Unexpectedly, she was so anxious this time. This maid must be very important for her. Wu Jitian then agreed. He made an obeisance and said, “Go take care of your family problem! I’ll be waiting for you.”

Dong Ling smiled with relief. Before she was about to leave, Wu Jitian stopped her. He ripped off a dragon-phoenix jade pendant from his belt and gave it to her.

He explained, “Since you agree to escort me, as a rule, I should give the down payment. After careful consideration, I think this jade pendant should be the best down payment. How about ten days? Come to me in ten days!”

Wu Jitian looked sincere. Dong Ling gazed at the jade pendant in his hand. She didn’t decline it. Instead, she took it with a faint smile and then went downstairs without even looking back.

The pa.s.sion in Wu Jitian’s eyes didn’t fade until Dong Ling drifted away. Then he looked serious and calm as he used to be.

Without warning, he gave an order, “Go contact our secret guards hidden in Xiangzhou and ask them to send a team to protect Miss Dong. Make sure she can do whatever she wants and no one hurts her!”

Guards around him were all shocked. They wondered why their master used his secret guards for a girl! What a miracle!

“Oh…” Wu Jitian continued, “Lin Zang, deploy our troops on the border. We should always have precautions!” He gave a deep glance at Lin Zang, walked back to the table, took up the tea cup and brushed away the floating tea leaves with the lid.

Dong Ling rushed back to Li Village with Zhumo.

They were walking so quickly that Zhumo breathed heavily and Dong Ling was also sweating. Pinp.r.i.c.ks of sweat rolled along the hair on her temples.

As soon as she walked through the gate, Old Li, who had been paced back and forth in the doorway, rushed up in a cold sweat.  

“Where is she?” asked Dong Ling.

Old Li thought she was asking about Feicui. He stood in front of her unsteadily and stuttered, “We haven’t found her yet.”

He looked carefully at Dong Ling and saw her face getting doomed. For fear of annoying her, he hurriedly added, “Please don’t worry. I’ve sent all our servants to look for her separately. If it goes smoothly, we’ll find her tonight.”

As he spoke, he licked his lips nervously and stood aside submissively.

Compared to a mere maid, Dong Ling cared more for her mom. She didn’t reply, but headed for the bedroom with vigorous strides.

Old Li was confused and he just followed her. On the way, he couldn’t help explaining, “Miss Ling, we have nothing to do with this. As soon as I knew Feicui was missing, I sent guys to look for her…”

“I know. Don’t follow me.” Dong Ling frowned, turned around and stopped him from nagging.

She pushed the door open and saw Concubine Lin doing needlework in the room. She finally let out a sigh of relief and asked, “Mom, are you all right?”

“You just went out, didn’t you? What brings you back?” asked Concubine Lin. She was confused when she saw the worried look on Dong Ling’s face and stopped the needlework.

 “When I was told Feicui was missing, I feared you might be in danger. So, I rushed back before the meal was finished.” replied Dong Ling.

Concubine Lin was touched. She knew her daughter cared for her a lot. She took Dong Ling’s hand and had her sit down before she made some tea.

She explained bitterly, “I’m all right. Don’t worry. But Feicui used to take care of me. If she has some accident…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll try my best to find her!” Dong Ling promised because she didn’t want her mom to be disconsolate.

The hot tea gave out a delicate smell, whose mist went up slowly. Holding the cup in her hands, Dong Ling felt much warmer. After she calmed down, she left her mom’s room.

But before she walked out of the yard, she could faintly hear someone calling her from behind. She stopped and looked back.

“Miss Lin, wait!”

Dong Ling turned around and saw Senior Maid Liu run and gasp. She asked, “Why do you stop me?”

Senior Maid Liu replied, “I want to tell you something else about Feicui.”

As she spoke, she looked around in case walls had ears. Then she explained off and on about what she knew, “You know what, Miss Ling? Feicui was missing three days ago!”

Dong Ling could tell from Senior Maid Liu’s sincere eyes that she wasn’t lying. But Dong Ling didn’t expect it to be more serious than she had imagined. Immediately, she asked seriously, “Did Feicui do anything abnormal lately?”

Obviously, this wasn’t a simple case. Feicui was an adult and unlikely to get lost. She may probably get kidnapped or killed.

Senior Maid Liu suddenly looked different. Under the eagle eye of Dong Ling, she took out some envelops and explained, “We must find her, alive or dead. But Miss Ling, I have a bold a.s.sumption. Please have a look.”

Dong Ling took the opened envelops and brought out a letter from one of them. Then she saw some familiar handwriting. She murmured, “I think I saw such handwriting somewhere.”

She thought about it carefully, but still couldn’t remember.

Senior Maid Liu said, “In fact, Feicui has been in close contact with Mrs. Dong. As Concubine Lin’s maid, she knew whatever Concubine Lin did every day. Every few days, Feicui wrote to Mrs. Dong to report on us.”

Dong Ling glanced over the letters. Senior Maid Laid was telling the truth. In such letters, Feicui reported what Concubine Lin did every day and what happened in Li Village.

“Ridiculous!” she stormed!

She shot a glance at the bottom right corner of the letter which was inscribed “Feicui”. She crumpled it into a ball and flung it on the ground.  

If Senior Maid Laid hadn’t noticed this, she didn’t know how long it would take before she realized it.  

It was essential that she should get rid of dissidents. She didn’t allow any disloyal servant or maid to stay in Li Village.

Senior Maid Laid continued, “So, I think if we still fail to find Feicui, she might have gone back to the Dong family to tip Mrs. Dong off.”

Well, she made some sense, which worried Dong Ling.

It had never occurred to her that such a thing could happen when she was away from Li Village for days.

“Did Old Li send guys to look for her?” asked Dong Ling slowly, with fierce eyes.

Senior Maid Laid trembled and nodded.

This was something serous. If Dong Ling knew Old Li didn’t do well, he might get killed. In fact, he had been submissive to Miss Ling. In case of any danger, he certainly wanted to find Feicui and kept Dong Ling from worrying.