Chapter 280: "Dead or alive? Where is he now...?"
"What?" Ah Li couldn't believe what she heard and immediately asked, "What mother-in-law surnamed Zhu? Ah Li has never heard of it."
The night wind was lonely and the stars were twinkling. The cold white moonlight in the courtyard swayed in the wind, breaking the original tranquility.
Wen Yu and Tai Hao looked at each other, and both understood something from each other's expressions.
Even though Ah Li had been alive for a short time, he was still a spirit after all, so it was easy for him to sense the presence of mortals in the courtyard. However, he was completely unaware of what happened to Grandma Zhu.
There really is something fishy about this Grandma Zhu.
But even she couldn't see through Grandma Zhu's true face beneath her disguise. Could it be a misunderstanding? Or...
Wen Yu's eyes moved and she glanced at Tai Hao beside her, wondering if the Emperor had discovered anything.
While she was thinking, Ah Li weakly interrupted, "I really don't know the Bamboo Granny that Auntie mentioned. I only know that there's a young immortal master staying in this courtyard."
"Little Immortal Master?" Wen Yu narrowed her eyes. This was the second person she heard about this so-called Little Immortal Master from.
The first one was Granny Bamboo.
She might have doubts when she said this, but Ah Li also answered in this way. Could it be that this little immortal master really existed?
"Yes, there was a young immortal master." Ah Li seemed afraid of Wen Yu's questioning and quickly defended herself, "Don't blame me, Auntie. I was powerless to stop it back then—"
Wen Yu raised her hand to stop Ah Li's self-blame and gave him a soothing look.
This is not Ah Li's responsibility, so how can we blame him?
"How did you know about the little immortal master?" Wen Yu thought calmly. If Ah Li had met the little immortal master, perhaps there would be some clues.
Ah Li recalled the day when the young immortal master first arrived at Xianchun Cottage.
"At first, I didn't notice when he entered the backyard. He seemed to have dug up some wine and drank it. I don't know why he got quite drunk..."
Wen Yu nodded while listening to Ah Li's statement. When she talked about the wine in the backyard, she suddenly paused.
Could it be the loquat wine that she and Song Linsheng buried that day...
That was her first wine-making experience with Song Linsheng. Perhaps the taste wasn't very good to begin with, not to mention that it had been buried underground for hundreds of years and had already turned into a jar of muddy water?
This young immortal master is probably not just drunk, but has been poisoned by...something.
Wen Yu felt both regretful and helpless, not knowing whether she should feel sorry for the wine she and Song Linsheng had shared, or pity this little immortal master whom she had never met.
"What happened next?" Taihao's gaze passed over Wen Yu vaguely, then turned to look at A Li.
Ah Li moved the leaves and scratched the trunk of her tree. "Later, he came to the front yard to ask me for some fruit. That's when we met."
The reason why people want his fruit is probably to use it to sober up.
After saying this, Ah Li added very embarrassedly, "It's just that I saw that he was very advanced in Taoism and had a strong cultivation, so I didn't dare to say anything."
"That's why you didn't dare transform today." Wen Yu understood. She could understand Ah Li's actions. "You're afraid that the young immortal master will find out that you know what happened back then."
"Yes, yes! That's right!" Ah Li nodded vigorously, shaking the leaves rustling. "But Aunt, don't worry right now. That little immortal master has been drinking and sleeping in the backyard for days. He won't come to bother you now."
Wen Yu pondered for a moment, feeling that something was not right.
Are those jars of her "vintage wine" so delicious that the little immortal master can't let them go?
This little immortal master might have other hidden secrets?
"That's perfect." Wen Yu put aside the matters in the courtyard and thought about the real purpose of his trip. "Besides this immortal master, have you met anyone else in the mountains?"
Ah Li said in a tone of surprise, "I was just about to tell my aunt about this. Originally, the young immortal master was the only one staying in this courtyard."
Anyway, the Song family hasn't sent anyone up the mountain recently, so no one will discover us.
"But I don't know what happened outside a few days ago. The young immortal master started to lead people to Xianchun Xiaozhu one after another, and they were all... mortals." Ah Li said in embarrassment.
If someone comes to clean the Song residence, how will I explain it?
"What?" Wen Yu was shocked when she heard that. What Ah Li said immediately reminded her of another thing.
Zhizhi once mentioned that many people have been missing in Jiangyang Prefecture recently, and the current prefect Jia Tingxi has been investigating for more than a month but has not found any clues.
Could it be that this so-called little immortal master is behind the disappearance of Jiangyang people?
If there were any inhuman force blocking the way, it would be extremely difficult for Jia Tingxi, a mortal with mortal eyes, to solve the case.
Wen Yu immediately became alert and glanced at Tai Hao on the side.
Then again, she forgot to ask the Emperor the purpose of his trip. Could it be that he came here just to pretend to be her cheap husband?
I wonder how much he knows about the unrest in Jiangyang? Is he here because of that?
Wen Yu was shocked. Could it be that this so-called little immortal master was behind the disappearance of the people in Jiangyang?
"Who are these people?"
"Is he dead or alive? Where is he now?"
"Is there a little girl of seven or eight years old and a young man of similar age entering the Xianchun Cottage today?"
She was in a hurry and asked a lot of questions before she stopped. It was not because she lacked self-control or could not keep her composure, but because she was afraid that Wen Bao and Zhao Qiying were also among them.
Seeing his aunt so anxious, Ah Li gradually understood the importance of the matter. He had been living in the mountains for many years and didn't know much about what was happening outside.
At first I thought it was a little strange that the young immortal master brought back these people, but now after hearing what my aunt said, I know that it must not be that simple.
"Men, women, young and old, everyone was there," Ah Li answered quickly, trying not to worry her aunt. "They were all alive and well when they passed through the front yard, but later on, that little... immortal master took them to the backyard, so I'm not sure where they are anymore."
Wen Yu's heart tightened. The backyard? The people were unarmed. How could they resist some immortal master who came from unknown origins?
While she was thinking, Ah Li thought about everything that had happened throughout the day and confirmed, "As for what Auntie said... I didn't see it today."
Never seen? It seems that Wenbao and Zhao Qiying are not here, but the people in the backyard have not found any trace of them yet. She will solve the current trouble first, and then go to the mountains to look for Wenbao and the others.
Thinking of this, Wen Yu didn't care about anything else and ran away in a hurry, "A Li, don't move around here, don't alert the enemy."
"Hey—Auntie! Auntie!" Ah Li panicked, not knowing what her auntie meant. "Yes, Auntie, be careful."
But he still agreed obediently. His spiritual power was low, and he just hoped not to make things worse.
Tai Hao, who had been silent for a long time, followed Wen Yu's footsteps and easily caught up with her with his extremely fast figure. "Wen Yujun, watch your step."
The night was dark and the moon was mottled. In the dim corridor, the road under my feet was not very clear.
It seemed like ordinary concern, but his incoherent words caught Wen Yu off guard, and her originally steady steps almost stumbled.
It seems that she and the Emperor are not that familiar with each other.
"The most urgent thing is to find the people that Ah Li mentioned." Wen Yu suppressed his thoughts and took care of the business. "As for the old immortal master and the young immortal master, we can talk about it after we find them."
There was a very light sound, as if someone was laughing, like the cracking of ice or melting snow, and it sounded particularly crisp in the long and silent night.
Wen Yu turned her head blankly to look at Tai Hao beside her, and saw the subtle curve of his lips, which made her sure that the laughter must have come from the Emperor.
What are you grinning about?
"Of course, this is my own business." Wen Yu frowned slightly and quickly explained, "Your Majesty, you don't have to go with me."
She was not joking with Taihao. Although she didn't know why he insisted on entering Xianchun Cottage with her, it was obvious that what happened later had nothing to do with him.
Tai Hao's expression remained unchanged as he followed Wen Yu closely. "In the Broken Clouds, I promised your master, Lord Ju Mang, that I would help you on this journey to Central Continent."
His voice was calm, but well-reasoned, as if he was truly loyal to someone who had entrusted him with the task.
"Master will not distrust his own disciples." Wen Yu refuted without hesitation, but she didn't buy it.
Since her master had asked her to take charge of the Spring Temple, he must have confidence that she could do a good job. Although she was not completely sure about the trip to Central Continent, she did not need help from others.
What's more, she has Yu Chang by her side. There is nothing that the two of them cannot accomplish together. Why bother the Emperor, this great Buddha?
Even so, Wen Yu couldn't help but wonder, Master didn't specifically send Chi Huang to accompany her. Could it be that he really asked Emperor Taihao to help him...
Thinking of this, Wen Yu felt uncertain, but after some consideration, he still stepped forward, becoming more determined.
There was no need for them to go beyond their own people and ask for help from Zhuoying Palace regarding the affairs of the Spring Temple.
"I would never want my disciples to be in danger." Tai Hao followed without any pause.
He was not arguing with Wen Yu, he was just... telling the truth.
Sure enough, after hearing this, Wen Yu remained silent, half believing and half doubting, or at least did not refute it anymore.
The two of them walked one after the other, through the corridors and over the courtyard walls. In the moonlit courtyard, the figures of Wen Yu and Tai Hao were like two dots of ink, gradually spreading out.
Backyard, Ah Li didn’t explain it clearly.
But Wen Yu could probably guess that in the courtyard of Xianchun Cottage, the one at the back was Yuechuyuan where Song Linsheng used to live.
Her intuition told her that if the young immortal master wanted to choose a place to hide people, he would definitely choose a spacious and secluded place like Yuechuyuan.
Not long after, after crossing a loquat forest, Wen Yu looked at the flickering lights in the moon courtyard and reached out to stop Tai Hao who was following him.
The latter stopped and his eyes fell on the words engraved on the door plaque, but after a moment he looked away without showing any expression.
Wen Yu didn't think about anything else, but just concentrated on observing the situation in the yard.
Looking inside through the courtyard gate, you can see the flickering candlelight on the window paper, and the sound of conversation carried by the night breeze also shows that there is indeed someone in the house.
Were the soup and food that Grandma Zhu distributed earlier delivered here?
In tacit understanding, Wen Yu and Tai Hao looked at each other at the same time, and then looked away calmly.
"There's nothing unusual in the room." Tai Hao reminded in a low voice.
Coincidentally, Wen Yu also spoke at this time, "How could it be? Everyone here is mortal--"
Wen Yu paused, realizing that he and Tai Hao were getting along surprisingly well. Then he expressed his suspicion, "Could it be that the so-called Little Immortal Master is no longer in Xianchun Cottage?"
Could it be that he discovered her and the Emperor and escaped?
"If you say that he abducted the people here, it doesn't matter." Tai Hao asked curiously and turned to look at Wen Yu.
Judging from the situation in the courtyard, these people don't seem to be being held against their will, but rather...
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