"My dear husband, there's something I haven't had a chance to tell you yet!"

After hesitating for a while, Lin Xue told Huang Dehai about her troubles.

"My wife, what is there that we, as husband and wife, can't talk about?"

Huang Dehai knew that Lin Xue was hiding something from him, and now that his wife was finally willing to tell him, he immediately became interested.

"When we drove off those bandits, I left something on them. If we report this to the authorities, I have something here that can guide us to the bandits' hideout!"

Lin Xue took out a small bamboo tube from her bosom. The bamboo tube was only a little thicker than a thumb!

"My lady, what's in here?"

Huang Dehai took the bamboo tube, but instead of immediately uncorking it, he asked Lin Xue with a puzzled look.

"The things inside are called fireflies..."

Lin Xue twitched the corner of her mouth. This thing was something she had practiced when she was bored, a great helper for finding people and scouting the way!

"Fireflies, my wife, why are you catching these things? Won't they suffocate if you keep them in a bamboo tube?"

"Besides, what does it have to do with us finding the bandits?"

Upon hearing the name "firefly," Huang Dehai felt completely bewildered.

In the summer, these things are everywhere on the mountains and fields, and sometimes you can even see them in the villages.

This is really not something that's hard to find!

"My husband, please let me finish!"

Lin Xue felt somewhat helpless. It was precisely because this thing was so common that she wanted to refine it into a Gu!

It won't be conspicuous when you use it!

"My wife, please speak!"

Huang Dehai was afraid that if he opened the lid, the fireflies would fly away and upset his wife.

He had long wanted to see what made the fireflies in the bamboo tube different from the ones he usually saw.

"These fireflies were specially trained by me, using a lot of medicinal herbs and special techniques, all of which I learned from my grandfather!"

"I left some powder on those bandits, and as long as I release this firefly, it will follow the scent of that powder to find its way there!"

Seeing that Huang Dehai was about to interrupt her again as soon as she finished speaking, Lin Xue immediately continued without catching her breath.

"These fireflies are different from ordinary fireflies. As long as the distance is no more than two kilometers, they can find the powder by smell!"

"Phew~"

Finally, before Huang Dehai could interrupt, Lin Xue finished saying everything she wanted to say. She couldn't help but gasp for breath a few times.

Oh my god, why is her husband such a chatterbox?

They won't even let you finish your sentence!

"My lady, are you telling the truth? This is no joke! If it doesn't work as you say, we might both be punished by the magistrate!"

It must be said that Huang Dehai does have some sense of justice, but not as much as Lin Xue imagined.

He was not as pedantic as ordinary scholars, nor did Lin Xue sense any sense of responsibility for the world or his own duty from Huang Dehai.

Sometimes she wondered if a scholar like that could really bring benefits to the people if he became an official.

However, whether or not it is possible is not up to Lin Xue to decide. At worst, she can help out more. As long as her husband doesn't do anything too outrageous, what's wrong with being ordinary and plain?

Lin Xue would have a real headache if she encountered someone who was selfless and always put others first!

"Really, when have I ever lied to you?"

Lin Xue rolled her eyes at Huang Dehai, then took the bamboo tube from his hand and put it back in her sleeve.

In fact, the fireflies were just something that was obvious; even without them, Lin Xue could still find the bandits.

"Then what are we waiting for? I'll write a formal letter of invitation to the magistrate right now!"

In this world, a scholar who has passed the imperial examinations can meet a county magistrate without having to kneel.

As long as the scholar hasn't made any mistakes, the county magistrate will usually grant him a meeting if he writes a visiting card!

Of course, if you visit someone's home without a reason, you might offend the adults, and they might refuse your invitation next time.

The two found a fortune teller's stall, borrowed paper and pen to write their visiting cards, and then Lin Xue and the others waited outside the county government office.

It was only then that Huang Dehai remembered that his book box and luggage were still on the carriage!

However, Lin Xue immediately told him that she had already made an appointment with Lao Ma and would bring the things over the next morning.

"Gentlemen, the master wants you to come in!"

The two didn't have to wait long before a constable came out and let them in.

The two thanked the constable and followed him into the back office.

The county magistrate was a tall, middle-aged man with somewhat dark skin, who was sitting in the reception room waiting for the two of them.

"My lord, I apologize for disturbing you!"

Huang Dehai walked over from a distance, cupping his hands in greeting, his words full of apology for their unexpected visit.

"It's alright. May I ask what brings you here today, Wende?"

The magistrate was not as stern as expected. He greeted Huang Dehai very kindly and simply nodded to Lin Xue.

Then Huang Dehai recounted what he had seen and heard that day to the county magistrate, with some reservations, and then mentioned that Lin Xue had left a backup plan for those bandits.

The magistrate was initially quite troubled upon hearing that it involved bandits.

It wasn't that he didn't want to wipe out this gang of bandits; after all, having such a pest was affecting his performance.

However, he failed to wipe out the bandits despite several military expeditions, which only emboldened them to become even more rampant and ruthless.

Now that the magistrate heard that Lin Xue had something that could track down bandits at night, he immediately became interested.

After confirming with Lin Xue several times that this was true, he immediately summoned his subordinates.

About two hours later, the magistrate, the assistant magistrate, and the county constable of Donglin County all gathered in the county government office.

Meanwhile, all the soldiers in the county had assembled and were waiting to set off as soon as it got dark.

In the end, Huang Dehai suggested that the soldiers and yamen runners be sent out of Donglin County in batches and gather in a forest near Xiaoyan'er Mountain.

Finally, the county magistrate agreed to Huang Dehai's proposal with satisfaction, and the group left Donglin County in batches without causing any disturbance among the county's residents.

By the time they gathered in the woods near Little Swallow Mountain, it was already dark.

Lin Xue took out the bamboo tube from her sleeve, gently opened the sieve, and saw a firefly fly out.

This is a firefly that is larger than a normal firefly. Although they are both fireflies, the light it emits is not a warm yellow light, but a slightly pale green light, and it is also brighter.

At the magistrate's signal, the group followed the fireflies silently along the mountain path.

This firefly is also very intelligent; if it realizes that it is flying too fast, it will stop and wait for the people behind it.

They finally arrived at a secluded mountain stronghold. At this point, the magistrate couldn't help but sigh inwardly, realizing that if it weren't for the fireflies guiding the way, they would never have found such a hidden place.