Dong Ling said, “If we still can’t find her in a few days, we must have another plan.”

She looked down while it was hard to tell how she felt from her thick eyelashes.  

As Senior Maid Laid took out another envelope from her sleeve, Dong Ling frowned and gazed at the letter in peace.

She looked as calm as still water and lost in thought.

After a while, Senior Maid Laid couldn’t help worrying. She tried to wake her up, “Miss Ling! Miss Ling?”

Dong Ling then took the letter and read it carefully before she put it back into her sleeve.

“Take me to Feicui’s room.” said she.

Since Feicui was missing, she should go check her room to find some traces.

“Miss Ling. Please come with me.” said Senior Maid Liu. She knew Feicui’s room was in the west and then she led the way.  

Dong Ling walked with firm steps and reached Feicui’s room. As soon as she stepped in, she just saw a messy room where everything was in disorder.

Senior Maid Liu was shocked. After she regained consciousness, she looked around and yelled, “Oh, dear! What the h.e.l.l has happened? Why is everything missing?”

She walked around blindly and searched the room in a flurry. She wondered, “Things used to be here! But where have they gone?”

Dong Ling, who stood behind her, was also shocked and frowned. A few minutes later, she yelled to Senior Maid Liu, “Stop!”

“But what shall we do, Miss Ling?” yelled Senior Maid Liu in a panic. Tears rolled down on her face. Never had she expected that Feicui’s belongs were all gone!

“Don’t worry. Everything in the room was taken away! That’s the best proof!” answered Dong Ling with an evil smile. She looked quite confident.

“Miss Ling. Concubine Lin’s jewels were gone, too!” reported Senior Maid Liu after searching the sandalwood wardrobe for a while.

At last, she complained resentfully, “What an aggressive thief!”

“That was a thief from our family. What she did was perfectly understandable!” a.n.a.lyzed Dong Ling.

Well, everything was clear.

She went back to the yard where she felt quite comfortable by breathing the fresh air.

Senior Maid Liu stopped a servant and whispered to him.

Soon, Old Li rushed up to Dong Ling from the end of the corridor as fast as he could.

“You! Ask your men to stop looking for Feicui.” ordered Dong Ling with a dignified tune, “Don’t go look for her anymore!”

“But Miss Ling, are you just giving up?” asked Old Li in confusion, because this wasn’t the way Dong Ling used to behave.

“I’m not giving up. Stop and I’ll take care of the rest.” explained Dong Ling who was sure that she could find Feicui by herself.

But the problem was how she could get a Ferghana horse. That was a very important thing for her.

In the evening, streets in town were crowded. On both sided stood many peddlers who sold a dazzling display of goods.

When the cart stooped at the entrance to a lane, Dong Ling got off and walked alone leisurely. She asked a horse dealer about the Ferghana horse.

Mm… A Ferghana horse in the ancient time was as expensive as a BMW in the 21st century!

Moreover, horse dealers in this age only sell a Ferghana horse to those with the government authority. Dong Ling had never expected such dealers to be so sn.o.bbis.h.!.+

She was at a loss what to do. She was a mere girl who didn’t know anyone with the government authority.

Just then, a man brushed past her. Dong Ling recognized him! She rushed up through the crowd and grabbed the man’s arm as if she saw a savior.

She looked up at Lin Zang and said seriously, “Do me a favor! Please!”

After a long day’s work, Lin Zang was just on his way back home for some sleep. He was shocked to see Dong Ling at this place. He was surprised to ask, “It’s late and what are you doing here? What favor do you mean?”

“I’ll explain later. Buy a horse for me with your official pa.s.s.” said Dong Ling seriously, without even a smile.

“But Miss Dong, you don’t travel. Why do you need a horse?” asked Lin Zang again when he carefully took back his sleeve from Dong Ling’s hands.

“I’ve got some emergency and I need a Ferghana horse!” replied Dong Ling with firm resolution. Her eyes looked so confident that no one could refuse her.

Well, Lin Zang knew how powerful she was. In order not to annoy her and in consideration for her help on their way back, Lin Zang took down the pa.s.s from his waist and said hesitantly, “Miss Ling. I can lend the pa.s.s to you. But you must take me with you for your emergency.”

“Okay. After I’m done, I’ll go find you.” Replied Dong Ling.

She took the pa.s.s, waved it at the horse dealer and gave him quite a lot of money.

Then, she vaulted into the saddle of the horse she picked secretly and rode quickly at where Feicui had been heading for.

“Miss Dong! Miss Dong!” yelled Lin Zang. But before he regained consciousness, Dong Ling had totally disappeared.

 “Gosh, how great she is! She can ride the horse so skillfully at such a young age! Brilliant!” praised the horse dealer as he gave back the pa.s.s to Lin Zang. The latter took it with a gloomy face.

Humph! He had to go back to the magistrate’s mansion to tell his master about this. If Miss Dong had an accident, he would be the accomplice. He would certainly get punished!

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help sighing deeply.

G.o.d! He dared to offend either of them!

On her horse, Dong Ling rode towards the gate. Soon, she left the town.

 “Wow, the Ferghana horse really deserves its reputation!” Dong Ling said to herself when she looked proudly at her own horse. She flicked its rump with the whip again and again, yelling, “Gee!”

The horse, as if it sensed the pressing need of its owner, galloped faster!

It was getting dark. Dong Ling saw some traces of a fire. She reined in the horse and stopped.

She got down from the horse and checked it carefully. There was a pile of burnt firewood with dessert chips scattered around. She picked some up and smelt it. A taste of honey greeted her! Wasn’t it the famous honey cookie in Linjiang?

“Aha, Feicui lived quite a good life. She even remembered to steal some expensive desserts to enjoy on her way.” Dong Ling sneered and stood up.

She talked to her horse and said to it, “Let’s go, my dear horse. Keep running after her! You’re my last hope!”

She got on the horse. The horse galloped even faster. If it were in the 21st century, it was nearly as fast as a car!