Zhu Yu was so focused on her thoughts that she didn’t realize her expression had quietly turned very grim.

Lu Qing noticed this and lightly brushed Zhu Yu’s arm, silently asking with his eyes if anything was amiss.

Zhu Yu slightly shook her head.

Actually, she had just thought of something—if after the incident with Lu Qing’s family, Bhutan had begun preparing all kinds of sinister herbs and exotic plants, and soon after started tampering with spices, does that mean that even when those people were plotting to eliminate Lu Qing’s family, they were simultaneously preparing for something else...

And in Jin Country, without anyone being aware, even before Emperor Jin’s throne was secure, someone was already planning to "overturn the heavens and earth".

However, this isn’t something to be hastily brought up at the moment, especially since Mu Hong, an outsider, is present, making it even more unsuitable to discuss.

Mu Hong didn’t see the exchange of looks between the two people; he had a day filled with fear, and only now, realizing the others had no intention of killing him, did he relax a little.

"Does that person have any easily recognizable features? Like scars, birthmarks, or tattoos?" Lu Qing casually asked Mu Hong.

This time, Mu Hong didn’t need to deliberately recall; he thought for a moment and said, "That person, whether in winter or summer, always has a cloth wrapped around his neck, even when the room is stiflingly hot. He never loosens it.

I always guessed if there was something on his neck he was afraid of people seeing, maybe scars or tattoos from when he was a mountain bandit, but he covers it tightly, and no one can see it.

I remember this well, and once you mentioned it, it all came back to me."

While speaking, he scrutinized Lu Qing and Zhu Yu, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Is that person the enemy you’re looking for? Can you... can you also help us Mu Family Manor avenge our grievances?"

If you can help our Mu Family Manor seek revenge, I’d let you flay me without batting an eye!"

"What use do we have for your skin and muscles?" Lu Qing laughed, shaking his head, "I’m more interested in knowing if the seductive fragrance you used earlier was concocted by your family or acquired from someone else?"

"Actually... speaking of that seductive fragrance, it was the villain who forced my father to concoct it. My father worried it would be used for evil, so he secretly passed the formula to me while making the antidote, hoping someday if we were rescued, I might find a way to help others."

"If I can get you the materials you need, can you prepare it again?"

"I can!" Mu Hong nodded without hesitation, "These years, I’ve been hiding here alone, with no one to talk to and nothing to do, so I keep replaying the recipes for all the spices I can remember in my head... I don’t know how many times I’ve gone over them; they’re etched in my brain." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"I can avenge you and make your refuge here more comfortable, without having to endure hunger or hardship. In exchange, I’ll find a way to get you the raw materials, and you need to help me concoct what I need," Lu Qing said to him.

Mu Hong thought about it, nodded, and bitterly smiled, "I hope what you ask me to prepare isn’t for harming others, but whatever I say now doesn’t matter much; it’d be easier for you to strangle me than a dog. I have no room to negotiate."

"Rest assured, we won’t use what you make to commit any unethical acts." Lu Qing patiently reassured Mu Hong, then added, "Before that, it’s best if you return the knapsack you took from us."

Hearing this, a faint and unnatural blush appeared on Mu Hong’s originally pale face. He lowered his head slightly in embarrassment, apologetically saying, "Sorry, everyone, I... I had no other choice.

I haven’t encountered anyone for a long time, and those I scared off in the past were just local hunters, so finding any leftover wild rabbits was fortunate.

I still manage to survive on food by collecting wild fruits nearby or catching a mountain chicken occasionally, but... clothing is tough to come by...

So when I saw your knapsack had clothes, I... I kept it.

Well, let me take you to get them now!"

Lu Qing nodded. This time, he arranged for the rune to stay above and keep watch, in case something unexpected happened outside, they’d be unaware down below, then let Mu Hong lead the way, and the two of them went below with the Fu Lu to retrieve the items.

Accompanying them down, Fu Lu was naturally quite cheerful. However, due to his stature, having to sneak along hunched over all the way was quite uncomfortable.

Finally reaching the underground chamber, Mu Hong was no longer tense and fearful and more at ease. He proactively said, "Don’t be afraid; there are no remains down here.

When I discovered this place, the chamber had already been looted completely, not even a bone fragment left behind, otherwise, I wouldn’t have stayed hidden down here for so long either."

This was the first time Fu Lu had come down. He took out a flint, roughly checked out the situation below, and looked at the opened stone coffin, guessing that Mu Hong had hidden inside it before, which shocked him.

"The items are in the coffin; I’ll get them out for you now." Mu Hong grinned somewhat awkwardly at the three, then quickly climbed into the stone coffin.

When it comes to this skill, don’t be fooled by how lean he looks; he moves quickly and deftly, effortlessly fetching out the contents in no time.

Before returning to the surface, Lu Qing carefully inspected the underground chamber once more, and Mu Hong, thinking he suspected him of hiding other items, followed behind him with a pitiful expression, twitching his scraggly beard, saying, "There’s nothing else; all of your items are here. I took nothing, not even a thread."

Lu Qing did not attempt to explain to Mu Hong, simply nodded silently, and the four of them left the dim underground chamber to return to the wooden cottage above.

Once above, Fu Lu didn’t hold back with Mu Hong and immediately began checking their belongings, only relaxing once he confirmed everything was there.