As water chestnut cake, hibiscus cake, and candied dates were served, everyone except the two younger children stared wide-eyed.
Ah Huang and Xiao Hua, however, were not focused on the food.
Knowing their purpose for coming, Liu Yingying smiled and spoke first: "You've come for Ah Chun's sake, haven't you?"
"Yes!" The children nodded in unison.
Ah Huang glanced at the three boys beside him and whispered, "This morning, officials from the city arrested people, saying that a group of villains broke into the Marquis's estate outside the city last night and set it on fire..."
Ah Huang paused, then suddenly stopped and stared intently at Liu Yingying. "We came here to ask Aunt Liu, have you seen Ah Chun?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire courtyard fell into an eerie silence.
Even Liu Yingying was slightly taken aback; she hadn't expected this child to have such a keen sense of smell…
After a pause, Liu Yingying shook her head; "No!"
Upon hearing this, Ah Huang and the other children all wore expressions of undisguised disappointment and worry.
Ah Chun has disappeared. Where could he have been taken?
Is he already dead?
Then Liu Yingying said, "But don't worry, although I haven't found Ah Chun yet, I have some clues now."
"Really?" Ah Huang's eyes lit up immediately. "Then, Aunt Liu, is there anything we can do for you?"
Believe it or not, there really is...
Liu Yingying asked Xiaoxue to go to her room and get a bag of copper coins, which she then gave to Ah Huang.
"You grew up in the capital, so you must know some other beggars, right?"
Big Yellow nodded, "I know him... but what would you like us to do?"
Liu Yingying: "Find more people to keep an eye on Lord Luo's residence, the Yong'an Marquis's residence, and all the families that have dealings with the Yong'an Marquis's residence."
"This is just a running fee. If you manage to gather any useful information, I'll give you an extra reward later!"
This task wasn't difficult for Ah Huang, so he took the bag of money and left with his younger siblings.
There was a reason why Liu Yingying didn't seek help from the Qingyun Gang this time, but instead entrusted the task to these little beggars.
The Qingyun Gang is, after all, a Jianghu gang, and they inevitably take on some tasks assigned by nobles and have some interactions with them. If they were to keep an eye on Lord Luo and his people, it would inevitably attract attention.
These little beggars are different. They are people who wander the streets and alleys eating from everyone they meet. Their presence in these places will not arouse suspicion.
Meanwhile, Liu Yingying and Xue Ye were not idle either. Under the cover of the hazy moonlight, they dressed in black and quietly sneaked into Lord Luo's residence.
Luo Ming was nearly fifty years old. Although he only held the official position of Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the splendor of his mansion far exceeded what his status should have deserved.
Corrupt officials are all like this!
The two used the eaves of the house as cover to reach the backyard.
The Pei residence is a large four-courtyard house with a very spacious area. The servants lived in the west courtyard, while the masters of the mansion lived in the east and south courtyards.
Everything is normal.
The guards outside Beiyuan were the most stringent, with guards stationed almost every five steps.
"This should be it..."
Liu Yingying and Xue Ye exchanged glances; their mission today was to find Ah Chun.
There were two guards at the entrance. It wouldn't have been difficult to deal with them, but just as Xue Ye was about to make his move, Liu Yingying stopped him.
In the deep darkness of the night, Xue Ye looked at her with a puzzled expression.
Liu Yingying pointed to the outside of the second courtyard gate and whispered, "Someone's coming!"
Looking in the direction he was pointing, I saw two servants carrying something into the courtyard.
Then it was thrown to the ground with a thud, and a muffled groan was heard; it was a living person.
Soon, a door in the courtyard opened, and several boys around ten years old ran out in fright.
Upon seeing the person lying on the ground, she exclaimed in surprise, "Xiao Shun!"
The boy, covered in wounds and barely breathing, is named Xiao Shun. He is nine years old and was sent to the Luo family half a year ago. Lord Luo is a pervert with countless ways to torture people.
Every time Xiao Shun waited for him to come back, he would stay in bed for half a month.
It's been half a year, and perhaps he's grown tired of me, which is why each recent injury has been more severe than the last.
It looks like it's going to kill him!
"Xiao Shun, are you alright?"
"Does it hurt a lot? I have some wound medicine in my room, which I secretly hid last time. I'll get it for you right away..."
These children were mostly in the same boat, and seeing Xiao Shun's plight, they felt a sense of shared sorrow.
No matter how much others surrounded him and asked him questions, Xiao Shun just lay there blankly on the ground.
His face was covered in blood, and his eyes were deeply sunken, his pupils devoid of any life.
He didn't understand why he had to go through all of this.
He has family, parents, brothers and sisters... His family treats him very well.
But one day, he was knocked unconscious on the street, and when he woke up, he was already at the Luo residence.
That day marked the beginning of his nightmare.
Many times, he thought it would be better if he were dead, so he wouldn't have to suffer like this anymore.
But whenever he contemplated suicide, the loving smiles of his parents would appear before his eyes, and the joyful laughter of his brothers and sisters would echo in his ears…
He couldn't bear to leave, thinking that he had to survive, because only by living could he see his family again!
But now, he's thinking he probably won't be able to keep going.
My body hurts so much, it hurts so much... I'd rather die!
His companions were terrified by his appearance and hurriedly pinched his philtrum and applied medicine to his wounds...
"Brother Xiaoshun, don't scare me! Can you still speak?" Ah Chun held his hand tightly, tears streaming down her face.
He had just been sent to the Luo family and hadn't had a chance to serve the adults yet. The steward only told him to learn the rules from the others first.
Only by learning the rules can you better serve others.
When he was first brought here, he was scared in this unfamiliar place, but Brother Xiaoshun was the first person to show him kindness and tell him not to be afraid...
This scene was heartbreaking for Liu Yingying and her companion, who were hiding on the roof.
Xue Ye's eyes flickered slightly. He used to think that his background was full of misfortune, that he was not expected by the world from birth, and that he and his mother suffered endless scorn in the Yiyue tribe.
After losing his maternal grandfather's protection, he and his mother lived in constant fear and hiding.
For a long time, he felt that the world around him was full of malice towards him, and he didn't like the world either.
It wasn't until later that Liu Yingying forcibly pulled him out of that cramped and narrow world.
He then realized that Heaven was not only being harsh on him, but that all living beings were suffering!
The sound of footsteps pulled Xue Ye back to reality.
A man who looked like a steward stood in the courtyard, looking down at the children and loudly reprimanding them.
"What are you all wailing about in the middle of the night? Did your father or your mother die?"
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