Xie Jiang was already on the verge of dreamland, about to sink into a deep slumber, when she was abruptly jolted awake by a commotion.
"What's going on?" Xie Jiang was incredibly sleepy and couldn't get a proper rest, her tone quite irritable.
The faint sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking could already be heard around her. Xie Jiang realized they had entered the stockade.
"You can see for yourself," Xu Hengyan remained unhurried, each step as if measured, walking with great steadiness.
Xie Jiang casually pulled off the black cloth covering her eyes and lifted her head from Xu Hengyan's back.
What met her eyes were vast stretches of lush green fields, with houses scattered here and there around them.
There were farmers busy in the fields, and children laughing and playing at the field's edge.
If it weren't for the high mountains and dense forests surrounding them, if they hadn't walked for a long time, traversing many mountainous terrains to get here, anyone seeing this scene would have mistaken it for a village.
It could even be said that this was a village.
A village hidden deep in the mountains.
Over the years, people fleeing from war had gathered in one place in the deep mountains, forming a sizable village.
They were different from the bandits of Huanglan Mountain.
They were self-sufficient and did not venture down the mountain to cause trouble.
They were not accepted by the people of the lowlands, nor did they trust them.
The continuous mountains were their secluded paradise.
But where in this world was there a true paradise?
Xie Jiang looked up at the two groups of people facing each other tensely in the distance.
Lu Baohong, with a grim expression, led them along the small path. Although they were a bit far from the two confronting groups, they could vaguely hear what they were arguing about.
What else could it be about?
They rarely interacted with the outside world, and now someone had brazenly brought unidentified people into the village!
Sooner or later, this would bring great disaster to the village!
One side vehemently demanded that these unknown people be driven out of the village!
The other side stubbornly insisted on their own opinion and absolutely refused to agree!
Neither side would yield!
Xie Jiang narrowed her eyes, a flicker of interest igniting. She jumped down from Xu Hengyan's back and moved to the side, ready to watch a fight.
The terrain within the village was not flat, with fields and houses built at varying heights, all following the mountain's contours.
Their group had entered through a small path in the forest. The two confronting groups were on a high slope opposite them, separated by a large expanse of low-lying fields.
Xu Hengyan naturally followed her closely.
Her eyes were almost closed, and she still had the energy to watch the excitement?
Xu Hengyan didn't know what to say to her. He pulled her arm and took a step back, afraid that in her dazed state, she might accidentally roll down.
Lu Baohong said impatiently, "What are you dawdling for? Hurry up!"
Xie Jiang waved her hand without looking back, "Take your people and get lost. We'll find our own lodging later."
Lu Baohong impatiently called two of his loyal guards, ordered them to keep an eye on Xie Jiang and Xu Hengyan, and then hurried away with the rest of his men.
Now that they were inside the village, even if Xu Hengyan and Xie Jiang wanted to escape, it wouldn't be so easy.
Instead, the problem they currently faced was more tricky.
The two guards who had been ordered to stay did not dare to get too close, lest Xie Jiang find them bothersome and pick a fight. They just needed to be able to see the movements of Xu Hengyan and Xie Jiang.
Xie Jiang was engrossed in watching when she noticed the glint of reflected metal flashing before her eyes.
Xu Hengyan, standing shoulder to shoulder with Xie Jiang, also noticed it. They both subtly glanced towards a nearby tree.
Then, both of them froze.
The person in the tree also widened their eyes in surprise upon seeing them.
Xu Hengyan and Xie Jiang exchanged a look. They were both very surprised, not expecting to encounter an old acquaintance in this place.
Seeing the person in the tree gnashing their teeth and staring intently at Lu Baohong's receding back, Xu Hengyan immediately understood the purpose of their waiting there.
It seemed he was also against Lu Baohong and his group entering the village.
He was young and hadn't thought things through. Knowing that Lu Baohong would pass through this small path, he had intended to strike Lu Baohong down with a single blow.
Xu Hengyan gently shook his head.
The person in the tree looked at Xie Jiang again, unwillingly.
Xie Jiang also gently shook her head.
With the child's skills, taking down Lu Baohong was certainly not a problem, but Lu Baohong had so many men. How many could he take down? It would be better not to be struck down by Lu Baohong's men himself.
Xie Jiang had saved his life before, so he trusted Xie Jiang more.
Xie Jiang told him not to act rashly, and he temporarily suppressed his resentment, but he was still unwilling.
The two groups on the opposite side had been cursing each other for a long time without making a move. Xie Jiang, yawning with boredom, gave the boy in the tree a look and turned to leave.
Xu Hengyan walked up to her and bent down, "Come on."
"There probably aren't many steps left," Xie Jiang said unceremoniously as she climbed onto his back. "Lu Baohong is himself a guest here. Where does he plan to house us? There should be dungeons in the village, right? He's not going to lock us up in a dungeon, is he?"
Xu Hengyan said, "Unless he wants to exchange them for the corpses of the Lu clan members."
Xie Jiang leaned on his shoulder, closed her eyes, and laughed, "Young Master Xu is mighty and domineering!"
~
Xie Jiang was woken by hunger.
The aroma of chicken soup wafted aggressively into her nostrils, and her internal organs rebelled against the temptation.
Xie Jiang had no choice but to get out of bed.
The extremely simple farmhouse was drafty, with thatched roofs that fluttered and fell.
Fortunately, it was already nearing summer. Otherwise, even if she and Xu Hengyan shivered together under the covers, no matter how violently they shook, they would have frozen to death.
It was even more dilapidated than the small courtyard at the foot of the mountain where she and Yi Yan Geng had recuperated.
It was clearly uninhabited for a long time, with no sign of life. The house was already in a state of disrepair.
Xie Jiang pushed open the door and walked out.
What met her eyes was a circle of low, dilapidated earthen walls. Outside the earthen walls stood an old, ancient locust tree, its canopy providing shade like a cover, encompassing half of the small courtyard.
The small courtyard had only three dilapidated rooms: a hall, a bedroom, and a more rudimentary kitchen next to them.
Smoke curled from the chimney on the roof, and the rich aroma of chicken soup came from the kitchen.
Hearing the movement, Xu Hengyan emerged from the kitchen, bending over.
His height was quite impressive, and the doorway of this barren farmhouse kitchen was too low; without bending, he would hit his head.
Xu Hengyan smiled at her, "Awake?"
Xie Jiang looked at his rolled-up sleeves and the section of his strong arm exposed, her bright eyes blinking.
"You're cooking? Xu Hengyan, you're cooking?"
Was there any need to be so surprised? Xu Hengyan smiled, "Are you hungry? I stewed a pot of chicken soup, and it's almost ready. Shall I serve it for us to eat?"
Xie Jiang clutched her stomach, "Hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry..."
Xu Hengyan chuckled and pointed to the stone slab table in the courtyard, "Then tidy up."
After saying that, he turned and bent down again, entering the kitchen.
The uneven stone slab table was wiped clean, and a wet rag lay at the corner of the table.
Xie Jiang reached out and touched it. The stone slab table was spotless, already cleaned. What else was there to tidy up?
To make her wait for food, he had to say such pleasant words.