The Comeback of the Charming Farmer's Wife

Meanwhile, the other wharf was relatively more crowded. Speaking of the road leading to this wharf, with villages on both sides, it would have been impossible for the dogs in those villages not to notice if someone appeared carrying such bloody stuff.

It made me think there might be a secret passage that led directly to the wharf. I had people search for it over the past few days, but they found nothing.

Now that my wife mentioned that the inn at the wharf might be an issue, upon reflection, it did seem quite possible. The inns there all kept dogs, which would bark if they smelled something bloody, yet when Ye Yi inquired with the locals, the faces across from the inn claimed they had never heard any unusual noises.

As a result, I had never come out to check at night, which had led me to believe that my two boats had not moved at all—that they had been left there the whole time.

The fact that the inn’s dogs smelled something yet didn’t bark was curious indeed.

So, when Ye Zi’an arrived at the yamen, he immediately had Ye Yi take men to seal off that inn. Of course, he didn’t use the girl’s disappearance as a reason, but instead the excuse of capturing assailants—who had entered the County Magistrate’s residence to kill the County Magistrate himself. He had used this excuse once before and found it particularly convenient.

However, a different scene was unfolding in the harem of his home at that moment.

"Mingcui!" After leaving the study, Yang Chuxia returned to her own courtyard, "Call Ming Yu for me. Also, have your grandmother keep Lele and Yangyang in the room, close the door, and don’t come out."

"Yes!"

Mingcui went out to fetch the person while Yang Chuxia somehow found some ropes.

After a moment, Ming Yu entered. "Madam, you called for me?"

Yang Chuxia hummed a response and then gave Mingcui a glance. Mingcui promptly locked the door from the inside and stood in front of it.

"Ming Yu, what did you come to Ye Residence to find?" Yang Chuxia asked straightforwardly.

Her gaze bore directly into Ming Yu, and if looks could kill, Ming Yu would have been a corpse by now.

"What are you talking about, Madam? I don’t quite understand," said Ming Yu, her heart skipping a beat. Had that damned Mingcui spilled the beans about her visit to the study? Was the Madam keeping an eye on her? Otherwise, how could she have known she was looking for something?

But even though that was indeed the case, she wouldn’t admit to it.

"You don’t understand?" Yang Chuxia chuckled, and suddenly, the rope in her hand lashed out as if alive, and Ming Yu reflexively dodged—a dodge far from resembling someone with no skills. Her movement suggested quite the contrary, that she was rather skilled.

"Do you understand now?" As her words fell, arrows shot out from the sleeve of her robe.

With ropes in one hand and sleeve darts in the other, launching six darts at once, after dozens of exchanges, Ming Yu was bested and thought to flee. To her, Mingcui blocking the door was hardly a concern. Her dagger aimed directly for Mingcui, "You wretched thing, dare to ruin my plan?"

But just as her words ended, a rope from behind slipped around her neck, and at the same time, an arrow struck her leg.

The fight was over, and Ming Yu was securely bound and kneeling on the ground.

Yang Chuxia’s ferocity surged, and she grabbed Ming Yu’s dagger and sharply cut off one of Ming Yu’s fingers, "You’re quite good at searching my house, huh? Speak, what are you looking for? If you don’t tell me, see that hourglass? Each time it moves, I’ll cut off one of your fingers."

"I won’t tell!"

"Is that so?" Seeing her wicked smile, Yang Chuxia quickly dislocated her jaw, and hooking with a finger, a poison packet came out. "Truly disgusting stuff."