The Zhan family rushed forward. Several usually taciturn women, their eyes red with tears, clung desperately to the servants’ legs and arms, using their bodies to block them.
“Let Yao go!”
“Fight them!”
“We can’t let them take our sister-in-law!”
The two sides shoved and grappled, and the entrance to the market instantly dissolved into chaos. Baskets were kicked over, and the remaining candied hawthorns rolled across the ground, only to be trampled into pulp.
The place was in utter turmoil. The local thugs stood far off, watching the spectacle, occasionally fanning the flames with a few jeering remarks.
Feng Xianxian hid behind the crowd. At the thought of Cheng Yao about to be forcibly taken away, a twisted, delighted smile spread across her face.
Cheng Yao, let’s see how you get yourself out of this one!
Cheng Yao was held by two burly servants, one gripping each arm. No matter how fiercely she struggled, she could not break free. Anger and urgency surged through her as she prepared to draw her silver needles. Then, suddenly, everyone’s vision blurred. Several shadowy figures appeared like phantoms, moving so fast that the naked eye could barely follow them.
“Who’s there?!”
“Watch out!”
The cries had barely rung out when the servants restraining Cheng Yao felt their arms go numb. An irresistible force struck them, making them release her involuntarily.
The next instant, Cheng Yao—caught between them—seemed to be seized by some invisible power. Her body blurred, and she vanished from between them as if into thin air!
She had truly disappeared!
Before the eyes of the entire crowd, she had been struggling one moment—and vanished without a trace the next.
All that remained were the two servants staring at each other in bewilderment, their arms aching and numb, along with a chilling gust of wind that had appeared as suddenly as it vanished.
The entrance to the market fell into dead silence.
Everyone froze. The fighting stopped. The shouting and curses cut off abruptly. All eyes widened in disbelief as they stared at the spot where Cheng Yao had been standing only moments before.
It was empty.
“Sister-in-law!”
“Madam Cheng?”
“Where did she go?”
The exiles were the first to recover, crying out loudly.
But they looked everywhere—and there was no sign of Cheng Yao.
The covert guards hiding in the shadows, who had been prepared to intervene at any moment, also underwent a dramatic change of expression.
They had reacted a fraction too slowly. They had not even clearly seen the intruders’ faces or movements before Cheng Yao had been snatched away.
That speed, that footwork—their martial arts were unquestionably superior to the guards’ own!
In an instant, cold sweat soaked Li Liming’s back. He did not dare waste a second. He gave his men a covert signal, and several of them slipped away silently, like melting snow.
They had to track her down with everything they had!
And send word back at once!
The entire group had descended into complete disarray.
Li Liming’s face was deathly pale, and even the hand gripping his sword was trembling. This sudden turn of events was far beyond anything he understood—or was capable of handling. The Zhan clansmen, having lost the person they relied upon most, were equally panicked; cries and sobs erupted everywhere.
As for Feng Xianxian, one of the people who had caused this chaos, she realized something was wrong the moment everyone’s attention was drawn away.
No matter who had taken Cheng Yao, her role in bringing the servants here to seize her would soon be exposed.
Zhan Haoting would never forgive her.
Taking advantage of the chaos at the scene and the surging crowd, she slipped into a nearby alley like a slick loach, hunching down as she darted inside. Without so much as a backward glance, she fled.
The servants finally snapped out of their shock. Looking at the chaotic scene, they stood there somewhat at a loss.
The attendant was furious. Not only had they failed to bring the person back, but several of the servants had been injured as well.
Thinking of Feng Xianxian, the culprit behind it all, he shouted, “Where is that bitch?! Catch her!”
But after searching everywhere, how could they possibly still find any trace of Feng Xianxian?
The attendant’s face turned livid. He slammed his fist into the wall beside him.
…
Meanwhile, outside the entrance to Zhiweizhai.
Zhan Haochen had just handed over the wild grapes to the shop assistant. He was standing outside the shop, exchanging pleasantries with Xiao Chengbang.
Though Zhan Haochen wore shabby clothes, there was a spirited heroism between his brows. He possessed both the vigor of youth and the steady sense of responsibility of a grown man tempered by hardship. More remarkably, his speech and manners were refined; he carried himself entirely like an elegant young nobleman. Xiao Chengbang found this highly admirable.
Of course, what Xiao Chengbang was even more curious about was Cheng Yao. He kept casually probing Zhan Haochen for information about her.
He had never met a woman so intelligent and poised, a woman who seemed to shine from head to toe. It would not have been an exaggeration to say that all the world’s radiance had gathered upon her.
Her knowledge seemed as vast as the sea, yet she remained unruffled by either favor or disgrace, calm and composed at all times. It was no wonder Shen Xi had been drawn to her—even Xiao Chengbang could not help wanting to learn more about her.
After chatting with him for a few moments, Zhan Haochen sensed that something was amiss.
Why did Young Master Xiao keep bringing up his sister-in-law?
Could he, like the scholar surnamed Shen, have designs on her as well?
The nerve of him!
Rage flared in Zhan Haochen’s heart, though his expression remained unchanged. Just as he was considering how to give the other man a proper warning, Zhan Yunpeng came running from the end of the street, his face full of panic. As he ran, he shouted, “Haochen! Something terrible has happened! Sister-in-law—Sister-in-law has been taken!”
“What?!” The color drained from Zhan Haochen’s face in an instant. He seized Zhan Yunpeng by the shoulders with such force that he seemed ready to crush them. “Explain yourself! Who took Sister-in-law?!”
Zhan Yunpeng swallowed, forcing himself to calm down, then quickly recounted what had happened at the market entrance.
First, the local thugs had caused trouble. Then servants had suddenly appeared and tried to seize someone by force. Finally, several strange black shadows had emerged, and Cheng Yao had vanished into thin air.
He spoke clearly and laid out everything in detail.
Once Zhan Haochen had heard it all, he felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head. His vision swam, turning dark around the edges.
His sister-in-law was gone—abducted in broad daylight, before everyone’s eyes!
He spun around and roared at the several sturdy young men from his clan who had accompanied him to make the delivery, “All of you, come with me! We’re going to find her! Even if we have to turn this entire city upside down, we will find Sister-in-law!”
“Stop right there!” Li Liming hurried over with several men, blocking his way. His expression was grave. “Zhan Haochen! Have you lost your mind? You are exiles! Without orders from above, how dare you act on your own to search for someone? If you cause trouble, who will bear the responsibility?!”
Xiao Chengbang’s eyelid twitched sharply. They were exiled convicts?
No wonder they possessed such bearing and courage!
No wonder government escorts were following them!
“I’ll take responsibility!” Zhan Haochen’s eyes were bloodshot, fury practically blazing in them. “Constable Li, my sister-in-law is missing! Her life is hanging in the balance. How can you expect me to stay with the group and do nothing? I have to find her!”
“No!” Li Liming stood his ground. “The law comes first! You’re all coming back with me to the group at once!”
“Constable, without my sister-in-law, we wouldn’t be alive today! Can’t you make an exception just this once?”
“I’ve been too lenient with you, letting you go out to do business. You crossed the wrong people, and now Cheng Yao has been abducted!”
They shouted over each other, tempers flaring, the tension on the verge of erupting into a fight.
Just then, Xiao Chengbang, who had been watching from the sidelines, spoke up.
His voice was smooth and measured, carrying the polish of a man long accustomed to doing business. “Gentlemen, hear me out.”
“Brother Zhan, I understand that you’re desperate to find your sister-in-law. And Constable Li is only doing his duty.”
Xiao Chengbang began by giving each man his due, easing the tension before turning to Zhan Haochen. “Brother Zhan, you’re strangers here, and your circumstances are unusual. Making a public search would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Worse, it could draw the authorities’ attention and land you in even greater trouble.”
He paused, then looked to Li Liming and continued, “Constable Li, Madam Cheng is one of your people. By any measure, if she’s gone missing, she ought to be found.
“I’ve come to know you all by chance, and I value that connection. My family has done business here for many years, and we have contacts in all walks of life. How about this: I’ll make inquiries discreetly and help look for her. What do you say?”
