"These families all hold official positions, provoking them is akin to provoking plague gods."
"These... I don't recognize them, never heard of them."
Rong Zhi scanned the names, her mind gradually forming a plan.
The Imperial Guards and the sons of officials could be investigated by Xia Yunting. He was a general, after all; even if he couldn't snatch them back, he could at least gather some information!
As for those unknown individuals, Rong Zhi glanced at them and found them somewhat familiar. Having lived in the Imperial City for so many years, she had some understanding of its power structures.
One of them, named Qiu Shan, was the owner of a blacksmith shop in the north of the city. Of course, being a blacksmith shop owner was his current identity. Qiu Shan was once a martial arts master, but it was rumored that after losing a fight, he retired from the martial world and opened a blacksmith shop in the Imperial City. Rong Zhi had once helped Manager Qiu when he contracted scabies, so she decided to start her inquiries with him.
With a lead, Rong Zhi felt much more settled. She hoped this direction was correct.
"Master, what happened?" Cui Xi rushed over from the front, her face anxious. She had overheard her young lady's name and wanted to inquire, but it was too busy at the front, so she only managed to get away now.
"Cui Xi, has your young lady not returned yet?" Rong Zhi, worried about any complications, confirmed this again.
"She... hasn't returned," Cui Xi replied, her face showing concern.
"It seems so," Rong Zhi said to Fang Tianhua. "Master, you have many friends. Please ask them to keep an eye out." Even though Chu Qingze and Zhang Yajing were not at Gushen Hall, it wasn't certain they had been abducted. Perhaps they had gone out on their own.
Fang Tianhua nodded, "Don't worry!"
Time was pressing, so Rong Zhi didn't linger. She hurried to the blacksmith shop in the north of the city, preparing to search for clues.
Cui Xi was still confused. "Master, what's wrong with my young lady?"
Fang Tianhua waved his hand. "Nothing much. You just keep an eye out as usual." Cui Xi didn't know martial arts and didn't know many people in the Imperial City, so she couldn't help much. It was better not to tell her.
Seeing that she couldn't get any information, Cui Xi returned to the pharmacy, deciding to go to Gushen Hall herself that evening.
Rong Zhi arrived at the blacksmith shop and could hear the clang of hammers from afar. The burly man inside was bare-chested, and with each strike, his ample flesh jiggled.
"Brother Qiu," Rong Zhi called out.
Qiu Shan turned around, his expression suddenly changing. He dropped his tools and retreated into the inner room, slamming the door shut. Rong Zhi was a bit surprised by his reaction, as if he had seen a ghost. She stepped forward and knocked on the door. "Brother Qiu, it's Lin Mo. I need to ask you something."
The door slowly opened a crack. Qiu Shan peered out with wide eyes, scrutinizing Rong Zhi with a hint of suspicion.
"I've disguised myself today," Rong Zhi explained.
"Are you human or a ghost?" Qiu Shan's voice trembled.
"Of course, I'm human. Do ghosts come out in broad daylight?" Rong Zhi said, turning around to let him see clearly.
Only then did Qiu Shan slowly open the door and step out, patting his chest. "My apologies, Miss Lin. I've been seeing ghostly figures at night these past few days, dressed similarly to you. I thought..." He chuckled sheepishly.
Rong Zhi immediately became vigilant. "What ghostly figures?" Could it be related to the corpses at the mass grave? Qiu Shan, however, thought Rong Zhi was being cautious because ghosts and spirits were not to be mentioned in the Imperial City. His expression changed, and he quickly corrected himself. "Nothing, just passing pedestrians. It's quite eerie late at night. By the way, Miss Lin, what brings you here?"
Seeing that he was unwilling to talk, Rong Zhi didn't press further, though a seed of doubt was sown in her mind. She took out the list and circled a few names with her finger, highlighting those Fang Tianhua had said he didn't recognize. "I wanted to inquire about these people."
Qiu Shan looked at the list and pointed to a few. "I do know these few. They are guards from the Grand Tutor's mansion and the Prime Minister's mansion. And these few, like me, are retired martial artists. Miss Lin, what happened to them?"
"A friend of mine has gone missing, and I suspect they are involved," Rong Zhi said, not hiding anything. Perhaps one more person could help speed up the investigation.
"Then leave these few to me. I'll ask around for you. What does your friend look like?"
"Thank you, Brother Qiu. He is a young male doctor, and there is a young lady. If you find them, I will reward you handsomely."
"No need for thanks. You have a kind heart; this is just your due reward." Qiu Shan laughed heartily.
"I need to go elsewhere to search. I won't bother you any longer." Rong Zhi clasped her hands gratefully and left in a hurry.
After Rong Zhi left, Qiu Shan breathed a sigh of relief and wiped his forehead. She looked so much like that female ghost. Fortunately, he hadn't said anything earlier; mentioning such things in the Imperial City could cost him his head!
Following the information she had gathered, Rong Zhi categorized the people on the list and prepared to return to the General's mansion to ask Xia Yunting to help investigate those guards and sons of officials. As she thought of this, Rong Zhi was suddenly drawn to a name on the list: Chen An. He was actually on this list? Was this Chen An the Chen An from the Grand Tutor's mansion? Rong Zhi was somewhat surprised. Chen An seemed so lecherous and dazed, she had thought him a simpleton, yet he was on this list too. Could it be that Chen An was behind it? Was he a simpleton on the surface but secretly investigated her relationship with Chu Qingze? Rong Zhi kept this in mind. Upon returning to the General's mansion, she found Chen Xing and instructed him to handle the search. Rong Zhi had originally intended to find Xia Yunting directly, but Xia Yunting was not at the General's mansion at all.
"Don't worry, Madam. I will handle this matter."
"Alright, you can still call me Miss Lin. Does the General's mansion have a proper Madam?" Although Rong Zhi was the one who had the wedding ceremony initially, it was only known to her and the people of the General's mansion. Rong Zhi had initially not minded what Chen Xing called her, but now, the title "Madam" felt very awkward.
Leaving the General's mansion, Rong Zhi went straight to the Grand Tutor's mansion. The previous abduction of Chen An had gone so smoothly, and Rong Zhi hadn't seen any sign of martial arts skill from him, so she had unconsciously let her guard down. Now, it seemed she had been too lax.
The gates of the Chen mansion were tightly shut. As Rong Zhi was wondering how to get in, a carriage suddenly emerged from within. As the curtain was blown open by the wind, Chen An's face was revealed. He looked around warily, his furtive appearance only strengthening Rong Zhi's suspicion that he might be involved. Without a second thought, she followed.
The carriage sped along, taking a deserted path, heading towards the outskirts of the city. Rong Zhi followed the carriage further and further into the wilderness until it finally stopped. Chen An got out, holding a woman in his arms. That woman was... Zhang Yajing! It really was Chen An! The coachman drove the carriage further away. Chen An helped Zhang Yajing into the bushes and began to struggle with her. A surge of anger rose within Rong Zhi. This lustful wretch dared to harass her friend! Rong Zhi threw a silver needle, intending to strike an acupuncture point from a distance. Rong Zhi's silver needle skills were supposedly superb, and it should have been impossible for it to miss from this distance. However, for some reason, the needle suddenly veered off course as it approached and landed on the grass. Rong Zhi was startled. An accident? Or was it Chen An's doing?
She stealthily moved closer, replacing the silver needle with a pill of 'Drunk Heavenly Immortal' and throwing it with the same technique. As it approached, 'Drunk Heavenly Immortal' also shifted its position silently, just like the silver needle. Rong Zhi observed calmly. After a while, Chen An, who had been struggling with Zhang Yajing, suddenly stopped moving, and he and Zhang Yajing collapsed to the ground together. The coachman, sensing something was wrong, came to investigate. Rong Zhi acupunctured his pressure points from a distance. Done.
Rong Zhi patted the dust off herself, feeling that everything had been too smooth. Was the list a fake? Was Chen An truly a complete simpleton? She approached Chen An, intending to take Zhang Yajing back first. As she helped the person up, she suddenly felt something was amiss. Zhang Yajing was thin, but the woman in front of her was quite heavy. Looking at her face, although it was very similar to Zhang Yajing's, there was a slight discrepancy. Rong Zhi exclaimed and felt her face for a while, quickly removing a mask. It turned out to be a disguise! Rong Zhi froze. She suddenly lowered her head as a gust of fist wind swept past, leaving a large pit in the trunk of a nearby tree. If Rong Zhi hadn't dodged just now, this punch would have landed on her. She put down the woman in her arms, turned, and delivered a palm strike. Chen An retreated several steps. He had taken 'Drunk Heavenly Immortal' yet hadn't fainted! He still had the strength to fight! Rong Zhi had indeed underestimated him. Rong Zhi no longer held back, using all her strength, she sent a palm strike towards his face. Chen An raised his hand to block it, and Rong Zhi felt a strong resistance. As they separated, both retreated several steps before quickly engaging again.
During the fight, Rong Zhi realized how profound his internal energy was, matching hers. A flash of inspiration struck Rong Zhi, and during a brief pause in the fight, she threw a red pill.
"Ah!" Chen An clutched his eyes and fell to the ground. Rong Zhi seized the opportunity to pin him down. "Say, where did you snatch that girl from? Did you snatch anyone else?"
Chen An rubbed his eyes, his face in pain. "Chili powder? You dare to trick me!" Tears streamed down his face. Upon recognizing Rong Zhi, his expression changed drastically. "You're not from the Chen mansion?" Rong Zhi narrowed her eyes. He mistook her for someone from the Chen mansion? "Stop the nonsense and tell me quickly, where did you snatch that girl from?"
"Who are you?" Chen An mumbled, his eyes darting around. Rong Zhi saw his hands clench into fists, and the tip of a silver needle slowly emerged from his sleeve. Trying to ambush her wouldn't be so easy. Just as she was about to make a move, footsteps suddenly echoed from a distance. Rong Zhi quickly hid. Chen An rubbed his eyes. Where did she go? How did she disappear into thin air?
When Chen Yanyan arrived, Chen An had just gotten up from the ground. His face was red from the chili powder, and tears were still streaming down. Chen Yanyan stepped forward and, without a word, slapped him. "Who did you abduct this time?"
Chen An hissed in pain, "Can you stop hitting me in the future?" He then looked around. If Chen Yanyan didn't hit him so often, he wouldn't have subconsciously assumed the person just now was Chen Yanyan, thus revealing his martial arts.
"If I don't hit you, you won't learn your lesson." Chen Yanyan glared at the scene around them, extremely angry. "What's going on with that girl?"
Chen An scratched his head. "I saw a pretty girl at a pharmacy, but the man beside her was difficult to deal with. So I just found a maid to take her place. She's from our mansion, I didn't go out and snatch anyone." Behind the tree, Rong Zhi listened to their conversation, her lips twitching. A substitute...