The Double

The two maids were startled, and Ming Yue quickly squatted down, pushing Bai Xue and shouting, "Sister Bai Xue! Sister Bai Xue!"

Bai Xue did not respond for a long time. Qingfeng thought of something and hurriedly ran to the opposite side—to Jiang Li’s chamber. She first knocked on the door, and then burst in, only to see the room was empty; no one was there.

"It’s terrible, it’s terrible!" Qingfeng ran towards Night Wind Hall.

Madam Jiang the Elder, upon hearing the news, fainted from a rush of anger. Jiang Yuanbai and Jiang Yuanping sent people to search, and what a search it turned out to be—it was only then discovered that the guards watching the back door of Jiang Residence had all been drugged last night, and were currently lying haphazardly on the ground, not yet awakened. Bai Xue and Tonger had also been drugged and were lying on the ground.

Jiang Li had vanished into thin air.

Jiang Yuanping immediately thought of the incident that had taken place with the Ye Family in Yanjing City yesterday and said, "Little Li is missing; could it be related to the silencing of the member of the Ye Family?"

"I heard that another maid in Second Miss’s room is also missing?" Jiang Yuanbai caught Ming Yue and asked, "Is that maid someone from Duke Residence?"

"Yes." Ming Yue answered cautiously, "The miss said Jiuyue had a knack for hairdressing, so she brought Jiuyue back. This morning, I didn’t see a trace of Jiuyue, and I don’t know if she is with the miss."

Being entangled with Duke Residence, the matter was not simple. Especially the guards of Jiang Residence, ordinary drugs couldn’t possibly have drugged them. However, this matter was of great importance, and Jiang Yuanping said, "Brother, why not let someone go to Duke Residence and inquire, what identity does this maid called Jiuyue have, and whether this matter has anything to do with Duke Su? My biggest fear is that our Jiang Family might be unwittingly involved in something we know nothing about."

Jiang Yuanbai’s expression grew grim, and he nodded. He did not immediately let it be known that Jiang Li was missing. Jiang Li’s chamber was tidy, with the blankets properly folded, which meant she hadn’t slept there last night. There were no signs of struggle in the room, so it was not possible that someone had entered and abducted Jiang Li. It appeared more like Jiang Li had left of her own accord. With the addition of a maid from Duke Residence, Jiang Yuanbai felt that the matter was not as simple as it seemed.

Those sent to Duke Residence returned quickly with the report: Duke Su Jih Heng was not in Yanjing City, and Old General Jih was also out of Yanjing City. There was no one in Duke Residence who could take charge; no one could answer Jiang Yuanbai’s questions.