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Chapter 407 Trouble

"Jiang Hong said that he heard from the merchants in Lianxiang City that while everyone outside was flocking to that small mountain building, a family suddenly came looking for someone, saying that their daughter had been kidnapped by people from the small mountain building, and that their family did not want her to become more beautiful and then become a concubine for a rich man."

Yan Daoxin's tone was less playful and more serious than before: "That family chased after her to Xiaoshanlou to look for her, but the people there wouldn't let them in. There were many guards there, so they could only wait outside, hoping to see if there was any chance they could see their daughter."

They kept watch for many days, and they actually saw their daughter going out with the people from Xiaoshanlou. The woman was indeed more beautiful and charming than before.

Her parents rushed forward to stop her, telling her to come home with them, but the woman seemed completely oblivious to them, as if she didn't recognize them at all.

Zhu Yu and Lu Qing exchanged a glance, both with a look of doubt but not surprise.

Having experienced the events at Situ Jing's camp and Immortal Fortress, they were no longer surprised by this state of being as if their bodies had been possessed.

Upon hearing this detail, they immediately understood why Yan Daoxin was so excited.

Yan Daoxin continued, "I don't know if it was because they made such a big fuss on the street and attracted too many onlookers, but the people in Xiaoshanlou didn't ignore the family. The old nanny came out and politely invited the whole family into Xiaoshanlou, saying that she would take good care of them and let them know how their daughter was being taken care of in Xiaoshanlou."

The family was taken in with some skepticism.

After that... no one ever saw this family again..."

Yan Daoxin looked at Lu Qing mysteriously, then at Zhu Yu, and nodded to them meaningfully.

"Didn't this matter cause even the slightest ripple in Lianxiang City?" Zhu Yu wondered.

"Jiang Hong said that because too many families had benefited from the small mountain building and then stopped caring about their daughters' whereabouts, that family disappeared without a trace. Many people also thought that they must have taken a large sum of money and were worried about losing their wealth, so they secretly left overnight," Yan Daoxin said. "However, some people don't believe it."

Jiang Hong said that the shopkeeper of the spice shop he delivered didn't believe it. He said that the family might be locked up in a small building and might have already lost their lives.

The shopkeeper told Jiang Hong that he had once seen a gaunt, white-haired female ghost crying at night in that small mountain building, which was very frightening. Since then, he has been convinced that there is something fishy about the small mountain building and that it is very ominous.

However, the shopkeeper was a long-time drunkard. He would be busy in the shop during the day, and after closing the shop, he would go to the tavern to drink. He was often so drunk that he would stumble and fall while walking.

Therefore, others didn't take his words particularly seriously.

“That’s interesting.” Lu Qing nodded after hearing this. “In that case, let’s go to Lianxiang City and see for ourselves what’s going on.”

When they set off, Jiang Hong, the true lord of Xianrenbao, wanted to force himself to come out and see them off, but Yan Daoxin refused with a stern face.

"If you want us to leave and you die right at the door, then go ahead and send us on our way!" he said fiercely to Jiang Hong. "Don't go out and overwork yourself lately; you should rest more. The strong men who were left in the fortress before were poisoned and died, and our people have already taken them away and buried them. A few of them were lucky enough to be saved by me and are willing to stay here and work for you. Just rest and recuperate for now."

Jiang Hong, with tears streaming down his face, repeatedly expressed his gratitude. Yan Daoxin didn't say anything more to him and set off with Lu Qing and Zhu Yu towards Lianxiang City.

The five men rode their horses at breakneck speed and finally arrived at Lianxiang City before nightfall, entering the city just before the gates closed.

Zhu Yu and his companions all wore veils. After entering the city, they breathed a sigh of relief, slowed their pace, and walked along the main street, keeping an eye on their surroundings.

Although Lianxiang City is quite a distance from the capital of Lan Kingdom, it appears to be very prosperous. Various restaurants, eateries, and cosmetic shops line both sides of the main street. There seems to be no curfew here. After dark, the shops along the road light up one after another, and it is no exaggeration to say that the place is bustling with people.

“Jiang Hong once said,” Yan Daoxin rode beside Lu Qing and whispered to him, “that Lianxiang City is a must-pass place for merchants who buy and sell spices and dyes, so it is very prosperous and bustling.”

Most of the town's inhabitants relied on traveling merchants for their livelihood, and the surrounding farmland mostly belonged to wealthy families in or around the town. So, although the town appeared bustling, the majority of its residents didn't actually live a particularly comfortable life.

Lu Qing nodded slightly, and the group continued on their way.

In the middle of this Lotus Fragrance City, a river runs straight through it, and several stone arch bridges connect the two banks.

On the other side of the riverbank, there was an even more bustling scene of bright lights and revelry. Rows of small buildings stood along the riverbank, their colorful lanterns dazzling the eye.

On those small buildings stood some young women, gently waving silk fans. Their laughter could be heard carried on the wind across the not-so-wide river, along with the faint scent of cosmetics.

The five people stopped by a bridge, and immediately a man dressed like a waiter approached them: "Are you merchants from out of town? It's already dark, and you're still carrying your luggage. Have you not found a place to stay yet?"

"Young man, what are those people over there...?" Zhu Yu asked the young man.

"Gentlemen, over there... you can have some wine and listen to some songs, but as for staying overnight... if you are merchants passing through this area, why don't you take a look at our inn?" The young man grinned somewhat ambiguously, while eagerly pointing to an inn on the side.

Zhu Yu turned to look at Lu Qing, who nodded slightly.

Before Zhu Yu could speak again, the young waiter, who was quite perceptive, immediately noticed and quickly made a "please" gesture, leading the group's horses toward his inn.

The inn was only a few feet away from the bridge where they were standing; it was just a short walk away. The small building was next to the riverbank, which was a pretty good location.

Perhaps because there weren't many merchants coming and going at this time of year, there were only a few people sitting around the tables drinking and chatting in the inn. The young waiter very attentively called over the manager to help the group settle into their rooms, and then hurriedly ran to the kitchen to boil water for the guests to enjoy.