LEAVING KAIFENG

So, the three of them left Kaifeng. To begin their journey.

"Where will we go, Your Highness?"

Zhu Su opened the map. "According to the map that Farmer Yue gave to me, there are many plants with strange characteristics in the forest near the Luoyang border area. Maybe the plants which never grow in Kaifeng nor are recorded in ancient books will be found there. I want to take it for further research."

"Forest near the Luoyang border area?! What a far area! Then you need a long time to leave Kaifeng!..."

"We'll look over there, but now we just go to the nearer place. It'll be tiresome if we head straight there."

Wu Qi nid-nodded, this utter calmed him a little. The Fan Wangs must not leave their respective domains, it was written in the legal code of the Ming Empire. If they insisted on going straight to Luoyang, which would take about three days and aroused suspicion, then it would be very dangerous especially if someone informed this matter to the emperor.

On the other hand, Zhu Su was looking around. They were wholly surrounded by nature. He did not find any houses there. Everywhere was dominated by trees and grass.

"And he also said that it was a kind of area full of strange things, even the locals are afraid of going nearby."

"Is it very eerie so people don't want to go nearby?" Hu Nayin asked worriedly.

"Are you scared, Nayin?"

Hu Nayin felt her hands tremble. The cold sensation started running through her body. However, when she found that Zhu Su was staring at her caringly, she replied, "No, Your Highness, I'm not afraid! Come on, let's continue our journey!"

When Hu Nayin gave her firm reply, Wu Qi gazed at her with a strange look from.behind. But no one noticed him, and thus they continued their journey.

***

"Zhou Wang and his subordinates have now left Kaifeng."

"Really? What are they doing there?" De Ta responded to Yu Mu Li La's report with great interest.

"I have not yet got information about this."

Suddenly Yun asked, "Who accompanies him?"

"Hu Wang Fei, as well as San Hu Wei Commander, Wu Qi."

As Hu Nayin's name was mentioned, Yun automatically pursed her lips in fury. "Then where are they now?"

"In an uninhabited forest far outside the city."

"I want to go there!"

Yun's shout was so loud that De Ta, who was reading a book, soon looked up. "Why do you want to go there?"

"If the enemy moves, we must not remain unmoved. I just get a feeling that they are doing something that can harm us, that's why I have to monitor them. And you'd better come with me, De Ta."

"Hmm, good idea. This book is uninteresting, unlike what the bookseller told me, damn liar." De Ta threw the book on the table and followed Yun out of the room.

***

"But actually we don't need to go there. This place is just as weird and terrifying as Farmer Yue said."

That was the comment Zhu Su said as they entered further into the forest. This forest was different from the forest which usually emanated an aura of serenity and peace, this forest instead gave a haunting impression. The first reason, they did not see even a single animal loitering here. The second reason, the atmosphere as well as the settlement of the trees in here were extremely strange - as if they had been arranged in such a way as to give an eerie impression.

"Whoaaa!" Suddenly Hu Nayin screamed. One of his feet got stuck in the mud. And her body was pulled deeper and deeper into the mud suction.

"It is quicksand!" Zhu Su instantly grabbed Hu Nayin's hand. He had to exert all of his energy to pull Hu Nayin out of the quicksand and took her onto the ground.

But that incident triggered Wu Qi's awareness to alert this area. "Your Highness... I think, this area is surrounded by many quicksands. Be careful..."

"Really?!"

"Yes. This forest is filled with lots of swamps. And quicksands are usually plentiful in such kind of places."

Definitely. Ten meters from the area they were standing, there was a pretty large brownish puddle. Several trees stood tall above it, their roots dipped in the water.

Hu Nayin automatically pulled her eyes down, afraid that she might step on a quicksand again. She spontaneously gripped Zhu Su's hand tightly.

They continued, more carefully at this time.

About fifteen minutes later, Wu Qi said happily, "We have passed the swamp area, Your Highness. Look at the small hill over there. Looks like it faces a very beautiful area."

Zhu Su and Hu Nayin pulled their gaze into the direction Wu Qi was pointing. There was indeed a hill, the sky above stretched out majestically as if it was enchanting them to visit. They immediately climbed the hill.

And soon arrived at the top of the hill.

The top was contiguous with a ravine, which opened up a very beautiful green landscape.

At the bottom of the ravine, a long and vast river was flowing, meandering like a dragon. Not only that, the trees also filled the earth, forming a "green carpet" stretch. Being there was like viewing a perfect natural painting of the Divine Creator.

And, Zhu Su saw that thing.

"That is the plant that makes the woman's face swell!"

Hu Nayin and Wu Qi pulled their gaze, looking at the direction Zhu Su was pointing. Hu Nayin raised her eyebrows, trying to observe it more thoroughly. Rising from the edge of the cliff, the green leaves were broad in shape, with sharp tips and wavy leaf edges. There were plenty of them. They clustered into a unit.

"I want to pick it!" Zhu Su stepped closer to the leaves hanging on the edge of the cliff.

"Don't do that, Your Highness! It's too dangerous! Let me do it for you!" Wu Qi quickly took steps so that Zhu Su did not need to step near the abyss, or even fell down.

But since those leaves grew on the cliff wall, it was quite far to be reached. Wu Qi prostrated, now in a prone position, then got his hand to grab the leaves - he hoped this position would minimize himself from falling into the abyss.

"So dangerous, Wu Qi! Just pick a leaf and then we'll leave here!"

"Ugh!" Extremely trying to reach the leaves, Wu Qi finally managed to grab one of them.

"Wow, you are so amazing, Wu Qi!" Zhu Su smiled with relief as Wu Qi, panting for breath, handed the leaf over to him.

***

"So the reason why they come here is just to pick that leaf?"

Hiding behind the bushes, Yun muttered in astonishment.

De Ta showed a condescending face. "I thought that Zhou Wang is initially looking for a secret book of magic, but he comes all the way here just to pick leaves?"

Yun kept looking at Hu Nayin, how happy she was when she saw her husband succeeded in getting what he was looking for... and it did not make her happy. She reached into her carry-on bag, took out a box and opened it, then threw its contents at them.

"Hng! Let us see then, will your happiness disappear in a moment?!"