"You either confess your origins now, or you can expect to be treated as a runaway slave!"

Upon hearing this, Li Jue's heart skipped a beat.

Because if they were treated as runaway slaves, the lightest punishment for him and Pan Hu would be exile three thousand miles away, and if the punishment were more severe, they could be beheaded!

"I would be grateful if this esteemed person would do me a favor. If you would not pursue the matter between me and Pan Hu, I would be willing to offer you the secret recipe for making icing sugar!"

"oh?"

Upon hearing this, the old man with the goatee immediately smiled kindly.

His purpose in coming here was not to capture escaped slaves, nor to check household registrations, but to obtain the priceless icing recipe.

The Changsun family has said that they would pay two hundred strings of cash for the secret recipe!

Therefore, as long as I get my hands on the secret recipe, I can not only receive a reward of two hundred strings of cash from the Changsun family, but also befriend the young master of the Changsun family!

The last point is the most important. After all, for people like them, money is not as readily available as power.

"good!"

"Since you speak so frankly, young man, I won't beat around the bush with you."

"As long as you hand over the secret recipe, I will not only release your servant, but also re-register you and your servant in the household register, making you a top-class household in Wannian County!"

Li Jue sneered inwardly upon hearing this. Registering himself in Wannian County was probably a way to make it easier to monitor and control him.

After all, in those days, ordinary people would be caught by government soldiers if they didn't have a pass issued by the government before they could travel more than 300 miles!

Li Jue was able to leave Qianzhou by bribing the local clerk to issue him a travel permit, allowing him to travel through various prefectures and cities to reach Chang'an.

Now that he has registered his household in Wannian County, he is certain that this old man with the goatee will never let him obtain the necessary documents and will definitely keep him firmly rooted in Chang'an.

If that were all, Li Jue wouldn't be angry, after all, this was his greatest wish in life. He feared he wouldn't stay in Wannian County long; the other party, to keep the secret of the formula, would definitely try to kill him in secret.

But right now he really had no other choice but to accept the other party's conditions with resentment, and wait until he rescued Pan Hu before looking for an opportunity to escape from Chang'an!

"This junior thanks Magistrate Sun for his assistance!"

Upon hearing this, the man with the goatee was stunned and looked at Li Jue in disbelief.

"You know me?"

"Who doesn't know the name of Sun Hu Cao? It is my duty to know him!"