This idea coincided perfectly with that of Chief Escort Liu; he was going crazy from being cooped up in a cave all day.
“Good idea, I’ve been thinking about this for the past few days. Even if you hadn’t come, I would have gone over to talk to you about it.”
He picked up a twig and started drawing on the ground.
"These dozens of mountain ranges are connected, and as a whole, they look a bit like a pea. We came in from the tail of the pea, and the Jinsha River is right above the head of the pea. Now we are here, and if I'm not mistaken, this is the narrowest part of the pea. If we just go east, we might see people after crossing four or five mountains."
The village chief frowned, somewhat worried.
We've been venturing into the mountains for a month now, and we haven't lost a single person. That's really impressive.
When the mountains are blocked by heavy snow, it would be too dangerous to go out and wander around and accidentally get stuck somewhere.
"Let's take it a long time and go out to check after spring."
Li Laosi and Liu Biaotou exchanged a glance, both wanting to give it a try.
Liu, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort), said, "Uncle Village Chief, we won't take many men. Just me and Lao Si will go out. With our skills, we won't be afraid even if we encounter some difficulties."
"No, Dad, take me and Jiayi with you!" Liu Yang, who was listening nearby, immediately objected.
Jiayi also stepped forward, nodding frantically, "Yes, we want to go too."
Chief镖师 Liu slapped his son and said with a laugh, "Get out of here, we're talking about serious business."
Liu Yang started making a fuss, "We can hunt now, we're adults, why can't we listen to serious matters?"
“Yes, if you don’t agree, we’ll just follow you secretly,” Jiayi chimed in.
He had treated Liu Yang like a brother all along, practically inseparable, so of course they would stick together now.
Everyone was both amused and exasperated by the two boys' antics. After thinking for a moment, the village chief said...
"Go if you want to. Everyone's hibernating anyway, so there's no danger. But remember, don't go too far, and come back early."
"Okay, Uncle, we also miss home and will definitely not go too far."
The matter was settled, and all the caves were delighted to hear it, eager to know what the outside world was like.
The barbarians retreated, or perhaps they had already reached the Jinsha River; they even vaguely hoped that the capital had not moved south.
Although everyone knows that the possibility is slim...
The next day, Liu the镖头 (bodyguard) and Li Laosi, along with Jiayi Liu Yang, set off.
They relied on their skills, carrying only a few sorghum cakes in their pockets, but they did bring a bow and arrows and a long sword.
This means that once we're out here, we'll have to find all our food and drink in the forest.
The Li family was certainly concerned, but they knew they couldn't stop them, so they simply let go.
As a result, the two of them disappeared into the woods and didn't return for seven or eight days.
Even though the Li family trusted Li Laosi and Liu Biaotou's abilities, they were starting to get restless.
The entrance to the cave was blocked by two layers of straw curtains, making the inside of the cave somewhat dark.
Fortunately, there was firewood burning in the stove, which provided some light.
Half a pot of water was boiling in the pot, sizzling and steaming.
Grandma Li held her granddaughter, quietly lifted the curtain, and peered into the mountains and forests outside.
Unfortunately, I looked again and again, but still couldn't see anyone.
Grandma Li couldn't help but regret, "I shouldn't have let the fourth son and Jiayi go out. With such heavy snow, they not only suffered, but they also had no peace."
The square table in the house was placed next to the earthen stove, and a smooth stone slab was placed on the table. Jiaren held a calligraphy brush in his left hand and was practicing writing with his left hand while dipping it in water.
He's a hard worker; in just a few days, he's already written something quite decent.
Jia Huan sat next to her brother, cracking hazelnuts and walnuts with small stones, picking out the kernels and putting them in a small bowl—this was her little sister's snack.
Seeing his grandmother's state, Jiaren said, "Grandma, don't worry. Grandpa Village Chief said that if Uncle Si and the others don't come back by tomorrow, he will send someone to welcome them."
Jia Huan nodded, "Fourth Uncle is the best, he'll definitely be fine."
Li Laosan sat by the straw mat, polishing a two-tiered wooden shelf in his hands, intending to store bowls, chopsticks, and other miscellaneous items for his family.
He replied, "Yes, Mother, I'll go with you then and I'll definitely bring the fourth brother and the others back."
Grandma Li sighed, fearing that if she didn't bring her youngest son and grandson back, her third son would also be implicated.
Jiayin glanced quietly at the mountains and forests outside, but didn't feel any alarm. She guessed that her father and the others should be alright, so she hugged her grandmother's neck and said she was thirsty, intending to distract her grandmother.
Sure enough, Grandma Li quickly went to the corner inside to look for the small jar.
The jar contained wild honey that had been found in the forest before. The family had kept it and would occasionally mix it with water for Jiayin to drink.
At this moment, Grandma Li added warm water and made a large bowl of it.
Jiayin took two sips, then waved her chubby little hand and called for her brother to come over.
Jiaxi and Jia'an swallowed hard, secretly glancing at their grandmother who didn't object, before smiling and moving closer to their younger sister.
The three siblings took turns drinking the honey water, and soon finished it off affectionately.
Grandma Li picked up her sewing basket and started sewing shoe soles with a rustling sound. Because her granddaughter was well-behaved, she could temporarily stop worrying about her troublesome son.
The next morning, the sky was overcast, and the old folks said that it was likely to snow heavily again.
Now, the villagers couldn't sit still any longer.
The able-bodied men from each cave came down from the mountain and gathered together to discuss how to hurry up and go into the mountain to welcome Li Laosi and his group.
We agreed to mark the way beforehand, so we weren't worried about not being able to find each other.
The village chief, with his hands behind his back and a pipe in his hand, walked around in front of everyone and said with a frown.
"We can't send too many people, since there are young and old here, we have to be prepared for any eventuality."
He pointed to Li Laosan and asked, "Laosan, can you take five or six men with you?"
“Yes, Uncle Village Chief, we’ll set off now and be back soon.” Li Laosan was already dressed and ready, holding a machete in his hand, with a rope tied around his waist, and more than twenty dry food cakes in his backpack.
He turned to the villagers and said, “If anyone can leave their home temporarily, come with me. We will provide dry rations.”
Immediately, five or six villagers stepped forward. They were all close to the Li family and often went hunting with Li Laosi.
After a quick tidy-up, these people were about to head into the woods.
Just then, someone on the cave floor suddenly shouted, "There seems to be a figure in the woods!"
Everyone immediately cheered, and Li Laosan was about to run forward when the village chief stopped him.
As people age, they become more shrewd and cautious.
The village chief advised, "Wait a little longer and see if it really is the fourth brother and his group."
In such a remote mountain forest, how could anyone else be out and about besides them?
Everyone thought the village chief was too cowardly, but no one refuted it.
But they waited and waited, and the people in the woods did not come out, nor did they see any trace of the people in the cave. It was as if everything just now was an illusion.
But the villagers insisted, "I couldn't have been mistaken, there were definitely figures, but I can't tell if there were four or five!"
Li Laosan couldn't wait any longer. He gripped his wood-chopping knife and said, "I'll go take a look first!"
As soon as he moved, the villagers naturally followed suit.
So the group walked through the snow and entered the woods.
This journey took more than half an hour, and even someone as good-tempered as Li Laosan became a little anxious.
Could it be that the villagers really saw it wrong?
Just then, a figure emerged from behind a large tree not far away.
Li Laosan and the others were overjoyed and were about to call for help, but their expressions changed in the next instant!
No, these aren't our own people...
Bonus chapter for reaching 350 book reviews! Here's today's fourth chapter, right on time! Negative reviews are popping up, so I need more five-star ratings and reviews. Please keep clicking and give me some five-star feedback, my darlings! The next four chapters will be at 400 book reviews!
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