I Transmigrated as Cannon Fodder, Only to be Desired by the Dragon King - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: The Child of Young Master Shen and the Dragon King is Missing — Young Master Shen and…

The butler hurriedly stepped forward and reported everything that had happened at the market in detail: “Young Master, while we were picking shells at the market earlier, Young Master Xiao Yuan was drawn away by the sugar-painting stall and ran over. I was keeping an eye on him, but the market was crowded and bustling; in the blink of an eye, he vanished.

I asked the sugar-painting master and the children nearby; they said he was dragged into a small alley by two strange men. By the time I chased them, they were gone. I only managed to find the Young Master’s wooden tiger at the entrance of the alley…”

Shen Youqing’s face instantly turned ashen. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the panic in his heart, and made a decisive command: “Butler, prepare the horses immediately! You come with me to search the streets and alleys near the market! Mother, you stay in the estate with Little Fu and wait. For now, don’t alarm Father and Grandfather.”

“Also!” Shen Youqing turned to order the servant at the door, “Go to the county yamen and report this to the authorities at once!”

“Yes! Young Master!” The servant didn’t dare delay and sprinted toward the county yamen.

Shen Mother grabbed Shen Youqing’s sleeve, tears streaming down her face: “Qingqing, you must bring Xiao Yuan back!”

“Mother, rest assured, I will definitely bring him back safely!” Shen Youqing’s eyes were firm, but his voice carried an undeniable urgency.

He leaned down and stroked Little Duckling’s head, softening his voice: “Little Fu, be good. Wait in the estate for Daddy and Brother to return, okay? Take care of Grandma.”

Little Duckling nodded through tears, his small hand tightly gripping Shen Youqing’s finger: “Daddy, you must bring Brother back…”

Shen Youqing gave a heavy nod of affirmation. His footsteps were so fast they almost stirred the wind. His heart was burning with the sole desire to reach the market immediately. But just as he rushed to the hitching post at the front of the estate and looked at the two tall horses the butler had brought, his footsteps suddenly froze, and half the determination on his face turned stiff.

Crap! He forgot! In the modern world, he hadn’t even stepped into a riding stable. In this life, let alone riding a horse, this was his first time even touching one!

The butler had already nimbly flipped onto his horse, holding the reins. Seeing him standing still, he asked in confusion: “Young Master?”

Shen Youqing stared at the snorting nostrils of the stallion and swallowed hard, cursing himself eight hundred times in his head. He tentatively reached out a hand, wanting to touch the horse’s back, but the moment his fingers brushed the warm hair, the horse restlessly pawed the ground. Startled, he yanked his hand back and took half a step away.

“How… how do you ride this thing?” Shen Youqing broke into a sweat, looking completely different from the calm person who had just commanded the report to the authorities. “I’ve never ridden before!”

The butler froze, clearly not expecting that Young Master Shen wouldn’t know how to ride. He quickly realized that his young master was of a reserved nature and usually stayed in the study; he rarely saw him go out, let alone ride a horse. Every previous trip had been by carriage.

“Young Master, don’t worry!” The butler quickly dismounted and shoved the reins into his hand. “It’s not hard! Just step on the stirrup, I’ll help you up. Just hold the reins tight. I’ll lead the way, and you just follow my pace!”

Shen Youqing looked at the heavy reins, then at the horse that was taller than him. His heart drummed. But thinking of Little Black in the hands of kidnappers, he balanced his teeth and steeled his heart: “Fine! I’ll give it a shot!”

With the butler supporting his waist, Shen Youqing stood on tiptoe to reach the stirrup. After fumbling for ages and nearly tripping himself, he finally managed to climb onto the horse’s back. As soon as he sat steady, the horse jolted forward, scaring him into a death grip around the horse’s neck. His face turned white: “Hey, hey, hey! Don’t move!”

He no longer had a shred of his usual composure; he looked like a startled bird pinned to the horse’s back, a stark contrast to the calm butler. The butler suppressed a laugh, knowing now was not the time. He mounted the other horse and instructed: “Young Master, hold the reins, grip the horse’s belly with your legs. When I shout ‘Giddy-up,’ just relax your body and follow!”

“Giddy-up!”

At the butler’s command, his horse charged out first. Shen Youqing’s horse followed. He squeezed his eyes shut, hands white-knuckled around the reins, his body bouncing up and down with the horse’s gait. He couldn’t help but mutter: “Slow down, slow down! Ancestor, slow down!”

What should have been a tense, high-speed chase turned somewhat comical because of Shen Youqing’s “First Horseback Experience.” The butler, leading the way, didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but he didn’t dare go too fast. He slowed down, looking back frequently to check: “Young Master, hold on! Don’t fall off!”

Shen Youqing cursed the kidnappers a thousand times. If he had known he’d need to ride a horse after transmigrating, he would have visited a riding stable in the modern world no matter what!

…

The Clues

After a bumpy ride, Shen Youqing finally arrived at the alleyway near the West Market under the butler’s escort. As soon as he dismounted, his legs buckled. The butler reached out to steady him: “Young Master, are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” Shen Youqing waved him off, wiping sweat from his forehead while his calves trembled. The ride had nearly rattled his bones apart, but all discomfort was suppressed by his anxiety for Little Black. He immediately scanned the market: “Where is the sugar-painting stall? Take me there quickly.”

The butler led the way. They hurried past the sparse crowd and saw the sugar-painting master still at his spot, packing up his tools.

Shen Youqing stepped forward, his voice sharp with urgency: “Master! Do you remember the little boy who was taken from here this morning? Can you tell me exactly what happened?”

The master, seeing the panic on his face and remembering the morning incident, nodded quickly: “Yes, yes! The little one who wanted the dragon sugar-painting! Have you found him?”

“Not yet. Think carefully, were there any other features of the two men who took him? Height, accents, or any special marks on them?”

The butler added: “Master, think back. Which direction did they come from? Which alley did they run into after grabbing the Young Master? Were there accomplices nearby?”

The sugar-painter frowned, murmuring as he recalled: “Those two men looked quite sturdy, maybe in their thirties. Both wore black cloth short-coats. Their pant legs were rolled up, and I think I saw yellow mud on their ankles. Their accents didn’t sound local—a bit raspy. They didn’t say much; they moved fast, covered the boy’s mouth, and dragged him toward the west alley.”

“The boy struggled hard, waving his hands. I think he managed to yell ‘Grandma,’ but his voice was muffled. I didn’t see it clearly.” The master paused, then added, “I was busy with the other kids, but I think I caught a glimpse of a carriage with no markings parked at the alley entrance. It had thick black curtains. After the two men dragged the boy over, the carriage drove off quickly. It seemed to be heading toward the Western Suburbs!”

“A carriage?” Shen Youqing’s mind raced. “What kind of carriage? Did you see the wheel tracks or the color of the horse?”

“I didn’t see the details well, just that it was old and the wheels looked quite wide.” The master shook his head, looking guilty. “It’s my fault. I didn’t think much of it at the time. If only I had stopped them…”

“It’s not your fault,” Shen Youqing breathed out, trying to stay calm. “Thank you for the clues; they are vital to us.”

Just as he finished, the sound of urgent hooves and the shouting of guards echoed from afar. The authorities had arrived.

…

The County Yamen

Earlier, when the servant had arrived at the county yamen with Shen Youqing’s note, the County Magistrate was leisurely sipping tea, looking through unimportant files.

“My Lord! My Lord! Urgent business!” The servant burst in, drenched in sweat and gasping for air.

The Magistrate’s hand shook, spilling tea on his sleeve. He frowned: “What’s the panic? It’s broad daylight. What urgent business could there be? Did someone lose a child again, or is a vendor blocking the road? Send the head catcher; why scream at me?”

“It’s not a small matter! It’s a kidnapping!” The servant stomped his feet and shoved the note over. “It’s the Little Master of the Shen Estate! Our Young Master’s child, Shen Yuan, was snatched at the West Market!”

“Shen Estate? Which Shen Estate?” The Magistrate looked at the note carelessly. Suddenly, his fingers froze. His eyes bulged, and the teacup in his hand shattered on the floor. He stood up abruptly, his voice pitching higher: “Your Young Master… is it Young Master Shen Youqing of Gumo Street?”

“It is!” The servant nodded vigorously. “Our Young Master is already at the market searching. He told me to report immediately and implore Your Lordship to block the roads and search for suspicious persons!”

The Magistrate’s face turned deathly pale. Cold sweat broke out on his brow.

How could he not know Young Master Shen? The betrothal between Young Master Shen and the Dragon King was no longer a private matter—it was a national affair concerning the relations between the mortal world and the sea tribes! From the high court officials down to local prefectures, everyone had received secret orders: the people of the Shen Estate must be cared for properly; absolutely nothing must go wrong.

Now, the child of Young Master Shen and the Dragon King had been kidnapped. If anything happened to him, forget the Magistrate’s career—even his head might not stay on his shoulders!

“Blasted! How could this happen!” The Magistrate panicked, stomping his feet as he barked orders: “Quick! Summon all guards and catchers! Bring weapons and follow me to the West Market! Block all roads leading to the Western Suburbs! Check every household and search every unmarked carriage! Also, notify the city gate commander—close the Western Gate! No one leaves without my order!”

“Yes, My Lord!” The guards, seeing the Magistrate so terrified, didn’t dare linger. The quiet yamen suddenly turned into a beehive of activity.

The Magistrate fumbled to put on his official robes, wiping cold sweat and praying: The Little Master Shen must be fine! If he is found safely, all is well. If there is even the slightest mishap, not only will the Dragon King not let me go, but the imperial court will also rain down judgment! I cannot bear this responsibility!

Before long, the Magistrate led a troop of guards and catchers on fast horses toward the West Market.

Back at the small alley, Shen Youqing heard the approach of the authorities. The Magistrate had finally arrived.