The Guard Captain seized the slip of paper and unfolded it.

Clues:

1. The reddest place in the Imperial City.

2. Turn her into a rose.

3. The most beautiful rose.

A friendly reminder: If the female is not found within 24 hours, she will face unpredictable danger.

Upon seeing the three clues, the Guard Captain immediately ordered, "Check all the rose shops and rose processing factories."

"Yes, sir!" the Beastman guards answered in unison.

Hui, who was often by the female lead’s side, staggered out of the palace. The Star Thief had drugged him, and he was forcing himself to stay awake.

"A yuan... where is A yuan...?" Hui swayed as he stumbled toward the Guard Captain.

The Guard Captain saw Hui, a look of apology in his eyes. "I’m sorry, Deacon Hui. Special-level Researcher Yan Luo was taken by the Star Thief. Please don’t worry, we will do everything in our power to find her."

"Let me see that note." Hui snatched the paper from the Guard Captain’s hand. After reading the words on it, he hurriedly left the Imperial Palace as well.

After Hui departed, the Guard Captain noticed his subordinates still waiting nearby and frowned. "Why haven’t you left yet? What are you waiting for?"

"Yes, sir!" The subordinate Beastmen hurried off.

Meanwhile, the Little Princess of the Empire was being restrained by her Beast Husband.

"Let go of me! Let me go!" the Little Princess shrieked.

The Little Princess bit down hard on Commander Wu’s fingers. Wincing in pain, he accidentally let go, and in that brief moment, she bolted.

The Guard Captain had been about to lead his team on the search. But when he suddenly saw the Little Princess burst out, he quickly moved to block her path. "Your Highness, you cannot leave this place right now."

The Little Princess couldn’t break free from the Guard Captain’s grip.

Her hair was disheveled, tumbling around a face that appeared to be fully made up. She wore a golden formal gown, and her hair had likely been styled as well.

However, all this careful preparation had been for naught. She had flown into a rage when she realized the Lonely Wanderer Star Thief Group had taken someone else, and the subsequent struggle with her Beast Husband had left her meticulously styled hair and makeup in disarray.

She had gotten herself so ready precisely for the purpose of being taken away by the Lonely Wanderer Star Thief Group.

But now they had chosen to take that woman, Yan Luo, instead. What was the point of her spending the whole evening getting dressed up like this?

"Get out of my way! Let me go!" The Little Princess’s tantrum escalated. "I’m going to find A sui! I’m going to find the Lonely Wanderer Star Thief Group!"

"Aaaah!"

"Why are you stopping me!"

"Aaaah!"

"None of you love me!"

...

Seeing no other option, the Guard Captain simply knocked the Little Princess unconscious.

The Little Princess’s Beast Husband caught her, nodded at the Guard Captain, and then left.

Meanwhile, Jiang Zheyu, who was hiding behind the floor-length curtains, heard the Little Princess’s frantic screams.

Jiang Zheyu: ...

She was a little curious. Were the clues on the note Gu Yao left behind the same as in the novel?

So, she went downstairs, left her residential palace, and hurried to call out to the departing Guard Captain. "Wait a moment."

The Guard Captain stopped and turned to look at Jiang Zheyu, his expression slightly puzzled. "Your Highness, is there something you need? The Star Thieves are running rampant right now. It’s safer for you to stay inside the palace. You shouldn’t be wandering around."

"Oh, I’m not planning to wander. I just came down to ask what was written on the note the Star Thief left," Jiang Zheyu asked, feigning curiosity.

Hearing her question, the Guard Captain figured it wasn’t exactly a secret and recounted the contents of the note to her.

"Oh, I see. You should hurry and find her. I won’t keep you any longer." Once Jiang Zheyu knew what the note said, she didn’t waste any more of the Guard Captain’s time.

She sauntered slowly back toward her own palace.

Gu Yao really was a good villain, diligently sticking to the plot.

The words the Guard Captain had just told her were identical to the clues Gu Yao gave in the novel.

And so, Jiang Zheyu knew exactly where the female lead was hidden, but she had no intention of saying anything.

After all, her former admiration for the female lead had long since curdled into dislike.

Besides, the female lead would be found eventually. It was just a matter of time and a little suffering on her part.

Jiang Zheyu could finally go to sleep, satisfied.

When she returned to her door, she found Xiao Luo standing there waiting for her.

"Alright, nothing will happen to me until Yan Luo is found. Go back and get some rest." Jiang Zheyu walked to Xiao Luo’s side and patted his head. "I’m going to rest too."

She finished speaking, but Xiao Luo didn’t move.

Jiang Zheyu suddenly recalled Xiao Luo’s pink eyes, which had seemed so full of adoration not long ago. The hand patting his head froze for a moment before she quickly pulled it back.

It must have been her constant head-patting that gave him the wrong idea.

*I absolutely can’t be so thoughtless in the future.*

Jiang Zheyu silently made a mental note.

Xiao Luo heard her words and saw her quickly retract her hand. He knew Princess Zheyu wanted to turn the page, to pretend she had never seen the love in his eyes.

A bitter feeling welled up inside him, but he also felt it was to be expected.

Still, falling in love with his master was a mistake. He could no longer be a butler here.

"Princess Zheyu, I came to say goodbye. Tomorrow, I will submit my resignation to Prince Jin." Xiao Luo’s throat felt tight with bitterness, but he gently lifted his gaze to meet Jiang Zheyu’s. "There’s a rule in the butler’s code: you must not fall in love with your master. So, I can no longer continue as a butler here."

Hearing this, Jiang Zheyu was taken aback.

*What the heck is a butler’s code?*

"No, you haven’t done anything wrong," Jiang Zheyu said quickly. "You just have feelings for me, it’s not a crime. There’s no need to resign. Besides, a butler’s salary in the Imperial Palace is definitely higher than outside, and the benefits are better. You don’t need to quit over this."

"Perhaps it’s because I feel I can no longer face you, Princess Zheyu." Xiao Luo’s long lashes drooped slightly. "So, before I resign, I wanted to say one thing. I truly, truly like you, Princess Zheyu."

As he spoke of his affection for her, he slowly raised his eyes to meet hers, his smile open and radiant. "I like you, Princess Zheyu. I like you. I really, really like you."