"Don't panic. Get up and tell me what happened."
Manager Wan's expression turned grave, and he ordered someone to help the man up.
Li Yan had seen this man before. He was a craftsman who worked in the village. Now that something had happened, Li Yan could hardly just leave, so he stood nearby and watched.
Once the man was helped to his feet, his legs were still weak and his face was pale. He did not even notice the blood running down from his forehead as he said in a trembling voice:
"Zhu Zi took several children to cut grass at the head of the village. The children who ran back said a peddler had come along the Official Road, scattering sweets everywhere and tricking the children into telling him their names."
"After the children ate the sweets, they fell unconscious and wouldn't wake up. It was only because some fellow villagers passing by called out to them that they came around. But once they woke up, Zhu Zi had already been abducted."
"Old Man Wan, my family only has this one heir. If he's lost, how am I supposed to answer to my ancestors?"
As he spoke, he suddenly burst into loud sobs.
The carpenters around them flew into a rage when they heard this.
"That damned bastard! He actually dared abduct someone from our village!"
"Let's go. He can't have gone far. We'll search for him!"
"When we find him, we'll skin him alive!"
Everyone's faces were filled with fury as they prepared to head out and search.
"What are you all panicking for?!"
One of the old carpenters barked angrily, "Uncle Wan hasn't even spoken yet. Even if they're traffickers from Xianyang City, with just one word from Uncle Wan, they'll obediently send the person back!"