The clan members felt a twinge of regret, but as they looked at the bottles in their hands, their excitement grew. Though they couldn’t judge the value of rare treasures, the bottles were smooth and translucent, like water. They had never seen anything like them before, clearly gifts from the divine. These would be kept as family heirlooms!

Lu Xingyao, noticing that everyone had their own small bottle, was baffled. “Where did these bottles come from?”

The group quickly stashed the bottles away in their clothes. “Naturally, they were bestowed by the ancestors, used just now to hold the medicine.”

One person, more smug than the others, teased Lu Xingyao, “What’s the matter? Didn’t you get one?”

Lu Xingyao looked over at his grandfather in confusion. Where’s my bottle!?

Lu Qing, ignoring his grandson’s questioning look, nonchalantly tucked the bottle into his own pocket, stroking his sparse hair with pride. Such a fine item-he had to keep it safe. After all, as a grandfather who had toiled for decades, wasn’t he entitled to a bottle? Why not?!

Lu Xingyao felt a pang in his heart. That bottle should have been mine. The old man’s too cunning.

He had suspected something was up. Why else would the old man be so generous as to feed him medicine? There was clearly a hidden agenda.

The water’s too hot to drink, and people’s hearts are too cold to trust.

Lu Qing cleared his throat. “You’re all injured. Rest well tonight. Leave a few people to keep watch. I’ll head outside.”

He had seen Du Hangwu tying up a few of the attackers and figured it was time to get some answers. After all, it was clear this attack had been aimed at the Lu family.

Curious, Gu Xingzhao followed Lu Qing out of the tent. They found Princess Shunyu waiting outside with Lu Youtang, her face full of concern.
“Lord Lu, how are they?” she asked.

Lu Qing smiled. “It’s nothing serious, just some minor injuries. They’ve been treated, no need to worry, Your Highness.”

Relieved, Shunyu bit her lip before hesitantly asking, “Was it… him again tonight?”

Though she didn’t name him, everyone knew she was referring to the one in the capital.

Lu Qing hesitated briefly, then nodded slowly. “But this time, it seems the attack was focused on the Lu family.”

Her shoulders slumped, but Lu Qing decided to voice his suspicions.

Shunyu gave a bitter smile. “You don’t need to say it. I already know.”

At first, the one in the capital had wanted her, his imperial sister, dead. But now that word of the Lu family’s divine intervention had spread, he wanted not just her, but every witness to the miracles dead as well, including the esteemed Elder Lu. He would stop at nothing.

Seeing that the princess understood, Lu Qing didn’t say more. This was no longer the capital, and if she couldn’t break free from the past, her future would only grow more difficult. Her clear understanding of the situation would help her survive the trials ahead.

“Master Du has captured a few of the attackers. He’ll likely interrogate them. Would Your Highness like to listen in?” Lu Qing asked.

Shunyu hesitated for a moment, then nodded and followed him.
By then, Du Hangwu had just finished treating his wounds. When he saw Lu Qing approaching, he stood to greet him. “Lord Lu, you’re here to question the prisoners as well?”

Lu Qing nodded, his gaze shifting to the remaining captives. “Master Du, please proceed with the interrogation. We’ll listen.”

Du Hangwu had intended to let Lu Qing handle the questioning, given how much he owed the Lu family. But since Lu Qing had asked him to continue, he didn’t refuse. He yanked the gag from one of the attackers’ mouths and spoke coldly, “Speak! Who sent you to ambush this convoy of exiles?”

“Talk, and I might let you live!” he added sternly.

But these men were hardened criminals. They wouldn’t easily betray their master. One of them spat at Du Hangwu. “Kill me if you want! I won’t say a word!”

Du Hangwu sneered. “Fine. Skin them and prepare their flesh for tonight’s meal. Let’s cook up some meat broth to strengthen the wounded.”

At this, Gu Xingzhao felt a shiver down her spine. She stared at Du Hangwu in disbelief. Who knew this man had such a brutal side… gross! The mere thought of it made her stomach churn.

The soldiers drew their knives and actually began cutting into the prisoners’ flesh. Gu Xingzhao felt a chill run up her spine. This is too much.
The man being tortured was tough. Even as his flesh was peeled away, his throat emitted only a hoarse grunt of pain, but he remained resolute in his silence, unwilling to beg for mercy.

Seeing the soldiers preparing to cut into another prisoner, Gu Xingzhao’s nerves were on edge. This method is too gruesome.

Just then, the young princess watched intently as chunks of flesh were cut off. Gu Xingzhao couldn’t bear to look. There’s a child here! What if she gets the wrong idea?

With a flick of her fingers, streaks of electricity slithered like serpents across the ground, striking the prisoners.

The men instantly convulsed in agony, their muscles seizing as though pierced by a thousand needles. Their teeth chattered uncontrollably, and a whimper escaped their throats as they involuntarily jerked and stiffened.

But even so, they clenched their jaws in stubborn silence.

Lu Qing was stunned. The ancestor is still here, following us!

Du Hangwu, realizing it was the divine ancestor’s doing, immediately ordered his men to stop cutting the prisoners. “Whoever speaks first, I’ll spare their life. Only the first to talk.”

Interrogating one man might be hard, but a group of them? There were plenty of ways to break them. When given a chance for survival, self-interest often took over.

Gu Xingzhao increased the voltage, weakening the men’s resolve. Each jolt heightened their suffering, their arms drooping limply as their eyes glazed over. Even after the electricity ceased, their bodies twitched uncontrollably.

Finally, one of the men broke, gasping for breath and muttering through his pain. “It was… Commander Luo…”

The man next to him, his bloodshot eyes wide in disbelief, hissed, “You traitor, Lao Wu!”

Lu Qing remained impassive. As expected.

Du Hangwu wasted no time, knocking out the other prisoners before glaring at the one who had spoken. “Explain everything, in detail.”

Gu Xingzhao ceased the shocks, and the electrical currents faded away.

The man, trembling, confessed everything he knew. “We were acting under Commander Luo’s orders. He tasked us with ambushing the exiles who left the city over a month ago. The order was to leave no survivors. But as for why Commander Luo gave that order, I swear I don’t know!”

“Please! Spare my life! I have a wife and daughter at home!”

Du Hangwu’s face darkened. Commander Luo served directly under the Emperor, a favorite of His Majesty. Could it be that…

He paled at the thought. Was it the Emperor who ordered this?