After Master Hu's hunting party withdrew, Jiang Yue and the others were finally safe.
They knew perfectly well that Master Hu couldn't keep a hundred or so men hunting them indefinitely in unfamiliar territory.
His men were stretched thin. He couldn't afford to waste them long-term on just three Mushroom People.
Early the morning after Master Hu's men seized the castle, Jiang Yue appeared near it again, like a ghost. This time, he had gone to a mountain behind the castle.
From there, he could look down and observe much of what was happening inside and outside the castle.
This time, Jiang Yue had infiltrated the area alone. San Gou and Jiang Qiao had other assignments: they were patrolling the outskirts, checking on the outside world, and gathering information.
After observing for a while from high up in the mountains, Jiang Yue quickly realized that order had been restored at the castle. Master Hu's people had taken over every entrance.
Jiang Yue immediately concluded that Master Hu had taken complete control of the castle. For now, he had swallowed this valuable prize whole.
What Jiang Yue saw next left him staring in disbelief.
Steward Old Zhu had actually joined Master Hu. He was coming and going around the castle with Master Hu's men, working for him.
The young master pursed his lips. "Tell him not to make such a fuss. If he has something to say, he can just say it."
"But you represent yourself—and the Ni family. If those men up top dared to act so arrogantly, they must have been reflecting the attitude of the people below. Can you guarantee that Master Hu is genuinely respectful toward us, and isn't secretly wary of us and pushing us away?"
Master Hu was also sending people away from the area