Meanwhile, Xu Yuehuai and Pei Xuan have also set off on their journey.
The two of them, carrying their packs, searched for Qi Guze's whereabouts in the treacherous mountains and forests. Since they didn't know where the incident had happened, they could only search any suspicious place.
This is not an easy task. The recent torrential rains have made the mountain paths muddy and impassable, concealing any trace of human activity.
But Xu Yuehuai was not prepared to give up.
She believed that Qi Guze would be safe and sound.
She was even more convinced that Qi Guze would never betray his country and collude with the enemy.
After a difficult and fruitless day of searching, night fell, and the gnarled tree trunk, like a monster in the dark, bared its fangs and claws, seemingly about to devour everything.
After discussing it, Xu Yuehuai and Pei Xuan decided to return the way they came. They found a cave they had passed by during the day to rest and worked for half a day, gathering firewood to start a fire and searching for grass to make a nest. Finally, they got a short rest.
Suddenly, Xu Yuehuai heard an unusual noise. She looked over sharply and picked up a stone to assume a defensive posture.
Pei Xuan was startled by her. He looked over but saw nothing but dark grass. He asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"
Shh, can you hear someone's voice over there?
"Nothing's wrong?" Pei Xuan observed carefully for a while but didn't find anything. "Is it just your imagination?"
The campfire crackled and popped, mingling with the calls of small animals common in the mountains and forests, making the surroundings seem perfectly normal.
"I still feel uneasy." Xu Yuehuai put the stone down with concern.
"Don't overthink it," Pei Xuan comforted her. "Zhou Wan will cover for us. Even if we are discovered, it's impossible for them to catch up so quickly. You're probably just too nervous. Trust me, nothing will happen."
He was the only man present, and as the local official, he naturally had to shoulder the main responsibility and would do his best to soothe Xu Yuehuai's emotions.
Despite saying that, Xu Yuehuai still had concerns: "How about this, I'll keep watch for the first half of the night, and you keep watch for the second half. We'll leave when the sun comes up tomorrow morning."
For the next two days, Xu Yuehuai always felt that someone was lying in ambush behind her, but she didn't find anything unusual.
Several days passed, and they still made no progress.
Pei Xuan walked dejectedly, brushing aside the weeds blocking his path as he said, "Did we go in the wrong direction? Why haven't we found any trace of the Regent yet?"
He will only find out the truth if he finds Qi Guze.
"Probably not, we..." Xu Yuehuai was pondering their route when she was suddenly interrupted by Pei Xuan's exclamation.
She looked up in astonishment and saw Pei Xuan caught in a large net and hanging from a tall tree.
Xu Yuehuai's heart jumped into her throat. Instinctively, she pulled out a small knife from behind her back, quickly crouched down, and observed the surrounding movements.
Damn it! Someone really was lying in ambush on them!
At that moment, a figure emerged from behind the bushes. Xu Yuehuai swiftly swung her dagger, but it was blocked.
Her heart sank. Was she really going to die here today?
"Hero, spare my life!"
Xu Yuehuai then noticed that the man opposite her was a burly man with a hemp rope tied around his waist and two pheasants in his hands, dressed like a hunter.
But she dared not let her guard down, still gripping the knife handle, her eyes warily fixed on the hunter opposite her.
"Oh dear!" The hunter then noticed Pei Xuan caught in the net, and rushed over, frantically trying to untangle the net.
As soon as Pei Xuangang landed, the hunter apologized repeatedly.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. I live in Jinhe Village at the foot of the mountain. This net was originally for hunting. I'm really sorry for the trouble I caused you two heroes."
Pei Xuan was pulled aside by Xu Yuehuai and watched silently.
The hunter was tidying up his fishing nets, sighing and complaining.
"Sigh, there aren't many wild animals on the mountain this year, and my mother is sick again. Life is tough. We haven't hunted anything for several days in a row."
"If there's no progress, we won't be able to make a living."
After saying that, he sighed again.
Xu Yuehuai couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy and asked curiously, "Is this Jinhe Village you mentioned nearby?"
The hunter replied, "Yes, yes, our ancestors have lived here for dozens of generations."
Pei Xuan had a sudden thought. Jinhe Village was near where Qi Guze disappeared. Maybe he was found by some kind-hearted person in the village. So he said he wanted to go to their village to take a look.
"Are you two from out of town?"
Xu Yuehuai neither said yes nor no, but instead asked, "Why do you say that?"
"My lord, you may not know this, but our Jinhe Village used to rely on the mountains and rivers for sustenance. The environment was excellent, and it was a well-known prosperous place for miles around." As he spoke, the hunter began to sigh.
"As a result, a few years ago, the village suddenly changed and fell into decline. The young people left and went to other places to find a way out. Only the elderly, women and children were left in the village. The people in the neighborhood all knew about our situation and looked down on us. They generally wouldn't come to visit us."
As they spoke, they arrived at the village. Xu Yuehuai observed for a while and found that it was indeed the case. Moreover, every household had their doors open without any attempt to hide it, suggesting that it was a place with simple and honest folk customs.
Moreover, an elderly person was sitting at the door of every household.
Their gazes swept over Xu Yuehuai, giving her a very unpleasant feeling.
Pei Xuan was still immersed in what the hunter had said: "What sudden change has occurred?"
The hunter remained tight-lipped, seemingly unwilling to discuss the matter in detail.
"Then why didn't you leave? Why are you still here?" Xu Yuehuai pressed.
“I want to leave too, but I can’t. My mother is over seventy and can’t handle the commotion anymore. I really can’t bear to leave her alone!” the hunter said, shaking his head as he spoke.
He sighs and laments all the time he speaks; it seems he's really having a hard time.
Suddenly, a series of mournful bird cries echoed from the mountains, each one like a cry of blood.
The hunter's expression changed, and he led the two men home, shouting, "Hurry! Hurry!"
They hurried to the hunter's house, and it was indeed poor. There were some hunting spoils and bows and arrows hanging on the walls, but apart from these, the house was practically bare.
The hunter quickly closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Excuse me, brother, what is that sound? It's rather eerie," Pei Xuan asked humbly.
"Don't ask me that," the hunter said, his gaze turning slightly serious and angry. "This is a matter for our village!"
The sound of the bed board rustling came from inside the room. The hunter brought in a bowl of water. "Old lady, this is the guest I met on the mountain today."
After receiving permission, Xu Yuehuai and Pei Xuan went inside and saw a thin, frail old woman lying on the bed. Her hair was white, her face was haggard, her eyes were sunken, and her mouth moved slightly, as if she could no longer speak.
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