“Qiao Mu, if you’re this bothered about it, is it because my Third Brother is…” Feng Jiu’er paused, glancing around.

She wasn’t really that mean-spirited—this counted as a hidden ailment, something tied to a man’s dignity, and she knew it wasn’t something others should hear about.

Seeing that only Xiao Yingtao was behind them, Feng Jiu’er lowered her gaze and said quietly, “Does Third Brother really have some kind of problem?”

“If he really does, you two had better not hide it. This concerns both your happiness—you mustn’t conceal an illness for fear of treatment.”

“Qiao Mu, I’m a physician—maybe I can help.”

“Feng Jiu’er.” Qiao Mu stopped walking.

She too glanced around before saying quietly, “What exactly are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about my Third Brother’s problem.” Feng Jiu’er blinked her round eyes.

“It’s alright, I’m not like you—I won’t laugh at you. Tell me, what exactly is the situation? Is he too nervous, maybe?”

“Nervous, my foot!” Qiao Mu casually rapped Feng Jiu’er on the head.

“It’s not his problem.”

Qiao Mu tossed out that line and turned to walk out through the residence gate.

“It’s not?” Feng Jiu’er hurried after her. “The woman’s side shouldn’t be the problem, should it?”

“Qiao Mu, what’s really going on?”

Qiao Mu looked out at the street outside and stopped in her tracks. “He… his tongue… it pushed its way in.”

Feng Jiu’er was nearly stunned speechless by Qiao Mu’s words.

So it was just a tongue pushing in, and that was enough to make her this angry? Was Young Lady Qiao really this innocent?

That was almost too adorable!

Feng Jiu’er forced herself not to laugh, managing only to keep it silent.

She’d always assumed that, given Qiao Mu’s domineering nature and Third Brother’s devotion, the two of them would have long since…

So it turned out everything was just surface appearance! How utterly astonishing.

“Qiao Mu.” Feng Jiu’er caught up and called out tentatively.

But before she could say anything more, she saw a crowd of commoners surging toward them.

The soldiers guarding the gate, seeing this, drew their swords and moved to block the approaching crowd.

The commoners looked toward Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu; those in front knelt down, and those behind followed suit.

There were at least several dozen of them.

“What is it?” Feng Jiu’er wiped the playful smile from her face and stepped forward.

“City Lord, are you the City Lord?” a woman asked, shuffling forward a few steps on her knees.

Sensing no threat from her, the soldiers made way.

“I am.” Feng Jiu’er didn’t deny it.

She was the City Lord of Yongshan City, and every resident of Yongshan City was, in a sense, her people.

“What’s the matter? Speak!”

The woman knocked her head against the ground, and by the time she raised her eyes, her face was already streaked with tears.

“City Lord, please seek justice for us!”

“Get up and speak!” Feng Jiu’er waved a hand.

The woman wiped her tears with her sleeve and stood.

“It’s Mao Zhongcai—Mao Zhongcai is no better than a beast. After he entered the city, he seized many women. Both of my daughters were taken.”

“Everyone’s long known Mao Zhongcai’s lecherous nature—the women of Yongshan City hardly ever go out through this western gate.”

“But even so, we still keep losing our daughters from time to time. Everyone says it’s Liao Mushan’s doing.”

“City Lord, please seek justice on our behalf!”

With that, the woman knelt down once more.

“Who is Liao Mushan?” Feng Jiu’er frowned.

She knew of Mao Zhongcai, but this Liao Mushan left no impression on her at all.

In the end, it came down to how little she truly understood about Yongshan City—Feng Jiu’er felt a pang of guilt.

“Liao Mushan is Mao Zhongcai’s son-in-law.” A somewhat bolder commoner pushed past the soldiers and stepped forward.

“Our daughters are all gone now—we’re not afraid of Liao Mushan anymore. Liao Mushan deserves death! Mao Zhongcai deserves ten thousand deaths!”

“Is Liao Mushan from Yongshan City?” Feng Jiu’er asked.

“Yes.” The commoner nodded. “Mao Zhongcai loves women, the younger the better—he’s simply not human!”

“The former City Lord knew about all this too, but with Mao Zhongcai standing behind him, and no evidence to speak of, the former City Lord couldn’t do anything to Liao Mushan.”

“After the women started disappearing, Lord Duan tightened control over the western district, but it still couldn’t be stopped entirely.”

“Lord Duan had no evidence, but we all knew it was surely Liao Mushan’s doing.”

“We never imagined that as soon as Lord Duan died, Mao Zhongcai would attack the city and seize our daughters. They didn’t even spare girls as young as twelve!”

“City Lord.” The man who had stepped forward knelt down. “Please, please save our daughters.”

“They don’t understand anything—they shouldn’t have to suffer like this!”

“I will absolutely not stand by and do nothing about this.” Feng Jiu’er clenched her fists, a chill radiating from her.

She hadn’t known Mao Zhongcai had done something like this.

Whatever the reason, this lecherous wolf could not be allowed to live.

Feng Jiu’er waved a hand, and two of her men came over.

She said something to the two men, and over a dozen soldiers led the commoners away.

Feng Jiu’er stood there, seething, wishing she could rush over and cut Mao Zhongcai down that very instant.

If he was left alive, how many more young girls would he ruin? Damn him!

Feng Jiu’er had originally planned to go find something to eat, but all at once she’d lost her appetite entirely.

After she, Qiao Mu, and Xiao Yingtao entered the residence, they sat in a pavilion nearby, a map of Pingyuan City that one of the men had brought over held in her hands.

Before long, one of the men came in from outside and walked straight toward those seated under the pavilion.

“Young Miss Jiu’er, the number reported so far is over seventy people. Everyone’s account agrees—it was Mao Zhongcai’s men who broke into homes and seized them.”

“The actual number is likely higher than this. I’ve already sent men to ask around nearby, and I’ll report back the moment there’s news.”

“Good.” Feng Jiu’er closed the map. “Find some way to comfort the families, tell them…”

Feng Jiu’er seemed to think of something and looked up at the man standing beside her.

“How’s the investigation into Liao Mushan’s background going? Where’s he from? Who’s in his family? Do we know where he is right now?”

“We’ve checked.” The man replied. “Liao Mushan isn’t originally from this town, but after his marriage, he settled down here.”

“The locals say the man does nothing but idle about all day, yet he has money to burn.”

“They also say the money must be coming from Mao Zhongcai—Mao Zhongcai pays him, and in return he secretly smuggles young women out of the city.”

“According to the locals, Liao Mushan settling in this town after marriage wasn’t for his wife’s convenience in visiting her family—it was so he could more easily deliver people to Mao Zhongcai.”

“Some also say that Liao Mushan’s house was bought and given to him by Mao Zhongcai himself.”

Feng Jiu’er truly didn’t know how to describe her feelings—this wolf Mao Zhongcai had made off with so many of her people even as he retreated; his crimes were unforgivable!

“Whether Liao Mushan is here or not, this town must still have people working for him.” Qiao Mu said coldly.

Robbing wealth or grain, she cared little for. But seizing people—and vulnerable young women at that, not even sparing twelve-year-olds—how could she not care?

“There’s no one to be found at Liao Mushan’s residence.” The man said. “Our people are still searching.”