The sight filled the air with the feeling of summer, and Chen Xiaobei felt as though his thin autumn clothes were becoming unbearable.
Liu Rumei also seemed to have lost her initial enthusiasm. She stopped, drank some water, surveyed the woods, and then turned to Chen Xiaobei, "Brother Xiaobei, shall we head back?"
Before Chen Xiaobei could reply, Liu Ziming suddenly pricked up his ears, "Everyone freeze, listen to that sound."
The group immediately ceased their chatter, cupping their ears to listen intently.
Indeed, a faint noise could be heard from afar.
It sounded like human voices.
The presence of others surprised everyone. Liu Rumei looked around and pointed to a large tree beside her.
Liu Ziming and Liu Ziliang understood. They scrambled up the tree in a flash, but after looking down, they dejectedly jumped back down.
It turned out that beneath the tree, Chen Xiaobei and two village guards were staring blankly at the tree, which was nearly two people in girth.
Liu Rumei, who had ascended to the treetop, also discovered the problem. Just as she was about to descend, she saw Liu Ziming wave her down and signal her to stay put.
Liu Ziming and Liu Ziliang then called down several Liu family guards. Each of the brothers then lifted Chen Xiaobei and the two village guards up to the treetops.
As soon as everyone had hidden themselves, three gray figures emerged from the depths of the forest. It was indeed people.
The three were murmuring something as they walked. Their accents suggested they spoke the official dialect of Wanniian City.
These three wore hexagonal conical hats, with very small brims, perhaps less than an inch wide, which looked a bit awkward.
Their robes were visibly tattered. They resembled long gowns, and although worn, they appeared to have been thoroughly cleaned.
Looking at their faces, their beards and hair were all white, suggesting they were at least over sixty years old.
Surprisingly, their faces were flushed with health, indicating good maintenance.
As the three approached their position, the hidden group held their breath, wishing they would pass quickly. However, the three suddenly stopped in unison.
In the next moment, they almost simultaneously removed their hats and threw them towards the tree, where Chen Daqiang and Chen Sanliang, the two village guards, along with several Liu family guards were concealed.
It was clear they had been discovered.
Seeing the hats being thrown, Liu Ziming and Liu Ziliang let out a sharp cry, their bodies darting out like birds. Their swords flashed, and with a few swift strikes, they shattered the hats into pieces. Soudan Novel Network
Upon seeing this, Liu Rumei put her pinky finger in her mouth and let out a sharp whistle, then leaped into the air and descended.
Following suit, the rest of the group also alighted from the trees, surrounding the three individuals.
This clearly caught the three gray-clothed figures by surprise. They immediately formed a small circle, back to back.
Liu Rumei nodded slightly at this sight, "Well done, they're quite disciplined."
The one facing Liu Rumei's group tensed, pointed, and sternly asked, "Who are you people? Why have you come to this valley?"
Liu Ziliang chuckled beside her, "This vast Qingniu Mountain, why can't we come here?"
His words momentarily stunned the three, who then hesitantly asked, "Some ginseng and lingzhi were harvested a few days ago. Was that your doing?"
Hearing this, Chen Xiaobei quickly slid down from the tree and cupped his fists towards the three, "Honored elders, I sincerely apologize. I am a villager from Hetou Village at the foot of the mountain. I strayed in here a few days ago, found some ginseng and lingzhi, and took some."
The elder looked at him and pressed further, "And why are you here now?"
Seeing that they didn't seem to harbor much ill will, Chen Xiaobei smiled apologetically again, "Honored elders, we were merely curious to see what lay at the end of Hulu Valley, so we kept walking inwards. We didn't mean to disturb you."
Liu Rumei instantly understood Chen Xiaobei's intention and quickly signaled goodwill. She called out, and the Liu family guards surrounding the three elders immediately lowered their stances and retreated behind her.
Liu Rumei also smiled and cupped her fists, "Yes, we stumbled in here by accident and meant no offense. If we have disturbed you, we will leave now."
The three exchanged glances. The elder who had spoken earlier looked at Liu Rumei and retorted, "This young lady does not look like a village girl."
Liu Ziming sneered from the side, "You have some discernment. This is Miss Liu Rumei, daughter of Duke Huguo, Marquis Liu."
Liu Rumei quickly raised her hand, signaling Liu Ziming to be quiet, "Ziming, don't be so insolent."
The three elders looked at each other. "The Marquis Liu you speak of, is he Prince Liu Jingye? As far as I know, Liu Jingye has no daughter, only a son, Liu Xiangnan."
Upon hearing this, Liu Rumei quickly cupped her fists, "Esteemed seniors, the Liu Jingye you mentioned is my grandfather, and Liu Xiangnan is my father."
The three looked at each other, then burst into loud laughter. The one who had spoken earlier couldn't help but stroke his beard and say, "Indeed. If we count, we have been in this valley for nearly fifty years. The outside world must have changed beyond recognition."
He then stepped forward, bowed slightly to the group, and said, "My name is Qin Gang. Fifty years ago, I also fought alongside your grandfather, Liu Jingye."
"Later, by chance, I arrived in this Hulu Valley and have never left."
Hearing this, Chen Xiaobei understood that "by chance" actually meant there were many things inconvenient to say.
Liu Rumei also smiled and cupped her fists towards Qin Gang, "Elder, since you fought with my grandfather, I must also respectfully call you grandfather."
This remark delighted Qin Gang, and he laughed heartily.
"Heaven has blessed us. Since the descendants of an old friend have arrived, please come to our dwelling and rest. It would be our pleasure to host you."
Chen Xiaobei suddenly felt a bit awkward hearing this. When they offered hospitality, they seemed to have claimed Hulu Valley. He felt that if he came again in the future, it would be improper.
Thinking this, he quickly stepped forward again and bowed to Qin Gang, "Honored elder, I sincerely apologize. I also dug up some ginseng and lingzhi. I didn't know they were yours..."
Upon hearing this, Qin Gang burst into laughter again, "It's alright, it's alright. There's plenty here anyway. Dig up as much as you want to take back, just don't dig up the very small ones, let them grow for a few more years."
With Qin Gang's words, Chen Xiaobei finally let out a long sigh of relief. This way, if he came again in the future, it would be justifiable.
Qin Gang beckoned them to follow him deeper into the valley. After walking for about half a li, the weather had become very hot. Chen Xiaobei even wished he could shed his thin autumn clothes and go shirtless.