Chapter 31: Questioning
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The Huang family wasn’t particularly noble or powerful. Huang’s father held a modest position as a fifth-ranked official, and Huang herself had managed to marry into the Yao family mostly because the Yao family valued their children’s happiness over social status.
As a lower-ranking official, the Huang household lived a simple and peaceful life. Huang’s father had no concubines, and together with his wife, he had raised only one son and one daughter. Their son might not have been especially bright or ambitious, but he was honest and well-behaved, never causing trouble unnecessarily.
Naturally, being part of the Ministry of Justice meant that conflicts were sometimes unavoidable. But still, the Huang family was an honest one through and through. That was why Huang couldn’t understand how her young nephew had suddenly disappeared.
Some said he might have been kidnapped by traffickers. But her nephew was already eight years old! Traffickers usually targeted younger children, ones that could be sold to families without kids. The younger, the better, because older children remembered too much. And besides, Huang’s nephew came from an official’s family—his clothes were of good quality. Unless the traffickers had a death wish, they wouldn’t dare.
This led many to speculate that someone had taken the boy to get revenge on the Huang family.
“Don’t worry, Sister-in-law. Give me his birthdate and horoscope,” Yu Zhi Yi said calmly.
Huang had already prepared her nephew’s birth details. She handed a piece of paper to Yu Zhi Yi, who took it and began her calculations. After a few moments, Yu Zhi Yi stood up. “Don’t worry, Sister-in-law. He’s safe for now. He’s still in the city, but we need to act quickly. If we delay, even if we save him, there could be lasting harm.”
She then turned to Yao. “Mother, I need a few skilled guards from the estate.”
Given the situation, how could Yao refuse? In fact, if her status allowed it, she would have gone herself. But as the dignified wife of the Chancellor, she had to maintain her composure. She couldn’t appear overly nosy, even if worry burned inside her. She suppressed her feelings and nodded. “Of course.”
She looked at Madam Wen. “Send our ten best guards with the young mistress.”
Yu Zhi Yi had only asked for two guards. “…”
But she didn’t refuse.
The arrangements were quickly made. Huang directed the coachman, “Let’s go home first. We need to tell my father and brother. They’re worried sick. If we don’t let them know we have a lead, they’ll keep running around like headless chickens.”
Yu Zhi Yi frowned but said nothing. It was probably better this way—if they could catch the culprit red-handed, the kidnapper would have no room to argue.
The carriage rumbled along, and after about half an hour, they arrived at the Huang residence. As soon as Yu Zhi Yi and Huang got out of the carriage, a crowd rushed out from the courtyard.
Yu Zhi Yi scanned the faces before her eyes settled on one of them. She raised an eyebrow.
That person’s face darkened upon seeing Yu Zhi Yi.
Huang, unaware of Yu Zhi Yi’s reaction, asked in surprise, “Father, Brother, where are you going?”
The Huang family wasn’t large. Huang’s brother had two children, but only one son. Now, a group of men stood behind her father and brother, including both family servants and some relatives.
“You’re back just in time, Sister. We’ve found a lead on An’er. We’re about to go rescue him. Go inside and stay with Mother. We’ll bring An’er back soon,” Huang’s brother said.
Huang was surprised but happy. “Really? You also found out he’s still in the city?”
Yu Zhi Yi had only told her that An’er was in the city.
Huang’s brother shook his head. “Not in the city.” He then added angrily, “He’s at Yanwu Slope! There’s a hideout there where they keep kidnapped children. Those traffickers are despicable! I’ll destroy that place and tear them apart!”
Huang hesitated and looked at Yu Zhi Yi. She remembered her sister-in-law saying that An’er was still in the city.
Yu Zhi Yi had no obligation to correct Huang’s brother, but she spoke up for Huang’s sake. “Your nephew isn’t at Yanwu Slope. He’s still in the city. I wouldn’t recommend going to Yanwu Slope to look for him.”
Huang’s face changed slightly. She quickly turned to her brother. “Brother, An’er isn’t at Yanwu Slope!”
Her brother instinctively looked at the person beside him. “Hero Ao Bing…”
This so-called hero stood about five feet seven inches tall. Among the group of men, she didn’t seem particularly short. Her figure was slender but, despite her efforts to disguise it, her chest was noticeably fuller than that of the average man.
Yes, she wasn’t a man—she was a woman. You Bing Yue in disguise.
“If you want to believe this notorious eldest daughter of the Yu family, go ahead and doubt me. But if something happens to your son, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she sneered.
As the queen of the shadows in the 21st century, there was no way she could get something as simple as a missing child’s whereabouts wrong. What else could this woman do besides hide behind formations like a coward, then spread rumors about people once she’d gathered enough dirt? Nothing, that’s what. And that Huang boy wasn’t from a rich or famous family. Surely this gold-digging fraud wouldn’t have bothered to investigate in advance.
This time, You Bing Yue would reveal the woman’s true colors and show that old fool Yao just how ridiculous she’d been! No one could truly see a person’s fate—it was all lies. Anyone who believed otherwise was a fool.
The mere thought that his beloved son might be in danger silenced Huang’s brother. Even Huang’s father spoke up. “Go inside and stay with your mother. Don’t worry about this. Wait for our good news.”
With that, he led everyone away.
As they passed Yu Zhi Yi, You Bing Yue shot her a cold look filled with contempt and smugness. Anyone with eyes could see it.
Huang grew anxious. “Sister-in-law, what do we do?”
Yu Zhi Yi, however, wasn’t upset by the challenge or the skepticism. Her beautiful face remained serene, her voice gentle as she comforted Huang. “Don’t worry. Everything will be alright.”
Her voice was soothing, almost ethereal, with an odd calming effect.
Huang slowly started to relax.
Seeing how calm Yu Zhi Yi was, Huang asked hesitantly, “Sister-in-law, do you think…?”
Yu Zhi Yi raised a finger to her lips. “Shh.”
In a narrow alleyway, a shadowy figure was peering out, watching the Huang residence closely. Seeing the men leave for Yanwu Slope, the figure tapped his palm thoughtfully, still unsure. But when the two women didn’t say anything more, he hesitated only briefly before deciding to follow Huang’s father and brother out of the alley.
Only after they’d left the city did he breathe a sigh of relief.
“Idiots,” he muttered with a cold smile.
Thanks to those fools providing him a scapegoat, he no longer had to worry.
After the shadow disappeared, Yu Zhi Yi glanced toward the alley, then withdrew her gaze after a moment. “Let’s go. It’s time to save the kid.”