The life of the Xianyu family through books

Chapter 921: Fighting rabbits

“Judging from this, this cellar is where the children are kept, and there are quite a few of them,” Yan Lao Er said solemnly. “We’ve run into a child trafficking gang.”

“It’s not easy to move so many children.” He looked around, taking in the entire courtyard.

“This courtyard is located in the north of the city. I saw it when we came here. There aren’t many residences, but there are a few warehouses. There are many people from other places. Even if you see someone you don’t recognize, you won’t pay much attention. There are also many carriages and horses. As long as you hide the child well, it will be very convenient to move around in the capital. Except for the checks when entering and leaving the city gates, the patrols in the capital are very regular. You can just avoid them.”

Yan Lao Er couldn't understand why the person who took Xiao Ni away didn't run to a remote place, but instead ran to the capital.

Now I understand.

Hidden away in the city.

If there are only one or two children, they will naturally flock to the most remote and secluded places.

But they're doing big business.

Hidden in the capital, it would be even harder to be discovered.

Looking at these empty courtyards, I wonder how many there are in the capital.

"They seemed to be in a hurry to leave, why?" Yan Lao Er muttered to himself.

The men around him stared at him expectantly, but no one spoke to him.

They don't need to do things that require thinking.

Something flashed through Yan Lao Er's mind.

"Could it be that someone tipped them off?"

He thought of this as the least likely possibility, but upon closer examination, it turned out to be a very high probability.

"They've abducted many children, have more than one hideout, and are confident they can transport the abducted children out of the city... Surely they wouldn't sell the children they abducted in the capital city, they'd definitely sell them elsewhere. Hmm, it's a large-scale operation with a route, I wonder how many years they've been operating, it's not surprising they have some shady connections."

"Did you smell something strange just now?" Yan Lao Er asked.

Everyone nodded, saying they could smell it.

"To keep the child from crying, making a fuss, and making any noise, they must have drugged him and covered his mouth," Yan Lao Er said decisively.

"Hold on, and remember this taste."

Just hold on to your little dog head.

"Now, smell this again. Our priority is to find Xiao Ni."

We'll discuss other things once we find Xiaoni.

Yan Lao Er made up his mind.

Although the cat had been hiding and sniffing around, it was actually the cat that was looking for people.

The cat's search function is more convenient, faster, and has a wider coverage.

With the cat away, the only way to survive is by using the most basic and foolish methods.

Like a dog, it tracks by scent.

The dog crept along the wall, circling around the obstacles, and finally came to the base of a wall, barking and wagging its tail.

Yan Lao Er followed behind, his face full of surprise.

Gouzhu smelled Xiaoni's scent and walked the paths Xiaoni had walked.

He looks so much like him...

Yan Lao Er couldn't help but picture the scene in his mind.

The chubby little boy, much shorter and thinner than his daughter, hid while searching for a suitable spot.

Then, she found it.

Yan Lao Er quickly ran over.

Upon closer inspection, claw marks were found on the wall.

He was extremely excited.

"Hu Er! Hu Er! Does Xiao Ni have any grappling hooks on her?"

Hu Er also ran over.

Although I didn't understand why Brother Yan was asking this at this time, I still answered honestly.

“Xiao Ni has a hook, she cherishes it very much, and always keeps it close to her body.”

"Look there, look!" Yan Lao Er pointed excitedly, "Isn't that left by the grappling hook?"

Hu Er stared intently at it.

Everyone swarmed around.

"It's a hook. Look here, doesn't it look like a footprint left after kicking a wall?"

"Did Xiao Ni climb over the wall and leave? I'll go outside and check."

Soon, voices came from outside the wall.

"Brother Yan, someone came down from the tree."

"There are still rolling marks on the ground." "And these little footprints, heading south, are they our little girl's?"

"The main road keeps heading south, we'll eventually find the government office!" Yan Lao Er exclaimed, "Chase south!"

……

Yan Yu, along with Pan Dai and Pan Zheng, were inquiring at the brokerage firm.

If Xiao Ni falls into the hands of human traffickers...

The people most likely to have dealings with human traffickers are brokers.

Brokerage firms not only buy and sell people, but also handle house sales and rentals, find buyers for goods, and write transaction documents, among other things.

The business has a wide range of applications.

And there are many gray areas in the middle.

In the capital, finding people or even items is much cheaper with the help of a broker.

But not just anyone can find this place; at least ordinary people don't have that qualification.

Pan Dai, the eldest son of the Duke of Dingguo's family, was naturally qualified.

Yan Yu needed information on vacant houses in the city, hotel accommodations for migrant workers, and shipping information.

As mentioned before, the authority of the Five City Garrison covered all aspects of the security of the capital.

This brokerage firm was more like a rudimentary version of a business talent trading center.

For example.

Someone brought a batch of goods from outside the capital.

When people enter the city, their information and the goods they are carrying are recorded.

This information was compiled and submitted to the Kyoto Prefectural Government.

The brokerage firm will also receive a copy; it's not that it's a rule, but rather a tacit understanding.

As middlemen, brokerage firms were extremely sensitive to the types and quantities of goods entering and leaving the capital. This directly affected their pricing, and they could also profit by hoarding goods or selling information when supplies were insufficient.

Let's go back to the example of the batch of goods mentioned above.

Once sold, a deal is reached with the buyer.

There must be written records kept.

In other words, if goods are brought in but not sold, it would be very strange, and the owner would soon be summoned by officials for questioning.

It seems like a very strict surveillance system, right?

But in reality, it's all too easy to find loopholes.

Forging transaction documents, reporting lost goods, reselling multiple times, and settling debts with goods, etc.

Throughout history, there have been countless ways to cover up the truth.

Yan Yu wanted these things not because she wanted to find any clues or evidence.

joke.

She's got some kind of cheat code; finding someone is a piece of cake for her.

It was precisely because of this confidence that she was able to remain calm even after Xiao Ni was in danger of being abducted.

Yan Yu suddenly thought of it.

While searching for people, she can also do other things.

For example, she could use this opportunity to expose the men who attacked and killed her father, the King of Han.

She has located these people and confirmed their hiding place through the cat.

They even found out their disguised identities.

Of course, besides the cat, she also benefited from Uncle Ye's help.

Do you remember Uncle Ye? He's the stand-in uncle who looks remarkably like the prince of the rebel kingdom.

He became successful after moving to Beijing.

He was chosen by the old emperor and was secretly forming some kind of organization.

This face did not decline even with the death of the rebellious crown prince.

Ironically, the seemingly genuine "substitute" survived.

A sinister wind was secretly circulating within the high gates of the capital.

It is said that Shi Kezhen did not die, but secretly surrendered to the old emperor and betrayed him to his father, the rebel king.

Then there are countless stories and tropes about faking death to escape, enduring humiliation, and sacrificing family for the greater good.

Yan Yuzhen was convinced.

That's how her Uncle Ye gradually gained a foothold in the capital.