XiChen placed a hand on Lan Zhan's arm.

"Wait, WangJi. Listen to me."

"I need to find him." Lan Zhan shook his hand off.

"But going in blind could alert them, and hinder us! Please!" XiChen was desperate. "Let me inform all the clans. They will come to our aid. We can't do this alone."

"How much time do you need?" The fire in his eyes burned a little less brighter as he thought upon the wisdom of his brother's words.

"I'll send out messages right now. We can start leaving by nightfall." There was a plea in his eyes.

"I will wait."

"Good. Thank you." Relief flowered on his face.

They had examined the message sent by Jiang Cheng thoroughly and realised that he had given them clear directions in the little space he had. XiChen didn't want to think it was because he had run out of 'ink'.

He didn't want to think about that at all. Even WangJi had reacted to the blood, just a flicker across his face, but it was a lot for his brother.

A disciple knocked and entered. "A lady is asking permission to meet with Young Master Lan. She's waiting by the gates."

"Name?"

"Li Hua."

Within seconds, Lan Zhan was out of the library, on his way. XiChen jumped up and followed.

"WangJi? Don't be hasty! She might be innocent."

Lan Zhan strode forth, not answering. If she knew something, he was going to find out.

*******

At the gates, they were surprised to see two figures. Lan Zhan recognised the second one as JunJie Kang, looking disheveled and very much the worse for wear.

They all greeted each other.

"I assume you know by now that Chang Chao is on their side." Li Hua said, bitterly.

"Why have you come?" Lan Zhan was terse. It was bad enough that Wei Ying was missing, but these people could have collaborated with the other, and they had the guts to come here....

"We have nothing to do with it!" Li Hua was quick to defend them, instinctively knowing what he thought.

"How can we believe that?" XiChen added. His words were not accusatory, but neither was there kindness.

"You will remember, the second time Min Qi Xue threatened Master Wei, I was already in town?"

Lan Zhan nodded, remembering. "With Wen Ning."

"Not with, but I met him." She blushed, and quickly moved on. "I was following someone, in fact, I had been trying to find out who this person is, for a long time. But every time I got close, I'd lose him."

Lan Zhan's grip on Bichen tightened; XiChen spared him a glance before urging her. His brother was running out of patience.

"What did you find out?"

"Well, whenever I got just within distance of catching him, he would disappear, and instead I'd find either Chang Chao or this one," she poked at JunJie Kang, "and I couldn't tell which one was suspicious. Finally, JunJie Kang went missing and I mistakenly thought it was him."

The other man snorted.

"I didn't realize that Chang Chao had taken him. I only found him last night, tied up in a remote cottage." She sighed. "But we feel responsible, and we want to help. Don't we?" Turning to the man beside her.

"Yes, we do." He grudgingly said, not at all sounding like he meant it.

"We will leave soon. Kindly stay in Gusu. We will send word when we are ready." XiChen sent them away, not giving too much information now.

******

Messengers left with speed, dispatched to all the surrounding clans. The message was short and concise.

Within hours, replies came back. For the most part, they were all willing to help.

Lan Zhan was walking past the stables when he heard Shen Ling.

"Greetings, Young Master." Shen Ling came out from the marquis. He looked troubled.

Lan Zhan bowed.

"We wish to aid you in finding the Young Master."

The three children came out to stand beside him.

"Wait! Where are you going?" A frazzled JingYi followed them and stumbled to a stop, saluting when he saw Lan Zhan.

"We are leaving tonight." Lan Zhan told him.

"You will not see us, but we will be with you." Shen Ling bowed, and the children copied.

*****

Night fell. They had agreed that XiChen would lead the ground troops while Lan Zhan would go on ahead, on Bichen. All the clans were sending their forces straight to Guan Lo.

Lan Zhan forced his mind to focus. His ring was still emitting the blue flame, panic fringing his every thought. The only one to give him comfort was that Wei Ying must be alive, if the flame was constant.

Wen Ning had already reached the little village. He had set out, the moment they returned from their fruitless search for Wei Ying last night. Lan Zhan felt a little better for that. But if he got his hands on that disloyal rotten vegetable by the name of Chang Chao, he would make him pay.