Lu Qing gladly accepted the proposal from the other party. The legitimate grandson of Prince Lan called for soone to carry the one who injured his leg. A group of people walked ahead while he, Lu Qing, and Zhu Yu traveled together by carriage.
This decision undoubtedly demonstrated a great degree of trust. However, Big Beard still felt uneasy and insisted on squeezing into the carriage, making it quite crowded for the four people inside.
The talismans were naturally unhappy, feeling that the legitimate grandson of Prince Lan traveling with his master was barely acceptable. But to have Big Beard squeeze into the carriage was overstepping boundaries, which made them quite displeased.
Zhu Yu quite understood Big Beard’s mindset.
They had diligently protected the Young Master for so long, and now there was hope to drive out the traitors and restore order. If Lu Qing were to make any unreliable move at this pivotal mont, all efforts would be for naught and hopes dashed.
Though it’s true Lu Qing’s probing and pressing had been aid at ensuring a more secure collaboration afterward, the experience was indeed unpleasant for Big Beard and the guards from the Prince Lan Mansion.
In such a situation, it’s only natural the other party would want to ensure the safety of their Young Master.
The legitimate grandson of Prince Lan was young, and after verifying two waist cards, he let down his guard sowhat and conversed with Lu Qing and Zhu Yu on the way to their stronghold.
This legitimate grandson of Prince Lan was nad Chang Yu. His mother’s family was a renowned noble family in Lan Country, and when Prince Lan arranged this marriage, he did so to lay the groundwork for the Princely Heir’s future inheritance of the throne.
However, after the Heir’s Consort was ambushed and killed, Chang Yu’s maternal family seed to have been significantly affected. They have remained extrely low-key for the past decade, with no major incidents, even after their daughter and grandchild were involved in an incident.
The man who insisted on traveling alongside Chang Yu for protection, Big Beard, originally served as Guard Commander at the Prince Lan Mansion, nad Lin Kun. Over the past decade, Lin Kun had sent people to inquire about the Young Master’s maternal family’s situation, and the information received suggested that the maternal family had encountered so misfortune. Although it appeared normal from the outside, it seed like the entire stronghold had been sealed off and had stopped all contact with the outside.
Therefore, they could not discern the situation of the Heir’s Consort’s family and dared not rashly establish contact, so they waited and watched until now.
"Your maternal family gives no signs of abnormality from the outside, but the entire stronghold is sealed off and cut off from external communication. What precisely is the situation?" Zhu Yu curiously asked.
Chang Yu found it difficult to explain. Since he was rescued and hidden in the stronghold when he was just a few years old, this was the furthest he had traveled, and he wasn’t clear about the outside world. He was worried he might not explain it well.
Thus, he turned his gaze toward Lin Kun, indicating for him to explain the matter to Lord Imperial Censor and his personal attendant.
Upon seeing the Young Master signaling him, Lin Kun no longer intended to hide matters from Lu Qing and the others. He stated, "The stronghold belonging to the Heir’s Consort’s family is vast, with countless fields. For over a decade, we observed that the fields within the stronghold are still being cultivated, and people work in the fields daily, from sunrise to sunset, just like ordinary villagers.
Yet, for more than ten years, regardless of when we sought information, we never heard of anyone leaving the stronghold to interact with people outside.
Inquiries about the Heir’s Consort’s family, especially her brothers, yielded no information."
Zhu Yu glanced at Lu Qing. This situation might be unclear to Chang Yu and Lin Kun, but it was familiar to them.
Isn’t this just like the Immortal Castle they discovered by chance earlier?
It’s likely that Chang Yu’s maternal family shares a similar fate with the Immortal Castle.
Lu Qing lowered his eyes, imrsed in thought. Observing this, Zhu Yu refrained from bringing up the Immortal Castle and continued to chat idly with Chang Yu about other matters.
Before long, they arrived at their stronghold.
While others escorted Chang Yu to et Lu Qing, about a dozen people were left to guard the stronghold, and when they saw their brothers returning, they eagerly rushed out to greet them. Initially, they were startled not to see the Young Master, but upon spotting the carriage, they were sowhat relieved.
Under the watchful gaze of talismans, the carriage was calmly driven into the courtyard of the stronghold. Then, the gates made of sharpened wooden poles were closed again.
This stronghold where Chang Yu and his companions hid was once occupied by a group of mountain bandits. However, when things were still normal under Prince Lan, he dispatched people to eradicate the mountain bandits, leaving behind an abandoned stronghold, which unexpectedly proved useful for the guards from the Prince Mansion.
Zhu Yu stepped down from the carriage and took a look around. The place was positioned at the side of the mountain among complicated terrain, surrounded by dense woods. Despite not being far from the capital, the presence of Lan Country’s highest mountain as a natural barrier added challenges to travel.
This might be the primary reason these people have managed to conceal themselves here for over a decade without being discovered by Prince Lan’s forces.
Chang Yu and Lin Kun politely invited Lu Qing and Zhu Yu inside their house for a more detailed conversation.
Though unsure of Zhu Yu’s exact identity, the talismans treated her with utmost respect, addressing her as "Second Master," while Lu Qing was completely at ease with her, sharing a mutual understanding as though no words were necessary. Judging by this, she must play an important role, so they treated Zhu Yu with extra courtesy, just as they did Lu Qing.
Before long, soone brought in so hot water along with several plates of dried at and at pieces.
"In our humble locale, we’ve got no tea leaves to offer, so I must ask you two to drink so hot water to dispel the chill from your bodies!" Lin Kun, helping Chang Yu to host them, picked up a plate of dried at and at pieces from a small table between the two, "This is dried at we’ve made ourselves. Rest assured, it’s all wild rabbit and mountain sparrow, slightly salted — not comparable to delicacies, but it tastes alright."
Zhu Yu nodded at him, took a piece of dried at from the dish, and began to chew.
The dried at lacked excessive spices, benefiting from a well-drained blood which left no hint of gay odor, only a faint saltiness that enhanced the at’s inherent aroma, making it pleasant to chew.
Just a small piece sufficed, and Zhu Yu chewed it for a long while, then washed it down with so hot water, nodding affirmatively: "It’s indeed quite good."
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