As Lieutenant Xiao issued the order, the area within three hundred metres of the brokerage was completely sealed off.
Then, teams of mansion guards rushed into shops and households, searching door to door.
With the guards sealing the area, the veterans regrouped at the shop.
Soon after, Lieutenant Xiao entered with a squad of guards.
To establish a foothold in Guangyuan, besides building ties with the governor, it was essential to get along with the guards at the city gates. Tang Xiaobei had entrusted Big Liu with befriending them.
The two had shared meals a few times and visited a brothel twice, so they had some rapport.
Lieutenant Xiao got straight to the point. “Brother Big Liu, what’s going on? Weren’t you guarding Miss Xiaobei closely? How could she be kidnapped?”
“I was at the door. There was a wedding procession…” Big Liu explained helplessly.
But he hadn’t even seen the masked man, so he knew little.
As they spoke, Alan and the female soldier, hands bloodied, returned one after another.
“Did you catch them?” Big Liu asked Alan, clinging to a sliver of hope despite knowing the outcome.
“No, they were too clean. Not a single trace,” Alan said, shaking her head.
Under Lieutenant Xiao’s questioning, she recounted her encounter with the masked man.
“Carrying Miss Xiaobei and still leaping over a ten-foot wall with ease, leaving no traces, this must be a master!” Big Liu frowned slightly. “And that wedding procession, they could be involved. Lieutenant Xiao, can you find out whose family it was?”
Their manpower was limited. They could only rush to block the roads earlier, with no one spare to chase the wedding party.
“That’s easy. I’ll send someone to find out,” Lieutenant Xiao said. Then he asked, “By the way, where’s the shopkeeper?”
This shop was the one that had sold female slaves to Jin Feng. The fat shopkeeper cowered in a corner, trembling, filled with dread.
Jin Feng was a ruthless man who dared to confront the governor. Tang Xiaobei was kidnapped in his shop. If Jin Feng came, wouldn’t he skin him alive?
But things had come to this. He could only hide in the corner, praying no one noticed him.
Unfortunately, Lieutenant Xiao called him out, and the fat shopkeeper had to step forward reluctantly.
After routine questioning, Lieutenant Xiao ordered the guards to take the shopkeeper, along with the yard’s servants and thugs, to the prison for now.
He knew the shopkeeper likely had little to do with it, but since Tang Xiaobei was kidnapped in his shop, even with the slightest possibility, he couldn’t let him go until she was found.
Big Liu and Alan understood this and said nothing.
“Wait, what about the Zhou family!” Alan suddenly said. “A few days ago, Miss Xiaobei beat Zhou Dewu. The Zhou family must hold a grudge and might have acted for revenge.”
Big Liu’s eyes widened, ready to take the veterans to the Zhou family to demand answers.
“The Zhou family is a prominent household. They won’t let you search easily,” Lieutenant Xiao stopped him. “Don’t worry, the governor thought of this. When I left, he was personally leading a team to the Zhou family.”
“Then I’ll send someone to check,” Big Liu said, trusting no one now. “Monkey, go help the governor search.”
Lieutenant Xiao gave a wry smile but didn’t stop him this time.
Meanwhile, the guards’ search continued.
Teams of guards stormed into brokerage shops and nearby homes, searching without a word.
The searches were simple. Most homes had little furniture and few places to hide.
They checked the straw piles in the kitchen, looked under beds, glanced at the beams, and rummaged through wardrobes if there were any. That was it.
The searches progressed quickly.
After the guards left, confused residents stepped out, gathering in groups, watching the guards running back and forth.
“What’s happening? Why are there so many guards on the streets?”
“No idea. Looks like they’re searching for someone.”
“Searching for someone with such a commotion? Seems like all the city’s guards are out.”
“Could someone have tried to assassinate the governor?”
“Get real. If the governor was attacked, who’d be mobilising the guards?”
“I passed by Shopkeeper Tong’s place earlier and heard someone shouting that Miss Xiaobei was kidnapped.”
“Miss Xiaobei? The one redeemed by Mr. Jin, selling soap?”
“I only overheard it passing by. How would I know if it’s her?”
“It must be her. Who else in Guangyuan could make the guards this nervous?”
“Miss Xiaobei hung the governor’s niece at the Moonlit House for a day and night. If she was kidnapped, the governor would be thrilled, not sending guards to find her.”
“Makes sense!”
“Nonsense. The governor didn’t save his niece when she was hung at the Moonlit House. That shows he’s afraid of Mr. Jin. Miss Xiaobei is Mr. Jin’s person. Of course he’d be nervous if she was kidnapped.”
“Right, Mr. Liu, you’re a scholar. You see things clearer than us rough folk.”
“Who’s bold enough to kidnap Miss Xiaobei in broad daylight? They’re asking for death. If they don’t find her, Mr. Jin will turn the city upside down.”
…
The guards’ commotion stirred countless residents.
By noon, the whole city knew the soap-selling Miss Xiaobei had been kidnapped.
After lunch, the guards’ search concluded.
Hundreds of guards turned the brokerage and surrounding homes upside down but found not a single hair of Tang Xiaobei.
The Zhou family was the same. Though reluctant, Zhou Changlin let the guards in under the governor’s personal presence.
Monkey joined the search but found no trace of Tang Xiaobei.
“Even if the Zhou family kidnapped her, they wouldn’t keep her at home. They’d have moved her already,” Big Liu said helplessly. “Monkey, hurry back and tell the master.”
If Jin Feng knew Tang Xiaobei was missing, he’d rush over immediately. By timing, he’d have to travel at night.
Riding at night in the mountains was dangerous.
Big Liu had held some hope that with such a thorough search, they might find Tang Xiaobei, sparing Jin Feng the night trip.
But as guard captains reported back, his hopes were shattered bit by bit.
He had no options left and could only send Monkey to fetch Jin Feng.
Three warhorses were ready at the gate. Monkey mounted one, took the other two, and galloped out of the city.
He rode relentlessly, switching horses when one tired.
A nearly two-day journey was cut to half a day. By dusk, Monkey reached Xihewan.
“What? Xiaobei was kidnapped?” Jin Feng, eating, stood abruptly, knocking over his chair.
Tang Dongdong paled, stumbling and nearly falling.
