Led by Zi Zhenzhu, Chen Xuanqing followed her slowly into the island's interior.
Sunlight filtered through the scattered clouds and fell across them, leaving trails of dappled light and shadow.
Their surroundings gradually grew quieter and more secluded, as though they had entered another world.
After roughly half an hour of trekking, the two finally reached their destination.
Before them lay a small, verdant herb field, where all manner of medicinal herbs swayed gently in the breeze, giving off a faint fragrance.
Beside the herb field stood a carefully tended vegetable garden, its vegetables looking especially inviting in the sunlight.
Not far away, three rustic wooden cottages stood quietly, already blending into the surrounding landscape.
Beside the cottages lay a clear little lake, its water as green as jade, with a few small fish occasionally visible frolicking beneath the surface.
The setting was peaceful and elegant, the air suffused with the delicate fragrance of medicinal herbs, like a peach-blossom paradise cut off from the world.
Standing beside the herb field, Chen Xuanqing looked around, marveling at the peace and beauty of the place.
He took a deep breath, turned to Zi Zhenzhu, and asked softly, "Before I arrived, did you encounter a young man named Tang San?"
At the sound of that name, Zi Zhenzhu immediately stopped and bowed deeply, answering respectfully, "Your Eminence Yao Dang, a young man named Tang San did indeed come here two years ago. He stayed here for a while, but left not long afterward."
Chen Xuanqing nodded at her words, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief.
He had been worried that Tang San had never come here, in which case he would probably have had to make another trip.
Now it seemed his guess had been correct. Tang San had indeed been here, which