The person who came in from outside was Yi Shui, whom they had just been discussing.
Yi Shui had been busy since yesterday morning and had finally brought back news of Wu Hongyun.
"You, you say that again, where was Wu Hongyun sold to?!"
Xu Hengyi could hardly believe what he heard. He must have been dizzy from eating too much earlier!
"It's the Nanxiong Marquis's estate."
Yi Shui had not expected this to be the result of his investigation, but this was Wu Hongyun's fate, and they could not choose whether to believe it or not.
Xu Hengyi felt as if someone had grabbed his throat, and Xia Zeshi also wore a shocked expression.
The two looked at each other and remained silent for a long time.
Xu Hengyi slumped back onto the couch. After a long while, he still could not accept this fact. He looked at Yi Shui and asked, "Are you sure you didn't make a mistake?"
Yi Shui's expression was somber. "It's true. I confirmed it specifically."
Xu Hengyi felt terrible.
How could this happen? Wu Hongyun was only thirteen years old, so young and such a capable girl...
Xie Jiang looked at Yi Shui, a little confused. "Is the person still alive?"
Yi Shui dared not be certain, but calculating the time, "Most likely still... right?"
"Then why are you all looking so glum? Isn't it a good thing that the person has been found?" Xie Jiang feigned ignorance, looking at Xu Hengyi's changing expression. "Didn't you want to hire Wu Hongyun as a cook for your household? Just buy her back from the Nanxiong Marquis's estate. It'll save Old Man Wu from selling her elsewhere."
Xu Hengyi shook his head, his heart feeling heavy, and he couldn't speak for a long time.
Xie Jiang frowned with a hint of disgust. "Just say what you have to say. Why are you being so indecisive?"
Xia Zeshi sighed. "Young Master Xie, you may not know, but if Wu Hongyun had been sold to another estate, it wouldn't be a difficult matter. We could privately speak to them, no need to mention money. She's just a maid, they'd gift her to us casually. But the Nanxiong Marquis's estate is different..."
"How is it different?"
Xia Zeshi sighed again. "In short, once this person enters the Nanxiong Marquis's estate, I fear she won't be able to get out."
Xie Jiang, whether intentionally or not, said, "Why won't she be able to get out? Could it be that the Nanxiong Marquis's estate eats people?"
Xia Zeshi and Xu Hengyi, upon hearing this, likely thought of the same thing simultaneously, and both shuddered.
Xie Jiang's casual demeanor vanished as he stared intently at the two. "Does the Nanxiong Marquis's estate really eat people?"
Xia Zeshi and Xu Hengyi exchanged glances again, then nodded together towards Xie Jiang. Lu Baofang's matter was no longer a secret.
"How do they eat people? Tell me about it."
Perhaps because he had eaten too much earlier, and then suddenly thought of something disgusting, Xia Zeshi gagged violently.
The attendant who served him quickly brought a cup of tea, fed it to Xia Zeshi, and patted his back.
Seeing this, Xu Hengyi also quickly held a cup of tea in his hand. Feeling a little more secure, he looked at Xie Jiang with an indescribably strange expression. "The heir of the Nanxiong Marquis's estate, Lu Baofang, is a notorious cannibal. I don't know what kind of demonic incantations he heard, but he believes that eating the flesh of young girls can strengthen muscles and bones. So, he often has people from his estate buy young girls, then process them into dried meat to eat as snacks... He even uses the bones to boil soup..."
Xu Hengyi was already very restrained, but by the end, he couldn't help but feel disgusted and quickly took a large gulp of tea.
Xie Jiang sneered. "A notorious cannibal? So, not just you, but many people know that Lu Baofang eats people?"
Xia Zeshi nodded with disgust. "You could say that. It's already an open secret."
Xie Jiang: "And no one does anything?"
Xu Hengyi's face showed disgust. "Who can do anything? The Nanxiong Marquis's estate has deep roots, it's not some minor family. And the Nanxiong Marquis holds military power..."
Seeing that Xie Jiang's expression had turned a little cold, and he seemed displeased, Xu Hengyi's voice grew quieter.
The atmosphere in the small flower hall became somewhat stagnant for a moment.
After a long while, Xie Jiang stirred the tea leaves in his cup with the lid and said, "Xu Hengyi, do you still want to buy Wu Hongyun as a cook?"