Chapter 58 Borrowing Lodging

  Mu Changsheng protected the Crown Prince and his entourage, following closely behind Er Ya, as they traversed a small hidden path nestled between the dense forest and mountains. Along the way, the north wind howled, snowflakes danced in the air, freezing him to the point of numbness, and he was also extremely hungry.

  They, the master and servant, brought sixteen guards, all of whom were skilled fighters. However, when they entered the mountains, it was impossible to proceed with the horse carriage. Everyone took turns carrying the young master and the prince on their shoulders, and now they are all exhausted.

  The wind and snow were very strong at night, and the white blur dazzled people's eyes.

  Just as Mu Changsheng felt himself almost fainting, a faint light finally appeared in the distance.

  Mu Ying furrowed his brow and made a few cautious gestures, and the guards around him immediately went on high alert.

  Mu Changsheng also had doubts in his heart.

  No wonder he had such an unlucky day, first encountering a "ghost hitting the wall", and then running into a pretty little girl.

  Mu Changsheng's gaze swept across the young girl's thin dress, which was a magnificent red long gown that slightly exposed her shoulders. The material sparkled with starlight in the snow, and although the girl was young, the hair ornament on her head was exceptionally exquisite. Especially at the center of her eyebrows, a six-sided red gemstone was embedded, polished to a high gloss, with fine floral patterns carved into it. Such a hard gemstone could be carved with intricate patterns, making it extremely valuable.

  "Uncle Mu, that girl's clothes are really thin." Mu Changsheng said this sentence with his teeth chattering.

  Mu Ying nodded imperceptibly, and a hint of doubt arose in her mind. This young girl was so young, with light footsteps, clearly without any martial arts skills, yet she wore only a thin dress in the freezing cold, but didn't feel chilly, and even had a fragrant sweat on her forehead.

  You're not afraid of the cold in this icy and snowy land; aren't you some kind of mountain spirit or ghost?

  Another step forward, and suddenly everything became clear before my eyes.

  "Almost there, just ahead."

  Mu Changsheng suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Under the dark night sky, he could see a light in the distance that was many times brighter than the moonlight. This unusual sight made him feel uneasy.

  The Wei Wang beside him was also not as calm and composed as he appeared, the sixteen guards had already naturally placed him and his son in the safest position.

  Finally getting close, a group of people found that hidden in the mountains and beside the water, behind the rocks, was actually a luxurious mansion made entirely out of stone.

  The first thing that catches the eye is two 'night pearls', hanging high on two giant trees, about three or four meters tall, which can only be hugged by one person. Without any cover, they shine brightly outside the stone gate, as if it were daytime. In comparison, the two half-person-high yuetai made of jade in front of the gate are not so eye-catching.

  The house is built with stones, blending in with the surrounding mountains. From a distance, it's not eye-catching, but up close, every detail feels exquisite. The entire house exudes a grand and ancient aura.

  The king's heart was secretly amazed, and then he heard the girl turn her head and smile: "You wait for a moment, I'll go in and inform our cousin first."

  After she finished speaking, she gently pushed open the stone gate and walked in.

  The king of Wei gave a signal, and Mu Ying lightly stepped on the trees and rocks along the stone wall, but as soon as she touched it, she suddenly withdrew her hand and fell down.

  Mu Changsheng was startled: "Uncle Mu?"

  Mu furrowed his brow, ignoring him, slightly hesitant, and turned to Wei Wang in a low voice: "Master, the old slave is incompetent. Don't look at this stone wall being not high, but there's nowhere to set foot on the wall, above is an iron net three people high, and the top of the wall is densely covered with sharp iron thorns."

  As he spoke, Mu Ying raised his hand, and Wei Wang looked at it in the light of the night pearl and saw that his hand was covered in blood, and he was suddenly shocked and lost color.

  Mu had been practicing martial arts since he was a child, and although he was over fifty years old, his strength had not declined. His iron palm was particularly famous, and with one slap, he could split open a mountain or shatter rocks. Snapping a brick in two was nothing to him. If it weren't for this old servant by his side, Mu would have probably fallen into the enemy's hands and lost his head long ago. But now, Mu's hands had suffered such severe injuries, which showed that the place ahead was indeed treacherous.

  Mu Changsheng gritted his teeth: "Uncle Mu, otherwise we... hurry up and leave, never take risks."

  Mu Ying raised his head, saw that his whole body was trembling, looked at the sky again, and then looked at Wang Ye and Xiao Zhuzi. He sighed in his heart, with their current physical condition, if they were to camp outdoors in the mountains, they might not be able to withstand it, let alone encounter unknown dangers, and who knows if there are any ferocious beasts here.

  He thought for a moment and said, "I took a glimpse just now, and saw that the lights inside were shining brightly, with faint sounds of dogs barking and music coming from within. It seems like someone is having a feast, and this mansion is decorated beautifully, not at all like some sort of ghostly lair. I'm afraid it's likely that there's a hermit living here in seclusion. If we ask to stay the night politely, I think it should be fine. Moreover, there are rumors that the divine doctor Lai Mu Rong is hiding out in Mount Wen. There aren't many recluses living in these mountains, so maybe this place is his residence. Even if it's not, perhaps we'll find some clues."

  It's really true, if you live in a mountain, you might have some friendship.

  Just as they were hesitating, the gate creaked open with a loud screech.

  Mu Changsheng was startled and instinctively stretched out his hand to shield Wang Ye behind him.

  But then a sturdy man walked out of the gate, with a smooth and ruddy complexion, straight body, wearing clothes that were divided into two sections, very strange. However, Mu Ying had good eyesight, and at a glance, she saw that the fabric was excellent, the needlework was dense, and it was not something that an ordinary seamstress could make.

  Although he is a grown man, the expression on his face is honest and simple-minded, making people unknowingly feel close to him, not like that kind of ferocious evil spirit.

  The man pushed open both doors and smiled foolishly: "Our young mistress invites all the guests to come in and rest their feet. Tonight's wind and snow are too heavy, it's really impossible to camp out in the wilderness."

  Mu Ying let out a sigh of relief and solemnly bowed his head in thanks: "Then I'll be troubling you."

  A group of people stepped through the stone gate, only a few steps apart, yet it was like two different worlds. Inside the gate, a wave of heat hit them in the face, and the courtyard was somewhat rough and not refined, but hundreds of flowers were blooming.

  The man pointed to a stone cave in the east and said, "Miss Bao lives in the Listening Snow Residence over there. It's all ladies inside, so please ask the guests to go this way instead. The Listening Wave Residence has never been occupied, it's a bit simple, please don't mind."

  Mu hastily replied: "Being able to borrow your precious land to take refuge is already a thousand thanks and ten thousand apologies, please don't be polite."

  He is older after all, and can calm his mind. Wei Wang is a noble of the imperial court, knowledgeable and experienced. Even the craftsmen in the imperial palace's gardens can make flowers bloom in winter; it's not surprising that he would be able to do so as well.

  Ke Mu Chang Sheng was already speechless, with a look of astonishment written all over his face. In the middle of winter, there were still butterflies and dragonflies flying around in the courtyard, just like on a spring day. Moreover, every three steps he took, there would be a "night pearl", making this legendary treasure seem as common as gravel.

  Following the host's guidance, they entered the house separately. Mu Changsheng was already shocked beyond words. The room was also filled with a warm atmosphere, and everyone had to take off several layers of clothing. The large, smooth glass table and chairs were so soft that it felt like sitting on clouds. The floor was covered with something shiny and reflective, sparkling like a mirror.

  As for the "night pearls" scattered all over the rooftop, they can only be regarded as ordinary lighting tools.

  Mu Yingxian carefully checked the inner room, nodded and indicated that there was no danger, but for the time being, he didn't want to let Wang Ye and Xiao Zhuzi live in casually. He first put Xiao Zhuzi on a soft chair, although he felt it was impolite to be vigilant in someone else's home, but outside, there were still two guards keeping watch at night.

  The king touched his son's slightly feverish forehead and sighed: "Huaer is exhausted."

  The child was only five years old, traveling thousands of miles, sleeping in the wind and dew, finally arriving at Wenshan. He and the queen had only one son, Huahua. No matter what price he paid, he wanted to save this child.

  In the room, except for Mu Changsheng looking around, Wei Wang and Mu Ying both fell silent, really didn't know what to do next.

  Before long, Er Ya came over and knocked on the door.

  Mu Changsheng hastily walked over to open the door, and saw Er Ya carrying a large wooden tray into the house: "Sorry, sorry, it's late, so I could only make some simple noodles, everyone will have to make do."

  He said, putting the tray on the glass tea table, and after a couple of polite remarks, he turned around and left.

  There were two stacks of pan-fried mantou slices wrapped in egg wash on the tray, and two bowls of scallion oil noodles. A dish of blanched vegetables was also served, along with a plate of stir-fried lamb slices and a bowl of preserved egg lean pork porridge.

  All sorts of things, these things obviously shouldn't be eaten together, but there's no choice, the food in the kitchen hasn't left much, Er Ya had to bring them all over without being particular.

  Wei Wang and the others didn't have much to complain about either. Along the way, there were many times when they couldn't even get a bowl of hot rice, and had to rely on eating dry rations. Mu Changsheng also took a few bites to try it out. When he ate the mutton, his originally worried expression suddenly changed, and a hint of surprise appeared on his face. He took two more bites: "This mutton is not bad, there's no gamey smell at all."

  The king of Wei looked at it and felt a great appetite, the thin slices of mutton were transparent, and even better was the fresh green small vegetables, which had just been blanched, crisp and delicious. In the depths of winter, being able to eat this was simply the most comfortable thing.

  Mu Ying called out to the young master, feeding him meat porridge. The young master had always been a picky eater, and every meal required coaxing and deception before he would even take a few bites. Even after traveling for so long and enduring hardships, his eating habits hadn't changed. Yet this time, he drank nearly half a bowl of porridge, clearly to his liking.

  Mu Changsheng looked at it and couldn't help but think about asking the owner of this house for a copy of the recipe.

  After dinner, the man who claimed to be surnamed Zhou came over again to take them to soak in a bath. Mu Ying originally wanted to decline, but Wei Wang was eager to scrub off a layer of skin from his body, and they ended up going anyway.

  Mu had checked and found it was an introduced warm spring water, so he didn't stop it.

  That night, although the group tried to stay vigilant, the environment was too comfortable and Wei Wang and Xiao Shizi both slept well. Even Mu Ying became slightly dazed for a while.