Reborn, the daughter of the Marquisate went crazy

Jiang Muxue disappeared completely.

Leng Shuang and his gang searched almost the entire Shengjing City, but the flying snow buried all traces completely, and all that was left for them were the bodies of Chen Heng buried in the snow.

The cold wind was like a knife, cutting Leng Shuang's cheeks painfully, but her heart was even colder than the ice and snow. She had failed the young lady's instructions and deserved death, but now that the lady's whereabouts were unknown, she didn't even have the right to die.

She pushed back the tears, clenched her fists, and her eyes were as sharp as a knife. The next moment, she flashed and rushed towards the Jiang Mansion. She would mobilize all her strength, even if it meant overturning the entire Shengjing City, to rescue her wife!

……

Two days later, Qingzhou City.

As dusk fell, the last ray of light in the sky faded away, and the street lanterns lit up one after another, casting mottled and swaying light and shadows.

Under the cover of night, two men quietly appeared in a quiet alley. They were dressed in coarse cloth, with hemp ropes tied around their waists and worn cloth shoes on their feet, looking like two poor people struggling to make a living.

However, with a light leap, the two of them glided lightly into a house. They quickly crossed the yard and went straight to the main house. The room was brightly lit and warm, a stark contrast to the cold outside.

One of them slammed the door shut, while the other quickly walked to the charcoal brazier, warmed their cold fingers, and then neatly removed the human skin mask, revealing a beautiful and refined face. In the candlelight, her eyebrows and eyes were picturesque, her skin was white as snow. It was Xie Qingli, who was supposed to be on her way back to Beijing.

Her brow furrowed slightly as she sighed softly, "How dare this black market set up right here in the middle of a busy street, uncovered by the sun, uncovered without a trace? It's truly audacious. Such brazenness suggests the power behind it is formidable."

Chu Yuncang had also taken off his mask. He nodded solemnly, took out a cloth bag from his bosom and placed it on the table. He opened a corner to reveal the snow-white salt inside and whispered, "Salt is the main ingredient of food and the people rely on it. The importance of salt is related to the country!"

Xie Qingli reached out and pinched a handful of salt, rubbing it gently with his fingertips. He murmured, "This salt is of excellent quality, clearly official salt. Why is it on the black market? And what does this have to do with the secret of the Xie family's wealth?"

Chu Yuncang's eyes were deep as he spoke slowly, "Dongling's salt business has always been a government-run monopoly. Salt permits and salt tickets are all fixed, and the distribution channels are extremely strict. Now that this official salt has appeared on the black market, it's clear that someone is secretly manipulating it."

Xie Qingli's eyes widened in surprise, "Could it be that the Xie family was involved in the illegal salt trade? But before Xie Jingyuan became successful, the Xie family was at most a well-off family. How could they have such great power?"

Chu Yuncang pondered for a moment and whispered, "This matter is indeed strange. But the people I sent to Qingzhou have been investigating for over a month, and apart from finding that the Xie family's branch frequently interacted with black market salt dealers, they haven't found anything else suspicious."

Just as he finished speaking, there was a knock on the door. Liu Guang outside the door lowered his voice and said, "Master, there is an urgent report."

Chu Yuncang and Xie Qingli exchanged a glance, a trace of solemnity flashing through their hearts. He whispered, "Come in."

The door was gently pushed open, and a shadow guard flashed in like a ghost. He knelt on one knee, holding two secret letters in his hands and raised them respectfully above his head.

Chu Yuncang took the secret letter, his slender fingers quickly turning the pages, his brows gradually furrowed. Xie Qingli stood aside, his eyes fixed on Chu Yuncang's face, feeling a little uneasy in his heart. He couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, what happened?"

Chu Yuncang handed the secret letter to Xie Qingli, hesitating to speak, and finally said softly: "Li'er, read it yourself!"

Xie Qingli took the secret letter, his fingertips trembled slightly, and he almost couldn't wait to unfold the letter.

It turned out that shortly after they left, the magistrate of Jiazhou Prefecture hastily closed the case and sentenced Mao and Lu Qian to exile in the bitter cold of the northwest, where the wind and snow raged year-round, survival was difficult, and there was virtually no return.

In this way, the evil guy has been eliminated, Lu Li no longer has to worry about his life, and the purpose of this trip to Jiazhou has been completely achieved.

But Xie Qingli's heart didn't feel any easier, instead it felt heavier. She took a deep breath, suppressed her uneasiness, and continued to unfold the second letter.

Chu Yuncang's eyes were fixed on Xie Qingli, filled with heartache and reluctance. He wanted to reach out and snatch the letter away, not wanting Xie Qingli to see the bad news. But Xie Qingli was not one of those delicate ladies confined to the harem; he had no right to make decisions for her.

Xie Qingli's eyes swept across the letter like lightning. Suddenly, her pupils shrank and she clenched the letter tightly: Mother... is missing!

She felt dizzy, her ears were buzzing, and even breathing was extremely difficult, as if an invisible hand was strangling her throat, and everything in front of her became blurred.

Seeing this, Chu Yuncang hurriedly helped Xie Qingli sit down and said softly, "Don't panic, Li'er. Let's put the Qingzhou matter aside for now. We will set off for Beijing tomorrow morning. Don't worry, Li'er. Leng Shuang has already asked the Jiang family for help. With the Jiang family's help, Aunt Jiang will be safe. Perhaps, Aunt Jiang is chatting and laughing with Old Madam Jiang at this moment."

A chilling coldness flashed in his eyes, and his tone gradually darkened. "My grandfather has always been in good health. He's a stern man who strictly observes etiquette. He would never do something so abrupt as to invite Aunt Jiang out. I wonder who dared to deceive Aunt Jiang in the name of the Yao Mansion. It's truly audacious. I will send a message back immediately, and everyone in the Prince's Mansion will fully investigate this matter."

Xie Qingli raised her head, tears glistening in her eyes, like stars falling into the deep sea, shattered and desolate. She clutched Chu Yuncang's sleeve tightly, her voice hoarse and trembling, "Your Highness, I... I can't wait even a moment. My mother is the one I have fought for two lifetimes to protect. If something happens to her, what is the meaning of my life..."

Those tears were like scorching flames, burning Chu Yuncang's heart. He couldn't help but raise his hand and gently wipe away the tears from Xie Qingli's eyes. He said softly, "Okay, let's set off immediately. I will find Aunt Jiang at all costs. Li'er, don't worry, I will never let Aunt Jiang get hurt."

Xie Qingli nodded, the panic in her eyes gradually replaced by a hint of determination. She must save her mother. Otherwise, she would no longer care about the country, the righteousness of the world, and would go on a killing spree, strangling all her enemies to death...

At the same time, in a remote residential building south of Shengjing City, dim light streamed in through the half-open windows, barely illuminating the vague outlines of the room. But a biting cold wind also rushed in, attacking every inch of the air in the room.

Jiang Muxue was tied tightly to the foot of the bed with thick hemp ropes, still dressed the same way as she was on the day she disappeared. Her hands were tied behind her back, her hair was disheveled, her face was pale, a worn rag was stuffed in her mouth, and her body was shivering from the cold.

"Bang~"

Suddenly, the door was kicked open violently. The huge noise echoed in the silent house, and the air seemed to tremble for a moment.

Against the light, Aunt Hua appeared at the doorway. In her hand, she held a kitchen knife that gleamed coldly. A sinister smile hung on the corner of her mouth, and her eyes were as fierce as a wolf, staring intently at Jiang Muxue in the room, as if she wanted to devour her alive...