Almost immediately, the child’s sharp cries rang out. Lady Sun froze, her palm strike instinctively slowing, but ultimately it was too late to withdraw it completely. The palm wind swept past Tie Ci’s shoulder, and almost instantly, her shoulder began to swell.

Lady Sun rushed to the child’s side, watching as the child, though crying miserably, had his bluish-purple complexion instantly turn red with a loud, clear voice—clearly he had been saved.

At this moment she also understood that the bluish-purple color wasn’t from poisoning, but from choking. However…

She opened her mouth, slowly turning to look at Tie Ci, but Tie Ci only left her with a retreating figure—her shoulder burning with pain, she went to find medicine and bandages.

Everyone felt somewhat awkward for a moment and dispersed. The door of Dong Dezi’s house quietly opened again. Dong Dezi’s wife, holding the child, hurriedly came out to find Tie Ci. Seeing her pick up the child to leave, she said her family had medicinal wine, and since it was already late in the day, she should come back first to apply the medicinal wine before anything else.

Tie Ci actually felt this minor injury was nothing serious. Not leaving now would make it seem like she was seeking credit and showing off. Though she had ideas about cooperating with this small village, if the people had no interest, she didn’t want to pester them.

But she couldn’t resist Dong Dezi’s wife’s pulling and tugging, so she had to follow her back again. Dinner was quite sumptuous. According to Dong Dezi’s wife, it was all sent by the neighbors. When Tie Ci inquired, however, none of it had been sent by Lady Sun’s household.

Tie Ci didn’t have much appetite because Feiyu still hadn’t returned.

She had gone out hunting for half a day before, but Tie Ci always felt somewhat uneasy.

After dinner, she went out of the village again to search the surrounding areas, but still found nothing.

Tie Ci searched until midnight before returning, frowning as she lay on her bedding on the floor, thinking that the courtesan was truly elusive—this was yet another time she had left without saying a word, wasn’t it?

Although the other party had a track record of this, she still couldn’t feel at ease. She was thinking of entrusting the child to Dong Dezi at daybreak and climbing the mountains herself to search once more.

The wooden gate suddenly opened silently. Tie Ci sat up joyfully, but saw Lady Sun carrying an oil lamp, standing quietly in the moonlight.

Tie Ci suppressed her inner disappointment and was about to ask why she had come when she saw Lady Sun tilt her head, signaling for her to follow.

Tie Ci thought she had discovered Feiyu’s whereabouts, and if something had happened to Feiyu, her heart jumped with worry as she quickly got up and followed.

The two of them left the village one after the other, taking the mountain path. Tonight’s moonlight was quite good—moonlight filtering through the tree shadows created mottled silvery brightness, like bright pearls scattered all over the ground. Lady Sun simply extinguished the oil lamp and led the way ahead. Her steps were light and agile, crossing mountains as if walking on level ground. Sometimes her figure in the moonlight almost formed a black line, paying no attention to Tie Ci behind her.

But whenever she looked back, she could always see Tie Ci following behind her, unhurried and unhurried, with a slight smile on her face.

Lady Sun gradually stopped showing off her lightness skills and moved at a normal pace.

But Tie Ci gradually became puzzled. Looking at this long distance, they were crossing mountains! What was Feiyu doing running so far?

This mountain crossing lasted the entire night. Several times Tie Ci inquired, but Lady Sun ignored her completely. Tie Ci had no choice but to follow, walking until dawn broke and they turned into a mountain hollow where Lady Sun finally stopped.

Standing on high ground, Tie Ci looked down at what lay below. Before her eyes was a trickling clear stream carrying fallen petals flowing toward the valley. Beneath those fallen petals hid some strange small fish that were completely transparent. These fish were like crystal, their bones visible, with only a faint spot of bright red like rouge at the top of their heads. At the stream’s end, cliffs rose thousands of feet like giant swords thrust down. In the valley, mists swirled faintly, revealing several verdant bamboo houses. Morning sun shot through the gaps between the mountains, and flying birds passed by with their wing tips dyed golden.

Further away, on the more level low mountains, were layer upon layer of emerald green terraced fields, where many people could be faintly seen laboring.

Tie Ci was so stunned by this beautiful scene of earthly paradise that she held her breath tightly.

Behind her, Lady Sun said coldly: “I’ve brought you to the place. Whether you can succeed depends entirely on yourself.”

Tie Ci turned around in astonishment to ask questions, but she had already dashed several li away. A distant voice drifted back: “That child you have with you is inconvenient—leave him in the village for now!”

Tie Ci called out urgently: “If my friend returns, please have her come here to find me!”

Lady Sun raised her hand and waved, then turned into the mountain path and disappeared.

Tie Ci turned around again. By now she understood that Lady Sun had brought her to meet the real authority figure of the small village.

After last night’s winding mountain journey, she was already a bit confused about how to get back. If she were to turn back now to look for Feiyu, she would very likely get lost deep in the mountains. She could only pause here and wait for a while.

From Lady Sun’s tone, the matters ahead would still depend on herself. Tie Ci walked forward along the stream. The area gradually opened up, and she saw pavilions where people could taste tea while enjoying the winding streams, as well as threshing grounds for drying wheat. She saw elegant handmade lanterns as well as strings of chili peppers hanging under the eaves. She saw training grounds complete with all manner of swords, spears, and halberds, as well as a large circle full of pigs…

In short, this place had a mixed style with everything complete. Sometimes it made one feel this place was elegantly refined like a scholar’s hermitage, sometimes it made one suspect a group of warriors lived here, and sometimes it made one think the local farmers here were very skilled at various tasks…

The small stream didn’t end when it reached the valley interior but became a small river. Those houses and threshing grounds were built along the river. By the riverside, a young boy was bent over watching ants with his bottom sticking up. At the small dock, there was also a small boat. At this moment, with flowers flying and butterflies dancing, willow catkins floating lightly, grass growing thick along the banks, and water reflecting the vast sky, four people sat around a table on the boat, facing this early summer beautiful scenery, playing… mahjong.

Mahjong could be called one of the great entertainments of the Da Qian nation. According to legend, it was originally created by several outstanding women of the previous dynasty and initially only circulated among the upper court circles of various countries, gradually spreading among the common people. This skill exercised muscles and blood circulation and was suitable for all ages. The capital of Da Qian even held annual mahjong competitions.

At the table were four people. One was a young girl, petite and delicate, with a sweet round face and beautiful features, though unfortunately she had rather heavy dark circles under her eyes. Seeing Tie Ci approaching, she smiled and lifted her eyes to nod at her.

Another was also a woman, but this one was tall with slightly brown skin, wearing a long robe with colorful trim and bound sleeves. All five fingers on one hand wore rings, most of them brightly colored with large gemstones, giving off a rough yet luxurious feeling. This woman stared at the tiles in her hand with focused expression, not even glancing at Tie Ci.

Sitting across from her was a young man whom Tie Ci found familiar. Wasn’t this the classmate Qi she had encountered on the street before—the one surrounded by admirers around Shen Mi, who appeared gentle and refined but actually looked down his nose at everyone?

This classmate Qi didn’t seem to recognize her, glancing at her indifferently before speaking to the elderly man sitting in the host position beside him: “Another unwelcome guest has arrived. Do you need me to help you send her away?”