He gently pushed the ginseng back to Zhang Laoer, his eyes gleaming with determination, "Don't worry, I've watched that child grow up step by step. Even if you don't come to ask, I can't just sit there and do nothing. I will definitely do everything I can to find her back."

Afterwards, Mr. Zhou patted the two men on the shoulders to comfort them, and the group set out on the journey back to town.

As night fell, the carriage sped along the rugged mountain road under the light of dim lanterns. The sound of the wheels hitting the stone slabs was particularly clear in the quiet night.

Soon, they returned to the brightly lit Chengguan County. Zhang Laoer and his son hurriedly met up with Xu Liyun and others who had been waiting there.

Zhou Xiucai flashed and went straight to the Treasure Pavilion, which was the key to mobilizing reinforcements.

Inside the Treasure Pavilion, with the appearance of Mr. Zhou, secret and urgent instructions spread quickly, as if undercurrents were surging beneath the calm surface of a lake.

Soon, the streets and alleys of Chengguan County were filled with some strangers who seemed ordinary but actually had sharp eyes. Under the cover of night, they quietly searched for clues about human traffickers.

At the same time, Xu Liyun held Zhang Siwa's hand tightly, and the mother and son shuttled through the dim streets. Under every street light and in every shadow, they did not miss any possible clues, for fear of missing the opportunity to find Youniang due to a moment's negligence.

Xu Liyun's heart was filled with regret and pain. Her daughter had vaguely mentioned the insecurity around them. Why didn't she pay enough attention and keep her firmly under her wings?

This self-blame and anger towards the evildoers intertwined into a strong determination. She vowed to bring her little daughter home unharmed and make those evildoers who dared to extend their claws to innocent children receive the punishment they deserved!

The entire Chengguan County, with the coordination of different forces, has formed an invisible large net, waiting for the criminals hiding in the dark to fall into the trap.

However, while all this was happening, Xiao Youniang, who was far away in the carriage, was completely unaware of it.

She and Fan Yunfu were imprisoned in a small space, riding on a bumpy vehicle towards an unknown place.

Because Fan Yunfu had a strong personality and could not tolerate being restrained, he struggled and shouted continuously along the way and almost attracted the attention of outsiders several times, forcing the human traffickers to take measures and stuff his mouth with a cloth.

In contrast, Xiao Youniang temporarily avoided more suffering because she behaved exceptionally obediently, but they were still under strict surveillance and their chances of escape seemed slim.

As the carriage crossed stone bridges and turned corners, Xiao Youniang could occasionally hear the footsteps of patrolling police outside and the conversations with passers-by through the gaps in the wooden boards.

There was a barely perceptible glimmer of hope in her eyes. She imagined that those armored officials would suddenly appear beside the car, lift the curtain, and rescue her and Fan Yunfu, who had a bad temper but unexpectedly protected her.

Unfortunately, the human traffickers had been prepared and had carefully modified the carriage.

Whenever a police officer approaches, all it takes is a gentle push, and a seemingly ordinary partition will instantly block out the outside world's sight and hide all the secrets behind the car.

In desperation, Fan Yunfu even tried to bang his head against the partition, hoping to make a noise enough to attract attention, but to no avail.

However, just when everyone thought there was little hope, a subtle but crisp sound broke the silence in the car.

Xiao Youniang was surprised to find that the wooden board under her feet was loose, and a small crack appeared, letting in a faint light. Then, a small head with disheveled hair suddenly emerged from the gap under the car. This sudden scene frightened Fan Yunfu's heart so much that it almost jumped out of his throat. Xiao Youniang was also shocked, with her eyes wide open.

But when their eyes met, Xiao Youniang's eyes suddenly lit up after being stunned - wasn't this the clever and somewhat sloppy little beggar whom she had met by chance on the street!

As soon as the little beggar saw the figure of Xiao Youniang, his vigilant eyes softened instantly, as if a clear spring met the spring breeze, and he immediately relaxed a lot.

He quickly raised his dirty fingers and made a subtle and rapid "hush" sound, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility of the night, signaling the little girl to keep quiet.

Then, his figure was as light and agile as a black cat shuttling through the dark night. He leaped onto the edge of the carriage without making any sound, and his movements were so smooth that they seemed to blend into the night.

When Fan Yunfu saw the little beggar, an irrepressible excitement flashed in his eyes. He desperately winked and called for help silently, hoping that this clever little figure could become their savior.

However, the little beggar's attention seemed to be entirely focused on rescuing the little girl. He skillfully untied the ropes that bound her and ignored Fan Yunfu's eyes asking for help.

Fan Yunfu tried to squeeze through several times, showing his tightly bound hands and feet, but the little beggar's mind seemed to be completely focused on the next step of his escape plan.

In the night wind, the footsteps of the patrol officers in the distance gradually faded away. A sense of urgency filled the air, suggesting that if they did not act, they would likely fall into an even more dangerous situation.

Xiao Youniang was kind-hearted. Seeing Fan Yunfu's anxious look, she quietly took out the sharp knife handed to her by the little beggar from her sleeve and carefully cut the ropes on Fan Yunfu.

The moment the carriage started slowly, the three of them took advantage of the dim light from the gap between the carriages and nimbly squeezed through the small hole that was only wide enough for children to pass through, and disappeared into the night in a flash.

It was a blessing that they were so thin. If they were plumper, they would probably be stuck there and unable to get out.

The county town was in chaos. Under the dim lights, the constables and various chivalrous men were intertwined into a complex and ever-changing picture, all busy trying to capture those unscrupulous human traffickers.

The little beggar knew very well that in such an environment, the presence of the three children was too conspicuous, so he decided to take them to a relatively safe refuge - the City God Temple, which was his temporary shelter.

However, fate always has unexpected plans.

Not long after the trafficker's carriage left, it was intercepted by another group of people.

When the group of people dealt with the traffickers and uncovered the secret of the carriage, there was only an inconspicuous small hole and a few scattered hemp ropes inside, and the smart children had long disappeared.

"Youniang, where on earth have you been?" Xu Liyun stared at the empty carriage with mixed feelings.

On the one hand, she was glad that her daughter had escaped from the clutches of the devil.

On the other hand, worry hangs over my heart like a shadow. How can such a young child protect himself in this chaotic world?

What should I do if I encounter danger again?

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