Kong Xingzhuo had sharp eyes and spotted Fu Xiaoqiang running on the street as soon as they entered the county town.
He ran, calling out Xiao Tianbao's name, his face covered in sweat.
"Master, isn't that the child from the tofu maker's family in the village?" Kong Xingzhuo asked.
Xiao Jinheng lifted the curtain and glanced outside.
"Stop the carriage, let me out!"
"Master, aren't you going to the county yamen with me?"
Their young master's status was noble, and the hidden guards had been dispatched on a mission.
He was the only one left to protect his master.
Kong Xingzhuo felt a little uneasy.
"Don't worry!" Xiao Jinheng jumped off the carriage and instructed, "Have Magistrate Chen send people to search as soon as possible. Do not delay!"
Kong Xingzhuo hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Understood, Master!"
Xiao Jinheng sighed and walked towards Fu Xiaoqiang.
"You, come here!"
"Huh? Why are you here?" Fu Xiaoqiang stopped, stunned.
Xiao Jinheng asked, "Where did the little village child get lost?"
"Over on South Street!"
South Street was the gateway to Heyang County, and most people entered the county town from there.
The market crowd was dispersing, and the street was no longer as crowded as before...
Xiao Jinheng lowered his gaze and pondered for a moment, "Take me to see!"
Fu Xiaoqiang nodded, "Oh, okay!"
For some reason, this young man possessed an innate aura of authority and dominance.
It made him unconsciously obedient.
"Hey, where are you from? Why don't you have parents?"
Fu Xiaoqiang asked, confused.
This question had puzzled him for a long time.
Ever since Xiao Jinheng moved to Dashui Village, Fu Xiaoqiang had never seen his parents.
There were only two maids and an old woman in that large house.
Or else it was Brother Kong, who liked to wander outside.
Xiao Jinheng paused, his gaze trembling slightly, "Don't I live just as well without parents?"
"It's fine, but don't you miss them?" Fu Xiaoqiang continued to press.
His family had told him that children without parents were very pitiful.
Xiao Jinheng glanced at him and snorted coldly, "The little village child is lost, and you still have the leisure to ask so many questions?"
"If she's not found, you will be held entirely responsible!"
Fu Xiaoqiang immediately covered his mouth upon hearing this.
This brat was truly terrifying when he was serious!
At the same time, Kong Xingzhuo drove the carriage to Heyang County Yamen.
Logically, this should be the place where the county magistrate worked.
However, Heyang County did not have a county magistrate.
Magistrate Chen was enough to handle all matters.
"Hey, hey, hey, stop, who are you looking for?" A yamen runner blocked Kong Xingzhuo and pushed him out.
"Is Magistrate Chen here?" Kong Xingzhuo frowned.
The yamen runner sized him up, saw his neat attire and masculine demeanor.
He spoke a little more politely, "Magistrate Chen is here, what business do you have with the magistrate?"
Kong Xingzhuo, too lazy to waste words, rushed in.
"Hey, stop!" The yamen runner drew his saber and chased after him.
Magistrate Chen was handling official business in his study.
Upon hearing the commotion, he hurried out to check, "Who is causing trouble here?"
"Magistrate Chen!" Kong Xingzhuo called out.
Then he directly took out a dagger and presented it to Magistrate Chen.
He briefly explained the situation.
Finally, he added, "My master has ordered that Magistrate Chen immediately dispatch all the constables from the county yamen to search for Yun Xi Tian's whereabouts!"
"Any delay will be severely punished!"
Magistrate Chen's eyes widened, almost dropping his jaw...
Xiao Tianbao from Dashui Village was missing?
Earlier, he had seen a token in that little girl's satchel with his own eyes.
Now, this supreme dagger was placed before him.
Magistrate Chen suspected he was going mad.
What kind of people lived in this Dashui Village?
With hidden dragons and crouching tigers, looking down on the world, he dared not offend any of them.
"Didn't Magistrate Chen hear me?" Kong Xingzhuo raised his eyebrows.
"I... I heard, I will handle it now!"
Magistrate Chen bowed respectfully.
Then he instructed the yamen runner from before, "What are you still standing there for? Quickly dispatch the constables, and make sure Yun Xi Tian is found before dark!"
"Yes!"
Xiao Jinheng searched along the street and finally arrived at the narrow alley where Xi Tian had been abducted.
"You don't need to follow me. Take the village children and go home!" Xiao Jinheng said lightly.
Fu Xiaoqiang said, "Oh," and quietly left.
After he returned home, he would inevitably be beaten.
Xiao Jinheng was afraid that he would also be captured by human traffickers.
It was now dusk, and there were fewer and fewer pedestrians on the street.
This was the time when human traffickers came out to operate.
Xiao Jinheng looked around and saw a sugar figurine vendor sitting on a large stone by the wall.
He held his chest with both hands, his head hung low, looking very dejected.
Xiao Jinheng was a little surprised and walked over to ask, "Old sir, I need to ask you about someone!"
The vendor looked up at Xiao Jinheng.
Then he looked behind him.
He sighed, "Where are your parents?"
This child was so handsome and delicate. Without parents accompanying him, wouldn't he be waiting to be abducted!
Xiao Jinheng skipped this question and asked again, "Elderly sir, have you seen a little girl with a bun hairstyle, about this high, wearing a pink embroidered cloth skirt?"
"She is five years old this year!"
The little vendor's expression froze.
Wasn't this the little girl who was abducted today?
"She was taken by human traffickers!" the little vendor said weakly.
He had been kicked while chasing the one-eyed man, and his heart still ached.
Xiao Jinheng clenched his small fists upon hearing this, "Which way did they go?"
"That way!" the little vendor pointed in a direction.
Xiao Jinheng looked in that direction, then cupped his hands towards the vendor, "Thank you, sir. In time, I will repay you handsomely!"
With that, he turned and left.
The little vendor blinked and shouted, "Hey, you have to be careful!"
Alas, why did he let him go?
The county town was so chaotic now, what if he was captured again!
Xiao Jinheng knew his actions were risky, but in order to find that certain Tianbao with a head full of paste.
He felt it was necessary to take a risk.
Xiao Xi Tian was locked in a vegetable cellar, with only an oil lamp placed by the wall.
She rubbed her eyes and looked carefully, realizing that seven or eight children were locked up here.
They were of different ages, the youngest being five or six, and the oldest no more than eight.
Some children were asleep, some were squatting in the corner crying silently, and some were silently eating dry rations.
Only two identical twin sisters, with their innocent big eyes, stared blankly at Xiao Xi Tian.
"Were you also tricked into coming here with a string of candied hawthorns?"
The elder twin asked.
Xiao Xi Tian shook her head, "I was brought here by being carried!"
That one-eyed strong man was powerful and strong, letting her experience the thrill of climbing walls and walking on rooftops.
It was even more dizzying than riding a roller coaster...
"What's your name?" the younger twin asked her.
"Yun Xi Tian, and you?"
"My name is Qin Yiyi, I'm the older sister!"
"My name is Qin Fenglan, I'm the younger sister!"