Murong Xue gasped, while Xie Wanqing immediately covered her eyes with her sleeve.
Gu Moran sat on the soft couch, unable to resist her curiosity, and peeked at the pages of the book on the table.
He glanced at it once, then leaned back in disgust.
"The writing is terrible," Gu Moran commented. "This posture is completely unreasonable. A normal person's back can't bend to that angle at all; their bones would break."
Suddenly, there was a deathly silence inside the cabin.
All eyes were on Gu Moran.
Lin Qingdai tapped her fingers twice on the hilt of the knife. "You've tried it, do you know if it's reasonable or not?"
Gu Moran's breath hitched.
He glanced at Lin Qingdai's hand on the hilt of the knife, then at Su Yao's noticeably colder gaze.
"I'll take my medicine." Gu Moran decisively shut up, picked up the cold Coptis chinensis soup next to him, and gulped it all down in one go.
Several days later.
From waterway to land route.
Once the boat docked, Uncle Fu had already hired three spacious horse-drawn carriages and two carts for carrying supplies.
The group entered a narrow forest path.
The mountain walls on both sides are steep, and the dense forests completely block out the sunlight, making the area appear gloomy even during the day.
"This section is called Black Wind Pass," Uncle Fu said in a low voice as he drove the carriage. "Once we pass this pass, we'll be in Yi Prefecture."
"Then we'll rest first and wait for the others to enter the city via the official road."
On the other side.
Tiedan pricked up his ears.
He threw down the branch he was holding and darted behind a pine tree.
"Boss! Someone's here! Lots of people!"
Yun Shuyue ran over in twos and threes, and crouched behind a tree to look down the mountain.
The fog had mostly dissipated, and visibility was clear.
On the mountain road, a group of people were slowly making their way this way.
Two people were riding horses in front, followed by three carriages, with the curtains completely covering their faces.
There were no flags or lanterns on the roof of the carriage, but the craftsmanship of the carriage and the quality of the horses...
Yun Shuyue squinted.
They were neither ordinary people nor caravans.
They're big spenders!
Tiedan poked his head out from under her armpit, his voice extremely low. "Boss, are we going to rob it this time?"
Yun Shuyue stared at the group of people and licked her lips.
The two women riding horses in front of us both have knives at their waists; they might know kung fu.
However, there were three cars.
This was the first time in three years that she had seen such fat sheep passing through this mountain path without any guards.
"Boss?" Tiedan urged again.
Yun Shuyue did not respond; his eyes remained fixed on the foot of the mountain.
She drew her dagger and turned to look at the courtyard behind her.
Old Master Sun leaned on his cane, Auntie Zhao carried her sewing basket, three women surrounded the stove, and five or six children looked up at her.
Everyone was waiting for her to say something.
Yun Shuyue put the knife back in.
Pull it out again.
It was inserted back in.
Tiedan: "... Boss, you really have no manly qualities!"
The words had barely left his mouth.
He had already dashed out on his own.
"Charge!!"
Tiedan Dan's shout caused an uproar in the courtyard.
Three or four children, carrying sticks, ran down the mountain, while a little girl, clutching two stones, also skipped after them.
Yun Shuyue was stunned for a full breath.
She watched the group of small figures tumble down the hillside, and only two words remained in her mind.
It's over.
"Wait, wait a minute! I haven't even arranged my troops yet!"
She grabbed a straw hat and pulled it over her head, then grabbed a short knife and chased after him, shouting back at Old Master Sun as she ran, "Cover your faces! Cover them! Don't let anyone recognize you!"
The carriage moved slowly along the rutted dirt road, the sound of its wheels crushing dry branches particularly jarring in the quiet woods.
Lin Qingdai placed the knife at her waist beside her.
Murong Xue also looked around warily.
The group had just turned a corner.
A loud roar suddenly came from deep within the dense forest.
"This mountain is mine! These trees are mine! If you want to pass through here—"
The voice was very immature, even still carrying the tone of a child who hadn't yet gone through puberty, and the breath control was severely lacking.
The child got stuck halfway through reciting it.
Another voice came from the bushes, low and hushed, whispering, "Leave some money for the toll!"
The child suddenly realized what was happening and then shouted, "Leave... leave the money for the meal!"
The prompter's voice completely snapped, tinged with frustration. "It's toll money! Not food money! How could you get it wrong again!"
Inside the carriage, Gu Moran lifted half of the curtain, and the group looked at each other in surprise.
Murong Xue had already drawn her knife, and stared at the child in disbelief.
Lin Qingdai's hand was still on the knife, and her expression became strange.
"Are they here to rob us, or to beg for food?"
Gu Moran raised his hand, signaling everyone to hold their positions.
His gaze swept over the dense woods beside the road.
The one leading the group was a little boy of seven or eight years old, who was struggling to hold up a bamboo pole that was half a head taller than him.
A faded red cloth was hastily tied to the top of the bamboo pole, serving as the bandit king's flag.
The people following behind the children made the people in the carriage even more silent.
Three elderly people with gray hair and unsteady gait; two women with patched clothes and infants crying for milk in their arms; and an old man with a hunched back and a limp.
The woman had half an apron draped over each of her faces, while the old man covered his face with his sleeve, slipping with every step he took, clearly out of step.
At the very back stood a short "boy".
He had narrow shoulders, a thin waist, and his face was covered with a thick layer of soot. His straw hat was pulled down so low that his facial features were obscured.
He had an old knife tucked into his waistband, but the handle was polished to a gleaming shine.
Gu Moran frowned in confusion.
The boy stepped forward, put his hands on his hips, and deliberately lowered his voice to a rougher tone.
"Who goes there! State your name!"
The little boy turned to look at him, his face displeased. "Boss, you clearly said last night that I should shout it out completely this time."
The boy's shoulders trembled violently.
"Shut up."
His face, covered in soot, was taut.
The system panel suddenly lit up in front of Gu Moran's eyes.
[New Destiny's Daughter detected]
[Name: Yun Shuyue, Identity: Eldest daughter of the Jiannan Circuit Surveillance Office / Leader of Black Wind Stronghold / Robin Hood " Moon-Chasing Wanderer "]
[Age: 16]
[His inner strength isn't concentrated in his fists and palms; in a direct confrontation, he'd be defeated in three moves. But his agility is like a swallow's feather; few can match him in escaping, tracking, or launching surprise attacks.]
[Hostile Value: 0]
[Favorability: 0]
[Current emotions: nervous, bravado, extreme embarrassment, regret for not stopping my subordinate from bragging]
[Note: No record of injury.]
Gu Moran finished scanning the panel, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
What kind of bandit are they?
He lowered the curtains and leaned back in his chair.
This girl has so many identities; she's even the legitimate daughter of the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner.
He took an unorthodox path, bypassing official channels and without any entourage.
If they really fight, he won't suffer any losses.
But if the news reaches the Provincial Surveillance Commission, it will give the old emperor an excuse to punish him.
It's not worth it.