Gu An'an has disappeared.
Zhao Qianqian didn't take it seriously at first, until Man Niang came looking for her with a worried expression. "Something's not right. I went to the market, but I asked several people and none of them said they saw my master."
"There are plenty of markets in the capital; maybe she went near the city gates?"
"Impossible, even if they went, they wouldn't still be here by now."
This resolute statement prompted Zhao Qianqian to retort, "Maybe she saw something interesting and went to join in the fun, which wasted time."
Before Man Niang could speak, Zhao Qianqian added, "You're not a mind reader, how do you know she wouldn't do something?"
Man Niang was so angry at these words that her heart felt tight. "The boss isn't a playful child. She won't just abandon the business to go out and play before the important matters are resolved. Do you think she's like you?"
After arriving in the capital, Zhao Qianqian was like a carefree little pony, going out all day long and leaving all the chores to them while she had a great time.
The two argued incessantly, neither able to convince the other.
After a long silence, Zhao Qianqian finally spoke, "Then what do you suggest we do? Where should we look for them?"
"How about we go find Chen Bei?"
"Not so great. The Chen family was causing us trouble before, so they might be the ones who asked them to leave. Besides, even if Chen Bei finds out, what can he do to help? He's not Chen Yuan's cousin."
Students of the Imperial Academy were of no use whatsoever.
Man Niang then thought of another candidate, "How about we go find Princess Linglong?"
"Not a good idea." Zhao Qianqian rejected the suggestion again. "Right now, we don't know whether Gu An'an was kidnapped or went out to play on her own. With that little princess's personality, what if she turned the capital upside down and found out that Gu An'an went out to play and accidentally forgot the time? Wouldn't that be incredibly embarrassing?"
Manniang was getting anxious after being repeatedly rejected. "If this won't work and that won't work either, can we go find Linzi?"
“Well…” Zhao Qianqian paused for a moment, “I don’t think that will work either.”
It's really hard to say whether Lin Zixing is a friend or foe. If you go to him, he might just make sarcastic remarks.
Man Niang was so anxious by these words that she almost cried. "Then you should just say something that's okay!"
"Whether Lin Zi is okay or not, we can look for others. When your boss first came to the capital, her ex-husband's niece came to see her."
"You mean the lady from the Lin family, the third young master's household?"
“Yes.” Zhao Qianqian knew Gu An’an quite well. “Since Jiang Cuicui said to remember to go to her if you need anything, then go to her.”
Man Niang thought this made sense. She really couldn't find anyone to ask for help, so she had no choice but to try anything as a last resort.
But as she was leaving the room, Man Niang stopped in her tracks. "Miss Zhao, I have a question for you. Do you really not know the whereabouts of my master?"
"I really don't know." If she knew, why would she hide it from anyone?
Manniang looked at the serious-looking person and said, "I understand."
She just thought Zhao Qianqian didn't seem worried at all, and assumed she knew the inside story.
It seems I was overthinking things.
...
Jiang Cuicui originally thought that the person looking for her would be her aunt, but she didn't expect that the person looked familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had seen her before.
“Hello, Madam Jiang. Manager Gu is my boss. I’m currently helping her manage the doll shop business. There’s a real reason why I’m bothering you today…” Man Niang explained the whole story carefully. “I don’t know how my boss is doing now. She’s never been an unreliable person. If she suddenly disappears without a trace, I think something might have really happened to her.”
Jiang Cuicui's expression turned sour upon hearing this.
"Wait a moment, I'll go find someone to look for them right away."
Hearing this, Man Niang finally felt relieved, as she had been afraid that the other party wouldn't help at all.
Now that Jiang Cuicui is willing to help, that's really great.
However, she didn't stay idle. After returning to the inn, she went to find a few homeless children, grabbed a handful of golden melon seeds and distributed them to the children, carefully describing Gu An'an's appearance and asking them to help inquire about her.
Around lunchtime, news actually came.
"Xiao Liuzi said he saw this lady in the early morning. She jumped off the carriage, but was quickly put back on."
Zhao Qianqian, who had initially thought Man Niang was making a mountain out of a molehill, panicked as well, asking, "What do you mean by 'stuffing the carriage'?"
Xiao Liuzi was a skinny vagrant. Upon seeing the silver ingot, he quickly said, "That lady was joking and laughing with people at first, but then she was knocked unconscious, carried onto a carriage, and someone was thrown off the carriage. Oh, there were two people, and a coachman."
He was knocked unconscious and carried onto a carriage.
Isn't this exactly a kidnapping?
Zhao Qianqian's face turned deathly pale. "Then do you know where that carriage went?"
"It went towards Xuanwu Street, but the carriage was going very fast and I don't know what happened after that." Xiao Liu carefully held the silver ingot, as if afraid that someone would snatch it away.
They snatched people on Xuanwu Street.
Zhao Qianqian didn't look well; she had gone there yesterday.
That's one of the busiest places in the capital, it's only quieter in the morning when it's less crowded...
Who dares?
But to dare to kidnap someone right under the emperor's nose, who knows who these kidnappers are?
Moreover, it seems there are more than one group of people; I'm afraid even Jiang Cuicui wouldn't be able to handle it.
"Manniang, come with me to the Lin residence. We'll ask Young Master Lin for help."
Man Niang was somewhat flustered, "But will Young Master Lin Zixing help us?"
"We have to ask him even if we don't know, otherwise how can we handle this kind of thing?" Zhao Qianqian didn't know what Lin Zixing meant, but now she felt that there was no other way but to ask Lin Zixing for help.
The two had just come downstairs when they saw Lin Zixing coming in from outside.
Where is your employer?
These words brought tears to Man Niang's eyes. "Young Master Lin, please help us! Our master has been kidnapped."
With a whoosh, the folding fan in Lin Zixing's hand tore into two pieces.
When did this happen?
Hearing his serious voice, Manniang became a little timid for a moment. "This morning, she was kidnapped at the intersection of Xuanwu Street and Baishi Lane."
"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Lin Zixing's eyes were bloodshot, which made Man Niang quickly lower her head. Zhao Qianqian hid behind Man Niang, not daring to breathe.
Lin Zixing went out, saying, "I'm going to find out what happened."
Hearing this, Zhao Qianqian felt relieved. At least Lin Zixing was willing to help, and with his help, they should be able to find Gu An'an.
But who exactly kidnapped Gu An'an?
She simply couldn't understand it!
The author says:
Gu An'an: I had no idea I was so important to Young Master Lin?
Lin Zixing: I think reading the comments is more important to you.
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