Chapter 232 Found
Cheng Maoming shook Hu Da's portrait and said, "Even if we leave the city, we still need food and shelter. If we know what the maid looks like in disguise, there's hope we can find her."
Over the past year, due to the restlessness of Emperor Pingle's faction, the area surrounding the capital has become increasingly strict regarding strangers. Unless the missing maid refuses to enter the city, stay overnight, and chooses to travel through the wilderness, even if she has the ability to survive in the wilderness, she can't completely avoid the official route.
"I'll arrange it right away. Thank you very much today, Prince." Cheng Maoming bowed to Qi Shuo, thanked him sincerely, and hurriedly left the Honglu Temple.
"Master Ouyang, we are going back too."
"Have a safe journey, Prince, and Miss Lin." The Minister of the Ministry of Rites personally escorted Qi Shuo and Lin Hao outside. After watching them walk away, he did not return to the yamen, but rushed to the guesthouse.
If the missing maid Yu Liu cannot be found, he, the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, will be in trouble.
On the way back, Lin Hao was a little worried: "Do you think the missing maid can be found?"
"That depends on the capabilities of the Jinlin Guards. We have done what we can."
A vendor selling candied haws happened to pass by shouting, and Qi Shuo bought one and handed it to Lin Hao.
Lin Hao ate a candied red fruit. The sweet and sour taste made her stop thinking about the heavy things. "A Shuo, have you noticed that General Cheng's attitude towards you is a little strange?"
"I helped him a few times, so he might be grateful." Qi Shuo guessed casually and didn't care too much.
For him, giving credit to Cheng Maoming was simply a matter of mutual benefit, and he didn't expect the other party to appreciate it. However, after several interactions, he found that the commander of the Jinlin Guard was not as ruthless as he had imagined.
"Maybe." Lin Hao still felt something was wrong, but her intuition told her it was not a bad thing, so she did not delve into it further.
On the contrary, Qi Shuo saw that she had finished chatting and was concentrating on eating candied haws. He felt a little uneasy: "Those three maids——"
Lin Hao was startled, then smiled and handed the candied haws over: "A Shuo, have some candied haws."
He is so honest, he doesn't look like a little prince at all. No wonder she always thought of him as the sickly prince next door in her previous life.
Amid the girl's sweet smile, Qi Shuo took the candied haws and took a bite.
"Brother?" A shocked voice came.
Qi Shuo looked over while holding the candied haws, and saw his brother who forgot to close his mouth.
"What's wrong?" Qi Shuo asked calmly, as if the fleeting embarrassment had never appeared.
"Oh, nothing. I'll go in first." Qi Huan pointed to Prince Jing's Mansion not far away, said hello to Lin Hao, and walked away quickly.
He couldn't help but tell Qi Qiong about his brother's embarrassing story: "Little sister, you didn't see it, big brother was actually walking on the street while eating candied haws!"
Qi Qiong was also surprised: "Alone?"
"No, Miss Lin Er is here."
The little princess regained her composure, even a little moved: "I thought so."
Qi Huan blinked: "No, didn't you hear clearly, big brother, a grown man, eating candied haws on the street."
Qi Qiong rolled his eyes at him and said, "Big brother must be accompanying Ah Hao to eat, all to make Ah Hao happy. You think you are the only one who can make Hua Niang on the Jinshui River happy."
Qi Huan: “…” How could this surpass him!
Hu Da's portrait played a huge role. Three days later, Cheng Maoming received a secret report that "Hu Da" had been found.
Cheng Maoming was overjoyed and soon saw the missing maid Yu Liu.
The maid Yu Liu who was hurriedly escorted here was still wearing men's clothes, and her face had returned to its original appearance.
"How did she change her appearance?"
A Jinlin Guard presented a small box. Cheng Maoming took it, opened it, and took out a soft and elastic mask with his fingers.
"What is this made of?" He rubbed the mask and couldn't tell the material, so he put the mask back into the box and looked at the maid Yu Liu carefully.
Maybe it’s because of preconceived notions, the more I look at Yu Liu the maid, the more I feel that she looks like Hu Da.
"Your name is Bailing, right?"
barium
Maid Yu Liu stared at Cheng Maoming and said in a hoarse voice, "I want to see our master."
Cheng Maoming smiled and said, "Just explain the problem first."
Maid Yu Liu pursed her lips and remained silent.
"Torture him." Cheng Maoming ordered expressionlessly and sat down on the chair.
Maid Yu Liu's eyes widened slightly, revealing disbelief.
Just asking her one question and then starting to torture her?
Soon, a Jinlin Guard picked up a long whip and lashed it hard at the maid Yu Liu, who screamed immediately.
The scream did not affect the speed at which the whip fell.
A burning pain swept through her body, making her face pale and cold sweat broke out.
"I am a Yu Liu person. Why are you torturing me? Our masters will find you. They will definitely find you--" the Yu Liu maid screamed.
Cheng Maoming stroked his chin, his eyes flashing.
Judging from the reaction of this maid Yu Liu, she is not a specially trained assassin, so it will be easy to deal with her.
"Continue the torture." He spat out these words coldly.
There aren't many tough guys in this world. Ordinary people without special training have little chance of withstanding severe punishment. As for how to explain this to the Yu Liu envoy later? Haha, who said Yu Liu's maid was found?
Jinlin Guard dipped the whip into salt water and lashed the maid Yu Liu with a beautiful whip flower.
Maid Yu Liu's skin was torn and the salt water seeped into her fresh flesh and blood, causing her to tremble with pain.
Seeing that there was no chance of the whipping stopping, she finally broke down and screamed, "I'll tell you, I'll tell you!"
Jinlinwei glanced at Cheng Maoming, and after receiving the signal, he stepped aside with his whip in hand.
Cheng Maoming looked at the pale-faced maid Yu Liu and sighed, "If you had cooperated earlier, you wouldn't have to suffer."
Maid Yu Liu's eyelids twitched, and tears streamed down her face in pain.
"Tell me, what is your purpose in quietly leaving the capital?"
Yu Liu's maid resisted with silence for a moment, then met Cheng Maoming's cold gaze and choked with sobs as she spoke, "My Lord asked me to report the princess's death back to Yu Liu..."
"Where's the letter?"
"No... no letter."
"Um?"
Maid Yu Liu shuddered subconsciously: "Really, no, I'm the princess's personal maid, I will believe the news I bring back..."
Cheng Maoming raised an eyebrow: "Then tell me how you got this mask, did you make it?"
For Jinlinwei, intercepting the maid Yu Liu who reported the news has completed the mission, but the origin of the mask must also be found out, otherwise if someone else disguises themselves and sneaks out, it will be difficult to prevent.
"No, not me."
"Who is that?"
Maid Yu Liu fell silent again.
Cheng Maoming chuckled: "It seems that torture is not enough. Come, switch to the torture of twisting the flesh."
"I tell you!" Maid Yu Liu cried out in horror, "The mask was... secretly given to me by a gardener, who also told me how to use it..."
Someone who trims flowers and trees?
Cheng Maoming's face darkened.
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