Chapter 152: Chapter 152: His Identity
Xiao Jingran and Xiao Yuxi followed Xiao Xue as they took large and quick steps through the forest. Behind them were Steward Xu and his men.
Zhou Wenzhi and Village Head Su would stay at the camp to take care of the unconscious Xiao Fenghao, accompanied by the other villagers.
After taking some rest, Xiao Yuxi’s energy had recovered a lot, and she was rather nervous. She has told Xiao Jingran about the information they had fished out from Xiao Xue.
"Eldest Brother, Mother seems to have gotten hurt. We are surrounded by forest on all sides, so we should hurry. What if Mother is in danger?" Xiao Yuxi urged him.
The group departed again after they had breakfast. It was already morning and the sun had risen; the surroundings were more clear and less dangerous.
Xiao Xue also slowed down its speed, because it knew that the group of humans wouldn’t be able to follow it if its speed was too quick.
Occasionally, it would look back to make sure that they didn’t lose their sight of it. Based on its estimation, they probably would need a while until they arrived at the mansion.
On the other side, Zhou Anran who heard the servant girl’s words was momentarily at a loss. She became a little nervous at the thought of seeing her husband who now no longer recognized her again.
"When...?" She asked carefully.
The girl blinked. "Master has something to take care of, so if we arrange it before lunch, is it convenient?"
Zhou Anran frowned. Although she wanted to meet the person to make sure if he was really her husband, she had a more pressing matter at hand.
Her missing children.
As though she could read her mind, the servant girl immediately told her. "Lady... about your missing children. Our Master has said that he will be able to help you dispatch some people to look for them."
Zhou Anran struggled to pick her option, and she finally nodded. Even if she searched by herself in such a wide forest, she might not be able to find Xiao Fenghao and Xiao Yuxi, so it was best to accept the help they offered.
The servant girl beamed. "I will tell the Master about this, Lady. Please rest assured and have a pleasant rest."
After that, she and the other servant girls left the room. When they went back, they brought some breakfast for her before leaving her alone.
Zhou Anran didn’t even have much appetite.
The dishes looked exquisite, the kind that a village woman like her would need to take an astronomical amount to buy. Even so, she only ate a few bites and then stopped.
The wounds on her body had started to scab over, no longer feeling as stinging as before. She got up from the bed, and found her body swaying slightly.
Then, she steadied herself, taking a few deep breaths.
The servant girl had told her that she could walk around the courtyard if she wanted. They also offered to accompany her, but she rejected them all; she preferred to be alone so that she could sort out her thoughts.
She glanced at the window, finding the courtyard had become quiet.
There were only a few servants around, and even they stayed quite far, cleaning something. Zhou Anran staggered outside, wanting to clear her head by inhaling fresh air.
The servants glanced at her briefly before looking away. Some still kept stealing glances at her, and she was sure that they were discussing her.
However, Zhou Anran paid them no mind.
She scanned the surroundings. The furnishings and items in this mansion seemed to be new, as if it was built and brought not too long ago.
There wasn’t any news about a noble building a mansion here, but people still occasionally discussed how they met some guards who didn’t allow them to step further into certain territory.
She guessed that this mansion had been here for a while. It was just that it was recently renovated.
The noble picked an area quite deep into the mountain. On the opposite side of her Hejia Village. When she looked up, she could vaguely see the outline of the place where she had fallen down due to the landslide last night.
"Lady..." A hesitant voice sounded from the side.
Zhou Anran, who was standing beside a pillar, turned her head to the source of the voice. She recognized the servant girl. She was among the group of servants led by the girl...
Speaking of the servant girl who had accompanied her since last night, she hadn’t asked about her name yet.
"Does something matter?" Zhou Anran asked, her voice low.
The servant girl jolted, and she hurriedly answered. "So, it’s like this... there is a young man outside looking for you."
She fidgeted a little. "He said that he is your son."
Zhou Anran’s face shifted imperceptibly. "How does he know I am here?"
The servant girl was silent for a moment. "He found your scented sachet on the landslide location and followed the footprints that headed to this place."
Zhou Anran had just realized that her scented sachet was indeed missing. But... seeing that she wasn’t wearing her original clothes which had been smeared by soil, it was unknown whether the servants had kept it for her.
However, considering the situation at that time, the servant’s words also seemed to make sense. It might have truly been lost during the landslide.
But her son... is it Xiao Jingran?
She took a deep breath, her heart began to have some anticipation. It was also in line with Xiao Jingran’s personality for him to come looking for her.
Has he been looking all night for her? At the thought of this, her heart was filled with guilt.
She couldn’t wait to meet him.
"Where is he? Please, lead me there," Zhou Anran requested.
The servant girl nodded and she smiled kindly, taking her hand. "Lady, can you walk? I will lead you there."
"I can walk by myself," Zhou Anran assured, but the servant girl didn’t let go of her hand.
The servant girl led her somewhere, passing by several quiet courtyards. This mansion was actually quite wide. Zhou Anran could see several vague figures inside the room.
She thought she was a familiar figure in one of the courtyard they passed by, but she immediately erased the thought. Besides the man who resembled her husband, she didn’t know anyone else.
Nobles usually wouldn’t lower themselves to hang out with commoners, after all. So, she must have mistaken it for someone in her memory.
"A little bit more and we will arrive at the place, Lady. Please, hold on." The servant girl muttered.
They arrived at some unoccupied courtyard.
The servant girl pointed in a direction where two huge trees had grown like a pair of twins. "This path will lead to the outside of the mansion. We are currently in the back location..."
After that, she grabbed a chair and told Zhou Anran. "Lady, please wait here for a while. I will call over your son."
Zhou Anran nodded, and she waited. Her eyes couldn’t help but glance at the direction where the maid had disappeared with a thoughtful look on her face.
Why is the servant taking so long?
She recalled the anxious look the servant had a moment before she walked away in quick steps. Vaguely, she sensed something wrong.
It seemed that the mansion’s owner was also unaware of her son’s visit...?
Just as she was lost in deep thoughts, she found someone grabbing her shoulders roughly, almost making her stumble.
"I got you!" The sound of unpleasant laughter echoed in her ears.
Zhou Anran tried to wriggle herself out of the man’s grip. She had recognized that voice. It was the missing Sun Daniu!
Unexpectedly, he would take revenge on her now. The servant from earlier... she seemed to be in cahoots with him too.
"Let go of me!" She gritted her teeth.
Sun Daniu let go of her shoulders, but he changed the way he was restraining her by grabbing her hands. He sneered, "You never expected this day would come, didn’t you?"
He didn’t expect that the servant was also so capable. She had driven away all guards in the area and allowed him to come inside.
"Why would I let go of you?" He let out a mocking laughter. "Let’s come with me. I wonder how much you will be worth after I sell you. Must be a lot of money!"
Unfortunately, Zhou Anran had become weak and had no strength to resist because she hadn’t eaten much since yesterday. Sun Daniu could easily tug on her, dragging her outside the mansion.
She thought that she was doomed, however...
Suddenly, all the guards poured in from all directions. Some grabbed the unsuspecting Sun Daniu, who immediately released Zhou Anran.
"Your Majesty, we have caught the human trafficker!" One guard reported the moment they saw the owner of the mansion taking large steps to the scene.
Zhou Anran’s heart almost stopped breathing. Your Majesty?!
Wouldn’t that mean, the Emperor?
She lifted her head. It was still the man with a similar face to her husband.
