The ship docked.
As soon as the large ship berthed, Zhao Shuning leaped off it.
"Thank you, senior, for helping my son awaken his spiritual power. When will you finish your business in Jiangning, miss? We'll wait for you here."
Zhao Shuning's eyes flitted, with a killing intent glinting in them.
"No need. I'll stay in Jiangning for a while."
"What about you, senior?"
"Master Ling, if there's anything, I'll contact you later. My young lady's business in Jiangning will take some time, but the young lady on the ship can't wait that long. You should set sail now and send that young lady back to Dongzhou first. We'll talk about the rest later."
Luo Qiu was like a worm in Zhao Shuning's belly. What she said was exactly what Zhao Shuning had in mind.
The red - clad woman leaned out halfway. Her face looked haggard and a bit inquisitive. It was Dongfang Yinuo.
"Senior, can you return to Dongzhou earlier?"
Dongfang Yinuo was scared.
She had heard that the situation in Dongzhou had changed. When she returned this time, she would no longer be the darling of Dongzhou. This time, there were hardships and perils waiting for her ahead.
Dongfang Yinuo had never experienced much in her life. So it was normal for her to be afraid.
Zhao Shuning had told her the general situation on the ship. Although she understood, there was still an endless fear of the unknown in her heart.
"Don't be afraid. Don't forget your identity. These pressures are what you should bear now. After this, you'll grow up completely."
"You'll come, won't you, senior?"
Zhao Shuning nodded, then turned around, took Luo Qiu with her, and strode away.
Dongfang Yinuo put down the curtain on the ship, took a deep breath.
"Set sail."
"Okay."
Ling Xiao stroked the heads of his two children, took a deep look in the direction where Zhao Shuning had left, and said gently with a smile, "Then let's set sail."
The two children nodded and followed Ling Xiao onto the deck.
Not long after the ship docked, it set sail again.
Zhao Shuning had searched through all the clues that could be found in the memories of those merchants. There was no use in keeping them with her.
Ling Xiao said that he knew some people in Jiangning who might be able to help Zhao Shuning.
Zhao Shuning asked for information about those people. Ling Xiao gave her a red silk pouch as a token.
"Miss, the people Ling Xiao knows in Jiangning are basically small merchants. Will they really be useful to us?"
"They will."
It had been several months since her parents' accident.
The first thing Zhao Shuning did after arriving in Jiangning was to check out the legendary Governor's Mansion.
However, Yang Hun was not there. Even her mother, Lin Min'er, was nowhere to be found. She didn't know where he had hidden her.
Yang Hun was a seven - realm spiritual herbalist with a very strong ability to conceal his aura. Before ensuring her mother's safety, Zhao Shuning mustn't tip off the enemy.
Moreover, in this mansion, she detected her mother's aura. This meant that her mother should be safe for the time being.
So the top priority was to find her father first.
Zhao Shuning slipped out of the Governor's Mansion silently. Luo Qiu followed closely behind.
"Xiao Qiu, do something for me."
"Sister—Miss, please tell me."
"I'm more used to you calling me sister."
Luo Qiu didn't say a word. Maybe at this moment, she felt that after all she had done in the past, she wasn't worthy of calling Zhao Shuning sister.
Although Luo Qiu listened to Zhao Shuning, she was notoriously stubborn about some things. For example, the matter of the address this time.
Zhao Shuning didn't have the time to argue with Luo Qiu about this now, so she just let it be.
"Take these things Ling Xiao gave and gather those small merchants. Let them use some connections to gather all the people who saw my father that day. Is two days enough?"
"Don't worry, miss."
"Xiao Qiu, remember, don't tip off the enemy. Yang Hun's methods are not simple. If I see him, I'm sure I can kill him. But I'm afraid that after he gets wind of it, he might do something extreme to my mother."
Luo Qiu nodded gravely.
"Don't worry, miss. I know what to do."
"Then gather all the beggars in Jiangning for me. I'll wait for you in the woods on the outskirts of the east of the city tonight."
"Yes."
Although Luo Qiu was puzzled, she knew that this was not the time to ask why her sister wanted to gather the beggars.
All she could do for her sister now was to follow the order.
Luo Qiu left.
Zhao Shuning looked at the Governor's Mansion behind her, her expression cold and gorgeous.
"A seven - realm spiritual herbalist?"
"The governor of Jiangning?"
"Dominating everything?"
Ridiculous. It was really ridiculous.
The woman's figure disappeared in front of the Governor's Mansion.
In a short while, Zhao Shuning's figure appeared at the place where Zhao Zheng had an accident a few months ago.
According to the memories of those merchants before, Zhao Shuning slowly walked up to a big tree.
She bent down and felt the ground. In the memories she had detected, this piece of land had been stained with her father's blood.
But after months of rain, the grass here was lush. The soft ground no longer had the smell of blood.
Zhao Shuning stood up and walked a few steps forward.
Here, there was a deep mud pit.
It seemed that this was the place where her parents' carriage had an accident.
Even after so long, there was still a deep pit here. The broken wheels were probably picked up by the passing villagers for firewood.
Zhao Shuning's aura was a bit unstable. She stretched out her hand and murmured.
Soon, a faint protective shield covered this piece of land.
Zhao Shuning didn't know if it was too late. She wondered if she could use her extreme spiritual power to sense a wisp of her father's remaining spiritual power.
She closed her eyes and slowly felt it.
I don't know how long it had passed. She suddenly opened her eyes and stared blankly at a wooden stake in the distance.
Zhao Shuning slowly walked towards the wooden stake. It seemed that her father had used his last remaining willpower to attach his spiritual power to this wooden stake.
Or perhaps, this wooden stake had once pierced through her father's body?
Zhao Shuning didn't dare to think anymore. She could only carefully put her hands on it.
During this process, she felt extremely scared. The usually calm her hands were now trembling violently.
She hoped that it wouldn't be the worst result.
After collecting the remaining spiritual power of her father on the wooden stake, Zhao Shuning stood up.
From this wisp of spiritual power left by her father, Zhao Shuning could feel his unwillingness, fear, humiliation, and endless anger.
She trembled as she carefully put away this wisp of spiritual power.
Perhaps, this was the last glimmer of hope to find her father.
Zhao Shuning took a few steps forward. Her feet suddenly went soft, and her heart ached sharply.
The tears in her eyes surged out uncontrollably.
She quickly wiped away her tears.
"Zhao Shuning, why are you crying? You haven't found your father yet. Who are you putting on this act for?"