FBC – Chapter 95 Is It Her?

When the Inspectorate official heard that the Duke Yong had personally arrived, he ran over in a panic, even losing his official hat in the process.

The Duke Yong sat upright in the main seat, and the room was packed wall to wall with the black-armored guards of the Mu family army. The scene was so intimidating that the official’s legs gave out, and he fell to his knees with a wail.

“Your Grace, I—I haven’t done anything illegal!”

Chi Yu coldly snorted. “The Inspectorate is in charge of the capital’s public safety, yet under broad daylight, someone dared to kidnap the young madam of the Duke’s household. My lord, would you say that’s not a problem?”

The official’s face turned ghostly pale. “The—The young madam?”

He quickly turned toward the group of people kneeling with their heads down. “Didn’t you say it was the young madam’s younger sister?”

The men didn’t dare raise their heads. The leader muttered, “We—we didn’t know her identity. A lady said it was her younger sister who’d been kidnapped.”

“Did you go after them?”

“We did chase them, but we couldn’t find anyone… so—so we came back.”

A life was at stake, yet they just gave up like that.

Chi Yu was furious. “The one who was kidnapped is the young madam of the Duke’s manor! The Duke himself has come in person, and you still dare to question it?”

“We were deceived too…” The group began to sob in terror.

Every minute of delay meant more danger for Gu Hua. Mu Junyan didn’t want to waste any more time.

He suddenly stood up. “The one kidnapped is this lord’s daughter-in-law. If your Inspectorate fails to find her, it means you’re sheltering criminals and letting them run wild in the capital. If any harm comes to a member of the imperial clan, I swear none of you will keep your heads!”

With that, he turned and strode out, leading his men away.

“Your Grace! Your Grace! We’ll search right away! We’ll turn the capital upside down if we must!”

The official scrambled after them, shouting and crying.

Once the black-armored guards had stormed out, he turned on his subordinates with fists and kicks. “Useless fools! Notify the city garrison, lock down all the gates! The rest of you—search the city! Every inch!”

The Inspectorate descended into chaos, mobilizing all forces in a frenzy.

Mu Junyan had intentionally provoked this response. If the Mu family’s black-armored guards conducted a city-wide search on their own, it could be seen as overstepping and give enemies a reason to impeach him for misconduct, delaying the rescue. But if the Inspectorate led a public operation, he could “assist” them openly and justifiably.

Bianjing was a bustling, sleepless city, renowned for its pleasure houses and taverns.

At nightfall, crowds flooded the streets in pursuit of entertainment.

The busiest avenues were lined with street performers, filled with the buzz of people and carts—a scene of vibrant chaos.

Gu Hua had been disguised in the costume of a street performer and hidden inside a large wooden trunk that was quietly transported to Xinghua House, a low-end brothel west of the city.

The place was a haven for all sorts—scoundrels, drifters, and the shady underbelly of society.

Once inside, a group of men moved quickly. Lu Laosan barked out, “Quick, open the box! Don’t suffocate her! If something happens, how can we answer to the young master?”

Huang Laosan sneered. “You’re too softhearted. Just kill her—it’s easier and less trouble.”

Lu Laosan retorted, “Did the young master order us to kill her? Didn’t he say to strip her and toss her onto the street? She’s the Duke’s daughter-in-law. If she dies, you think they’ll spare us?”

Huang Laosan’s face darkened. “Mu Junyan is my sworn enemy! He won’t spare us? I won’t spare him!”

“You think you can kill him? The young master forbade killing because he didn’t want suspicion falling on the Prince’s estate. The county princess was just rejected, and now the Duke’s daughter-in-law goes missing. You think the Duke’s men are idiots?”

Lu Laosan dismissed him, knowing full well Huang Laosan was all brute and no brain.

The trunk was opened.

Both Lu Laosan and Huang Laosan instinctively looked inside—and froze.

The nearby thugs also found their eyes glued to the contents, unable to move.

Inside the black wooden box lay an unconscious beauty.

She wore a green ruqun jacket with a pale yellow pleated skirt. Her face was like porcelain, her skin even whiter than snow.

Her long lashes were tightly shut, delicate and curled like butterfly wings. Her nose was dainty, lips slightly parted, and her curled-up figure accentuated every soft and graceful curve.

She was breathtaking beyond compare.

Huang Laosan swallowed hard. “Damn… a peerless beauty.”

“She’s the Duke’s daughter-in-law. Did you think she’d be plain?” Lu Laosan shot him a look and nudged him with an elbow as he changed out of his performer’s outfit.

Huang Laosan, now stirred, dropped his earlier sarcasm and chuckled lewdly as he rubbed his hands together.

“I’ve seen many beauties—slept with that Yao Yao from Yichun Courtyard—but never one this delicate and tempting.”

He nudged Lu Laosan again. “Look at her—better food, better clothes than us. Those wrists? Tied for just a short while and already bleeding. So tender.”

He suddenly grabbed Lu Laosan by the sleeve, dragging him closer and whispered, “That bastard Mu Junyan killed my brother. I sleep with his daughter-in-law—what’s wrong with that? His son’s one lucky bastard. If it were me, I’d keep her in bed every night till she begged for mercy.”

Lu Laosan jerked his sleeve back and scoffed. “Not everyone’s a pervert like you—chasing after even sows.”

Huang Laosan snorted. “What man doesn’t like women? Don’t you cling to your Chunhua every morning?”

Lu Laosan’s face turned grim.

Huang Laosan chuckled. “See? Can’t take a joke when it’s about your woman.”

“Desire is human nature,” he said, rubbing his hands as he leaned toward the box, reaching for her partly opened collar.

Lu Laosan grabbed his arm. “What are you doing? You dare lay hands on the Duke’s daughter-in-law? The young master said not to harm her.”

Huang Laosan flung his arm away. “Mu Junyan killed my brother! I joined the Xuanji Hall to take revenge!”

“Keep your voice down!” Lu Laosan panicked.

Huang Laosan immediately shut up.

But his eyes still flicked greedily toward the woman. In a low voice, he muttered, “She gets stripped and tossed on the street—will the Duke Estate still keep her? That’s a death sentence already. Might as well let me enjoy her first. Let the War God and his son taste shame and heartbreak!”

Lu Laosan knew Huang Laosan’s type well—he lost all reason when faced with a beautiful woman.

“That’s enough. If the young master finds out you broke the rules, he won’t spare you.”

“He listens to Young Lord Jiang, doesn’t he? And once her reputation’s ruined, what difference does it make if I touch her?”

Unable to hold back anymore, Huang reached into the box.

Just then, the door burst open and in strode a white-robed man wearing a silver half-mask.

Lu Laosan immediately grabbed Huang Laosan’s arm and bowed. “Young master, you’re here.”

Though Huang Laosan often badmouthed the man behind his back, he was terrified in person. He withdrew his hand and stood up straight. “Young master.”

Ji Xuanyu stormed in like a gust of wind. Forcing down the thudding in his chest, he looked at the curled-up woman in the box. Her head drooped down, so he couldn’t see her face—but her figure…

He suddenly froze.

Was this his Sister Hua?

She looked different from his childhood memory.

Ji Xuanyu straightened up and coldly turned to Huang Laosan.

Huang Laosan, now sweating buckets, quickly waved his hands. “Young master, I didn’t—I didn’t touch her!”

“You’re sure she’s the Duke’s daughter-in-law’s sister?”

Behind the mask, Ji Xuanyu’s eyes were clouded and his voice bone-chilling.

“S-some maid said so, but someone else said she was the young madam…” Huang stammered under the pressure of that gaze.

Ji Xuanyu frowned, glancing back at the woman in the box.

Her figure was too mature to be a young girl—but her hair was styled like a maiden’s.

He had learned that after marrying Mu An, Gu Wanru became pregnant soon after and recently brought Gu Hua into the Duke’s manor.

Concubine Pei was now trying to have Pei Yi taken in as a concubine. Ji Xuanyu, unable to enter the Duke’s estate, had no way of knowing the real situation inside.

Now that he’d seen her with his own eyes, the delicate beauty before him left him stunned.

Back then, Hua-meimei hadn’t grown up yet. He only remembered her clear, smiling eyes that once stole his heart.

Ji Xuanyu was filled with doubt—

But hadn’t Mu An personally said the woman at Yichun Courtyard right now… was Gu Wanru?