Cui Hongyu bowed to Liu Tie, "So it's Brother Liu Tie."
Liu Tie waved his hands repeatedly, "I dare not, I dare not."
"You are my savior, I should be the one bowing to you."
He said this and bowed respectfully to Cui Hongyu.
Cui Hongyu then pointed to Chen Dachun, "Brother Liu, do you remember him? He's the one who carried you down the mountain."
Liu Tie scratched his head, a look of apology on his face, "Brother Dachun, I'm truly sorry, I didn't recognize you at first."
Chen Dachun gave a simple, honest smile, "It's nothing, it's nothing."
Then Chen Dachun turned to Liu Ce, "Steward Liu, our village guard team can still send over a dozen more people to go up the mountain with you."
Upon hearing Chen Dachun wanted to bring people up the mountain, Liu Ce shook his head like a rattle drum, "No, no, absolutely not this time."
"But Brother Xiaobei is still on the mountain, we..." Chen Dachun's concern was evident. Cui Hongyu next to him also looked anxious.
Liu Ce completely understood their feelings. If it were his own family member on the mountain, he might be even more anxious than them.
"Sister Hongyu, Brother Dachun, listen to me."
"The people on the mountain this time are all martial arts experts. You are unarmed."
"We have them, we still have six repeating crossbows," Dachun interrupted Liu Ce urgently.
"I know you have repeating crossbows."
"But Hetou Village also needs you to protect it, right? You stay at the foot of the mountain, and we'll go up to rescue them. Don't worry, Brother Liu Tie will be able to handle it," Liu Ce said earnestly.
Chen Dachun's gaze towards Liu Tie still held a hint of doubt.
Liu Tie knew he had just recovered from a serious injury, and Chen Dachun didn't trust him.
At this thought, he walked into the courtyard where a stone mill was placed in a corner.
Liu Tie took a deep breath and let out a soft shout as he gently patted the stone mill with his right palm.
With a crack, the stone mill split directly in half.
Seeing this, Chen Dachun and Cui Hongyu exchanged glances, their eyes filled with admiration.
How much strength would it take to achieve such a result?
Liu Ce seized the opportunity to say, "Are you relieved now?"
"If you truly want to help, then guard the village well and don't let them break in."
After much persuasion, Cui Hongyu and Chen Dachun were finally appeased. Only then did Liu Ce and Liu Tie hurry with their men towards the mountain.
As they walked, Liu Tie explained his purpose to Liu Ce.
Upon hearing that they were going to capture two bandits from Centipede Ridge, Liu Ce couldn't help but laugh.
"What's so difficult about that? Do you see those people from the Vermilion Bird Gang behind us? One of them, named Yang Chun, came from Centipede Ridge. He's even said to be a second-in-command."
Hearing him say this, Liu Tie couldn't help but laugh too.
"Great, that's wonderful. I'll take care of it as soon as we get down from the mountain."
As they were heading up the mountain, Crown Prince Xiao Jingyun finally found a place to rest with his men.
A small patch of woods was enough for them to catch their breath.
Zhou Quan studied the map for a long time, certain they had reached the main road.
"Your Highness, when the sun rises tomorrow, we need to head north first, then east to return to Qingniu County. This journey will be about forty li."
No matter how many li it was, as long as they could go back, Xiao Jingyun let out a long sigh of relief, "Good, then everyone should rest quickly."
Bonfires were lit, and Xiao Jingyun and the others soon fell into a deep sleep. However, only Liu Rumei seemed troubled and couldn't sleep.
Suddenly, she heard a strange noise and turned to look, only to see Chen Xiaobei.
Chen Xiaobei leaned over and threw two pieces of firewood onto the campfire, then leaned back against a large tree. Suddenly, he seemed to sense something and turned towards Liu Rumei.
They looked at each other for a long time, and then suddenly both of them started to laugh together.
Liu Rumei stood up and walked over to Chen Xiaobei, also leaning against the large tree and sitting down, almost shoulder to shoulder with Chen Xiaobei.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?" Liu Rumei's opening was simple and direct.
Chen Xiaobei looked up at the night sky and let out a slight sigh, "We haven't contacted the foot of the mountain for several days. I don't know what the situation is down there."
Hearing him say this, Liu Rumei's expression also became melancholic. Yes, what was the situation down below?
"I think Liu Ce will find a way to retake that steep slope, won't he?" Liu Rumei said helplessly.
"Yes, everyone knows the steep slope is important. We know it, and they know it too," Chen Xiaobei seemed to be talking to himself.
Liu Rumei suddenly understood his meaning, "Oh, you're right, I was really careless."
With that, she got up and walked to a Liu family guard, gently patting his shoulder, "Take two men and set off immediately for Hetou Village with a letter. Tell Liu Ce not to enter the mountain anymore, and that we are safe."
The guard immediately set off with two subordinates. Watching them go, Liu Rumei, relieved, returned to Chen Xiaobei. This time, she moved a little closer to Chen Xiaobei.
Perhaps it was the meticulous planning of a simple villager that made her trust him.
However, this proximity made Chen Xiaobei feel a bit awkward.
Although he had intimate contact with Cui Hongyu, that was legal. Suddenly, a beautiful woman like this getting so close to you, it's hard not to have some fanciful thoughts.
But just as his imagination began to take flight, he was suddenly hit on the forehead by a small stone, and Chen Xiaobei snapped back to reality.
The one who threw the pebble was Xiao Qing, Liu Rumei's personal maid, who was glaring at him.
"Chen Xiaobei, stay away from my lady."
Hearing this, Chen Xiaobei felt like he was being treated unfairly.
I haven't moved, it was your lady who came over, why am I the one being reprimanded?
Liu Rumei waved to Xiao Qing, "Go to sleep. I have something to ask Chen Xiaobei."
Only then did Xiao Qing reluctantly close her eyes.
"Chen Xiaobei, what are your plans for the future?"
What plans? Chen Xiaobei suddenly remembered a question his teacher often asked in his previous life: what do you want to be when you grow up?
Some classmates answered they wanted to be scientists, some doctors, some teachers, and some soldiers, all sorts of things. Su Dan Novel Network.
When it was his turn, he said he wanted to be the young master of a wealthy landlord's family.
He could eat steamed white buns dipped in white sugar every day and not have to work.
As a result, he was punished by the teacher to copy the poem "Min Nong" one hundred times.
Seeing that he remained silent, Liu Rumei continued, "As the saying goes, 'After learning martial arts and literature, one sells themselves to the emperor.' I can see that you have ambition and ability. It would be too much of a waste for you to stay in Hetou Village."
At this point, Chen Xiaobei let out a faint sigh, "Yes, originally my ambition was to live a stable life in Hetou Village with Hongyu, and have a few children."