After traversing the winding and rugged mountain road, Zhu Jiayu finally arrived at the place Tao Yao had mentioned.
It consists of several large, interconnected mansions, surrounded by mountains that form a natural barrier for the area.
At the end of the mountain path were two large iron gates, with two guards standing on either side. Tao Yao took out the token that could prove her identity and stepped forward. Only after the guards verified its authenticity were they allowed to enter.
Zhu Jiayu's hands were tied behind her back with hemp rope, and Tao Yao stuffed coarse cloth into her mouth again. She followed Tao Yao into the brightly lit courtyard and into a hall.
After Tao Yao entered, she bowed to the man sitting at the head of the table and called him "Master Hu".
The man had a refined appearance, wore a long robe, and held a string of Buddhist prayer beads in his hand.
This is King Yama.
Upon seeing Tao Yao, he slightly raised his eyes and asked, "Where is Li Sanba?"
Tao Yao replied obediently, "Brother Li got the date wrong. He drank too much today and is now lying in bed, unable to get up. So I had to bring the goods."
King Hu nodded: "Nothing went wrong along the way, right?"
This is asking if someone is following you.
Tao Yao shook her head: "No."
"Alright, just wait," King Yama said calmly.
Tao Yao then nudged Zhu Jiayu and whispered, "Go stand over there."
After she finished speaking, she went to the other side herself.
Zhu Jiayu glanced at the scene and immediately understood the situation: this was probably Hu Yanwang's rule, with the "goods" lined up in one row and the people handling them lined up in another.
About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the harsh cries of birds, like crows or mynas, rang out outside. Then someone called out in a drawn-out voice, "Distinguished guest has arrived—"
Zhu Jiayu looked up, then quickly looked away and lowered her head even further.
The newcomer wore black boots, a long robe embroidered with black gauze and python patterns, and a bamboo hat, obscuring his facial features. However, Zhu Jiayu felt that this figure was inexplicably familiar.
King Hu, seated at the head of the table, said, “Everyone is here. Young master, please make your selection.”
So everyone looked up.
Zhu Jiayu was no exception.
The next moment, she was pulled out of the crowd.
"Let's choose her." The familiar voice rang in her ears like a thunderclap, leaving Zhu Jiayu dizzy and disoriented!
She clenched her fists tightly, trying her best not to show any sign of abnormality.
How could it be him!
She was in a panic as she thought to herself, while the person holding her hand had already handed the silver to Hu Yanwang's men.
After weighing the silver presented by his subordinate, Hu Yanwang smiled and said, "Three days from now, I will host a banquet at my humble abode to entertain distinguished guests. If you do not mind, young master, why not stay at my humble abode for the time being?"
The man nodded proudly: "Since Master Hu has sincerely invited me, how could I refuse?"
Upon hearing this, King Hu laughed heartily and ordered his servants to lead the way for the distinguished guest.
The man grabbed Zhu Jiayu's hand and led her to the guest room they had prepared earlier.
Once inside the room, Zhu Jiayu eagerly pulled her wrist out of the man's hand and reached out to remove his straw hat. After seeing that it was indeed the person she had been thinking of, she couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, "How did you get here?"
A cold glint flashed in Wei Qinglou's eyes as he sneered and gritted his teeth, asking her, "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"
If he hadn't found the clues and gotten to Hu Yanwang's place, he would probably still be in the dark, foolishly believing that Zhu Jiayu had really gone to Linzhang to handle things.
He was both anxious and angry. What kind of situation would Zhu Jiayu have been in if it weren't for him today?
Knowing she was in the wrong, Zhu Jiayu smiled and took his hand: "Although it was my fault for not telling you beforehand, you're here now, aren't you? You won't let anything happen to me, right?"
“Of course.” Wei Qinglou replied curtly.
"Then why are you still angry? Are you afraid you can't protect me?"
Wei Qinglou said in a cold voice, "Is that what you think?"
"Of course not. I was a little scared at first, but when I saw you, I was filled with joy. Because I knew you would protect me."
"Don't you feel happy to see me?"
Zhu Jiayu patiently guided him.
Wei Qinglou was taken aback: "I think so."
"So now we're all happy, right? You can't be angry with me anymore." Zhu Jiayu concluded, then said easily, "Tell me your plan, Lord Wei?"
Wei Qinglou then realized that he had been led astray by her in just a few words.
Now, recalling what she had just said, almost every single word was a trap she had carefully laid for him.
With a helpless, almost resigned expression, he looked at her and sighed, "Are you convinced that I'll fall for your tricks?"
Zhu Jiayu smiled gently, raising her hand to reveal the same red string on her wrist as Wei Qinglou's: "But I only like you, so neither of us will be at a disadvantage, Lord Wei."
After comforting Wei Qinglou, she told him about her discoveries and plans over the past few days.
Finally, she said, "To be able to develop to such a scale in Yujing City, Hu Yanwang must have someone backing him up and profiting from the trafficking of young children and girls. As long as we can catch this person, you will have an explanation to give to the Sheng'an Marquis's Mansion, and I might be able to follow the clues and find out where Miss Xiao is."
When the conversation turned to business, Wei Qinglou's expression became solemn. After listening to Zhu Jiayu's words, he nodded: "We received a report that a peasant woman found a paralyzed child being pushed around begging on the street. It turned out to be her own son, who had been missing for three years and whom she had searched for in vain."
"It was for this reason that we tracked down here. I had already ordered Shujian to check the surrounding area beforehand. There are quite a few elderly people and children living here. Many of them have physical disabilities, such as being unable to speak or walk, all due to external factors."
"In other words, someone deliberately disabled them so that they could beg on the streets and earn more money."
"In addition, there are nearly a hundred guards here. Although they are all self-taught, it is enough for this situation."
"If our people launch a direct attack, innocent people will inevitably be harmed. Therefore, we can only outsmart them. I think the banquet hosted by King Hu Yama in three days will be an opportunity."
"How many people did you bring this time?" Zhu Jiayu asked him.
Wei Qinglou said, “Three hundred. To avoid alerting the enemy, I only brought three hundred elite soldiers, but there are more than eight hundred men at the foot of the mountain who are ready to be deployed at any time.”
Zhu Jiayu shook his head: "It's too far from the foot of the mountain to get here, making it difficult to provide timely support. The only people we can rely on are your three hundred men."
“There are still three days,” Wei Qinglou said after a moment of silence. “That’s enough time for Shujian to figure out the situation here. Three days later, when the banquet starts, I’ll have someone create chaos. You take a group of people and escape first. Those who can’t move, find a place to hide them. We’ll take them out after we’ve dealt with Hu Yanwang and his men.”
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