They slowly descended through the dark passage.

The staircase was very narrow, only allowing one person to pass at a time. After walking down the steps for about two or three meters, a slightly wider passage appeared.

Taking advantage of the dim light, Li Lanzhen slipped a pine resin torch into Xuan Shen's hand, lit her own torch, and then lit his.

Two torches, one in front of the other, illuminated the passageway, which was pitch black ahead and seemed to have no bottom.

Bai Houpu said to the children following behind him.

"Go up there and guard the entrance. Don't come down!"

Su Chen responded and went upstairs, where he stayed and did not go out again.

Li Lanzhen had long ago discovered that Su Chen was quite skilled in martial arts despite his young age.

That night, Xue Laohu and Han Mingjiang escorted her out in the dark, and the faint footsteps following behind were his.

He was worried about Li Lanzhen's safety, so he followed behind them.

Seeing that he had arrived safely on the official road leading to Youzhou City, and after Li Lanzhen repeatedly tried to dissuade Xue Laohu and Han Mingjiang, he realized that Li Lanzhen had discovered him.

Then they followed them back to Peach Blossom Spring.

At this moment, he gripped a sword tightly in his hand, his eyes fixed intently on the movements of Calabash Valley.

The three people walking in the dark passage could already hear the sound of rushing water.

They couldn't tell whether the water was flowing over their heads or through the hidden passageway beside them; it must be the sound of the underground river.

After walking another ten meters or so, there was no way out!

The three men touched and pressed all over the wall, trying to find some mechanism that could open a door.

But there was nothing there!

At this moment, the sound of the flowing water became even louder.

"We can't just open it like this."

If you open one of the doors, and the river flows right there, it will flood into the secret passage.

Li Lanzhen touched the mountain wall of the secret passage and said.

Bai Houpu also realized this problem.

He sighed deeply. "Alas, it seems we still cannot search from here. Madam Li, tomorrow I will trouble you to lead us to the cave where you fell in to search for my brother-in-law!"

Xuan Shen's hands were covered in dust. He was anxious to open the door and see his father!

Hearing Bai Houpu and Li Lanzhen's conversation, he turned around unwillingly and said, "Can't we go in from here? I feel that as long as we open the door, we can see Father!"

Bai Houpu raised his hand, patted his shoulder, and said nothing.

Li Lanzhen glanced at him and said, "Xuanshen, let's go up. Tomorrow we'll search for your father in the underground river."

Seeing them come up, Su Chen looked at them with eyes full of expectation.

Li Lanzhen avoided his gaze.

Xuan Shen picked up Su Chen and buried her face in Su Chen's small shoulder, her shoulders trembling.

Su Chen knew in his heart that they had not found his grandfather!

She stretched out her hands and hugged Xuan Shen's head tightly, tears streaming down her face.

After a while, he finally spoke, "Uncle, don't cry, we will definitely find Grandpa!"

After having breakfast the next morning, Li Lanzhen, along with Bai Houpu and Xuan Sheng, set off early to search for the cave containing the underground river.

However, at night, Hua Zixi brought two boats and docked at the Eleven Trees small pier.

He brought seven households with more than 50 people.

There are also three special people.

What's special is that Li Lanzhen discovered that one of the children, around 15 years old, was a young eunuch, while the other two, around 17 years old, were clearly guards.

She guessed that the three people were there to serve the crown prince.

As expected, Xuan Shen handed the three over to Bai Houpu, and then he took the three away to Dongshan.

Hua Zixi told Xuanshen that Xiao Wu led 400 people on foot from Youzhou City along the mountain road, and after arriving there, they reached Hulu Valley and would not pass through Peach Blossom Spring.

These people were taken directly to the training camp by Xuan Shen.

Li Lanzhen saw them carrying baskets and hampers on their backs. She glanced at them and noticed that their clothes, pants, and shoes were all made of cotton.

The bedding and blankets were all new and very thick.

Li Lanzhen knew that this must have been prepared for them by Manager Hua.

Manager Hua was followed by more than 20 people who pushed more than a dozen carts off the boat, all loaded with grain.

Han Shunde and Xue Laohu learned that the people from the Xuan Shen training camp had arrived.

They then sent Han Zhaoxiong and Han Minghai to be stationed at the training camp.

They were instructed to build rammed earth walls and construct houses and courtyards.

And how to build a heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove) in a room.

The people in Peach Blossom Spring didn't pay much attention to these people, because they were all busy with their own affairs.

Li Lanzhen also followed them to the training camp.

When these people arrive, they must first live in the shacks they have built themselves.

Two hours later, more than 100 simple shacks were set up.

Xiao Wu and his men also arrived here.

At this moment, more than a dozen bonfires were lit in the training camp.

After hearing Xiao Wu's command, the people lined up one by one, forming a neat square formation.

Li Lanzhen noticed that the youngest child in the front row was about five years old.

Most of them are children around ten years old.

She also saw more than 30 men, all around 19 or 20 years old, standing in the back rows.

Based on their demeanor and posture, Li Lanzhen concluded that these people knew martial arts, and many of them were quite skilled!

They must have been servants and guards from wealthy families that Manager Hua bought from human traffickers, or people from escort agencies who had committed crimes and were sold off by the government.

Xiao Wu stood with his feet slightly apart, his hands behind his back, his voice steady, and his expression serious.

Her usual easygoing and playful demeanor was completely different.

At this moment, he resembles a stern instructor looking at his students.

Xiao Wu gave them a brief lecture, and then introduced them to Scrophularia.

Xuan Sheng admonished them about the rules they had to follow upon arriving here.

After Xiao Wu grouped them up, they sat down around the campfire in their respective groups to prepare for dinner.

The meal was prepared by all the women from the newly arrived families. They lit a bonfire and cooked the meal.

There are only two things: cornmeal porridge and vegetable pancakes. But the portions are generous, ensuring that everyone can eat their fill.

After settling them in, Li Lanzhen and Han Shunde prepared to leave and return to Peach Blossom Spring.

Xue Laohu, along with Han Zhaoxiong and Han Minghai, stayed here to help Xuan Shen and the others build houses, courtyards, and training grounds.

Before that, Li Lanzhen called Xuan Shen to go with her to the dozen or so carts that Manager Hua had prepared for them.

The grain here has been stacked into piles, like small mountains.

“Xuan Shen, there is a batch of weapons in the secret place. You can use them as you see fit.”

We'll also release a batch of farming tools for clearing land and planting crops.

Xuan Shen stood there looking at the ground, and suddenly, with a clatter, large swords, halberds, shovels, hoes, and baskets appeared...

Then came a dozen or so baskets of various eggs, and several sacks of rye bran and dark flour.

Afterwards, she handed over a dozen whistles to Xuan Shen.

"You've seen this whistle before. Figure out how to use it to train soldiers and issue commands. It should be very useful."