A-Ning also hung up the little clothes he bought, and went to the depths of the forest with Chang Xiaoqiu to join the army.

The white mist was still steaming, and stuck wetly to the skin, giving people the illusion that venom was seeping into their bones. The southwest was warm at this time, and spring was blooming. Even the garrison camp was full of birdsong and flowers, but it was cold and silent here, and the depths of the forest were even darker. An adjutant clicked his tongue: “Even the Ghost Boys infected with Gu can only live on the edges of the woodlands. If we go deeper, will there really be people living here?”

“In the depths of the driest desert in the northwest, there is a scattered camel-raising tribe. They can tell which swath of sand contains water with just their eyes.” Liang Shu said: “Perhaps there are similar mysterious tribes in the southwest, hiding abilities that outsiders cannot fathom.”

“Then they are very capable.” Chang Xiaoqiu went on tiptoe to look into the depths. “Not only can they live in the miasma-filled forest freely, but they were able to defeat Mu Zhe and his congregation.”

“It doesn’t matter how capable they are. As long as they don’t disturb the lives of the garrison and our people, it is not for us to disturb them.” Gao Lin glanced at the sun. “Alright, it’s almost time. You fellows follow me down the mountain to celebrate Old Zhou-furen’s birthday!”

“Lieutenant General Gao, the old lady’s surname is Zhang.”

“Close enough, close enough.”

No matter what the surname was, in short, there would be a festive event in the near future. Liang Shu sent Chang Xiaoqiu and A-Ning to have dinner with Gao Lin, and everyone left in a noisy group. Liu Xian’an stood there and waited for a long moment, but without waiting for him to speak, he took the initiative to ask: “Aren’t we going?”

“No, I’ll take you to eat alone.” Liang Shu took his hand. “The running water here is hot and sour, not to your tastes. Who was it who ate the salted fish last time and vomited?”

“……But it will be lively.”

“Liveliness is not only about eating. The village will also set up a stage for singing, and then I will take you down the mountain.” Liang Shu crouched down. “Come up, there are many trees and vines here. I will carry you on my back.”

Second Young Master Liu, who was tired from walking, still had to pretend to make excuses: But Da-ge said I must be more active.

Liang Shu said: “Then thump on my back a couple of times.”

Liu Xian’an symbolically twisted his wrist twice, completing the day’s activity. Master Liu wasn’t there to see it, and First Young Master Liu would have cried — however, there was no ruler to beat him with for the time being. It was currently the critical moment for treating Ku You’s eye disease, and he couldn’t spare half an inch of attention.

In the garrison camp, Ku You discerned movement outside and asked: “There seems to be someone beating drums?”

Liu Xianche said: “There is an old lady at the foot of the mountain celebrating her birthday. She should have sent some celebration cakes up the mountain. But for Commander Ku to hear something so far away, his hearing must be very good.”

“I trained with His Highness. Now that my sight is blocked, I must listen more carefully.”

Ku You helped with the bandage around his eyes: “How long before I can see?”

“It depends on the effects of the acupuncture. If you are lucky, it will take ten days. If it doesn’t work, you must wait for the next operation,” Liu Xianche said. “Commander Ku was poisoned in his early years, so the treatment is more complicated than with general gold blindness, and requires more patience.”

“Okay.” He had a disease, so even if he had no patience, he must have patience. Ku You stood up while leaning on a stick, and said with a smile: “Just listen to those brats making noise. I’ll go to the front and ask for two cakes for us to eat.”

Liu Xianche made a sound of acknowledgement and watched the other party leave the small courtyard. He found that Ku You’s ability to perceive the outside world was already very strong. He barely used the wooden stick to explore the way, and walked in great strides. If not for the gauze covering his eyes, ordinary people would not be able to tell that he was suffering from a serious eye disease.

The celebration cakes were exquisitely made, with even seven or eight kinds of fillings. Life in the military camp was finally a little more sweet. Liu Xian’an also shared a celebration cake, and while he was eating, he returned to his residence. At this time, the Jiangnan chef invited by Liang Shu had already cooked a table full of dishes, and was standing in the courtyard with a big smile on his face, ready to receive a reward.

Liang Shu tossed him an ingot of silver, and the portly uncle departed with a smile on his face. What could he say but that His Royal Highness Xiao Wang had the ability to lead the army out to fight against the cult, but didn’t forget to tie his sweetheart to him……binding him with a famous chef and specially asking for the flavors of Baihe City. As far as the flavors of Baihe City were concerned, places fifty li away could be considered foreign lands, because his lazy family had never traveled so far away.

“Does it taste the same?” Before he had eaten two mouthfuls of the meal, Liang Shu leaned over to inquire. His expression was exactly the same as the portly uncle asking for a reward just then.

Liu Xian’an replied: “Just the same.”

It was the same, wasn’t that somewhat of a reward? In any case, this meal was so good that no one else could see it, lest their eyes hurt. If the half-eaten celebration cake raised their spirits to the sky, they might also reflect on why their stomachs were already full of sugar, but it was not half as sweet as this young couple.

The two of them ate finely spoonful by spoonful, but the open banquet in the village at the foot of the mountain was a different scene. Even Gao Lin, who always liked to join in the fun, was a little dizzy from the noise. The children in the eyes of the women were like horns being sounded one after another, and when they raised their voices to shout, his soul split open.

After Cheng Suyue, A-Ning, and Chang Xiaoqiu went to see the old birthday star, they went out and saw a young girl standing in front of Gao Lin. So they immediately stood in tacit understanding and pretended to chat, but in fact, each of their ears were trying to become as big as a copper basin—

Gao Lin was young and promising, and was born with a dignified appearance. Apart from his bad mouth, there were no other major problems, so no matter whether it was in the northwest or the southwest, he was considered a target for marriage and love, and this time was no exception. The young girl chatted with him for a while, and her brother and grandmother also appeared and surrounded him without anyone noticing, the whole family striving together, inquiring here and there and turning the topic to major life events. Later, seeing that Gao Lin wanted to run away, they brought up the topic of His Royal Highness Xiao Wang. The conversation was very strategic, and they refused to let him go. If he tried to go away by force, the old lady would cry on the spot and feel pain in her heart.

Cheng Suyue: “Pfft.”

Gao Lin answered halfheartedly to the point that his mouth was parched. He felt that he had talked his share for half a month, and the other party still wanted to drag him to their house for tea. At the critical moment, Liang Shu and Liu Xian’an appeared just in time, and His Royal Highness Xiao Wang was quite capable of bluffing with an expressionless face. He frowned and asked: “What was going on with those three people?”

Cheng Suyue said with a smile: “They were trying to matchmake with my brother. They talked for a quarter of an hour, but were scared away by the prince.”

Gao Lin drove away his sister, who had watched the excitement and didn’t think it was a big deal. He complained to Liang Shu: “Your Highness, it’s terrible, they really insisted that if I drink the wine of the village, I must be a son-in-law of the village, or it is inappropriate and irresponsible. Chattering back and forth, even human traffickers are not so capable.”

Liu Xian’an sympathetically handed him a throat lozenge. 

His voice was hoarse, and it seemed that he had indeed talked a lot.

There was indeed a custom of snatching marriages in the southwest. Gao Lin feared that if he wasn’t paying attention, he would become someone’s groom, so he didn’t eat anymore and went back to accompany Ku You to eat a big pot of rice.

When faced with the girl herself, he wished he had eight legs to flee on, but now that she was gone, he shouted and bragged about himself with great emotion, you didn’t see it, brother, I’m valuable on the market, tsk tsk tsk.

Ku You was very annoyed: “Scram!”

After scolding, he got up and walked away quickly.

Gao Lin reached out his hand, but didn’t have time to catch a wisp of him. He thought to himself, it doesn’t matter if you’re blind, seeing as you can run as fast as if you’re being chased by a dog.

The entire Valley of Ten Faces celebrated this spring with birthday banquets. The threat of the Ghost Boys had been eliminated, but in the wider southwestern continent, the cult was still as difficult to get rid of as a stubborn disease. So after a short period of relaxation, everyone threw themselves into a new round of activity.

A-Ning brought a plate of fruit cake and asked: “What is the young master writing?”

“It’s nothing, I’m just drawing a stroke or two.” Liu Xian’an put down the brush. “I was thinking about the huge stone wall at the entrance at the Valley of Ten Faces. It records that the village’s ancestors could step down from the clouds and were able to freely enter the poisonous miasma without being affected. Could it have something to do with the mysterious tribe in the forest?”

“It’s possible. Didn’t the prince say there was no need to disturb them?”

“There is no need to disturb them, I was only thinking to myself.” 

Liu Xian’an washed his hands and took a snack, breaking it open to share with A-Ning. He said: “You can share some with others later, especially Cheng-guniang. The chef has prepared too much.”

The portly uncle hadn’t rested since he entered the camp, admiring His Royal Highness Xiao Wang and cherishing his generous wages. He used practically all his strength to procure food and snacks every day. Liu Xian’an couldn’t stop eating, and while lying in bed at night, he asked: “Have I gained weight recently?”

Liang Shu touched what shouldn’t be touched before marriage. It felt good, and he answered with satisfaction: “It’s just fat enough. I’ll give him a reward.”

Liu Xian’an: “…….”

Forget it, he was on his own.

Thus, seven dishes and eight bowls of snacks were sent out. On this day, A-Ning ran around with a food box. He went first to Gao Lin’s residence, but no one was there, and then he went to Cheng Suyue’s courtyard and stuck his head through the door: “Cheng-guniang, are you busy? Let me bring you a bowl of red bean paste.”

“Come and sit down.” Cheng Suyue put the basket in her hand on the table. “I was looking for clothes. Good grief, I can’t find them.”

The clothes belonged to Gao Lin. There was a hole in the sleeve, and it would be a pity to throw it away, so he gave it to Cheng Suyue to help mend it. A-Ning was quite shocked when he heard this. Of course he was not shocked that the clothes had been lost, but he was shocked that Cheng-guniang could do such delicate work as mending clothes! He didn’t show his shock, but only guessed: “Could they have been taken away by wild animals to build a nest?”

“That is the only possibility.” A thief would never sneak into the military camp just to steal some rags. Cheng Suyue said: “Forget it, they weren’t valuable. Don’t look for them, are you delivering snacks?”

“There is a bowl left. I’m going to ask the First Young Master and Commander Ku if they want it.” A-Ning said: “They should have finished applying medicine by now.”

Ku You’s residence was on the north side of the camp.

There were two soldiers patrolling outside the courtyard, basking in the sun. They were a little drowsy at first, but were woken up by a cough. After seeing the person, they hurriedly stood up straight: “Lieutenant General Gao!”

The person in the room put down his teacup with a thump and opened the window to run, fearing that he would be dragged back to be told love stories in detail. Gao Lin said: “His Highness asks that you and I go as soon as possible.”

Ku You breathed a sigh of relief. He put down his one leg and raised a hand to straighten his clothes, asking, “Why is the prince looking for us now?”

“They might have found something in the woods.” Gao Lin handed him his cane. “Let’s go.”

Found something in the woods? Ku You was stunned upon hearing this: “What the Baifu Sect buried?”

“I haven’t seen it yet either,” Gao Lin said. “I was waiting to see it together with you.”

The two left the camp and walked deep into the dense forest. The first part of the road was made of packed dirt because all the soldiers and villagers came in and out often, but further in, it became more and more inaccessible. There was no road, and what one stepped on was a thick layer of fallen leaves.

Rustle.

Rustle.

Rustle.

Gao Lin walked very fast. Ku You pricked up his ears and followed behind him based on his sounds. After following for a while, he stopped, stretched his stick forward, and shouted: “Hey, come here and give me a hand, I’ve got a foot stuck in the mud.”

After a moment, the stick swayed slightly, as if someone was holding the other end.

And at almost the same time, Ku You suddenly yanked the wooden stick in front of him and raised the soft sword from his sleeve with his other hand, pointing it straight toward the other’s face.

The other party flew away and sneered: “You’re quite clever, Commander Ku.”

“You sound similar, but your gait is not the same.” Ku You clenched the hilt of the sword. “You are very bold to dare to break into the garrison in disguise.”

“If I were not bold enough, it would be difficult to lure Commander Ku here.” The other party ordered in a low voice, “Do it!”

Ku You caught the faint sound of wind coming from above his head, and slashed with his hand. The blade of the sword clanged, as if it was wrapped in an extremely soft fabric, and the sound of silver bells suddenly rang in his ears, interfering with his judgment. After a brief moment, a cold sword was placed at his throat.

“Don’t worry, our leader simply wants to talk with you.”

. . . . . . . 

A-Ning took some snacks and went to Liu Xianche first, but a medicine boy said that the First Young Master had gone down the mountain with Lieutenant General Gao after applying medicine for Commander Ku in the morning, and he hadn’t come back yet.

So he ran to the north camp again, but the guards also said that Commander Ku and Lieutenant General Gao had gone out not long ago.

A-Ning was puzzled when he heard this: “What about my family’s First Young Master?”

“We didn’t see him. Only Lieutenant General Gao came,” the guard said. “He seemed to be in a hurry. The matter must have been urgent. There was a big hole in his sleeve, and he had no time to change clothes. The two just said a few words and left quickly.”

When A-Ning heard that the clothes with a hole in the sleeve had appeared again, he vaguely felt that something wasn’t right, and asked quickly: “Where is the prince?”

“In the study.”

A-Ning stuffed the snacks into the guard’s hand, turned around, and ran to the study.

That the commander of the southwest garrison could be kidnapped like this sounded so ridiculous that it was unimaginable. Liang Shu immediately ordered all entrances and exits to be blocked, and Gao Lin also hurried back. He hadn’t heard about Ku You yet, but had discovered another anomaly — that day at the birthday banquet, the grandparents and grandchild who insisted on saying he should marry were not villagers of the Valley of Ten Faces. He mentioned it by chance today, but everyone said they had never seen them before. They had just appeared as if they were ghosts.

“But what was the point of them pestering me with all that nonsense?”

“There was no other meaning. As long as they could become familiar with your voice and tone so that they could imitate it easily, that was enough.” Liu Xian’an said: “Their real purpose was Commander Ku.”

Gao Lin cursed.

The enemy’s timing was extremely accurate, which showed that they had prepared very thoroughly in advance. Even if they sent troops to search the mountain now, it was likely that there wouldn’t be any results. Cheng Suyue saw that Liang Shu’s expression was extremely ugly, and said: “Ku You has a special status. If the Baifu Sect kidnapped him, there is a great possibility that they will negotiate terms with the prince. At least…..his life will not be in danger for now.”

Just as she was speaking, someone sent in a letter from outside. It was not from the Baifu Sect, but from Liu Hengchang.

“Is there any new information?” Liu Xian’an asked.

Liang Shu opened and scanned it. The letter happened to mention the new guests Mu Zhe had invited from Nanyang.

“The Nanyang people can summon thunderstorms, control birds of prey, one person can transform into an army of thousands, and they can summon the undead,” Gao Lin said. “They dare to boast of this, but their resources are not as extensive as his.”

Liu Xian’an surmised: “They might also be good at ventriloquism. As long as the listener has his eyes closed, one of them could transform into an army of ten thousand.” And if you were an ordinary person, you wouldn’t be able to imitate a voice realistically enough after just one conversation.

Gao Lin thought to himself, it’s incredible, this imitation skill seems to have been tailor-made for Ku You.

Liu Xianche asked: “What else did A-Chang write in the letter?”

“He wrote that Wumeng Yunyou won’t be able to recover in the short term.” Liu Xian’an read the letter and said, “However, it was not his idea, but Feng Xiaojin’s. Feng Xiaojin took the lead in saying that he did not want the Wumeng brother and sister to get involved in the dispute between the Baifu Sect and the prince. For this reason, he also provided A-Chang with many opportunities to administer drugs.”

“This person……doesn’t sound very loyal to Mu Zhe.” Cheng Suyue slowly touched her healed neck. “He really didn’t seem to care about anything. But if he actually wants to protect the brother and sister, why not take them far away from that nasty, gloomy cult?”

“It’s not necessarily that he doesn’t want to leave. It’s also possible that he can’t. Cults always have a few dirty tricks when it comes to controlling people,” Liu Xianche said. “After this dressing change, there is half a chance that Commander Ku’s eyes will be cured.”

“But that’s only if the Baifu Sect treat him with courtesy in the early stage.” Liang Shu ordered, “Go and bring Chi Teng out of prison!”

The soldier who took the order heard the anger in the prince’s voice. He greased the soles of his feet and ran like the wind, not daring to delay for a moment.

Gao Lin thought that if the other party tied him up, that would be fine, but Ku You was a closed gourd, a glib talker, had a stubborn temper, and could not see clearly. If such a combination fell into the hands of the cult, how could he not suffer?

Damn it.

They must save him quickly.

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Chapter Ninety-Eight << Table of Contents >> Chapter One Hundred