Hearing Tang Fei’s questioning, Phoenix also felt somewhat embarrassed.
After all, if the Royal Family mishandled things, it reflected badly on her as a Princess.
Phoenix looked unhappily at Chen Fenglei and said, "Whether we can find him depends on whether our Chief Chen has been diligent or not. With the Empire’s financial, human, and material resources, it’s puzzling that we still haven’t found the Assassin."
"Your Highness, heaven and earth can testify, I really have done all I can," Chen Fenglei explained with a face full of grievance, looking at Phoenix. "But Ling Yunxiao disappeared as if he vanished into thin air; we’ve searched the entire Phoenix City and still couldn’t find him..."
Chen Fenglei had been extremely anxious during this time.
He had released all the worker bees and scout bees from the Beehive, instructing them to dig three feet into the ground to find Ling Yunxiao.
The King had cracked his head open demanding a person be delivered within a set period; Chen Fenglei had not dared to appear before the King these past few days.
The Princess occasionally called to push, asking how things were going, whether the man had been found yet.
The attempt on the Princess was a big deal; countless eyes throughout the nation were watching him...
Regrettably, Ling Yunxiao had disappeared like a stone sinking into the sea, leaving no trace at all.
The closest they had gotten to Ling Yunxiao was on Crab Island; they had discovered his whereabouts, and their forces had completely surrounded the island.
However, the tea was still warm, and Ling Yunxiao’s whereabouts became unknown.
Who exactly had abducted Ling Yunxiao?
Or had Ling Yunxiao realized something was off and escaped ahead of time?
Later, there were several more rumors of sightings of Ling Yunxiao, but when Chen Fenglei personally led people to track these leads, they found them to be fictitious—nothing but deceptive tricks.
As the deadline to deliver the person drew nearer, Chen Fenglei became increasingly distressed; sores formed at the corners of his mouth, and his outbursts of temper in the Beehive did nothing to help.
There he was, early in the morning, coming to plead with the Princess.
He knew that Zhong Daolong doted extremely on this daughter. If she was willing to intercede, perhaps the King might grant him a few more days.
Moreover, she was the victim and the affected party; if she wasn’t pushing so desperately, wouldn’t his own days be a bit easier?
If she urged him daily, could he even survive?
"After dispatching so many people, all departments actively cooperating, surveillance systems at your disposal, saying it’s a dragnet isn’t an exaggeration... and this is the result you give me?" Phoenix’s pretty face was frosty, looking very angry indeed.
"Your Highness, it is my incompetence..." Chen Fenglei apologized with a face full of shame.
"Incompetence? Can a single word of incompetence settle all matters? Does my vengeance not need pursuing? Doesn’t the Royal Family’s dignity need maintaining?"
Phoenix’s gaze towards Chen Fenglei was unfriendly as she coldly said, "I was attacked in the Old Land, we sent so many assassins from the Undying Army... yet one was captured alive... and what happened? When he got to you, he died... his death unexplained..."
"If it weren’t for Tang Fei’s protection, I would have died in the Old Land long ago, father assigned you the important task of finding the assassin... Chief Chen, how do you handle affairs? Has the real culprit been found? Half a year has passed, have you given me an explanation?"
"And this time, that Ling Yunxiao was also sent by the Undying Army to kill me... Tang Fei and I were nearly killed by him... You’ve spent so much time and effort, so where is he? What’s the result?"
Chen Fenglei fell to his knees, sobbing, "Your Highness, I have indeed tried my best, but the opponent is too cunning... please, Your Highness, punish me..."
Chen Fenglei knew the Princess was furious at the moment, even changing how she addressed him.
When the Princess was in a good mood, he called himself "your subordinate."
When the Princess was particularly unhappy, he called himself "your humble servant."
"You should indeed be punished." Phoenix’s anger was inexhaustible, "If it weren’t for your years of service to the Royal Family, I would even suspect these matters had something to do with you..."
"My abilities are limited, but my loyalty is absolute. I, Chen Fenglei, have never done anything to dishonor the Royal Family... please, Your Highness, see the truth."
Tang Fei had just made green tea, so it was time for it to bloom.
Even though he desperately wanted to strike down this crafty old man on the spot, he knew now was not the time.
The timing wasn’t right, nor the setting.
He didn’t want to exacerbate the fallout between Phoenix and Chen Fenglei. While Zhong Daolong still trusted Chen Fenglei, and he still held the position of Grand Steward, it was best not to offend him too harshly.
King Yan is easy to meet; little devils are troublesome.
With the power Chen Fenglei held in his hands, harming someone was all too easy.
Just occasionally whispering into Zhong Daolong’s ears, once or twice he might not believe, but what about three or five times?
Why did past officials fear the Emperor’s eunuchs most? Because the eunuchs could report things as soon as they heard them...
Tang Fei approached Phoenix, speaking persuasively, "Your Highness, please calm your anger, I can understand your feelings... As a princess with royal lineage, you’ve nearly been murdered several times, and until now, Chief Chen still hasn’t found the assassin... You have every reason to be angry..."
"Not just as a princess, even I am very angry... As a citizen of the Empire, a friend of Your Highness, being mysteriously attacked and almost killed... I, too, feel very distressed and wronged..."
"But I believe this is definitely not Chief Chen’s intention, under the pressure and surveillance of so many, he wants to find Ling Yunxiao more than anyone..."