Chapter 543: Pursuit

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Lin Zexu was the examiner of this year’s Spring Quarter Examination and could not leave the examination hall. Zhou Jia asked Lin Lan and Lin Yun to go to the Zhou family to find out more about Li Yu’s disappearance and prepared to bring Zhao Cai and the others out of the city to look for Li Yu.

Li Qing said to Zhou Jia, “Brother-in-law, Yue’er and Xing’er are crying at home. You should go back and comfort the children. Brother Cai and I will go find Sister.”

Zhou Jia refused flatly. ‘Yue’er and Xing’er will be taken care of by Granny. I’ll go with you.”

Magistrate Tu said to Zhou Jia, “Lord Zhou, I’ve sent Chief Arrester Leng of the government office to help your steward find Madam Li.”

“Thank you, Lord Tu.” Zhou Jia, Li Qing, and the others thanked Magistrate Tu.

Ruyi walked to Zhou Jia’s side and knocked him out with a slap to the back of his neck when he was unprepared. He handed him to Lin Lan. “Please bring my master home.”

Lin Lan nodded in agreement. The brothers said to Li Qing, Ruyi, and the others, “Be careful.”

Ruyi, Ji Xiang, Zhao Cai, and Li Qing nodded in agreement and left the city with the constables.

Everyone searched for Li Yu along the official road and walked to a fork in the road. There was a mountain path on the left that went straight to an official road. Constable Leng from the government office said to Li Qing, “Lord Li, how do we continue?”

Li Qing glanced at Zhao Cai and the others. “I think we should split up and search!”

Zhao Cai nodded in agreement. Ruyi said to Zhao Cai, “Brother Cai, you, Uncle, and Constable Leng continue to search along the official road. Ji Xiang and I will take the mountain path and search.”

Constable Leng nodded and said, “Alright, let’s split up and search.”

Ruyi and Ji Xiang went up the mountain path. After walking for about an hour, they found carriage tracks in a soft place. The two of them looked at each other happily and followed the mountain path.

After chasing for more than two hours, they couldn’t see any more tracks. The two of them walked straight for an hour and realized that there was only a narrow path ahead. The carriage couldn’t move at all.

Retreating back to the place where the scuff marks had been left, Ruyi saw a

forest ahead and said to Ji Xiang, “Let’s go into the forest and take a look.”

“Okay.” They ran toward the forest and saw the ruts again. Ji Xiang glanced at Ruyi. “Sure enough, they came this way.”

The two of them followed the tracks of the car over the grass into the forest.

Night had fallen by the time they reached the forest. Under the dark clouds, there was not even a trace of starlight in the sky. The leaves rustled in the wind, and the hair-raising cry of an owl came from the forest.

Ji Xiang found a pine log and lit it. He handed it to Ruyi. The two of them followed the ruts left by the carriage and followed it through the forest.

Fortunately, it was spring and the air was moist. The soil in the forest was soft and the grass was lush. The carriage would easily leave a mark.

The two of them followed the ruts to a gentle slope with torches. A mountain path appeared in front of them.

Ji Xiang and Ruyi were getting more and more suspicious. This was a forested area. How could there be a mountain path that could accommodate carriages?

Ji Xiang said to Ruyi, “Ruyi, there’s a mountain path here. There should be a village below. Why haven’t we seen any villagers coming and going along the way?”

Ruyi threw away the pine firewood that was about to burn out. “It might be the nest of the people who kidnapped Madam ahead. There are no traces of a fight along the way. It seems that Madam didn’t resist at all and deliberately followed them. Let’s find another pine firewood. Otherwise, we won’t be able to see the tracks.”

Ji Xiang said proudly, “Madam deliberately left with them. Otherwise, how could they hold Madam hostage?”

Ruyi was still a little worried. “That’s right! Logically speaking, even more than ten burly men are not Madam’s match. I’m just afraid that something will happen. If the enemy uses poison and hidden weapons, it will be impossible to guard against them.”

Ji Xiang kicked a stone away fiercely. “These wretched bastards. Let’s capture them and cut them into pieces.”

The two of them found a dry log in the forest. After lighting it, they led the horse forward along the ruts.

Li Qing and the others chased to Shanyang County and asked the city guards, but no one had seen the Zhou family’s carriage.

Seeing that it was already dark and everyone was exhausted from chasing, Constable Leng said to Li Qing, “Lord Li, let’s go into the city to rest for the night and continue our pursuit tomorrow, okay?”

Li Qing was so anxious that he could not bear to rest. He looked at Zhao Cai and said to Constable Leng, “Constable Leng, bring our brothers into the city to rest first. I want to take a look at the nearby town.”

Seeing that Li Qing and the others were unwilling to rest, Constable Leng could not bring them to rest. He smiled and said to Li Qing, “In that case, let’s go to the town in front to rest.”

Li Qing cupped his hands at everyone and said, “Thank you, everyone.”

“Lord Li, you’re too polite. It’s our duty,” Constable Leng said politely.

When they arrived at the town, the sky was already so dark that they could not see their fingers. Li Qing brought Constable Leng and the others to the inn to rest. Zhao Cai looked around the inn in the town and did not find the carriage from the Zhou family. His heart felt as sad as if someone had pressed a huge rock on it. He secretly prayed that Ruyi and Ji Xiang had found traces of Madam.

Li Qing stood at the window and looked out at the darkness. He felt that his heart was also dark. Tears couldn’t stop falling. He covered his face and whimpered.

Zhao Cai walked to Li Qing’s door and stopped when he heard crying from inside. He turned to look at the dark sky in a daze.

Zhou Jia only woke up after being sent home by the Lin Lan brothers. Looking at Yueyue and Xingxing, who were pouncing at him, he opened his arms and hugged the two of them. Yueyue cried and asked Zhou Jia, “Where’s Mother?”

Zhou Jia looked at the two children sadly and forced a smile. He hugged the two of them and said, “She went to the Wang Family Village to look at the crops. Yue’er, Xing’er, stay at home and wait for me to come back.”

Xingxing hugged Zhou Jia’s neck and looked at him. “Father is lying. Father is crying. I saw Aunt and Aunt crying.”

“When Father came back, he encountered someone else’s chili and knocked it down. The chili powder entered his eyes and they turned red from the spiciness.”

Xinzxing looked at Zhou Tia. “Reallv? You’re not Ivinz to me? Mother said that

you have to have a long nose if you lie.”

“Yes, long nose.” Yueyue also looked at Zhou Jia.

Zhou Jia looked at the two identical faces and nodded vigorously. “Yes! Long noses. ”

For the first time, Zhou Jia felt that it was troublesome for children to be too smart. He thought that fortunately, Yang’er had not come home from the palace. Otherwise, he would really not be able to keep it from him.

Madam Gong said to Yueyue and Xingxing, “Babies, come to Aunt quickly.

Father is tired in the government office. Let him rest well.”

Xingxing shook her head. “We’ll accompany Father to rest,” Yue Yue added.

Zhou Jia said to Madam Gong and Fan Mingfang, “Aunt, Sister-in-law, go back first. I’ll inform you as soon as there’s news.”

Madam Gong and Fan Mingfang nodded. Madam Gong said, “Alright, let’s go back first. Take the child and rest for a while. Granny Chen said that the two of them slept for a while before clamoring to look for his mother.”

Yueyue pouted. “I want Mother, not Nanny.”

Zhou Jia carried one in each hand. “Alright, I don’t want Manny! Let’s let Mother play for a day. Daddy will bring you to sleep, okay?”

“Alright, sleep with Father.” Xingxing nodded, and Yueyue nodded together.

When Madam Gong and Fan Mingfang returned home, Lin Yun stayed with the Zhou family to help..