Thirty taels?

Donkey Egg gasped in shock.

Was she tricking him? They hadn’t even paid the silver from before for guiding them!

“You, you give me the silver first, and I’ll do it!”

“Second Master Zhu, give him the silver.”

Zhu Yuanzhao turned and pulled an ingot from his bundle. “Little brother, take it.”

There really is some?

Donkey Egg’s eyes lit up. Just as he was about to reach for it, Yan Sanhe snatched it away.

“Let’s be clear up front—if you don’t lead us up the mountain, or if you run off halfway, what then?”

“Bullshit!”

Donkey Egg’s face turned red with fury. “I’m not that kind of person!”

Yan Sanhe: “Then first tell us what we need to prepare to go up the mountain.”

“Need the thickest, sturdiest hemp rope that can tie seven people; your clothes won’t do either—need to change into short, thick ones like mine that are good for walking.”

Donkey Egg swallowed as he looked at the ingot. “Outside need to wear a cloak, everyone needs to wear a hat, wrap your necks—can’t expose anything except your eyes.”

Yan Sanhe: “Anything else?”

“I need a shovel. You should each hold a wooden stick, and also…”

Donkey Egg rubbed his belly, somewhat embarrassed.

“Need to eat our fill and drink our fill to have strength. I didn’t eat enough just now. Oh yes, I also need to drink some hard liquor—liquor warms the body.”

Yan Sanhe turned to look at Ding Yi. Ding Yi nodded. Looking at Huang Qi, Huang Qi also nodded.

She stuffed the silver into his chest, turned around, and looked at Shiran. “Prepare provisions for seven people for three days.”

Shiran nodded. “I’ll go prepare right away.”

After walking a few steps, feeling something was wrong, Shiran turned and said to Lord Pei: “My lord, if something happens in this pitch darkness, our small temple can’t…”

Pei Xiao was made uneasy by his words. Recalling the divination Second Master Zhu had performed, he quickly walked to Yan Sanhe and said in a low voice: “You see…”

“No need for me to see. You just need to think about how many days we’ve been out, how many days we’ve been delayed on the road, and how many days we have left.”

No need to think!

Pei Xiao: “If something happens, we’ll take responsibility ourselves.”

Having gotten this statement from him, Shiran left efficiently.

Pei Xiao watched his retreating figure, his back teeth grinding audibly.

Damn it, if something really happens to me, you old baldy, you won’t escape either.

“Ding Yi, Huang Qi, Buyan. You three discuss carefully with Donkey Egg about who should lead on this mountain road, who should bring up the rear, and how to be safest.”

“Yes!”

Yan Sanhe walked before Pei Xiao. “This trip up the mountain will be very difficult. Can you do it? If not, wait at the temple.”

Hey, who are you looking down on?

Pei Xiao snorted. “Rest assured, I can do it just fine!”

Yan Sanhe walked before the Zhu family siblings. “What about you two? Can you make it up?”

Zhu Yuanzhao looked worriedly at Zhu Weixi. “I have no problem. It’s just elder sister she…”

“I also have no problem.”

Zhu Weixi looked at Yan Sanhe with determined eyes. “I’ll climb up even if it kills me.”

Yan Sanhe looked at her thin shoulders and suddenly found herself speechless. She nodded lightly.

…

In the wind and snow, the group took a carriage to the foot of the mountain.

Donkey Egg tied the rope around his waist and made a firm, solid knot.

Next was Ding Yi, who like Donkey Egg held a shovel in his hand.

The shovel could provide grip. At critical moments, one shovel thrust into the earth could prevent sliding down.

Following Ding Yi were Zhu Yuanzhao and Zhu Weixi. If Zhu Weixi couldn’t walk anymore, Zhu Yuanzhao could still pull her along.

Yan Sanhe followed behind Zhu Weixi, with Li Buyan behind protecting her. Li Buyan had another important task—pulling Young Master Pei behind her.

Young Master Pei’s mouth said he could do it, but his heart was backing out.

Where was the peak? He couldn’t see the end at all.

Huang Qi was responsible for bringing up the rear. Likewise, he held a shovel in his hand.

Except for Yan Sanhe, everyone had wrapped themselves tightly, exposing only two dark eyes.

But even so, they were still cold—so cold their whole bodies shook.

The mountains had wild beasts. They couldn’t have any light. Each step could only rely on Donkey Egg’s instincts, groping their way up in the dark.

Li Buyan had never done anything this thrilling in her life. She let out a long whistle.

“Donkey Egg, depart—”

Behind her, Young Master Pei’s brain buzzed from her whistle. He thought: Ancestor, you’re going to summon wolves!

The first several dozen zhang, everyone climbed steadily. Even the most delicate Zhu Weixi only panted heavily.

Going higher, the wind and snow grew so fierce they could blow a person away. The speed immediately slowed.

At the very front, Donkey Egg thrust his shovel down, digging into the earth before daring to step forward.

Ding Yi watched him constantly, afraid he might miss his footing.

Zhu Yuanzhao’s mouth soon tasted blood. Yet he still had to look back at his sister from time to time. His stamina gradually failed. He panted like an ox.

Zhu Weixi’s legs felt like they were filled with lead. Her teeth chattered from the cold. But she didn’t let out a single sound.

Yan Sanhe’s clothes were thin, making climbing easier, but her stamina was somewhat worse than before.

Because Li Buyan was in front, Young Master Pei feared losing face. Though already exhausted and wheezing, he gritted his teeth and endured.

Li Buyan even mocked him.

“Young Master Pei, breathe in through your nose, breathe out through your mouth. Don’t pant with your tongue out like a dog.”

“Young Master Pei, this little physique won’t do. Your future wife won’t have much happiness to speak of.”

“Did you drink milk as a child? Use your strength!”

“Young Master Pei, want me to push you? If you do, just say so.”

You damned troublemaker, shut up!

Just as he was cursing in his heart, his foot slipped. Before he could stumble, the person in front reached out and grabbed him.

That hand pulled and pressed, and Young Master Pei stood firmly.

Turning his head in shock and terror.

Li Buyan said: “No need to thank me. We’re all grasshoppers on the same rope.”

Young Master Pei’s face turned completely red. Fortunately, with the swirling snow and pitch darkness, even if he turned red as a bottom, no one could see.

Panting heavily, Zhu Yuanzhao couldn’t help asking: “Donkey Egg, how much further to the peak?”

Donkey Egg pulled down the scarf around his neck a bit. “Still far to go. This is just the beginning.”

Indeed, just the beginning.

Climbing higher, the wind and snow grew so fierce they could blow a person away. Eyes couldn’t open at all. Moreover, the air grew increasingly thin. Even Li Buyan found breathing increasingly difficult.

At this moment, everyone understood why this place closed the mountain in winter, why Abbot Shiran had forced Young Master Pei to say those words.

Because—

Danger!

Zhu Weixi’s entire body had frozen numb. Wave after wave of bloody taste surged up from her throat. Her heartbeat was rapid—so rapid it seemed about to burst from her chest.

Her feet had no feeling at all. She was completely being pulled upward by the rope around her waist.

Only now did she realize how presumptuous and laughable her words “I’ll climb up even if it kills me” had been.

“Give up—”

“You can’t climb up at all, Zhu Weixi. You’re a weak woman. What ability do you have?”

“Zhu Weixi, Geng Songsheng is waiting for you at the peak!”

“If you don’t uncover the truth, what face do you have to die?”

Zhu Weixi bit down hard on her tongue tip. As the pain arrived, she also became lucid.

She struggled to open her eyes and look ahead. In the swirling wind and snow, there seemed to be a tall, faint figure beckoning to her.

“That’s right, Zhu Weixi, I am waiting for you!”