Chapter 20

Everyone’s expression changed instantly, and they hurried toward the room.

Fan Youliang, who had just been standing calmly at the door, froze, his face filling with disbelief.

Worried the scene inside might be inappropriate for children, Yun Shuang told Goudan to wait outside and quickly followed the others in. But the room was far less bizarre than she imagined.

Inside, Yang Yuanyi stood by the finely carved canopy bed, holding a pale yellow… handkerchief?

Everyone crowded around, their eyes fixed on the handkerchief in his hand.

Yang Yuanyi said, “I remember searching this place a few days ago, and I didn’t see this handkerchief.”

Chang Zijun frowned. “What’s so special about a handkerchief? Maybe it belongs to Sister Xueqing…”

“No, it doesn’t!” Lianxin’s voice suddenly cut in, angry and sharp. “My lady only ever used pale pink or light green handkerchiefs. She’s never owned a yellow one! That’s definitely not my lady’s!”

Everyone was instantly shocked.

A handkerchief is an intimate item—and for one that doesn’t belong to Lady Luo to appear in her and her husband’s room after her disappearance, it was hard not to think the worst.

Yang Yuanyi added, “I might not know what kind of handkerchief Lady Luo used, but I guessed right away this one wasn’t hers. Look—there’s a small ‘Zhen’ character embroidered in the corner. And the scent on it is strong—completely different from the fragrance in the room.”

“If the scent is still strong, that means this handkerchief was recently with its owner.” Yun Shuang’s voice slipped into the conversation. She stepped closer and said calmly, “No matter how strong the perfume, its scent on fabric fades with time. If it still lingers so clearly, the handkerchief must have been used quite recently.”

Before anyone could be surprised by how naturally this unknown woman joined the investigation, Chen Hao erupted, turning on Fan Youliang with a furious roar.

“Fan Youliang! And you dare claim you’ve done nothing to betray Xueqing! It’s only been a few days since she disappeared—and you’re already bringing another woman’s belongings into her room? Or worse—who knew if you’d brought that woman in?”

Fan Youliang turned pale at the sight of the handkerchief in Yang Yuanyi’s hand, shaking his head in disbelief. “No… impossible…”

“This handkerchief was found on your bed—what do you have to say now?”

The veins on Chen Hao’s forehead bulged as he lunged forward. “You and that harlot—did you harm Xueqing together?!”

Just in time, Yang Yuanyi and Chang Zijun grabbed him, holding him back.

Chang Zijun: “Big brother, calm down! I still don’t believe Second Brother would ever harm Sister Xueqing. There must be some kind of misunderstanding!”

Yang Yuanyi: “Mr. Chen, whether Mr. Fan is connected to Lady Luo’s disappearance or not should be investigated by our county office. Acting on impulse like this will only hinder the case!”

Yang Yuanyi’s words finally got through to Chen Hao. His body stiffened, and though his fists remained clenched so tightly that his joints creaked, he stopped. After a long pause, he gritted his teeth and said, “Let me go.”

Chang Zijun hesitated briefly before releasing him.

Yang Yuanyi also let go.

Chen Hao’s shoulders trembled as he suppressed his fury. He spoke in a low voice: “Fine. I’ll trust the county office one more time. But if you can’t give me a satisfactory answer…” He looked up, eyes sharp and menacing as they fixed on Fan Youliang. “Then I’ll get justice for Xueqing in my own way!”

With that, he turned and left without looking back.

As soon as he was gone, Magistrate Ding’s face darkened as he turned to Fan Youliang. “Mr. Fan—what is going on here!”

He’d defended the man earlier, even in front of the General—and now? If Lady Luo’s disappearance really involved Fan Youliang, where could he hide his shame?

Fan Youliang, no longer composed, turned pale and stammered, “I… I don’t know where that handkerchief came from! I have no idea how it ended up on my bed!”

“Magistrate Ding, someone must be trying to frame me. I’ve been wrongfully accused!”

Seeing that no matter what they asked, Fan Youliang insisted he had nothing to do with the handkerchief, Yang Yuanyi and Magistrate Ding exchanged a glance. In the end, Magistrate Ding said, “Very well. We’ll bring the handkerchief back to the county office and identify its owner first.”

“That makes sense. Since it was recently in its owner’s possession, that means the owner must still be in Shanyang County.”

Yang Yuanyi cast a sly glance at Fan Youliang and said with a half-smile, “Shanyang isn’t that big. A little effort and we’ll track down the handkerchief’s owner easily enough.”

Fan Youliang’s face turned visibly paler.

Yun Shuang studied him for a moment, then glanced over at Lianxin. Her lips were slightly curled, eyes flashing with a complicated mix of hatred and delight.

Just then, a deep, smooth voice suddenly rang beside her, catching her off guard. “I’ve noticed, Miss Yun—you’ve been quite focused on Lady Luo’s maid since earlier. Do you have something on your mind?”

Yun Shuang paused slightly, then tilted her head—only to find that Jiang Xiao had quietly come to stand beside her. His dark, deep-set eyes were now locked onto hers, piercing and unwavering. His gaze held a frank, unmasked curiosity.

She looked at him for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, “You could say so. Whether you believe me or not, General, I’ll say it plainly…”

“The county office won’t be able to find Lady Luo.”

Because from the very beginning, they’ve been heading in the wrong direction. Yun Shuang knew that getting too involved with this man might bring trouble, but there were things she simply couldn’t accomplish alone. She needed a reliable partner. And now, whether she wanted to admit it or not, the ideal candidate was Jiang Xiao. Besides, from what she’d seen so far, Jiang Xiao wasn’t an unapproachable man. As for Yan Fang? He seemed to admire her, but their relationship wasn’t close enough for him to bypass Jiang Xiao and help her directly.

Staring at her self-assured smile, tinged with quiet defiance, Jiang Xiao’s gaze sharpened. This woman had seemingly dropped all pretense. No longer hiding her emotions or sugarcoating her words. Only her eyes—still laced with cautious detachment whenever she looked at him—remained unchanged.

She continued to look at him, and Jiang Xiao knew exactly what she was waiting to hear. After a brief silence, he followed her lead and said, “Why?”

Yun Shuang’s eyes curved slightly—like a sly fox in the forest—but she answered with a twist, “General Jiang, I’d like to propose a deal with you.”

By now, most of the people in the room had left.

With everyone’s attention on that handkerchief, few had noticed the quiet exchange unfolding between Yun Shuang and Jiang Xiao.

Yun Shuang led him to a secluded corner outside and said, “General Jiang, I’d like to borrow someone trustworthy from you.”

Jiang Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly, one hand folded behind his back, gazing down at her as he replied coolly, “Why should I?”