Fuxue hesitated for a moment.

Brother Xu looked like he couldn’t beat Prince Pingnan’s heir…

“Run! Have you raised geese until you’re stupid?” Xu Xi defended against Wei Feng’s counterattacks, furious.

Was this idiot going to stay and be a burden?

Fuxue, shouted at like this by Xu Xi, ran while crying, “Brother Xu, hold on! I’ll bring Da Bai to rescue you right away!”

Xu Xi was still a youth, while Wei Feng was already a capped adult. There was a natural difference in physical strength between a youth and a young man.

Fortunately, Xu Xi chopped firewood all day, so his body had become sturdy and his hands strong. Fighting with Wei Feng, they were evenly matched.

However, hearing Fuxue call out “Brother Xu,” Xu Xi lost focus for a moment and took a punch to the face.

Blood instantly streamed down from his nose.

As waves of dizziness struck, Xu Xi thought through gritted teeth: Could that kid Fuxue be a traitor? Who drags people down like this?

Another punch came, and Xu Xi fell to the ground.

Fuxue looked back and saw this scene, unable to keep running. “Brother Xu, are you alright?”

Wei Feng snorted coldly and gave chase.

A pair of hands firmly grabbed his legs.

Xu Xi looked up and shouted hoarsely toward Fuxue’s direction, “Idiot! What use is it for you to stay? Hurry up and run!”

Even Da Bai coming would be more useful than this fool.

Fuxue nodded chaotically and fled toward the alley entrance.

“Let go!” Wei Feng raised his foot to kick.

The youth with blood all over his face looked at him, then lowered his head and bit into his calf.

A miserable scream immediately rang out.

Fuxue firmly remembered Xu Xi’s scolding and didn’t look back upon hearing that terrible cry.

He didn’t know how to do anything except raise Da Bai. Staying would only be a burden. He had to hurry back to the tavern and have Miss come rescue Brother Xu.

The youth ran with all his might, finally reaching the alley entrance.

At the alley entrance, the light was suddenly bright, but two shadowy figures stood there.

Fuxue stopped abruptly, his eyes full of terror.

Luo Chen and Xiao Qi had already rushed back to the tavern.

“Why are you back so early?” Luo Sheng put down her teacup. Sweeping her gaze and not seeing Xu Xi and Fuxue, she frowned slightly. “Did you run into trouble?”

“Fuxue disappeared. Xu Xi stayed behind to continue searching. We came back to report.” Luo Chen quickly explained the situation, his expression grave. “I think Fuxue’s disappearance isn’t as simple as being scattered by the crowd, so I came back to bring more people to search.”

Luo Sheng called Kou’er over and gave her a few quiet instructions.

Kou’er nodded repeatedly and quickly walked out of the tavern.

The main hall fell into a suffocating silence for a moment.

Fortunately, Kou’er soon came running back in breathlessly. “Miss, someone did see them!”

She quickly came to Luo Sheng’s side and whispered in her ear, “Because they’re from our tavern, those beggar children all paid some attention. A total of seven beggars saw Fuxue in different locations… Miss, please wait. This servant will draw you a map.”

Kou’er pulled out a stick of spiral black eyebrow pencil from the pouch she carried and began writing and drawing on the counter surface.

“Miss, look. Connecting the routes, this area near these residences should be where Fuxue last appeared. Oh, and according to the beggar who last saw Fuxue, besides Fuxue, there was another youth who was abducted.”

“Xu Xi!” Luo Chen and Xiao Qi said in unison.

Luo Sheng stared at the area circled on the rough sketch. “This place isn’t far from Qingxing Street…”

“Unfortunately, those beggars don’t know who abducted them. They only saw it was a young master from a wealthy family.” Kou’er felt somewhat self-reproachful. “This servant still didn’t think things through. I should have had portraits painted of all the prominent figures in the capital and slowly taught these beggars to recognize them all…”

Luo Sheng’s voice grew slightly cold. “No matter. If we don’t know who it is, we’ll just go take a look.”

Although they didn’t know who the person was, that area was inhabited by ordinary common people. Even if it was a private residence acquired by some powerful noble, it couldn’t hide many manor guards. Otherwise, if a small residence had a group of guards inside, others would see something was wrong at a glance.

In that case, bringing the Shi Yan brothers would be enough.

Before leaving, Luo Sheng instructed Kou’er, “Call Zhu Wu to guard the tavern.”

Receiving the message, Zhu Wu’s mouth twitched slightly.

So he was being used as muscle now?

They clearly knew his true identity now, yet not only didn’t they avoid him, they ordered him around.

Uncle Xing also came to the tavern with Zhu Wu.

Facing Zhu Wu’s confusion, Uncle Xing patted his shoulder and said earnestly, “From now on, work diligently at the tavern.”

When encountering someone like Miss Luo who didn’t play by the rules, it was better not to overthink things.

Speaking of which, this tavern’s environment was really quite nice.

Uncle Xing casually surveyed the main hall, thinking to himself.

Luo Sheng’s group rushed to that area of residences.

What should have been a lively place was now quiet. People had all gone to watch the top scholar parade.

Of course, there were always exceptions.

One household had its gate open, and two women were chatting idly while cracking melon seeds.

“What a pity my legs aren’t good. I missed such great excitement.” The older woman sighed.

The younger woman laughed. “Auntie Wang, you rest well. You can watch again in three years. Besides, don’t you still have me to keep you company?”

The sound of knocking came.

The two women looked over and saw a pretty young girl in red standing at the door.

“Auntie, Sister-in-law, I’d like to ask about something.”

The two women exchanged glances. The younger woman stood up and walked over. “What is it?”

Looking outside again, she discovered several people standing there. The young woman grew vigilant, her hand on the door ready to close it at any moment.

Hong Dou pointed diagonally across. “Does Sister-in-law know who owns that household?”

As she spoke, a gold leaf was pressed into the young woman’s hand.

The young woman’s eyes immediately went straight.

Vigilance? That didn’t exist.

She became much more talkative. After all, she had to be worthy of the gold leaf.

“Don’t know him, but I once saw he was a young man in his twenties, so handsome…”

The older woman dragged her unsteady old legs over. “I’ve seen him too, and I even inadvertently saw who lives there long-term—”

Reaching this point, the older woman stopped talking.

Two pale, tender fingers held a gold leaf and placed it in the older woman’s hand.

The older woman immediately beamed with smiles and said mysteriously, “The one living there long-term is actually a young man…”

“Thank you both for the information.” Hong Dou turned and returned to Luo Sheng’s side.

Luo Sheng nodded to Shi Yan.

Shi Yan walked to that household’s door and kicked it open.

“Miss, please.”

Luo Sheng walked in unhurriedly.

The two women standing at the doorway suddenly brightened.

There was actually this kind of excitement to watch?

Looking at the group walking in, the young woman said in a low voice, “Auntie Wang, do you think some young master kept someone outside and his wife came looking for him? Heavens, and he kept a man!”

“Not necessarily his wife. The young lady in the lead is still wearing a maiden’s hair arrangement.”

“Then what’s going on? Auntie Wang, you rest first. I’m going to take a look.” The young woman who had received the gold leaf had completely lost all fear of Luo Sheng’s group. She immediately went over to watch the excitement.

The older woman followed close behind.

Bad legs?

For such great excitement right at her doorstep, even if she had to crawl, she would crawl over to watch!