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Chapter 634 Chaos
Zhu Yu and Lu Qing quickly exchanged a glance.

Their previous encounter on the side bordering Landi and Shuodi was also related to the forced seizure of the land belonging to the people of Landi.

The group that seized Xianrenbao and ruined so many households in the fortress was the fake fortress lord and his gang. Zhu Yu and his group speculated that the Lan King lacked supervision over his subordinates, which led to the subordinates either being incompetent or colluding with the corrupt officials and bandits.

Now, after hearing the landlady's reminder, they have a new guess—could it be that behind all this chaos, it's not just Lan Wang's blindness, but even his tacit approval and participation?

But what are the benefits of doing this?

Of course, there is another point in time that Zhu Yu can hardly ignore—all these chaotic situations can be traced back to more than 20 years ago.

The same tragedy that befell Lu Qing's family occurred more than twenty years ago.

The servant who "died on the border of Jinshuo" was also found more than 20 years ago.

Although none of them specified a particular year, it is certain that the timeline falls within those few years to the left and right.

That's interesting.

If we can see the whole leopard from a single spot, then the fact that the people here would rather stay with a "land spirit" or "evil spirit" that has made them drink talisman water for more than 20 years than move away, simply because the government would probably be afraid of the evil spirit and would not want to come near this place, then the chaos in Landi over the past 20 years can be considered another version of "tyrannical government is more ferocious than a tiger".

Zhu Yu thought back and realized that during her time in Shuo before she was sent to Jin Kingdom, she had never heard of any messy rumors about Lan Kingdom.

From this perspective, it cannot be said that King Nalan and his men did nothing.

They were clearly working diligently to keep the news under wraps and prevent outsiders from knowing about the messy things happening in Landi.

While Zhu Yu was pondering this, Lu Qing had already continued chatting with the innkeeper and his wife without making a sound.

"So, in the past twenty years or so, that 'local spirit' really hasn't caused you any trouble? In that case, the Taoist priest you consulted was quite effective." He asked the couple, "Where is the temple located? Since such things often happen in Landi, why don't we go to that temple first after we set off from here to get a talisman to carry with us and ensure our safety on the journey?"

The innkeeper burst out laughing: "If I were you, I wouldn't waste that donation money. You might as well give it to me and I'll make you a few more pancakes to take on the road. Maybe there will be some left over, and you can even buy a couple of thick coats in town."

Anyway, you guys shouldn't be too particular about food and clothing along the way, because being too particular will only cause you trouble.

As for that Taoist temple, I think we should just forget about it. The most powerful person in that temple now is the Taoist priest who led people to exorcise evil spirits back then. If he really had that ability, his clothes wouldn't have been torn to shreds back then.

"It's just that some elderly people in the town are terrified, and they're only asking him for talismans for peace of mind."

“Yes, yes,” the innkeeper chimed in, “If you go any further south or east past our town, you won’t find any more lively towns. My wife’s cooking skills are truly the best, and I’m not exaggerating. You might not even find a place to buy a padded jacket.”

Lu Qing glanced at Zhu Yu, who nodded slightly. He then took out a silver coin from his pocket, slightly larger than the previous one, and stuffed it into the innkeeper's hand: "Then we'll trouble you two to help us get some flatbread and thick coats."

We also plan to stay here for a day or two to rest before continuing our journey. Do you have any guest rooms available?

"Yes! Of course!" The innkeeper's eyes narrowed into slits with a smile. "We'll go and tidy up for you all right away so you can rest comfortably!"

"Then I'll trouble you, boss, to vacate two rooms that are closer together." Lu Qing nodded in satisfaction.

"Of course, don't worry, I guarantee these two young men will be placed next to the two gentlemen, so they can be easily served." The innkeeper nodded repeatedly, beckoning his wife to go and make the arrangements.

In no time, the couple had prepared two adjacent rooms for them in the backyard. In a place like this, it wasn't realistic to expect the rooms to be particularly fancy, but overall they looked clean and tidy.

This is good enough for Zhu Yu.

Although she claimed to have been drugged and passed out the first two nights, that kind of unconsciousness is completely different from rest. Her fatigue not only did not improve, but actually worsened.

They stayed there that night and slept soundly. The next morning, the owners prepared hot soup and rice for them. Although it wasn't a lavish meal, it was tasty and comforting.

It's likely that there are hardly any outsiders in this town, let alone generous merchants. So when they encountered these "gods of wealth," the couple were exceptionally attentive and hospitable, afraid that they might not have accepted the two cents of silver with a clear conscience and fail to please their distinguished guests.

Zhu Yu and his companions didn't have any high demands. During their two-day stay, they would chat with the owners while drinking hot water. They were very easygoing. Not only was the landlady straightforward by nature, but even the relatively cautious innkeeper gradually relaxed and became much more casual in their conversation.

From what they told Lu Qing and Zhu Yu, they gradually figured out some things.

Although the people in this town have lived together for over twenty years, almost none of them originally came from the same place.

Even earlier, Landi was a peaceful and stable place, rich in resources, and its people lived a good life.

The chaos truly began when the current Prince Lan ascended the throne.

The people who live here have almost all had their land robbed to grow spices and other things. They were even detained and forced to work on their own land.

Almost all of them escaped because they didn't want to, and the journey was extremely difficult. Some were caught and brought back, while others were conscripted by local officials and sent to nearby villages to do farm work.

This area was neglected because of its high humidity, numerous mountains, lack of arable land, and absence of mineral deposits, which provided them with a place to settle.