The courtyard wasn't too far from the kitchens, separated only by a walkway and two walls, but by the time Xiaowan returned, his master and Lu Zhong had disappeared from where he'd left them. It didn't come as too much of a surprise, as judging by the way Lu Yu was throwing up, there was a fair chance that they'd look for somewhere to sit down. Setting the water and medicine on a stone ledge, he warded off any pests that dare venture for a sip. 'They'll return sooner or later,' comforted by his reasoning, Xiaowan waited.
Lu Zhong had gone to the toilets. Before leaving, he'd checked Lu Yu's vitals, rushing off only after determining that the drunkard wouldn't die in the next few minutes. The outhouse was just around the corner. Returning immediately, he found that his cousin had not choked on his own spit as he'd feared, but had disappeared entirely.
Seeing his master's cousin return alone, Xiaowan's sense of unease grew.
"Young master, my Master isn't with you?"
"I was just about to ask you, where's Lu Yu?"
"I didn't see him. He was gone before I arrived."
"Well, he's drunk. Couldn't have gone far like that. Why don't we look around? Make sure that bastard didn't dive into a stream or something."
Xiaowan suppressed a chill, hiding it with a nod of his head. They headed off to search separately; Xiaowan towards the servant's area, and Zhong in the garden.
Lu Yu shivered, waking up from a waterlogged dream. A familiar texture rested itself on his face.
'Cabbage sack?' he wondered but the thought was interrupted by a mind-numbing headache. He attempted to lift his arm to steady this sudden onslaught of pain. Inadvertently, he managed to bring up his other arm in tow, to which he realizes that his limbs are bound tightly together.
This was not the cabbage cart. Confused, Lu Yu opened his eyes. It was mostly dark with faint bits of candlelight poking through the seams of the hemp bag. Shadows of movement flitted across, but no sound was made. Quickly grasping an idea of the situation, Lu Yu lay still.
Burlap sack, bound limbs, the scholar didn't need to think too hard: he'd been kidnapped. Unfortunately, he has no idea where he is, how he got here, and who brought him here. All things considered, the best course of action was to play dead.
A few moments later, the door creaked, and a rough voice rumbled through the silence,
"He's still down?"
"Yes, boss."
"How long until he's awake?"
"At least two more days, boss."
"Good. We bring him back tomorrow. He'll wake up at home the day after. Careful handling, no bruises. He won't even know he was gone."
"Why don't we just sell'em?"
"Boss's orders. No questions. Just do it."
"Got it, boss." The doors creaked again, signaling that the man had left. Some shuffling could be heard before everything settled into silence once again. Lu Yu tried to breathe evenly as if he were asleep. After that conversation, he understood 3 things; he wasn't supposed to be awake, someone wanted him gone for a day, and that person did not intend to harm him.
Lu Yu had no clue what their goal was, but that was the least of his worries. Right now, he needed to get out. Thankfully, he had an advantage at his side, his kidnappers don't know that he was awake.
The Lu manor was in shambles. Servants and guards scurried around the perimeters, lantern in hand, calling out for 'Young Master Lu'. They searched from the front yard to the back, from the servant's quarters to the women's boudoirs. Patriarch Lu's expression darkened with every second, sinking with the last remaining rays of sunlight.
"Master, we looked in the southern courtyard. He wasn't there."
"We looked in the laundry room. Not there either."
"Did you check the firewood pile?" Lu Song was at his wit's end.
"Yes. Even the cesspit."
"Did you look closely?" Lu Zhong followed up with haste, but a motion from his father stopped the servant from replying.
"Zhong'er, what was Lu Yu doing when you last saw him? Anything out of the ordinary?"
"Father, you know how much he drank. He couldn't even walk on his own. All he could do was vomit."
"...Fuck." Lu Song swore with gritted teeth. Stunned by his father's break in character, Lu Zhong could only watch in awe as his father commanded the situation.
"Stop searching and gather everyone up. This matter has gotten out of our control. Ready the horse, I want to send a letter to Hongyun Pavillion at a moment's notice."
"But the curfew-"
"Here, bring the Lu family token. Show that to the guards if they stop you." Lu Song pulled out a bronze medallion, throwing it carelessly toward the housekeeper.
By the time the letter made it out the door, the sun had fully set, and the streets were clear of pedestrians. The Lu family patriarch watched as the lone silhouette of the messenger galloped towards the Western Market. He let out a sigh and shook his head before turning back towards the Lu manor.
Du Sirui hasn't had a good night's sleep ever since Lu Yu entered the capital. It seemed to him, that the rascal was trying to make his life harder as revenge for withholding his inheritance. Just now, Shen Pei had once again barged through the door, yelling at the top of his lungs,
"Du Laoba, get out here right now!" Bleary-eyed, Du Sirui had barely gotten his foot on the stairs before the bear-man got a hold of him.
"Where's the young master? Huh? It's been three hours since he disappeared, where is he? Say something!" Shen Pei was hopping from one foot to the next.
"How old are you, yet you still act like this?" Du Sirui looked the agitated man up and down,
"Just sit at home, and wait for his return. He'll be back tomorrow."
"So you do have something to do with this! Du Sirui, I swear on my life, if there's any shady business here-"
"The Madam said he'll be alive and well at the Lu Manor by this time tomorrow. What more do you need?"
"I need to talk to her. That's her own son, how could she-"
"She's in the western market. You won't be able to get there tonight, so save your strength. There's always tomorrow morning, alright? Alright. Now let me sleep!" Pulling away from Shen Pei's grip, Du Sirui turned around, sighing to himself,
'It's only been one day, and your son's already in trouble. He didn't inherit your looks, but definitely got your luck, Lu Feng.'