Chapter 6

"Mr. Ding! Are we looking for someone or...?"

Ding Baojun's words were full of implications, and Jiang Yuangji couldn't fail to notice. However, Yang Sanlang's pulse was so vague that he could only tentatively ask the Yang family's chief steward.

"Third Master..."

Jiang Yuangji was in a dilemma, and so was Ding Baojun. To solve the problem, they needed to ask the main person involved.

"What are you here for?"

Jiang Yuangji asked Ding Baojun, who then asked Yang Meng, and Yang Meng passed the question to Ma Qinghu and his group.

"Third Master, I want to find my sister. The villagers who came with me have also had family members kidnapped recently. We are here to find them."

Ma Qinghu's insightful words made it clear to those in the dark what they were supposed to do.

With one word from Jiang Yuangji, hundreds of Yiliang's constables sprang into action, and the same happened at Ding Baojun's side. The swordsmen in the yard were also given orders and hurriedly left the county office.

"Third Master, please wait here. I will send someone to inform you as soon as there is any news."

Even if the governor had come, Jiang Yuangji wouldn't have acted this way. However, the Yang family in Yunnan was more powerful than the sky, and he, a county magistrate, couldn't resist them. Besides, if this matter was handled well, it would benefit him as well. A true man knows when to yield and when to stand firm.

"We will go with you, but Mr. Jiang should stay and oversee the county office. What about their outfits?"

Yang Meng also learned from Old Ding and called Mr. Jiang. He was not familiar with the place, so this was a good opportunity to get acquainted. Looking at the pitiful group of two or three dozen men, providing them with outfits would also help them.

"This is easy!"

Jiang Yuangji didn't refuse. Leading a team himself as a county magistrate might not sound good, but it was a good excuse to back down. As for the dozens of outfits, Yiliang County wasn't short of them.

Before long, dozens of sets of blue cross-collar jackets, trousers, and black boots were brought in by Yiliang's constables. The group of poor men were stunned and hesitated, unsure of what to do.

"Ma Qinghu, lead the way and change. Why are you so slow in changing clothes? Don't you want to find your sister?"

Seeing the timid group, Yang Meng frowned. These people lacked the wildness and were too meek.

At the mention of finding his sister, Ma Qinghu didn't hesitate. He grabbed a set of clothes from the pile and started to put them on.

"Get rid of your old rags. Don't wear so many layers; it will be too hot."

These people were too cautious, even afraid to take a piece of clothing. Was the county office of the Qing Dynasty so intimidating? Looking at Old Ding, who treated Jiang Yuangji like a servant, Yang Meng didn't think much of it either.

Under Ma Qinghu's lead, the poor men trembled as they took off their tattered clothes. Apart from Ma Qinghu, who was relatively sturdy, the rest were skin and bones, their bones clearly visible, like old men with muscle atrophy.

Without hesitation, they grabbed the clothes and put them on, as if they were thieves.

"Stop being so chaotic! Pick carefully and choose the right size. You! Your robe is almost touching the ground. Change into a suitable one. And the boots, try them on first to see if they fit. No one is going to fight you for them."

These people were truly useless. A pile of clothes made them act so timid. He wondered if it was the same in other places.

Ding Baojun smiled. This Third Master of the Yang family was finally getting the hang of it. He wondered how happy his elder brother would be when he returned.

After a lot of fuss, the poor men finally changed into their new clothes. As the saying goes, a man is dressed by his clothes, and a horse by its saddle. Wearing the blue outfits, they looked more spirited.

"Mr. Jiang, get some weapons. We can't face the kidnappers with bare hands."

Yang Meng had quickly become familiar with the situation. To get rid of this trouble, Jiang Yuangji was willing to comply. Several dozen waist knives were brought in, and a few steaming baskets of mixed flour buns were also served.

Seeing the food, Yang Meng's stomach growled. He took a few buns and sat on the steps of the yard to eat. The poor men looked at him with hungry eyes, swallowing continuously.

"What are you looking at? Take them and eat. If you don't eat, you'll be hungry!"

Yang Meng mumbled, the coarse buns tasting incredibly sweet. After eating seven or eight buns, he felt better. The poor men had already emptied the baskets.

"More!"

At Yang Meng's command, more rice, buns, and other food were brought in. This time, everyone was full, but nothing was left. These people ate and took as if they had never seen food before.

"Now that we have clothes and are full, let's go! Mr. Jiang, you stay in the county office and oversee the situation."

Yang Meng's flattery made Jiang Yuangji feel extremely comfortable. He didn't want to get involved in this matter and quickly agreed.

The group left the county office in a chaotic manner. The poor men, however, didn't know how to walk, tiptoeing as if afraid to step on something.

Yang Meng didn't bother with them. These people who had never seen the world, were a pair of shoes really that important?

"Uncle Ding, what do we do next?"

Old Ding was now his support. He could handle small matters himself, but finding the kidnappers required guidance.

"Wait! Wait at the county office gate. Someone will inform us soon. Third Master, how did you come to this realization? Let me see too."

Ding Baojun had a plan. To accomplish this, they needed to rely on Yiliang County. Some things couldn't be said openly.

"Realization?"

Yang Meng was also puzzled. Old Ding didn't seem to be suspicious, and the events he had experienced were hard to believe even for him. He decided to make up a story.

"After I left home, I went up the mountain and hunted a deer. I had only eaten half when two black bears appeared. I thought, 'Can I share my food with you?' So I carried the deer and ran. But the black bears ran faster than me. Just as they were about to catch me, a monk appeared, hit me on the head, and said, 'Fool, if you drop it, you'll be fine!' Then I left the mountain and was hit on the head."

Ding Baojun believed Yang Meng's story. Who else could enlighten Third Master Yang except a high master?

"Third Master, we need to tell the old man about this when we return. He should prepare some offerings and visit the Buddha in Yunnan. If we meet that master, we should build a grand temple for him."

Buddhism was prevalent in Yunnan, and Yang Meng's story sounded like an enlightenment. Such strange events were common in Yunnan and Tibet.

"It happened so fast, I didn't see the master clearly. I just felt a clear sensation on the top of my head, and everything became clear."

Following Old Ding's lead, Yang Meng completed his lie. This couldn't be related to the golden Buddha, could it? If so, he would have to worship the Buddha in the future.

"That's why I said the old man should visit each temple. This is the virtue of our ancestors! In the future, we should do more good deeds and not misuse our abilities. Otherwise, the master might get angry and take back his power."

Old Ding's words were light, but Yang Meng was determined to do good and accumulate virtue, kill more bad people, and save more good people. This human trafficking case would be a good start.

Thinking of this, Yang Meng turned his gaze to the group of poor men. Since the Yang family was powerful, he would help them.

"Uncle Ding, can we find a place for these people?"

Looking at their faces, they were not old, just in their twenties or thirties, but their bodies were weak. If they could find a place for them to live and eat, it would be a good deed.

"That's easy. I'll have someone find the manager of our estate in Yiliang and arrange for them. It's a small matter."

Since the third son of the Yang family had received the master's favor, doing good deeds was appropriate. Ding Baojun readily agreed.

"Uncle Ding, I used to live aimlessly and didn't know much about family affairs. Can you tell me more?"

New to the situation, he needed to understand the Yang family and the Qing Dynasty to live well this time. His previous life had been tumultuous, and he wanted to live a colorful life this time.

"These things can wait. Ask the old man when we return. He will be more willing to talk about it. The situation in Yiliang is almost resolved, and I believe the people here won't make us wait until dawn."

Ding Baojun spoke calmly, but his words carried a hint of menace. Yang Meng, sensitive to such things, realized the Yang family wasn't a good-natured group.

With two or three dozen poor men and the three hundred men Ding Baojun brought, they blocked the entrance to the Yiliang county office. The assistant magistrate, who had been away for a long time, returned with a group of constables from outside the city. His smile indicated that the matter was resolved.

It seemed the county office was efficient, something he hadn't noticed before. There were many nuances involved.

"Third Master! Mr. Ding! We found the den, but the kidnappers got wind of it and fled. We have found the kidnapped people, but we didn't do a good job."

The assistant magistrate's words were fawning, unlike his previous accusations. It seemed the waters in Yiliang were deep.

"Finding the people is good. It's getting dark. Let's finish this quickly so I can take Third Master back to Kunming. It's a hundred miles, and it's not easy to travel at night."

Ding Baojun didn't say much. A few kidnappers escaping was not a big deal. The most important thing was to take Third Master back and make his elder brother happy. He didn't want to get involved in other matters.

As for the county office, his elder brother would handle it. Finding the kidnapped people was enough.

"Where is it? Take me there!"

Ding Baojun was eager to return to Kunming, but Yang Meng wanted to resolve his first task. He couldn't let Ma Qinghu down, who had given him a second chance. He had to find his sister today.

"It's outside the city, and the road is rugged. Let's bring the people back here."

The assistant magistrate's face showed some difficulty, indicating there were more nuances involved.

"I need to stretch my legs. Let's go together!"

Yang Meng didn't care about the nuances. Since the Yang family's reputation was effective, he would take charge.

"Alright, Third Master, Mr. Ding, when do we leave?"

The matter was settled. The assistant magistrate, like Jiang Yuangji, wanted to get rid of the Yang family's trouble as soon as possible to avoid any further issues.