Farewell
"I haven't seen the red soil you mentioned, so I have no way of judging." Ye Zhihui shook his head. "The mountain is exactly as you said, with no north or south, no east or west. I carved a mark with my dagger, but I kept going in circles and couldn't get out."
He Chenghuan pressed his palm lightly against his brow and pondered, this is troublesome.
He remembered something and asked, "Have you asked the person who showed you the way?"
Ye Zhihui chuckled, his brows relaxed. "No, that person was extremely vigilant. I had to hand over all my belongings to her before she would reluctantly help me."
He Chenghuan initially thought he had met Su Fangli, but after hearing what he said, it didn't seem like it.
She didn't care about money, but she had a clear distinction between gratitude and resentment and didn't want to have anything to do with him.
"There are many hidden traps on that mountain. If you accidentally fall into one, you might die without being discovered."
Thinking of the black water with a strange smell, Ye Zhihui frowned. He looked at his miserable self and wished he could go into the house and take a bath for three days and three nights.
A trap? A hint of surprise flashed across He Chenghuan's eyes.
He wandered around the mountain for several days but still couldn't find it.
The girl also took him around a few times and everything went smoothly.
Why did he think of her again?
Ye Zhihui: "Why don't you go with me to look for it? Do you know that I fell into a trap and no one paid attention to me even though I shouted for a long time?"
He Chenghuan remained silent. How could he say that he had been driven away so many times that he couldn't bring himself to approach again?
"It's fine if you don't go. But I'm asking, why don't you send more people? It's not like there aren't people available. It's better for more people to search separately than for the two of us to waste time. How long will it take to find it?" Ye Zhihui saw him in a daze and couldn't help asking.
He Chenghuan: "Are you following the whereabouts of the aliens?"
"The people we sent out haven't reported back yet, so they probably haven't taken any action yet."
"Well, let's take a look." He Chenghuan said.
Knowing he couldn't influence this lord's thoughts, Ye Zhihui didn't bother. He sat down across from He Chenghuan and poured himself a cup of tea. "You've been missing for a few days now. What's going on?"
"Um."
"Really? Is the person still alive?" Ye Zhihui asked.
"Maybe." He Chenghuan was not sure, "We only found her clothes."
"Can it be found after several months?" Ye Zhihui asked curiously, "How did you know?"
He Chenghuan was silent for a long time before answering: "...divination."
It was truly strange to hear this word come out of his mouth. Ye Zhihui's eyes lit up, and he leaned closer:
"Didn't they say that someone in the capital interfered with her fate? Can they really predict it? Haven't you always hated divination? Why have you changed your mind now?"
Seeing He Chenghuan didn't respond, Ye Zhihui clapped his hands, suddenly realizing, "I never thought you were so deeply in love with your fiancée. You've never even met her, yet you're willing to abandon your noble status and run around for her, even seeking help from the very fortune teller you despise the most. If Lord Fang knew this, he'd rest in peace. Your love is so profound, I'm ashamed to be compared to you. I admire you."
After saying that, he bowed to him solemnly.
"Don't make random guesses." He Chenghuan said coldly, but a beautiful figure appeared in his mind for no reason.
"Why are you making random guesses?" Ye Zhihui looked dissatisfied. He suddenly thought of something and said, "Do you think he was taken away by the city lord's people?"
The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. He lowered his voice and said, "The city lord has always been cautious, hiding in his mansion all day and never coming out. If this continues, we will be attacked from all sides. Why not take action now and use a trick to lure him out?"
He Chenghuan snorted coldly, "He dared to release the news about the ironstone mine because he was sure we couldn't get it. He must have used the same tactics against the foreigners. That mountain is too strange, they must have known about it, and since they couldn't get it, they dragged us into the game, so they can sit back and watch the fight."
If there were an ironstone mine, his next plan would be easier to implement. Even if he knew it was an open conspiracy, he had to accept it.
He Chenghuan paused and ordered, "Don't move the secret line in the city yet. First determine when the foreigners will leave and how many people will come."
"The foreigners will probably be here in the next few days. Mother, let's go into the mountains today." After Su Fangli returned home, she pulled Grandma Fang to pack up.
Granny Fang looked up at the sky and said hesitantly, "Wait a little longer? My son-in-law hasn't come back yet."
Su Fangli sighed inwardly. This wasn't the first time Granny Fang had mistaken someone for her son-in-law. She'd mistaken Fang Yu for her son-in-law before, but she'd forgotten it in a split second. Why had it lasted so long this time?
"Maybe he has already gone into the mountains?" Su Fangli said.
"Really?" Granny Fang stood up immediately upon hearing that.
Before Su Fangli could feel happy, she heard Granny Fang continue, "I'm going to the river to see if my son-in-law has gone fishing."
Having said that, he went out, walking briskly, more energetic than Su Fangli.
"Mom?" Su Fangli put down the clothes she was sorting and chased after her.
There was no one outside. Before she could decide whether to chase after him, someone came from the other direction and called out to her:
"Ali!"
It’s Fang Yu.
Having not seen him for several days, Su Fangli felt that Fang Yu had become a little thinner than a few days ago. He was still carrying a bag, and Fangzi was still following behind him.
"Brother Fang, what are you doing?"
"I decided to join the army."
Su Fangli was surprised, but then she thought it was appropriate. She nodded and said, "Then I wish Brother Fang a safe journey."
Fang Yu smiled and hesitated, "Ali... can you give me a ride?"
Su Fangli didn't refuse. She bolted the gate, and the two of them left the village.
Although Fang Yu had taken the initiative to invite them, he was surprisingly silent on the way. He stared at the two shadows pressed together on the ground, feeling reluctant to leave.
"Brother Fang, do you still remember what I said, don't go near the water?" Su Fangli asked.
Fang Yu was slightly stunned, then nodded: "Of course. I remember everything Ah Li said carefully."
He had grown up here and was an excellent swimmer. Even when he was swept away by the waves during the floods of previous years, he could handle it with ease. He knew that Su Fangli had nearly died in the floods this year, and he felt pity for her. However, he was too small and powerless to provide her with a stable life, so he could only suppress his thoughts.
He whispered, "A-Li and Granny Fang, you should also be careful. If possible, go to the city as soon as possible and find a…" He couldn't finish the words, but he kept repeating them over and over. Finally, he said, "Find a place to live well."
Su Fangli did not answer.
"I will work hard to gain military merit for you." Fang Yu finally said it before parting.
Su Fangli just chuckled: "It's for yourself."
"A-Li is right." He smiled, his brows relaxed, revealing a row of white teeth. "Wait for me to come back. No, let's meet again if we're lucky."
The young man's eyes were clear as he memorized the face of the girl in front of him.
He touched Fangzai who was squatting next to him and said, "Good boy Fangzai, follow Ah Li and protect her."
Fangzai seemed to understand and woofed.
Fang Yu took one last deep look at Su Fangli, then turned around and strode away.
Su Fangli felt nothing. In ancient times, communication was difficult, and life was worthless. Perhaps they would never meet again in this life. Her only goal was to protect herself, Granny Fang, and Fangzi, then find a way to travel north, to a larger area, and see if she could find a way back to the modern era.
She took Fang Zai and made a detour to the river. She wanted to take Granny Fang home with her, pack up her things, and head back into the mountains as quickly as possible. She had been feeling a nagging unease since this morning, a sense that something was about to happen.
As a result, I didn't see Grandma Fang along the way.
When she returned home, before she opened the gate, she heard Grandma Fang's laughter inside.
"Of course, the mountain here is a sacred mountain."
Su Fangli was slightly startled, and pushed the door open without hesitation.
"My dear daughter is back." Granny Fang greeted her immediately when she saw her: "Look, my son-in-law is really at the river. I brought him back and he even caught some fish."
He really came again?
A figure in a dark red brocade robe was standing with his hands behind his back. He turned around at the sound, and Su Fangli saw his face.
"Why is it you?"
She held down Fangzai, who was baring his teeth at the stranger, and asked cautiously, "How did you find this place?"
"Who else could it be if not me?"
Ye Zhihui walked slowly towards the garden.
He raised his eyebrows slightly, and his eyes carefully traced her face, with undisguised amazement in his eyes:
Unlike when we first met, she was no longer covered in masks, revealing her fair and slightly rosy cheeks.
She was only wearing cloth, but her beauty was evident, as if she had descended to the mortal world from heaven, making people's hearts flutter when they saw her.
Even though Ye Zhihui was used to seeing all kinds of beauties, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart:
What a rare beauty.
Only a beauty like this can match me.
"What is your purpose in coming here?" Su Fangli was annoyed by his gaze and tried hard to suppress her emotions.
The more Ye Zhihui looked at her, the more he found her pleasing and interesting. He said, "I'll be your husband and your mother's son-in-law."
He called her "mother" so smoothly, and with more sincerity than Su Fangli. When Granny Fang heard this, she immediately smiled and said, "Yes, if you two live in harmony, our lives will get better and better."
"Mom, have you packed your things?" Su Fangli asked.
This reminded Granny Fang, and she walked into the house and said, "It's almost done, it's almost done."
After Granny Fang entered the room, Su Fangli looked unhappy and asked again, "What are you doing here?"
Seeing her hand already reaching into her bag, Ye Zhihui didn't know what she would take out. He couldn't help but take two steps back, but his eyes were still smiling:
"Don't blame me, my lady. I mean no harm. It just happened that I ran into Mother-in-law Fang today, and she kindly invited me back to be her son-in-law. I was about to decline, but when I saw it was you, I wholeheartedly agreed to the marriage. I only wish to spend the rest of my life in love with you."
"You..." Su Fangli had just begun to speak when the gate was knocked again.
Granny Fang heard the sound and poked her head out. Su Fangli hurriedly said, "Mom, don't come out. I'll go open it."
She walked over and opened the door.
The person outside the door was very tall, and his shadow completely covered her.
Su Fangli looked up.
The man in black tights also looked down.
The two of them fell into an inexplicable silence, with only the sound of their heartbeats as usual. Seeing that there was no movement outside, Granny Fang couldn't help but come out.
Seeing the face of the person outside the door clearly, he was surprised and said, "Why do you have two sons-in-law?"
Su Fangli:......
He Chenghuan: ...
Ye Zhihui also came over and added fuel to the fire:
"Yes, my lady, who is this man outside?"
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