Chapter 1652: The Direction of the County Office (Patreon)

Chapter 1652: The Direction of the County Office

Meng Qi nodded. That's right; it's not the time for wild thoughts. Whether there will be a fight or not, all they can do is protect their family.

Taking a deep breath, Meng Qi looked up and realized they had been walking towards the county office all along.

Surprised, Meng Qi asked, "Brother, weren't we supposed to find someone? This is the direction of the county office."

Didn't his brother go to the county office twice before? Last time, he even had a meal with the county magistrate after passing the examination for a scholar. He should know the way, right?

Meng Yunzheng nodded, "I know."

"But..."

Meng Qi was still puzzled when he saw a patrol of soldiers coming their way.

He immediately kept quiet, thinking of how to avoid them. However, to his surprise, Meng Yunzheng approached them directly. The leading soldier frowned and asked, "Who are you people, and where are you going?"

"Brother Hong, do you remember me?" Meng Yunzheng spoke, and the leading soldier recognized him immediately, "Oh, it's Scholar Meng. When did you return? Where are you headed?"

"I just arrived yesterday. When I came back, I heard that my uncle had been abducted by a gang of bandits. I was planning to come to the yamen to inquire if there's any news about my uncle. I heard that the patrol guards chased after them when they heard the commotion. I wonder what the outcome was?" Meng Yunzheng's face showed signs of urgency.

This incident occurred a couple of days ago, and people were discussing how audacious the bandits had become. They used to operate only at night, but now they dare to appear in broad daylight, making the people even more anxious.

Constable Hong, the catchpole, naturally knew about this. Faced with Meng Yunzheng's question, he sighed and shook his head, "Scholar Meng, I heard some of the brothers who went after them talk about it. Those bandits are cunning and skilled; by the time our men caught up, they had disappeared without a trace. Later, we searched the area but found no clues."

Meng Yunzheng's brows furrowed even more, "How could this happen?"

"Scholar Meng, don't worry too much. Your uncle, Meng Xiaoshu, is skilled. Maybe he's already escaped." But if he had indeed escaped, why hadn't he returned for so many days? It was more likely that things were not looking good.

Meng Yunzheng forced a bitter smile, "I hope so."

Rubbing his forehead, he looked up again and mustered a smile. "Regardless, I still need to go and look for him. Brother Hong, do you know the direction those bandits fled towards? I'll go check around the area."

Hong, the catchpole, immediately pointed to a direction, "It's that way, Scholar Meng. You can go look for him. You're a scholar, intelligent and careful; maybe you'll find something. If you come across any clues, make sure to inform us immediately. Those bandits are numerous and cunning; don't engage them directly. We'll continue to search for Master Meng, but our manpower is limited, and we can only do our best."

"I understand. If we find any clues, we'll come and inform Brother Hong. By then, you can lead your men to apprehend them all."

After bidding farewell, Meng Yunzheng turned around, and once his back was facing Hong, the catchpole, the smile on his face instantly disappeared.

As they walked away, Hong, the catchpole, watched their figures, then resumed his patrol with his men.

Soon, the two sides separated. Meng Qi couldn't help but ask, "Brother, didn't you say they can't be trusted? Why did you tell them our purpose? Now, won't they be on guard?"