Chapter 43: The Secret of the Zhu Family

  On the official road leading to Medicine King Valley, a carriage bearing the Xu family seal sped through the rain.

  The early spring chill hung in the air, with the soft drizzle pattering against the canvas, producing a continuous ticking sound. The rain fell in gentle streams, the road muddy, and the horse’s hooves lightly tapped on it, like a rhythmic drumbeat. The carriage moved forward slowly, its wheels rolling through puddles and spshing water droplets.

  At the front of the carriage, Wu Yuyu, draped in a raincoat, was steadily driving the horses, her gaze focused on the road ahead. Xiao Lan sat beside her, the tear tracks on her face still visible, yet her eyes reflected excitement and anticipation about going home.

  Inside the carriage, Tang Mingli and Sanbao sat side by side. Tang Mingli held a pot of warm spirit tea in his hands, occasionally taking a sip, but saying nothing. The atmosphere in the carriage was quiet and somewhat heavy.

  Sanbao leaned against the side of the carriage, wearing a gray cloak, her gaze fixed outside the rain-soaked window. The rain blurred the view outside, but it couldn’t obscure the confusion and questions brewing in her mind.

  She didn’t speak, but her fingers lightly caressed the Seven Treasures Bracelet on her wrist, feeling the faint spiritual energy pulsing through it, as though she was trying to calm her restless mind.

  The image of her identifying her parents’ bodies from the pile of corpses still repyed in her mind, an image she couldn’t forget.

  And everything seemed to lead back to Medicine King Valley.

  Wang Suifeng, once one of the people she trusted most, had been the one who stood by her when the bck-cd assassins chased her, the one who rescued her from the threats of the Bai siblings, and the one who had shielded her from harm ever since they met. But now, that trust felt as fragile as a candle in the wind, ready to extinguish at any moment.

  "Do you still trust him?" she suddenly asked in a low voice.

  "Wang Suifeng?" Tang Mingli turned his head to look at her, smiling slightly, "I only trust what I can see."

  "Why would I even ask you? You two were always bickering when you were together," Sanbao murmured, gncing out the window. The distant mountains were now barely visible through the rain.

  The carriage continued to bump along, the rain growing heavier. The trees along the roadside swayed in the wind, as if whispering and mourning.

  Suddenly, Wu Yuyu jerked on the reins, and the carriage came to an abrupt halt with a low creaking sound.

  "What's going on?" Sanbao opened her eyes and asked.

  Before Wu Yuyu could answer, a deep male voice rang out from outside, carrying an undeniable sense of authority:

  "Excuse me, is the Xu family young dy from Mò Líng City in this carriage?"

  The atmosphere inside the carriage tightened.

  Tang Mingli furrowed his brows and pced a hand on the pouch at his waist, his eyes sharp.

  Sanbao lifted the corner of the curtain and peered outside. In the distance, she saw a group of armored guards on horseback, with the leader draped in a cloak, watching them intently, his expression solemn.

  "Young Officer Tang Ping, may I ask if the young dy from the Xu family is in this carriage?"

  Sanbao, wearing a raincoat, stepped out of the carriage with Tang Mingli accompanying her. "I am the Xu family young dy. May I ask who you are?"

  When Tang Ping saw Tang Mingli getting out of the carriage with her, he immediately dismounted and bowed. "Tang Ping, the 37th generation disciple of the Tang family, pays his respects to the head of the family."

  This action immediately caused a stir among the surrounding guards. They all dismounted and bowed, their expressions respectful.

  Tang Mingli frowned. "What’s all this?"

  Tang Ping looked excited. "I serve in the Sea Ling City garrison, and a few days ago, I received an order from the Capital’s Guard. I was tasked with escorting a brother and sister to the Capital. However, the Sea Ling City garrison doesn’t have enough strength. Although the men I brought are seasoned warriors, they ck sufficient spiritual power. Even I am only at the peak of the Transformation stage. I feared that this long journey might encounter unforeseen complications, and we wouldn’t be able to complete the mission. Now that I see you here, I took the liberty to ask for your assistance to ensure we don’t run into any problems."

  Tang Mingli gnced at Sanbao, who nodded slightly. He said, "In that case, come into the carriage and tell us the details. We will change our route and accompany you to the Capital."

  Tang Ping sighed in relief and quickly bowed several times before approaching the carriage. "I and the Sea Ling City garrison thank the head of the family."

  He then signaled the nearby carriage to come closer. It was a simple gray cloth-covered carriage, somewhat worn, and not conspicuous. As the curtain lifted, a young girl with a sweet appearance and simple clothing stepped out.

  The girl looked to be around the same age as Sanbao, slim, with a beautiful and delicate face. She wore simple clothes, with patched shoes on her feet, and her face was slightly flushed from the post-rain chill. Behind her was a boy of about ten years, his features simir to hers, also wearing rough cloth clothes, looking shy and reserved.

  "This is Miss Zhu Ting, and this is her younger brother, Zhu Chengzhi," Tang Ping whispered. "We were ordered to escort them to the Capital. The Zhu family has guarded a family treasure for generations, which is said to be an artifact that can change the fate of our Kingdom of Rudy."

  "An artifact that can change the fate of the kingdom?" Sanbao couldn’t help but gnce at the brother and sister.

  Zhu Ting appeared somewhat uneasy, clutching her brother and stepping back. Zhu Chengzhi bit his lip, gncing furtively at Sanbao but saying nothing.

  Sanbao observed them silently. Zhu Ting’s cultivation was vaguely at the early stage of the First Rank, while her younger brother, Zhu Chengzhi, had just entered the initial stage of the First Rank. Although they both had spiritual fluctuations, it wasn’t clear what kind of abilities they possessed.

  "These two don’t seem to have high spiritual power, and their clothing looks ordinary. Since they have an artifact that could change the kingdom's fate, how could the Zhu family have fallen to such a state?" Sanbao thought to herself.

  She turned to Tang Mingli and noticed he was also frowning slightly, clearly having the same thoughts.

  "These siblings... don’t seem like the kind of people who would possess a great treasure."

  Tang Ping’s expression became serious, and he whispered, "I don’t know the full details either. All I was told was that this treasure has been passed down through the Zhu family for generations, and only Zhu family members can use it. This brother and sister are the st living heirs of the Zhu family, so it’s crucial they survive to reach the Capital."

  Sanbao fell into thought. She gnced at Zhu Ting, who lowered her head in a nervous and cautious manner. Zhu Chengzhi remained silent, tightly clutching his sister’s sleeve, looking quite shy.

  "Let’s go!" Tang Mingli said, and immediately, Tang Ping called for his men to mount their horses, forming a procession on both sides of the carriage. The Zhu siblings, Tang Mingli, and Sanbao all returned to their carriages. The procession set off, heading towards the Capital.