Chapter Fifteen: The Mysterious Disappearance

Yan Fang was taken aback, scratching his head as he asked, “Why do you ask about this, Lady Yun? Do you happen to know the missing Lady Luo?”

“No,” Yun Shuang replied. After what had happened yesterday, she felt there was no need to hide her true intentions. Turning, she pointed at the wall surrounded by a crowd and said, “There’s a missing person notice posted on that wall, isn’t there? I’m simply interested in the reward of one thousand taels of silver.”

So that was it! Although Lady Yun seemed a bit greedy, her candor about it made her rather likable.

Yan Fang’s face lit up in sudden understanding. “That’s exactly why I came to the county today—this case. I know quite a bit about it. You’re aware of the Luo family of Shanyang County, aren’t you, Lady Yun?”

Back when the original owner of this body was bedridden, Madam Hua often came to visit, always bringing news of local gossip and stories. The Luo family, with its almost legendary reputation, was well known to the original owner.

The Luo family was one of the leading merchant houses in Shanyang County, their cloth business spread throughout the whole of the Da Qi realm. Yet, their rise had only come in recent decades; before that, they had been no more than ordinary cloth merchants.

It was said that some twenty years ago, Luo Dafu, the then head of the family, was transporting a shipment of cloth to Shanyang County to sell when he happened to be caught up in an invasion from the northern Jinmeng Kingdom. The local garrison failed to hold the last line of defense, allowing the Jinmeng cavalry to occupy Xia Prefecture for a month.

During that month, the people of Xia Prefecture suffered unspeakably, at the mercy of the Jinmeng soldiers’ pillage and slaughter. Luo Dafu found himself trapped in Xia Prefecture, nearly losing his life to the invaders, when a clever young woman saved him. She hid him in her family’s cellar, and together they endured that harrowing month, surviving until the court finally sent reinforcements to drive out the Jinmeng forces.

A man and a woman alone in such confinement, both unmarried, it was only natural that feelings grew between them. Once free, Luo Dafu immediately wrote home, prepared a generous betrothal gift, and went to the woman’s family to propose.

After their marriage, it was as if fortune smiled upon Luo Dafu. The cloth business flourished, expanding rapidly until he became a renowned merchant throughout the south. The couple’s affection was the envy of all, and within a few years, they were blessed with a daughter. To anyone watching, their life seemed perfect.

Yet fate is fickle. Luo Dafu’s wife had always been frail, and after giving birth, her health declined even further. She passed away when their daughter was only five.

Devastated, Luo Dafu vowed never to marry again and to raise his only daughter by himself. He longed to return to Shanyang County to honor his late wife’s memory, but unrest along the border made him hesitant to move.

Four years ago, perhaps feeling the weight of age, Luo Dafu’s wish to settle in Shanyang County grew stronger. At the same time, he heard that a new, fearsome general had been appointed in Xia Prefecture. After discussing it with his daughter and making thorough preparations, the two purchased an estate in Shanyang and moved there.

A year ago, after years of illness, Luo Dafu himself passed away, leaving only his daughter and the husband he had personally chosen for her two years prior—Fan Youliang.

Yet just five days ago, Lady Luo mysteriously vanished while out, and has not been seen since.

The missing person notice posted on that wall was written by Fan Youliang himself, and the reward had doubled from five hundred to a thousand taels, yet not a single trace of Lady Luo had been found.

Because Lady Luo had disappeared on her way to the Guanyin Temple outside town, and given the border’s notorious lack of safety, with Jinmeng’s threat beyond and bandits within, many in town speculated she’d been abducted, and after so many days, her fate seemed grim.

After listening to Yan Fang’s account, Yun Shuang’s gaze flickered. She asked, “The Luo family is wealthy and prominent. Surely Lady Luo would not have gone to the temple without protection?”

Yan Fang nodded at once. “Of course. They say Lady Luo went to the Guanyin Temple to pray for a child. Fan Youliang, her husband, had promised to accompany her, but a problem at one of their cloth shops required his attention. Feeling guilty, he personally chose a team of guards to escort her.”

“How did Lady Luo go missing? Didn’t the guards notice anything?”

“They said that halfway there, Lady Luo complained of thirst. Oddly, the water flasks they had prepared were dry. So Lady Luo had them stop for a rest and sent her maid, Lianxin, to ask the villagers nearby for water.

While waiting for Lianxin to return, Lady Luo stepped out of the carriage, saying she wanted to walk in the woods a bit. The guards offered to accompany her, but she insisted she wanted some time alone and would call out if there was any danger. The guards could only wait by the carriage.

But…”

Yun Shuang finished for him in a calm voice. “But Lady Luo never returned.”

“Exactly!” Yan Fang nodded vigorously, looking perplexed. “Isn’t it odd, Lady Yun? The guards waited a quarter of an hour, then, growing uneasy, searched for her. When they realized she was gone, they enlisted the villagers’ help, and as soon as the Luo family learned, they reported it. By that afternoon, every inch of the area was searched, but not a single clue was found—not even a strand of her hair!

Just a quarter of an hour—if she’d been abducted, surely she couldn’t have been taken far. How could there be no trace at all?”

Yun Shuang said, “And there’s something else that’s troubling.”

Yan Fang looked at her curiously. “What is it?”

“You said Lady Luo has been missing for five days already, correct?”

Yan Fang nodded.

“And yet, in all these five days, the Luo family hasn’t received a single ransom letter.”

Yan Fang paused, scratching his head again. “Maybe the culprit isn’t after money, but beauty? I’ve heard Lady Luo may not be a peerless beauty, but she is said to be rather lovely!”

Yun Shuang arched an eyebrow. “That’s possible. But there’s another possibility: Lady Luo’s disappearance was orchestrated deliberately by someone for reasons other than money or lust.”

There was, of course, the chance she’d fallen victim to a murderer targeting women, but that seemed less likely, as there had been no similar murders locally of late.

At this, Yan Fang’s eyes suddenly lit up. “That’s what the General said just now!”

Yun Shuang was taken aback. The General? That difficult man from yesterday?

So he was here too?

Come to think of it, Yan Fang had said he was here for this case. Could there be some connection between this case and them?

Before Yun Shuang could ask anything further, a cold, stern voice, sharp as if it pierced the soul, suddenly rang out—

“Yan Fang, mind your tongue. There’s no need to tell an outsider so much.”

Yun Shuang’s eyes narrowed slightly as she turned toward the county office’s main gate.

There, striding toward them, was a man as tall and imposing as a mountain, his handsome face utterly devoid of emotion. His eyes, sharp as an eagle’s, swept over Yun Shuang with barely a glance before moving on.

Yet that single look was enough to press upon them the chilling presence of an army at the gates.

Yan Fang snapped to attention instantly, barking, “Yes, General!” Even as he spoke, he shot Yun Shuang exaggerated winks, perfectly illustrating the meaning of two-faced duplicity.

Yun Shuang ignored him, turning to face the man now standing before them. She bowed and said calmly, “Greetings, General. Yet I must respectfully disagree with your words just now.”