Chapter 276 Mountain People
Yes, Lu Qingqing couldn't figure it out either.
If they want money, wouldn't it be better to kidnap the Lu family?
If it's about sexual assault, there are plenty of pretty girls in the city; there's no need to come all the way to the village to kidnap a little village girl.
What's most infuriating is aimless kidnapping!
Perhaps some villains came to Liuyun Village to scout it out, and Lin Ye happened to run into them and noticed something was wrong, so they kidnapped him...
Regardless, at this point, the bandits are still the most suspicious!
Because Wang Tieqiang said that the two men were carrying knives! According to his description, Mo Lang said they were iron ring knives!
When the iron ring knife is swung, the iron rings on it will collide and produce a deterrent effect. It is generally used by street performers, bodyguards, executioners, and bandits who rob and plunder.
This matches the group Wan Yuting was talking about.
"Little sister, what should we do? What should we do? We're getting married in ten days..."
Lu Yun looked like she was about to cry, her expression extremely broken.
Lu Qingqing felt both angry and resentful, her heart heavy with suffocation.
"I'm not afraid."
"Young man, go to the yamen now and tell Lord Xu to post a notice that there are bandits in An County. Anyone who reports any trace of bandits will be rewarded with a reward of one thousand taels of silver and three shi of rice."
Posters must be put up everywhere—in the city, towns, and villages!
She refused to believe that those bandits lived in complete isolation and had no contact with the outside world!
One thousand taels!
Three shi of grain!
The villagers all gasped.
If you find the bandits, you'll be rich for life!
"Let's go find it too! Let's go too!" everyone shouted.
"Go!" Lu Qingqing said. "The men of Liuyun Village will go find him. Even if they can't find him, the Lu family won't treat you unfairly!"
The village headman shouted, "Go!"
"Go, all of you!"
Of course I'll go!
Three bushels of grain, if used sparingly, would be enough to feed a family for a year!
The villagers were all eager to go home, put on more clothes, and go out to find someone.
"We're all from the same village, we can't just stand by and do nothing. It's okay if we can't find him... Ugh! We'll definitely find him and bring Lin Ye back safely. I'll get money and food, and I'll eat my fill!"
"Find it!"
"We'll definitely find it!"
"Let's go, everyone! I'll go to the neighboring village and call my brother-in-law along!"
Lu Qingqing loudly reminded again, "If you really find bad guys, don't make a fuss. Lin Ye's life is more important. If you bring Lin Ye back safely, you can give him two more bushels of grain!"
Five bushels of grain!
"Miss Qingqing, I understand!"
All the men who were idle at home were mobilized, after all, if they searched for a few days, they might not have to suffer from poverty for the rest of their lives.
With so much money, we could buy several more acres of land and live the life of a wealthy man.
Even Wang Tieqiang heard from his neighbor that he couldn't stand it anymore and wanted to go find someone.
"Tieqiang, why don't you rest for another day? Your leg..."
"Mother, I'm really fine now. You can make do with the food the Lu family gave you for a while. I'll search for a few days and maybe I'll find something. If I don't find anything, I'll find some work so you won't go hungry."
Wang Tieqiang wrapped the cotton coat given to him by the Lu family tightly around himself, and didn't feel cold at all.
He truly regretted it; why had he fallen into the ditch and fainted? If he hadn't fainted, he would have already run to the Lu family to report the news and caught up with those two.
Even more unfortunately, the two men were dressed as beggars, and with their stubble, he couldn't see what they looked like.
I couldn't help at all!
Everyone in the village went out to look for him, so Lu Qingqing called Mo Lang out alone.
“Mo Lang, you said you could mobilize the people in the mountains.”
Mo Lang knelt down solemnly as if receiving a command.
She replied, "Yes, miss. Shall we inform Fu Leng?"
Lu Qingqing looked at him, her lips moving, but in the end she didn't say anything more to tell him to get up.
How many people can be mobilized?
“There are a thousand people in the mountains. The young master said that they can be dispatched by the young lady at any time, regardless of the matter or the gains or losses. All that is needed is a word from the young lady.”
Ji Ruyan left, but it seems like she didn't really leave.
Lu Qingqing was truly grateful to him at that moment.
Thank you.
Right now, she really needs someone.
"good."
"Leave thirty men with me, the rest of you go out and search every village and every forest in Ming'an County! Dig three feet into the ground and find those bandits!"
Yes, young lady!
Soon, everyone sprang into action.
Lu Qingqing led Lu Yun and the thirty people brought by Mo Lang into the city.
"Brother, don't overthink it. You should consider the worst-case scenario, and we'll have to find it ourselves."
"I understand, all I want is for her to live."
Looking at Lu Yun's sorrowful expression, Lu Qingqing realized that they must have gone through a lot during their time away, and their feelings for each other were deeper than she had thought.
What else, besides going through life and death together, could make feelings develop so quickly?
They went to Chunxianglou first.
The madam of Chunxiang Pavilion held Lu Qingqing in high esteem. Instead of having Lu Qingqing appear in person, she personally visited several familiar brothels.
They came back and said there was no one Lu Qingqing was looking for.
As for those prostitutes, the madam had no dealings with them anymore, but she knew which alleys had them.
After she spoke, Lu Qingqing and Lu Yun went to see them one by one.
No, none at all.
When they came out of the last brothel, Lu Qingqing saw that Lu Yun's forehead was covered in sweat.
She reached out and touched the back of his neck, and sure enough, it was completely soaked.
Although he didn't show it on his face, he was actually terrified inside!
"Little sister, I'm fine. Let's go to the brokerage again."
"We don't need to go to the brokerage firm anymore. We've already sent someone to investigate. Let's go to the county government office."
After the notice was posted inside the county government office, quite a few people came to report cases, and all the constables and yamen runners in the office went out to verify them.
However, the several in a row were all beggars and vagrants from other places.
Lu Qingqing asked Magistrate Xu for maps and records of all the towns and villages in Ming'an County.
Ming'an County has a total of 8 townships and 108 villages.
More than thirty of these villages are very remote, surrounded by extensive mountain forests.
Have the adults met the village heads of these villages?
"I have seen it. Every month, I will summon eight town heads to discuss matters, and every three months, I will convene 108 village heads to report on village affairs."
This morning, the notice was distributed to all eight town mayors; if there are any developments, it should be relayed to them.
Magistrate Xu is a diligent magistrate. He has been here for a year. At first, he was hampered by the merchants and could not make any progress. Now he has a full grasp of the situation in Ming'an County.
He felt that nothing should have been missed.
One person can cause a city to be shaken.
There was nothing we could do; these were Miss Lu's family members!
Lu Qingqing murmured, "Those bandits only appeared recently. If they hide in the mountains, what will they eat and drink?"
In the dead of winter, the chances of finding something hidden in the mountains are actually very small, but Lu Qingqing didn't know where else to look.
"Could it be... that they're not in Ming'an County, but in Changyin County?"
Magistrate Xu shook his head: "I also contacted the magistrate of Changyin County, and they are keeping an eye on it as well."
Hopefully…
It is in Ming'an County.
Magistrate Xu simply couldn't bring himself to say the last thing.
Who the hell wants bandits on their turf? But... if they're in Changyin County, finding them will be even more troublesome!
Lu Qingqing didn't say anything either.
Lu Yun's eyes were vacant, his thoughts drifting away.
"Oh? My lord, I just remembered something," the clerk beside him suddenly spoke up.
He pointed to a mountain forest on the map of Ming'an County and said, "I have heard from the elders that this place used to be inhabited by some mountain people who almost never left the mountains. Generation after generation, no one knows if there are any left now."
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