"Meteorite?" A Jiu didn't understand what it was.
"A meteorite is a stone formed when celestial bodies collide or when entropy increases to a certain extent and it explodes," Cai Lihua said, examining the rock in her hand.
She had observed that there were many such stones on the mountain these days. Even where they had just built their houses, there were quite a few, many of which had been dug up.
"Huh?" A Jiu looked at the ugly stone again. "Stars in the sky? They collide? I watch the stars every night and I've never seen one crash!"
Besides, stars had to move to collide, but from what A Jiu saw, they only twinkled and didn't race across the sky.
Suddenly, her mind was filled with a million questions.
"Hmm, if this were in modern times, it would be worth a fortune," Cai Lihua murmured to herself.
The man who was more knowledgeable about this particular type of rock decided to keep it to show Meng Shaode later, to assess its quality and potential value.
In the afternoon, Cai Lihua and the rest of the elderly, weak, sick, and young went up the mountain to find wild vegetables. A Jiu, as usual, was in the bushes, planting vegetables.
This time, she boldly planted several varieties: cucumbers, tomatoes, and cauliflower. She was particularly curious about the one called broccoli.
Unexpectedly, the bean seedlings she planted grew all over the ground, yielding hundreds of pounds of beans.
A Jiu was overjoyed. These vegetables had such a high yield!
When she returned, A Jiu held broccoli in her left hand and cauliflower in her right, comparing them side by side.
Damn it, they looked exactly the same, except for the color!
Three days quickly passed. A Jiu started having trouble sleeping at night. Once her mother was asleep, she went to find Ma Peng.
As she approached the cave entrance, more than thirty people emerged, all in a hurry, carrying long knives.
"Ma Peng, what's going on? Is there trouble with the arms deal?" A Jiu asked directly. The fact that more people had been dispatched made her think of this possibility.
Ma Peng's face was anxious and grim. He glanced at Meng Jiuer and understood that Brother Meng had told the girl about the situation.
"Yes, it's not going smoothly, but it's alright. For now, only our whereabouts have been exposed. I'll send people to intercept them."
"I think your plan is too reckless," A Jiu said, showing no intention of leaving. She sat on a stone stool with a serious expression.
"Our foundation is unstable, and we're bringing along ordinary people. How can we rashly fight against the officials?"
Ma Peng saw the rare seriousness on the girl's face and presumed she was worried about her father.
"Miss Jiu, this is an opportunity."
"What opportunity? If lives are lost, no matter how good the opportunity, it will be for nothing," A Jiu retorted firmly.
Ma Peng was caught in a dilemma. According to the rules of the stronghold, women, children, and the elderly were not allowed to interfere in the men's affairs.
However, Meng Jiuer was different. If she were unhappy and left, he would lose a good military doctor.
Therefore, Ma Peng made an exception and explained everything, including how he had placed many people in the army long ago to gather information.
He had even sent his own brother.
Thus, the information was very reliable. The most crucial point was that even if they didn't seize the arms, the Southern Ming King's secret guards would not stand idly by and would surely prevent the Northern Qi King from dispatching military supplies to support Nanming City.
His so-called opportunity was to let the two sides fight, and he would reap the benefits, like a mantis stalking a cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. This would save manpower and allow him to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
"Damn it, I didn't expect to be discovered by the Southern Ming King's secret guards instead of the Northern Qi King's men. Now they're chasing us all over the mountains."
Ma Peng cursed at the end.
Seeing Meng Jiuer's grim expression, Ma Peng quickly changed his tone.
"Miss Jiu, don't worry, he won't be in danger. His archery skills are superb. Even if everyone else perishes, your father will be fine. Can you wait a little longer?"
What he said made sense.
But A Jiu felt that the saying "walking by the river often will get your socks wet" held true. If something happened, her mother would weep bitterly.
"The world is in chaos now, and this is just an internal conflict between two vassal kings. If I cannot carve out a place for ourselves to live, even if I die, thousands or even hundreds of people with the same aspirations as me will appear in the future. Miss Jiu, don't you think someone has to bear this burden for it to end?"
Ma Peng frowned deeply.
Just then, Gou Bao, who was on guard outside, came in to report: "Boss, Ding Quan is back, and he's brought three people. He says they are exceptionally skilled in martial arts and have specifically come to join the leader."
As soon as he said this, Ma Peng's brow instantly relaxed. "Quick, invite them in."
When the newcomers were brought in, A Jiu was completely stunned.