Chapter 29: Hiding the Sister

Lu Boling seemed to sober up instantly. His face darkened, turning sharp and fierce in an instant, and he demanded in a cold, angry voice, "What are you talking about? What do you mean Miss Yanxi is missing?"

Madam Fang also rose from the daybed, her face pale and her voice trembling. "Yes, what are you saying? What on earth is going on? Speak clearly at once!"

The maid who had come to report was named Yicui, one of the third-class maids who had been assigned to Taoxiang Pavilion only eight or nine days ago. She burst into tears and said, "It is... it is..."

"The young lady was fine this morning. When I was cleaning the warm chamber in the morning, I heard her telling Qinglian and Taohong that she wanted to eat lotus root starch and osmanthus sugar cake. Qinglian said she would ask the kitchen if it could be made today. Everything was normal, not the slightest bit different from usual."

"Xiao Zhu, Xiao Liu, and I were busy cleaning, washing, and running errands, so we didn't pay much attention to what was happening in the young lady’s room. We only know that at midday, the young lady went out with Qinglian and Taohong. She didn't say where she was going, and none of us thought anything of it, assuming she was just going for a walk or visiting the other young ladies. But—but she never came back!"

"...When dusk fell and she hadn't returned, the four of us didn't think much of it, assuming the Old Madam or the Madam had kept her for a meal, or to listen to music or watch a play. But it kept getting darker and darker, and she still hadn't returned!"

"Xiao Liu and Hehua were worried, and so were Xiao Zhu and I. We thought that if she were staying elsewhere, she would have sent someone to tell us so we could put out the lamps. So, Xiao Liu and Hehua went to inquire at the Old Madam's and the Duke's Madam's respectively, but both said the young lady hadn't been there today."

"Xiao Zhu and I also went separately to ask the other young ladies our mistress usually visits, but the result was the same—everyone said she had not been there."

"...Just as we were feeling strange and worried, Xiao Liu discovered that something was missing from the young lady's room! Many things she used and liked on a daily basis were... they were all gone!"

At this point, a visible change appeared in the eyes of Lu Boling and Madam Fang.

Lu Boling shouted sternly, "What did you say? What is missing? Make yourself clear!"

The maid trembled. "Yes, Master, it is... many of the young lady's clothes are... they are all gone!"

Both husband and wife felt their hearts skip a beat, their pupils dilating. Lu Boling stood up abruptly, his expression terrifyingly cold. He stared directly at the maid and pointed a finger at her, demanding, "What do you mean her clothes are gone?"

The implication was obvious. It was impossible for Lu Boling not to understand.

Madam Fang hurried over, nervously gripping her husband's arm and stroking his back to soothe him. "Master, don't be anxious. Calm down. There must be a misunderstanding. Yanxi wouldn't do this. She has no reason to. She is such a lonely, pitiful little girl, such an obedient child. She couldn't possibly... Besides, where could she go?"

Lu Boling's face turned white, then red, his breathing becoming noticeably ragged.

At this moment, his son spoke up from the side: "Do not let word of this spread, lest it ruin Miss Yanxi's reputation. Go, bring the remaining maids from Taoxiang Pavilion, and go to the four city gates to inquire whether Miss Yanxi actually left the estate today."

The servants took their orders. After speaking, he stood up and turned to help his father sit down. "This matter is suspicious, Father, do not be anxious. My sister is very obedient and timid; she doesn't seem like the type to do such a thing. Let's first confirm if she truly left the estate; finding her is the priority."

Lu Boling pursed his lips and exhaled, closing his eyes with a dark, cold expression, saying nothing. The mother and son stood on either side of him.

Lu Zhi stood tall from time to time, his head slightly raised, his long lashes casting a faint shadow over his eyelids. Madam Fang fingered her Buddhist prayer beads, clicking them over and over.

The wait was agonizingly long.

Eventually, the three remaining maids from Taoxiang Pavilion were brought over. Including the one who had brought the news, there were four in total. They knelt in a row in the room: Xiao Liu, Hehua, Yicui, and Xiao Zhu. The first two were the original maids of Taoxiang Pavilion, and the latter two were new faces. Eight or nine days ago, two maids had been replaced in Taoxiang Pavilion because one had contracted consumption and infected the other, leading to both being sent out of the estate.

The four maids had pale, strained faces, especially the first two. They were trembling, not daring to breathe, kneeling there with their heads bowed in silence. They spoke very little, almost nothing, whereas the latter two spoke a bit more...

An incense stick of time later, a confirmed report came from the northern back gate.

"Master, Madam, Heir Apparent, Miss Yanxi did indeed leave at midday today and has not returned. Furthermore, she took a bundle with her, seizing the brief moment during the shift change of the guards."

The reporter's voice grew lower with every word, and the hearts of those listening sank further.

Lu Boling was furious and immediately called for men in a cold voice. "Summon Dong Yu! Find her—search for her thoroughly, immediately!"

Before the curfew, Dong Yu, Lu Boling's chief bodyguard, immediately gathered a group of soldiers and began searching in every direction from the northern back gate of the Duke's estate. However, they found nothing throughout the night.

By the second day, a detailed investigation revealed the matter of the pawned bracelet. Every sign indicated that she had planned this long ago and had left of her own volition.

Lu Boling had barely slept all night; his anger gradually faded, replaced by sadness and worry. Madam Fang's eyes had long since turned red.

Lu Boling was perplexed and deeply regretful. "Why did she leave... why?"

"Could it be that we were too abrupt, and she truly didn't want to join the Lu family?"

"Or was she dissatisfied with the marriage arrangement? Or..." Lu Boling did not finish his sentence and closed his eyes. Madam Fang turned her head and sighed as well.

For three consecutive days, Lu Boling sent troops to search without pause, even using his power and influence to apply pressure. He set up heavy checkpoints at every major exit of Chang'an, searching meticulously. Yet, despite his ability to cover the sky with one hand in the capital, three days had passed, and he hadn't found even a trace of her.

The young girl had vanished as if she had evaporated into thin air...

*****

At a certain private residence, in the bedroom.

Yanxi sat before the table, her small face pale. Beside her were not only Taohong and Qinglian, but seven or eight women dressed in black. She, Qinglian, and Taohong were being held captive there, unable to move a single step.

During the day, the sounds of soldiers patrolling outside occasionally drifted into the room.

Yanxi's heart pounded wildly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, her hands tightly clenched. She asked herself, she had not expected Uncle Lu to use such great force to find her. She had not expected that she, a lonely orphan with a tainted reputation—the niece of a disgraced official—would cause the head of the Great Yong's foremost noble family to go to such lengths.

But even if he turned Chang'an upside down, he would never find her!

Whenever soldiers approached, they were turned away by the claim that "this is the private residence of the Lu family heir."

This afternoon, another troop reached the area but did not dare to enter. It was the third time in three days. Soon, peace returned outside as the soldiers withdrew. It was at this moment that the sound of the main room door opening echoed.

The calls of the women in black told Yanxi who had arrived before she even saw him.

A moment later, a towering figure appeared in her view. The man walked in with a faint, mocking smile—it was Lu Zhi.

The young girl immediately snapped, "You aren't afraid of retribution!" Her voice was soft, sweet, and sticky, making her scolding sound anything but harsh.

In stark contrast to her anxiety, the man was infuriatingly calm and clearly in a great mood. Hearing her words, he gave a light scoff.

Yanxi continued, "Is Uncle Lu not worried sick?"

Lu Zhi did not answer.

Yanxi, growing angry, added, "He is your father, how could you let him suffer like this!"

Before the young girl could finish, her face was seized by his hand, and her remaining words were forced back into her throat. Their eyes met.

The man chuckled. "I am happy that you are important in his heart, but what of it? Can you still go back?"

Yanxi struggled, pushing him hard. "Bad person!" She finally broke free from his grasp.

Lu Zhi retracted his hand with utter indifference. At this moment, a report came from outside. "Heir Apparent, Heir Jiang has arrived."

Yanxi felt a tremor in her heart upon hearing this. But seeing a flash of impatient darkness on Lu Zhi's face, he stood up after a long moment. Looking down at her, he slowly straightened his clothes and warned, "If you dare to play any tricks, I will have him meet his great-grandfather tomorrow."

The young girl’s tears welled up as she immediately withered in fear.

*****

In the front courtyard, in the reception hall.

Jiang Zhiyan was pacing back and forth in the room, his face deathly pale. At this moment, he was like an ant on a hot pan, his heart in chaos, unable to find a moment of peace, yet unable to do anything.

After pacing the room countless times, he finally saw a figure of noble stature reflected on the window outside. Before the man could push the door open, Jiang Zhiyan had already opened it and rushed out.

"Brother Lu!!"

Lu Zhi was very calm and smiled slightly. "Why did you come here?" After saying this, he stepped inside and called for tea.

This was a residence Lu Zhi had bought when he was a youth. Jiang Zhiyan was half a classmate of his, and naturally, he had brought him here before, so it was not strange that he knew the place.

Jiang Zhiyan followed him inside, his heart feeling as though it were burning. "I heard you came to your residence, so I followed. Yanxi has left, hasn't she? Is it Yanxi who has left?"

Lu Zhi only glanced at him faintly and sat down, leaning against the grand armchair.

Jiang Zhiyan continued, "Just tell me the truth. I saw that the paintings depicted Taohong and Qinglian, and I went to the Lu estate to look for Yanxi. The household kept brushing me off, saying she was unwell. Others might not know, but how could I not recognize those two maids? If it were just missing maids, how could the Duke make such a huge fuss? Tell me, is it Yanxi? It is Yanxi, isn't it?"

Lu Zhi toyed with the jade ring on his thumb, gazed at him for a long moment, and replied, "Yes."

"Ah."

Jiang Zhiyan's heart sank abruptly, and his legs suddenly went weak. Even though he had almost confirmed his own suspicions, hearing the answer with his own ears was unbearable. He did not know what to do; his heart felt as if it were being roasted. A wave of agony washed over him. He went to sit beside Lu Zhi and grabbed his arm.

"How could this happen? Brother Lu, how could this be?" His voice was filled with boundless bitterness.

Lu Zhi did not shake him off. He turned his eyes to look at him, and after a long while, sighed.

Jiang Zhiyan was lost and distraught. "Why would she leave? This... this is unreasonable... Why, why on earth would she leave?"

Lu Zhi said, "Perhaps she wasn't happy?"

Jiang Zhiyan was in extreme pain. "She was about to formally become a daughter of your Lu family, and you were even engaged. It was a joy upon joy, nothing but happy events—how could she not be happy?"

Lu Zhi narrowed his eyes and said, "Then could it be that it was precisely because of that, that she was unhappy?"

Jiang Zhiyan's heart sank slightly, and he raised his eyebrows to look at Lu Zhi.

Their eyes locked once more.

Jiang Zhiyan asked, "What does Brother Lu mean?"

Lu Zhi turned his gaze away, no longer looking at him, and said leisurely, "I remember when my father first returned, he mentioned this engagement between you and her and asked if she was willing. At first, hmph... she seemed to say she was unwilling..."

Jiang Zhiyan's face turned pale instantly, his hands trembling slightly. He saw Lu Zhi slowly turn his gaze back, landing on his face. "Do you think she left because she didn't want to get engaged to you? Could it be because... she doesn't like you?"

Jiang Zhiyan slowly let go of Lu Zhi's arm, his face even more drained of color.

He asked himself, he was not sure if Yanxi liked him or not. But if he examined it closely, he felt she perhaps only did not dislike him. As for liking him...

She often seemed absent-minded when he spoke to her, and she had told him herself to visit less often.

Could it be that she really left because she was dissatisfied with this marriage?

Just as he was thinking this, he heard Lu Zhi add:

"Thinking it over, I fear that is the only reason. I suspect she likely does not love you; the one she loves is someone else."