Chapter 33: Jiang Wan Has Disappeared Too!

The Fragrant Courtyard.

At this moment, the main gate was tightly shut, and there was no one guarding it outside. Zhao Mang felt a sense of unease. He stepped up to the gate and knocked, but after waiting for a long time, no one answered. He knocked again. Just as he was about to climb over the wall, the courtyard gate finally creaked open.

Qin Zhenzhen poked her head out timidly, glancing around. The moment she saw it was Zhao Mang, she threw the gate wide open and leaped into his arms, sobbing as she poured out her grievances.

"Brother Mang! Sister Wan'er is gone!"

Zhao Mang stroked her head gently. "Don't cry, don't cry. Tell me clearly—what exactly happened? Where are the maids and guards of the courtyard?"

Qin Zhenzhen wiped the tears from her face, looking at Zhao Mang, whom she had not seen for many days. She said pitifully, "Brother Mang... I haven't seen you for so long. The daughter of the woman from the Wang family—the one we brought back—went missing. When Sister Wan'er heard about it, she went to visit them, and that was the last time we saw her. She never came back! It has already been a full day!"

Hearing this, Zhao Mang was struck with shock. He turned to look at Wang Mazi behind him, his voice icy. "When did you receive the news? When did your daughter go missing?"

Wang Mazi replied slowly, "Squad Leader Zhao, you know we just returned from suppressing the bandits. I only saw the letter the moment I got back. By that time, we had already been in the camp for a day. I am terribly anxious. My daughter is still young; she wouldn't just run off. Something must have happened."

Zhao Mang pondered for a moment. It was true; this had occurred shortly after they returned from their mission. Could it be that the information Jiang Wan provided him had been discovered?

Zhao Mang kissed Qin Zhenzhen on the forehead and said tenderly, "It will be alright. Wait here at home, little sister. I will go and find out the truth. I will definitely bring Wan'er back."

Without stopping to rest, he handed the candied hawthorns and a small brocade box he had been carrying to Qin Zhenzhen. After saying his goodbyes, he mounted his horse and rode off with Wang Mazi, rushing toward Wang Mazi’s current home. It seemed as if everything began with Wang Mazi's daughter, Wang Shuang, but Zhao Mang sensed there was more to it than met the eye.

***

Less than a quarter of an hour later, the two men arrived at Wang Mazi’s home. They knocked on the door, and Wang Mazi’s mother, Madam Jia, answered. Seeing her son, she burst into tears, unable to stop them from falling.

"Dawa! You’ve finally returned. Your granddaughter has been missing for two days! If you hadn't come back, this house would have fallen apart."

Wang Mazi, his face full of sorrow, reached out to pull his mother close. "Mother, tell me clearly—what exactly is the situation?"

Madam Jia then noticed Zhao Mang standing behind him. "And this is?"

Wang Mazi looked back, impatient. "Mother, don't worry. This is my superior. Please, explain what happened."

Madam Jia suddenly realized. "Is this the young lady Jiang's betrothed?"

"Yes," Wang Mazi confirmed.

Madam Jia, as if seeing a savior, immediately stepped past her son and grabbed Zhao Mang’s hand. "Sir! You have come just in time. Please, I beg you, save my granddaughter! And also that Miss Jiang who saved our family."

From her words, Zhao Mang realized she had witnessed both incidents. "Don't worry, Madam. Please, tell me carefully exactly what happened."

Madam Jia pulled Zhao Mang and Wang Mazi into the courtyard. "I don't know the reason behind it. I only know that night, someone invaded our home and abducted my granddaughter. We only discovered it the next day and immediately sent word to Miss Jiang’s servants. For some reason, Miss Jiang didn't arrive at our home to investigate until the following day. It was that very day that a group of neatly dressed men broke in and took Miss Jiang away."

Zhao Mang fell into deep thought. "Madam, do you know who those people were?"

Madam Jia looked at him blankly. "I don't know."

Zhao Mang frowned. "Do you remember any distinctive features about them?"

As he asked, Madam Jia seemed to recall something. "Wait! On the hem of each of their garments, there was an embroidered character—'Jiang'. The same 'Jiang' as in Miss Jiang's name."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Mang immediately thought of the Jiang family. Since those garments were unique to the Jiang family’s own guards, he found it strange. Wasn't Jiang Wan the eldest daughter of the Jiang family? Why would the family's own guards take her away?

Thinking of this, Zhao Mang could not afford to delay. Since the matter was linked to Jiang Wan through Wang Mazi's daughter, it was certainly not simple. Time was of the essence.

***

Zhao Mang immediately led Wang Mazi toward the central district in the west of the city, where the Jiang family headquarters was located. A row of large courtyards there belonged entirely to the Jiangs, and the street adjacent to their businesses was extremely prosperous.

At the entrance of the Jiang estate, a large archway held a black plaque with gold lettering that read "Jiang Mansion." The grandeur of the place surpassed even the county magistrate’s office, and two massive stone lions at the gate emphasized the family's immense wealth.

Upon arriving, Zhao Mang dismounted and knocked on the door. After a moment, the door opened a crack, and a head peeked out.

"Who are you? What is your business here?"

Zhao Mang suppressed his anger and replied calmly, "I am Zhao Mang of the Frontier Army. I am looking for your eldest young lady; I have an urgent matter to discuss!"

The servants of the Jiang household were sharp. Having experienced the events of the past two days, during which the family's power had briefly shifted hands, the servant spoke with arrogant pride: "If the General is here to see the eldest young lady, you are too late. Two days ago, the eldest young lady ceded the management of the Jiang family to the young master, Jiang Kuo."

He lifted his chin, looking at Zhao Mang with contempt. "Jiang Kuo is in charge of everything regarding the Jiang family now. You’ve come to the wrong person."

Seeing that Zhao Mang made no move to leave, the servant prepared to slam the door shut. Enraged by the man’s arrogance and his attempt to shut him out, Zhao Mang reached out and gripped the edge of the door, holding it firmly in place.

"Then let me ask you: where is Jiang Kuo right now?"

The servant had never encountered such a display of force. He pushed with all his might, but the door wouldn't budge an inch, causing his face to flush red.

"How dare you! This is the Jiang family, not some common household! You have no respect for the rules. I will have you thrown into prison to be dealt with properly!"

Seeing the servant continue to dodge the question, Zhao Mang’s patience vanished. Burning with fury, he reached out and grabbed the servant by the throat, tightening his grip slightly.

"Answer what I ask you, and stop spouting such nonsense! Now, I will ask you one more time: Where! Is! Jiang Kuo!"