Because Old Gao and Guard Li had very loud voices, almost everyone in the hall could hear their conversation…
“What? Old Gao, did you mishear? This county seat has always had more men than women, why are you saying such a thing?”
“What did I say? This is the truth. Last winter, it snowed heavily. The mountain bandits, lacking food and clothes and driven to desperation, came to the county seat. They robbed things and captured women. Oh, you don’t even want to imagine the scene, it was too tragic, too tragic…”
“Then, then what kind of women did they capture?”
“Of course, young and beautiful girls. Who would snatch old ladies…?”
“Oh, so that’s how it is. No wonder I don’t see any young women in the county seat, they’ve all been snatched away!~”
Old Gao and Guard Li were like a crosstalk act, one singing and the other responding, with exaggerated expressions. In their conversation, they had managed to send the young Imperial Tutor’s sister into the bandit’s den…
Since they didn’t know what the Imperial Tutor’s sister looked like, her height, or any distinguishing features, the two of them, following Eunuch Zhao’s instructions, fabricated this outrageous story.
“Oh dear, Old Gao, you say those girls were taken to the mountains, could they still come back alive? I heard those mountain bandits have become inhumane. If girls fall into the bandit’s den, they probably can’t escape…”
“That’s for sure. I heard the yamen sent out many constables to search for the girls, but they’ve found nothing so far!~”
“……”
Upstairs, Murong Taotao listened intently for a while, a lot of question marks appearing above his head.
His sister was intelligent and sharp, resourceful and cunning. How could she have been abducted by mountain bandits?
Even if she were accidentally captured, his sister could use various methods to escape, and would never be as foolish as they described…
However, driven by his eagerness to find his sister, Murong Taotao still slowly went downstairs, intending to get to the bottom of it.
Seeing the young boy wearing a golden mask approaching them, Old Gao and Guard Li quickly stopped talking and quietly observed his reaction…
“Greetings, uncles!~” Murong Taotao stepped forward and bowed.
Old Gao looked at Murong Taotao’s face carefully and asked doubtfully, “I say, child, why are you wearing a mask when you go out? Aren’t you afraid of being robbed by villains?”
“That’s right. Look at this mask, it must be made of gold. It’s clearly not cheap…” Guard Li chimed in.
Murong Taotao: “……”
What a couple of simpletons.
He, the Imperial Tutor, could have as many masks like this as he wanted in Yan Country.
“Uncles, I’d like to ask, where were the girls from the county seat taken by those mountain bandits?” Murong Taotao narrowed his eyes, his voice neither warm nor cold. “If you can provide reasonable clues, I will reward you handsomely…”
Although Murong Taotao was intelligent and astute, he hadn’t yet realized that Old Gao and Guard Li were sent by Eunuch Zhao.
Perhaps it was his anxiety and his strong desire to find his sister that made his mind a little confused at the moment…
Old Gao rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said, “No need for rewards. We common folk are used to a hard life, what do we need that money for? However, I heard those girls were taken to Yan Country. As you know, Yan Country is vast and resource-rich, with rich people everywhere. If they sell these young and beautiful girls to them, they can earn a lot of silver…”
Heh heh, Eunuch Zhao really had a lot of clever ideas. Without realizing it, he had coaxed the young Imperial Tutor back to their country.
Guard Li also puffed out his chest, inwardly laughing heartily.
Hmph, the young Imperial Tutor renowned throughout five kingdoms was nothing special. He had fallen into their trap with just a few words…
Little did they know, after hearing this account, Murong Taotao’s lips curved into a mocking arc.
Who the fool was would be clear with a little probing.
Yan Country’s border defenses were heavily guarded, making clandestine passage almost impossible…
Moreover, Yan Country had explicit regulations stating that, apart from royal family members, no one else was allowed to buy or sell women. Monogamy had been implemented long ago. Who dared to bring concubines into their households?
Whether they were scholars and officials, local gentry, high-ranking military officers, or wealthy merchants, everyone had one wife and would be together for a lifetime…
Anyone who dared to violate the court’s regulations would face the death penalty, and their entire family would be implicated.
Therefore, Old Gao and Guard Li were clearly lying.
“Is that so?” Murong Taotao sneered, and cupped his hands towards them again. “Thank you, uncles, for the clues. This is very helpful to me. I need to go upstairs to rest, so I won’t stay any longer…”
After speaking, Murong Taotao went upstairs without looking back.
Guard Li was stunned and came back to his senses, asking Old Gao, “Old, Old Gao, what does that kid mean? Did he believe us or not?”
Old Gao was also completely bewildered and unsure, “I don’t know either. Let’s go ask Manager Zhao and see what he thinks…”
“Alright!~”
The two paid for their meal and then hurried out of the inn to find Eunuch Zhao.
Meanwhile, in Murong Taotao’s room on the second floor of the inn, the atmosphere was solemn and subdued…
Two burly men knelt before Murong Taotao, their heads bowed, trembling in fear.
“These despicable scoundrels, they are so base and shameless, actually using this method to make this Imperial Tutor return the way he came. Don’t they welcome me that much?” Murong Taotao roared.
As he spoke, he cast a cold glance at the two men and ordered, “Go, catch those people who are spreading rumors everywhere. This Imperial Tutor will tear them to shreds…”
“As you command!~”
The two men responded, then rushed out with extreme speed like a gust of wind.
Eunuch Zhao, who was puffing on his pipe by the wall while discussing matters with Old Gao and Guard Li, suddenly saw two dark figures charging towards him like lightning…
Eunuch Zhao cried out, “N, no good, they’ve found us! Quickly stop them!~”
Seeing this, Old Gao and Guard Li drew their sabers with a ‘swish, swish’ sound and engaged in a fight with the two men…
Although they were top martial artists from the Liang Kingdom’s imperial court, they were somewhat outmatched compared to Yan Country’s elite assassins.
After a few rounds, Old Gao was knocked to the ground, and Guard Li was beaten black and blue.
By the time other imperial guards rushed to reinforce them, Eunuch Zhao had already been carried away…
“Quickly pursue them! They are hiding in this inn, they can’t have gone far. If something happens to Chief Manager Zhao, none of us will survive!~”
“Yes!~”
The imperial guards swarmed into the inn like ants, but Murong Taotao’s room was already empty. Even the Ming Emperor had vanished…
Poor Old Zhao was thus abducted.