Chen Yuancheng advised, "Yun Ying, calm down and don't get agitated."

Xiao Yunying took a deep breath and slowly exhaled: "Okay, I've calmed down, go ahead and say it."

Chen Yuancheng said to the servant, "Tell me what just happened again."

The servant, head bowed, recounted what had just happened: "When I went to the bookstore with the young master, we passed a pastry shop, where the clerk was introducing their new pastries, which looked quite good."

Young Master Luo Yang said he wanted to buy a portion for Miss Xiao to try, and the younger young master also said he wanted to buy a portion for the eldest young master. However, there was a long queue at the door, so the younger young master suggested that I queue up at the pastry shop to buy two portions, while they went to the bookstore to buy books, and then they would go back to the restaurant together, so as not to waste too much time.

When I rushed to the bookstore after buying the pastries, I didn't see the two young masters. I asked the bookstore clerk, who said that the two children I described hadn't come over at all.

Confirming that her unease had become a reality, Xiao Yunying's breath caught in her throat, and the question slipped out:

"Don't you know that the kidnapping gangs that have been frequently appearing in Donglin City haven't been caught yet? How can you let those two children be alone..."

Xiao Yunying stopped halfway through her sentence.

She remembered that there was only one pastry shop near the bookstore they went to, just around the corner. It wasn't far, but there was a small blind spot.

The servant probably thought that there were many people coming and going on the main road and that it was close by, so he didn't insist on following.

Besides, he was just a servant, and if Chen Yuanxuan insisted on making him do something, he wouldn't dare to object.

He let his guard down and became careless, which was part of the reason, and his reluctance to disobey Chen Yuanxuan's orders was another reason.

She herself also bore some responsibility; she should have gone with Luo Yang…

"It's all my fault." The servant knelt down with a thud.

“Young master, I have searched both streets along which the bookstore is located. The young master is usually a bit playful, but he would never run off to another place without a word and cause you to worry. Something must have happened to him. Please think of a way to find him.”

Xiao Yunying bit her lip, her mind a jumble, unsure of what to say or do, and stood there motionless.

The servant hasn't uttered a single word in his own defense, only looking guilty and anxious as he apologizes, leaving her speechless with accusations.

Chen Yuancheng was calmer than her and comforted her, saying, "I have already sent someone to report to the county government and asked the magistrate to send more people to guard the city gates. I also sent people to search for them along the way, starting from the bookstores. As long as they can't leave the city, I am confident that I can find them and bring them back."

It is no exaggeration to say that in Donglin City, apart from the officials, the Chen family is the most powerful.

If you want to do something, I can't say for sure that you'll succeed, but your chances of success will be much higher than other people's.

Xiao Yunying responded absentmindedly, "We've never closed the city gates before, but we still keep losing children and young women, haven't we?"

Chen Yuancheng paused for a moment: "Perhaps Yuanxuan was being mischievous and dragged Luo Yang away to wander around somewhere else. He might be back in a little while."

Xiao Yunying didn't speak, but gently shook her head.

She had said these comforting words to someone just a few days ago.

Neither of the children is unreasonable; Luo Yang is arguably the most sensible and worry-free among the Luo family's children.

Knowing he would worry, he would never leave with Chen Yuanxuan without informing anyone.

"I...I'm going to go find them."

As Xiao Yunying was speaking, she lifted her foot to go downstairs, but Chen Yuancheng grabbed her wrist.

"Yun Ying, don't worry. You won't be of much use if you go alone. I've already sent people to look for you. What you need to do now is calm down and reassure the other children."

Xiao Yunying thought of the three children still in the private room and remained silent for a moment before saying, "I understand."

Footsteps came from down the stairs, indicating that some guests were coming up for dinner. Chen Yuancheng said to the servant, "You may go down now."

He got up from the ground and said, "Young Master, I'll go find the Young Master right away, if..."

He swallowed his worst-case scenario, bowed, turned, and left to go find someone.

Chen Yuancheng said to Ling Qi, "Go back to the manor and tell the steward not only to send guards, but also to send out all the servants who are free to search for people."

Ling Qi responded and left. Only then did Chen Yuancheng say to Xiao Yunying, "Let's go back. Let's not let the children become suspicious and worry together."

Xiao Yunying thought about it and agreed. If the children knew, it would only cause them worry and nothing else.

"good."

Xiao Yunying walked to the door of the private room, paused for a moment before pushing it open, and saw Luo Li and Luo Xin talking together, while Luo Chen stood by the window looking outside, seemingly lost in thought.

Hearing them come in, Luo Chen turned around and asked, "Mother, my second brother has been gone for quite some time, why hasn't he come back yet?"

Xiao Yunying's mind went blank: "He..."

Chen Yuancheng quickly chimed in: "Just now, a servant came to report that Luo Yang and Yuan Xuan were discussing some books that the bookstore didn't have. Yuan Xuan said that I had some in my study, so I took him to my house, where we happened to run into my father."

When my father first saw Yuanxuan bring people back to the mansion, he heard that they had come to borrow books, so he asked a few questions. Seeing that he was quite talented, he invited him to stay for dinner and said that he could explain a few articles to him in the afternoon.

"You all eat first. If you can get my dad to stay, he probably won't be able to go back until this evening or even tomorrow."

These words at least delayed the matter until tomorrow.

Luo Chen and Luo Li knew that Chen Yuancheng's father was a renowned Confucian scholar both inside and outside the academy, but unfortunately they were still in the beginner class and could not attend Master Chen's classes.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!