Traveling through the millennium: creating a prosperous dynasty with you

"On the mountain where we found the idiot Second Prince, there is a valley further in, surrounded by steep cliffs. It is impossible to find it without a guide."

"How do they get in and out if there's no road?"

"They are very smart! They opened an underground tunnel along a hidden river. The exit is behind a waterfall halfway up the mountain. I don't know how they found it. They are so talented."

"Indeed, what's the scenery like there?"

"It's a basin with just the right temperature and humidity. It should be spring-like all year round, with picturesque scenery. Most importantly, almost no one can get in. It's perfect for causing trouble."

"I don't know whose soldiers they are, but they are really good at finding places. Why do you think he keeps so many soldiers?"

"Baby knows, baby knows, rebel!"

Xu Zhen gave a thumbs up and said, "I give you a thumbs up!"

"Hehe, the baby is the best."

"No matter whose soldiers they are, we will drive them out. We will live there by ourselves in the future. The whole valley will be ours. It's great just thinking about it."

"Okay! Okay! But Master, didn't you say you would go back after completing the mission?"

"Isn't that just angry talk? Do you think we can leave?"

"I don't know. Heaven just sent me here without saying anything. Humph, damn it!"

"Aren't you afraid he might hear it?"

"That's great. I'll ask him when he comes. Hehe, the baby is smart!"

Xu Zhen was speechless.

"I'll go digest the food, you continue to sleep." After saying that, he turned and left.

Tuan Tuan crawled into bed and continued to sleep. He wanted to recover his mental strength.

study

The brothers An Chen and An Shuo were also talking about Sun Mao.

"Brother, what my sister-in-law said last time about foreign ministers and concubines, I think she is right after thinking about it carefully. If Sun Mao has something to do, he can enter the palace openly, why is he sneaking around? And he disguised himself as a eunuch, only eunuchs can enter and leave the harem. Father has only a few concubines, and mother can't have it at all; Concubine Lan doesn't seem to have had any contact with him; only Concubine Hui has known him since childhood."

"We've sent someone to investigate. Weren't you robbed of your food by several waves? How did you end up in such a remote place?"

"Well, it's a long story. I went to Nanzhao to buy grain and met the prince of Western Shu. He thought the price offered by the Nanzhao merchant was too high, so he drugged the merchant. Coincidentally, I went to the merchant's house to look for him that day and blocked him in his house. He said that someone had already ordered the grain, but I refused and insisted that he show me the written statement, but he couldn't. We fought and he couldn't get out, so he had to let his butler go in his place. As a result, the butler came back and died of poisoning the next day."

"Why do you suspect it's the prince of Western Shu?"

"This businessman is an old fox. He doesn't trust anyone. He asked his personal guards to follow the butler quietly until the butler took effect of the poison."

"Hasn't the housekeeper returned home?"

"Yes, he is used to it. Whenever he sends a secret guard to follow someone, he will not stop until that person completes his task."

An Chen was speechless.

The second prince went on to say, "Because I blocked him for an entire afternoon, although it was not harmonious, it indirectly saved his life. He sold me some grain at the old price. After getting the grain, my men rushed back without stopping. As soon as we left Nanzhao, we found someone following us. After the first two groups left, I found that there were still people behind us. At a fork in the road, we split into two groups: one group took the grain back to Anguo as soon as possible, and I took the fake grain cart to the direction of Dongyi. Who knew that group of people was so cunning, I saw all his men chasing me. The real grain cart should have entered Anguo, and the southern defense camp is not far away, so it should be safe. Who would have thought that the grain was still snatched away by the thief, damn it!"

"How do you know they are a group of people?"

"We ran to the Dongyi Mountains and Forests, hoping to get rid of those people. But they relied on their numbers to surround us and fed us poison. That dog prince was so arrogant that he thought we were doomed. Perhaps to show off, he told me everything that happened after he poisoned the Nanzhao merchant. He said that he had known we would go separately and that forcing us to the Dongyi Mountains and Forests was a premeditated plan. No matter which team had food, they would drive people to the Dongyi Mountains and Forests. I felt that he was not coming for the food. I asked him what he wanted to do? He said he wanted the food, and the other person wanted my life! He didn't say who it was. But from what he did later, they were not together."

"What did he do?"

"I heard him tell his men that it was impossible to use him. He would not help him get rid of a strong enemy. He wanted us to fight each other, and it would be best if both sides were injured. That's why he only gave us muscle softening powder. In consideration of this illness, he threw us into the mountains, leaving our lives to fate. He also fulfilled his promise."

An Chen asked: "How do they know such a hidden cave?"

An Shuo took a sip of tea and continued, "He accidentally overheard that person saying that he sent a large number of people into the mountains, and someone discovered them by chance."

"It's extremely dangerous in the mountains. Why would anyone go there? And why send so many people? What's the purpose of such a large investment?"

"Unless there is something more worthwhile than the death of many people?"

An Chen guessed: "Mining privately?"

An Shuo thought it was not the case: "No, it seems more like they are looking for something?"

"What can we find there? Mines and woodlands!"

"Yes, they are planning to hide their own soldiers and start a rebellion!"

The pupils of the two men shrank slightly. Who is so bold? Not only does he raise private soldiers, but he also colludes with Xishu. An Chen punched the table in anger. He continued to speculate: "Maybe this plague was caused by that person and Xishu."

"Brother, there are many poisons in Xishu, and there are indeed some poisons that doctors cannot diagnose."

"Sun Mao may just be a helper. He doesn't have that much power. It takes a lot of gold and silver to raise an army, and weapons are even more necessary if you want to rebel. An Guo doesn't have a martial arts sect with that much power. He should be someone from the court."

"Brother, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Revenue, General Wei, and the Minister of Rites, these important officials are all people left by the late emperor to my father. They are loyal and devoted. It won't be them."

"Since the Prince of Western Shu did not grab any food, it must have been stolen by the first two groups of people."

"Brother, if we go any further we're not far from the southern defense camp. They probably won't dare to do that."

"Are you planning to go to East City or East Border Defense Camp?"

"Dongfu City, let's stop there to rest. There are some medicinal herbs that I plan to take with me."

"Maybe your people were robbed in Dongfu City."

"That's true. They are really extraordinary people. We didn't hear any news there, and we didn't see any signs left by my people."

"That means they were robbed before entering the city. No one has come back to report the news in such a long time. They are all good at martial arts, so this doesn't make sense."

"Did they get poison from Xishu?"

"It's indeed possible."

Unconsciously, the two of them talked for the whole afternoon. When the guard asked if they could go in to light the lamp, the two of them realized that it was getting late. An Chen stood up and urged the second brother: "Go back first, I'll send someone to check."