Chapter 195 - 193: The Type They Like (Part 2)

Chapter 195: Chapter 193: The Type They Like (Part 2)

Xu Jing looked at her with a smile, "Of course, the situation varies with each season, and the illnesses people catch also differ. When I have some time, I’ll make more medicines suitable for autumn and winter."

Chunyang said, "Now that the Song Family and the Zhao Family are backing you up, Madam’s medicines will certainly sell well. I never imagined, even in my dreams, that Madam would have such connections with the Song Family and the Zhao Family."

As she spoke, she couldn’t help feeling a bit worried.

If they ever find out Madam’s true identity, who knows what they’ll think of her.

Chunxiang suddenly spoke with longing, "In my opinion, life is good now. No one knows Madam’s identity, and she can rely on her skills to navigate between noble families. When she earns enough money, she can either marry a good man or bring an honest man into the house..."

Chunyang suddenly coughed forcefully. Seeing Chunxiang’s confused look, she silently looked up at the sky.

This silly girl, although the young lord returned home for his studies, Qiushui and Chuju are still around, aren’t they?

Just then, when she spoke those words, the looks in Qiushui and Chuju’s eyes were full of resentment...

As they were busy working and having an on-and-off conversation, suddenly, anxious and chaotic footsteps were heard outside the courtyard, followed by a barely audible voice—

"...you say only Huang came back? What’s going on!"

"I don’t know, but... but it seems something happened to Third Lady. Fifth Young Master is going mad..."

Xu Jing was startled, suddenly recalling the invitation from Zhou Wan to play outside the city yesterday, and a sense of unease suddenly overwhelmed her.

She immediately called Qiushui over, "Go out and find out what happened."

Qiushui returned quickly, her face tense, with a hint of panic in her eyes, "Miss Xu, it’s said that all the servants and coachmen who went outside the city with Third Lady Zhou and Fifth Young Master returned this morning, saying... saying Third Lady Zhou is missing, and Fifth Young Master is frantically searching for her over there. Since only Huang and the coachmen went out with them, they came back to get more people to help with the search."

Chuju was dumbfounded, incredulous, "How could Third Lady Zhou suddenly go missing? I saw how concerned Fifth Young Master was about his sister, he wouldn’t let Third Lady Zhou wander around outside..."

"Huang said he wasn’t sure either. At the time, Third Lady Zhou and Fifth Young Master had already reached the Feiyue Lake where they wanted to go. Third Lady Zhou suddenly remembered she forgot to bring the shrimps she had brought to feed the swans, so she sent Huang back to get them. When Huang returned, he found Fifth Young Master lying on the ground, seemingly unconscious, and there was no trace of Third Lady Zhou nearby! Huang quickly woke Fifth Young Master, who only remembered being knocked out, and knew nothing else."

Everyone was shocked upon hearing this.

Could it be that Third Lady Zhou encountered some villains?

Now, Third Lady Zhou might be in grave danger!

Xu Jing immediately stood up, speaking in a serious tone, "Did Huang say anything else?"

Qiushui nodded, "He said after Fifth Young Master woke up, he kept saying that the man Third Lady Zhou met yesterday was indeed suspicious, and surely that man kidnapped Third Lady Zhou. It’s said that the reason Third Lady Zhou suddenly wanted to see the swans at Feiyue Lake was because that man had suggested it. He seemed to have helped Third Lady Zhou a lot yesterday, so she trusted him greatly..."

Xu Jing frowned upon hearing this, "Did anyone else see what that man looked like?"

Qiushui shook her head, "No, earlier, Steward Yuan asked Yueru, Third Lady Zhou’s maid, and Yueru said she got separated from Third Lady Zhou when they went out yesterday, and she met the man when she was alone. But she said Third Lady Zhou always described the man as gentle and noble in appearance, clearly from a wealthy family, and what’s more, he was a rare left-handed person..."

Xu Jing’s heart skipped a beat.

Gentle and noble...

From a wealthy family...

Left-handed...

This couldn’t be a coincidence, could it?

But Zhou Wan just turned sixteen this year and is indeed quite delicate and lovely, exactly the type they like to target.

She didn’t have time to think further, took a deep breath, and quickly walked out, "Qiushui, Chuju, immediately send people to find your master and explain this situation in detail, and say that the person who kidnapped Third Lady Zhou is very likely the second killer!"

Qiushui and Chuju were stunned, quickly replying with a "Yes," and hurried out with Xu Jing.

When Xu Jing reached the main entrance, Steward Yuan had already gathered all the household protectors, instructing them to depart first to help with the search, and also sent a servant to report to the Western Capital’s yamen.

This afternoon, Zhou Qi happened to be elsewhere, looking after the shop, fortunately, Steward Yuan was an old-timer of the Zhou Family, still competent and not losing his nerve.

Seeing Xu Jing also hurriedly walking toward the door, Steward Yuan was taken aback and quickly said, "Miss Xu, are you going as well?"

Xu Jing responded, suddenly thinking of something, looked at Steward Yuan and said, "When you send someone to report to the officials, tell them that the disappearance of your Third Lady Zhou might be related to the Smiling Killer case."

Xiao Yi had mentioned that there were many missing person reports filed every day, and the government had limited personnel, they usually wouldn’t pay much attention unless it was a big case.

Whether or not Zhou Wan’s disappearance is related to the Smiling Killer, saying so would ensure the government would send more people to help search.

After saying this, without caring about Steward Yuan’s face turning pale, she hurried out.

On the way to Feiyue Lake by carriage, Xu Jing noticed the carriage was heading through the West Second Gate, exiting from the city’s west side closer to the north. Her heart skipped a beat, she quickly moved to the front, asking the coachman who was driving, "What direction is Feiyue Lake located outside the Western Capital?"

The coachman was taken aback, "Miss Xu, Feiyue Lake is a lake northwest of Western Capital City."

Xu Jing’s eyes widened slightly.

Northwest, it’s actually the northwest!

The perpetrator always disposed of bodies either to the west or the North Gate, and the same merchant group member, Mr. Jiang, said that He Qiusheng always had a stomachache whenever he left Western Capital, taking some time, presumably to dispose of corpses!

However, even if he used the stomachache excuse, if he disappeared for too long, it would certainly draw the attention of his companions, so the safe house they used to torture and kill victims must not be far from the West Gate and North Gate!

The most likely spot is the northwest area outside Western Capital City, between the West Gate and North Gate!

The more Xu Jing thought about it, the heavier her heart felt. Biting her lip, she said, "Try to go a bit faster."

Feiyue Lake was nestled in a forest, and the carriage couldn’t enter. Once they arrived, Xu Jing had to disembark and proceed on foot.

After walking for almost a quarter of an hour, familiar voices finally reached her ears—

"Fifth Young Master, calm down, how can Third Lady be in the lake? Even if... even if Third Lady really is in the lake, it’s so vast, even if you swam for three days and nights, you wouldn’t find Third Lady! Moreover, you can’t swim! If you jump in, what if something happens to you too!"

"Yuan Gui, let go of me! It’s all because of me, because of me that Wanwan is missing! Even if it costs my life, I must find Wanwan!"

"Fifth Young Master!"

Xu Jing took a deep breath, unable to listen anymore, stepped forward quickly, and walked up to the fiercely struggling Zhou Xian, whom Yuan Gui was holding tightly. She extended her hand and gave him a hard slap.

The crisp "smack" sound left the nearby Zhou Family servants stunned.