When it was almost dawn, the rain stopped. After a simple breakfast, everyone looked out at the mountains and forests, hoping that the three men would fall into the trap for the sake of their own lives.
Old Snake drank his porridge calmly, not worried or anxious at all.
Lianyi didn't want to stay in the damp and dilapidated temple any longer, so she decided to set off early and go to Wujiang County.
"Lianyi, if you don't wait and see, they will probably exchange with Snake for their own lives."
Wang Meimei said with certainty.
"No, my wife is weak. Although she didn't get caught in the rain last night, it's too humid here. We plan to leave for Wujiang County first. It won't be too late for us to meet up then."
Ripple said with a smile.
"That's fine. Brother Xiao and I will wait and see. Those people should be back soon."
While the two were talking, Wang Yaozu put the clay pots, millet bags, salt, and iron spoons into the carriage, and then went to get the horses.
Lianyi talked to Wang Meimei for a long time, but Wang Yaozu didn't come back. Wang Zhenzhen frowned and said:
"Lianyi, go and take a look, maybe something happened."
That person is also a person being hunted.
"Okay, I'll go take a look."
Lian Yi turned around and was about to leave the ruined temple when she saw Wang Yaozu coming back panting. He stood on his legs for a while before speaking:
"Ma'am, all three horses are missing. I couldn't find them in the woods. Did they run away because of the heavy rain?"
"No, my white dragon is very smart! He probably went deep into the forest to avoid the rain."
Lianyi does have some confidence in this, because she raised Bailong.
"So what should we do then?"
Wang Yaozu asked directly. He didn't dare to go deep into the forest, for fear of not finding the horse and getting lost.
"Don't worry, I won't let you go into the deep mountains and forests."
Lianyi waved her hand, took out a small wooden whistle from her arms, put it to her mouth and blew it three times quickly. In the quiet morning, the clear sound of the whistle could be heard from far away.
After a stick of incense, everyone heard the sound of horse hooves. It was obvious that the horse heard the owner's call and came back on its own.
"Hey, Sister Lianyi, look! Is there a person lying on your horse's back?"
Wang Meimei had a good eye and asked immediately.
When she said this, everyone looked over and saw that there was indeed a person in black clothes lying there. Since Bailong was a white horse, he was very conspicuous.
"There are people on the other two horses too!"
Xiong Zigeng's voice was much louder than Wang Meimei's, and now everyone's attention was drawn to him, including She Lao and Xiao Shu.
Bailong led the way and trotted to Lianyi, then shook his body with some disgust and shook the person off his horse.
Bai Long's younger brother did the same. After the three men fell to the ground without any reaction, everyone gathered around to see what a coincidence it was! It was none other than Hou Yong and the other two who had escaped last night.
"Sister Lianyi, your horse is amazing. It actually carried me back."
Wang Meimei said with a smile.
Snake Elder had already stepped forward, checked the three people, then shook his head and said:
“They’ve been poisoned.”
"It seems that the horse in the forest last night was not prepared by them. It should be Lady Lianyi's horse. However, she did not tie the horse up, but let it graze in the forest by itself. Hou Yong happened to see it and snatched it away to use as a mount.
Our horses are tied here, and we didn't ride our horses when we chased them, so the three of them were able to get away from us. It was only because we were running at full speed that the poison took effect faster. They probably didn't realize they were bitten by a snake, so they fainted on horseback.
These horses have owners. When no one was controlling them, they stopped. When they heard Lady Ripple's call, they returned the same way they came."
Xiao Shu reacted quickly and analyzed what had happened based on the circumstances before and after.
At this time, Old Snake had already found a worn parchment scroll on Hou Yong, and he unfolded it directly in front of everyone.
Lianyi had calmed down her white dragon at this time, and she also leaned over to take a look. After all, she had contributed a lot in this.
The so-called treasure map waved in front of everyone's eyes and then returned to the hands of She Lao and Xiao Shu.
"Old Snake, Young Master Xiao, what should we do next?"
Zhang Nian asked with a happy face.
"Now that we have a map, we need to study carefully where the things are, then get ready and go out to look for them."
Old Snake was a little proud, touched his sleeves and said.
"That's definitely no problem, but who will keep the map?"
"Of course it's Elder She and Young Master Xiao."
"That won't work, just in case"
"That's right. This treasure map was found by everyone together. It can't be left to one person. It's not that we don't trust Snake Old Man and Mr. Xiao, but what if we meet someone from Broken Sword Mountain again?"
For a moment, this group of people in the underworld immediately fell into an argument over the possession of the treasure map. The atmosphere became visibly tense. The actual situation was that no one trusted anyone else.
Lianyi just took a glance and left the crowd, nodded to Wang Zhenzhen, and then asked Wang Yaozu to harness the carriage. They were ready to set off. She didn't want to get involved in this muddy water. Besides, after seeing the treasure map, she had already memorized it. There was no need to argue with these people.
"Lady Ripple, please stay!"
Xiao Shu raised his voice and stopped Lian Yi and his group who were about to leave.
"Mr. Xiao, what's the matter?"
"You have no interest in treasure maps?"
Xiao Shu asked with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Mr. Xiao, you are joking. I have said from the beginning that I am the Madam's bodyguard, and protecting her is the most important thing. As for the treasure map, I don't know whether it is true or not. Even if it is true, I can't take the Madam on an adventure. Besides, someone has plotted against us before, and the driver is injured. We plan to go to Wujiang County first."
Lianyi said it very frankly and with some hint of meaning.
The implication was: You haven't figured out whether the treasure map is real or not, yet you're fighting here. Otherwise, you won't find the treasure, but you'll die here. She didn't want to get involved in muddy water, so she prepared to go her separate ways from them to avoid a fight that would involve her wife.
"Hey! Does Lady Ripple have any good ideas?"
Xiao Shu coughed lightly, hiding his embarrassment and continued asking.
"Since you think it's unsafe to keep it with anyone, then each of you can make a copy and keep it for yourselves!"
"This is a great idea! No one will suffer! Everyone can feel at ease!"
Xiong Zigeng immediately echoed loudly.
"Then Lady Ripple won't make a copy?"
Xiao Shu stared at Lianyi and continued to ask.
"No need. We joined in halfway and didn't contribute much. We were attacked for no apparent reason before. We don't know who was secretly watching us. It's better to have less trouble than more. I am the lady's bodyguard. The most important thing is to protect my lady."
Lianyi's answer was very direct, which translated into words: she didn't want to be hunted down because of a treasure map whose authenticity she didn't know, and also didn't want to implicate her wife.
Now everyone was silent.
"Bye, now! We will definitely not tell anyone what happened here, so please rest assured!"
Lianyi said, and Xiao Shu believed this.
"Lianyi, see you in Wujiang County!"
"Okay!" (End of this chapter)
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