Chapter 031

Chapter 31: Doubt

The Huang family was not especially high-born. Madam Huang’s father was only a fifth-rank minor official. She had married into the Yao Clan because they were not the sort to trade their children’s happiness for social climbing.

With a small post, her father’s back courtyard was not messy. He had no concubines, only one son and one daughter with his wife.

The son was not especially bright or promising, but he was upright and sensible and never started trouble on his own. Of course, as a minor clerk in the Ministry of Justice, there were some things he could not avoid. They were honest people.

So Madam Huang could not understand how her nephew had suddenly gone missing.

Some people said the boy was snatched by child kidnappers. But he was already eight. Those kidnappers usually sold children to families with no sons, so the younger the better. Older children remembered more. And he was the child of an official family, wearing good cloth. Unless those kidnappers had eaten a leopard’s gall, they would not dare.

So many guessed the boy had been taken to get back at the Huang family.

“Don’t worry, sister-in-law; give me his birth date and hour,” Yu Zhi Yi said.

Madam Huang had the boy’s eight characters ready and handed the paper to Yu Zhi Yi at once.

Yu Zhi Yi read and calculated for a moment, then rose and said: “Sister-in-law, rest assured. He is safe for now and still inside the city. But we must move fast. If we are late, even if he lives, he will suffer lasting harm.”

She turned to Madam Yao and said: “Mother, I need a few house guards who are strong and skilled in martial arts.”

Since it concerned a life, Madam Yao would not refuse. In truth, if her status allowed, she would have gone to see for herself. But as the dignified Madam Chancellor, she had to maintain composure and could not look nosy. She pressed down her curiosity and said simply: “All right.”

Then she ordered Aunt Wen: “Have the ten best house guards in the manor follow the young madam to rescue the child.”

Yu Zhi Yi had planned to ask for only two and could only think: “…”

She did not refuse the extra help.

Arrangements were made quickly. Madam Huang told the coachman: “Go by my family home first and fetch my father and my brother. They are worried sick. If we don’t tell them we have a lead, they will rush around like headless flies.”

Yu Zhi Yi knit her brows but said nothing. This was fine too. If they caught the culprits red-handed, no one could quibble later.

The carriage rumbled on and reached the Huang residence after about half an hour.

As Yu Zhi Yi and Madam Huang stepped down, a crowd of people poured out of the courtyard.

Yu Zhi Yi’s eyes swept across their faces and finally stopped on one person; her brow lifted. That person saw Yu Zhi Yi and his face sank.

Madam Huang did not notice Yu Zhi Yi’s reaction and asked in surprise: “Father, Brother, where are you going?”

The Huang family was not large, and in Madam Huang’s brother’s generation there were only two children, with only one boy among them. Even so, behind father and son stood a mass of sturdy men. Besides the Huang family’s own servants, there were also clan relatives.

Her elder brother said briskly: “Little sister, good that you’re back. We already have a lead on An Er and are going to save him. Go inside and keep Mother company. We will bring An Er back soon.”

Madam Huang was surprised but happy and asked: “Really? Did you also find that An Er is still in the city?”

Yu Zhi Yi had told only her that the boy was within the city.

Her elder brother shook his head and said angrily: “Not in the city. He’s at Yanwu Slope. There’s a hideout up there where they stash kidnapped children. Those child snatchers are hateful. I’ll smash their den and chop them to pieces!”

Madam Huang froze and glanced at Yu Zhi Yi. She remembered that her sister-in-law had said the boy was still in the city.

Yu Zhi Yi had no duty to correct the elder brother, but she answered Madam Huang plainly: “Your nephew is not at Yanwu Slope. He is still in the city. And I do not advise you to go to Yanwu Slope.”

Madam Huang’s face changed. She hurried to tell her brother: “Brother, An Er is not at Yanwu Slope!”

Her elder brother looked at the person beside him and said: “Hero Ao Bing…”

This “hero” was about one meter seventy, and among the men he did not look short. His figure was slim and long-limbed. Although he tried to hide it, his chest was still higher than a man’s.

He was not a man at all, but a woman disguised as one.

It was You Bing Yue.

She said coolly: “If you want to trust that notorious Eldest Miss Yu of Yu Manor, then go ahead and doubt me. But if your boy has an accident, don’t blame me for failing to warn you.” [I was the queen of the night in the twenty-first century. How could I get a missing-child lead wrong? That woman only hides inside formations like a turtle and sends people to dig up someone’s past, then pretends to make grand prophecies. And that Huang boy is not some famous rich kid. I bet that charlatan gold-digger didn’t do any advance checking this time.]

[Today I’ll expose her real face and let that old Madam Yao see how foolish she is. No one can truly read a person’s fate. It’s all lies. The ones she fooled are just fools.]

Hearing that his only son might be in danger if he hesitated, Madam Huang’s elder brother could not care about anything else. Lord Huang also said: “Go keep your mother company and don’t worry. Wait for our good news.”

With a wave of his hand, he led everyone away.

As they passed Yu Zhi Yi, You Bing Yue shot her a cold look full of contempt and smugness.

Madam Huang’s anxiety surged as she asked: “Sister-in-law, what should we do?”

Yu Zhi Yi did not grow angry at the doubt and provocation. Her lovely face stayed calm as still water, and she said in a gentle voice: “Don’t worry. It will be fine.”

Her voice was pleasant and airy, as if it carried the power to soothe. Madam Huang truly calmed bit by bit.

Seeing Yu Zhi Yi not the least bit anxious, Madam Huang began to ask: “Sister-in-law, is it that…” but Yu Zhi Yi raised a finger and said: “Shh.”

In a nearby alley, a dark figure was peeking and watching the Huang residence with full attention. When he saw the men heading to Yanwu Slope, he tapped his palm, but still felt uneasy. When the two women said nothing more, he hesitated, then trailed after Lord Huang and the others out of the alley.

Only after they left the city did he exhale and sneer: “A bunch of idiots.” Thanks to them, he had a perfect scapegoat, so he no longer had any worries.

After the shadow slipped away, Yu Zhi Yi glanced toward that side alley, then lowered her hand and said: “Let’s go save him.”