What arrangents Ah Jiu had made, Wufu didn’t know for the mont. She calculated the ti, took Jadeite, Mo Lan, and also Chi San, Chi Liu, and Xiao Qi with her, and left Changan City, heading towards Qinyang Wharf.
On the way, Wufu took a break at Lin Family Village and took the opportunity to check out the Silver Mine.
The extraction at the Silver Mine was nearing its end. The silver produced was either sent for overseas trade or discreetly exchanged for legitimate silver notes at various black markets for safekeeping, while so was moved and tightly concealed elsewhere.
Wufu and her group took lodging at the village chief’s house. The old man was still in good health, holding a pipe with an energetic deanor while chatting with Wufu.
On this trip, besides the village chief, only he and the others knew their true identity. The rest assud they were just so young ladies and gentlen on a leisure trip.
"Village Chief Lin, is everything well in the village lately?" Wufu asked.
Village Chief Lin chuckled, "Rest assured, young lady, our village lives in harmony with the world. As long as the kingdom is at peace, everything is fine!"
Wufu smiled and said, "It will be. Lin Family Village is not far from the royal city, blessed with the emperor’s aura, so naturally, it will thrive."
Village Chief Lin said, "That’s what I’ve always said. Doesn’t everyone who cos to our village say the sa?"
Wufu was startled, "Has anyone else visited the village?"
"Not intentionally, just passing by and staying for a rest," Village Chief Lin said with a smile. "They seed like two scholars who had run out of travel funds, so they stayed for a couple of days, claiming they were here to gather local color."
Wufu asked, "Oh? Where did those two stay, and where have they gone now?"
"They stayed at the house of Lin Shu at the village’s edge. Today they went to the West Slope to paint, and I’m not sure if they’ve returned yet," Village Chief Lin said.
Wufu noted this down secretly, spoke a few more words with him, then excused herself to take a walk around and left the Lin residence.
"Miss, is there sothing wrong?"
Standing at the doorstep, Wufu looked out at the tranquil village, pondering over the village chief’s words, feeling a mix of unease.
"Chi San, go to the back mountain now and find Chi Wu, see if there’s anything unusual over there," Wufu instructed. "Xiao Liu, take a round and find the two scholars the village chief ntioned, and be careful not to reveal our tracks."
"Yes." The two sensed sothing was up and acted accordingly, splitting up to carry out their tasks.
"We’ll take a walk in the village," Wufu said to Jadeite and the others.
Jadeite asked, "Miss, do you think there might be an issue with those two scholars?"
"It’s hard to say without seeing them, but caution is always wise," Wufu frowned.
Jadeite fell silent, knowing her sensitivity to danger wasn’t as keen as Wufu’s.
The group strolled leisurely through the village, their distinctive dress attracting nurous curious glances from the villagers, with children trailing in their wake.
Wufu didn’t stand on ceremony, instead smiling and exchanging casual remarks with those she t, embodying the curious air of a noble lady unfamiliar with rural life.
Jadeite and Mo Lan listened, sensing there was more to Wufu’s seemingly idle chatter, marveling at how she could glean information this way.
Suddenly, Wufu stopped in her tracks. Ahead, a slender man clad in a scholar’s robe with a cloth turban appeared in her line of vision.
The scholar, upon noticing Wufu and her companions, started slightly. A fleeting wariness crossed his eyes but vanished quickly, replaced by curiosity and interest, though Wufu caught the montary slip.
As they walked forward slowly, the man stood by the roadside. Just as Wufu got within two steps of him, she seed to trip over sothing underfoot, pitching forward.
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