Chapter 225 Mingming and the others could have left

“Canglang Island.” Cui Jin raised an eyebrow. “Xingguo Ward?” Cui Jin revealed a look of disdain. “Do you think Lu Chaoge, like your father, wants to go to Canglang Island to seek refuge with the Pei family? Xingguo Ward was defeated in Canglang a hundred years ago because of Tianhu Ward. Does the Pei family even deserve it?”

Cui Jin, who was usually reserved, surprised everyone with his indignant expression, as if Guan Ye's words were related to him.

"The Imperial Preceptor knows quite a lot," Mu Lexiu said at the right time. "The Imperial Preceptor lives deep in the Cangshan Mountains and has only been out of the world for a few years, but he is still very knowledgeable about the past affairs of the world. It seems that immortals are indeed immortals, and can truly see through the secrets of heaven."

Mu You interrupted his son, "If Lu Chaoge wasn't going to Canglang Island, then where would she be? I've sent people to search for her for many years, almost traversing every inch of Jin Kingdom, but I haven't found a trace of her... It's as if she's vanished from the world long ago, but I know she's not dead; she would never allow herself to die so easily. Canglang Island, only Canglang Island." As Mu You spoke, he looked at what he thought was Ajiu. Mu Chenbi felt flustered under his gaze and awkwardly looked away.

"Tangshui City," Guan Ye said. "Lu Chaoge and A Jing must have been to Tangshui City. It's a well-connected place, especially its waterways. When Father took me there, he asked the boatmen. They said that boats from Tangshui City can even go to Japan. The boatmen said that as long as you pay enough money, you can go to Southeast Asia, Japan, anywhere in the world. We've been on the run all this time, and there are always eyes watching us. The only way to get rid of them completely is to leave Jin and Japan. She must want to go to Japan."

"What an amazing girl, Guan!" Wan Qixi thought to herself. "Back then, my sister pushed the earth into a mound and planted a tree branch in the direction of Japan. What she meant was: 'Let's go to Japan.'"

"Then why...didn't you go to Japan?" Mu You pressed.

"Shipwreck." Guan Ye replied without hesitation, "When I was on my way to Canglang Island, I also encountered a violent storm. Storms at sea are far more ferocious than those on land. If it weren't for the sturdiness of my boat and the skill of the boatman, I would have perished at sea. Lu Chaoge must have also encountered a shipwreck. She was lucky enough to be swept to Canglang Island and survived. That must be it."

“The sea is unfathomable, and the storms are too fierce for even gods and men to withstand.” Cui Jin’s single eye was slightly closed. “When I delivered the meteorite to Canglang Island, we also encountered a great storm. The dragon-headed treasure ship was made of the toughest ebony, which is why we were able to deliver the meteorite to the island without any major incident. Can ordinary boats from Tangshui Town also deliver people to the island?”

Guan Ye laughed heartily, pointing to herself, "Why does the Imperial Advisor seem to have lost his mind when Lu Chaoge is mentioned? I wasn't on the Dragon Head Treasure Ship, but I still made it to the island alive, didn't I? The ship was ordinary, but the person navigating it was incredibly skilled. He was like..." Guan Ye recalled Hu Xian's actions back then. The storm was terrifying, and the young men on the ship were screaming in terror, but Hu Xian remained calm. Like a nimble monkey, he nimbly climbed the mast. The mast swayed in the wind, and he used his hands and feet as if walking on flat ground. He pulled a dagger from his boot and cut the sail. After doing all this, Hu Xian didn't rush down. He swayed precariously in the air with the swaying of the mast, but there was no fear on his face. Guan Ye rubbed her eyes. Back then, she thought Hu Xian was fearless. But thinking about it now, he wasn't just fearless, but... didn't want to live, just like herself today. Her future was bleak, her path was exhausted, and there was almost no hope. Death was just another matter.

"What does the person steering the boat look like?" Wan Qixi couldn't help but ask.

"Like a natural ship's embryo," Guan Ye said. "He has long since become one with his ship, and like Lu Chaoge, he will not be killed by the hurricane."

“Lu Chaoge originally wanted to go to Japan, but she was shipwrecked and ended up on Canglang Island.” Mu Lexiu said as he thought, “The Pei family of Xingguo Ward on Canglang Island has a long-standing feud with the Lu family of Tianhu Ward. Pei Yuan doesn’t seem like a magnanimous person. Can he tolerate the descendants of his enemy? Lu Chaoge has just escaped one danger and entered another.”

Guan Ye glanced at Mu Lexiu, thinking that this man was arrogant, but he was quite accurate in judging Pei Yuan. Pei Yuan's character and magnanimity were questionable. After all, the survivors of Juan Shang Island were descendants of Tianhu Fang. Who knows if he would really throw them back into the sea?

“So,” Guan Ye silently gave Mu Lexiu a thumbs up in her heart, and continued, “For so many years, the islanders didn’t know about Lu Chaoge’s existence, and even I… only found out before leaving the island.”

"Ah? Oh!" Upon hearing this, gasps rippled through the Zetian Hall. Mu You's expression changed drastically, the veins on his hand gripping the chair arm bulging. His dry lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to speak but hesitated. "You... Guan Ye, you..." Mu You finally managed to squeeze out the words, "You've seen... her."

Guan Ye raised her head and nodded to Mu You, "I have seen her before."

"Where is she?" Mu You's voice trembled. "Chaoge..."

Now that things had come to this, Ajiu understood everything. Lu Chaoge… he should have realized it sooner. Lu Chaoge was… right there.

"She...she lives in a mine on Canglang Island, a blue copper mine. The walls of the mine shimmer with a crystalline blue light, and upon first entering, it feels like a foreign land, drawing you deeper and deeper, making it impossible to leave." Guan Ye recalled the mine they had mistakenly entered. Everything seemed to be guided by some unseen force. They were leaving the island to return to the capital in a few days. Everyone was soaked to the bone while rescuing Lou Shitou, and to avoid being punished by Steward Pei, they spent the night at the Ji family's house. It was also because Ajiu was injured that she had the idea of ​​going up the mountain to gather herbs. And since they were all up the mountain, Xiao Ma simply persuaded everyone to go to Pei Chong's old residence on the way... It rained heavily on the way down the mountain, and in her haste, she remembered the mine Lou Shitou had found nearby, so she led everyone to the cave to take shelter from the rain...

Guan Ye's eyes suddenly lit up, as if someone was guiding them from the shadows... Who was it? Who was guiding them? Everyone went into the sea to save Lou Shitou... Lou Shitou, Lou Shitou was chasing... chasing... her.

Lou Shitou waved the handkerchief Jiang Muyun had left him and called out the name they could never utter: Jiang Muyun.

"Jiang Muyun, don't go."

Guan Ye had a bold guess in her heart. A few days ago, she went to the inner chamber to probe and interrogate Wushuang. Wushuang's answers were evasive and avoided the main points. Although Guan Ye felt that her guess was correct, she could not get the answer she wanted and could not be sure. But now, the guiding force in the dark made Guan Ye certain that her guess was right.

—It seems that even the location of the mine was told to Lou Shitou by that person.

"She lived in the mine for several years."

"Several years?" Mu Lexiu asked doubtfully. "It's been about twenty years since she escaped..."

"Your Highness," Guan Ye said, "People grow old, get sick, and die. Not everyone is fortunate enough to live to this age."

"She'll die?" Mu Lexiu realized. "You mean...she...is already dead?"

Wushuang turned to look at Guan Ye's expressionless profile. She didn't speak; she waited quietly for Guan Ye to reveal the doubts in everyone's hearts, to tell Lu Chaoge's life story, and the unknown ending.

Guan Ye stared directly at the hall, carefully observing Mu You's expression to see if it was genuine or feigned. Guan Ye said, "When we found her, it had been at least ten years since her death."

"Ten years!?" Mu You leaned forward in disbelief. "Ten years... how did you know?"

Guan Ye glanced at Feng Shisan and said, "We have an expert among us. He has handled bones and can determine the age of the remains. Lu Chaoge only has one skeleton left. She has been dead for at least ten years. There is no mistake about that."

"How can you be so sure it's her?" Mu You was somewhat flustered. From the moment he saw A Jiu, he had already guessed that Lu Chaoge was no longer alive. A Jiu also said that her mother had passed away long ago. Mu You had never thought that Lu Chaoge was still alive, but when Guan Ye mentioned the skeletons in the mine, Mu You was suddenly overwhelmed with grief. Lu Chaoge, the peerless beauty who was famous throughout the world, whose bright smile could light up the entire Rongdu, the stunning beauty he had been infatuated with for many years, was now just a skeleton in Guan Ye's words? Mu You didn't want to believe it.

Guan Ye slowly said, "Has Your Majesty forgotten what I just said? That wasn't an ordinary cave; it was a hidden azurite mine. Who, besides someone skilled in casting, could recognize azurite? When we went inside, the azurite in the mine had already been ground into mineral pigments, creating a painting-like effect on the walls. Even someone skilled in casting might not understand mineral pigments. There are very few people in the world who are proficient in both. Even if there were such experts in Xingguo Ward, how could they be hidden in a cave? Also, the cave walls were covered with engravings. We were too panicked at the time to see what the engravings were. Now, thinking back... it must be..." Guan Ye squinted as she pondered, "She was recording time, using the engravings to record time."

Feng Shisan suddenly realized, pounding his palms and exclaiming, "It's really true!"

Mentioning the mineral color, Mu Lexiu couldn't help but look at Wushuang. Wushuang was also a person who was proficient in both. No one knew where Wushuang came from. Lu Chaoge's ending had already revealed the truth, but Wushuang's origin was still a mystery.

"How did she die?" Mu You asked again.

Guan Ye said, "We carried the skeleton out. Judging from the integrity of the skeleton, her death was not caused by external forces. It was most likely... she died of illness."

After dying of illness, Mu You recalled his conversation with A Jiu, which largely matched what Guan Ye had said. "In the cave, are there any traces of children living there?" Mu You finally asked this question.

Cui Jin's single eye twitched slightly, but his expression remained calm.

Guan Ye recalled for a moment and said with certainty, "No, but Lu Chaoge definitely had a child."

"Oh?" Mu You became interested. "How did you figure that out?"

Guan Ye smiled at Mu You. At this point, she had no more scruples. Since she was going to die anyway, she might as well speak her mind. "Your Majesty, you should thank this child. Given Lu Chaoge's courage, if it weren't for this child's influence, she would definitely have returned to Rongdu at some point."

"Like you, to overturn the verdict against Tianhufang?"

"—It's to kill you."

"Insolence!" Chang Lu shouted.

"Let Guan Ye continue," Mu You snapped, stopping the others from interrupting.

Guan Ye continued, "Father said that there is nothing the young lady cannot do, and nothing can keep her here. The only thing that can keep her here is Lu Chaoge herself willingly staying on the island. The only thing that can keep her here is her child, which prevents her from leaving Canglang Island without any worries. She can only lie dormant here, year after year... until she dies."

Wan Qixi's heart skipped a beat. He had finally found his sister after all his hardships, and the child... His sister could have left with him and the child, so why did she refuse him? Guan Ye said that the child had left his sister on the island. The child, the child was right beside his sister. They could have left together, so why?

Why would a sister who survived a hurricane die silently in a mine because of a child?