Gu Qinlan pondered for a moment, then turned to Hongye and said, "Let's go, go change your clothes, and come with me to Aunt Lian's house."
Aunt Lian was the woman Gu Qinlan had hired to verify prices when dealing with the unruly servants in the mansion. On the surface, she was the wife of a general store owner, but in reality, her husband was a well-informed businessman.
In this city, there is almost no information that they cannot obtain if they are willing to inquire.
The reason Gu Qinlan didn't go to Aunt Lian's place in the first two days was because she still held onto a sliver of hope that Zheng Huiyi was only temporarily hiding or had simply missed the searchers. Furthermore, she didn't want anyone to know that Zheng Huiyi had run away from home, lest it damage Zheng Huiyi's reputation.
Now that things have come to this, we have no choice but to turn to Aunt Lian's family for help.
Gu Qinlan changed into extremely simple clothes, removed all her conspicuous accessories, and even applied a layer of dark powder to her face. At first glance, she looked like the daughter of an ordinary family.
When she left, she did not go through the main gate, but quietly slipped out through the back gate of the Prince Duan's mansion, with only Hongye, who was dressed in the same way, by her side.
Aunt Lian's house was located in a corner of the north of the city, and Gu Qinlan went straight to her general store.
When I arrived, Aunt Lian's shop was bustling with business, and the shop was crowded with customers selecting goods.
Gu Qinlan led Hongye into the store and pretended to be an ordinary customer, selecting goods. Only after all the other customers had left did she head straight for the counter.
"I've met Aunt Lian."
Aunt Lian was taken aback and scrutinized her for a long time: "Miss, have we met before?"
"Madam Zheng!"
Aunt Lian exclaimed in surprise, then quickly looked around to make sure no one was nearby before asking in a low voice, "Why is Madam dressed like this?"
After a pause, she pressed on, "Did something bad happen?"
In this thorny matter that required secrecy, the fact that the esteemed Crown Princess had condescended to do so naturally necessitated careful conduct to avoid any leaks.
Gu Qinlan gently curled the corners of her lips, secretly admiring the wisdom of those around her. It was indeed much easier to associate with such people; often, only a few pointers were needed for them to understand perfectly.
"Aunt Lian, do you have a moment to spare? I have something to discuss with you."
Aunt Lian immediately nodded in agreement: "Then let's go to the back garden."
Stepping into the quiet back garden, Gu Qinlan went straight to the point: "Aunt Lian, a personal maid from my household went missing three days ago. She was carrying a considerable amount of valuables. I have sent people to search everywhere, but so far there has been no news. Therefore, I would like to ask Uncle Jin for help in finding out more information."
A hint of surprise flashed across Aunt Lian's face, but she quickly regained her composure: "Madam, please describe the maid's characteristics in detail, as well as the specific time she disappeared."
Gu Qinlan then told Aunt Lian in detail about Zheng Huiyi's attire, figure, and other details that would easily attract attention when she ran away from home.
Aunt Lian immediately realized the true identity of this "maid," and although she was shocked, it was also within her expectations.
After all, there was already much gossip about the eldest daughter of the Prince Duan's mansion, known for her outrageous behavior and flamboyant personality. Aunt Lian was not surprised by her decision to run away from home.
She knew the inside story of the Prince Duan's mansion like the back of her hand. After all, she had witnessed Madam Zheng punishing the servants, and the young lady's unruly behavior was still vivid in her mind.
It was indeed not easy for Madam Zheng, the sister-in-law, to deal with such a difficult sister-in-law.
Aunt Lian looked at Gu Qinlan with sympathy: "Madam, there's no need to worry. I'll have someone call my husband back right away and have him try to find clues in the city. As long as that maid is still in the capital, we'll definitely be able to find her. If she's already left the city, then it will be a bit tricky."
Her family's influence was limited. Once they went beyond the capital, they needed to rely on the power of others. If they wanted to gather information in other places, they also needed the approval of their local counterparts.
Gu Qinlan was well aware of this, so she said gratefully, "Then I'll trouble you, Aunt Lian. As for the payment, please feel free to suggest it."
Aunt Lian responded with a smile: "There's no need to talk about compensation. It's an honor for us to be able to help."
Gu Qinlan knew that Aunt Lian intended to establish a connection with the Prince Duan's mansion through this matter, but she really couldn't refuse.
Therefore, she smiled and said, "Since Aunt Lian is so easygoing, I will consider her a close friend as well. We will definitely have many opportunities to interact in the future, so I hope Aunt Lian can keep today's matter a secret. After all, if it gets out, people will inevitably misunderstand that I am not good at managing household affairs."
Aunt Lian's face immediately blossomed into a beautiful smile: "Madam, please rest assured, this matter will be kept a secret and will not be known to anyone who should not know about it."
She knew all too well that in this vast family, reputation and dignity were considered as precious as life itself. The fate of this Zheng family's daughter was uncertain; if she were to fall into a disgraceful place, and the news were to leak out, all the daughters of the Zheng family would be unjustly implicated.
Therefore, the importance of maintaining confidentiality is self-evident.
After the matter was clearly discussed, Gu Qinlan did not linger and left in a hurry with Hongye. Before leaving, she deliberately selected some miscellaneous items, just like a woman from an ordinary family going out to shop, trying to leave no trace.
Aunt Lian watched Gu Qinlan's graceful figure disappear into the distance, secretly admiring Madam Zheng. She was truly remarkable. To display such meticulous thinking and admirable methods at such a young age was truly enviable; whoever was fortunate enough to marry her would be incredibly blessed.
At such a young age, Prince Zheng has already risen to the rank of a fourth-grade military officer. If he returns with further merits, a promotion is certain. His future is incredibly bright, and with such a talented and beautiful woman by his side, the Zheng family's future is sure to be glorious and splendid.
We are fortunate to have formed a connection with the Zheng family; we have truly had a stroke of good luck.
As long as they can help the Zheng family find their missing young lady, will they still have to worry about finding a way out in the future?
However, all of this is predicated on the fact that Miss Zheng is safe and sound.
Otherwise, it might not bring good fortune to the Kim family.
Lost in thought, Aunt Lian had no time to spare. She hurriedly closed the shop's doors and windows and rushed off to find her husband.
The search for Zheng Huiyi cannot be delayed; every moment of delay could bring more uncertainty and danger.
Gu Qinlan returned to the Duanwang Mansion by the same route. She carefully made sure that no one noticed her and Hongye's actions before quietly sneaking into the mansion through the back door.
Not long after returning to her courtyard, Jiang Ye rushed over: "Madam, news of the eldest young lady's serious illness has reached the old lady's ears. The old lady has sent someone back with a letter announcing that she will return to the mansion in two days. In addition, Madam Zou has also sent a visiting card, ostensibly to visit the eldest young lady, but her motives are not pure."
Gu Qinlan frowned, feeling a deep headache.
Zheng Huiyi remains missing, and Princess Duan's decision to return to her residence during this sensitive period undoubtedly adds further uncertainty to the situation. Furthermore, Zou's visiting card, ostensibly to visit a patient, actually serves as a pretext to contact Zheng Huaiyu and Zheng Fenghui.
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