"If you'd like to go to the West Garden, you can go and take a look. Second Sister-in-law, you come from a royal family, so you must know even more. Please give them some guidance!"

"In short, you should move around more; it will also benefit your production."

Shen Cile believed Ning Yao's words without a doubt: "Okay, I'll listen to you. I'll make some clothes first, and then I'll go out for a walk this afternoon."

Ning Yao took out some snacks and put them down: "These are just some appetizers. Get more from me when you're done. If you want anything else, just tell Dong Yue. If she can't make it, come to me."

"Okay, Second Sister-in-law knows. Yao Yao, you go ahead and do your work."

Shen Cile also knew that Ning Yao was now the backbone of the family and was very busy every day.

This is why, despite his unstable emotions and anxiety, he didn't send anyone to tell Ning Yao.

After leaving Qizi Garden, Ning Yao went to the manor's warehouse, where Liu Zi was coming to collect seeds today.

The manor's warehouse remained empty. Even though they had been there for quite some time, everyone still kept their valuables in their own storage spaces.

Ning Yao first checked the condition of the seeds in the secret realm. The spiritual spring water had been basically absorbed, and each seed had grown considerably.

With a slight thought, he packed all the seeds into a sack, then moved them out of the secret realm and placed them in the warehouse.

These seeds included grains, vegetables, and fruits; Ning Yao soaked all kinds of cultivable crops.

Soaking can not only improve the survival rate and shorten the growth cycle, but it can also be done regardless of the growing season.

When the time comes, Liu Zi will take it away, and the seedlings will be cultivated and the seeds will be sown, all of which will be handled by the agricultural servants he has found.

Around 9 PM, Zhilan came to report that Liu Zi had brought people over, and the human traffickers had also arrived.

"Take this booklet and give it to Liu Zi, and have him pass it on to Nong Shi. Over at the warehouse, call Ning Lang and Ning Shan and watch them move everything out of the warehouse."

"Let the broker come in and talk to us as well."

"Yes, Miss!"

After Zhilan left, the slave trader came in: "This humble servant greets the Third Miss."

"Get up, sit down and talk."

"Thank you, Miss Third."

"Is there any progress on what happened yesterday?"

The broker's face darkened when he mentioned yesterday's events: "That family came to make trouble early this morning, insisting on changing their lodgings. I was afraid something might really happen, so I picked out a larger courtyard for them, and reduced the cost by a bit, which finally calmed them down."

The slave trader glanced at Ning Yao and said, "Third Miss, don't worry, all that silver was paid out of my own pocket. You won't be shortchanged!"

Ning Yao smiled faintly, not taking the bait in his attempt to play the victim: "Well, you've really gone to a lot of trouble."

Seeing that Ning Yao didn't respond, the slave trader's face became even more bitter: "This is what I should do."

Ning Yao continued, "Have you made any progress on the matter I asked you to inquire about yesterday?"

The slave trader said solemnly, "I went back and asked around overnight with some uncles who knew about the situation back then, and I found that there were indeed some clues."

What clues are there?

"The family of the scholar moved into the house in the fifty-first year of the Yan calendar, and sold it in the first year of the new Yan calendar, and the house was bought by the previous owner."

"I heard that before the scholar's family made a fortune, a passing Taoist priest once said that the burial site had excellent feng shui! After the priest left, the scholar's family dug up the treasure in the livestock pen according to the literal meaning of the words, and made a lot of money with it, which is why they moved to the city."

Ning Yao's eyes flickered slightly: "What treasure? Have you found out anything about it?"

"It is said to be a strange stone, which was later bought by a stranger."

More stones!

Zhao Xin from Songyang City fell ill because of the spirit stone given to her by Lin Qingyu. The spiritual energy eroded her meridians, causing her to become seriously ill and unable to get out of bed.

The sacred stones in the dense forests of the Kunlun Mountains;

The spirit stones in the manor's underground warehouse;

The sacred stone inside the lock of the ancestral hall door;

Yun Xiang Nanshan would rather be imprisoned than take her to explore the secrets of Yun Xiang City, which might also be spirit stones;

And the stone that the slave traders now say was dug up by the family of a scholar who became rich.

Why are there still so many spirit stones in this era devoid of spiritual energy?

These spirit stones are not something ordinary people can touch directly. They not only besieged Yunxiang City, but also caused those who came into contact with them to contract a serious disease.

All signs indicate that this spirit stone should not exist in the world, so why does it not only exist, but also have people using it for evil?

Are the Taoist priest mentioned by the human slave trader and Yun Xiangnanshan the same person?

Even more so, who was the Taoist priest who asserted that the family of the scholar had received the good fortune of the house?

Could these three be the same person, Chen Sheng, Yun Xiang and Nan Shan's wicked husband?

Who exactly is this Taoist priest named Chen Sheng?

Ning Yao even suspected that the stone in the scholar's house was a trap set by the Taoist priest. So where did the stone that was bought by the merchant go?

Where did the sacred stones inside the iron lock on the ancestral hall door come from?

If ordinary people can't access it, what use would Chen Sheng have for it? And how did he obtain this specially made lock to trap Yun Xiangnanshan?

Everything pointed to this spirit stone, but the biggest incident involved the special city of Yunxiang.

"It seems we have no choice but to leave Yunxiang City!"

"What did you say, Miss Third?"

Ning Yao snapped out of her reverie and shook her head: "It's nothing. You mentioned another Taoist priest yesterday. Is there any news about him?"

The slave trader said, "That's exactly what I was about to tell you! That Taoist priest left behind a single sentence and then vanished without a trace."

"But isn't it strange? This morning I heard rumors in the city that the Taoist priest from back then has reappeared. In a couple of days, he will use the excuse of helping people with their illnesses and warding off disasters in the west of the city."

Ning Yao immediately perked up. Wasn't this too much of a coincidence?

I just rescued Yun Xiang and Nan Shan last night, and that Taoist priest showed up today.

Was it a coincidence, or was it intentional?

Do you know the exact date?

"It seems to be... April 22nd!"

—

Before we knew it, it was April 22nd.

In the morning, Ning Yao planned to meet the Taoist priest alone, but the Li family father and son brought her a message.

She said that Song Wu had relayed a message to her that the woman had offered to see her.

Ning Yao raised an eyebrow. Isn't this perfect?

The city of Li was unusually lively today, perhaps because of the continuous drizzle over the past few days, or perhaps because there was something exciting to see today.

Ning Yao disguised herself after leaving the manor; today she was playing the role of a handsome young man.

She went to Yingkelai first, and Song Wu didn't mistake her for someone else.

"How about it? Was my outfit a success?"

Song Wu's daughter, Song Wenna, is no longer shy, and she is especially enthusiastic towards Ning Yao: "Third Miss, when you don't speak, you really do look like a scholar!"

Ning Yao was taken aback: "Wen Na is right! This young lady... no! This young master's voice... is it alright now?"

With a slight adjustment to his voice and a change in tone, he transformed from a charming young girl into a dashing young master.