"You two stop ssing around." Lu Qing frowned, clearly thinking Zhu Yu and Yan Daoxin were being too frivolous, "We still need to think through this carefully..."
"Sure, think through, take your ti until your eightieth birthday to make a decision, how about that?" Yan Daoxin glanced at him, "Oh, wait, even Cao Tianbao, General Cao over there has been falsely accused of privately manufacturing weapons. I don’t think the schers behind this are that patient.
Once they succeed, it’s easy for to say, but you two probably won’t live to see your eightieth birthday!
If you can’t bear to let Zhu Yu go on her own, then keep being cautious and take no action. Once the other side gains the upper hand, you two can share your fate and et in the afterlife."
Yan Daoxin’s words were incredibly disheartening, but Lu Qing couldn’t refute them.
Seeing his gloomy expression, Yan Daoxin changed his tone, "If we let Zhu Yu go alone, I also think it’s not safe, but with along, what do you have to fear?
Do you expect to disguise yourself and go in with her?
Honestly, although I’d really like to see you in won’s clothing, but thinking about it, even your disguise wouldn’t fool the simplest of minds, let alone the people in the Little Mountain Building."
Zhu Yu listened and couldn’t help but laugh.
Just imagining Lu Qing in a silk dress with his hair styled, adorned in jewels and accessories, she already felt the picture was too funny.
Anyone with eyes would clearly see: that distinct jawline, broad shoulders, muscular arms unmistakably belonged to a man and wouldn’t convince anyone otherwise.
Lu Qing knew full well he could not disguise himself as a woman and sneak in. Even though he had learned the skill of using fake skin for disguises from his master, one’s bone structure is hard to change; he could only disguise himself as either an older or younger man, handso or ugly, but could never transform into a woman’s appearance.
He was aware of Yan Daoxin’s skill, the appearance was there, but looking convincing and actually deceiving them are two different things: "Even so, the people in the Little Mountain Building aren’t idiots. Do you think before deciding to take soone in, the old nanny spoken of by those musicians wouldn’t first confirm their identity?"
"How do you know without giving it a try?" Yan Daoxin shrugged, "Suppose we managed to sneak in, and if there is indeed such a stringent identity verification step, then I’d just knock them out on the spot, tie them all up.
Then you bring in the rune and talisman, we can interrogate, investigate, controlling those inside first. Isn’t sorting out the rest just a matter of ti?
Since now subtlety is unattainable, what’s there to lose?"
"I think maybe the identity verification rule isn’t that strict." Zhu Yu had so thoughts on this, "If it exists, perhaps it’s rely a place specifically for high families to seek out brides and beauties.
The real fear is that the place exhausts all resources to round up won, raising them for purposes far less innocent.
Didn’t those musicians ntion it? Lately, they’re even recruiting strong male bodies, considering what we’ve heard previously, if those being brought in aren’t ant to be concubines or lovers for nobles, the verification becos irrelevant.
So if we’ve got no choice but to subdue them and take control when caught, that severity might still be justifiable.
If we seamlessly blend in instead, the situation would be more difficult."
"If those people brought in are raised extrely fair and beautiful, and not ant for lovers and consorts, what else could they be for?" Lu Qing asked.
Zhu Yu looked serious and sighed lightly: "Regardless the family background, even targeting those with fair looks but poverty-stricken hos, persuading them to hand over daughters with promises of gold, hefty bride price.
But after they block the family’s mouths with genuine silver and gold, there hasn’t been clear news of anyone’s whereabouts.
No one has ever heard about the outco of won sent from the Little Mountain Building...
So I think..."
Zhu Yu pressed her lips, uneasy rely speaking the words.
"They might have been...eaten." She took a deep breath, bluntly voicing her suspicion.
Yan Daoxin and Lu Qing, upon hearing this, remained silent, neither displaying shock or disbelief.
It seems they had similar thoughts.
"The described imagery of won in the Little Mountain Building doesn’t seem normal. To , it sounds like they’ve been processed to resemble deeply ingrained dicine n." Zhu Yu continued, "Since they’re for noble families, they wouldn’t consu them raw, however... Jiang Hong did say he heard of ghost-like, emaciated, white-haired won in the Little Mountain Building...
So it’s probable that it’s similar to Chang’e Drunk in the Immortal Castle, those elite families need blood, fresh blood."
As she spoke, Zhu Yu couldn’t help but shiver.
Previously, she’d read books detailing similar events. For instance, a Lord Governor from a certain dynasty, obsessed with superstition about the dicinal value of human scabs, forced his household slaves to fight, beat them until covered in scars and blood, then collected scabs to consu for healing.
And there was a ti, when a mystic offered the Emperor his so-called "Red Lead Recipe," leading the ruler into sacrificing over two hundred palace maidens for "balancing elents" and "awakening yang."
The idea of such human-consuming practices is unsettling enough to hear about, let alone witness.
So rely considering the potential real dealings in the Little Mountain Building left Zhu Yu faintly shivering with anxiety and anger.
Lu Qing reached out, enveloping Zhu Yu’s hand in his palm, sensing the chill of her touch, his brow furrowed.
"Don’t hesitate, we have limited personnel; there’s no room for doubt." Zhu Yu sighed, speaking to him, "If it’s just those nobles using life-ending wicked ans for longevity, that’s still the most optimistic conclusion.
But if it’s having even worse repercussions, from any angle, delay is no longer an option.
Don’t worry, my mind is clear, I don’t act impulsively, and with Yan Daoxin’s skill and capability, we’re sure to be fine.
With you and the rune and talisman at the ready to assist, I’m even less worried!"
Lu Qing finally nodded: "Alright then, but before heading to the Little Mountain Building, we need to make thorough preparations."
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