"You..." Zhu Yu was somewhat surprised by his words, "Have you been hiding here for so long? So long that you can’t even remember how much time has passed?"

Hua Bai Huzi still seemed very cautious and wouldn’t reveal anything specific about himself until he confirmed what he wanted to know.

Upon being asked by Zhu Yu, he sighed and pointed outside the door: "When I first hid here, the tree outside was only as thick as a wrist. Now it’s thicker than a bowl.

I guess I’ve been hiding for a long time, but exactly how long, I really couldn’t say."

His words caused even Lu Qing to show a slight surprise on his face.

If the tree at the door grew from the width of a wrist to thicker than a bowl, at least twenty years must have passed.

What could have possibly caused him to hide here for twenty years?

The environment here can hardly even be considered suitable for seclusion.

Zhu Yu considered herself not a delicate person, having no high demands for living conditions, but if she had to live as a shadow in an underground tomb for twenty years, enduring hunger...

She felt she might have taken her own life long ago...

"Who exactly are you? Why have you been hiding for so long?" She asked curiously, "We don’t know when you first hid here, but roughly thinking about it, it must be over twenty years."

"Over twenty years?!" Hua Bai Huzi was shocked to hear it had been so long. After a moment of surprise, he returned to his senses, seemingly finding it hard to believe, asking half-doubtfully, "Now... who is the ruler of Lan Country? And Jin Country... who is the Emperor of Jin Country?"

"The current Holy Emperor’s name is not to be mentioned casually, but he has been reigning for over twenty years and is in his prime," Lu Qing said. "As for Prince Lan Chang Ye, he is actually related to the Holy Emperor, and by generation, he is slightly senior to the current Holy Emperor.

I wonder if this was the same when you hid in here?"

"It really has been more than twenty years..." Hua Bai Huzi muttered, "I didn’t expect that so much time has actually passed...

When I hid in here... the Emperor of Jin Country had barely warmed the throne..."

Thinking of this, he suddenly became melancholic, as if realizing how he had passed so many years in darkness. He felt sorrowful yet also seemed to find solace in the fact that he had managed to hide so long, his long-standing sense of crisis seemingly resolved, and he couldn’t help but burst into tears, laughing and crying, almost appearing mad.

After struggling like this for a while, he finally got tired, pausing to catch his breath, and after a brief silence, he suddenly asked, "Is Lan Country outside now in chaos?"

Lu Qing nodded at him.

From their previous encounters with Immortal Castle and Little Mountain Building to the few days spent chatting with the couple at the inn in the small town, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the current Lan Country is in a mess.

It’s even worse than "a mess."

Being in chaos, irrespective of whether it’s good or bad, at least means there is some spirit, some vitality.

The current Lan Country can basically be described as a stagnant pool—the people have accepted the reality of being displaced and having their homes seized, resigned to see these conditions as unchangeable.

This kind of resigned acceptance is more terrifying than chaos; it indicates they are utterly disappointed in Prince Lan, believing there is no longer any room for recovery.

"So, can you tell us now? Who are you? Why are you hiding here?" Lu Qing asked again, also making clear his stance, "We are not from Lan Country, having no ties with Prince Lan, and our visit to Lan Country this time is for other reasons.

We mean no harm to you, but there are some things we need to understand from you."

Hua Bai Huzi shivered; having realized that it had been over twenty years seemed to act as a settling pill, making him much calmer than before. When questioned again by Lu Qing, he sighed and began to speak: "My name is Mu Hong, originally from Mu Family Manor, which is less than a day’s journey from the capital.

Our Mu Family Manor was the most prestigious spice merchant not just in Lan Country but under the whole sky. From the generation of my great-grandfather, we’ve lived by growing various spices, with a reputation far and wide.

By the time of my grandfather’s generation, our Mu Family was not content with just growing spices native to Lan Country but started sourcing raw materials from other places, expanding our business from cultivation to perfume crafting.

When my father took over the family business, our Mu family was already renowned, and each year the tribute offered by Prince Lan always included the various incenses crafted by our family, which were reportedly much appreciated at the Jin Country palace, further enhancing our family’s reputation.

Since childhood, I displayed a knack for perfume crafting, able to remember any fragrance after smelling it once, so my father valued me highly, keeping me by his side from the age of four or five, teaching me the art of perfumery.

By the age of ten, I was well-versed in how various spices complemented each other, able to create many different blends, ensuring harmony among the various scents.

By the age of thirteen or fourteen, I could concoct perfumes with different effects based on the efficacies of different spices and herbs.

If the world had stayed at peace, I would’ve smoothly taken over my father’s business. Perhaps, at this age, I could have expanded the family business, making Mu Family’s spices renowned throughout the world...

Unfortunately, at the age of twenty, chaos broke out.

First, there was a fight for the throne in Jin Country, leading to war.

Then, various vassal states got dragged in, creating turmoil everywhere. One day this group would attack, the next day another would strike back. After several years, finally arriving at a moment of peace, before we could enjoy some stable days, Prince Lan suddenly summoned my father to the Prince Mansion. After a private conversation, many officers and soldiers came to live in Mu Family Manor, claiming to assist my father and the people of the manor in crafting incense for Prince Lan."

"Claiming?" Zhu Yu noted the term "claiming" Mu Hong used, "In reality...?"

Mu Hong glanced at her and nodded, "Yes, claiming.

In reality, those officers and soldiers were there to guard us.

Since Mu Family Manor was tasked with crafting these so-called incenses for Prince Lan, our people were all surrounded by those soldiers, who camped outside the manor, forbidding anyone from leaving freely, even for needed supplies, which we could only request, then they’d purchase.

We weren’t allowed to step a foot outside Mu Family Manor, nor to communicate with outsiders."