It turns out that the root of the chaos in central Guizhou lies in a key.

A key made of special black jade.

With this key, you can open a secret room or box or other object in a secret passage somewhere in Qingquan Palace in central Guizhou. It is said that a secret method is hidden inside.

Secret magic is a supernatural thing in this world.

The first time Zhu Xiuyuan heard about it was from Kou Wanwan at Huamanlou.

With this secret method, the hereditary local officials and governors from various places in central Guizhou can be controlled.

It is said that hundreds of years ago, local officials from all over central Guizhou were bewitched by a palace owner of Qingquan Palace. If the local officials were disobedient, the poison would take effect.

This is also the way to rule central Guizhou for hundreds of years.

But today, the poison in central Guizhou has long been lost. However, the poison in the bodies of local officials has been passed down from generation to generation and is still restricted by the people who cast the poison.

Although the poison in central Guizhou has been lost, a secret method has been handed down, with which local officials in various places in central Guizhou can be controlled.

Therefore, whoever obtains the secret method will be the native emperor of central Guizhou.

Where is the crucial black jade key?

It’s on Xiaohuan’s body!

As for the secret passage of Qingquan Palace, it is controlled by the current palace master of Qingquan Palace, Kou Wanwan’s senior sister. This is a contradiction within Qingquan Palace.

As the conflict intensified, the senior sister actually spread the news that the key was in Kou Wanwan's hand.

For a time, Kou Wanwan became the target of public criticism.

Coupled with Tibet's intervention in central Guizhou, Kou Wanwan's situation suddenly became critical.

That black jade key was worn by Kou Wanwan's mother, the late Queen of Guizhou and the previous head of Qingquan Palace, shortly after Kou Wanwan was born.

For the safety of the key, Kou Wanwan hid it in Xiaohuan's body.

…

After Zhu Xiuyuan listened to Xiaohuan's narration, he felt as if he was listening to a book from heaven.

The land in central Guizhou is indeed full of mystery.

What kind of Qingquan Palace, what kind of secret method, what kind of poison restricts local officials from all over central Guizhou... With all kinds of strange rumors, Zhu Xiuyuan felt that central Guizhou was a magical country.

"Master Marquis, please look, this is the black jade key."

While Zhu Xiuyuan was deep in thought, Xiao Huan took out something from his underwear and handed it to Zhu Xiuyuan with both hands.

Zhu Xiuyuan came to his senses and was about to reach out to pick it up.

"Uncle, be careful of the slave coming!"

However, Xia Wu, who had been looking wary, took the first step and took the black jade key. He took it in his hand and looked at it carefully. After seeing that there was no problem, he handed it to Zhu Xiuyuan.

Xiaohuan twitched the corners of his mouth, but didn't say anything.

Zhu Xiuyuan shook his head and took it.

He could see the conflict between the two maids, but fortunately they didn't start fighting or causing any unpleasantness, so he didn't interfere.

Holding the black jade key in your hand, it feels cold to the touch, heavy and textured.

It is in the shape of an ancient key, but it is very long. When spread out in the hand, it is exactly the length of Zhu Xiuyuan's hand.

"What a beautiful key!" Dong Shuzhen poked her head over with a curious look on her face.

"It's really beautiful. The material used to make it is very special."

Zhu Xiuyuan pinched the handle of the key and turned it in front of his eyes.

It is a dark material, but with some white spots attached here and there. It is as smooth as jade, and the shape of the handle is unique and simple. It can be regarded as an exquisite handicraft.

Furthermore, it is really an antique, after all, it was something from hundreds of years ago.

"Master Hou, my lady said that this key will be temporarily given to Master Hou for safekeeping. If..." Xiaohuan lowered her head and her voice weakened, "Miss also said that if anything happens to Miss, the key will be given to Mr. Hou..."

Zhu Xiuyuan was stunned and looked away from the exquisite key.

He stared at Xiao Huan, who was looking down in confusion and fear, handed over the key, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, your lady will be fine. You have to believe that Jiren has his own destiny. It's better for you to collect the key first."

Come on."

Xiaohuan's eyes were a little moist, but he finally took the key.

"I already have a general understanding of what happened in central Guizhou." Zhu Xiuyuan thought for a while and made up his mind, "After we arrive in central Guizhou, the first step is to find Miss Kou."

"The second step is to enter the secret passage of Qingquan Palace with the key, find the secret method, and let Miss Kou learn it."

"The third step is that Miss Kou has mastered the secret method and should be able to mobilize the local officials in central Guizhou. In addition, the Divine Thunder Army should also enter Guizhou. Let's work together to drive away the Tibetan people and restore peace and tranquility in central Guizhou!

"

"Thank you so much, Lord Marquis!" Xiaohuan knelt down and bowed.

"Get up." Zhu Xiuyuan supported him with one hand, "Before departure, His Majesty has granted me the position of 'Observation and Disposal Envoy of Central Guizhou Road'. My goal is to restore order in Central Guizhou."

"Miss Kou is the daughter of the previous palace lord. It is perfect and appropriate for her to learn the secret technique and sit on the throne of the palace lord of Qingquan Palace."

"Thank you, Lord Marquis!"

"..."

One day, Zhu Xiuyuan's ship passed Jiangzhou, entered Dongting Lake from Yuezhou, then disembarked from Ruanjiang River, changed land routes, and entered Tanzhou from Yiyang.

Rested one night in Tanzhou, set off early the next morning, and hit Shaozhou at noon.

Keep on your way.

In the afternoon they had crossed the border between Shaozhou and Wuzhou and entered the boundary of Wuzhou, which was equivalent to entering central Guizhou.

In fact, the road becomes difficult to walk at the Tanzhou boundary.

The scenery along the way was also very different from that in the Jiangnan area, especially the mountains... Dong Shuzhen was very excited and always wanted to take Zhu Xiuyuan to climb mountains and then go hunting and have picnics.

But Zhu Xiuyuan was worried about the safety of the demon Kou and was really in no mood, so the whole group was on their way without stopping.

Fortunately, Yan Dashan had very strict requirements when training these generals, so they had no problem coping with this kind of mountain road.

Their group, plus five hundred generals, led by Xiaohuan, crossed Wuzhou, Liangzhou, and Yingzhou. On the fifth day, they finally arrived at Monkey State.

This is already the hinterland of central Guizhou.

The customs and customs seen along the way are very different.

According to Xiaohuan, Qingquan Palace is in Houzhou, and a hundred miles west of Qingquan Palace is Juzhou City.

Juzhou was actually the later Guiyang.

It is the center of central Guizhou.

Zhu Xiuyuan's current goal is to find Kou Wanwan and make sure that she is okay before taking the second step.

"Before the servants left, the young lady and the others hid in a village. Although the servants heard that the village was destroyed before they left Qianzhong, the young lady should have left a mark, and based on this, the young lady's next destination should be found."

Xiaohuan said.

"That's very good. Let's go to the village and have a look first."

Zhu Xiuyuan made a decision, so the group, led by Xiao Huan, shuttled through the mountains, like walking through a maze, and finally arrived at the first village.

"Sure enough...it was destroyed!"

A huge ruin appeared in front of us.
Chapter completed!