Just then, another servant came to report.
It was the personal servant of Jiang Li, the Jiang family's third young master.
"Master, Madam, the young master heard about the strange case at the Duke's Estate today and went to investigate with Young Master Zhao. He may not return tonight."
"Understood. You may go."
Oh, my crime-solving third brother. Even though I know it's impossible, I'll still cheer you on.
I reckon you'll have another major case to investigate tomorrow. I'll treat you to a feast sometime to make up for all your wasted effort.
Hearing Jiang Yourning's thoughts, Jiang Wanrong's heart gave another lurch.
Was her younger sister really planning to go to the Duke's Estate tonight?
With something so serious having happened to the Duchess, the place might indeed descend into chaos tonight, just as her sister expected. But stealing the family's entire fortune was no easy task.
If she wanted it that badly, she could say so and let everyone work together to bring down the Duke's Estate. Then their third brother could lead his men in to confiscate everything openly and aboveboard.
Surely whatever they pocketed amid the chaos would be more than she could get on her own?
In the end, between knocking Jiang Yourning out so she would obediently return to her room to sleep and letting her charge headfirst into a brick wall, Jiang Wanrong chose the latter.
Once her sister left the residence, she would wait in the courtyard for two hours.
If she still hadn't returned after two hours, Jiang Wanrong would call their parents to go to the Duke's residence and get her out.
Jiang Yourning had no idea she had nearly been sent off to dreamland to visit the Duke of Zhou.
After saying goodbye to the whole family, Jiang Yourning returned to her courtyard and tricked Chun Tao into drinking a little knockout drug. Then she extinguished the candles and sneaked out.
The Duke's Estate wasn't all that far from the Jiang Residence. Jiang Yourning had prepared a full five disguise pills, taking one every ten minutes.
After taking three, Jiang Yourning arrived near the Duke's Estate just as the third pill was about to wear off.
"Oh, Duke's Estate, you'd better come through for me. If I take a huge loss, I'll go mad, you know."
Muttering to herself, Jiang Yourning pulled an Invisibility Cloak from her sleeve and draped it over herself, covering her from head to toe.
In an instant, her body melted into the deep darkness of the night.
This Invisibility Cloak had cost her a full thousand points, and it was a consumable item at that. It could be used for ten hours in total; the clock started when she put it on and stopped when she took it off.
It was truly the perfect companion for raiding homes, robbing households, stealing chickens, and sneaking around.
Jiang Yourning leisurely crept up to the entrance of the Duke's Estate.
It was still fairly early, and the side gate of the Duke's Estate stood open.
She swaggered right in.
As she passed the servant guarding the gate, Jiang Yourning even waved at him and pulled a face.
The servant noticed nothing at all.
Jiang Yourning blew on the back of his neck. Once the servant began trembling and shouting that there was a ghost, she continued farther inside, satisfied.
All along the way, the servants of the Duke's Estate hurried to and fro with their heads lowered. Every one of them looked uneasy; evidently, the Duke's Estate had already descended into complete chaos tonight.
Jiang Yourning was very pleased with this state of affairs.
She was in no hurry either. Starting in the front courtyard, she moved softly and carefully. As long as the compass's color stayed out of the red zone, she went inside and emptied the rooms one by one.
To save time, she didn't even look at what was inside. With a thought, she swept everything into her inventory.
Only...
She had barely searched a few rooms when a dog tethered in a corner nearby began barking wildly in her direction, desperately straining to break free of its rope.
"Woof! Woof! Woof!"
"Don't come any closer! Mommy, save me!"
Suddenly remembering how keen dogs' noses were, Jiang Yourning, who was still haunted by being chased by dogs back in the modern world, forgot everything else and immediately took to her heels.
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