Two days later, Qian Yuanbao arrived, looking weary but with a glint of joy in his eyes. "That village was wiped out, but there's still no trace of Qin Lang. Everyone has been interrogated, and a few hideouts were revealed, but Qin Lang wasn't found. It's as if he vanished into thin air. The Dark Shadow Tower was also dismantled under the Emperor's order. Some of its members were absorbed into the imperial forces, while those who committed heinous crimes were executed. Ironically, the楼主 (leader) had no idea how to contact Qin Lang."
Qi Zhenzhen tapped her fingers on the table. Not finding him made things difficult.
"But you don't need to worry too much," Qian Yuanbao continued. "Qin Lang's subordinates confessed that the people in that village comprised almost all of Qin Lang's forces. Although a few were still handling matters outside, they were only a handful. This means Qin Lang has very few people left. Those individuals won't amount to much."
Qi Zhenzhen felt a sliver of relief. With Qin Lang having no manpower, he couldn't easily target the Yun family. With Hong Dou by her side and the Marquis's mansion reinforcing its guards, it should be fine. However, she couldn't let her guard down. Qin Lang had been at large for years, and Qi Zhenzhen suspected there were accomplices among the officials in the capital. Whether they were willing or coerced was another matter; if forced, Qin Lang must have something on them that compelled their obedience.
"What did Dali Temple say?" Qi Zhenzhen asked.
Qian Yuanbao instinctively lowered his voice. "A few people involved in the pursuit of Qin Lang have died. Their deaths were similar to how your maternal grandparents died."
So, Qin Lang was responsible?
Qi Zhenzhen couldn't fathom why Qin Lang would act. After all, with their presence, Qin Lang could have received advance warning during the pursuit.
Now that they were gone, Qi Zhenzhen surmised two possibilities: either Qin Lang was confident no one could find him again, or he had a new informant, one far more useful than those controlled by Gu worms.
If it were the first scenario, it would be manageable, as Qin Lang wouldn't cause trouble again anytime soon. But Qi Zhenzhen felt the first scenario was unlikely. Otherwise, Qin Lang's years of dormancy would be a joke.
If it were the second scenario, who was this person?
Seeing her silence, Qian Yuanbao couldn't help but tap the table. "What are you thinking about?"
Qi Zhenzhen smiled and changed the subject, telling Qian Yuanbao about the Yun family adopting Hong Dou as their goddaughter.
Qian Yuanbao was taken aback. He felt it was natural for Hong Dou, as the Yun family's maid, to protect her master. Hong Dou had indeed performed admirably this time, and a reward would suffice; there was no need for such a grand gesture. Then, he reconsidered. If Hong Dou hadn't handled the situation competently, the Yun family's position in the Marquis's mansion would have been precarious. In that light, recognizing her as a goddaughter made sense.
"Is it just a verbal adoption, or...?" Qian Yuanbao inquired.
"We'll ask a master to calculate an auspicious date. Of course, it will be a grand affair."
The Yun family felt guilty towards Hong Dou and naturally wanted to compensate her. Moreover, Qi Zhenzhen saw no issue with a grand celebration.
"Alright, I'll definitely be there," Qian Yuanbao said.
Qi Zhenzhen thanked him. "With the young master of the Qian family present, the event will surely be well-attended."
Qian Yuanbao rolled his eyes. "Don't flatter me. Putting that aside, I came today for another matter. The Emperor has agreed to return the Yun family's property. However, the Yun couple cannot be officially recognized, after all..."
This was an unexpected blessing. As for the inability to officially recognize them, Qi Zhenzhen understood. The case was judged by the late Emperor Zhaowu, and if the current Emperor were to overturn the verdict, it could be seen as unfilial.