Is there any late-night snack?

After some discussion, Yuan Fang took his leave. Song Yanqing dispatched Xu Yitian to accompany him, which was essentially to keep an eye on Yuan Fang and prevent him from escaping. For Song Yanqing, whether Yuan Fang accepted the offer of amnesty was a separate matter; what was important was that Yuan Fang couldn't ruin his plans. For now, he needed to maintain control of Nanshan Temple.

After Yuan Fang left, Song Yanqing couldn't help but laugh and curse, "This bear demon is quite interesting."

Chen Guishuo sidled up to him, blinking, and asked, "Bear, golden fur, fur that's impervious to blades and spears! Senior Brother, does that ring a bell?"

Song Yanqing's gaze sharpened slightly, and he nodded, "The moment he took off his clothes and revealed that golden fur, I knew. It's the Golden King Bear from the Record of Exotic Beasts. The armor woven from its fur has incredibly strong defensive capabilities. It's a very rare thing to encounter here. Judging by his demeanor, he probably hasn't had much contact with people from the cultivation world, otherwise, with such low cultivation, how would he dare to expose himself so easily? No rush, we'll deal with future matters later. It depends on whether he's sensible enough to handle what's in front of us first."

Chen Guishuo grunted. He realized this bear demon was quite lucky. If it hadn't been for its golden fur, which had yet to fully shapeshift and offered resistance, they likely would have killed it at the start of their encounter.

Afterward, Chen Guishuo accompanied Song Yanqing around Nanshan Temple, inspecting the environment in preparation.

After the three of them left the Shangqing Sect, they had traveled almost non-stop. Their haste was to arrive early and make arrangements. Along the way, they benefited from Song Yanqing's background, allowing them to use post stations to change horses. Otherwise, their mounts wouldn't have been able to withstand such continuous travel...

The bright moon illuminated the great river. Along the riverbank, tents dotted the landscape, and the rolling river waves reflected the moonlight.

On a rocky outcrop by the river, a pavilion stood, looking somewhat dilapidated. Shang Chaozong stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the moonlit river.

Lan Ruoting approached from not far away, walking slowly into the pavilion. He asked, "Your Highness seems troubled by Jiang Chou Mian?"

Shang Chaozong sighed softly, "Although I'm full of confidence and boosting morale, we know our situation clearly. Without the protection of powerful mages, I don't know if we can safely reach our fiefdom. After passing Guangyi Commandery, it won't be far to Cangwu County. The closer we get, the more worried I become."

Lan Ruoting comforted him, "Your Highness, rest assured. Until we obtain those hundred thousand Crow Generals, we won't face significant risks on this journey. We should arrive safely. I'm more concerned about the fiefdom itself. The Imperial Court has likely made preparations in advance."

Shang Chaozong turned back, "I'm considering whether it's still necessary for us to go to Cangwu County under the current circumstances."

Lan Ruoting's expression turned serious, and he repeatedly waved his hands, "Your Highness, absolutely not. The Imperial Court will surely have informants along the way. If we proceed honestly, we can ensure our safety. If we lose control and deviate from the path, we'll likely attract pursuit immediately. Furthermore, I painstakingly made arrangements and influenced matters in the Capital City to have your place of exile designated as the Cangwu County fiefdom for a reason. When the late King was alive, Cangwu County had some preparations and a foundation. This is your last hope. We have very few usable resources left, so we cannot give up lightly!"

Shang Chaozong nodded silently, "I hope I can give these brothers who followed me faithfully some explanation!"

Just then, Guan Tie, one of the five centurions, strode over, followed by a white-haired old man with a slight limp.

The two entered the pavilion one after the other. Guan Tie cupped his fists and reported, "Your Highness, Uncle Fang is here."

The white-haired old man knelt on one knee and bowed, his voice trembling, "This humble one, Fang Ping, pays respects to the Young Prince... no, pays respects to Your Highness!"

"Uncle Fang, please rise quickly!" Shang Chaozong hurried forward and personally helped the old man up with both hands.

This old man was originally a personal guard under Prince Ning, Shang Jianbo. Later, due to injuries sustained on the battlefield, his legs became inconvenient, and he retired and returned to his hometown, which was in this area.

After he stood up, Lan Ruoting asked, "Fang Ping, have the river-crossing tools I asked you to prepare been made ready?"

Fang Ping shook his head with shame, "This humble one is incompetent. I've only managed to prepare a few wooden rafts so far."

Lan Ruoting frowned, "Dozens of people, and in all this time, only a few wooden rafts? What's going on?" There was a reason why Shang Jianbo had settled some retired soldiers in this area; it was to prepare for unforeseen circumstances.

Fang Ping sighed, "Mr. Lan, you may not know, but after Prefect Feng Lingbo of Guangyi Commandery became powerful and self-important, he clashed with the Imperial Army several times. This inevitably affected the nearby villages. Moreover, he conscripted young men into the army. Half of our dozens of people died, and the other half were captured by Feng Lingbo's men, their fate unknown. Only I, being too old and having inconvenient legs, was not deemed worthy, and thus escaped disaster."

Lan Ruoting fell into silence.

"So that's how it is! Uncle Fang, don't worry too much. It's not your fault," Shang Chaozong comforted him upon hearing this. He then pointed upstream along the river, "If I recall correctly, there's a bridge at a narrow point upstream. If necessary, we can take a detour."

Lan Ruoting gave a bitter smile, "Your Highness, you may not know, but I've been paying attention to Feng Lingbo's several conflicts with the Imperial Army. To prevent surprise attacks from the Imperial Army, Feng Lingbo has controlled all the boats along the river. Not only that, but any bridges that could be used for crossing the river have also been destroyed by Feng Lingbo. If we were to take a detour, it would be at least eight hundred li away. With our group, it would take several days to get around, and after crossing the river, we'd still have to take a long detour. It wouldn't be worth it, it's better to build wooden rafts to cross the river!"

Shang Chaozong pondered for a moment, then decisively declared, "If that's the case, we'll chop wood at dawn!"

The matter was settled. Just as Guan Tie sent Fang Ping off to rest, Shang Shuqing, wearing a gauze hat, walked over carrying a guqin. Behind her, several people carried food boxes.

Seeing her situation, Shang Chaozong couldn't help but laugh, "Qing'er, it seems you're in a mood for refinement."

Shang Shuqing shook her head, "Brother, those two seem unwilling to open up to us. With such fine weather and beautiful scenery, why not invite them for a few drinks? Qing'er will play the guqin to entertain everyone. If they get in the mood, perhaps their knots can be untied."

Shang Chaozong hesitated, "You'll play the guqin to entertain them? For a County Princess to stoop so low, Qing'er, aren't you valuing them too highly?"

Shang Shuqing replied, "Brother, showing respect to worthy individuals is not shameful. Even if the other party is not a worthy individual, given our current predicament, what right do we have to talk about stooping low? Treating them as guests with warm hospitality is only proper, and we lose nothing. If, by chance, they are truly worthy individuals, gaining their assistance would be even better. Brother, we don't fear making more friends in our situation; we fear having no friends. At the very least, parting on good terms and having one less enemy is also good, don't you think?"

Lan Ruoting inwardly sighed, thinking that this County Princess was incredibly intelligent and possessed a magnanimity that even men found hard to match. It was a pity she was a woman; otherwise, she would have achieved great things!

"It is I who was short-sighted. I have learned much!" Shang Chaozong cupped his hands sincerely, appearing to be receptive to her advice, which made Shang Shuqing giggle.

Shang Chaozong also smiled faintly, then nodded to Lan Ruoting, signaling him to go and invite them.

Unexpectedly, Shang Shuqing said, "Let's go invite them together. It will show more sincerity."

Shang Chaozong nodded, "Alright!"

So, Shang Shuqing set up the guqin and gave an order for the soldiers to prepare wine and food. Then, she, Shang Chaozong, and Lan Ruoting set off together.

The three found the tent where Niu Youdao was temporarily staying. As they approached, Shang Chaozong, who was walking in front, stopped, feeling something trip his foot.

Before he could even react to what had happened, a figure flipped out from under the tent curtain. Yuan Gang's sturdy physique suddenly appeared, blocking them. He held a dagger inverted behind his wrist, glaring menacingly at the three of them.

Shang Shuqing and Lan Ruoting both noticed Shang Chaozong's anomaly. Following his gaze, they saw that Shang Chaozong's foot had tripped on a thin thread.

The three exchanged glances. It turned out someone had silently set up a warning device in the short grass. Once anyone approached the tent, the people inside would immediately be alerted. Niu Youdao wouldn't have set up such a thing around his tent; they had interacted with them before and hadn't noticed anything. It was obvious who had set up this device, and the three of them looked towards Yuan Gang.

Shang Chaozong's gaze towards Yuan Gang revealed increasing interest. Despite having so many people watching over them, no one had noticed Yuan Gang secretly making these arrangements.

Seeing that it was them, Yuan Gang's voice was as cold as his face, "What is it?"

Shang Chaozong said, "We've had a tiring journey, and the hospitality has been lacking. It's rare to encounter such fine weather and beautiful scenery today. We've prepared some wine and food by the river. Please join us for a drink, Mage and Brother Yuan!"

Yuan Gang said coldly, "No need. The Mage is already asleep!"

The three were stunned, thinking they had been rebuffed. Just then, Niu Youdao's voice suddenly emerged from the tent, "Is there any late-night snack?"

The tent flap was lifted, and Niu Youdao emerged. He casually brushed off the ponytail askew on his shoulder, looked at the three of them, his eyes flickering, and then added with a cheerful tone, "Is there a late-night snack?"

"La-late-night snack? Oh, yes, there is a late-night snack. It's by the river in the pavilion. Please grace us with your presence, Mage!" Shang Chaozong extended his hand in invitation.

Niu Youdao craned his neck, glancing towards the pavilion by the river, then turned back to Yuan Gang and asked, "Are you hungry? If not, go get some sleep." He then bowed to Shang Chaozong, saying, "Thank you, please!"

The group turned and left, and Yuan Gang flashed back into the tent.

Shang Chaozong and the other two thought Yuan Gang had really gone to sleep. To their surprise, Yuan Gang soon reappeared, holding a precious sword – precisely Niu Youdao's personal sword. Without mentioning whether he was hungry, he silently followed behind Niu Youdao, his gaze subtly scanning their surroundings with a sense of vigilance.

Arriving at the riverside pavilion, Niu Youdao paced back and forth for a moment before finally stopping, leaning on the railing, and gazing at the bright moon and river waves. He sighed, "Indeed, it's a fine time and beautiful scenery!"

"Master, please sit!" Shang Chaozong stood by the seats, inviting him warmly.

Niu Youdao smiled and took a seat, and Lan Ruoting also sat down to accompany him. Yuan Gang, however, showed no such inclination, holding his sword and standing guard behind Niu Youdao.

"Brother Yuan, please!" Shang Chaozong gestured.

Yuan Gang coldly replied, "Not hungry!" He gave no face at all, making Shang Chaozong a bit awkward.

Niu Youdao, however, helped smooth things over, saying, "He's just like this, stubborn and oblivious to social niceties. I've told him countless times, but it's no use. Your Highness needn't mind him."

PS: Tap your fingers, it's Monday, how about casting some recommendation votes!