"I've said I can help you, and I surely will."
"Help? How? Do you expect me to abandon my sister?" Lou Ming looked at Jing Xunce sarcastically.
"There'll be a way. I ask you, is your sister engaged?"
"Not yet. Lou Mingkou has the steward watch her closely. She's not allowed to contact outsiders. Even when she goes out, there are always a group of people following and watching her in case she runs away."
"Does she know of your existence?"
"She doesn't. Lou Mingkou told her that she's an orphan picked up by him and taken care of by the steward. She was told that all her family members are dead. So, I haven't been able to recognize her as my sister and I dare not do so."
"I can let you two siblings recognize each other first."
"Really?"
"Of course. But you need to tell me her daily schedule so that I can have my men act accordingly."
"Okay. As long as you can rescue Lian'er, I'll help you. As for my own affairs, you don't need to worry about them."
"Fine."
After Lou Ming wrote down Lian'er's schedule for Jing Xunce, he left. He couldn't stay away from the Lou Mansion for too long, or he'd easily be discovered.
Jing Xunce looked at the schedule on the paper and knew the opportunity had come. Lian'er would go out shopping tomorrow. As long as he had someone kidnap her, the rest would depend on Lou Ming himself.
"Hong Yi."
"Master." Hong Yi emerged from the darkness, waiting for Jing Xunce's orders.
"Where's Master Kongtong?"
At the mention of Master Kongtong, Hong Yi's lips twitched. He'd never seen such a monk.
"Master Kongtong... Well," he closed his eyes and said, "he's gone drinking and visiting brothels."
"Pfft—" Jing Xunce, who was drinking water, spat it out. No wonder Hong Yi looked so embarrassed. He'd never seen such a monk either. Drinking was okay, he could accept that, but visiting brothels!
What kind of trump - card had his father left him? He felt a bit overwhelmed.
"Forget it. You go then. Tonight, make the arrangements and kidnap Lian'er, the steward's daughter of the Lou Mansion, tomorrow morning."
"Yes."
"And... when Master Kongtong comes back, tell him to come and see me. Then tell him... to take good care of his body."
"...Yes."
This Master Kongtong was really hard to describe. He was so unreliable. Jing Xunce wondered how he'd established his prestige. What's more, people actually admired him and no one ever suspected him.
It had to be said that Master Kongtong hid himself well.
The next day, Lian'er went out shopping with a large group of people following behind her. People on the street were used to it because they all knew she was the steward's daughter of the Lou Mansion, and the Lou Mansion doted on Miss Lian'er very much.
Every time she went out, a lot of people would be sent to follow her for fear that someone might accidentally bump into her. But only Lian'er herself knew that this was not protection but supervision.
In the Lou Mansion, her father wouldn't let her go anywhere. She could only stay in the yard. Only when she went out shopping once a month did she feel free and could she see the outside world.
"Protect the miss!" Suddenly, a group of black - clothed men descended from the sky. They drew their swords and rushed straight towards Lian'er. Obviously, their target was clear: to take Lian'er away.
Lian'er's guards were no match for the elites from the secret pavilion. In a short while, they were all knocked to the ground.
"Sorry, Miss Lian'er."
Before Lian'er could say a word, she was taken away by the black - clothed men. She felt herself getting farther and farther from the ground and from the group of people. There was a look of longing in her eyes.
"Are you going to kill me?"
"Miss Lian'er, you're over - thinking. We're just taking you to meet someone. We won't hurt you."
Lian'er was taken to a manor on the outskirts of the city. "Miss Lian'er, please wait a while. There's food and drink here."
"Okay."
"Lian'er has been kidnapped?"
"I've sent people to investigate. Don't worry. Lian'er will surely come back safely. Don't be impatient." Lou Mingkou was also a bit anxious. Over the years, Lou Ming had been working for him obediently only because he had his sister in his hands.
"You promised me that you'd take good care of her, but where is she? You let her disappear right under your nose!" Lou Ming knew that this was done by Jing Xunce, but he couldn't let it be discovered, or Lian'er would be in danger.
At first, Lou Mingkou suspected that this was done by Lou Ming. But seeing how agitated he was, he dispelled his doubts.
"Don't worry. As long as the person is still in the capital, we'll surely find her."
Lou Ming looked at him for a long time, then finally said nothing and turned away.
Watching him leave, a black - clothed man appeared in Lou Mingkou's room. "My lord, do you want me to follow him?"
"No. This wasn't done by him. He wouldn't take such a risk. He knows the consequences of angering me. Let him go. After all, she's his own sister. It's natural for him to be anxious. If he weren't, I'd find it strange."
Lou Mingkou was so confident that he thought everything was still under his control. Unfortunately, everything had deviated from the track he'd expected.
Lou Ming searched outside for a whole day and night, but he didn't go to find Jing Xunce because going at this time might arouse suspicion.
Early the next morning, Lou Ming finally found Jing Xunce. "Where's my sister?"
"In a manor on the outskirts of the capital."
"Well, are you ready to see her? According to what you said, she doesn't know she has a brother yet, and she's been raised by her father's murderer."
"This has nothing to do with you. You just need to take me to see her. I'll handle the rest myself."
"Okay. Then let's go."
When Lian'er got up in the morning, someone brought her breakfast. Just as she was having her meal, she heard someone knocking on the door.
When she opened the door, she saw Lou Ming standing there. She was stunned for a moment, then said, "Are you here to take me back to the Lou Mansion?" She'd seen him beside Lou Mingkou before. She knew this man was Lou Mingkou's subordinate.
So, did he come here to take her back?
"Lian'er." Lou Ming looked at his younger sister in front of him. Usually a man of few emotions, his eyes turned red.
"Hey, why are you crying? Don't worry. I'm okay. When I get back to the mansion, I'll take all the blame on myself. I won't implicate you."
Lou Ming shook his head. "No... no... Lian'er."
"Come on, stop crying. You're a big man crying like this. People who don't know might think I've bullied you." Besides, could a weak girl like her bully a big man like him?
Lian'er looked at Lou Ming. If anyone was going to bully, it would be him bullying her.
"Lian'er, I'm your brother, your real brother." Lou Ming couldn't help but step forward and hug Lian'er.