On the other side, Li Zhanying and his group had already returned to Pusi Country ahead of Lin Xiao.
At this moment, they were preparing to return the captured mountain villagers to their respective villages one by one.
As each village received its people back, the mountain villagers, who had been tortured to the point of barely resembling humans, were initially stunned to find themselves back on their homeland. Only when the elderly, weak, and sick who had not been captured came out to greet them did they disembark from the spirit ship, sobbing as they embraced their fellow villagers, crying bitterly.
Their tears were a mix of the relief of returning to reality and the joy of surviving a disaster.
For some, however, there was the heartbreak of learning that their loved ones hadn't even left behind remains.
Fortunately, Xue Chengfeng had left personnel in every village, and Tong Shuzheng, with the help of these officials, managed to maintain control and settle the rescued villagers.
The villagers from the village where Han Weishu and Tong Jialiang had previously stayed watched as people from the other villages were returned first. Their hearts were filled with anxious prayers, hoping their own families were safe.
But living in the mountains for so long, they knew all too well how slim their hopes were under such circumstances.
However, to their surprise, when they returned to their village, they found that a few elderly, disabled, and the village chief's child were all safe and sound.
Upon learning the reason, they discovered it was thanks to the arrangements made by the young girl they had sheltered earlier.
The village chief, along with the villagers, went to thank Han Weishu.
But seeing Han Weishu patiently staying by Tong Jialiang's side, who was still dazed and unresponsive, they wisely chose not to disturb them. Instead, the village chief went alone to express their gratitude.
This village was very poor.
With no fields or land, they relied entirely on the mountains for survival.
They had little to offer in thanks, so they presented the best pelts they had as a gesture of gratitude.
After saying goodbye to the last village, only Li Zhanying, Han Weishu, and Tong Jialiang remained on the spirit ship.
Along with the captured cultivators they had apprehended.
At this moment, those captives were imprisoned in the ship, completely cut off from the outside world, unable to sense anything.
Li Zhanying intended to bring these people back to the capital for further handling.
Meanwhile, Tong Shuzheng stayed behind in the region to handle the aftermath with Xue Chengfeng.
As he guided the spirit ship back into the sky, Li Zhanying glanced at Tong Jialiang, who had been in a state of stupor since his rescue. The only time he moved was when Han Weishu fed him medicine, to which he would obediently open his mouth. Other than that, he remained motionless, leaning against the ship's wall.
Seeing this, Li Zhanying asked Han Weishu, "Where do the two of you plan to go?"
Han Weishu looked at the unresponsive Tong Jialiang beside her, then lowered her head to think before answering, "Senior, could you take us to Songyang County?"
After all, before, A-Liang had said they were going to Songyang County to wait for his cousin.
Given his current state, it wasn't suitable to go anywhere else. It seemed best to stick to their original plan. Maybe seeing his cousin would help him recover.
Hearing this, Li Zhanying nodded slightly and directed the spirit ship to head toward Songyang County at full speed.
Once they arrived in Songyang County, he set the two of them down just outside the city gate before departing with the captured cultivators from Huanyou Country's Golden Crow Sect for Xiushui Village.
After watching the spirit ship leave, Han Weishu firmly held onto Tong Jialiang's hand and led him into the city.
Though Tong Jialiang was like a soulless husk, he still retained some basic instincts—when food was placed by his mouth, he would open it; when pulled up to walk, he would lift his legs and take steps.
However, his eyes were dull, and he remained mute and unresponsive.
Han Weishu patiently led him through the streets of Songyang County, asking for directions several times before finally locating the Lingxiao Escort Agency that Tong Jialiang had previously mentioned.
Standing a short distance from the agency, she hesitated.
According to what Tong Jialiang had said before, his cousin had told him to wait at this agency, which meant his cousin wasn't inside the agency itself.
However, Tong Jialiang hadn't mentioned how to proceed once they reached the agency, nor had he mentioned any kind of token or letter of introduction.
Surely, she couldn't just walk in and ask if anyone knew Tong Jialiang's cousin, could she?
Hesitating for a moment, Han Weishu noticed two women, arm-in-arm and laughing, walk up to the side door of the Lingxiao Escort Agency. They knocked lightly, and someone came to open the door, letting the two women in.
The side door then closed again.
It was getting late. If she didn't find a place to stay soon, she'd have to sleep on the streets with A-Liang tonight.
Han Weishu touched the storage pouch at her waist.
When they left the village, she had taken Tong Jialiang's bundle with her.
Now his belongings were in her storage pouch.
Although they could temporarily stay at an inn since she still had some silver, Tong Jialiang's current condition made her prefer settling in a stable place where he could recover and be looked after by someone familiar.
An inn, with its constant flow of people, didn't seem like the right environment.
Besides, what if his cousin came looking for him and couldn't find him, thinking he'd abandoned the idea of seeking refuge?
After thinking it over, she decided to take out his bundle and check it.
Opening Tong Jialiang's bundle from her storage pouch, she found nothing more than a few changes of clothes, some loose copper coins, and two grass ropes used for tying up one's legs when traveling.
Hidden within the clothes was a carefully wrapped letter.
Aside from that, there was nothing else.
Han Weishu opened the letter and carefully read it.
Afterward, she repacked the bundle and led Tong Jialiang to the Lingxiao Escort Agency.
"Is Chief Qin here?" she asked.
The escorts inside, seeing a dirty boy leading another even filthier and clearly disoriented boy, were surprised that they asked for Chief Qin directly.
Nearby, the oldest and most experienced escort, Master Gao, who had just taken on a new job and was preparing to depart, turned his head and asked, "Lad, what business do you have with Chief Qin?"
Hearing this, Han Weishu replied, "Please tell Chief Qin that a servant of Young Master Mo is here to see him."
Upon hearing this, Master Gao didn't ask further. He nodded and said, "Wait a moment."
He then called one of the errand boys to go inform Chief Qin in the back courtyard.
When Qin Jianghe in the rear courtyard received the message, he was momentarily puzzled.
Young Master Mo? The only person he knew who could be called Young Master Mo was Mo Yuanjiao.
But why would his servant come here?
Unable to figure it out, he decided to use the spirit-infused location talisman that Mo Yuanjiao had left him to investigate.