In Nanchang County, many people were whispering among themselves, "Have you heard? Several students from this academy went missing, and in the end, only one was never found."
"I know, and I also heard that the student's mother is a widow who uses her looks to seduce rich people and officials. Even the people around the county magistrate have been seduced."
"Speaking of this county magistrate, he's really useless. So many things have happened in the county in such a short time since he took office. I don't know how he got the position."
"Stop talking, lest we be punished if they hear us."
The atmosphere at the Liu family's residence has been terribly gloomy these past few days.
Liu Huan locked herself in a dark room, refusing to eat or drink all day, and seemed unable to even hear An Ran's cries.
Qiu Rong stood by the bedside with a bowl of thin porridge, earnestly advising, "Master, you should eat something. Don't let your health deteriorate again when the young master comes back."
Why didn't I stand in the doorway?
"I should have stood at the door and waited for him."
"Why don't I listen to your advice and hire a tutor at home? I have the money to hire one."
Liu Huan kept reviewing what happened that day, thinking about countless possibilities, and kept thinking about it all day long.
"Master and Lord have already gone to look for him. I heard that Third Master is also looking for him. They will definitely find Young Master."
"Why don't I stand at the door and wait?" Liu Huan repeated the same question.
Qiu Rong had no choice but to put down her bowl, cover her mouth, and run out to cry.
Anran's face was sallow, her large eyes drooped listlessly, and she couldn't speak; her voice was hoarse from crying.
Qiu Rong didn't know what to do, so she could only hug Qiu Ju for warmth.
The courtyard gate was pushed open forcefully, and a tall, burly figure entered from outside.
"Third Master!"
Su Cheng looked around and asked urgently, "Where's Huanhuan?"
Qiu Rong wiped away her tears and said, "Third Master, come with me."
Qiu Rong pushed the door open but didn't go in. After Su Cheng went in, she closed the door.
Su Cheng walked step by step to the bedside. The quilt was trembling. He could no longer hold back his emotions and strode forward, hugging the person in the quilt.
"Huanhuan, your little brother is here."
I could clearly feel the person inside the blanket stiffen, and the sobbing became more and more obvious, before they slowly poked their head out.
What was revealed was a face that hadn't slept for several days, and red, swollen, lifeless eyes streaming with silent tears.
"Brother?"
Su Cheng's heartbreak was no less than anyone else's. To see his relatives, whom he hadn't seen for years, in such a state upon their reunion was more painful than having his heart ripped out.
"Silly girl, why didn't you tell me back then? If I had known, I would have stayed with you."
Liu Huan's movements were stiff and her reaction was slow. After a while, she spoke again in a low voice: "Brother, Anzhi has been kidnapped by bad guys. Can you help me find him and bring him back?"
"It's all my fault. I should have met him at the gate."
Seeing Liu Huan's dazed state, Su Cheng promised, "Don't worry, we won't give up looking for him. I heard he's very smart, he must be waiting for us to rescue him somewhere."
"Can you eat something? Anzhi is still waiting for us to save him. You can't fall down."
Liu Huan thought it made a lot of sense and kept nodding, "Yes, yes, I'll eat first, and then we'll go find him together, okay?"
After saying that, he picked up the cold porridge on the table and ate it in big mouthfuls. When he got up to leave, Su Cheng chopped him on the neck, and he instantly fell into a deep sleep.
Su Cheng carried her to the bed and tucked her in with the blanket. "We'll go find him when you wake up."
An Ran outside was making a fuss about wanting her brother again; her hoarse and shrill voice broke Su Cheng's heart.
"Anran, your brother will be back soon, don't be like this."
Su Cheng opened the door and came out. "Give her to me."
An Ran kicked and punched in Su Cheng's arms, crying, "Let me go! Brother, save me!"
Qiu Rong couldn't bear it, "Third Master, Miss has never seen you before, you..."
Su Cheng ignored her and carried An Ran to the side, saying, "An Ran, An Ran, look at me, I'm your uncle."
Seeing that his words had no effect, he said again, "I'm here to rescue you, your brother, and your mother and take you home. Don't be afraid."
Upon hearing this, An Ran opened her eyes and looked at him, large tears streaming down her face. "Uncle, please, my brother has been kidnapped by bad guys, please go and save him."
Looking at the face that resembled Liu Huan's when she was a child, Su Cheng felt extremely distressed. "Okay, Anran, don't be afraid, your uncle will protect you."
In a village near Hongdu Prefecture, a few people whose trail had gone cold rested by the roadside. "Master..."
Changbai didn't know how to put it; this was far too much of a blow to his master.
Su Yi said in a hoarse voice, "Let's go back first."
The best time has passed; looking for it now is like searching for a needle in a haystack. He was confused and acted so blindly.
Upon returning to Nanchang County, he did not go to the Liu family immediately, not because he did not want to, but because he dared not look at Liu Huan's desperate eyes.
Where is that person being held?
Changyun said, "He was kept in a cell by himself, and my subordinates arranged for people to take care of him every day. There wasn't a single mistake."
Su Yi hadn't even changed his clothes when he arrived at the prison gate and heard the man's pitiful pleas for mercy.
The prisoners, held in the distance, were terrified. "What crime did that person commit? How could he be tortured so badly?"
"I heard it's related to Wuji Mountain and has harmed many people."
"Sir, I know I was wrong, I really know I was wrong. I will make it up to the Liu family once I get out."
The executioner said, "Hmph, they can't even find their child, what are you going to use to compensate them?"
Zhang Gouwa immediately said, "I have a son. I'll have my son go and serve Widow Liu—no, I mean Lady Liu—in her old age and until her death, like a beast of burden."
"Pah, who cares about your son who's as skinny as a monkey?"
Suddenly, Zhang Gouwa's eyes widened as he looked toward the door, pleading, "Sir, sir, I'm innocent! I've truly been wronged!"
Su Yi took the red-hot branding iron from the side and pressed it against his body without blinking. The smell of burning meat instantly assaulted everyone's nostrils.
Zhang Gouwa clenched his teeth, veins bulging, eyes bloodshot, and then he fainted.
Su Yi picked up the wine he had prepared and poured it on Zhang Gouwa's wound. After Zhang Gouwa woke up from the pain, Su Yi sat down on the stool next to him, crossed his arms, and asked, "Tell me everything you know, or I have plenty of ways to make you wish you were dead."
Zhang Gouwa tried to open his eyes wide and said, "I'll talk, I'll tell you everything."
The officers and soldiers put him down. Zhang Gouwa was curled up on the ground, where a suspicious puddle of water had spilled.
“I never intended to do this. It was Widow Feng from the village who found me and told me to pretend to be captured and go to Wuji Mountain to seek wealth and danger.”
"As for those bandits, I don't know where they came from. I only heard them say that they would go home after this job. The leader is called Zheng Tianlei and the second leader is called Zheng Tianxiang."
"I really don't know anything about the others, please let me go, sir."
Su Yi closed his eyes tightly and said, "Take him to Heshui Village. I suspect that Heshui Village is colluding with bandits to harm the people. Their crimes are unforgivable."
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