Chapter 40: Could that man be a traitor?

The magistrate of Pu County continued, shrinking back timidly, "That bandit leader threatened me, saying that if I reported the news to Yejing, he would cut off my head and the heads of my wife and children. I was afraid, but I felt that I couldn't let him be so arrogant."

He hung his head, his voice low: "I just argued with him for a few minutes, and he didn't say anything, he just had a few people take me out for a walk, and I discovered, I discovered..."

Seeing that Magistrate Pu hesitated for a long time and couldn't speak, Long Zhaoming slammed his hand on the table, which startled the already frightened magistrate Pu so much that he almost pressed his face to the ground.

"We discovered that the bandit camp actually had quite a few weapons!"

Upon hearing this, the three people, one sitting and two standing, were stunned. Seventeen was somewhat puzzled. The Great Jing Dynasty forbade the private manufacture of weapons. How dare these bandits? And where did they get the materials? Was the magistrate sure he wasn't mistaken? Was it really a weapon and not an ordinary kitchen knife?

Long Zhaoming and Mingyue instantly thought of a possibility, something they had been searching for for a long time.

After Wei Xing was executed, although many former members of the Crown Prince's faction were subsequently implicated, that was not all of them.

Behind Wei Xing is another person, the head of a powerful family.

And only this person dared to win over Long Zhaoming and reveal his plans.

Mingyue, however, always felt that they couldn't simply win over Long Zhaoming. He didn't believe that a group that wanted to rebel could rely on nothing more than empty words.

During their conversation, Long Zhaoming also realized that the other party definitely had a backup plan. After guessing and guessing, they guessed that it was related to the weapon.

Throughout history, any act involving treason must meet two conditions: weapons and men.

Without men, horses, and weapons, how could one plot a rebellion?

Long Zhaoming had been sent to test the waters before, but for some reason the other party kept it a secret, or perhaps they didn't trust Long Zhaoming enough, and never opened up.

So the two of them had been secretly investigating, but without any results.

Seeing that the atmosphere in the room was too quiet, the magistrate of Pu County became timid and dared not speak again.

"Go on."

Long Zhaoming frowned and reprimanded him. The magistrate of Pu County responded several times, swallowed hard, and continued, "That...that bandit leader threatened me, saying that what they're doing...is a big deal, and if I don't listen to them, they'll not only kill my family, but they'll also...they'll label me an accomplice..."

Long Zhaoming rubbed his temples, somewhat speechless. What was this magistrate of Pu County thinking? Did he think that treason could be convicted with just a few words from someone else?

But thinking about it again, it makes sense. The magistrate of Pu County is mild-mannered by nature, and he was sent here because of his mild-mannered nature. He wouldn't make any big mistakes, so the appearance of bandits was unexpected.

"Alright, be careful about this yourself, and don't let anyone else find out."

The magistrate of Pu County nodded repeatedly, and only then did Long Zhaoming let him go.

After the three returned to the inn from the government office, they closed the door and began a private conversation.

"This weapon... do you think he's telling the truth?"

After pondering for a while, Long Zhaoming said, "Whether it's true or false, we have to go to this bandit camp."

Mingyue had the same idea, but it wouldn't be easy to sneak into the bandit camp undetected.

Moreover, they are still forcibly abducting women. Although they haven't been harmed yet, this will only create fear and anxiety among the people if it continues.

No wonder there was no one on the streets by the afternoon.

Mingyue's face grew increasingly gloomy as he thought about it. Long Zhaoming knew he was unhappy, so he glanced at Seventeen and said, "Let's take it one step at a time. First, let's find a way to sneak in and see if those weapons are real or fake. Then we can arrest and interrogate the people."

Seventeen frowned and asked in confusion, "Can't we just go straight into the bandit camp? We're going to capture them anyway."

Long Zhaoming chuckled and said, "But if those weapons are real, firstly, it might alert the enemy, and secondly, it could easily harm our people."

"That makes sense." Seventeen thought about it and realized that it made sense. Fortunately, no one in Maple Forest Town has been harmed yet.

Just then, an innkeeper knocked on the door: "Honored guest, someone is looking for you outside."

Long Zhaoming was taken aback and asked, "Who's looking for me?"

"It's Master Yu."

The other two people inside were also stunned. Master Yu? Looking for them?

"Let him come over."

The waiter responded, and soon hurried footsteps were heard. Just as the waiter helped push open the door, a middle-aged man in a light purple brocade robe rushed in, nearly causing the waiter outside to fall.

He muttered a couple of complaints to himself and then closed the door.

They cannot listen to what their distinguished guests say.

As soon as the man in the purple robe entered, he bent his knees as if to kneel, but Mingyue quickly caught him and helped him up. Seventeen also rushed to the other side to support his arms, preventing him from kneeling.

Long Zhaoming frowned and asked, "Are you the patriarch of the Yu family?"

"Yes, yes, this humble subject greets Your Highness."

Long Zhaoming waved his hand: "No need for such formalities. What brings you here to see me today?"

Master Yu's hands were trembling. Seeing that something was wrong with him, Seventeen helped him sit on the other side.

"Does Your Highness know about the bandits outside the county?"

"Um."

"Your Highness, I beg you, save my daughter!"

Master Yu seemed about to kneel again, but Seventeen quickly helped him up once more. Long Zhaoming asked in a calm voice, "Tell me."

"Yes, yes, my daughter Yu Huixin has always been strong-willed. After learning martial arts for a few years, she felt fearless. After learning about the mountain bandits, she couldn't sit still. When she heard that the magistrate didn't care, she became even more indignant and made a fuss about going to wipe out the bandits. I, this humble citizen, did not want her to be in such danger, so I kept her at home."

As Master Yu spoke, his voice trembled, and Seventeen sensed that he was about to burst into tears.

"But...but a few days ago, I discovered my daughter was missing! I've thought it over and over, and I'm convinced she must have gone to this bandit camp alone! I beg you, Your Highness, please save my daughter! She's just a woman, after all! If...if..."

Seeing that Master Yu was about to faint, Seventeen quickly patted his back to help him breathe.

Upon hearing this, Long Zhaoming frowned deeply.

"I understand. Don't worry, we will rescue her. Seventeen, see the guest out."

Seventeen nodded, helping the ever-thanking Master Yu leave. Mingyue watched their retreating figures and murmured, "Is he really that fiery?"

"That doesn't sound like a lie, what does Your Majesty think?"

"We must act swiftly and infiltrate the bandit camp immediately."

Mingyue's voice was deep. Long Zhaoming, who was standing to the side, seemed to be lost in thought. After a while, Seventeen returned and asked with some concern, "Your Highness, will something have happened to Miss Yu?"

Long Zhaoming shook his head: "I don't know, so we need to sneak into the camp as soon as possible to find out the situation."

"Well... what should we do? Should Yue-ge and I go scout out the area first?"

After much thought, it seems that this is the only way for now.

After Seventeen and Mingyue asked the county magistrate of Pu County about the exact location of the bandit camp, they set off again up the mountain.

This bandit camp is indeed difficult to find, especially in this undiscovered, desolate mountain area. If someone didn't point the way, you might spend half a day searching in a daze and still not find it.

By the time Seventeen and Mingyue found their spot, it was already close to evening.

The dim, golden sunset cast its light on the newly sprouting trees, making the mountain appear both quiet and mysterious.

When the maple leaves turn red, the mountains and fields are ablaze with color, an unbelievable sight.

Seventeen yawned slightly, squatted on a thick tree branch, and asked in a low voice, "Brother Yue, these people don't seem to be very good at kung fu. Can I try to sneak in from the side?"

The bandit camp was large, and there were guards at several entrances. Seventeen observed that these guards were not very good at martial arts, and he should be able to sneak in undetected with his own abilities.

"Okay, be careful. If we are spotted, we will retreat immediately."

While Mingyue observed the situation from outside, Seventeen silently landed on the edge of the bandit camp.

He didn't disturb anyone the whole time, and the thief camp was very quiet, strangely quiet.

Seventeen felt puzzled and held his breath for a while, but found nothing unusual. It seemed to be just a simple camp.

He crouched in the shadows, quietly waiting for an opportunity to strike.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but when half the sun was no longer visible, he finally saw everyone except the gatekeeper.

The man looked like a cook, wearing an apron, and was wiping his hands as he walked towards a room on the west side.

Seventeen quickly followed, and as soon as the man reached the west room, he called out, "Boss, the food is ready."

"Okay, let the brothers eat first."

The male voice inside sounded to be in his forties, and it was a very unfamiliar voice.

Seventeen watched them quietly. After the cook left, the door opened and a man dressed in obvious bandit attire walked out.

He had a face full of scars, a burly build, and carried a large long knife on his back—a typical bandit.

The bandit leader walked in the direction the cook had left. Just then, the door of the house next door opened, and a slender man came out.

The man was not only slender but also had a somewhat androgynous voice. Seventeen almost didn't recognize him as a man and thought there was a woman in the camp.

"Boss."

"Hmm, why didn't you go to eat?"

The bandit leader treated this frail man quite well, with a friendly and amiable demeanor.

"I'm not very hungry, I won't eat."

The slender man smiled and pulled his outer robe tighter. The bandit leader frowned as he looked at him: "It's already spring, and some of the brothers are already wearing short jackets. Your physique is really not that of a man."

The frail man wasn't annoyed by what he was being told; he just smiled faintly and said, "You know my physical condition. I'm used to it. Anyway, I don't have many years left to live."

"Forget it, I can't argue with someone as quick-witted as you."

The bandit leader chuckled and turned to leave. The slender man coughed twice and took a few steps after him, saying, "You should go get something to eat and bring some food back, in case you get hungry tonight."

Seventeen watched quietly, but suddenly noticed a movement under his feet. He had just moved to the roof of the house where the slender man lived in order to observe the two people, but now he suddenly realized that there seemed to be someone else inside.

He immediately held his breath, making sure he wouldn't be discovered by the people inside the house.

Peeking through a slightly leaky crack, one could see a woman sitting inside!

Seventeen was shocked and forgot to breathe. How could there really be women in this bandit camp? Could they have been kidnapped by the bandit leader?

However, after looking closely for a while, it didn't seem like it. The woman was clearly hiding outside, and she didn't even dare to walk past the window to get something.

It was only then that Seventeen remembered the purpose of their trip: Miss Yu Huixin of the Yu family had apparently come to this bandit camp alone.

Could this woman be Yu Huixin?

Seeing her like this... Seventeen wondered why Yu Huixin was hiding in that frail man's house. It seemed she was still keeping it from the bandit leader. Could that man be a traitor?