Who in the world does not know you?

Chapter 3 Yesterday

Having served as a jailer in the Ningzhou government prison for many years, Yunping had seen countless prisoners of all kinds.

Bad people don't usually have the word "bad" written on their faces, and there are also honest-looking and handsome people among the prisoners who are thrown into jail.

But Yunping had never seen such a lively and cheerful girl. She was pretty and cute, and her smile with slightly upturned lips was very sweet. He once felt sorry for this girl who had gone astray.

He never dreamed that such a seemingly harmless and beautiful woman would disappear without a trace in the prison, as if she had vanished into thin air.

"Logically speaking, prisoner escapes have happened before, but they are rare. Firstly, prisons are usually located in corners of government buildings, and it's not as simple as just breaking through all four walls to reach the outside; only one side connects to the main street. Even if a prisoner dug a tunnel from his cell to try and escape, he would find himself still inside the government building the moment he emerged. Secondly, even if the prisoner is lucky enough to have his cell on the side closest to the outside, digging a tunnel to escape without the right tools would be extremely difficult, requiring at least a considerable amount of time..."

With prisoners missing from the jail, Yunping, as the jailer, was naturally responsible.

Yunping had served as the jailer in Ningzhou Prefecture for many years and knew the number of prisoners coming in and out of the prison as well as the internal structure of the prison.

Given his consistently conscientious and responsible work style, it would be virtually impossible for a prisoner to escape.

No one expected that prisoners could successfully escape from the jail, including Yunping himself.

Yun Luobai knew what losing the prisoner meant to Yun Ping.

"When was this thief arrested and imprisoned?"

"Yesterday..."

"Yesterday?"

"Yes, she was just registered on the prison roster yesterday, and she's gone today."

"There simply wasn't time to dig a tunnel..."

"Not only was there no time to dig a tunnel, but the prison was also cold and dark. I saw that she was young and didn't want her to suffer, so I sent someone to deliver a tattered quilt to her. But by the time someone discovered she was missing, that tattered quilt had never even been unfolded..."

Yunping picked up the wine glass in front of him and drank it all in one gulp. He had served as the jailer in the Ningzhou government prison for many years and had never had a prisoner successfully escape. Now, at this age, he had unexpectedly failed and fallen into the hands of a young girl.

"I suppose you, Father, have already inspected all the cells where she is staying."

"Yes, nothing unusual was found. There wasn't even a trace of the thatch in the corner being disturbed. She just vanished into thin air in a single day..."

Yun Luobai smiled and clicked her tongue.

This matter sounded rather bizarre, and he found it quite intriguing.

"interesting."

Yun Luobai picked up the wine pot and refilled Yun Ping's white porcelain cup with wine, still puzzled.

"Father, it's true that a prisoner went missing, but such a bizarre incident can't be entirely blamed on you. Even if the prefect finds out, at most he'll just fine you and the jailers by deducting their salaries. Besides, if what you say is true, that young woman is just an ordinary petty thief, far from being a heinous criminal, and she wouldn't pose any real danger or disaster. Why are you so worried?"

"Son, you don't know this, but a few months ago, a new jailer arrived at the prison. His name is Ma Ben, and he's a distant relative of the prefect. With that connection, he's definitely thinking of replacing me so he can become the next jailer. If he uses this as an excuse to conspire with the prefect to remove me from my position as jailer and put him in his place on the grounds of my incompetence, then I'll be in trouble..."

Upon hearing this, Yun Luobai scoffed at it.

"He's just a jailer, not some lucrative job. Is he really worth fighting over with you for?"

Yunping pursed his lips, his gaze dimming considerably.

"But your father raised you by working as a jailer..."

"..."

The clouds fell silently.

The four dishes and one soup that had been prepared on the table were gradually getting cold.

As the sun set, the afterglow of the setting sun cast a somewhat desolate glow over the entire courtyard.

"Father, I'll go to the jail with you tomorrow. I want to see how she managed to disappear without a trace."

"Alright. You've been smart since you were little. If you can figure out something, I can give the prefect an explanation."

Yunping grinned. He didn't actually expect anything from Yun Luobai; he just didn't want his son, who hadn't been home for a long time, to worry.

"Let's eat first, your cooking is really good."

"Father, why won't you let me cast a divination to find out where that female thief has escaped to?"

Yunping had just picked up a piece of green vegetable and put it in his mouth. After chewing it a few times and swallowing it, the smile on his lips looked somewhat embarrassed.

"This...this can be calculated?"

Yun Ping's performance made Yun Luobai's mind clear as a mirror.

"Father, you don't believe in my divination skills, do you?"

Yun Ping's expression became even more embarrassed after Yun Luobai's words revealed his thoughts.

"It's okay, I don't believe it either."

Yun Luobai said with a smile, but a hint of something unreadable flashed in his eyes.

The next morning, Yun Luobai changed into a blue robe and followed Yun Ping out the door.

Early in the morning, people were already busy on the streets.

Shops everywhere opened their doors, and vendors selling vegetables and setting up stalls found their spots.

Yun Luobai's appearance inevitably attracted attention. Since his miraculous survival and return to Ningzhou Prefecture, he has kept a low profile and rarely makes public appearances.

"Hey, Chief Prisoner Yun, Luo Bai has grown up to be quite handsome! Should I help him find a good match?"

The woman selling vegetables by the roadside shouted loudly at Yunping, which immediately caused a burst of laughter from the surrounding crowd.

Yunping ignored them, simply smiling and nodding at everyone as he went, which he considered a greeting.

Yun Luobai imitated Yun Ping's movements, even though many of the faces around him seemed completely unfamiliar to him.

The grand mansion that Yun Luobai bought for Yun Ping was located on Chang Le Street, the most bustling street in Ningzhou Prefecture. It wasn't far from the yamen prison, and you could see many lively scenes along the way.

Yun Luobai stopped in front of a three-story building on the street that used to be bustling with customers. He looked up and saw the three large characters "Rouge Pavilion" written on a blue plaque with black lettering.

Rouge Pavilion was a famous brothel in Ningzhou Prefecture, where the women were skilled in singing and dancing. The most beautiful courtesan in the pavilion was like a lotus emerging from the water, captivating countless visitors with just one glance.

Today, however, Rouge Pavilion was quiet and the doors were tightly closed, showing no sign of opening. The surrounding crowds did not gather around to get closer, which inevitably made people feel a little strange.

"Father, why is Rouge Pavilion so quiet today?"

Yun Ping stood beside Yun Luobai. Although he was half a head shorter than the latter, he looked up at the Rouge Pavilion, which was entirely painted red and had pink ribbons tied to its half-open windows, just like Yun Luobai.

"Someone died, and the government is investigating, so naturally we can't operate normally."

"Aren't brothels places for pleasure? How could someone die there? Could it be that the customers got into a fight over a girl and accidentally killed someone?"

"It is said that the one who died was not a guest, but the most beautiful courtesan in the Rouge Pavilion."

When did this happen?

"The day before yesterday."