Yang Zhi nodded, "Then let him stay for now."
Upon hearing that they could sit down, Chen Ermao became excited and bowed repeatedly to Yang Zhi to express his thanks.
"Let's go, Ermao, come with me to the kitchen to cook."
As dawn broke, Chen Xiaobei and others were still laying wooden planks on the mountain.
Ma Xiaoyi, on the other hand, was rushing down the mountain to report to Liu Rumei.
Meanwhile, Sima Wushuang and Jueding Daren had already passed the Mountain God Temple and were walking forward. The scout ahead ran back to report that they had seen a villager descending the mountain.
Sima Wushuang smiled slightly, "Why should a villager going down the mountain cause panic? We can just hide and let him pass."
Everyone hid in the woods, and soon Ma Xiaoyi came by.
Watching him leave, Jueding Daoist let out a cold laugh, "This person is a trained fighter, definitely not a villager from below."
Sima Wushuang became a little anxious upon hearing this, "Then I'll go chase him and finish him."
Jueding Daoist waved his hand, "He's just an ant, why bother with his life or death for the moment?"
Hearing his words, Sima Wushuang couldn't help but laugh, "Daoist Priest is right, let him live a few more days."
Ma Xiaoyi went down the mountain and met Liu Rumei, reporting the situation. Upon hearing that there were people active on the mountain, Liu Rumei couldn't help but sigh, "We are still too late."
Liu Ce, however, had a different opinion, "Miss, the fact that people are active there precisely shows that their people haven't arrived yet. As long as we are fast enough, we might be able to get ahead of them."
Liu Rumei thought for a moment and nodded slightly, "Then I'll go discuss with the elder about when to enter the mountain."
Soon, a carriage drove into Qingniu County town, turning into the back door of the inn as usual.
Seeing her arrive in broad daylight, Taiping Zhenren was slightly surprised, though he knew it must be an urgent matter.
"Elder, people from the Imperial Preceptor have been found active on Qingniu Mountain. Please wait here a few more days before we enter the mountain."
Upon hearing her words, Taiping Zhenren let out a few cold laughs, "Why bolster others' morale and dampen our own?"
"It's just Qingniu Mountain, isn't it? Where he goes, we go too."
"Go back quickly and make arrangements. We are entering the mountain today."
In the blink of an eye, a day passed.
By this day, Chen Xiaobei and his group had finished laying all the wooden planks.
They returned to the original camp to rest. According to Chen Xiaobei's plan, they were to retreat down the mountain in the latter half of the night.
In the future, when they returned to the mountain, they would only need to bring wire and steel nails, and would not need to bring wooden planks.
They could cut enough thick branches from nearby to lay them down. Although it would consume more wire, it would save the physical strength and effort of carrying them up from the mountain.
Just as they were falling asleep, Sima Wushuang had already rendezvoused with Sun Jian and the others.
Sun Jian led the group to inspect the suspension bridge first.
The dark iron chains, reflecting in the moonlight, cast an indescribable chilling aura.
Looking at the iron chains and then at the opposite side, Jueding Daoist suddenly asked, "Sun Jian, besides this suspension bridge, are there any other paths?"
Sun Jian shook his head, "We've scouted many times, and there are no other paths. In the end, we had no choice but to build this bridge here."
Upon hearing this, Jueding Daoist sneered twice again, "Good, then this matter is easily handled."
Jueding Daoist turned to Sima Wushuang, "They want to find the dragon vein, don't they? They want to go up Qingniu Mountain, so let them pass."
Hearing his words, Sima Wushuang's eyes lit up.
"You mean, let them go up the mountain, and we guard the suspension bridge, trapping them to death?"
Jueding Daoist nodded approvingly, "Yes, if they don't die in half a month, then a month. If they don't die in a month, then two months. It's already autumn now, how long can they last?"
Listening to Jueding Daoist, Sun Jian immediately started flattering him, "Daoist Priest is right. If we guard here, one person with a repeating crossbow is enough. Even ten thousand heavenly soldiers couldn't get past us."
Jueding Daoist laughed heartily, "As long as Liu Rumei and Taiping Zhenren are dead, what courage will Crown Prince Xiao Jingyun have to fight against the Imperial Preceptor?"
Still half-asleep, Chen Xiaobei was the first to open his eyes in the latter half of the night.
Following the usual method of building the suspension bridge, they would start descending the mountain in the latter half of the night. By the time they passed the steep slope, it would be dawn, and they would be able to descend the mountain before dark.
Eager to return home, as dawn broke, the group reached the great steep slope. Still far away, Chen Dayong suddenly said in a low voice, "Look, someone over there."
Before he finished speaking, several dark figures flashed out from the bushes nearby, aiming their repeating crossbows at them.
Chen Xiaobei rubbed his slightly drowsy eyes and smiled when he looked closely.
Wasn't that Liu Ce?
Liu Ce also recognized Chen Xiaobei and couldn't help but greet him with a laugh.
"It's Brother Xiaobei! Our young lady is just ahead, follow me."
Seeing Chen Xiaobei, Liu Rumei was slightly surprised, "Village Chief Xiaobei, why have you come down?"
Chen Xiaobei spread his hands, "We finished laying the wooden planks and used up all the nails we brought, so we had to come down."
Liu Rumei nodded and cupped her fist to Chen Xiaobei, "Village Chief Xiaobei, we need to go to the summit. Could you send someone to guide us?"
To the summit.
Chen Xiaobei's heart sank upon hearing this.
Just as he was about to decline, Chen Dayong beside him, not understanding the situation, eagerly volunteered, "Brother Xiaobei, I'll take them."
Chen Xiaobei thought to himself, "So much trouble. This could have been avoided, but now it's hard to refuse."
Then he considered that Chen Dayong was also well-intentioned. Perhaps he thought that if he didn't step forward, this task would fall upon Chen Xiaobei.
However, Chen Dayong had never been to the summit, whereas Chen Xiaobei, Da Hei, and Li Dong had.
Thinking of this, Chen Xiaobei could only shake his head, "Forget it. How can you lead the way if you've never been to the summit? I'll do it."
Liu Rumei seemed very pleased when Chen Xiaobei agreed.
"Village Chief Chen, don't worry, we'll be back down in three days at most."
Chen Xiaobei knew these words were for Chen Dayong and the others, to have them relay a message to Cui Hongyu.
He also turned to Chen Dayong and the others and said, "Go back and tell Hongyu not to worry too much."
"Right, don't come into the mountain to look for us."
Chen Dayong nodded and led the group away.
Seeing them leave, Chen Xiaobei suddenly felt a sense of emptiness.
He had been in Hetou Village for so long, and had been up the mountain many times. Although he went up to catch pheasants and dig for herbs, this was the first time he had crossed this steep slope and gone further without any companions from Hetou Village.
Liu Rumei seemed to sense Chen Xiaobei's mood and pointed to the nearby woods, "Everyone, let's eat something and rest here for a while. Liu Ce, take some people to scout ahead. Ma Biao, go to the rear, at least five miles out."
From Liu Rumei's caution, Chen Xiaobei could infer that the elder with white hair and beard must be a person of great importance.