Chapter 63 – Rebirth: The Poisonous Concubine (04)
Hearing these words, the Imperial Censor’s mind went blank.
The news that his wife had been taken was even worse than if they had simply gotten separated in the crowd. In the latter case, they would have only been apart for a short while, and she would eventually return home safely. But in the former—her fate was uncertain, fraught with danger, even life and death.
The Lantern Festival was bustling with people, the chaos only worsened by the runaway carriage. The crowd had been scattered, leaving everyone shaken. Finding an eyewitness in this mess was nearly impossible.
There were plenty of well-dressed women at the festival, yet the kidnappers had taken only Madam Yu and no one else. That meant this was premeditated.
The Imperial Censor knew he couldn’t afford to panic now. He bit down hard on his tongue, the sharp pain jolting him out of his anxious state and helping him regain his composure.
“Little girl, I’ll buy all your flowers. You can keep the extra change. But I need you to do something for me—will you help?”
He took out a small piece of silver—more than three times what the girl’s flowers were worth. Her face lit up with joy, the fear from earlier instantly forgotten.
“I need to tell my parents first,” the girl said. Though delighted, she wasn’t blinded by the silver. After informing her parents, who were selling flowers nearby, the three of them were brought to the local magistrate’s office by the Imperial Censor.
During large public festivals, criminals always took advantage of the chaos. Human traffickers blended into the crowd, waiting for an opportunity to snatch children.
The Lantern Festival was slightly safer than other events, as fewer children roamed the streets. But there were plenty of unmarried young women, making them easy targets for those with sinister intentions.
Some kidnappers would abduct victims for ransom, while others had far darker motives—threatening not only a woman’s reputation but also her life.
The magistrate faced this problem every year. Despite countless efforts to crack down on these criminals, the cycle repeated. No matter how many were captured, more would surface. Recently, the authorities had managed to dismantle several trafficking rings, reducing their activities. The magistrate had hoped for some peace, yet now, it seemed the criminals had not given up.
This time, they had gone too far—even daring to kidnap the wife of an Imperial Censor.
As the Imperial Censor’s men searched every corner of the city, the magistrate questioned the little girl three or four times, ensuring he had every detail of what she had seen. If the kidnappers were after money and sent a ransom demand that night, that would be the best-case scenario. But if no message arrived by dawn, then the chances of Madam Yu surviving would be grim.
The thought of his wife suffering at the hands of vile criminals left the Imperial Censor’s usually sharp mind clouded with panic.
Meanwhile, the steward had dispatched men to find Yu Chenyi—who, at that moment, was eagerly preparing to ride an ancient-style hot air balloon with Bai Mo.
Upon hearing that his mother had been kidnapped and her whereabouts were unknown, Yu Chenyi also panicked for a brief moment. However, he quickly regained his composure and apologized to Bai Mo.
“Mo Mo, I’m sorry. I won’t be able to accompany you today…”
“Finding Madam Yu is more important. I’ll be fine,” Bai Mo reassured him, waving his hand dismissively at Yu Chenyi, who was both anxious and apologetic.
With kidnappers lurking at the Lantern Festival, Yu Chenyi looked at the boy’s handsome face and felt a new wave of worry. He was concerned for his mother, but he was also afraid that someone might target Bai Mo because of his striking appearance.
“Fu Bo, please take Mo Mo back to the Bai residence. Make sure you personally see him home,” Yu Chenyi instructed.
He didn’t have time to escort Bai Mo himself, and at this moment, Fu Bo was the only person he could entrust with the task. But Fu Bo was old… if they ran into trouble—
Yu Chenyi didn’t dare think further. Having company was still safer than traveling alone.
Once Yu Chenyi left, Bai Mo no longer felt like continuing to stroll through the festival. He walked ahead in silence, with the steward following behind. The steward, preoccupied with the chaos back at the Yu household, had no mind for small talk.
As Bai Mo walked, he found himself puzzled. Why would Madam Yu be kidnapped? This wasn’t part of the original storyline.
And he had a strong feeling that the female lead was involved.
Ever since Fu Bo reported Madam Yu’s disappearance, the internal system had been investigating. Fifteen minutes later, it had pieced together the full story.
“As expected, this was the female lead’s doing. Originally, she planned to kidnap you, Mo Mo, and frame you in a scandal with the Third Prince. But since you didn’t go to the designated meeting place in the original plot, Wei Yuyan got impatient and changed her plan. Instead, she had someone abduct Madam Yu, knowing that she could then ‘coincidentally’ come to the rescue. This way, she could establish a connection with Madam Yu while also earning Yu Chenyi’s favor.”
“Mo Mo, you absolutely can’t let Wei Yuyan succeed! She doesn’t just want to steal your man—she also wants to harm you. If she fails today, she’ll try again in the future.”
The internal system once again emphasized the female lead’s ruthlessness.
In the original plot, Bai Yueguang had never even provoked Wei Yuyan. In fact, they had barely ever crossed paths. Yet just because the Third Prince liked the male supporting character, Bai Yueguang had been tormented to the point of wishing for death.
Who had Bai Yueguang ever offended?
What did it matter to him if someone else liked him?
Perhaps it was because Bai Yueguang’s fate—being framed as a villain—was too tragic, or because he shared a name with the little snow ferret, but the system’s hatred for Wei Yuyan far surpassed that of the previous two female leads.
“Locate Madam Yu for me. I’ll go rescue her.” Bai Mo saw nothing wrong with charging into enemy territory alone. He had done it before—going in and coming out completely unscathed. This time would be no exception.
The system responded crisply, and Bai Mo turned to Fu Bo with a sweet smile. “Fu Bo, you’ve worked hard. I can go home on my own now.”
By the time he said this, they were already close to the Bai residence. This area was far from the crowds, and the sounds of the Lantern Festival were so faint they were nearly inaudible.
Fu Bo glanced ahead and saw that the Bai residence wasn’t far.
Reasoning that kidnappers wouldn’t dare roam around the noble district, and seeing how obedient Bai Mo appeared, he relented. He also worried that both the magistrate and Yu Chenyi had gone to the government office, leaving the household without anyone to take charge.
If the kidnappers sent a message back to the Yu estate, the servants there would be at a loss. Anxious, Fu Bo decided not to insist further, gave Bai Mo a respectful bow, and hurried back.
However, Bai Mo didn’t go home as Fu Bo had expected. Instead, once Fu Bo was out of sight, he retraced his steps. At the fork in the road, he turned and ran in the opposite direction.
Contrary to what the magistrate and others had assumed, Madam Yu hadn’t been taken to the outskirts or a secluded area.
Instead, Bai Mo headed toward the heart of the Lantern Festival. The best place to hide was in plain sight—where the crowds were thickest, attention was naturally spread thin. The kidnappers had rented a small courtyard in this bustling area. With the doors and windows shut, no one could see inside, and the noise outside easily drowned out any commotion from within. It was, in many ways, a brilliant hiding spot.
After being brought to the courtyard, Madam Yu had all her valuables stripped away—rings, hairpins, anything that could be removed.
She had never been one to flaunt her wealth, and although her accessories were expensive, they had simple designs. The old woman who had kidnapped her was relatively new to the trade. She had only heard that this business was lucrative and had just recently begun doing it herself. She recognized gold and silver but had no understanding of other valuables.
“So this is supposed to be the magistrate’s wife? Hah, there’s not a single valuable thing on her.” The old woman spat in disdain, unimpressed by Madam Yu’s so-called “junk.” Still, she didn’t hesitate to wrap the items in cloth and stash them away.
“Well, she’s still the magistrate’s wife. She should be worth at least some silver…” she muttered to herself. After greeting the leader of the kidnappers, she left the courtyard.
The leader didn’t pay much attention. It’s the Lantern Festival, he thought. With so many people around, snatching a few more to make up for recent losses wouldn’t be a bad idea.
However, the old woman had her own plans. Instead of searching for more targets, she quietly entered a pawnshop, clutching the valuables she had secretly hidden away.
Bai Mo knew these kidnappers only targeted women and children. His physique no longer fit the definition of a child, but compared to a grown man, he was still on the petite side.
Now, about disguising himself as a woman…
Well, once you cross that line, there’s no going back.
He had done it countless times in his past life, so one more time wouldn’t make a difference.
But there was one problem—how exactly was he supposed to put on these ancient women’s robes?
The young man held the unfamiliar dress in his hands, feeling completely at a loss.
The system’s eyes sparkled as it gazed at the beautiful outfit. Wow~ Such a pretty dress! I approve!
With the assistance of the all-knowing system, Bai Mo finally managed to put on the dress, don a wig, and apply makeup. Given the old woman’s greedy nature, he adorned himself with gold and jewels—rings, hairpins, necklaces—glimmering from every possible angle. Then, he positioned himself along the woman’s usual path, glancing around nervously, feigning the timid demeanor of someone lost and afraid.
Under the bright lanterns, the jewelry adorning the young “woman” reflected the light so intensely that it nearly blinded the old woman. She wiped away the tears that welled up from the glare and fixed her murky eyes on Bai Mo—or rather, on the dazzling valuables he wore—already calculating their worth in her mind.
There were many kidnappers inside the courtyard, as well as numerous abducted women. Bai Mo had originally planned only to rescue Madam Yu, but upon learning that many innocent people were trapped, he realized that while he could break in alone, he couldn’t possibly lead everyone out by himself. So, he devised a different plan: get “captured” on purpose, map out the area, and then find an opportunity to open the doors and free the hostages.
Just as Bai Mo’s patience was wearing thin, the old woman finally made up her mind—she would lure this young lady away.
Rubbing her hands together, she put on an honest and kind expression before stepping forward to strike up a conversation.
“Young lady, what are you doing here all alone? Where is your family?” she asked with a warm, friendly smile.
Bai Mo’s voice was naturally soft, and when he deliberately slowed his speech, it became truly indistinguishable between male and female. He gave a slight bow and responded gently, his tone timid, “I got separated from my maid. I don’t know where she went. This place is quiet, so I thought I’d wait here for her to find me.”
The old woman’s heart leaped with joy. Oh? Separated from her maid, and all alone?
Just one look at the girl’s posture, her refined mannerisms, and the expensive jewelry glittering all over her was enough to tell that she came from a wealthy household—naïve, pampered, and easy to deceive.
“Oh, I just came back from the lantern festival,” the old woman said smoothly, not even hesitating to spin her tale. “Young lady, why don’t you describe what your maid looks like? Maybe I saw her and know where she went.”
She spoke as if it were the truth, but in reality, she planned to agree with whatever Bai Mo said, pretending to have seen the maid to gain his trust—then she could take him away without having to forcefully abduct him.
Bai Mo’s delicate face lit up with a bright smile as he repeatedly praised the old woman for being such a kindhearted person. He then described the features of Jin Xin, his personal maid who had actually stayed home and never even stepped outside that day.
Hearing this, the old woman clapped her hands together excitedly. “Oh, I did see her! That young lady looked like she was in a hurry, as if she were searching for something.” She sighed dramatically before adding, “So she was looking for you all along!”
“Madam, please tell me where Jin Xin went! I need to find her!” Bai Mo pleaded, his expression filled with urgency. Perhaps from standing for too long or from impatience, he even forgot to maintain the dignified grace of a noble lady. A proper young mistress actively searching for her maid? Unheard of.
The old woman’s eyes flickered with calculation. She grasped Bai Mo’s hand tightly and said, “It’s a bit tricky to explain. There are too many intersections and alleys around here, and I don’t know how to read, so I can’t tell you the street names. But I know the way like the back of my hand! If you trust me, I can take you there myself. What do you say?”
Though her words sounded like a question, her grip on Bai Mo’s hand was firm—there was no intention of letting go.
As if I’d let such an easy catch escape! she thought.
Bai Mo’s face showed nothing but gratitude. “Thank you so much, madam! I really appreciate your help. Once I find my maid and return home, I’ll make sure to reward you handsomely.” Knowing that greed was the woman’s weakness, he subtly hinted that he was nothing more than a rich fool with plenty of money to spare.
The old woman grinned widely, showing her yellowed teeth. “Oh, no need to be so formal! It’s no trouble at all.”
With that, she led Bai Mo down a narrow side street.
When Bai Mo curiously asked why they were taking a different path, the old woman quickly had an excuse ready: “It’s a shortcut—fewer people, faster travel!”