"Jingxing, this is Qiao'er, Si Yun's personal maid. Ever since she discovered Si Yun was missing, I ordered the scene sealed off, allowing no one to enter or exit."
After Xu Changling's introduction, Lin Qingge said with a grave expression:
"Qiao'er, is it? When did you discover your young lady was missing?"
Lin Qingge was wearing casual clothes. Maid Qiao'er curtsied to her and replied:
"Reporting to young sir, the young lady needs to wake up early to practice calligraphy. I always come in at Maoshi to help her with washing and dressing."
Maoshi is equivalent to around six in the morning in her past life. It was rare for a young lady from a sheltered background to be so disciplined.
Saying 'pardon me,' Lin Qingge stepped into the room.
Glancing around, Lin Qingge saw that the bedding on the bed was in disarray, but a pair of embroidered shoes were neatly placed at the foot of the bed.
Not far away, a sash hung lonely on a screen.
"Qiao'er, do you know which dress your young lady was wearing when she went missing?"
"It should be the Pleated Skirt of Green Lotus that I prepared yesterday."
Lin Qingge pointed to the screen as she spoke, "Then is this sash meant to match that skirt?"
"Yes."
After Maid Qiao'er answered, she couldn't help but look puzzled, "That's strange. My young lady usually pays great attention to her appearance. How could she leave without tying her sash?"
Hearing Maid Qiao'er's words, Xu Changling immediately understood the gravity of the situation.
At this moment, Leng Ningyue, who was standing by the window, suddenly spoke:
"The bolt on the window frame shows signs of being pried open, and a small hole has been poked in one corner of the window."
Lin Qingge walked over to take a look and indeed, it was as Leng Ningyue had said.
Lin Qingge, who could almost confirm that Xu Siyun had met with misfortune, cupped her hands towards Xu Changling, whose face was as grim as the water:
"Master, may I speak with you privately?"
The three of them returned to the side hall they were in previously. Lin Qingge got straight to the point:
"Master, your daughter has most likely been taken hostage. May I ask if you have offended anyone recently?"
Xu Changling thought for a moment, "I have only recently arrived in Fengtian Prefecture. If I have offended anyone, you know who it is, Jingxing. However, I have already hidden myself in Fengtian Prefecture. His Highness the Second Prince is still a prince, surely he wouldn't go to such lengths to hunt me down?"
"Indeed, if His Highness the Second Prince truly intended to target your daughter, he would have made his move when you were still in Shuntian Prefecture. Royalties are extremely protective of their reputation. Even if His Highness the Second Prince is a lecher, he wouldn't be foolish enough to abduct the daughter of a powerful official and invite public criticism. However, besides His Highness the Second Prince, Master, you may have also offended another person."
"Who?"
"Wei Dongting, the former Prefect of Fengtian Prefecture."
Hearing Lin Qingge's answer, Xu Changling asked with some confusion, "Hasn't that Wei Dongting already been apprehended by the Ministry of Justice?"
"Master, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Even though Wei Dongting has been imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice, his influence in Fengtian Prefecture for so many years remains. You have taken over Wei Dongting's position as Prefect. It is hard to guarantee that Wei Dongting's cronies will not pin the blame for Wei Dongting's downfall and imprisonment on you, and then do something untoward to you and your family. Of course, this is just my student's conjecture at the moment. Besides this, have there been any similar incidents of women being abducted in Fengtian Prefecture recently?"
"Now that you mention it, I do recall. Although it wasn't officially reported, as far as I know, there has been a flower thief active in Fengtian Prefecture recently. Jingxing, you don't think Siyun was abducted by that flower thief, do you?"
When it came to his beloved daughter, even the normally impartial Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture lost his composure.
"Master, where did you hear about this flower thief?"
"It's like this: yesterday, a couple came to the yamen to report that their daughter had been molested by a flower thief. However, their daughter vehemently denied it, even saying that it was entirely voluntary, nearly causing her parents to faint at the entrance of the yamen."
Lin Qingge, who had seen many people desperate to die after their reputation was tarnished, was astonished, "There's such a strange thing?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Changling regained his dignified demeanor as an elder, "Jingxing, you are still young. The world is vast, and there are all sorts of strange things. When I was in Shuntian Prefecture, I also encountered similar cases. It is said that the man who called himself a flower thief was handsome and elegant, and every night he would break into the private rooms of young women. Those unmarried girls, inexperienced in the ways of the world, were deceived by his sweet talk, believing they had met their true love, unaware that he was only after their beauty. Since those girls all insisted it was voluntary, even knowing of such a flower thief, there was no way to arrest him. When I first heard of it yesterday, I immediately thought of that flower thief. Who would have thought he would extend his wicked hand to Siyun!" By the end, Xu Changling was grinding his teeth.
"Master, please don't worry. There is no evidence yet to suggest that your daughter was abducted by that flower thief. According to what Master said, that flower thief is very confident in his appearance and should not stoop to force. Moreover, your daughter is intelligent and kind-hearted; she wouldn't be easily deceived by a few sweet words. By the way, Master, have you heard of the flower thief abducting any women?"
"No, I haven't."
With Lin Qingge's analysis, Xu Changling's expression slightly eased, but his brow remained tightly furrowed.
"Master, are there any patrol guards in the manor?" Lin Qingge recalled that last time Wei Dongting came to the yamen to act arrogantly, he relied on the manor guards. However, Xu Changling shook his head repeatedly, "Jingxing, you are unaware that the flower thief has achieved mastery in lightness skills. The youngest daughter of the Great General of the Zhen Army was once targeted by that flower thief. The Great General, upon learning of this, flew into a rage and set up a watertight net within his manor. Even so, the flower thief was still able to come and go as he pleased, as if entering an empty realm."
"No wonder he is so brazen." Lin Qingge felt that compared to this flower thief, Lu Mingxuan, who only scammed money but not virtue, seemed much more likable. Rubbing his chin back and forth, Lin Qingge had an idea, "Master, do you know where the couple who reported to the yamen yesterday live?"
"I had people record their address at the time." Xu Changling quickly went to find someone. A moment later, he returned with a slip of paper bearing the address.
Lin Qingge exchanged a look with Leng Ningyue and they both stood up to leave. As they reached the yamen entrance, they happened to see Yan Tinghao riding over on his horse.
"Whoa—" Yan Tinghao pulled back on the reins, and the galloping horse only just stopped.
"Officer Yan, why have you come?" Yan Tinghao, who had ridden at full speed, ignored the sweat on his forehead and said breathlessly, "Master, it's bad! The young master, he... he's been abducted!"