When he'd heard it all, Ning Chen frowned slightly. "None of our men came to search this house?"

Yuan Long said quickly, "They did. But everything looked normal at the time. They didn't notice anything wrong."

Ning Chen gave a flat mm. "What's the situation inside now?"

Yuan Long said, "The husband and wife have probably been murdered already, but their daughter is still alive.

We have men all around the courtyard, but Li Qiu has a hostage, so we don't dare make a move."

Ning Chen grunted and gave the order. "Old Feng, break down the gate."

Yuan Long opened his mouth and closed it again. If they startled Li Qiu, he might very well hurt the hostage.

Feng Qizheng couldn't have cared less about any of that. He swung down from his horse, strode to the courtyard gate, raised his leg and kicked!

Bang!!!

An ordinary family's gate isn't all that sturdy. Feng Qizheng's kick sent the whole door flying.

Ning Chen dismounted and strode into the courtyard.

It was a small courtyard, with only three proper rooms.

In the middle room, a burly middle-aged man with triangular eyes and a cold, grim face stood sideways behind the window, watching what was happening outside.

When he saw Ning Chen come in with his men, his face went a little pale.

Beside him, against the wall, was a woman in her twenties, bound hand and foot, a rag stuffed in her mouth.

She wasn't what you'd call beautiful, only pleasant-looking. Her eyes were full of terror.

Out in the courtyard, Ning Chen fixed his eyes on the middle room. "Li Qiu, come out and let's talk... This place has been surrounded for a while now. You're not going to get away.

If you cooperate, maybe this prince will go easy on you."

Li Qiu swallowed nervously and shouted, "Tell your men to pull back. I have a hostage. Let me go... or I'll kill her."

Ning Chen just laughed.

"Li Qiu, do you know how your master Kang Xiao died? Cut apart by inches, from morning till night, a…