Yang Ruxin spent a whole day preparing over a hundred jin of meat, turning them all into sausages. Looking at the full racks hanging under the eaves, she couldn’t help but smile. In her past life, aside from her talent in battle, her greatest skill had been making sausages—everyone who tasted them said the flavor was exceptionally good.
"How long will it take to eat all this?" Gu Qingheng also smiled, "Aren’t you afraid it will go bad?"
"This stuff, once dried, has a particularly long shelf life; it won’t spoil," Yang Ruxin glanced back at him, "You just need to steam it when you want to eat it, it’s especially convenient to carry..."
"Miss... Sanni..." just then, Xu Shou rushed in frantically, "Something terrible has happened."
"What’s wrong?" Yang Ruxin frowned.
"The madam still hasn’t come back," Xu Shou gasped, "I only found this..." he said, handing over a silver hairpin, the very one Xun Hui had worn on her head that day.
"What happened?" Yang Ruxin took the hairpin, her face suddenly turned grim.
"Just before..." Xu Shou hurriedly recounted the events, "The madam said she was going for a walk. I offered to follow, but she wouldn’t let me. I thought she wouldn’t go far, so I went to chop firewood in the back yard. But when I came out, the madam still hadn’t returned, so I went out to look for her. Then, at the base of the mountain, I saw this..."
Upon hearing this, Yang Ruxin turned and ran outside.
Gu Qingheng also realized the severity of the situation, but knowing he was not in a position to move freely at the moment, he didn’t immediately follow to avoid adding to the chaos. Instead, he instructed the Feng Family to take good care of the children and the house, then ordered Xu Shou to push him in pursuit of Yang Ruxin.
"My mother must have been led to the foot of the mountain by someone she knew," Yang Ruxin said her conclusion when she heard Gu Qingheng catching up, "She went into the mountains..."
"Someone knocked her out and took her inside," Gu Qingheng’s brow also furrowed.
Yang Ruxin glanced at Gu Qingheng—she knew he had also noticed. The footprints on the ground had changed. The ones coming from the riverside earlier belonged to two people, likely two women judging by their size, one of whom was Xun Hui. But at the foot of the mountain, two men’s footprints had appeared and Xun Hui’s were gone, while the other woman’s footprints headed in the direction of the village...
Yang Family’s old house.
When Yang Ruxin entered, Yang Ruyu had just changed clothes and shoes, startled: "You..."
"Where’s my mother?" Yang Ruxin eyed Yang Ruyu.
"Big cousin sister, what are you talking about?" Panic flickered in Yang Ruyu’s eyes, but she quickly composed herself, "Isn’t Auntie at your place?"
"Not talking?" Yang Ruxin smiled, "No matter, there will come a time when you will talk." With that, she stepped forward.
"You..." Yang Ruyu startled, quickly stepped back, "I’m calling for help..." But before she could finish, she collapsed weakly to the floor.
Yang Ruxin let out a cold laugh. You’ll have your chance to call for help. For now, save your energy. She then dragged the unconscious Yang Ruyu into a space, along with the clothes and shoes she had taken off, and just like that, she climbed over the wall and slipped away, unnoticed by anyone.
"Gu Qingheng, I need to go into the mountains," Yang Ruxin looked at Gu Qingheng, "I leave the house to you..."
"Big sister, I’ll go with you," Sanni took a step forward.
Yang Ruxin shook her head, "I can move more easily by myself in the mountains. Anyone else would be a burden. Tomorrow morning, close down the shop in town, say we’re closed for the New Year. After everyone comes back, no one leaves unless it’s absolutely necessary..."