Qi Guze and Xu Yuehuai were busy setting up tents and preparing dinner, while the children excitedly ran to the stream.
"Daddy, look what I caught!" Qi Zi'ang excitedly ran to Qi Guze, holding up a small fish.
Qi Guze smiled and took the little fish, praising, "Not bad, Zi'ang's eyesight is getting better and better."
Tie Chunsheng also ran over, holding a beautiful stone in his hand: "Grandpa, do you think this stone looks like a gemstone?"
Qi Guze took the stone, examined it carefully, and smiled, "It really does look like it. Chunsheng, you have a good eye."
At dinner time, everyone sat together, enjoying delicious roasted meat and fish. The children excitedly recounted their fun experiences by the stream, while Qi Guze and Xu Yuehuai listened quietly, nodding in agreement from time to time.
As night fell, the valley echoed with the chirping of insects and the sound of the wind. Qi Guze and Xu Yuehuai sat outside their tent, gazing at the starry sky in deep thought. They knew this trip was more than just a simple outing; it was a valuable experience and a chance for the children to grow. They hoped that through this journey, the children would learn independence, courage, and resilience.
In the days that followed, they continued their journey. The trip was filled with unknowns and challenges, but also laughter and warmth. The children grew and progressed along the way, while Qi Guze and Xu Yuehuai felt the warmth and happiness of family.
Finally, they arrived at their destination. It was a mountain village nestled among the mountains, with beautiful scenery, like a natural ink painting. In the village, the simple and rustic houses were scattered in an orderly fashion, with wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys, and the people were honest and kind.
The royal guard dismounted and bowed to Qi Guze, reporting, "Your Highness, this is the place where the red star fell from the sky."
Qi Guze nodded slightly, a sharp glint in his eyes: "Everyone should travel light, and don't let them discover our identities."
The guards immediately sprang into action, removing their ornate robes and donning simple casual clothes.
Xu Yuehuai, along with Qi Ziang and Tie Chunsheng, followed Qi Guze, pretending to be wealthy merchants passing by, and asked the villagers for a place to rest.
They were taken to a courtyard house, which was old but clean and tidy.
The royal guards were busy tidying up the place, while Xu Yuehuai, Qi Guze, Qi Ziang, and Tie Chunsheng sat in the room discussing their next plan.
Qi Guze looked around, his brows furrowing slightly: "It seems the people in this village don't know about the red star that fell from the sky."
"It's very likely that the government has blocked the news, or it's possible that someone spread false information to deliberately lure us here," Xu Yuehua nodded in agreement.
Qi Ziang blinked his big eyes and said earnestly, "Mother, I will protect Father and Mother well."
Xu Yuehuai smiled and patted his head: "Okay, little guy."
The night was hazy, and the flickering lights in the courtyard illuminated Qi Guze's pensive face. His brows revealed a firmness and decisiveness, as if he had already made up his mind.
"Next, we need to secretly go to the place where the red star fell from the sky and check if there's anything unusual." Qi Guze's voice was deep and powerful, breaking the surrounding silence.
Xu Yuehuai, Qi Ziang, and Tie Chunsheng nodded in agreement. The royal guards stood silently to the side, awaiting further instructions.
After a quick meal, they changed into their night clothes; their black bodysuits blended almost seamlessly into the night under the moonlight. The group left the courtyard silently and headed towards the back of the mountain.
The night was as still as water, and moonlight spilled through the mountains and forests, draping this tranquil place in a veil of mystery. They searched every corner carefully, afraid of missing even the slightest clue.
Suddenly, a slight noise broke the silence of the night. They immediately stopped, their eyes scanning their surroundings warily. They saw several hunters carrying lanterns approaching.
"Quickly hide!" Qi Guze whispered the order.
They quickly hid in the bushes, holding their breath, afraid of being discovered. The hunters didn't notice them and walked straight past, the light from their lanterns flickering in the night as they disappeared into the distance.
After the hunters had gone some distance, Qi Guze said in a deep voice, "It seems we need to search somewhere else."
They moved to another part of the mountain behind, where the terrain was more treacherous and the trees denser. They trudged through the forest, the fallen leaves rustling softly beneath their feet. They remained constantly vigilant, afraid of disturbing anything they shouldn't.
"Look here!" Qi Zi'ang suddenly shouted, pointing to a cliff in front of them.
They looked in the direction he pointed and saw a protruding rock on the cliff, with what appeared to be some kind of pattern carved on it. They approached cautiously and discovered that it was a stone tablet with some ancient characters and patterns carved on it.
“This is… the mark of a red star falling from the sky!” Qi Guze carefully examined the words and patterns on the stone tablet, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
"So, we've found the right place?" Xu Yuehuai asked.
"That should be right," Qi Guze nodded. "This might be the location where the red star fell from the sky."
They carefully examined the stone tablet, trying to find more clues. However, the inscriptions and patterns on the tablet were too ancient for them to fully decipher.
Just then, a strange aura suddenly swept over them, making them shiver. They looked up and saw a red light appear above the cliff, as if it were a sign of a red star falling.
"Quick! We need to go up and take a look!" Qi Guze said, taking the lead in climbing up the cliff.
The others followed closely behind, clinging to rocks and trees as they laboriously climbed upwards. After much effort, they finally reached the top of the cliff.
However, what they saw before them stunned them. The top of the cliff was completely empty, except for the stone tablet; there was nothing there. The red light had vanished, as if it had never been there at all.
"What's going on?" Xu Yuehuai asked, puzzled.
“We may be too late,” Qi Guze said in a deep voice, “The mark of the red star that fell from the sky has been completely erased.”
They sat on the cliff in disappointment, gazing at the distant starry sky, their hearts filled with confusion and resentment.
"What should we do?" Tie Chunsheng asked.
“It seems we need to revise our plan.” Qi Guze stood up and looked into the distance. “No matter what, we will not give up on finding the secret of the fallen red star.”
As night deepened, they returned to the courtyard house.
Qi Ziang said with some disappointment, "It's a real pity. It seems we'll have to wait for another opportunity."
"It's okay, we'll always find a flaw," Xu Yuehuai comforted her.
Although they found no valuable clues this time, their determination only grew stronger. They knew that only through persistent effort could they uncover the secret behind the red star that had fallen from the sky.
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