The magistrate took Su Yi on a tour of other villages in the town. Seeing that the people there had been properly settled, they went to Heshui Village. The village chief was so excited that he couldn't speak when he received the imperial envoy and the magistrate for the first time.

Looking around the village, Su Yi asked, "Village Chief, how is everything in the village?"

The village chief nodded repeatedly, "Everything is fine. The houses of the families in our village who suffered are almost back up. The crops haven't been affected too much, and the relief grain will last until the autumn harvest."

I went to see the houses under construction. They were raising the roof beams, and the surroundings were filled with joy. It was clear that they were very satisfied with the government's handling of the situation.

Su Yi wandered around the village and passed by a courtyard full of flowers. Some of the flowers looked familiar, so he couldn't help but take a second look.

The village chief smiled and said, "That's the courtyard of a widow in our village. She keeps it very clean and is a very honest person."

Upon hearing that she was a widow, no one dared to linger at the door.

The magistrate, whose legs were about to give way from walking all day, forced himself to say, "Sir, let's go back. This is the last village."

Su Yi glanced at the small yellow flower on the ground again and replied indifferently, "Let's go."

Everyone watched the group board the carriage until it was far away. Only then did the village chief's face turn somber. "I wonder how the Liu family's child is doing. If you're free, please go and help look for him. If you see him, please let me know."

"A good village chief"

For the next two days, Su Yi went out early and returned late, visiting two other villages under the guidance of the county magistrate. The people there were much better than those in Heshui Village, Heshui Town.

On the third day, the county magistrate escorted them outside the city, and the main force prepared to return to the capital.

Many soldiers were patrolling outside the city, and it seemed that something serious had happened. Changbai asked, "What are these soldiers doing?"

The magistrate smiled insincerely and said, "It's just patrolling. After all, many places have suffered, and I'm sending them around to see if there's anything that needs to be dealt with."

Su Yi, without suspecting anything, bid farewell and left in his carriage.

The magistrate immediately frowned and stopped the head constable, berating him, "Chu Xuan, didn't I tell you not to search so openly? What if the imperial envoy finds out?"

Chu Xuan frowned and explained, "Sir, those two people sold the child to human traffickers today. If we don't hurry up and find him, he might be sold to someone else."

The magistrate was still displeased: "If the imperial envoy finds out, then all your efforts over the past month will have been in vain."

He muttered to himself, "Anyone who didn't know better would think you're the child's father, you're in such a hurry." After saying that, he got into the carriage and returned to the city.

If the child can't be found, at most we'll report him as missing. He'll be assessed in two years, so we mustn't leave a bad impression on the imperial envoy. He still wants to be promoted.

Chu Xuan was shocked by the magistrate's words. He only wanted to help Liu Huan find her child, but he never thought about becoming the child's father.

As I thought about it, my face turned red...

"Brother Chu, is there any news yet?"

Chu Xuan turned around, his face flushed, and met the eyes of the woman who hadn't rested for days because her child had gone missing. The dark circles under her almond-shaped eyes were very prominent, which made him feel inexplicably sorry for her.

He quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, my people have already followed the clues and should be able to find her soon."

Tears welled up in Liu Huan's eyes and slid down her cheeks. "That's good. Thank you so much, Brother Chu. I really don't know what I would have done without you."

Seeing her cry, Chu Xuan became even more anxious. "You...you...don't worry, I will definitely find the child for you safely."

He then mounted his horse, saying, "I...I'll go find it now, you wait here."

"Master, don't worry, Lord Chu will definitely find Miss."

Anzhi reached out to her with a determined look in her eyes: "Mother, don't cry. My sister will come back. I promise I will never leave her and will protect her."

Liu Huan squatted down, hugged her son, and cried. Her heart was breaking ever since she lost her daughter.

Qiu Rong and Qiu Ju stood by, crying. This morning, the yamen arrested the two people and, after interrogation, they confessed that they had sold the young lady last night. They really didn't know how the young lady was doing; she was still so young.

However, Anran, who was so worried that she dared not sleep, was chatting with the human traffickers.

"Uncle, where are we going?"

The trafficker said, "Uncle will take you to your new home."

Anran asked excitedly, "Really? I'm finally going to have a new home? Waaaaah, Uncle, you're so kind!"

The traffickers felt embarrassed when they saw her cupping her face in her hands, her large eyes glistening with tears.

"Don't worry, your uncle will find you a wealthy family, and you won't have to go to those filthy places."

An Ran became even more curious, "What does 'filthy place' mean?"

Another man driving the carriage outside said, "Fool, don't talk to her so much, be careful, it might be a trap."

He regretted bringing the simpleton along.

An Ran smiled and asked, "Uncle, what are you frying? Rice cakes?"

The man inside suppressed a laugh and said, "Yes, does Xiaohua like it?"

An Ran slurped her words, "I like it. My dad used to make it for me too, but... Waaaaaah, he died."

Upon hearing this, the man thought it was a trap; the child only cared about food. He said to the man outside:

"Biaozi, don't shout so loudly. She's so well-behaved after losing her parents. There's no need to yell at her. Just take her back and we'll get back to her."

Last night, fearing discovery, the two hurriedly delivered the goods, saying that Anran's family was gone. Since Anran herself said the same thing, the traffickers believed her without a doubt.

An Ran gasped and nodded, looking both cute and pitiful. "Uncle, thank you so much for finding me a home."

The man took out the steamed buns he had bought that morning. "It's okay, it's okay. There are still steamed buns here. Do you want some?"

An Ran clapped her hands exaggeratedly, "Yes, Xiao Hua wants to eat big steamed buns from now on, and doesn't want to go hungry anymore."

The man outside relaxed a bit upon hearing this, saying, "As long as you behave, you'll enjoy endless riches and honors in the future."

Anran nodded while munching on a steamed bun, "I believe in Uncle. Uncle saved me and even gave me steamed buns to eat. Uncle is the best person in the world."

The man outside couldn't help but burst into laughter upon hearing this, "You little girl, just wait and see how good life is!"

An Ran ate her steamed bun in small bites. The man looked at her and asked, "Weren't you hungry? Why aren't you eating more?"

Anran tried to swallow, "Uncle, I feel choked and need some water."

The man outside immediately stopped her, saying, "Don't give her water, tell her to bear with it."

An Ran was about to cry when the man inside said, "Drinking just a little won't hurt. What if you get too thirsty?"

The man outside was furious. "You... idiot, you should go back home after this. You're not suited for this."

Hearing this, the simpleton didn't know what to do with his hands. "But if I don't do this, my mother won't have money for her medicine."

Anran patted him to comfort him, saying, "Uncle is just as pitiful as I am."

The two chatted happily, and the man outside, seeing that she remained so well-behaved, didn't bother her.

As they passed a small grove of trees, Anran suddenly said her stomach hurt, "Uncle, it must be that steamed bun that's spoiled, my stomach hurts."

Upon hearing this, the man outside stopped the carriage, picked her up, and carried her out. He impatiently whispered in her ear, "If you dare to play any tricks, I'll kill you."