"Keep your voice down! Why are you telling me this? Don't you think this through? If other people find out, you're finished!"

"Tch, I'm not afraid at all. I was just sent to the brothel to gather information by my master. Besides, I've wanted to quit for a long time. My master is doing things that could cost him his head. I'm going to find an excuse to resign and leave Jiangnan County. I'm not going to talk to you anymore. My master has some tasks to give me."

The moment the door to the private room opened.

Yan Xia flashed into the space.

"Strange, why are they walking so fast?"

The person who opened the door was a young servant-looking man.

He saw that there was no one outside the door.

He turned around and went back to report.

Yan Xia took half an hour.

Spread this message in five of the most populated places in Jiangnan County.

She dared not say more.

It would look too fake and would easily expose flaws.

After finishing everything, Yan Xia returned home, washed off her makeup, took a bath, and then went to bed comfortably.

The next morning, Yan Xia woke up, had a meal with Jin Yu, then put on ugly makeup, changed her clothes, and went to the Xu residence once again.

Just as she expected.

The people on the street were all whispering about the luminous pearl falling into the Xu family mansion.

Even the common people knew about it, so naturally everyone in the Xu household was aware of it as well.

Upon arriving at the Fan family's courtyard, one could see that all the maids had stern faces.

"Investigate! Investigate thoroughly, inside and out! I want to see who dared to leak the secret. If I find out, I won't let them get away with it!"

As Yan Xia stepped outside, she heard Fan Shi cursing loudly inside.

She suppressed the upturned corners of her mouth, pursing them into a straight line, then stepped across the threshold and went inside.

"Godmother, what's wrong? Why are you angry so early in the morning? Who angered you?"

Yan Xia looked at Madam Fan with concern.

"Hey, you've arrived. There's a lot of gossip going around about our Xu family. They're saying you gave me the luminous pearl, and someone leaked the secret. The family is investigating. That bastard dared to betray the Xu family. If I find out, I'll make him wish he were dead!"

Yan Xia covered her mouth, feigning surprise.

"What? Who is it? Who is that traitor? This is outrageous! So many people are eyeing the luminous pearl covetously. If they find out that the luminous pearl is with you, your residence will be in danger! It doesn't matter if something happens to me, but you, Madam, cannot be harmed! It's all my fault. Someone must have been following me to see me enter your residence. But how could they know that I gave you the luminous pearl?"

Yan Xia looked extremely worried.

"It's alright. My son is an official, after all. I want to see who dares to interfere in the Xu family's affairs. Don't worry, I don't blame you for this. I heard that some servants in the mansion were bribed, and they were also involved in the theft that happened in the mansion. I won't let them get away with it. Once the truth is out, I'll make them pay with their lives for my jewelry!"

Fan's eyes narrowed.

Her eyelids twitched slightly.

He seemed extremely angry.

“Getting angry is bad for your health, Madam. Please take a break. Here, have some water.”

Yan Xia picked up the teacup and personally fed it to Madam Fan.

Before long, Xu Wenyan and his wife Xu Wenshan arrived, their faces ashen.

Yan Xia took her leave.

He was pulled back by Fan.

"Don't go. You're my goddaughter. Is there anything you can't hear? Sit down and stay with me today. You can go back this afternoon."

Since their mother had spoken, Xu Wenyan and his sister naturally dared not say anything more.

"The head maid in Wenshan's house has disappeared."

Xu Wenyan's words made Xu Wenshan's already bad mood even darker.

"Gone? How can a perfectly healthy person just disappear? Ask the gatekeeper if he left, when did he run away? He must be feeling guilty!"

Fan slammed his hand on the table.

Yan Xia immediately took her hand in her arms and rubbed it. Judging from her expression, she seemed to feel extremely distressed.

“I don’t know. The gatekeeper said she didn’t leave through the front or back door, and the house is empty. I’ll send people to search her house. Just wait.” Xu Wenyan sat down.

The room became unusually quiet.

Yan Xia glanced at Chen Shouguo secretly.

His expression was like a palette of colors, a kaleidoscope of hues.

There was worry, fear, terror, and anger.

Regarding the fact that he was a deserter.

The news has spread throughout Jiangnan County.

"My lord, we found this hairpin and this bag of silver in Xiaoqing's room."

Fifteen minutes later.

Two officers came to report back.

They handed over the hairpin and the money bag.

Xu Wenshan immediately burst into a tirade. "That wretched girl, it really is her! Mother, elder brother, this is my hairpin! Look, I wore this hairpin often in the first few days after I came back. I bought it at the border, a blue and gold hairpin, which cost a full sixty taels!"

At the same time, Xu Wenyan also opened his money bag.

Inside, there was a lot of loose silver; after counting, it amounted to a full thirty taels.

How could a mere maidservant have so much silver?

I have to say, this was really a lucky accident.

Xiaoqing was a miser. From the time she started working as a cleaning maid, she never spent a penny and saved all of her monthly allowance.

After being promoted to head maid, she fawned over Xu Wenshan and received rewards from time to time.

She had just saved up thirty taels when it was all confiscated.

"It seems she's dead. You two, send men to chase after Pu Xiaoqing and bring her back at all costs! She dared to betray the Xu family, I'll make her suffer in life and torment in death!"

If Xiaoqing had family, they could simply arrest them, but Xiaoqing is an orphan.

When the property was purchased, the details were thoroughly investigated.

Therefore, Xu Wenyan could only ask the officials to find a way to capture her.

"Finding Xiao Qing alone is not the end of the matter. According to rumors, the person who has a grudge against me has probably bribed many people. Be careful lately, and remember that walls have ears. I will send more officers to guard our house."

After Xu Wenyan finished speaking with a solemn expression, he left.

At noon, Yan Xia had lunch with Madam Fan.

In the afternoon, she had just stepped out of the Xu residence when she saw several officials dragging the half-dead Xiaoqing inside.

Yan Xia curled the corners of her lips and turned to leave.

Shuangqiao Town at this very moment.

When the restaurant ran out of ingredients, Chang Yu went out to buy more, but was blocked in the alley.

"Tell me, where is the luminous pearl?"

Two burly men asked her menacingly.

"What luminous pearl? I don't have a luminous pearl." Chang Yu didn't even blink.

She denied it outright.

"You bitch, I think you're just asking for trouble!"

Seeing that she was being stubborn.

The two men clenched their fists so tightly they cracked, and approached each other step by step.

Just as they reached out, intending to teach Chang Yu a lesson, Chang Yu closed her eyes in fright.

"ah--"

"ah--"

Two screams rang out at the same time.

Chang Yu opened her eyes and found Zuo Li standing in front of her, protecting her.

The two burly men from before were now lying on the ground groaning in pain.

Zuo Li drew his sword and held it to the neck of one of the men.

"Do you want to go to jail or get out now?"