The moon is in the middle of the sky, and the night is as cool as water.

The wind lantern hanging at the entrance of the Yuelai Inn swayed gently with the wind, casting a halo of light on the ground, and a few dog barks from time to time in the alley. Several dark figures stood in front of the door and looked around, and in a flash, they went around to the side door.

One crouched down, and the other stepped on his shoulders and climbed up the wall, turning over and leaping into the inn. After looking around, and seeing that there was no abnormality, he let out a few cricket calls. Raise your hand to open the side door, and the others rush in.

Zhou Wentao sat at the table and looked through the account book. All the goods were ready, and he wanted to check the books again at night, so as not to be in a hurry when he left tomorrow. On this quiet night, the sound of him rummaging through the ledger was particularly loud. The dim light stretched his shadow very long, and he raised his hand to reach for the teacup in hand, and when he touched it, he found that the teacup was empty. He went to get the kettle on the table, and when the kettle was light, he shook it with his hand, and it was empty. He turned his head to look at the drooling little guy and shook his head helplessly.

Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw a dark shadow reflected on the window, and Zhou Wentao was shocked. Subconsciously clutched the account book and sat there stiffly, not knowing how to react. Gradually, he felt his eyelids sink more and more. He chuckled inwardly and shook his head vigorously in an attempt to sober himself up. But with this shaking, he couldn't sit still, and the whole person lay on the table weakly.

The dark shadow outside the window pried open the window, jumped in silently, and lifted the unconscious Zhou Wentao and walked out. The man at the back took a letter from his bosom and placed it on the table, and thoughtfully closed the door.

Several people came to the side door, and one of them took out a fire fold and shook it at the mouth of the alley not far away. A carriage came by, and the wheels and hooves of the carriage were wrapped in cloth, so that even in the dead of night, there was no noise to disturb anyone.

*****

The sky gradually dawned, and the earth was hazy, as if shrouded in a silver veil.

As soon as Zhou Yuxue turned over, she found that the side was empty, and knew that Kong Hai had gotten up early to study. She closed her eyes and wanted to continue sleeping for a while, but as soon as she closed her eyes, she remembered the situation when Ziyi and her eldest brother talked yesterday. I was annoyed, why was I hiding at the time?

There was a desire to move in the courtyard outside, and she knew that it was Kong Mei who got up. Alas, she rolled over again, not wanting to get up. But as soon as she remembered Kong Hai, she told her with a straight face: "Xiaomei is our sister, not a maid at home. She is already very tired from working as a helper in the store every day, and you still instruct her to do this and that every day, how can you bear it?"

Alas! Zhou Yuxue sighed and sat up, when is this day a leader?

No, you can't be trapped in this small courtyard, this will never come out! But now it's only up to the big sister. How do you rely on the big sister? She finished her meal absentmindedly, and turned around and went out without brushing the dishes and chopsticks.

Although I haven't thought of a way to impress the big sister, I can go and see the big brother first. The eldest brother came to Jiangzhou to buy goods, and he should have brought a lot of silver with him. Thinking of this, Zhou Yuxue couldn't help but speed up her pace.

Zhou Yuxue walked lightly to the door of the Yuelai Inn, but saw Mu Hai, the little servant beside Zhou Wentao, sitting on the side of the road crying. Zhou Yuxue's heart chuckled, squatted beside Mu Hai, and asked softly, "Mu Hai, why are you here, big brother?" She said softly, for fear of scaring people.

Mu Hai raised his head in confusion and looked at the person in front of him suspiciously. After seeing the person clearly, as if grasping a life-saving straw, he grabbed Zhou Yuxue's arm tightly, and cried: "Girl, girl, it's so good to see you, it's so good! Please, please, save my young master, please······"

Zhou Yuxue looked at Mu Hai, who had a snot and tears on his face, and frowned in disgust. If it weren't for the purpose of coming here today, I would have thrown people away a long time ago. She endured her nausea and said patiently: "Don't cry, talk slowly, what's going on? You said a lot of incoherent words, and I didn't understand a word. ”

Mu Hai looked at the red and swollen eyes, and said in a long-winded manner: "In the morning, I didn't see the young master when I got up, thinking that he had gone out, but later, I found that the bedding on the bed was neatly stacked there. I was so sleepy yesterday that I fell asleep. I don't know what points the young master saw when he looked at the account book, so I ······"

"Enough!" Zhou Yuxue shouted sharply, raised her hand and rubbed her temples, her brain hurt by his quarrel, and she scolded in a low voice, "Tell the point!"

"Oh, oh, I don't know when the young master slept or didn't sleep·······" Mu Hai babbled. "That's enough! I've said it, let you get to the point!" Zhou Yuxue interrupted him impatiently, and when she saw him stunned, she opened her mouth and ordered: "Tell me directly what happened to your young master now." Just as she was about to speak, she threatened, "If you say more nonsense, I won't care about you." Cry on your own street in this unfamiliar place. Did you hear that?" Seeing Mu Hai nodding blankly, he commanded in a deep voice, "Say, what's going on?"

Mu Hai was just about to cry, but at last week's stern eyes, he was so frightened that he held back, and said timidly: "The young master is gone." There was a letter on the table. As he spoke, he respectfully handed the letter in his hand to Zhou Yuxue, looking at her with blank eyes, hoping that she would be able to rescue the eldest young master of his family.

Zhou Yuxue glanced at Mu Hai suspiciously, took the letter, and gently unfolded it, only to see that it was written, "People are in our hands, take 200,000 taels of silver in exchange." If you want people to be safe, don't alarm the government, otherwise you ······" Otherwise, there is no word on the back, just a pool of bright red blood stains.

Zhou Yuxue read it again and watched it again. His hands trembled incessantly, his chest rose and fell, and he couldn't stop panting. Mu Hai thought she was frightened, her face turned white with fright, and she said reproachfully: "Girl, girl, are you okay? But, but, the minions can't do it······! Suddenly, his eyes lit up, he glanced around, and said in a low voice, "Why don't we go and report to the official!"

"No, absolutely not!" Zhou Yuxue said sharply, realizing that she had lost her temper, she hurriedly lowered her voice and said, "Didn't you see the blood stains on the letter?"