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Chu Qingzhi and Tang Jinghong, hiding in the shadows, overheard the entire conversation clearly.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew into the room, carrying with it the crisp sound of a bell that spread and reached everyone’s ears.

Chu Qingzhi and Tang Jinghong stepped out from their hiding place and entered the study.

Chu Qingzhi waved her hand, closing all doors and windows, then directly inquired about the matters they wanted to know…

Lu Lizhang, having lost his autonomy, answered whatever was asked of him.

Old Lord Zhang was already dead. The old consort was still around, and Lord Zhang was in charge of the mansion now.

He had a principal wife, a concubine, and two mistresses.

The principal wife bore twin sons, the elder named Lu Yice and the younger Lu Yichen.

Lu Yichen was sent away as a child, while his brother remained in the mansion to enjoy wealth and status. However, at the age of fifteen, Lu Yice was kidnapped and developed a bloodthirsty condition upon his rescue.

Initially, he only drank animal blood. Accidentally tasting his own blood, he became uncontrollably fond of drinking human blood.

Lu Lizhang, the malicious father, actually fed Lu Yice the blood of Lu Yichen. As a result, Lu Yice’s condition inexplicably improved, and now he only needs to drink once a month.

The affliction made Lu Yice fear sunlight, turning his complexion deathly pale and bloodless, with prominent blue veins and a gaunt appearance, giving off a sinister vibe.

The children born to Lu Lizhang’s concubines and mistresses died shortly after birth, within days to a month, leaving only Lu Yice as the surviving child in the mansion.

Lu Lizhang blamed all these misfortunes on Lu Yichen, believing he cursed the mansion. He wanted to kill him but also feared ending his lineage.

Bitter and frustrated, Lu Lizhang harbored intense hatred and helplessness towards Lu Yichen, tormenting him from childhood.

Lu Lizhang was involved not only in smuggling fine iron but also in salt, horses, and sulfur, creating a vast smuggling network in Daling, closely connected with various regions.

As for the hidden forces, they were distributed all over Daling Dynasty. On the surface, they were employees, but in secret, they were part of the forces that helped to operate this powerful smuggling network.

Tang Jinghong listened as Lu Lizhang spilled these secrets like pouring beans, his gaze becoming quite nuanced.

If it were an ordinary person, they would have spent a lot of effort to dig up this information. However, once Qingzhi appeared, it was just a matter of speaking.

Chu Qingzhi stood up and retrieved a jade token from a book on the shelf, handing it to Tang Jinghong.

The jade token was a symbol commanding the hidden forces, containing a red Gu; calling its name would turn the jade red.

Tang Jinghong looked at the jade token. It was white jade with a toad carved on it. There was nothing special about it.

He called out, “Yice.”

At a speed visible to the naked eye, the white jade turned red. It was blood-red and very strange.

“Jinghong, will you give this jade to Lu Yichen?”

“I will, but only after dealing with Lord Zhang’s affairs.”

Tang Jinghong returned the jade to its place, choosing not to alert the hidden forces too soon. Otherwise, if they truly went into hiding, it would be exceedingly difficult to uncover them again.

After that, Tang Jinghong and Chu Qingzhi left Lord Zhang’s Mansion. They had already achieved their goal.

As they departed, they spotted a figure carrying someone on their shoulder, running out of the mansion. Exchanging a glance, they followed.

The chase led them to a secluded estate.

Chu Qingzhi observed, “This is Lu Yichen’s secret residence!”

Tang Jinghong looked at Chu Qingzhi in surprise, “How do you know?”

“Wu Yaqing told me. She had me come here to treat Lu Yichen’s injuries before, and she showed me the investigations about Lu Yichen, so I wouldn’t have known so much otherwise.”

“Wu Yaqing investigated Lu Yichen?”

Chu Qingzhi shared with Tang Jinghong the incidents that had occurred between Wu Yaqing and Lu Yichen previously, “Now, I’m a bit puzzled. You mentioned that the figure you saw earlier seemed familiar, but how could he have any connection with Yaqing?”

Tang Jinghong couldn’t figure it out either, “Let’s go inside and see.”

They leaped into the courtyard.

The figure placed the person on a bed in a room, then left the room, closed the door, and departed from the estate.

The person on the bed was a middle-aged woman dressed in monk’s robes, exuding a serene and peaceful aura. Looking at her, one felt calm.

Chu Qingzhi and Tang Jinghong lifted a tile to peek inside the room.

Tang Jinghong said, “I’ll follow him.”

Chu Qingzhi grabbed Tang Jinghong’s hand, looking in the direction the figure had gone, “No need, he should be back soon.”

Tang Jinghong replaced the tile and took Chu Qingzhi’s hand to sit in the courtyard, “Then let’s wait.”

As Chu Qingzhi predicted, the person returned soon after, bringing Wu Yaqing with him.

Chu Qingzhi and Tang Jinghong hid themselves.

The golden guard said, “Princess, the person is in the room.”

Wu Yaqing waved at the golden guard. “Call Lu Yichen over.”

Her words had barely fallen when Lu Yichen’s voice unexpectedly came through, “What do you want from me?”

He had been gathering information when he suddenly saw Wu Yaqing heading to the estate, arousing his suspicions, so he followed.

Hearing the familiar voice, Wu Yaqing turned around in surprise, only to see a stranger, “Who are you? Why does your voice sound like Lu Yichen?”

Lu Yichen remembered he was not using his original face, “I am Lu Yichen.”

Wu Yaqing approached Lu Yichen, scrutinizing him, “You’ve disguised yourself?”

“Ok.”

Wu Yaqing touched her chin, “Disguising could be faked too. Prove your identity first.”

After her statement, several golden guards appeared, standing guard behind Wu Yaqing.

Seeing this, Lu Yichen once again speculated about Wu Yaqing’s identity, “How can I prove it?”

“How many snacks did you send me last night?”

“Five.”

It really was Lu Yichen. Wu Yaqing took Lu Yichen by the arm and led him into the room, “I have a surprise for you.”

Curious, Lu Yichen didn’t resist.

Upon entering the room and seeing the person on the bed, Lu Yichen froze, his pupils filled with surprise, “You, you…”

Wu Yaqing, looking a bit smug, lifted her chin, “Are you so moved you’re speechless?”

Lu Yichen was at a loss for words.

Ignoring Wu Yaqing, he quickly approached the bed, kneeling beside it, “Mother, mother…” His voice was hoarse, filled with longing.

Watching this scene, Wu Yaqing silently left the room, giving the almost estranged mother and son some privacy.

Closing the door behind her, Wu Yaqing sat on a bench, looking up at the moon, “Lu Yichen, seeing how moved you are, you must really like this surprise, right?”