The farther they went into the mountains, the less the road resembled the flat, open path from before. The trail grew rugged and narrow, and from time to time brambles on either side reached into the path, catching at hair and clothing. Everyone casually broke off pine branches to hold in their hands, using them to push aside the thorns blocking the way.
The brothers Li Zhiming and Li Zhihao often roamed about in the mountains, so naturally the two of them took the lead, clearing the way up front. Li Dazhu and Zhang Wenli followed close behind, while... Old Master Zhao and Li Menglan walked at the very rear.
The late-autumn mountain forest was quiet and deep. Winter was nearly here... Old Master Zhao had not seen scenery this beautiful in a very long time. “Girl Lan, this old man truly never expected that a countryside place like yours would have such lovely scenery.”
Old Master Zhao spoke with some emotion.
“As long as you like it, Grandpa Zhao,” Li Menglan said with a smiling face. The pine branch in her hand seemed to move casually, yet it always just happened to push aside the brambles reaching out from the roadside for Old Master Zhao, keeping them from snagging his hair and clothes.
Recently, Li Menglan had discovered... the clothes Old Master Zhao wore did not seem particularly eye-catching at first glance, but the fabric was all top-notch. If they were accidentally torn up on this mountain... it would surely cost quite a bit of silver!
Li Menglan smiled and reminded him, “Grandpa Zhao, you must be careful and watch your step.”
“Hehe... Girl Lan, what could possibly happen to this old man? You should worry about yourself instead.” Old Master Zhao did not know what Li Menglan was truly thinking, and in rather good spirits, he burst into laughter. His laughter sounded especially loud in the silent mountain forest.
“Grandpa Zhao, I’ve walked plenty of mountain roads like this. It’s you—who really needs to be careful!” Li Menglan said to him with a smile.
“It’s fine.” Old Master Zhao sounded rather unconcerned.
Li Menglan glanced over what he was wearing: a fine-quality, ink-black long robe. She could not help saying with some disapproval, “Grandpa Zhao, the clothes you’re wearing don’t look cheap at all. If they get torn by accident—what a pity that would be!”
Old Master Zhao was amused. “Hahahaha... Girl Lan! Clothes are made to be worn in the first place. If they tear, they tear! What is there to feel sorry about?”
Uh... Old Master Zhao’s words left Li Menglan somewhat speechless. Then, on second thought... that was true. His family owned a cloth shop; would he really need to worry about having no clothes to wear?
The path beneath their feet grew increasingly steep and difficult to travel. Fortunately, they soon arrived at the bend in the road that Li Zhiming and Li Zhihao had mentioned. Ho—good heavens, the scenery beyond the mountain path suddenly opened up before their eyes.
No one had expected that deep within the mountains there would actually be such a fine place.
This was an open clearing connected to the gentle slope of the mountain peak to the north. Because of this, the terrain here was level and the view broad. They could see the rolling mountains in the distance, peaks even more majestic and imposing, and they could also take in the lower hillsides and woodland below.
There was also an enormous boulder nearby. Li Zhiming and Li Zhihao ignored all concerns about appearances and plopped down on the ground, wishing they could suck all the fresh mountain air into their lungs at once as they panted heavily. After all, they had already walked for quite a long time, and the two brothers were still carrying baskets on their shoulders, along with everyone’s food and water for lunch. It was only normal for them to be tired.
Li Menglan liked places like this very much. She climbed onto the large rock beside the path, placed a hand above her brow, and gazed into the distance.
Li Dazhu and Zhang Wenli also chose a spot and sat down. “Girl Lan, where are the chestnuts and persimmons you mentioned? This old man doesn’t see them.” Old Master Zhao strode over.
Goodness... people who had practiced martial arts really were different. Look at him—he was already so old and had traveled such a long way... yet there was not the slightest sign of fatigue on him. Even his voice was full and vigorous.
Li Menglan looked at Old Master Zhao with some envy.
Li Menglan casually pointed behind Old Master Zhao. “There... Grandpa Zhao, those things growing on the trees behind you, the little prickly balls that look like hedgehogs—those are chestnuts. As for persimmons...”
Li Menglan turned her head and carefully surveyed the surroundings, then said with a little disappointment, “Mm... I don’t see any around here. After we finish picking the chestnuts, we’ll walk a little farther and look.”
“These things covered all over in thorns are chestnuts? Those delicious sugar-roasted chestnuts are made from these?” Old Master Zhao looked doubtful.
“That’s right!” Li Menglan leapt lightly down from the rock, walked beneath a chestnut tree, and searched carefully. From the grass, she picked up a chestnut that had already fallen and placed it in Old Master Zhao’s palm. “Grandpa Zhao, look. If this isn’t a chestnut, then what is it?”
Old Master Zhao picked up the chestnut in his palm and looked at it. Ho... it really did look exactly like the sugar-roasted chestnuts he had eaten before. “Girl Lan, you didn’t trick this old man. This... really is a chestnut!”
So it turned out that not only could people not be judged by appearances; food was the same. Something that looked prickly on the outside could hide deliciousness within.
The six of them rested for a while, drank some water, and ate the pancakes and braised dishes Li Menglan had prepared early on. Once everyone’s strength had recovered more or less, Li Zhiming and Li Zhihao had already begun nimbly knocking down chestnut burrs.
Li Dazhu, meanwhile, carefully taught Zhang Wenli how to remove the chestnut shells.
“Girl Lan, what should this old man do?” Seeing that everyone else had something to do while he alone was idle, Old Master Zhao could no longer sit still.
Li Menglan furrowed her brows in difficulty. Uh... she really had never thought about having Old Master Zhao do anything. Originally, she had merely intended to have him serve as a bodyguard.
Suddenly, a strange sound rang out. “Grandpa Zhao, look quickly! What a big fox!” Sharp-eyed, Li Menglan pointed toward a large pine tree and shouted. Behind that tree, the creature covered in fiery red fur and looking somewhat like a dog—what else could it be but a fox?
Li Menglan’s eyes curved with delight, her face full of pleasant surprise. If that fox pelt were skinned, it would definitely be worth a lot of money. Especially since its entire body was fiery red—it was an extremely rare fire fox.
Old Master Zhao and everyone else all looked over in that direction. They saw a fox covered all over in fiery red fur half-crouching beneath the large pine tree, holding one front paw and licking it nonstop.
Li Zhiming’s gaze fixed on the fiery red fox. He strode over to the basket and reached out to pick up his crude bow and arrows, his hands subconsciously about to nock an arrow and draw the bow.
“No need for such trouble, eldest boy of the Li family.” Old Master Zhao reached down and picked up a small stone from the ground. With a bend of his middle finger, there was a whoosh. The small stone shot out with a faint sound of tearing through the air, striking the fiery red fox squarely on the head. The fox did not even let out a cry before it toppled headfirst to the ground and stopped moving.
“Grandpa Zhao, you’re amazing!” Li Menglan nearly jumped up entirely.
Fuck!
Damn it, could that be the Eastern Heretic’s—Flicking Finger Divine Skill?!
It was rare to see their daughter cheering and jumping about like a little child, and Li Dazhu and Zhang Wenli could not help exchanging a smile.
Li Menglan naturally did not miss the obvious envy in her eldest and second brothers’ eyes either. Mm... this, Li Menglan could completely understand. She had also secretly considered in her heart that if her two older brothers had some martial arts to defend themselves... wouldn’t hunting become much easier? Even going up the mountain would be much safer.
Perhaps she would have to find an opportunity to ask Old Master Zhao. Uh... at the very least, learning a move or two would also be fine.
“Father, Little Uncle, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, look, it’s already getting late. Everyone move a little faster and try to pick all the chestnuts from these few chestnut trees.”
Li Menglan looked up at the sky and spoke to her family.
“Girl Lan, here you go!” Old Master Zhao had already gone over and picked up the fiery red fox. He brought it before Li Menglan as if presenting a treasure.