Chapter 2346: Many People Arrived in Zhengdao Village Again (Patreon)

Chapter 2346: Many People Arrived in Zhengdao Village Again

Meng Yunzheng agreed to go to Xu Dalai's house for dinner with a smile. "Sure, last time your wife made a delicious spicy chicken dish, and Shu Yu was mentioning it recently. Since we have some time before it gets dark, let's go into the mountains and try to catch a couple of wild chickens. If we're lucky, we might even catch something bigger to take to the Prefect Magistrate's Mansion tomorrow."

Hearing this, Ma Lu's eyes lit up, "I'm coming too."

A few years ago, he had cooperated with Meng Yunzheng and managed to catch a large prey. He had been yearning for such an opportunity for years, so this chance was rare, and who knew if they might have a big catch today.

Meng Yunzheng naturally didn't refuse, and Shu Yu decided to stay in the village. She looked at Fang Xiyue, who had come to inquire, and said, "I'll rest in the village and chat with Ah Yue."

So, Meng Yunzheng, Xu Dalai, Ma Lu, and Xia Yan set off together towards the mountains.

As they passed through the village and approached the foot of the mountain, Meng Yunzheng noticed a Daoist priest sitting outside a courtyard gate. He had a rough crutch next to him, and he looked lifeless, with a limp leg.

When he saw the four of them passing by, he glanced at them and then leaned against the door frame, showing no interest.

However, when Meng Yunzheng saw his face clearly, his expression changed subtly, and he continued walking as if nothing had happened.

As soon as they entered the mountain, Ma Lu dashed off, and Meng Yunzheng shook his head and told Xia Yan, "You should follow him and make sure he doesn't get lost."

Once Xia Yan left, Xu Dalai lowered his voice and said, "Several families that were exiled here arrived just a few days ago."

Meng Yunzheng contemplated this and thought about the man he had just seen. "Was the man with the lame leg sitting at the gate one of them?"

"Yes, his family arrived just a few days ago. It seems he accidentally fell down the mountain on the way to exile, broke his leg, and delayed his treatment. Now he can't do heavy work. His family despises him, and they lock him in their house during the day, trying to make him do some work. But on the first day, he ended up breaking things. Later, when his family members went out, they locked the courtyard gate, leaving him outside. I think he won't last long in this state."

Such incidents were not uncommon among exiled prisoners in Zhengdao Village. Many of them came from well-off families, and they couldn't cope with the drastic change in their circumstances, which led some to madness or even suicide.

"Young Master, I'll keep an eye on these people."

However, Meng Yunzheng said, "No need. Don't pay attention to anyone, including those on the list you gave me last time. Just continue as you were before. Even if you see something you shouldn't, pretend you didn't see it. Zhengdao Village will likely become chaotic soon, and your job is to protect yourself and your family."

Meng Yunzheng recognized the man with the lame leg from his time working with the Fifth Prince's faction. He knew many people who had followed the Fifth Prince, including Qi Lie, Xiang Weinan, and Minister Jing, among others. The man he had just seen was most likely one of their people.

When Xu Dalai heard Meng Yunzheng's warning about potential chaos in Zhengdao Village, he was taken aback and said, "I understand."

"There's one more thing I'd like to ask for your help with."

"Please go ahead."