Chapter 1477: Alive or Dead, We Must Find Her

Everyone knew Feng Fuce was exceptionally capable; whenever he took something on, there was nothing he couldn’t resolve.

So the officials, who had just been anxiously rummaging through case files, all gathered around Feng Fuce.

They watched him with expectant eyes, waiting for him to make a decision.

"Lord Guan’s daughter?"

"It’s Guan Yue!"

Feng Fuce had some impression of her.

When Bai Zhi’er was young, this Guan Yue entered the palace, wanting to compete for the position of study companion to the Princess.

But back then, because of her straightforward temper, she was used by Liu Yingnan, causing quite a stir.

Later it was thanks to Bai Zhi’er’s guidance that Guan Yue came to understand.

After all these years, Guan Yue and Bai Zhi’er had become friends. Though they weren’t that close, whenever she saw Bai Zhi’er, Guan Yue would always hurry over to greet her and pay her respects.

Feng Fuce came back to himself. He walked to the table and sat down, and a eunuch immediately served tea.

"When someone goes missing, you follow the usual procedures to search: ask around among people she’s familiar with, places she frequents, relatives’ homes—question and look everywhere."

"If that still fails, go find Chu Ping and borrow his hounds; you should be able to track her."

After all, Guan Yue is a young Miss of a noble household; there is no way she could be living alone outside for four days.

Her temperament is rather spoiled; she absolutely cannot survive on her own.

An official said, "All the places Marquis has mentioned, we lower officials have already inquired at ahead of time. Anyone even slightly close to Miss Guan has not seen her."

"Furthermore, on the day she disappeared, she did not have any quarrel with her family."

Feng Fuce tasted his tea, his expression calm: "Then her maid—have you questioned her?"

"We have!" Prime Minister Wen said. "Her maid stated that Miss Guan vanished on the way home after dismissing class at the academy. The maid only stepped away for the time it takes to buy a few pastries; when she turned her head back, Miss Guan had disappeared, and she couldn’t find her anywhere."

"Because Lord Guan is a pillar of the court, he has not attended morning audience for four days over his daughter’s disappearance. The Emperor has ordered us to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible."

Prime Minister Wen placed a hand by his mouth and said in a low voice, "Alive, we must see the person; dead, we must see the corpse."

Everyone understood in their hearts.

If someone suddenly vanishes on a busy street, they’ve likely been abducted.

And if she’s been missing for four days without being found, the chances are slim.

Feng Fuce’s expression did not change.

He reached out for the case file. "Let me see the depositions of those involved."

"Right here! All sorted. Please take a look, Marquis." A civil official handed it over.

Feng Fuce opened it and read carefully, while a Government Official in the know stood by and explained.

Suddenly.

His fingertips paused, and he flipped to a new page.

The Government Official immediately said, "This booklet is specifically for recording missing women, so it’s easier to check and log. Those we’ve already found, we’ve crossed their names out."

Feng Fuce lowered his cold gaze, his deep eyes scanning line by line.

"This frequent?"

"What?" The Government Official froze, not understanding what he meant.

Feng Fuce pointed from top to bottom: "Starting mid-March, there have been women going missing. Up to today, you’ve recorded a total of sixteen names, including Guan Yue. And not a single one of them has been found."

The youth’s bearing was icy as he slammed the booklet down onto the table.

"With a phenomenon this serious, why is it only being reported now? Have you investigated the women who went missing aside from Guan Yue?"

The Government Officials looked at one another, stunned by Feng Fuce’s tone of questioning.

Among them, the higher-ranked official hurriedly said, "Marquis, please quell your anger. We lowly officials have been searching all along. It’s just, first, we’re short on manpower, and second, these missing women range from noble Misses down to fisherwomen and flower sellers. This... even if someone is deliberately abducting them, surely they wouldn’t just grab anyone without regard for identity, would they?"