Chapter 93: Where Are the Birds?

He immediately ordered the preparation of a silver note worth three thousand taels, placed it under the big tree at the back door as instructed, held it down with a stone, then retreated to the mansion and shut the gate tight.

Xiao Yuanhang personally led Xiao Ningxun and two elite Prince's Mansion Guards, silently leapt onto the roof, slipped into the shadow behind a nearby ridge, and stared fixedly at the big tree at the doorway.

After waiting more than an hour, a black figure finally crept out, quickly reached under the tree, took out the silver note and slipped it into his pocket, then vanished into the alleys.

"Follow!" Xiao Yuanhang barked low, and the few moved like ghosts, silently pursuing.

The skinny tall man, extremely cunning, looped repeatedly through the bustling alleys, and finally slipped into an inconspicuous small inn.

Xiao Ningxun, anxious as fire, said, "Father, I'll go catch him, torture him severely; otherwise we can't learn Tuan Tuan's whereabouts."

Xiao Yuanhang shook his head, "What if he simply doesn't show, or shows too late?"

"This thief went out alone; there must be accomplices in the hideout. If he doesn't return promptly, he'll alert them; if he moves elsewhere, it'll be even harder. Don't rush; wait for him to emerge."

About an hour later, the skinny tall man slipped out, but had changed into different clothes, his face now sprouted messy beard, even his gait was slightly hunched, looking a completely different person from before.

"What a shrewd thief!" Xiao Ningxun thought inwardly, his father's words were right; fortunately he hadn't acted rashly just now.

The newly disguised skinny tall man circled the alleys a few more times, and finally plunged into that maze‑like slum.

The huts here were low and dense, the lanes narrow as seams; the skinny tall man crouched, weaving twists, and vanished from sight.

Xiao Yuanhang and a few others lay atop a relatively high, ruined wall on the outer perimeter, gazing at the looming, black, ant‑hill‑like expanse of rooftops, brows furrowed.

"Father, this area is huge; the houses are packed together, we have no idea which one he entered!" Xiao Ningxun whispered anxiously, "A reckless search will surely stir up the grass and scare the snakes!"

"If they can settle here, they must have an escape method! If they blend into the crowd, or a desperate dog jumps the wall and harms the sister…"

Xiao Yuanhang's complexion was as dark as water.

These bandits were even more cunning than he had imagined.

The lair had been located, but only its general area, not the precise spot.

He summoned men from Jingzhao Prefecture, who made a quick sweep of the place, yet how to locate the daughter and keep her absolutely safe became the most thorny problem now.

At this moment, inside that hidden dilapidated house, the skinny tall man proudly slapped the silver note onto the table.

"Big brother, we got it! Three thousand‑tael silver note! Brothers, this time we've hit a windfall! That little girl's family is truly rich; they handed it over without a word!"

The three stared at the massive silver note, greed flashing in their eyes, ecstatic joy spilling from their words.

The middle‑aged man asked, "No one followed, right?"

The skinny tall man smiled faintly, "Don't worry, big brother; look at me— even if they follow, they'll never find this place!"

The Tall thug was completely unbothered, "Stop overthinking, big brother; even if someone trails us, this place is a tangled maze, four‑way connected, impossible to pinpoint our location."

He laughed so hard his mouth wouldn't close, "Hehe, big brother, this run wasn't smooth, but with this windfall, it was worth it!"

In the corner, Tuan Tuan's little brows knit tightly, wondering whether father and brothers had followed the money.

Why did they say that even if they followed they couldn't find the place…

Tuan Tuan had never been here, clueless about what the outside looks like.

Location, location, my location! How can I let others know where I am?

Jade Bone Whistle! Wang Shushu's men will come when they hear it!

Her eyes lit up, then she began to worry again; the Jade Bone Whistle is in the Sachet, but the Sachet is in their hands, unreachable.

Even if she could get it, her limbs are immobilized, she couldn't blow it!

Suddenly, she saw the half‑dry, hard mantou tossed beside her.

Her eyes flicked, an idea!

She stretched out her bound little foot, kicked the mantou disdainfully, lifted her small face, and complained with righteous indignation:

"I don't want this! I want meat! My family gave you so much silver; go buy me some meat!"

The Tall thug, hearing meat, licked his lips, "Big brother…"

The middle‑aged man set his face hard, "No! Going to exchange the silver note now, to get caught? We'll deal with that after we leave the city!"

The skinny tall man sneered, "Little girl, just eat what's there! The brothers gnaw on dry rations; you still want meat? Hold on!"

Tuan Tuan, however, wouldn't give up; her little mouth pursed as if to hang on an oil bottle, kicking her bound leg and whining, "No! I want meat!"

"You took my family's money; you must buy me meat!"

She seemed to recall something, "Right! My little Sachet? Inside is a small white‑jade whistle I use to call my birds!"

"I raise many big birds, and they're obedient! When I blow the whistle, they all fly over to eat with me!"

"Give me the whistle, I'll summon the birds, have them fetch meat back, then everyone gets meat, right?"

The few listened, first stunned, then burst into louder raucous laughter.

"Did you hear that? That little fool wants birds to fetch her meat!"

"Hahaha, the daughter of a wealthy family is different; even her birds have turned into blossoms!"

"Big brother, I think she's clueless, helped us take her family's money, and now she still wants her birds to fetch meat! She's utterly foolish!"

The middle‑aged man shook his head, fully treating Tuan Tuan as a spoiled, mindless rich girl.

The Tall thug suddenly stopped laughing, "Big brother! We could call her birds, catch them, roast them, and that would be fine!"

The skinny tall man replied: "That's a good idea. Big brother, think about it—what birds can a little girl raise? Probably just pigeons for child's play; if the pigeons get fat, there's plenty of meat!"

The middle‑aged man thought it over, found it reasonable, and nodded.

The Tall thug eagerly fished out Tuan Tuan's Sachet, and indeed pulled out a warm, pristine little white‑jade whistle.

"Tsk tsk, rich families are different; even their bird toys are so exquisite! This whistle could probably fetch a good price."

After saying that, he walked to the doorway and blew hard once.

The whistle sounded unusually loud and sharp, startling a few, "No wonder it can summon birds; the sound is so piercing!"

The Tall thug turned back to Tuan Tuan, "Is this okay?"

Tuan Tuan shook her head, "One blast isn't enough! Blow it a few more times, then they'll hear."

"Indeed." The Tall thug blew it four or five more times in succession.

Tuan Tuan happily nodded: "All right! My little birds will come flying soon!" He strained his neck, staring hard toward the gate.

Where is Uncle Wang? Did you hear? Can you find me?

The middle-aged man and the tall, thin person walked to the door together, and together with the Tall thug they gazed toward the distant sky—where are the birds?