The people in this village won’t make mistakes.
The sky grew slightly cool as the mountain forest gradually filled with the chirping of birds.
To the east of Shimo Mountain, there was a small mountain stronghold.
In this day and age, most mountain strongholds were often formed by the gathering of bandits and outlaws, and Shimo Mountain stronghold was no exception.
In the center of the stronghold, stood a tall flagpole with a tattered and faded flag hanging from it, its embroidered characters blurry and indistinct. The houses were all crooked, constructed entirely of stones that only provided shelter from wind and rain, with little attention given to their appearance.
Early in the morning, people in the stronghold began to move around, busy chopping firewood and heading out with iron forks for hunting.
“Leader is up so early!”
“It’s all because of those troublemakers from Chiwang Mountain!”
The leader of Shimo Mountain stronghold was a man with a waxen complexion, small beady eyes, and a sleazy appearance. However, when he spoke, his voice boomed like a bell, displaying a remarkable presence that changed people’s impression of him.
Wearing a fur hat and haphazardly draped in a fur coat, the leader, though short in stature, revealed solid muscles through the open collar of his robe. His fists were unusually large, with the palms dark and purplish, as if he had trained in some external martial arts.
A burly man holding an iron fork approached and chuckled, “Leader, are you talking about Chiwang Mountain in Pingzhou’s Peinan County?”
“Indeed, that Chiwang Mountain stronghold. Last autumn, they inexplicably met with a disaster in a treacherous ravine and were tricked by a Chen merchant caravan. The entire stronghold perished, except for a few fellows who happened to be coming down the mountain. Now, they have arrived in our Shimo Mountain stronghold, seeking refuge.”
The people in the stronghold were surprised by this unusual turn of events.
“With so many strongholds in Pingzhou, why did they come all the way to us? Isn’t it seeking a distant solution instead of a nearby one?”
“Heh, no need to ask. It must be because of the reputation of our leader!”
Upon hearing the flattery, the head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold glared and said, “Enough with the reputation! What good does it do? Attracting government troops to surround us?”
The crowd dared not interrupt and could only smile awkwardly.
The head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold snorted coldly while putting on his fur coat. He said, “In any case, we absolutely won’t accept these people. Those strongholds in Pingzhou are different from ours. They engage in burning, killing, and looting, all sorts of wicked deeds. They think they can come here and endure hardship? Can they withstand it?”
It wasn’t that the Shimo Mountain stronghold had high moral standards; it was just that they couldn’t compete with others when it came to raiding and looting! Without villages or towns around, and the occasional caravans passing through with numerous guards, any attempt to raid would result in gains but also significant casualties. The Shimo Mountain stronghold originally had only about fifty people, and they couldn’t afford such losses.
So these bandits discarded their weapons and picked up hoes and iron forks to make a living through farming and hunting.
For those who wanted to drink and eat meat, how could the Shimo Mountain stronghold afford it?
“If the leader doesn’t like it, then just don’t meet them! Why bother?”
“What do you know?” replied the head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold in an irritable tone. “It’s easy to pass the King of Hell but difficult to deal with small ghosts. If they come all the way here seeking refuge and we don’t even see them, they’ll hold a grudge. Who knows what they might do.”
“What’s there to fear? Shimo Mountain is easy to defend and hard to attack, and our stronghold is in an even more secluded location. They don’t even know the way into the mountains.”
“What if they set fire to the mountain?” the leader retorted angrily. “They might not be able to burn us to death, but many birds and animals in the mountains will die. Are we supposed to go hungry? Besides, if someone wants to pay respects to the mountain, they must bring a gift. Otherwise, no stronghold will accept outsiders. I’m curious to know what these people plan to offer to impress me.”
The crowd burst into laughter, realizing that the last statement was the key point.
The leader didn’t mind and casually chose two people to accompany him before leaving the stronghold.
In theory, such errands shouldn’t fall to the head of a mountain stronghold. It would be sufficient to send a minor leader. However, the Shimo Mountain stronghold was nothing more than an empty shell. Despite its reputation, it lacked substance inside.
There wasn’t even a low-ranking military strategist. The leader had to assume that role as well. It was unavoidable since there were very few literate individuals in the entire stronghold—only two or three. They were already occupied with managing accounts and the warehouse. The head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold couldn’t find anyone more intelligent than himself, no matter how hard he looked. So, despite his frustration, he had to take care of everything on his own.
Furthermore, the leader was the least occupied person in the stronghold. Others still had to cultivate fields and hunt. Even if they met someone outside the mountain, they couldn’t make decisions on their own. They had to make another trip up the mountain to report to the leader, seek his judgment, then come back down again. With all the back and forth, wasn’t it exhausting?
Since the leader possessed the highest martial arts skills, had a sharp mind, and had no other responsibilities, if he didn’t go down the mountain, who would?
At this moment, the head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold had already walked about two li (approximately one kilometer) with his companions. He walked with his hands behind his back, scanning the surroundings.
The accumulated snow in the mountains was gradually melting, and spring was approaching.
Not only the leader, but the two men following behind also had smiles on their faces. They had finally endured through the winter and were about to enter the busy farming season. They could dig for wild vegetables and hunt more game, no longer needing to pinch pennies and stay indoors all day.
“Leader… I think I saw someone over there!”
Alerted by this, the head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold suddenly snapped back to attention and looked up.
He could vaguely see a figure on the mountain cliff, but it was hard to discern due to the distance. If it weren’t for the bare trees and fallen leaves of winter, even from this position, it would be difficult to make out what it was.
“Could it be a passing merchant?”
“Nonsense! Our Shimo Mountain stronghold has a fearsome reputation. Who would dare to come in?”
The leader narrowed his eyes and began to ponder.
A person with a sharp mind tends to overthink, and the head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold began to link this incident with the people from Chimo Mountain. He had some reputation in the martial world, so those who came to pay their respects to the mountain shouldn’t have intruded without permission unless there was a conspiracy.
“Let’s go and take a look!”
On the cliff, Mo Li and Meng Qi also spotted them.
Due to their keen eyesight, they could see more clearly and recognize that they were three people dressed as mountain villagers.
Mo Li, who had lived in the mountains for a long time, knew the ways of mountain dwellers and hunters, and the appearance of the Shimo Mountain stronghold’s people matched that. So he didn’t think too much of it.
The presence of spiritual energy in the Shimo Mountain indicated the existence of water, so it wasn’t strange to find people there.
However, Meng Qi glanced at them a few more times.
“What’s wrong?” Mo Li asked casually.
He already had a full understanding of how formidable Imperial Teacher Meng was, being conscious and undisturbed by the illness. He could deduce the truth from subtle clues, remember every word others said, and possess strategic foresight. In front of such a person, it was likely that a few glances could reveal everything.
If Meng Qi paid extra attention to something, of course, Mo Li would be curious.
“Nothing much, I just feel their footsteps are light, and they don’t look like ordinary commoners.” Meng Qi followed behind Mo Li and shifted his gaze to the bag on Mo Li’s back, insisting, “Physician, why don’t you let me share the weight with you?”
Meng Qi had empty hands, and all their belongings were with Mo Li.
Naturally, Meng Qi wasn’t afraid of being left behind by Physician Mo or losing his way. But seeing his beloved carrying everything while he himself carried nothing, it seemed a bit unfair. They could take turns carrying the load.
Sigh, he had been too eager last night, revealing his trump card directly. As a result, the Physician didn’t want to pay attention to him anymore.
Mo Li certainly wasn’t as petty as Meng Qi had imagined. He turned his head slightly and said calmly, “I think it’s better for Brother Meng not to carry anything. What if we’re halfway there and Brother Meng suddenly turns into a sand rat? Wouldn’t the baggage end up smashing you flat?”
“…”
Meng Qi felt the counterattack from the Physician.
However, Meng Qi had nothing to say in return. His true form was indeed that small, so what could he do?
As they walked, Mo Li continued, “Those mountain villagers are probably hunters. It’s not surprising if they have some martial arts skills.”
“I’m more worried that they might discover the pit you dug in the pine forest. The golden silk armor is quite a valuable item. If it falls into the hands of the mountain villagers, it might cause trouble,” Meng Qi changed his argument, his eyes darting as he tried to come up with an explanation.
“Don’t joke around. Didn’t you take the golden silk armor with you?” Mo Li mercilessly pointed out the fact. He looked at Meng Qi’s waist and said, “While I was up early, you took the opportunity to throw away the box, wrapped the golden silk armor in oil paper, and stuffed it into your belt. Do I really need to tell you when it’s so obvious?”
Meng Qi smiled and remained silent. After a long while, he said meaningfully, “Physician, you have a keen eye. After all, the golden silk armor is as thin as a cicada’s wing.”
Thin as a cicada’s wing, even if it were stacked, the thickness would be negligible. The main thickness came from the outer oil paper wrapping. But now it was winter, and when it was tucked into clothing, it should have been completely inconspicuous.
Mo Li immediately realized that he had exposed something.
–He knew the width of Meng Qi’s waist, and even such a small thickness had caught his attention.
Mo Li was a Physician, not a tailor. He couldn’t estimate waist size with just one glance. The fact that he knew showed that he paid a great deal of attention to Meng Qi. He could detect the slightest hint of something being amiss.
His ears felt slightly warm, and Mo Li kept a poker face as he explained, “Brother Meng, you tend to overthink. You are my patient, and I naturally pay close attention to your every move. If there is anything improper, I can provide timely medical treatment.”
Meng Qi smiled and squinted at someone’s ears but didn’t expose anything.
Mo Li: “…”
He always felt that Imperial Teacher Meng’s smile was like that of a rat that had just stolen oil.
Mo Li decisively turned his head and continued walking forward, leaving Meng Qi alone to laugh. After all, it was all his own laughter. What was the point?
However, Mo Li was wrong. He could sense that Meng Qi was in a consistently good mood as if he was on the verge of humming a little tune. What was the reason for his solitary laughter? Mo Li couldn’t figure it out.
As they descended from the cliff and were about to find a way to leave, they saw the hurried arrival of the leader of the Shimo Mountain stronghold.
The leader of Shimo Mountain stronghold was the first to question, “Who are you?”
Mo Li felt a slight surprise in his heart, not for any other reason, but because these three individuals had particularly distinctive appearances.
As for the leader, it was no surprise. He had a repulsive and sly appearance. While such a look wasn’t common, it wasn’t uncommon either. However, the two people behind him were different. One had cheekbones bulging so high on both sides of his face that it resembled an inverted triangle, while the other had a sunken chin like that of a monkey.
These weren’t external injuries but rather their natural appearance, something that Mo Li could discern.
While Mo Li didn’t care about people’s beauty or ugliness, he was keenly aware of their unusual appearances. Meng Qi felt the same way.
Perhaps it was the unusually calm demeanor of these two individuals that made the leader of Shimo Mountain uneasy. After all, when normal people saw them, their initial reaction was shock followed by disgust, and the more timid ones would even scream in fear as if encountering monsters.
The leader of Shimo Mountain took a step forward and clasped his fists, saying, “Please, both of you. This is Shimo Mountain, seldom visited by outsiders. In these troubled times, we are cautious when encountering strangers. If we have offended in any way, please forgive us.”
He had some ability to judge people, and though the two individuals before him were dressed plainly, their bearing was exceptional. Walking through the deep mountains, their boots were clean and their clothes untainted, not a single hair out of place. Were they really ordinary people?
Mo Li glanced at the leader of Shimo Mountain’s dark and purplish hand and thought that Ning Changyuan’s map didn’t mention any significant forces in Shimo Mountain. Could they really be mountain folk? But whoever they were, he had no fear.
“I am a physician. I need to enter the mountain to gather medicinal herbs due to an urgent matter,” Mo Li said, his mind working. He wanted to inquire about the golden silk armor. Although the location where the armor was buried was over a hundred miles away from here, the river originated from Shimo Mountain. Due to the drought, the local residents had fled. Could it be that some people had entered the mountain? Had they heard or seen anything unusual?
With this in mind, Mo Li continued to converse with the people before him. “Are you villagers who live in the mountains? If you have well-preserved and dried herbs, may I purchase some?”
The leader of Shimo Mountain was taken aback. There were medicinal herbs in the mountain stronghold, but they didn’t have a proper physician. There was only one of their brothers who used to live next to the herb shop and had some knowledge of medicinal materials. They all took medicine and treated illnesses haphazardly.
The second-in-command had contracted a strange illness last year, with excruciating abdominal pain that was unaffected by medication.
However, the location of their stronghold couldn’t be exposed. With the uncertain origins of these two individuals, the leader of Shimo Mountain gritted his teeth and finally made a decision.
“You can purchase the medicinal herbs, but you must not reveal our location,” the leader of Shimo Mountain stated. As he spoke, the two men behind him handed over two black blindfolds.
It was normal for people coming down the mountain to wear such items, as it was a common practice among bandit strongholds. Mo Li was unaware of this custom, while Meng Qi understood the situation but didn’t express an opinion.
“Very well,” Mo Li said nonchalantly. He paid no mind to the blindfolds; after all, even a martial arts expert blindfolded would still be a martial arts expert. Moreover, with the abundance of spiritual energy in the mountains, he could easily navigate using those energy traces.
Meng Qi grabbed the hem of his robe and deftly tore two strips of cloth, handing one to Mo Li.
“Physician, use this instead. Their black cloth has probably never been washed,” he said.
The members of Shimo Mountain were furious, but they couldn’t act out because it was true that they had never washed the blindfolds.
“Leader, the people from the foot of the mountain…”
“Let them wait!”
Eager to save the person, the leader led the way back.
With their eyes covered, they naturally couldn’t see the road. Some members pulled and dragged the captives forward, while others pushed from behind. However, Meng Qi easily evaded their hands and said, “Have someone walk in front, and we can follow.”
It was a matter of locating the position through sound.
As long as his mind wasn’t clouded and there were no disturbing illusions, Meng Qi could easily accomplish this.
Mo Li, of course, had no trouble walking the mountain path.
With a mix of belief and doubt, the leader of Shimo Mountain instructed his men to lead the way. As expected, the two blindfolded individuals walked steadily and confidently, as if they were not blindfolded at all. They effortlessly navigated around small stones and ditches, leaving the two subordinates increasingly fearful.
“Leader, could it be… we’ve encountered ghosts?” one of the men nervously suggested.
“Nonsense! They must be skilled in lightness techniques,” the leader replied. He couldn’t help but feel that they had brought calamity upon themselves. If these individuals harbored malicious intentions, the entire mountain stronghold would be in danger.
However, on second thought, if the visitors insisted on going, they could still force the mountain bandits to guide them. Moreover, the mountain stronghold was very close by. They had already passed through natural barriers like the Maze Gully. If the visitors possessed extraordinary martial arts skills and there were no natural obstacles blocking their path, the stronghold would be defenseless.
Now, they could only hope that these two individuals were not officials, as Shimo Mountain was impoverished to the point of jingling, with nothing of value except their own heads.
After a while, they arrived at a valley.
“The leader is back!”
“Why did you return? Weren’t you going down the mountain?”
The cacophony of voices caught Mo Li off guard, and he realized that this was the den of bandits. He had no fondness for mountain bandits, his expression turned cold, and he removed his blindfold.
What met his eyes were crooked stone houses with dried meats and salted fish hanging in front of them. In the center of the open space stood a flagpole, and many people peered out from the doors, either holding hoes or iron forks. Among them were a few women. It was not the scene of wine jars and armed men, nor the atmosphere of oppressing the weak.
“Brother Meng, this place…”
Mo Li looked at Meng Qi, who had also removed his blindfold and felt a bit stunned.
It was not for any other reason, but the people in this stronghold were truly out of the ordinary.
There were hardly any individuals with normal facial features. If there were, they would have a dark birthmark on their face, or there would be a woman with a scarred face from a fire. Despite being surrounded by such a group of people, Mo Li and Meng Qi didn’t feel threatened.
It seemed that the people in this stronghold never had the problem of mistaking someone for someone else.
Author’s note:
As the five individuals met face-to-face, the appearance of Shimo Mountain’s leader and his two subordinates could be likened to a yellow weasel spirit accompanied by a snake spirit and a monkey spirit…
Of course, the two Dragon Veins couldn’t perceive beauty or ugliness.
——————–
Mo Li: I can’t help but feel that Imperial Teacher Meng is smiling like a rat that has just stolen oil.
Mo Li: And I am the oil mill owner who has had his oil stolen.
Author: What are you thinking? Clearly, you are the stolen oil, aren’t you?
The people in this village won’t make mistakes.
The sky grew slightly cool as the mountain forest gradually filled with the chirping of birds.
To the east of Shimo Mountain, there was a small mountain stronghold.
In this day and age, most mountain strongholds were often formed by the gathering of bandits and outlaws, and Shimo Mountain stronghold was no exception.
In the center of the stronghold, stood a tall flagpole with a tattered and faded flag hanging from it, its embroidered characters blurry and indistinct. The houses were all crooked, constructed entirely of stones that only provided shelter from wind and rain, with little attention given to their appearance.
Early in the morning, people in the stronghold began to move around, busy chopping firewood and heading out with iron forks for hunting.
“Leader is up so early!”
“It’s all because of those troublemakers from Chiwang Mountain!”
The leader of Shimo Mountain stronghold was a man with a waxen complexion, small beady eyes, and a sleazy appearance. However, when he spoke, his voice boomed like a bell, displaying a remarkable presence that changed people’s impression of him.
Wearing a fur hat and haphazardly draped in a fur coat, the leader, though short in stature, revealed solid muscles through the open collar of his robe. His fists were unusually large, with the palms dark and purplish, as if he had trained in some external martial arts.
A burly man holding an iron fork approached and chuckled, “Leader, are you talking about Chiwang Mountain in Pingzhou’s Peinan County?”
“Indeed, that Chiwang Mountain stronghold. Last autumn, they inexplicably met with a disaster in a treacherous ravine and were tricked by a Chen merchant caravan. The entire stronghold perished, except for a few fellows who happened to be coming down the mountain. Now, they have arrived in our Shimo Mountain stronghold, seeking refuge.”
The people in the stronghold were surprised by this unusual turn of events.
“With so many strongholds in Pingzhou, why did they come all the way to us? Isn’t it seeking a distant solution instead of a nearby one?”
“Heh, no need to ask. It must be because of the reputation of our leader!”
Upon hearing the flattery, the head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold glared and said, “Enough with the reputation! What good does it do? Attracting government troops to surround us?”
The crowd dared not interrupt and could only smile awkwardly.
The head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold snorted coldly while putting on his fur coat. He said, “In any case, we absolutely won’t accept these people. Those strongholds in Pingzhou are different from ours. They engage in burning, killing, and looting, all sorts of wicked deeds. They think they can come here and endure hardship? Can they withstand it?”
It wasn’t that the Shimo Mountain stronghold had high moral standards; it was just that they couldn’t compete with others when it came to raiding and looting! Without villages or towns around, and the occasional caravans passing through with numerous guards, any attempt to raid would result in gains but also significant casualties. The Shimo Mountain stronghold originally had only about fifty people, and they couldn’t afford such losses.
So these bandits discarded their weapons and picked up hoes and iron forks to make a living through farming and hunting.
For those who wanted to drink and eat meat, how could the Shimo Mountain stronghold afford it?
“If the leader doesn’t like it, then just don’t meet them! Why bother?”
“What do you know?” replied the head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold in an irritable tone. “It’s easy to pass the King of Hell but difficult to deal with small ghosts. If they come all the way here seeking refuge and we don’t even see them, they’ll hold a grudge. Who knows what they might do.”
“What’s there to fear? Shimo Mountain is easy to defend and hard to attack, and our stronghold is in an even more secluded location. They don’t even know the way into the mountains.”
“What if they set fire to the mountain?” the leader retorted angrily. “They might not be able to burn us to death, but many birds and animals in the mountains will die. Are we supposed to go hungry? Besides, if someone wants to pay respects to the mountain, they must bring a gift. Otherwise, no stronghold will accept outsiders. I’m curious to know what these people plan to offer to impress me.”
The crowd burst into laughter, realizing that the last statement was the key point.
The leader didn’t mind and casually chose two people to accompany him before leaving the stronghold.
In theory, such errands shouldn’t fall to the head of a mountain stronghold. It would be sufficient to send a minor leader. However, the Shimo Mountain stronghold was nothing more than an empty shell. Despite its reputation, it lacked substance inside.
There wasn’t even a low-ranking military strategist. The leader had to assume that role as well. It was unavoidable since there were very few literate individuals in the entire stronghold—only two or three. They were already occupied with managing accounts and the warehouse. The head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold couldn’t find anyone more intelligent than himself, no matter how hard he looked. So, despite his frustration, he had to take care of everything on his own.
Furthermore, the leader was the least occupied person in the stronghold. Others still had to cultivate fields and hunt. Even if they met someone outside the mountain, they couldn’t make decisions on their own. They had to make another trip up the mountain to report to the leader, seek his judgment, then come back down again. With all the back and forth, wasn’t it exhausting?
Since the leader possessed the highest martial arts skills, had a sharp mind, and had no other responsibilities, if he didn’t go down the mountain, who would?
At this moment, the head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold had already walked about two li (approximately one kilometer) with his companions. He walked with his hands behind his back, scanning the surroundings.
The accumulated snow in the mountains was gradually melting, and spring was approaching.
Not only the leader, but the two men following behind also had smiles on their faces. They had finally endured through the winter and were about to enter the busy farming season. They could dig for wild vegetables and hunt more game, no longer needing to pinch pennies and stay indoors all day.
“Leader… I think I saw someone over there!”
Alerted by this, the head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold suddenly snapped back to attention and looked up.
He could vaguely see a figure on the mountain cliff, but it was hard to discern due to the distance. If it weren’t for the bare trees and fallen leaves of winter, even from this position, it would be difficult to make out what it was.
“Could it be a passing merchant?”
“Nonsense! Our Shimo Mountain stronghold has a fearsome reputation. Who would dare to come in?”
The leader narrowed his eyes and began to ponder.
A person with a sharp mind tends to overthink, and the head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold began to link this incident with the people from Chimo Mountain. He had some reputation in the martial world, so those who came to pay their respects to the mountain shouldn’t have intruded without permission unless there was a conspiracy.
“Let’s go and take a look!”
On the cliff, Mo Li and Meng Qi also spotted them.
Due to their keen eyesight, they could see more clearly and recognize that they were three people dressed as mountain villagers.
Mo Li, who had lived in the mountains for a long time, knew the ways of mountain dwellers and hunters, and the appearance of the Shimo Mountain stronghold’s people matched that. So he didn’t think too much of it.
The presence of spiritual energy in the Shimo Mountain indicated the existence of water, so it wasn’t strange to find people there.
However, Meng Qi glanced at them a few more times.
“What’s wrong?” Mo Li asked casually.
He already had a full understanding of how formidable Imperial Teacher Meng was, being conscious and undisturbed by the illness. He could deduce the truth from subtle clues, remember every word others said, and possess strategic foresight. In front of such a person, it was likely that a few glances could reveal everything.
If Meng Qi paid extra attention to something, of course, Mo Li would be curious.
“Nothing much, I just feel their footsteps are light, and they don’t look like ordinary commoners.” Meng Qi followed behind Mo Li and shifted his gaze to the bag on Mo Li’s back, insisting, “Physician, why don’t you let me share the weight with you?”
Meng Qi had empty hands, and all their belongings were with Mo Li.
Naturally, Meng Qi wasn’t afraid of being left behind by Physician Mo or losing his way. But seeing his beloved carrying everything while he himself carried nothing, it seemed a bit unfair. They could take turns carrying the load.
Sigh, he had been too eager last night, revealing his trump card directly. As a result, the Physician didn’t want to pay attention to him anymore.
Mo Li certainly wasn’t as petty as Meng Qi had imagined. He turned his head slightly and said calmly, “I think it’s better for Brother Meng not to carry anything. What if we’re halfway there and Brother Meng suddenly turns into a sand rat? Wouldn’t the baggage end up smashing you flat?”
“…”
Meng Qi felt the counterattack from the Physician.
However, Meng Qi had nothing to say in return. His true form was indeed that small, so what could he do?
As they walked, Mo Li continued, “Those mountain villagers are probably hunters. It’s not surprising if they have some martial arts skills.”
“I’m more worried that they might discover the pit you dug in the pine forest. The golden silk armor is quite a valuable item. If it falls into the hands of the mountain villagers, it might cause trouble,” Meng Qi changed his argument, his eyes darting as he tried to come up with an explanation.
“Don’t joke around. Didn’t you take the golden silk armor with you?” Mo Li mercilessly pointed out the fact. He looked at Meng Qi’s waist and said, “While I was up early, you took the opportunity to throw away the box, wrapped the golden silk armor in oil paper, and stuffed it into your belt. Do I really need to tell you when it’s so obvious?”
Meng Qi smiled and remained silent. After a long while, he said meaningfully, “Physician, you have a keen eye. After all, the golden silk armor is as thin as a cicada’s wing.”
Thin as a cicada’s wing, even if it were stacked, the thickness would be negligible. The main thickness came from the outer oil paper wrapping. But now it was winter, and when it was tucked into clothing, it should have been completely inconspicuous.
Mo Li immediately realized that he had exposed something.
–He knew the width of Meng Qi’s waist, and even such a small thickness had caught his attention.
Mo Li was a Physician, not a tailor. He couldn’t estimate waist size with just one glance. The fact that he knew showed that he paid a great deal of attention to Meng Qi. He could detect the slightest hint of something being amiss.
His ears felt slightly warm, and Mo Li kept a poker face as he explained, “Brother Meng, you tend to overthink. You are my patient, and I naturally pay close attention to your every move. If there is anything improper, I can provide timely medical treatment.”
Meng Qi smiled and squinted at someone’s ears but didn’t expose anything.
Mo Li: “…”
He always felt that Imperial Teacher Meng’s smile was like that of a rat that had just stolen oil.
Mo Li decisively turned his head and continued walking forward, leaving Meng Qi alone to laugh. After all, it was all his own laughter. What was the point?
However, Mo Li was wrong. He could sense that Meng Qi was in a consistently good mood as if he was on the verge of humming a little tune. What was the reason for his solitary laughter? Mo Li couldn’t figure it out.
As they descended from the cliff and were about to find a way to leave, they saw the hurried arrival of the leader of the Shimo Mountain stronghold.
The leader of Shimo Mountain stronghold was the first to question, “Who are you?”
Mo Li felt a slight surprise in his heart, not for any other reason, but because these three individuals had particularly distinctive appearances.
As for the leader, it was no surprise. He had a repulsive and sly appearance. While such a look wasn’t common, it wasn’t uncommon either. However, the two people behind him were different. One had cheekbones bulging so high on both sides of his face that it resembled an inverted triangle, while the other had a sunken chin like that of a monkey.
These weren’t external injuries but rather their natural appearance, something that Mo Li could discern.
While Mo Li didn’t care about people’s beauty or ugliness, he was keenly aware of their unusual appearances. Meng Qi felt the same way.
Perhaps it was the unusually calm demeanor of these two individuals that made the leader of Shimo Mountain uneasy. After all, when normal people saw them, their initial reaction was shock followed by disgust, and the more timid ones would even scream in fear as if encountering monsters.
The leader of Shimo Mountain took a step forward and clasped his fists, saying, “Please, both of you. This is Shimo Mountain, seldom visited by outsiders. In these troubled times, we are cautious when encountering strangers. If we have offended in any way, please forgive us.”
He had some ability to judge people, and though the two individuals before him were dressed plainly, their bearing was exceptional. Walking through the deep mountains, their boots were clean and their clothes untainted, not a single hair out of place. Were they really ordinary people?
Mo Li glanced at the leader of Shimo Mountain’s dark and purplish hand and thought that Ning Changyuan’s map didn’t mention any significant forces in Shimo Mountain. Could they really be mountain folk? But whoever they were, he had no fear.
“I am a physician. I need to enter the mountain to gather medicinal herbs due to an urgent matter,” Mo Li said, his mind working. He wanted to inquire about the golden silk armor. Although the location where the armor was buried was over a hundred miles away from here, the river originated from Shimo Mountain. Due to the drought, the local residents had fled. Could it be that some people had entered the mountain? Had they heard or seen anything unusual?
With this in mind, Mo Li continued to converse with the people before him. “Are you villagers who live in the mountains? If you have well-preserved and dried herbs, may I purchase some?”
The leader of Shimo Mountain was taken aback. There were medicinal herbs in the mountain stronghold, but they didn’t have a proper physician. There was only one of their brothers who used to live next to the herb shop and had some knowledge of medicinal materials. They all took medicine and treated illnesses haphazardly.
The second-in-command had contracted a strange illness last year, with excruciating abdominal pain that was unaffected by medication.
However, the location of their stronghold couldn’t be exposed. With the uncertain origins of these two individuals, the leader of Shimo Mountain gritted his teeth and finally made a decision.
“You can purchase the medicinal herbs, but you must not reveal our location,” the leader of Shimo Mountain stated. As he spoke, the two men behind him handed over two black blindfolds.
It was normal for people coming down the mountain to wear such items, as it was a common practice among bandit strongholds. Mo Li was unaware of this custom, while Meng Qi understood the situation but didn’t express an opinion.
“Very well,” Mo Li said nonchalantly. He paid no mind to the blindfolds; after all, even a martial arts expert blindfolded would still be a martial arts expert. Moreover, with the abundance of spiritual energy in the mountains, he could easily navigate using those energy traces.
Meng Qi grabbed the hem of his robe and deftly tore two strips of cloth, handing one to Mo Li.
“Physician, use this instead. Their black cloth has probably never been washed,” he said.
The members of Shimo Mountain were furious, but they couldn’t act out because it was true that they had never washed the blindfolds.
“Leader, the people from the foot of the mountain…”
“Let them wait!”
Eager to save the person, the leader led the way back.
With their eyes covered, they naturally couldn’t see the road. Some members pulled and dragged the captives forward, while others pushed from behind. However, Meng Qi easily evaded their hands and said, “Have someone walk in front, and we can follow.”
It was a matter of locating the position through sound.
As long as his mind wasn’t clouded and there were no disturbing illusions, Meng Qi could easily accomplish this.
Mo Li, of course, had no trouble walking the mountain path.
With a mix of belief and doubt, the leader of Shimo Mountain instructed his men to lead the way. As expected, the two blindfolded individuals walked steadily and confidently, as if they were not blindfolded at all. They effortlessly navigated around small stones and ditches, leaving the two subordinates increasingly fearful.
“Leader, could it be… we’ve encountered ghosts?” one of the men nervously suggested.
“Nonsense! They must be skilled in lightness techniques,” the leader replied. He couldn’t help but feel that they had brought calamity upon themselves. If these individuals harbored malicious intentions, the entire mountain stronghold would be in danger.
However, on second thought, if the visitors insisted on going, they could still force the mountain bandits to guide them. Moreover, the mountain stronghold was very close by. They had already passed through natural barriers like the Maze Gully. If the visitors possessed extraordinary martial arts skills and there were no natural obstacles blocking their path, the stronghold would be defenseless.
Now, they could only hope that these two individuals were not officials, as Shimo Mountain was impoverished to the point of jingling, with nothing of value except their own heads.
After a while, they arrived at a valley.
“The leader is back!”
“Why did you return? Weren’t you going down the mountain?”
The cacophony of voices caught Mo Li off guard, and he realized that this was the den of bandits. He had no fondness for mountain bandits, his expression turned cold, and he removed his blindfold.
What met his eyes were crooked stone houses with dried meats and salted fish hanging in front of them. In the center of the open space stood a flagpole, and many people peered out from the doors, either holding hoes or iron forks. Among them were a few women. It was not the scene of wine jars and armed men, nor the atmosphere of oppressing the weak.
“Brother Meng, this place…”
Mo Li looked at Meng Qi, who had also removed his blindfold and felt a bit stunned.
It was not for any other reason, but the people in this stronghold were truly out of the ordinary.
There were hardly any individuals with normal facial features. If there were, they would have a dark birthmark on their face, or there would be a woman with a scarred face from a fire. Despite being surrounded by such a group of people, Mo Li and Meng Qi didn’t feel threatened.
It seemed that the people in this stronghold never had the problem of mistaking someone for someone else.
Author’s note:
As the five individuals met face-to-face, the appearance of Shimo Mountain’s leader and his two subordinates could be likened to a yellow weasel spirit accompanied by a snake spirit and a monkey spirit…
Of course, the two Dragon Veins couldn’t perceive beauty or ugliness.
——————–
Mo Li: I can’t help but feel that Imperial Teacher Meng is smiling like a rat that has just stolen oil.
Mo Li: And I am the oil mill owner who has had his oil stolen.
Author: What are you thinking? Clearly, you are the stolen oil, aren’t you?
