Yanzi Town wasn’t far from the Baoquan County seat. Jiang Si and her group arrived there after just a couple of hours.
The town was bustling with people coming and going.
Yu Jin observed the passersby and smiled, “Seems quite a few people are interested in those hundred taels of silver.”
Seeing the town more prosperous and lively than expected, Jiang Zhan’s interest was piqued. “I’ll go ask about local specialties.”
One of Jiang Zhan’s greatest pleasures was collecting local delicacies and unique trinkets for his sister at every place they visited.
Taking advantage of Jiang Zhan’s absence, Yu Jin moved a step closer to Jiang Si.
Sharp-eyed A-Man noticed this, putting her hands on her hips and glaring, hoping this presumptuous suitor would back off.
Yu Jin completely ignored A-Man’s existence and asked in a lowered voice, “Is Master Chi’s missing daughter another victim?”
Jiang Si knew she couldn’t hide it from him and nodded.
“Still planning to play ghost?”
Jiang Si nodded again.
If she wanted Master Chi to report to the authorities, she couldn’t approach this matter as an ordinary person.
A stranger coming to say, “Your daughter was killed by a powerful noble from the capital, quickly report it to seek justice for her!” wouldn’t work.
Evidence? There was none. How did she know? Well, she couldn’t say.
Unless someone had lost their mind, they wouldn’t act on such claims.
Of course, Master Chi’s daughter was indeed missing, and he might be half-believing, but facing capital nobility was daunting for a common person – how could he act on a stranger’s word alone?
The most prudent approach was still to use Phantom Firefly to appear as Miss Chi’s spirit in a dream.
From Miss Li’s words, it was clear Miss Chi had been lively and free-spirited. Such a girl must have grown up cherished, surely having a deeply loving father.
“At midnight?”
Jiang Si gave Yu Jin a look.
What else? Showing up in broad daylight would be asking for trouble.
“Take me with you,” he stated matter-of-factly.
Jiang Si’s face darkened.
Yu Jin smiled, “Take me along, and I promise not to say a word. If you need to kill someone, I’ll hand you the knife. If you’re playing Ghost, I can fan the ghostly wind with a fan. I’ll be more useful than your maid.”
The young maid’s pretty face twisted momentarily, suddenly feeling deeply threatened.
Being a favored head maid wasn’t easy, and now there was competition for her mistress’s favor!
“And if I don’t take you?”
Yu Jin waved at Jiang Zhan, who was buying ice treats nearby, and said with a smile, “I’ll tell your Second Brother.”
Jiang Si: “…” She wanted to kill this shameless fellow!
“So what will it be? Take me along or shall I tell your Second Brother?”
“Master Yu—” Jiang Si took a deep breath, maintaining her composure.
“Yes?”
“This behavior makes me dislike you even more.”
Yu Jin’s expression didn’t change: “I’d rather you dislike me than let you take risks alone.”
“It’s only a risk if there’s uncertainty—”
Yu Jin cut her off: “Nothing is absolute. Besides, even if you think there’s absolutely no danger, if I think there is, that’s not acceptable.”
Jiang Si opened her mouth but was too angry to speak, turning away instead.
“Second Brother Jiang is coming back,” Yu Jin reminded her with a light laugh.
“Fine, follow if you must.”
Yu Jin couldn’t help but smile.
“What’s so amusing?”
“I just told Miss Jiang a joke.”
Jiang Zhan’s face fell as he held the ice treats.
To think someone would try to amuse his Fourth Sister while he was buying her treats – this was truly impossible to guard against!
“I have an even funnier joke, Second Brother Jiang should hear it too…” Yu Jin secretly sighed as he wracked his brains for a joke.
It wasn’t easy trying to please both A-Si and his future brother-in-law.
Yanzi Town was neither large nor small. Due to its convenient location, travelers from the north and south often stop here to rest. It had everything from taverns to teahouses and inns. At the town’s edge lay a vast lotus pond, now in full glory with endless green leaves.
Learning of this attraction, Jiang Zhan wanted to take Jiang Si and Yu Jin there.
Having reluctantly agreed to work with Yu Jin, and having arranged for him to first inquire about Master Chi’s household, Yu Jin made an excuse to decline Jiang Zhan’s invitation.
Jiang Zhan was glad to have Yu Jin away from his sister and enthusiastically took Jiang Si boating among the lotus. They returned to the inn at dusk, having thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
The window-side table was laden with dishes when Yu Jin welcomed them: “I figured you’d be back about now. The food just arrived, still hot.”
Jiang Zhan’s eyes lit up seeing the braised pork: “Seventh Brother Yu truly knows my taste.”
Yu Jin smiled, handing them chopsticks: “Everyone’s tired today. Let’s rest early after eating and explore more tomorrow.”
He then placed some white-cut chicken in Jiang Si’s dish: “Try this, Miss Jiang.”
Jiang Si looked up to see him wink.
She ate the chicken slowly, wondering: was there some meaning in him serving her chicken?
After dinner, everyone returned to their rooms. When A-Man wanted to prepare bath items, Jiang Si stopped her: “Not yet.”
She pondered that Yu Jin serving her chicken must have had some significance, probably indicating when he would come.
The Hour of the Rooster – he should arrive soon.
Just as she thought this, there was a gentle knock at the door.
A-Man looked at Jiang Si.
“Open the door and let him in.”
“Yes.” A-Man quickly opened the door.
Yu Jin slipped in smoothly.
“You—”
Before A-Man could speak, Jiang Si called out: “A-Man, please close the door.”
A-Man had no choice but to comply, watching Yu Jin’s every move.
Yu Jin strode to sit beside Jiang Si and shared his findings: “I know where Master Chi lives now, and something is interesting that might help our plan.”
“What is it?” Jiang Si had given up commenting on his familiarity.
“Master Chi usually travels for business this time of year, returning no earlier than late summer. He didn’t come back early because servants informed him of his daughter’s disappearance, but because he had recurring nightmares of his daughter crying for help. Master Chi grew so worried that he ended his business early to rush back, only to find his daughter truly missing. This strange occurrence has spread through his household servants’ gossip.”
Jiang Si listened quietly, suddenly thinking of her father.
Before she left, her father had pulled Second Brother’s ear while giving many instructions, and those dried peaches and apricots she used to bribe the novice monk at Lingwu Temple were all prepared by her father.
“Perhaps it’s the connection between father and daughter,” Jiang Si felt a lump in her throat.
Yu Jin smiled slightly: “If Master Chi would rush back just from nightmares about his daughter, our plan has an even better chance. When do you want to act?”
“At the Hour of the Rat.”
“Good, I’ll come for you then.”
As Yu Jin prepared to leave, Jiang Si asked to confirm her suspicion: “During dinner, you gave me chicken. Were you suggesting a meeting at the Hour of the Rooster?”
Yu Jin paused, then smiled: “I just thought the white-cut chicken was tasty.”
Jiang Si: “…”