CHAPTER 2021: CHAPTER 2020: LANLAN IS MISSING

Just judging by Tong Zhengye’s attire, Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but want to roast him, making him look like the sickly noble Mei Changsu. Of course, people of this era wouldn’t know Mei Changsu, otherwise, Bai Ruozhu really wanted to say this: attempting to paint a tiger yet resembling a dog.

Actually, Tong Zhengye was very handsome, with a kind of delicate beauty, for example, his eyebrows were finer than those of the average man. Although he wasn’t as delicately seductive as Zhou Jue, adding to the scholarly aura he carried, he ought to be quite popular with the Jiangnan Family ladies.

It’s just a pity that he was born a merchant, and in this era, merchants were held in very low regard.

For a few days thereafter, when Bai Ruozhu and the others rested and ate, Tong Zhengye would tag along. They stayed at an inn, and Tong Zhengye also lodged at the same inn, and ended up getting quite familiar with Bai Zepei and Elder Su.

But due to Lanlan’s presence, Jiao Ling maintained a wary stance towards Tong Zhengye, afraid he was scheming against Lanlan.

Soon the party settled in Nanfeng City, everyone either rested or went shopping, not expecting that after lunch, Jiao Ling would rush to Bai Ruozhu and the others in panic, saying: "Lanlan is missing!"

Bai Ruozhu was shocked, "Let’s go check the room!"

She hurriedly took Jianqi over to inspect, finding no signs of a struggle in the room, though a bit of medicine liquid had spilled from the medicine barrel, but not much, and there were footprints on the floor leading toward the main gate.

"Lanlan wouldn’t have been abducted by Gufeng, would she?" Jiao Ling said, starting to cry, "No, I’m going to chase out of the city right now, there are only north and south roads, Fen Jiu, split up with me and chase!"

Bai Ruozhu quickly held back Jiao Ling, saying, "Auntie, don’t rush, let’s search inside the city first."

Jianqi felt the door latch, suggesting, "Madam Ji, Miss Lanlan might have left on her own, perhaps she’s in the city now."

For some reason, Bai Ruozhu instantly thought of Chenfeng, but she was reassured when she saw Chenfeng in the corridor before coming to the room.

Thinking of this she couldn’t help but smile bitterly, what nonsense was she imagining, could Lanlan elope with Chenfeng?

"You mean Lanlan went out to play on her own?" Jiao Ling was somewhat unwilling to believe, "Impossible, although she’s still a child, she’s particularly sensible and wouldn’t make us worry."

"Auntie, I’ll first send people to search all over, don’t worry." Bai Ruozhu immediately dispatched people, and she, Fen Jiu, and Jiao Ling also began searching throughout the city.

Nanfeng City is relatively large, a very prosperous city in the south, it’s normal if Lanlan wanted to go out and take a look.

But she was so sensible, why not tell Jiao Ling, if she had opened her mouth, Jiao Ling would take her out even if it was risky.

Quickly, Jianqi found Bai Ruozhu and said: "I just contacted the Commerce Association, they said there’s a brothel in the city specializing in kidnapping civilian girls, I’m afraid..."

Lanlan dressed plainly and carried a medicinal scent, appearing to be just an ordinary herbalist’s daughter, and walking alone in the street without much caution, is very likely to become their target.

Bai Ruozhu squinted her eyes, "Immediately send people to check every brothel in the city, if found, overturn them directly!"

"Should I send people to notify Second Young Master, and let him get people from the government office?" Jianqi tentatively asked.

"That brothel dares to be so bold, surely relying on something, perhaps collusion at the official level. It’s better not to alert them prematurely. After catching people, Second Brother can then use the Emperor’s Holy Edict; he isn’t serving as an inspecting officer for nothing!" Bai Ruozhu gritted her teeth.

Jiao Ling was furious, her eyes red, "If they dare trick my daughter to such a place, I’ll kill them all!"

"Auntie, don’t act rashly, the law naturally punishes them in this city, and if they must die, they should be beheaded publicly." Bai Ruozhu hurriedly advised.

Jiao Ling took several deep breaths, "Fine, I won’t be impulsive, let’s hurry and keep searching."

If it weren’t for the Commerce Association’s intelligence, Bai Ruozhu and the rest wouldn’t have thought to look for Lanlan in a brothel; they’d be checking clothing stores, dimsum shops, and theater houses.

Soon, Bai Ruozhu and the rest found the famous Liu Alley in the city. She asked passersby, to which someone said: "What are you doing in a brothel during daylight? Are your husbands being seduced there so they won’t come home?"

Bai Ruozhu really wanted to hit that person, as if your wife had put a cuckold on you!

"Brother, just tell us." Bai Ruozhu suppressed her anger and asked nicely.

That person, obviously working inside, was definitely more familiar with Liu Alley than those outside.

He boastfully said: "The brothels here are all registered with the government office, cleaner than those illegal ones, especially Feiyuan Building, the performances inside are exceptionally beautiful, often offering new clean courtesans for guests, perhaps your husband fell for one of them?"

He laughed out loud, "Actually, those clean courtesans are quite neat, they ended up in Feiyuan Building only due to family decline, even their madam is something special, I’ve heard the county magistrate is her frequent guest."

Bai Ruozhu’s mouth curled slightly, it must be Feiyuan Building.

She thanked the person and quickly led Jiao Ling and Fen Jiu towards Feiyuan Building.

The three definitely couldn’t simply storm in, so after observing for a while, they climbed over the wall from the backyard.

There were quite a few guards in the yard, two spotted them immediately, and just as they were about to shout, Bai Ruozhu and Fen Jiu knocked them down.

"Why would an ordinary brothel have so many guards, there must be something wrong." Bai Ruozhu spoke quietly.

Fen Jiu nodded, "Let’s separate and look around, if you find anything signal the others, if not, let’s regroup here."

The three split up, but after searching everywhere, they saw nothing but unclothed brothel girls, or lingering guests in the rooms, checking even the kitchen, firewood room, and other places without spotting Lanlan.

The three regrouped at the starting point, helplessly shaking their heads.

"Could it be the wrong place?" Fen Jiu questioned.

"Maybe they have a secret chamber; Jianqi has sent people to investigate the other brothels, don’t worry too much, let’s explore carefully here." Bai Ruozhu’s intuition told her this was the place, especially noticing its splendid interior that even brothels in the capital rarely matched.

Moreover, since they claimed to offer clean courtesans, she felt Lanlan would likely be safe. But speaking those thoughts openly felt inappropriate, given considerations of young women’s propriety.

Bai Ruozhu thought again, suggesting, "Perhaps grab the madam and interrogate her."

Jiao Ling nodded, "Fine, anyway, the madam wouldn’t be anything good, killing her wouldn’t be unjust."

Meanwhile, Fen Jiu looked somewhat troubled, wanting to suggest he saw the madam with a man just now, engaging intimately, wondering if he’d get styes; should he remind Jiao Ling and Ruozhu?