to a momentary lapse in judgment and act so recklessly.

"With them plotting against us like this, wouldn't it be disrespectful to not go?" Saying this, Chu Junhan put his hands behind his back and walked toward the Prime Minister's Estate, speaking in an exaggeratedly mature tone, "We simply must go~"

The three of them arrived cautiously at the Prime Minister's Estate, standing straight as they waited for the steward to announce their arrival.

Before long, an old man scurried out trembling, bowing respectfully to Chu Junhan. "Young General, my master has been invited to the Crown Prince's residence as a guest. The young mistress invites you to her chambers for a chat."

"That hardly seems appropriate, does it?" The youth replied with a forced, unsmiling grin.

"This... Very well, my apologies to the General. Once my master returns, this old servant will report this immediately." The steward wore a bitter expression and was about to yield to his young mistress's wishes.

From within the gates of the Prime Minister's Estate, a young maiden rushed out in a flurry, her cheeks flushed pink. "Young General, please stay your steps."

"Hm?" Chu Junhan turned around and stood in place.

Liu Yan'er pressed a hand to her chest, catching her breath as she walked up to Chu Junhan and offered a slight curtsy. "Since the Young General has traveled from afar, how about coming inside for a cup of tea?"

The youth smiled brightly, extended a hand to support the maiden before him, a trace of disdain flashing through her eyes. "Tea won't be necessary. This General has come today to ask Miss Liu for a person."

As soon as these words were spoken, Liu Yan'er shuddered slightly, offering an awkward smile as she looked at the youth with feigned confusion. "Who is the General looking for?"

"A little maid from my General's Estate, around twelve or thirteen years old, named Shuangjiang."

"Shuangjiang... The Liu estate has no little maid named Shuangjiang," Liu Yan'er said, feigning sudden realization with a look of surprise. "Ah, Yan'er remembers now! Is the General looking for the maid who offended me today? I truly do not know where she is..."

She didn't know? What kind of play was this?

Chu Junhan looked at the maiden suspiciously, trying to catch a hint of a clue on her face. "Miss Liu really knows how to joke. You took my person, and now you tell me you don't know where she is?"

The maiden merely lowered her head in shame, twisting the silk handkerchief in her hands as she mumbled, "The matter was handled by Taohong. Yan'er truly does not know where she went."

"Who is Taohong? Where is she? Call her out, this General has questions for her." The youth feigned anger, letting out a sliver of military might.