Chapter 106: Shangyuan Chapter Encountering a Flower Boy

Chapter 106: Shangyuan Chapter Encountering a Flower Boy

Time flies, and it is the Lantern Festival in the first month of the lunar year. The Lantern Festival is very lively every year, with lanterns everywhere on the streets, and those merchants who know how to market use lantern riddles as a gimmick to attract customers. There are also many dragon and lion dances in the folk who come out on this day to ask for good luck in front of various shops. Merchants can also give them some small change and food on this day to pray for a prosperous business in the coming year.

Young boys and girls will also make appointments to meet on this day. Those who fall in love with each other at a certain age can ask their family members to propose marriage. This day can also be called the Little Qixi Festival.

Of course Shen Zhi would not miss the first Lantern Festival in ancient times, and he had invited people before it got dark. Shen Zhen was definitely going to go, and Zhuge Ling and Shen Bi agreed to pick her up later, and Lan Tian and Lan Xue also shouted to watch the fun. Shen Shi and his family were reluctant to go to crowded places, but they repeatedly told them to keep an eye on the two little ones, as there were many people taking pictures of beggars now. In previous years, there were also children who were kidnapped by beggars on this day. Shen Zhi agreed repeatedly and promised to keep an eye on Lan Tian and Lan Xue.

The group went to Shenjia Village to pick up Shen Bi. Coincidentally, Shen Qing was also at home, so he went to the town with them.

The town was indeed very lively, and the carriage could only move slowly. It happened to pass by Wangxian Tower and saw Shen Che inspecting the store. It greeted him and left the carriage in the yard of Wangxian Tower.

"You are here too. Rouer and her aunt are with Liu Qian's family on West Street. There are many lanterns there. Maybe you can see them if you go there." Song Che said.

"Okay, we're going there." Shen Zhi said goodbye to him and took the others to West Street.

Zhuge Ling wanted to have a private conversation with Shen Bi, so he held her hand and went out alone. Shen Zhen and Shen Zhi each held a child and walked along the street.

Lan Tian had been to West Street before, but he was just a little beggar at that time, so he certainly didn't have the same mindset as now. Before leaving, he took out his New Year's money, and he wanted to act like a man, and when his sisters wanted to buy something, he would pay for it.

There were all kinds of lanterns along the street, which amazed the two children. Shen Zhi bought a lantern for each of them, a cow lantern for Lan Tian and a rabbit lantern for Lan Xue, both of which were their zodiac signs. The two children were very happy.

In addition to the lanterns, there were also various small stalls on the street, selling all kinds of cakes, candies, wontons and the like. Along the way, Shen Zhi bought candied haws and sugar cakes for the two children. He bought them anything they looked at more than once, so as not to let them envy others.

In addition to the vendors, there were also various jugglers, dragon and lion dances in the middle of the street. Lan Tian was most interested in the jugglers, and Shen Zhi took his hand and went over to watch with him, not daring to let him go. The more lively the place, the more likely it was for accidents to happen.

Shen Zhen also followed with Lan Xue by the hand, fearing that they would be separated by the crowd.

The juggling performances on the spot included throwing plates, breaking rocks with the chest, etc., and the crowd gathered around and watched with great interest.

Suddenly, Lan Tian pulled Shen Zhi's hand, pointed to a dark alley and whispered, "Second sister, two bad guys are running over there with a little sister in their arms."

Before Shen Zhi could react, a scream came from the side: "Nannan, Nannan, where are you? My daughter is missing, she was just here." The woman cried and called her daughter's nickname.

The onlookers nearby were furious. "Could it be that we ran into some beggars? Go find some soldiers for help. There are many soldiers patrolling at that intersection."

The woman ran towards the intersection crying, and the others quickly hugged their children. Many people were no longer interested in watching the circus and left with their children in their arms.

Shen Zhi handed Lan Tian to Shen Zhen and said, "Sister, take them to Wangxian Tower quickly and wait for me there. Don't go anywhere else. I'll go over there and take a look."

As he spoke, Shen Zhi chased towards the alley that Lan Tian pointed to.

At this time, Shen Zhen did not dare to stay here, and hurriedly took the two children to Wangxian Tower.

Wangxian Tower was also in a mess at this time. Madam Song came with her children and her sister-in-law Madam Liu. Madam Liu was crying. Her daughter Liu Yue, Liu Qian's biological sister, was only six years old and had just disappeared in the blink of an eye. Someone nearby said that they saw a man carrying her away. Song Rou chased after him after hearing this, and Liu Qian also went to report to the police in a panic. Madam Song took Song Yu and pulled Madam Liu back to Wangxian Tower. At this moment, she regretted leaving the house very much. Originally, she had just become pregnant, and her family asked her to stay at home to take good care of the fetus. She thought that she had been locked up at home for so many days, and the doctor in the palace said that her fetus was stable after taking her pulse, so she wanted to take advantage of the Lantern Festival to come out and take a breath. Who would have thought that she just wanted to go to the calligraphy and painting stall to look at the calligraphy and paintings, and let Song Yu take the calligraphy and paintings to appreciate them. Mrs. Liu let go of Liu Yue's hand and held Song Yu's hand. She thought that Song Yu was lively and active and was afraid that she would run away. Her daughter was six years old and didn't like to run around, so nothing would happen to her. But she didn't expect that her daughter disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Song Che quickly comforted his wife and sister-in-law from Yue's family, and asked the steward to take them to the backyard to rest first, while he went out to help look for it.

When Shen Zhen came over, she happened to see the chaos. She comforted Madam Liu and Madam Song, saying that her sister Shen Zhi had chased a bad guy who stole a child. Those beggars must be in the same group. As long as Shen Zhi found them, she would be able to bring the child back safely.

After hearing what Shen Zhen said, Mrs. Liu felt hopeful, but she still felt heartbroken because she hadn't seen her child.

Meanwhile, Shen Zhi lost him in the dark alley. Just as she was about to leave, she heard a sobbing sound coming from a small courtyard, the sound was like the sound of a mouth stuffed with cloth.

Shen Zhi walked towards the yard. It was a small yard that had not been inhabited for a long time. It was dilapidated and overgrown with weeds. After being nourished by the spiritual spring, Shen Zhi's eyesight and hearing were surprisingly good. She saw traces of heavy objects being dragged on the weeds in the yard. They must have been left when they dragged people. Shen Zhi tiptoed in. There was a small house in the yard. There was a figure swaying next to the door. He should be keeping watch.

Shen Zhi quietly walked over from the side and slashed at his neck with a knife. The man fainted before he could make a sound. Shen Zhi caught him, carefully put him on the ground, tied his arms behind his back with a rope, and stuffed his mouth with a piece of rag.

After dealing with this person, Shen Zhi carefully pushed open the door and walked in. The light inside gradually came on.

There were more than a dozen children tied up in the hall, all of them about six or seven years old, both boys and girls.

Shen Zhi hushed at them, signaling them not to make any noise.

There was the sound of a girl crying in the room, and you knew what was happening inside without having to think.

Shen Zhi didn't care about that and kicked the door open. A strong man was whipping the girl with a whip, saying obscenely: "A beauty who came to my door, I will naturally cherish her. Beauty, you almost kicked my vitals just now, so I can't cherish you. You even brought a whip, I like beauties like you who have a strong temper." As he said that, the whip was about to be whipped down again.