Chapter 34

The hunter said in a low voice.

"I've heard my grandfather say that only those legendary beasts that have gained intelligence would have that kind of look in their eyes, so... I'd bet that young man is definitely not an ordinary person!"

The middle-aged man who looked like a scholar's eyes lit up upon hearing this. He scrutinized Su Yuanshan twice, seemingly having made up his mind.

Just as the yamen runners were swinging their iron chains to loop them around Su Yuanshan's neck, the middle-aged man who looked like a scholar suddenly stepped out from the crowd and shouted.

"Stop!"

The yamen runners were stunned and about to scold him, but they saw the middle-aged man who looked like a scholar cup his hands toward the Huangliang County Magistrate and introduce himself.

"Huang Daozuo, County Assistant of the neighboring county, pays his respects to Magistrate Wang!"

The Huangliang County Magistrate was startled upon hearing this. He glanced at the other party, seemingly recognizing him, and forced a smile.

"So it is County Assistant Huang. What wind has blown you, a County Assistant from a neighboring county, to my Huangliang County?"

Seeing that the other party's tone was not very friendly, Huang Daozuo smiled.

"This official has an old friend living in your county. I came for him, but I didn't expect this to happen!"

The Huangliang County Magistrate asked in confusion.

"County Assistant Huang has an old friend in this county? How come I don't know? Who is your old friend...?"

Huang Daozuo smiled slightly and pointed at Su Yuanshan.

"This old friend of mine is right before my eyes."

"This should be a misunderstanding. I hope Magistrate Wang will grant me a small favor."

The Huangliang County Magistrate finally realized that the other party was talking about Su Yuanshan. It was obvious he wanted to play the good guy without saying it outright.

Although he was a bit unhappy, considering the other party was a County Assistant and things had reached this point, he felt he couldn't refuse to give him face.

He glared fiercely at Su Yuanshan, flicked his sleeves, and got into his sedan chair.

"Let this be the last time. This time, for the sake of County Assistant Huang, I won't hold it against you!"

"Men, lift the sedan!"

Seeing the Huangliang County Magistrate leave, the old woman seemed somewhat helpless. She wanted to shout, but eventually gave up. She looked at Su Yuanshan and then at Huang Daozuo with longing, appearing incredibly dejected.

"Magistrate Wang, take care!" Huang Daozuo cupped his hands to see off the Huangliang County Magistrate and his party, then turned to Su Yuanshan and smiled with a bow.

"I am Huang Daozuo. May I ask how to address you, young master?"

Su Yuanshan also cupped his hands and said.

"I am Su Yuanshan!"

Huang Daozuo smiled.

"So it is Young Master Su. Just now, Young Master Su stood up for the people without fear of the powerful; I truly admire you, Huang."

He pointed to a small two-story wine restaurant by the street not far away and said.

"Would you be willing to do me the honor of going up for a few drinks?"

However, Su Yuanshan glanced at the white-haired old woman, frowned slightly, and said.

"That won't be necessary. I don't like socializing!"

Huang Daozuo laughed.

"I didn't expect Young Master Su to be a man of such character. Haha, how about this: if I have a way to help this old lady seek justice, would you be willing to do me the honor of going upstairs to talk?"

Su Yuanshan nodded.

"That is feasible!"

Huang Daozuo stroked his three wisps of black beard and made a gesture of invitation.

"Then please. Please let the old lady come upstairs with us as well, so she can tell us the whole story and explain her grievance!"

The old woman was stunned, then grateful, and hurriedly kowtowed to the two of them.

"Thank you, two great lords, this common woman thanks you two great lords!"

Tears shimmered in the corners of her eyes, which, paired with the messy white hair by her ears, made her look incredibly desolate.

For the first time, the powerless old woman felt a glimmer of light, felt that the sky above her was still blue, and felt that there were still good people in this world.

Huang Daozuo asked for a private room on the second floor. The reason was simple: to listen to the old woman's grievance without interference.

Under Huang Daozuo's repeated invitations, she dared to sit down, but she kept looking left and right, appearing somewhat uneasy.

She wore a patched, coarse linen skirt covered in mud and oil stains that shimmered. Her withered fingers were stained with mud, and her veins were exposed, making her look out of place in the neat and elegant room.

The old woman's hands seemed to have nowhere to rest; she kept twisting the corner of her clothes, not daring to look at Huang Daozuo, because from the previous conversation, she seemed to understand that the person before her was also an official.

Facing Su Yuanshan, she seemed less restrained, only regarding him as a wealthy young man who acted bravely for a just cause. Beyond her surprise, she felt mostly gratitude.

However, they did not know that the scene that had just occurred had already fallen into the eyes of a master and servant on the third floor of the teahouse.

A gentle breeze brushed across the window screen, revealing a hint of pink.

A pink veil covered her face, revealing eyes as clear as water.

A pink small jacket, a pink chest wrap, a pink pleated skirt, a pink pouch, plus pink small boots—the whole person was surprisingly pink and graceful.

Sitting opposite her was a girl in a light green dress, who seemed to be a maid, her expression quite respectful.

"My... Miss... that young man in white is quite interesting... he seems... a bit familiar!"

The girl in pink glanced at her, her eyes flashing, and teased with a light laugh.

"Which handsome young man do you not find familiar?"

The girl in the blue dress blushed and pouted in dissatisfied protest.

"Miss is making fun of me!"

The girl in pink stuck out her little tongue, looking playful.

"Hee hee, just joking!"

She turned her head to look, gradually becoming serious and thoughtful, seeming like a different person from the mischievous girl just a moment ago.

"You weren't wrong, we have indeed... met him before!"

The water in the cup remained untouched. The old woman just gripped the teacup tightly, reflecting her complex inner state. She stared at the light green tea leaves swirling in the cup and spoke in a low voice.

"This old woman is from the west end of Qili Village outside the city. My late husband's surname was Zheng.

The old man died early, and only my daughter and I depended on each other for survival, usually making a living by helping others spin some hemp and weave some cloth.

This old woman's legs and feet are inconvenient, and I am old, so my strength is failing. Therefore, my daughter handles everything outside. Taking hemp silk to the employer and delivering hemp cloth are all things my daughter does. For so many years, although we have been poor, fortunately, we have been safe and sound. This old woman had hoped to just go on living like this; at least the two of us could barely make ends meet, which is much better than those poor souls who starved to death on the road, but..."

She wiped the corners of her eyes and began to choke up.

"But... a hemp rope always breaks at the thinnest point, and misfortune always finds us poor people... Just a month ago that night, my daughter took the cloth I had woven to deliver to the employer, but... she never came back after that..."

Huang Daozuo: "It seems she has gone missing. Didn't you go to the employer's house to look for her?"

The old woman smiled bitterly.

"I did. I searched his house inside and out, and even searched the nearby area. Many kind-hearted villagers came to help... but found nothing. My girl seemed to have vanished into thin air. I reported it to the officials several times, but I was driven out by the yamen runners. There was really no other way, so this old woman... this old woman had to... block the sedan..."

She wiped her eyes with the corner of her clothes, her eye rims red.

Huang Daozuo sipped his tea, his brows furrowing as he muttered.

"Another case of a missing young girl! This... really is strange!"

As the saying goes, the speaker has no intention, but the listener does. Su Yuanshan's heart stirred upon hearing this.

"What? Have there been many missing persons cases recently?"