The man curled up on the ground shivered uncontrollably from the cold.
He slowly looked up at the person in front of him, who had only their eyes visible and sounded like a woman.
"What are you looking for?"
The weather was so cold, he could barely speak coherently.
Li Yue Shu had already prepared her explanation. "To be frank, my brother, with whom I share my life, was part of the disaster relief team."
"I heard he was in trouble, and whether he's alive or dead, I have to see for myself. What if he's still alive?"
The man looked at Li Yue Shu with a hint of sympathy, blowing into his hands. "You're in a pitiable situation too, but Da Geng Mountain is too dangerous. You shouldn't venture out alone, young lady."
Li Yue Shu's attitude was persistent. "Thank you, brother, for your concern, but I still want to go to Da Geng Mountain and see."
The man's expression was sympathetic, and he pointed in a direction. "Go this way, and when you reach a fork, turn right. Da Geng Mountain is about three to four li from here. The place where the avalanche occurred is below Da Geng Mountain, and recently, quite a few soldiers have been searching."
He seemed reluctant. "Why don't you… go to the county yamen and ask? Perhaps there will be news of your brother."
Having received the information, Li Yue Shu didn't linger. "Thank you."
She had intended to leave immediately, but seeing the man shivering, she reached into her sleeve.
She used her body to shield him from others' view, took out half a饼 (bing) and pressed it into his hand, whispering, "This is for your trouble."
The two relief efforts sent by the imperial court had both been swallowed by avalanches. Judging by the condition of these refugees, the people of Guan Prefecture were not living well.
Li Yue Shu pitied them, and she had food in her spatial dimension, but she knew that if she were to take out such provisions, it would be a test of human nature.
This half-饼 was a token of gratitude, and also a warning.
Feeling the warm 饼 in his hand, the man was momentarily stunned.
But it was only a brief daze; he quickly hid the 饼 in his embrace, looking at the person in front of him with a complex expression.
Guan Prefecture was currently most in need of food and clothing. This young lady had so generously produced a half-饼, enough for him to eat for a whole day.
Seeing that he had put the 饼 away, Li Yue Shu finally stood up to leave.
With the specific location known, her speed increased considerably.
From a distance, she saw many soldiers searching everywhere.
The landscape here was covered in a vast expanse of white snow, and Li Yue Shu's appearance was particularly conspicuous.
A soldier nearby walked over and stopped her. "Don't go any further. An avalanche could happen here at any moment. Leave quickly!"
It seemed the soldier mistook her for a refugee.
Li Yue Shu glanced behind him and asked curiously, "Is this the place where the Regent's disaster relief team met with disaster?"
"That's not something you should be asking about," the soldier waved his hand. "Hurry up and go. We have work to do!"
Seeing this, Li Yue Shu said no more and directly produced the coiled dragon jade pendant given to her by the Emperor.
The soldier, who had been somewhat impatient, saw the jade pendant and immediately knelt in panic. "Long live His Majesty, long live, long live!"
The wind here was quite strong, and the others were busy searching, not noticing what was happening here.
Li Yue Shu asked directly, "Call the person in charge here."
"Yes," the soldier quickly stood up and hurried towards a figure not far away.
The person turned to look, and after the soldier said something, he walked over.
He was also wearing heavy armor, and beneath his helmet was a young, handsome face that exuded a heroic aura.
He clasped his hands into fists and asked directly, "I am Gu He Xuan. Is the young lady sent by the Emperor?"
Li Yue Shu was taken aback. She had clearly not expected this person to be Gu He Xuan.
Hadn't he met with disaster?
Li Yue Shu once again produced the coiled dragon jade pendant.
Upon seeing it, Gu He Xuan immediately knelt. "Long live His Majesty, long live, long live!"
"Young Master Gu, please rise," Li Yue Shu asked, "I am here on the Emperor's orders to search for news of the Regent. Didn't Young Master Gu encounter an avalanche and disappear without a trace? Why are you here?"
Gu He Xuan stood up from the ground and curiously examined the woman in front of him, whose face was hidden save for her eyes. He replied, "After I encountered the avalanche, I got lost in Da Geng Mountain. It took me over a month to get out, but all my escorts perished in the snow."
Mentioning the fallen brothers, a trace of pain flickered across Gu He Xuan's face, but he quickly composed himself.
"After I got out, I heard that the Regent had also encountered a snow disaster in Da Geng Mountain," Gu He Xuan paused. "The Regent's whereabouts are unknown, but his escorts only suffered minor injuries, and the disaster relief supplies sent by the court were all intact."
Hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Li Yue Shu's eyes. "You and the Regent both met with disaster in Da Geng Mountain?"
Gu He Xuan nodded and looked back. "Both the place where the Regent and I met with disaster are in this vicinity."
At these words, Li Yue Shu's expression grew colder.
So many people traveling together, and only Qin Mo Yuan was in trouble? Moreover, both avalanches occurred in the same spot. How could there be such a coincidence!
This matter was most likely due to plot restoration.
A thought flashed through Li Yue Shu's mind, a peculiar idea.
She concealed her emotions and asked, "Young Master Gu, can you tell me about your search efforts?"
Gu He Xuan nodded and explained the recent situation. "Guan Prefecture's disaster is severe, and we are completely short-handed. Therefore, only we are currently searching for the Regent's trace."
"These past few days, we have found some of the disaster relief supplies I brought with me, but there is still no clue regarding the Regent…"
The situation was more serious than Li Yue Shu had imagined.
She looked at the vast white expanse of Da Geng Mountain, her brows furrowed. "Young Master Gu, may I search with you here?"
Gu He Xuan blinked, looking at her slender frame, which seemed as though it would be blown away by a strong gust of wind. He hesitated for a moment.
But it was only for a moment; he nodded. "We are in need of personnel, so if the young lady is willing to help, it would be best."
Although he didn't know who this young lady was, since the Emperor had given her the coiled dragon jade pendant and sent her to Guan Prefecture alone, she must possess some extraordinary qualities.
And so, Li Yue Shu followed Gu He Xuan and his men in their search.
Everywhere was a sea of white snow, with only occasional exposed rocks adding a few specks of gray to the white world.
Li Yue Shu searched until her eyes, which had been staring at the snow for too long, were on the verge of snow blindness. She found no clues.
Li Yue Shu was not surprised by this outcome.
Since the plot was interfering, it must be to take Qin Mo Yuan's life.
In the original book, Qin Mo Yuan's ending was to be reduced to dust and ashes. If the plot was to be restored, they would not easily allow even his corpse to be found.
But Li Yue Shu was not one to give up easily, and she had a plan in mind.
She cast a deep look at the boundless Da Geng Mountain, then turned and followed Gu He Xuan back to the county yamen.
Along the way, Gu He Xuan cautiously observed the young woman who had been active in the snow for most of the day without complaint. His admiration and curiosity were almost overflowing from his eyes.