Mysteries of the Great Zhou Dynasty

Chapter 136 Missing
He reached out his slightly trembling hands, picked up the bronze mirror, and his eyes instantly reddened: "You've been to Medicine King Valley? She..."

Rong Wanyin then recounted her experiences to her master. After listening, her master, holding the bronze mirror, murmured to himself, "So that's how it is..."

Rong Wanyin held her master's hand, somewhat worried.

Although the master's lips were curved in a smile, his eyes were filled with deep sorrow: "Fifteen years ago, we fell in love. She was more than ten years older than me, which I didn't mind. But she always held a grudge, always saying she wanted to make a medicine to make herself young again. I never expected..."

"So, it's possible that the dosage was wrong, causing the Medicine King to revert to his child form?" Yan Mingzhang was somewhat shocked, but this was an undeniable fact.

“That day I received an urgent message and needed to rescue someone immediately, so I went to say goodbye to her. But she was hiding in a secret room, telling me to leave through the stone door; she didn't want to see me again. Just a few days earlier, we had argued, and I thought she was still angry. Because of the urgency, I didn't dare delay and left immediately… I was wondering at the time why her voice sounded different; now that I think about it, she must have already taken the anti-aging medicine…” The old man's voice was somewhat hoarse. “Later, after I finished my work, I went to find her again, but she refused to see me…”

Everyone felt a pang of sadness...

Two people in love missed each other because of societal expectations, and that mistake lasted a lifetime...

The master looked at the bronze mirror in his hand again, put it back in his bundle, and put it away. He forced a dry smile and said, "That's all in the past. Let's not talk about it anymore... Come, let's eat..."

After finishing their meal, the group was relaxing in the courtyard. Xiao Mu and A Bao were clearing away the dishes when they suddenly heard a loud banging on the courtyard gate. It was Aunt Wang with Da Zhuang and his wife. The group looked somber, and Da Zhuang's wife was secretly wiping away tears behind them.

Everyone quickly stood up, and Wanyin asked, "Auntie, what's wrong? What happened?"

Auntie gave Dazhuang a hard punch and said, "It's all our good-for-nothing son's fault! Little Niuwazi is missing, it's all his fault!"

Little Niuwazi is Dazhuang's only son, born a year after his family came to Taoyuan Town.

Sister-in-law Wang just stood there wiping away her tears without saying a word. The aunt sighed and continued, "A couple of days ago, Dazhuang bought a brass bell and hung it around our old ox's neck. Little Niuwa really liked it and always liked to take it off to play with it. His father told him not to lose it. And then, today the brass bell disappeared. Dazhuang hit Little Niuwa, saying he must have taken it and he absolutely had to find it, or he wouldn't be coming home. This little Niuwa is stubborn; he wouldn't admit he was wrong, saying he didn't take it, and then he turned and ran off. He hasn't come back yet. We've looked everywhere but haven't found him. That's why we're at our wits' end and wanted to ask you for help."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's all go out and search." The master spoke up. "Someone needs to stay at home, just in case the child is missing. Someone can pass on the message, whether we find him or not. Xiao Mu, you and your apprentice are in one group, Wan Yin and Ming Zhang are in another, these two young heroes are in one group, Da Zhuang and your wife are in another, and Da Zhuang's mother and I will stay at home. Before you leave, Xiao Mu, go and beat the Dragon Tiger Drum to mobilize everyone in town. Each group should have at least ten people. There are wolves in these mountains after nightfall."

A large group of people set off. Mo Yun followed behind the group and asked softly, "Miss Rong, what is the Dragon Tiger Drum?"

Wanyin looked very proud: "This is a method left behind by Lord Meng Yong. The town is close to the border. When the Liao people attack, or there are bandits and outlaws, we use this drum to transmit messages. Everyone in Taoyuan Town must memorize how many times to beat the drum, how to beat it, and what each beat means."

Mo Yun and Chang Feng exchanged a glance and nodded in approval: "That is indeed a good idea!"

————————— After the group had assembled, they searched the mountain for half the night but still found nothing. Disheartened, they gathered on a small hillside, almost ready to give up.

At this moment, Rong Wanyin suddenly sniffed and said, "Where is that dried fruit smell coming from?"

A burly man holding a torch said with a wry smile, "Miss Rong, you must be joking. Where did that dried fruit smell come from?"

Xiao Mu waved his hand to stop everyone and patiently waited for Wan Yin to speak. The people who came out to search for her were all militiamen from the town. Although they were called militiamen, they were well-trained and no less capable than ordinary troops.

Rong Wanyin sniffed carefully and said, "That's right, it smells like dried fruit. It's the same smell I smelled in my aunt's yard. Could it be that Xiao Niu took some dried fruit with him when he left and is now hungry and taking it out to eat?" Yan Mingzhang nodded and bent down to carefully examine the surrounding plants: "Look over here, this branch is freshly broken, and there's a small piece of cloth hanging on it."

Yan Mingzhang held up the fabric and handed it to Dazhuang. Dazhuang took it and passed it to his wife. Dazhuang's wife quickly took it, carefully stroked it a few times, and excitedly exclaimed, "It's Xiaoniu's! It's Xiaoniu's!"

“But we’ve already searched in this direction. We shouted so loudly, there’s no way he couldn’t have missed us!” said the burly man holding the torch.

Yan Mingzhang pondered for a moment and said, "Could the problem be that we shouted too loudly? Xiao Niu made a mistake and is afraid to go home. The more we shout, the more he hides... Me, Wan Yin, Brother Da Zhuang, and Sister-in-law, the four of us will go look for him. The rest of you will stay put."

Everyone looked at Xiao Mu, who nodded slightly.

Yan Mingzhang continued, "But you have to do as I say in a little while."

Everyone nodded.
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"Little Niu, your father was wrong. He shouldn't have hit you. You're my precious darling. Come out now. I promise I won't hit you again." Da Zhuang's wife cried out with heartfelt emotion, tears streaming down her face.

"Little Niu, come out quickly, Auntie is here. I promise I won't let your dad hit you. If he dares to hit you, I'll break his legs," Wanyin shouted.

"Little Niu, Daddy was wrong. Come out quickly. Daddy will never hit you again. Don't scare Daddy, okay?" Da Zhuang shouted along, his voice hoarse.

"Quick, listen to what's that sound?" Rong Wanyin grabbed Yan Mingzhang's sleeve and said.

Everyone held their breath, only to hear a faint sobbing sound coming from the bushes.

Dazhuang quickly parted the bushes and saw a little boy, about seven or eight years old, huddled there. His round eyes were dark and bright, and his left cheek was swollen, with five clearly visible finger marks. His face was covered in mud, and tear stains made the black mud streaks. Dazhuang raised his hand, and the little boy closed his eyes tightly in fright, trembling, but then fell into a tight embrace.