Du Hangwu had never seen such peculiar items before, but seeing that Lu Xingyao was already wearing one, he didn’t refuse and accepted the clothes and food.

Now, he was certain that the Lu family had divine assistance. Since they were offering him gifts, it was a sign of allegiance, and there was no need to refuse, especially considering the power of the divine being.

“Thank your grandfather for me.”

Lu Xingyao, feeling the many scrutinizing gazes around him, replied, “You’re too kind, sir. It’s only right.”

The Lu family had sent offerings, but only one was for Du Hangwu. The other guards around him were full of envy. Clearly, this was because Du had helped the Lu family tonight by beheading Li Si.

They regretted not siding with their leader earlier to protect the Lu family, thinking that they might have received gifts too. Their eyes kept glancing at Du Hangwu as he put on the divine item the Lu family had gifted him, growing even more envious.

Some guards thought, The Lu family sure lacks manners, offering something to just one person.

Others sighed in relief, thankful they hadn’t struck the Lu family with their whips. Offending the Lu family could’ve cost them more than just treasures—it might have cost them their lives.

At first, Du Hangwu only found the clothing light and soft to the touch, much more comfortable than regular garments. But slowly, he began to feel warmth spread throughout his body, locking in the heat.

“!?”

This outfit was not only more comfortable and softer than cotton garments, but its insulation was leagues better. However, with his subordinates nearby, he didn’t want to draw attention to himself, though he secretly wanted to inspect this extraordinary item further.

Du Hangwu was inwardly amazed. He had witnessed divine power before but hadn’t expected the gifts from the gods to be so extraordinary. With this outfit, even in the heaviest snow, they could surely survive the journey to the north!

Even though Du Hangwu restrained his reactions, the guards had already noticed his new attire and were watching closely, full of envy. They wondered what the material felt like. Was it imbued with divine power?

The more they thought about it, the colder they felt, and their hearts sank with jealousy. Still, the memory of Li Si’s beheading kept their complaints to themselves.

Noticing their reactions, Lu Xingyao quietly took out two large packs of hand warmers from the basket he carried. With a bright smile, he said, “Esteemed sirs, my family also has some items to help with the cold. Please accept them as a small token of our appreciation.”

The guards’ eyes lit up. Although it wasn’t the grand garment their leader had received, anything from the divine would do, especially given the bitter cold. They exchanged glances, unsure how to use these small patches.

One guard coughed, putting on airs, and said, “Since your family is showing such generosity, we’d be rude to refuse.”

As soon as they spoke, they almost scrambled to get their hands on the patches, unsure of what to do with them. Such a small item—how could it possibly keep them warm?

Skeptical, they shot glances at Lu Xingyao, wondering if the Lu family was playing a trick on them.

Lu Xingyao demonstrated, pulling out a patch, tearing it open, and sticking it inside his coat. “Esteemed sirs, this item generates heat. Once placed inside your clothing, it can keep you warm for up to four hours.”

Following his example, the guards tore open their patches and stuck them to their clothes. But at first, the small hard patches felt cold against their skin. One impatient guard was about to complain when he noticed Du Hangwu’s stern gaze and held his tongue, remembering what had happened to Li Si.

Du Hangwu, intrigued, wondered how such a small item could compare to the wondrous garment he was wearing.

Soon, however, the guards began to feel the patches heat up, spreading warmth across their bodies.

“This… this is amazing!”

“Without fire, it still warms up! How can this be possible?”

“Divine power… this must be divine power!”

The guards were in awe, amazed at what they were witnessing. Divine power, beyond human comprehension!

Several guards felt grateful they hadn’t joined Li Si in his foolishness. If they had, they wouldn’t be enjoying these wondrous gifts now.

Li Si, that fool, had been shortsighted. Opposing the leader? What an idiot, running straight to his death.

Some guards were already sticking on their second patch. The weather was just too cold, and the clothing the imperial court provided was far too thin. Now, with these divine items, they just wanted to cover themselves in them and finally get a good night’s sleep.

One of the guards eagerly showed off his patch to Du Hangwu. “Chief, look! This thing is incredible—it’s so warm!”

Seeing how effective the item was, Du Hangwu couldn’t resist touching the guard’s patch. Warmth immediately spread through his palm. Astonished, he thought, How can such a wondrous thing exist?

Without hesitation, Du Hangwu took two patches for himself, though he didn’t use them immediately. He carefully stashed them away with the food he had received.

Even though his outfit kept him warm enough, how could anyone not want more of such precious items? He planned to savor the divine food in secret later when he was alone.

Seeing the guards scramble for the items and use them up so quickly, Lu Xingyao frowned slightly. He didn’t particularly like these guards. They were obsequious to those in power and oppressive to those beneath them.

In truth, if not for his family’s current predicament, he would never have seen this ugly side of people. It was truly disgusting.

Although tonight’s disturbance had been settled, there would surely be more troubles ahead. To ensure the Lu family’s safety, they would have to offer more of their divine gifts to these guards.

Lu Xingyao knew this was the harsh reality. The Lu family had to find ways to protect themselves and couldn’t rely on their divine ancestor to save them every time.

This feeling of powerlessness was unbearable. He regretted not learning martial arts and lamented that few in the family had any real fighting skills.

“Sigh.”

As the bitter night wind howled and large snowflakes began to fall, the Lu family, each dressed in their new down coats, pulled up their hoods and tucked their hands into their pockets. Leaning against trees, they were warm and comfortable.

When Princess Shunyu approached with her servant, she was greeted by the sight of dozens of people huddled together, their faces hidden under the dark hoods of their garments.

She was momentarily stunned. It seemed the Lu family’s divine ancestor had blessed them with new treasures.

But with their faces covered, how was she to find Lu Qing?

Should… should I call out to him in this quiet night?