Human friendship is not bound by status or position, nor by age or gender.
Chen Zimo remembered that half a year ago, when he had a day off, he bought a hair ornament for Qin Si's daughter, Xiao Jun, with his salary. He went to the wonton stall to find the father and daughter with the hair ornament. Seeing that they were not open that day, he didn't think much of it and turned back to his mansion, planning to find them the next day when they were open and have a bowl of wontons with them.
The next day, they were still not open.
It wasn't until the third day that Cheng Zimo felt something was wrong and went to their home to investigate.
He discovered that Xiao Jun was missing, and Qin Si had gone mad.
Although Qin Si had lost his right arm and left leg, he was never unkempt. He would meticulously tidy his appearance every day, his cuffs and collar always clean and neat. He often said with a smile that he sold wontons, and if he looked messy and unclean, people would think his food would make them sick and no one would come to buy anymore.
When he entered the room, Qin Si was hitting his head with his left hand, emitting almost beast-like roars. He was shouting his name, calling him Qin Si.
Qin Si paused for a moment and looked up at him.
Cheng Zimo saw a face filled with extreme despair and unbearable grief. He might have wanted to say something, but in the next moment, he suddenly grabbed his own hair and then slammed his head against the wall.
Cheng Zimo could never understand. Even if Xiao Jun was missing, given Qin Si's personality, he would surely find his daughter no matter where she was, rather than die like a coward.
Unless, Xiao Jun was already dead.
However, the answer given by the county yamen and the words of the neighbors indicated that Xiao Jun was only missing, not dead!
After burying Qin Si, Cheng Zimo had been searching for Xiao Jun's whereabouts, and in the process, he discovered that nearly a hundred people had gone missing in Wu Cheng over the past few years.
Most of the missing were women and children.
He had inquired about this with Wang Xun, the magistrate of Wu Cheng. Lord Wang took out the case files of missing persons reports received by the county yamen over the past few years and told him: "Zimo, among these people, who knows how many have eloped. This world is vast, and we are merely a county yamen. How can we find them all?"
This might have just been Wang Xun's excuse after shirking his duties, but perhaps, it was the truth.
The scenes of the past six months replayed in Cheng Zimo's mind. He actually wanted to ask Cheng Chongyu if what he was doing and investigating was truly so far-reaching, and if he continued to investigate, it might drag their entire Cheng household and relatives into an abyss, whether he would still continue to investigate.
But in the end, he couldn't bring himself to ask. He was afraid of getting a negative answer, and even more afraid of getting a positive one.
Cheng Chongyu stopped dwelling on the matter. To ease the atmosphere, he said, "Do you know who the leader of the people captured by your Uncle Lin and brought to the prisoner camp today is?"
Cheng Zimo was a little dazed, the topic jumping too quickly. He couldn't immediately detach himself from his previous emotions. Just thinking about that arrogant bastard, the anger in his heart broke through his grief. He gritted his teeth, "No matter who she is, she will starve for a day today!"
"Starve for a day? What are you talking about?"
Cheng Chongyu looked at him strangely, "Before we returned to the mansion, I heard your Uncle Lin instruct the soldiers to bring them food."
Cheng Zimo: "..."
The blow came unexpectedly.
A look of embarrassment and shame flickered across Cheng Zimo's face. He had been planning to go again tomorrow and tell them what he had prepared in his mind, but now... forget it, I'm not saying it anymore! .oΓg
"What? Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing!"
Cheng Chongyu found Cheng Zimo a bit peculiar lately. He didn't want to play coy anymore and directly revealed the answer: "Medicine King Valley, Feng Luan!"
"Who?"
Cheng Zimo felt something collapse.
That extremely arrogant bastard was Feng Luan? Feng Luan, who was called a living bodhisattva by the people of Yuzhou? With her appearance, what did she have to do with the words "living bodhisattva"?
"No, this is impossible!"
Cheng Zimo shook his head like a drum, unwilling to accept this fact.
After Lin Xie put the person in the prisoner camp, he went to find Cheng Chongyu. The hidden guard who had saved his life from the assassin last night had confirmed her identity.
As for why she was like this, Cheng Chongyu already had some guesses in his heart.
However, he still couldn't figure out why Zimo was involved, and what position he occupied in this chess game, and what role he played.
...
Wu Cheng yamen runners were searching the city for criminals.
The yamen runners' voices echoed through the streets and alleys. They held portraits of Er Gou and shouted, "This person is a human trafficker who kidnaps people. If anyone sees him, report him to the authorities immediately."
"This person..."
"Isn't this the new waiter at Guangde Building?"
Those who had been to Guangde Building were startled. They remembered this waiter vividly. Compared to other waiters, he was quick-witted and perceptive. They only needed to visit once, and he would remember their preferences.
Everyone had never expected this person to be a human trafficker.
He didn't seem like one!
"My lord, my lord, I know where they live!"
A man in rough cotton clothes ran over. He was a neighbor living to the east of Er Gou and the cook.
"Lead the way quickly!"
With a "clang," the yamen runners smashed open the door and rushed in with swords.
No one was in the room. In the courtyard, a faint smell of blood permeated the air. The yamen runners ordered people to search, and finally, a corpse was found buried in the ground of the backyard.
The onlookers outside were in an uproar. The yamen runners carried the body back to the yamen.
"Human trafficker?"
Cheng Zimo detested human traffickers. These profiteering, ungrateful wretches. If not for them, how could Qin Si have fallen into such a desperate situation?
This human trafficker was said to have only recently drifted into Wu Cheng. Xiao Jun's disappearance should have nothing to do with him, but human traffickers need buyers to sell kidnapped children and women. This is a complete chain of industry, so catching him might lead to a breakthrough.
Even if the human traffickers are different, perhaps the buyers are all the same?
Thinking this, Cheng Zimo asked the yamen runners for a wanted poster!
...
Langhuan Military Camp.
Lin Xie looked at the people before him with a complex expression. He learned the truth about the fog on Changming Mountain from them.
He also heard about the fate of his soldiers.
After his soldiers went into the mountain and did not return, Lin Xie had already prepared for the worst. However, hearing that they had killed each other still filled him with grief and anger.
"Are they from Liao Jiang?"
His eyes turned scarlet, and the voice he squeezed through his teeth was as sinister as a knife.
Nan Shiying nodded. The matter, as told by her, became a conspiracy by Liao Jiang to invade Linyuan. She did not provide detailed explanations, and Lin Xie, being sensible, did not ask further.
Nan Shiying nodded. Those black-clothed men were by no means Linyuan forces. To describe everything as a conspiracy by Liao Jiang was not to wrong Liao Jiang.