Jiang Yueli looked at her and asked, “Were the injuries on your body caused by being beaten after trying to escape?”
The girl seemed surprised that the one who had just talked about escaping was actually only a three-year-old child. Still, she nodded.
“They keep several dogs in the backyard. Their sense of smell is extremely sharp. Once they notice we’ve run away, they quickly track us down. My sister and I tried to escape several times, but we were always caught and brought back.
“And this place is an abandoned village in a remote area. Hardly anyone ever comes here. We simply can’t escape.”
She spoke as if she had already accepted her fate. There was no longer any light in her eyes.
Waiting hopelessly like this didn’t just destroy one’s will—it also crushed the desire to live.
Jiang Yueli glanced at her but didn’t argue. After being beaten so many times, it was only natural to be afraid.
She said nothing more.
If her father arrived, they would naturally be rescued. And if he didn’t come, she would find a way to escape herself. Once she got out, saving the others would not be difficult.
The girl looked at Jiang Yueli again, somewhat surprised that she had simply walked away like that.
Fu Qingchen watched the clever little girl and couldn’t help finding her interesting.
She didn’t seem as harmless as she looked. And when something like this happened, she was far too calm. Just moments ago, she had even been comforting him.
The other girls looked as if they had been beaten half to death. On top of that, those people only gave them a little food each day, so they had no strength left to escape.
Jiang Yueli glanced at them before returning to sit beside Fu Qingchen.
Seeing her small brows furrowed, Fu Qingchen found it amusing.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Of course I’m thinking that after I go back, I need to practice martial arts properly. The feeling of sitting here waiting to die isn’t very pleasant,” she said, pouting helplessly.
No matter how skilled she once was, she was still trapped in a tiny child’s body now. Her arms and legs were too short—even holding a dagger would be difficult.
Fu Qingchen gently patted her little head and said softly, “Don’t worry. Your father will come to rescue us very soon. Trying to escape recklessly right now isn’t the best strategy.”
After all, they were still children. If their escape failed, they would certainly be beaten severely.
For now, staying put and waiting for rescue was the wisest choice.
He believed that the Zhenyuan General would find them soon. And even if that weren’t the case, his own father wouldn’t just sit idly by either.
He was the only heir of the Fu family—his father would never allow anything to happen to him.
Jiang Yueli looked at her chubby little hands and decisively gave up the idea of escaping.
She simply decided to lie flat and wait for her father to rescue her.
She only hoped her father wouldn’t disappoint her.
Early the next morning, Jiang Yueli was awakened by a burst of urgent barking.
Not long after, the sound of galloping horses echoed outside.
Judging by the commotion, there were at least several hundred riders.
Jiang Yueli’s first thought was that her father had come to rescue her.
The other girls also heard the noise and curiously raised their heads toward the door.
Suddenly—
Bang!
The door was kicked open with a loud crash.
Dust flew everywhere, making Jiang Yueli cough a few times. She couldn’t help cursing inwardly: Which idiot kicked the door like that?
But when she saw who was standing at the entrance, her eyelids twitched.
Sure enough—it was her father, Jiang Shi’an.
Fortunately, the one who kicked the door open was his deputy general.
Seeing that his precious daughter was safe and unharmed, Jiang Shi’an finally let out the breath he had been holding.
“My darling.”
He called out and strode over, scooping her into his arms.
“Father!”
Jiang Yueli wrapped her arms around Jiang Shi’an and gave him a big hug.
He had dreamed of hearing her call him “Father” for years.
Now that he finally heard it, he was overjoyed—so happy that he wished he could hug her, kiss her, and lift her high into the air.
Behind him, Fu Hong noticed that his troublesome son was still standing there blankly.
He cleared his throat.
What’s with that envious look while staring at their father-daughter reunion? Don’t tell me you expect your old man to hug you and lift you up too?
Only after noticing Fu Hong’s gaze did Fu Qingchen slowly step forward.
He respectfully bowed.
“Father.”
Fu Hong nodded in satisfaction.
Calm and composed even in danger—worthy of being his son.
“Good that you’re unharmed. Thanks to General Zhenyuan searching tirelessly through the night for your whereabouts. Otherwise we wouldn’t have found you so quickly.”
Fu Qingchen bowed toward Jiang Shi’an.
“Qingchen thanks Uncle Jiang for saving my life. Another day, I will personally visit with gifts to express my gratitude.”
Fu Hong was momentarily stunned.
This brat… he’s quick at building connections.
Jiang Shi’an waved his hand.
“Young Master Fu need not be so polite. I only came to rescue my own daughter. I wouldn’t dare call myself your benefactor.”
After exchanging a few polite words, Fu Hong took Fu Qingchen and left.
As for what came next, Jiang Shi’an would handle it.
The girls in the room were also brought outside.
Jiang Shi’an ordered someone to investigate their identities so they could be returned to their families.
However, the oldest girl suddenly dropped to her knees before Jiang Yueli.
With red eyes, she pleaded, “I no longer have a home. My sister is gone as well. Please take me in, Miss. I’m willing to serve you like an ox or a horse—just give me a place to live.”
Jiang Shi’an looked at his daughter, waiting for her decision.
Jiang Yueli glanced at the girl.
Though she had been worn down by suffering, her gaze was still clear.
Keeping her as a maid might not be a bad idea.
“You can stay with me,” Jiang Yueli said. “But I only ask one thing—loyalty. If one day I discover that you’ve betrayed me, my methods won’t be any gentler than those traffickers’.”
Her childish voice sounded innocent, but the words made the girl’s back run cold.
She quickly swore to the heavens.
“If Xianglan ever betrays Miss in this life, may I die a miserable death and accept any punishment you give!”
Jiang Yueli nodded.
“Alright. Then come back with me.”
Jiang Shi’an gently scraped his daughter’s nose and called her a clever little imp.
Jiang Yueli grinned, showing her tiny tiger teeth, then snuggled into his arms.
“Father, what will happen to those bad people?”
A murderous glint flashed through Jiang Shi’an’s eyes.
But when he looked at Jiang Yueli, he smiled gently.
“Leave that to Father. You’re still young—don’t worry about such bloody matters.”
He didn’t want those filthy things to taint his precious daughter’s ears.
So he never said what their fate would be.
But Jiang Yueli knew.
Those people would certainly not die easily.
And the brothel that had colluded with them to illegally traffic women and children—Jiang Shi’an would never let them off either.
The news that Jiang Yueli had been rescued spread throughout the capital that very day.
However, very few people knew that the prime minister’s son, Fu Qingchen, had also been kidnapped with her.
Everyone’s attention was focused solely on Jiang Yueli.
After surviving such a disaster, the Jiang family guarded her even more closely.
Now servants followed her everywhere she went.
Jiang Yuebo had also been deeply frightened by the incident. Jiang Yueli later heard that after she disappeared, he had cried the entire night, calling for his little sister.
He only stopped when he heard she had been rescued.
Her grandmother had spent the entire night kneeling in the Buddhist hall, praying for her safe return.
Her eldest aunt blamed herself constantly, wiping away tears and saying it was her fault for carelessly leaving the child alone at the gate.
Shen Nanzhi was also terrified afterward. She even neglected her newly returned husband.
At night, she insisted on holding her daughter while sleeping.
Fortunately, the Shen family had not heard about the incident.
Otherwise, they would surely have been worried sick as well.