Chang Lili suddenly slapped her thigh and said, "Mu Yun! I'm sure I've heard of him somewhere, but... it's a bit vague... I can't remember..."
As she spoke, she frowned, as if trying hard to recall, but the process of recalling was not good; she seemed to be enduring pain.
Meng Yuxiu reached out and grabbed her hand, which was pressing hard against her temple, and said, "If you can't remember, don't think about it. Think about it slowly later."
Chang Lili let out a sigh of relief and gave up, then began to carefully polish the key.
Soon, the key was polished, and the small, golden key naturally went into Chang Lili's pocket after unlocking the lock.
She exhaled, pushed open the door, and light instantly filled her eyes, making them brighten.
"Haha, Meng Yuxiu, we're out!" Chang Lili turned around and hugged Meng Yuxiu tightly.
The latter laughed along and spun her around a few times in his arms.
After exiting the trap formation, they arrived at a completely different place.
The area still looks lush with vegetation, but it's no longer deserted; instead, there are several charming little wooden houses.
The sun was setting, and Chang Lili suddenly felt exhausted. She and Meng Yuxiu had been in that dark place for who knows how long, and now she felt dizzy and unsteady.
They discovered several wooden cabins in the vicinity, seemingly uninhabited. Looking around, these cabins were scattered across the massive mountain, their outlines barely visible in the distance.
"This place is really strange!" Chang Lili raised her hand to shield her eyes from the bright sun, looked into the distance, and exclaimed.
A voice suddenly came from behind: "What's strange?"
Chang Lili asked curiously, "What kind of place is this? And who lives in these houses?"
Meng Yuxiu shrugged slightly and said casually, "This is the Light Machinery Division!"
"Is this the Light Machinery Division?" She looked around in surprise. "This is the middle of nowhere. Where does it look like the Light Machinery Division?"
Meng Yuxiu smiled and led her towards the woods on the mountain. The dense woods were lush and green, and several horses were tied up outside the woods, swishing their tails contentedly.
"Where are we going? What's in the woods?" Chang Lili asked, puzzled.
Meng Yuxiu, however, feigned mystery: "You'll know when we get there."
He mounted the horse, then pulled Chang Lili up with him, holding her protectively to his chest. The two rode together on one horse and disappeared into the woods.
In front of the wooden house, the old woman looked in the direction where they had disappeared with a worried expression, her feelings complicated and hard to describe.
The imperial edict that was glimpsed by chance was shocking; every word revealed that Meng Yuxiu was a person highly regarded by the emperor.
She could tell that Meng Yuxiu was a good boy, but if he knew their identities, what would he choose? On one hand, there was the greater good, and on the other hand, personal feelings.
No matter what he chooses, even if he chooses to protect Chang Lili, he will inevitably be accused of treason, and he will only be implicated.
The mother-in-law sighed and walked back, her heart filled with worry, wondering how much longer she could live such peaceful days.
The shadows swayed in the woods, the sunlight shone like shattered gold, and a gentle breeze carried the fragrance of grass and trees.
Having survived the ordeal, Chang Lili felt an even greater appreciation for life. Leaning comfortably against Meng Yuxiu's chest, she asked, "What's deep in the woods?" She had a vague idea in her mind, "Could it be the headquarters of the Light Machinery Department?"
Meng Yuxiu remained silent, feigning mystery. After some time, Chang Lili noticed something in the woods, which appeared to be a house and some machinery.
After walking a little further, the view suddenly opened up before us.
When Chang Lili dismounted, she was still in a daze. In front of her was a small wooden house with a clear stream beside it. But what caught her eye the most was the various machines next to the house: mechanical arms, mechanical birds, even a crossbow with rapid-fire capability, and all sorts of ingenious tools that she had never heard of or seen before.
She approached with a look of shock on her face, but joy gradually spread across her expression.
Beside the house stood a huge, ancient tree, and Meng Yuxiu and Chang Lili happened to be standing directly in front of it.
Chang Lili saw a figure, walked around the tree trunk, and then realized that there were not only people, but several of them.
Let's start with the stone table and benches under the tree. There was a middle-aged man sitting on the ground instead of sitting on a bench. His clothes were loose, his hair was messy, and his beard was stubble. He was holding a wine jar in his hand, and there were several empty wine jars lying around him. He was half asleep and half awake, occasionally pouring wine into his mouth, looking like he was living a life of drunken stupor.
Next to it was a long wooden table, a very long wooden table, on which were placed various metal machines, various small and trivial parts, and various tools. A slender boy stood in front of the table, dressed in fine clothes, handsome, and still somewhat childish, but his face showed a focus that did not belong to his age.
This looks more like someone from the Light Machine Department. But the thing he's holding looks like a human leg and foot. Is he trying to make a mechanical doll?
Chang Lili was startled, her face lit up with joy, and she eagerly moved closer: "Hey, are you making a mechanical doll? That's amazing! The legs are so delicately made."
Upon hearing this, the young man frowned slightly and gave her a cold glance, instantly cooling Chang Lili's enthusiasm.
Chang Lili felt that this person had a similar aloof aura to Xiao Lingshou, but probably because of his age, the boy's aura was sharper, and he also harbored some hostility towards those who approached him.
Chang Lili pursed her lips and stopped trying to talk to him.
Only then did she notice that on the other side of the long table stood a bright-eyed, white-toothed girl, but her demeanor was somewhat arrogant.
Chang Lili was delighted to meet the woman for the first time and was surprised to find that there was a woman in the Light Machinery Department. She smiled and tried to greet her, but the woman snorted and looked disdainful.
And seeing that Chang Lili had just been turned away by that boy, she seemed quite happy, even moving closer to him, as if... asserting her dominance?
Chang Lili looked completely bewildered, genuinely feeling that everyone in the Light Machinery Department was an oddball.
Suddenly, a figure jumped down from the tree. The person had a head of gray hair and looked quite old. His clothes were... very casual, but he was in high spirits.
"Young lady, you're the new recruit to the Light Machinery Department?" He crossed his arms and looked Chang Lili up and down with great interest. "I didn't expect you to be such a young girl. You're quite something!"
Chang Lili was displeased upon hearing this. What a term, "young girl," it was really unpleasant to hear.
At this moment, Meng Yuxiu tied up his horse and slowly walked over. He had a calm expression and ignored everyone else, walking towards Chang Lili on his own.
The old man with gray hair changed his expression upon seeing Meng Yuxiu, then quickly put on a smiling face and greeted him warmly: "Disciple!"
Meng Yuxiu's calm expression changed instantly. He sighed, as if he was extremely unwilling to see the old man, and reached out his hand to prevent the old man from getting too close, saying, "Have some self-respect."
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