In the early morning, the Wolong Valley is filled with thick fog, and the sun shines all over the earth, shining in the narrow valley, penetrating the thick fog, and generating colorful morning glow, making the deep and secret Wolong Valley look like a fairyland on earth!
Under the leadership of Liu Ruyan, a group of people came out of the valley.
The carriages and horses were stored in a tea shop on the roadside. Xu Feng had paid for several days of care in advance.
At this time, the tea shop was open to welcome customers.
A bald man who looked about fifty years old and had a fat head and big ears was boiling water and making tea, sweating profusely from his work.
It was still early, and there were already seven or eight guests having morning tea gathered in the store. Judging by the clothes these people were wearing, they were not travelers, but neighbors living in nearby villages.
When a group of people came to the front of the shop, the bald man came up to him with a smile and said, "Do you guys want to have morning tea? What do you want to drink today?" He looked at the people slightly, and seemed to be surprised when they met. It's a guest I've never seen before.
Xu Feng said: "Innkeeper, we don't want to drink tea! We are here to pick up the carriages and horses we left here yesterday! Thank you innkeeper!"
The bald man blinked, touched his head, and said suddenly: "Did you check it in last night? Oh, I remember, it was when it was dark yesterday, a group of you came to check it in, but there was a black carriage and a big white horse. ?”
Xu Feng smiled and said: "Yes, exactly! We have something urgent to do, so we won't store it today! If you pay for a few more days of care, you don't have to look for it again."
The bald man said in surprise: "I deposited it last night and will take it away this morning? Why don't you guys spend a few more days in the mountains? The scenery of Zhongnan Mountain is beautiful in all seasons! Especially after summer, the Wolong Valley But it’s a perfect place to escape the summer heat!” He thought these people were visiting the mountains, so he kept introducing them.
Xu Feng waved his hand, smiled, and said, "Thank you for the introduction to the store, we will come again in the future." He frowned, suddenly remembered something, and muttered, "I want to ask the store about something?"
The bald man frowned and said in confusion: "What is it? Sir, it's okay to say it!"
Xu Feng glanced at everyone and said quietly: "Excuse me, the store owner, did you see anyone entering the middle of the mountain from here a while ago?"
The bald man thought for a while and said, "There are people here entering Wolong Valley every day, but I don't know who the guest officer is asking about? What does he look like?"
Xu Feng was startled and hesitated: "We have never met before. To be honest, I have a friend who lives in the middle of the mountain in front of me. I made a special trip to visit him during this trip. But when we arrived at the mountain last night, we found that His door was locked and he was nowhere to be found, so I asked the store owner."
Only then did everyone think that this tea shop was located at the entrance of the valley. They must have seen many people coming and going here every day. Maybe this shop had seen some suspicious people coming and going.
When the bald man heard this, he muttered and thought: "Most of the people who come here are villagers who are opening up wasteland and farming nearby, and some are people who go to the mountains to collect medicine and travel here. In addition, Besides, no one else will come here again!”
Just as he was speaking, his eyes suddenly lit up and he suddenly said: "Oh, I remembered that three days ago, a few men in red came here on horseback. They also sent the horses to me to see how happy they were. With a murderous look on their face and a fierce look, they looked like they were people traveling in the world. After leaving their horses here, they rushed into the valley! It’s been a long time since I saw anyone from the world come to Wolong Valley!” He pondered, recalling the scene he suddenly saw at dusk that day.
Everyone was shocked and looked at him in surprise.
Menghua asked anxiously: "Excuse me, the store owner, have you seen them bring an old man out of Degu?"
The bald man pondered for a moment, frowned and said, "Oh, by the way, after they went in, they came out after a while, with an old man beside them."
After everyone heard this, they couldn't help but turn pale with shock. Liu Ruyan hurriedly asked: "Have you seen what the old man looks like?"
The bald man thought deeply and said, "The old man looks to be in his sixties. He is tall and thin, with big eyes, thick eyebrows, and a red mole between his eyebrows. However, his eyes are dull and he looks stupid. You look stupid!" He looked at everyone in confusion.
Liu Ruyan and Menghua exclaimed at the same time, Liu Ruyan asked in surprise: "Did you see which direction they went?"
Before the bald man could answer, Menghua's eyes widened and she asked eagerly: "What? Are you saying that the old man is crazy and stupid?" She was shocked, thinking that she had heard something wrong, and thought to herself: "Isn't the appearance of the old man he mentioned exactly the same as dad! But when did dad become stupid again? No, no, how is this possible? Dad is not a fool, how could dad become stupid? ? He must have seen it wrong! He must have seen it wrong!"
The bald man nodded and said affirmatively: "Yes, I saw it clearly. The group of people drank tea in the shop and ordered a cup for the silly old man. However, it seemed that the old man was very jealous. Afraid of them, he just stared at those people with dull eyes, listening to those people's orders and doing whatever they asked him to do. It looked so pitiful!"
Everyone was in an uproar, their faces showed surprise, and they couldn't help but sigh.
Menghua even burst into tears when she heard it, unable to believe her ears. She shook her head in fear, her eyes were painful and dim. She couldn't figure out why the father she missed so much could become like this.
At this moment, hearing the news was like a bolt from the blue. She felt her mind was buzzing and going blank, and her heart was about to break.
She let out a cry, threw herself into Shangguan Hongqin's arms, and burst into tears.
Everyone felt sad and couldn't help but have red eyes.
Liu Ruyan glanced at Xu Feng, closed her eyes in pain, then slowly opened them, and murmured: "When I left, the master was fine, why did it become like this?"
Xu Feng stroked his beard and said thoughtfully: "No matter what, let's find Brother Chu first!"
Liu Ruyan looked at the bald man and asked eagerly: "Did you see where they went?"
The bald man looked up to the south, pointed at the mountain road, and said, "Well, we are going in that direction." Seeing the different expressions on everyone's faces, he felt puzzled and couldn't help but ask, "You are here just to find that path." An old man’s?”
Xu Feng sighed, nodded, and said: "Oh, he is my friend!" After a pause, he continued to ask: "Thank you, shopkeeper, I have something else to ask you!"
The bald man asked nonchalantly: "What is it? Just ask!"
Xu Feng looked around and said, "Do you know if there is an inn nearby?"
The bald man smiled and said: "Oh, there are no inns around Wolong Valley. There is only an inn in the Xianrenju Market closest to here! Are you guys going to stay?"
Xu Feng muttered: "Exactly, I was so annoying just now, thank you to the store!" After saying that, he cupped his fists and saluted him.
At this time, the guests in the tea shop were already greeting the bald man. He responded hurriedly, smiled at everyone, turned around and walked away quickly.
Xu Feng then said to everyone: "It's getting late. Everyone immediately went down the mountain to stay at Xianren Residence. Waiting for our news, Nephew Liu Xian and I set off to find brother Chu. Once we find him, we will meet everyone at Xianren Residence. ." After that, he ordered Zhang Shi and Wang Zhong to send everyone down the mountain.
Leng Yue suddenly said: "Dad, won't you come down the mountain with us?"
Xu Feng stroked Leng Yue's shoulders and said softly: "Of course we are going down the mountain with everyone. Once you are settled, we will set off again! Okay, without further ado, let's leave quickly!"
Zhang Shi and Wang Zhong drove the carriage out, and everyone got into the carriage. Liu Ruyan also led the horse over, got on his horse, and followed the carriage away with Juechen.
Liu Ruyan galloped her horse forward and the carriage drove quickly. After a while, they arrived at the Xianrenju Market.
Liu Ruyan took everyone directly to the "Yelai Inn" that he had pointed out before.
After everyone was settled, Xu Feng and Liu Ruyan said goodbye to everyone.
Shangguan Hongqin said worriedly: "Master, nephew Liu Xian, you must be more careful! Once you know the whereabouts of brother Chu, tell us, and we will feel at ease!"
Menghua's eyes were red from crying, and she said with tears in her eyes: "Uncle, Brother Liu, are you sure to get dad back?"
Liu Ruyan stroked Menghua's shoulders and comforted her softly: "Okay, Sister Hua, we are all with you. Don't be sad anymore. Don't worry! My uncle and I will definitely find a way to get the master back." !”
Chun Lan frowned slightly, looking worried. She smiled at Xu Feng and Liu Ruyan, stared at Liu Ruyan, and said: "Brother Liu, you must be more careful, we are waiting for your good news! You and Uncle Xu Don’t worry, I will take good care of everyone! You must come back safely!”
She looked melancholy, thinking that after finally meeting Brother Liu, they would be separated again in the blink of an eye. Even though she was extremely reluctant to let go, she had no choice but to do anything.
Everyone said goodbye reluctantly at the door of the inn. Liu Ruyan and Xu Feng glanced at everyone, got on their horses, and felt extremely heavy in their hearts. They waved to everyone, turned around and galloped away.
Everyone looked at the two people leaving with sad expressions on their faces and kept waving their arms towards them. Until their figures disappeared at the end of the long street.
Xu Feng and Liu Ruyan galloped all the way, running for a while, and before they knew it, they had run out of the Zhongnan Mountains.
At this moment, it was almost noon, the sun was shining, and the gentle light shone on them. They felt warm all over, but their hearts were completely covered by the shadow of sadness.
The two men and horses ran along the official road and stopped in a field.
The green fields are covered with grass and crops, mature corn and sorghum are swaying and dancing in the breeze, and clumps of wild flowers are blooming in every corner.
What a beautiful harvest scenery.
Xu Feng tightened the reins and let the horse pace on the spot. He looked up at the long official road ahead and said slowly: "Further forward, we will reach Baihua Pavilion. I don't know why, but I have a strange feeling. "He glanced at Liu Ruyan.
"What strange feeling?" Liu Ruyan looked at him in surprise.
"I think it is inappropriate for us to continue searching like this. Maybe we are going in the wrong direction. Think about it, the only clue we have so far is the blood letter. Although the blood letter says that Brother Chu was raped by someone from Hell Gate, He was kidnapped, but he didn't write clearly where he was kidnapped?" He paused, and then said, "There is no doubt that Hell Gate's home base is outside the Great Wall, but their people are spread all over the place, but we are not sure. Brother Chu was captured by them. We were brought back to the outside of the Great Wall, or maybe somewhere else! It is a thousand miles away from here to the outside of the Great Wall. If we rush there blindly like this, and if brother Chu is not taken to the outside of the Great Wall, then we Isn’t it unfair to have traveled such a long way? In my opinion, we’d better find out the whereabouts of Brother Chu first. If the information is conclusive, then we rush over to look for him. Wouldn’t that be better!”
Liu Ruyan felt that what he said was reasonable, nodded, and said thoughtfully: "What Uncle Xu said is absolutely true. It is really not an expedient solution for us to rush there like this, but now, where should we look for clues?" What? At present, the only clue we know is the blood letter, and the blood letter is not necessarily written by the master. If those people kidnapped the master, it should be impossible for him to write the blood letter again. . Although, judging from the handwriting, the blood letter was indeed written by the master, but under the circumstances at that time, how could the master find the opportunity to write the blood letter? Did they ask the master to write it? If so, then, It can’t be justified even if it’s emotional or reasonable, right?”
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that something was fishy. There were too many unreasonable things about it, and it was not as simple as they seemed on the surface! There should be a deeper conspiracy here!
