The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 454 - 452: Interesting

Chapter 454: Chapter 452: Interesting

Old Granny Zhang, in the inner room, heard her daughter’s words and hurried into Wang Yongzhu’s room. As she watched Wang Yongzhu busily pack, she cautiously asked, "Wasn’t it said that Chongjin was fine after taking Lao Shizi’s antidote? Why then must you still go deep into the mountains to find a doctor?"

Wang Yongzhu pulled Old Granny Zhang to sit down and briefly explained in a low voice, "With all the commotion today, everyone knows that Song Chongjin’s eyes are troubled. If we don’t make up an excuse to seek a skilled doctor, how will we explain when his eyes are cured? Besides, Song Chongjin also needs to attend to some matters, so seizing this opportunity to head out is ideal."

Old Granny Zhang, visibly relieved, originally wanted her daughter to stay home—for matters like these, the fewer people who knew the better. After thinking it over, she still nodded in agreement.

"Then I’ll go prepare some dry food for the road," said Old Granny Zhang, unable to sit still any longer. She rushed off to the kitchen to be busy.

Waking up in the morning, Old Granny Zhang had prepared a large bundle of food: well-cooked pancakes, dried meat, and meat sauce.

Song Chongjin packed a couple of clothes, and his eyes were intentionally wrapped with a cloth strip, to show plainly that there was an issue with them.

After breakfast, Wang Yongzhu, supporting Song Chongjin and carrying a large bamboo basket on her back filled with food, secretly placed a short hoe at the bottom, covered by the wrapped items. Walking under the curious gaze of Qilidun Village residents, they entered Dahei Mountain.

Watching Wang Yongzhu and Song Chongjin disappear into the mountain forest, the villagers could not contain their curiosity. "Granny Zhang, what’s with your son-in-law? Why’s his eyes bound with a cloth? Did he get injured?"

Old Granny Zhang wiped her eyes with a sleeve soaked in ginger juice, and suddenly tears began to flow. With a mournful face, she said, "Don’t mention it, my son-in-law is unlucky. He encountered two unreliable masters who forced him to ingest some poison, which ruined his eyes."

"He can’t see now, can he? There’s no choice, he’s still young, with most of his life ahead of him; he can’t become blind, right? We heard that there’s a remarkable person in Dahei Mountain, who cured my Eldest Brother’s back and legs with his medicine. Now, as a last resort, we are hoping he could cure my son-in-law’s eyes. Otherwise, in the future..."

Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked; some came forward to offer comfort, while others secretly relished the misfortune.

All of this was of no concern to Wang Yongzhu and Song Chongjin anymore.

As soon as they entered the deep mountains, Wang Yongzhu felt invigorated by the crisp mountain air. The autumn mountains were flush with ripe fruits; the widespread tree leaves had turned yellow or red, which made the distant landscape extraordinarily magnificent.

Song Chongjin tried to say something several times, but Wang Yongzhu kept changing the subject. So, he did not insist further and instead began to point out various things in the woods, sharing entertaining stories about the forest. This slightly eased the tension between the two of them.

※※※

Capital City.

Within the depths of a courtyard.

A man dressed in a strong outfit briskly passed through several gates and arrived in front of a serene courtyard.

Two capable-looking men stood guard at the door. Seeing him, they gave a salute and opened the gate.

The man entered the courtyard. The door of the house was wide open, and a man was seated behind a desk, engrossed in a scroll with a thoughtful expression.

Only when the man in strong outfit reported his presence did the seated man casually say, "Come in. What is it?"

The man in the strong outfit pulled out a sealed letter from his bosom and presented it to the one at the desk.

The seated man took the letter, opened it and, after a glance, a hint of amusement appeared in his eyes: "Interesting..."

"Master?" The man in the strong outfit did not understand.

The seated man, seemingly entertained, read the letter from beginning to end with interest, then picked up a pen and scribbled a few lines on a piece of paper. He carelessly folded it and tossed it to the man in the strong outfit: "Send this on."

The man in the strong outfit caught the note, not daring to look at it closely. He carefully folded it into a long strip and slipped it into a small bamboo tube, preparing to leave.

As he reached the door, the seated man gave it some thought and then spoke up, "Take one of the antidotes labeled ’Number Two’ along as well."

The man in the strong outfit, full of confusion yet daring not to question, bowed and agreed as he left.

The seated man held the scroll, not turning a page for a long time. Only after a while did he let out a low chuckle: "Interesting..."

※※※

Following behind Song Chongjin, they weaved through the mountain forest.

Finally, around noon, they arrived at the edge of a cliff.

The cliff was about twenty meters high, with a small valley below, surrounded by steep walls on all sides.

Song Chongjin led Wang Yongzhu along a challenging path beside the cliff, stepping on sharp stones, covered with intertwining vines. The footing was slippery and unstable; a single misstep could send them tumbling, lightly injured by the jagged stones, or, worse, falling into the valley below.

This stretch of the path was clearly seldom traveled, and even with Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu’s agility, they proceeded with extreme caution.

Past this section of the mountain path was another towering cliff, draped in vines and wild grasses.

Song Chongjin fiddled with something, lifting up a patch of vines to reveal a cave entrance just big enough for one person to squeeze through.

He led the way, with Wang Yongzhu following into the cave.

The mouth of the cave was narrow, allowing only a single person to sidle through, and the light inside was dim.

Once the vines were released, the surroundings became enveloped in darkness, making it nearly impossible to see anything.

A pair of hands reached out, taking hold of Wang Yongzhu’s hand: "I’ll lead you..."

It was Song Chongjin.

Wang Yongzhu initially wanted to shake him off, but the cave was too cramped for any maneuvering, so she had to let it go.

Guided by Song Chongjin in the dark, they walked for about a few dozen meters, and the cave gradually widened.

Wang Yongzhu could feel the terrain steadily descending; were they heading down the mountain?

Soon, a faint glimmer of light became visible up ahead.

Moving towards the light, it gradually became clear they had reached the valley floor.

The cave exited into the valley they had previously observed from atop the cliff.

From the previous vantage point, the valley looked small, but now, seen from within the cave, it was surprisingly spacious. The view had been obstructed by the mountainside from above, preventing a full appreciation of its size.

The valley contained woods, a meadow, and even a pool of water, resembling a secluded paradise.

"This is a place I stumbled upon a few years ago. No one has ever been here, and the wild beasts can’t get down, so it’s relatively safe. Sometimes, when I can’t make it back while in the mountains, I rest here," said Song Chongjin, leading Wang Yongzhu toward the other end of the valley.

Only after crossing the valley did Wang Yongzhu see a cave hidden behind a large boulder.

Entering, they discovered a completely different world; the space was vast. Sunlight filtered through from some ledge on the cliff, illuminating the cavern. In the light, they could see fine, golden dust motes floating in the air.

The air was also fresher, and the temperature seemed slightly warmer than outside.

Wang Yongzhu took a quick look around and felt extremely satisfied.

The cave, with proper ventilation and suitable temperature, undiscovered by others, was perfect for cultivating Yellow Pine Mushrooms.

Pleased, she finally allowed a smile to show.

Song Chongjin, who had been stealthily observing Wang Yongzhu, at last felt relieved.

Familiar with the terrain, he brought Wang Yongzhu to a spot he had previously arranged for resting.