Chapter Forty-Three: Uneasy

“When it comes to the finest Beauty’s Liver, none can surpass the way it’s prepared at Ma Xingxiang’s Restaurant in Jinling.” Mu Chengyao nudged the dish toward Lu Yalan, who was engrossed in her flatbread.

Since Lu Yalan chose silence, he decided to speak up instead.

“The reason Beauty’s Liver is so sought after is twofold. First, it has long been praised by prominent officials and celebrities. Second, preparing a single plate requires forty or fifty ducks. Without an advance reservation, it’s nearly impossible to taste it. That’s what makes this dish so extraordinary.”

Lu Yalan hadn’t expected Mu Chengyao to suddenly speak, and his words seemed entirely at odds with his usual austere manner. She couldn’t help but stare at him in astonishment for a moment.

“What’s wrong? Is it so strange that I know these things?” Mu Chengyao’s voice dropped lower.

Knowing these things wasn’t strange—it was speaking so much all of a sudden that was unusual.

This time, however, he did not hold back at all, unleashing a true blow at the Golden Immortal level.

Tian Meizuo took her two bets with Yi Han very seriously, while Yi Han himself barely gave them a thought. He changed the subject and recounted Zhuo Tuo’s arrangements for him.

Thinking of this, Xiang Qi dared not delay, quickly sold off his stockpiled ore, converted it to gold, and hurried to recruit soldiers. Previously, he had seized ten warrior training camps, and in one go recruited over thirty warriors. After upgrading all of them to berserkers, he found himself penniless.

Yi Han soaked in the bathing barrel; the water had long since cooled, yet his body felt warm, even hot. The heat was strange, but he could only attribute it to the detoxification process and paid it little mind.

Yet these events pointed the way for Mo Wentian. In the future, when Shadow Hall gathered intelligence, it could not simply focus on the borderlands—the feudal states of Great Qin also required deeper understanding.

The officials and military officers transferred from Hebei were thoroughly familiar with the administrative system of the interior and carried much experience, but in Yingzhou, where most of the population was Hu, implementing these systems proved far more difficult, and they encountered numerous obstacles.

“I haven’t been there, so I don’t know,” the old Daoist replied after a glance, shaking his head. The others—Le Lang and the rest—also nodded. They truly had never set foot in that place.

Ever since he failed to catch the turkey and was pecked by it instead, whenever he entered the backyard, the chickens and ducks would act as if an enemy had arrived. If he so much as moved, they’d immediately rush at him.

Qian Duoduo secretly added a thought: On the surface, it seemed as if they never lacked for food or clothes, but every time, they only got what the other two had already rejected. If those two were in a bad mood, they’d rather throw things away than give them to the rest of us. What we ate was what they didn’t want; what we wore was whatever had been discarded and forgotten in some corner.

“It seems we can no longer stay in this forest,” Jiang Ning sighed from his hiding place in the branches of a towering tree.

“I only found her by following my intuition—and the hairpin that Tianjiao dropped. Don’t overthink it, just finish your food and get ready to set out! I can’t go up there with you; I need to stay here and guard her.” Murong Chong bent down again, gazing at Tianjiao, still sleeping beneath the ice.

After seeing the students off one by one, Xue Rui, though reluctant, called Li Yuxin back as a precaution and told her he wouldn’t be home for lunch. Though disappointed, Li Yuxin understood—after all, it was rare for Xue Zhonggui to visit. She led Li Minghao away, said goodbye to Xue Rui, and headed home.

To be honest, the Immortal Fate Sect always held some standing in the West Lake Spirit Domain. But four years ago, the Hall of the Evil King suddenly united the sects against them. The former sect leader perished, and since then, Immortal Fate Sect had fallen to its present state.

“If I didn’t wish to, do you think I’d have carried him here? With a body like his, could he even kick you?” Madame Mu sneered, making everyone uneasy. “Listen well—if you miss the appointed time, you’ll answer for it! Useless servants, not one of you reliable when it matters most.” Her hurried steps soon faded away.

Niu Zhiyuan darted out as well, straightening his clothes and striking a pose befitting a man of honor.

“Tian Ci, seeing you sighing like this—does it mean it’s really tough? Is it very dangerous?” Jin Siyu couldn’t hold back and finally asked.

“Haha, as long as you know, there’s no need to say it out loud—it’s embarrassing,” Chen Yun replied, now that he realized they were out of danger. His heart, once suspended, was now at ease, and he joked with Chi Yan.