flstandardbreds Chapter 168 I Have Other Things to Do
Chapter 168 I Have Other Things to Do
The entire room had only one ventilation opening, about the size of a fist, and was dark, damp, and completely devoid of light.
When the guards shone their torches over, they saw that half of the children were bound hand and foot and were still unconscious. There were also seven or eight other children who looked ragged and disheveled, their clothes so worn that their original colors were indistinguishable. It was unclear how long they had been imprisoned.
Upon seeing someone enter, the several awake children instinctively huddled together, timidly glancing at them.
"This is outrageous! It's too much, these beasts!" Yan Yue, a pampered young master who had been spoiled since childhood, had never experienced hardship.
He simply couldn't imagine what these children had gone through after being abducted to become like this, huddled together, looking less like humans and more like frightened little animals, filled with terror, timidity, and a numbness that seemed powerless to struggle against their fate.
"Save them first." Lu Yangyang clenched her fists, suppressing her surging anger, and walked over to the children who were still unconscious. The children's clothes were still relatively neat, so they must have been brought here not long ago. She rummaged through the children and found a somewhat familiar face.
She reached out and patted the child's face, then pinched his philtrum. The child woke up groggily, looking at Lu Yangyang with a dazed expression, "You, you..."
Lu Yangyang waved her hand in front of his eyes: "Dog Egg, do you remember me? I've been to your village. Take me to your house for a drink of water!"
"Yes, it's you. Where am I? Aren't I at the lantern festival?" Gou Dan was still a little dizzy and tried to sit up to speak, but found that his whole body was limp and he couldn't muster any strength.
"You've been kidnapped, and you kept saying you can't trust strangers and can't run around! Your grandma was worried sick!" Lu Yangyang patted his head lightly, pulled him up, and carried him on her back. She then told the other guards, "Get him out of here quickly!"
Seeing this, the guards hurriedly picked up the children and carried them on their backs. Even Yan Yue picked up a child without any disgust and together they helped to send the children out of the cellar.
Unlike the children who were abducted at the lantern festival outside the Great Buddha Temple, the other children had been abducted for who knows how long and had not seen the sunlight for a long time. They were all terrified and huddled together.
Once on the ground, they huddled up tightly, utterly terrified.
"Yangyang, what should we do about them? Should we clean them up? They don't look like they've eaten in ages. We'll probably have to call a doctor." Yan Yue frowned. Only when they came into the sunlight could she see that the children's clothes were tattered, mostly torn from being whipped, and some even had bloodstains on their bodies.
"Let's get someone to clean them up first. I'll get a doctor to help later." Lu Yangyang didn't expect that besides the child who had just been abducted, there were other children here, all of whom looked to be only ten years old. There were boys and girls, and they were all covered in injuries.
At this moment, the maid who had previously given directions to Lu Yangyang volunteered, saying, "My lord, I can help take care of them. They are all leftovers with some health problems, and they can't be sold for a while. Uncle Cheng takes his anger out on them when he's drunk."
Lu Yangyang looked at the maid, who appeared to be about fourteen or fifteen years old. She had an oval face and delicate features, but her skin was a bit yellow. Her thick bangs covered her forehead, and she looked somewhat dull.
But she is by no means a dull girl.
"What's your name?" Lu Yangyang asked her.
“My name is Lüyao. I was sold into this place, but I caused quite a scene and accidentally got disfigured. So I was left in the backyard to work as a maid. I secretly saw Uncle Cheng bringing people in, and I kept an eye on it afterward. Sometimes I would secretly slip some things in through the vents, but I was just a nobody and couldn’t help with anything else.” As Lüyao spoke, she raised her hand and lifted her forehead. Sure enough, on her left temple, there was a scar about half an inch long.
She was originally sold into the family and trained to be a good hostess, but she was disfigured and could no longer enter the front courtyard or serve as a personal maid to the young ladies. She could only do rough work.
Lu Yangyang stared at her for a moment and asked, "Have you seen the person who contacts Uncle Cheng? Are you aware that Uncle Cheng sends people out every month?"
“I don’t know about these things, but I’ve seen the one who gives money to Uncle Cheng. It’s a young Taoist nun. That young Taoist nun has a lover who is Uncle Cheng’s adopted son, named A Liang. Every time that young Taoist nun comes to give money, she will have A Liang get Uncle Cheng drunk with wine and food, and the two of them will hide in A Liang’s room to do their business. A Liang is not particular and usually leaves everything to us to wash. Every time he is with that young Taoist nun…” Lü Yao was talking non-stop, but before she could finish, Yan Yue interrupted her.
"What are you saying! Get to the point!" Yan Yue shouted, his face flushed red. He glanced cautiously at Lu Yangyang and glared fiercely at Lü Yao.
Green Yao quickly shut her mouth, seemingly realizing that what she had said was inappropriate, and whispered, "I... I heard Ah Liang and that little Taoist nun plotting to find an opportunity to kill Uncle Cheng, and then have Ah Liang take over Uncle Cheng's business for a few years, and then they can run away together. That little Taoist nun also said that the Fairy Master trusts her very much, and with the Fairy Master's status, maybe they can rise to prominence together in the future."
"That's all I heard, I don't know anything else."
After saying that, Lüyao quickly lowered her head and stood aside meekly.
Lu Yangyang's eyelids twitched violently, and almost instantly she thought of someone: the Fairy of Supreme Kindness.
As for whether it is true or not, we'll have to verify it ourselves.
But if it really is her, then what would she do with these children?
"Have you seen what that little Taoist nun looks like?" Lu Yangyang asked hurriedly.
Lüyao shook her head: "She always met with Uncle Cheng alone. At most, only A Liang was present. And every time she came, she changed her clothes and covered her face. Only her hair was combed into a Taoist bun. I saw her shadow through the window, but I remember her voice."
"Okay, then if I ask you to come with me to identify her, would you dare?" Lu Yangyang looked at Lü Yao.
A flicker of excitement flashed in Lü Yao's eyes. She hesitated only briefly before nodding firmly: "I dare, Your Excellency. If you save these children, you can save my life, right?"
She looked at Lu Yangyang with some eagerness.
"I can," Lu Yangyang replied confidently.
She trusted His Highness, so even if that person was the virtuous fairy, he would definitely bring this charlatan to justice.
"Thank you, young lady!" Green Yao said excitedly.
"Is Ah Liang at Chunfanglou now?" Lu Yangyang asked another key witness.
Lüyao shook her head: "Uncle Cheng called me out to run some errands yesterday, and I haven't come back yet."
Lu Yangyang frowned and thought for a while, then instructed Luyao, "You help take care of these children for now, I'll go find a doctor."
He then looked at Yan Yue and said, "You stay here and wait for His Highness's instructions."
After saying that, he turned and walked out.
"Hey, where are you going to find a doctor?" Yan Yue called out to her worriedly, "Aren't you a doctor yourself?"
"I have other things to do."