“Heard it? Heard it from where?” Mo Shanrui asked hurriedly.

“Deep in the mountains!”

“Deep in the mountains?”

“Yes, that’s right, deep in the mountains. Just a few days ago, I went hunting and happened to overhear it.”

Jian Xiu then recounted in detail what she had heard that day.

“You mean, they are already calling themselves the Young Marquis?” Mo Shanrui asked again.

“Yes, they even said that once they find him, they will silence him.” Jian Xiu replied truthfully.

After saying this, as if suddenly realizing something, she added:

“Of course, this is just my personal interpretation. This is what I understood from what I heard, but whether it’s true or not, I can’t be certain.”

The implication was clear—regardless of the outcome, she wanted no part in it.

Given her current standing, she was truly not in a position to be involved in the power struggles of noble families.

“Miss Jian, rest assured, this matter will not involve you. I can personally guarantee that not a single word of what you said today will be leaked.”

Mo Shanrui quickly reassured her.

What a joke—he had been investigating for so many years and had finally found a lead.

Besides, as the magistrate of Quanyong County, it was his duty to protect every single villager here, wasn’t it?

Thinking of this, Mo Shanrui turned to Jian Xiu and said:

“Don’t worry. From start to finish, your only purpose for coming here was to teach Painter Liu how to sketch.”

“Mm, I sincerely appreciate Magistrate Mo’s consideration.” Jian Xiu replied earnestly.

“No, this is just my duty. No matter who it is, I will do my utmost to protect them in Quanyong County!” Mo Shanrui said firmly.

“Is that also why Magistrate Mo has been so invested in this missing persons case from years ago?” Jian Xiu asked curiously.

She was genuinely curious. In her opinion, children went missing every year, no matter the place—it was a common occurrence.

Yet she had never seen anyone take such a deep interest in solving such a case.

Unexpectedly, she had encountered such a diligent magistrate.

As she thought about this, Mo Shanrui seemed even more admirable in her eyes.

But just as she finished speaking, she saw Mo Shanrui smile awkwardly.

“Miss Jian gives me too much credit. To be honest, it’s only because the higher-ups are pressuring me that I am in such a rush.”

Jian Xiu: “……”

Upon hearing this, Master Ruan, who was standing nearby, could not stay silent any longer. He immediately interjected:

“My lord, that is not entirely true. Even without pressure from the marquis’ estate, you never gave up on this case, did you?”

Hearing this, Jian Xiu instantly understood.

But after listening to Master Ruan’s words, she instinctively frowned and asked, “Master Ruan, are you saying that the person we’re looking for, Liang Lai, is also connected to the marquis’ estate?”

“Yes, because it was Liang Lai who took the child away back then.”

“Then who in the marquis’ estate ordered him to do so?”

“That remains unclear. Everything will only become known once Liang Lai is caught.” Master Ruan replied truthfully.

“If that’s the case, then Liang Lai is very likely to be silenced.”

Hearing this, Mo Shanrui sharply turned to Jian Xiu, surprised.

He had not expected such a sharp observation from a mere village woman.

That was exactly what he had feared, which was why he was so desperate to find Liang Lai.

“My lord, instead of focusing solely on finding Liang Lai, why not change your approach?”

“What approach?” Mo Shanrui immediately sat up straight.

The reaction was instinctive.

It was as if, at the moment Jian Xiu offered her suggestion, a glimmer of hope had been ignited in his heart.

Not just Mo Shanrui—even Master Ruan was now staring intently at Jian Xiu.

Seeing this, Jian Xiu remained calm and said indifferently:

“Magistrate Mo, Master Ruan, instead of searching for one person like finding a needle in a haystack, why not take some time to conduct a census of Quanyong County?”

“A census?” Mo Shanrui murmured.

“My lord, don’t you see? The goal is to identify which children in Quanyong County were adopted.”

“Since the Young Marquis was lost in Quanyong County, we can start by identifying the nearest village and then conducting discreet investigations…”

“It has been twenty years now, so the Young Marquis should be around twenty-one or twenty-two. If we filter out the children in that age range and gradually narrow down the list…”

Jian Xiu then proceeded to outline the step-by-step process of how to go about it.

“If you follow this method, wouldn’t it be much easier than searching for Liang Lai?”

Indeed, upon hearing this, Mo Shanrui felt as if he had been struck by enlightenment.

“That’s right! Why didn’t I think of that?” Mo Shanrui murmured.

“My lord, that’s why they say those directly involved in a case can be blinded, while an outsider sees clearly. Besides, we don’t even know if Liang Lai is dead or alive. If all we find is a corpse, wouldn’t that be a complete waste of time?”

The more she spoke, the more uneasy Jian Xiu felt.

Because based on the timeline, Zhang Zixuan also fell within that age range.

From the first moment she saw Zhang Zixuan, she felt that he did not seem like someone from the countryside.

But this was all just her own speculation.

If she wanted to confirm it, there was a simple way.

She could ask Old Zhang and Old Liu—then everything would become clear.

Those two—if pressured a little—she doubted they would dare to lie.

Thinking of this, Jian Xiu became even more eager to return home.

By now, the old Zhang residence must be in complete chaos.

After leaving the county office, Jian Xiu headed straight to Renhe Hall.

Renhe Hall was as busy as ever, packed with customers.

That was to be expected—it was the largest medicinal herb shop in all of Quanyong County.

Not only were its herbs genuine, but its selection was also the most complete in the county.

“Oh! Miss Jian, it’s been a while!”

The shopkeeper, Qin Xuancheng, happened to be outside.

When he saw Jian Xiu, he immediately grinned widely.

Every time Jian Xiu visited, she always brought something valuable to Renhe Hall.

“Shopkeeper Qin, you jest. I’ve just been busy lately. The moment I had time, I came right over.” Jian Xiu said with a smile.

Having been in this world for some time now, if there was one skill she had mastered, it was knowing how to flatter and play the part of a smooth talker.

“Come, come! Let’s talk inside!” Shopkeeper Qin gestured towards the back courtyard, inviting Jian Xiu in.