The second piece of news concerned Night Butterfly's abduction of a child.
A few questions were all it took to find out about it. The authorities had made such a commotion that it would have been hard not to know.
With so much commotion, every rustle of wind and cry of a crane became a threat. Night Butterfly had originally abducted only one child, but now she had been made out to be a demoness who specialized in snatching children. Local families with children were therefore very cautious. Even during the day, hardly any children could be seen playing in the streets, for fear of catching her eye.
Those were the two matters Wang Yang had specifically instructed Zhang Fu to investigate. As for anything else, he had left Zhang Fu to his own devices, to see what local news and stories he could gather.
Zhang Fu really had learned quite a lot. His very first discovery came as a complete surprise to Wang Yang: a member of the Langya Wang clan was actually staying here!
And, as it happened, this person even had a connection to Wang Yang.
She was the Prince of Badong's bride-to-be. Illness had dogged her on her journey back to the capital, and she was recuperating here.
(Chapter 236, "A marriage bestowed": "Wang Yi smiled. 'Don't listen to the prince's teasing. She isn't a daughter of the Xie Family, but of our own Wang clan. She's Wang Boccai's daughter, from the Black-Clothed House branch, and belongs to your generation.'")
The rest was gossip and local curiosities: Xiao Hong's fondness for women, the county magistrate's fear of his wife, the Twin-Trunk Tree's miraculous efficacy, Young Duke Shen's plans to hold a Spring Splendor Banquet to welcome his young aunt-
"Who!!!!!!"
Le Xiaopang sprang up like a