Chapter 4: Fighting Partners

Fangfang changed into the old clothes of Grandma Feng, which were of moderate length and slightly oversized. She seemed somewhat dazed, as if she had not fully woken up, her face displaying a look of confusion. Only when she embraced Grandma Feng to bid farewell did she show great reluctance, shedding quite a few tears. She then jumped onto the horse's back and from that moment on, kept her head down in silence

What are you afraid of? Ershuan straightened his chest and said, "Let's go together and make the monster kneel and beg for mercy."

Xiao Qiu was taken aback; he had seen the Xuanfu Army once when he was seven years old, and he had an extremely deep impression of those soldiers clad in black armor, filled with awe. He never expected that one day he would become the target of their pursuit, but he was unwilling to concede defeat, "I have my own ways to evade them"

"Alright." Xiao Qiu completely trusted Er Shuan, "We will take the small path. You all help me buy some time, do not let the Xuanfu Army catch up."

West Jiec City! The boys exclaimed in unison, just like Xiao Qiu, they had only a vague concept of their country's capital, feeling that it was a place far away in the sky

The bald man finally heard the leader's command; he was obedient and immediately relaxed all his strength. He was pushed by Fangfang with both hands against his chest, his arms flailing wildly, and he fell backward onto the ground, yet he did not cry out in pain. Instead, he laughed heartily.

Hmm. Fangfang still kept her head down, looking sullen.

Er Shuan stood up and shook his head vigorously, "Let's go to Xijie City together, I will lead the way."

"Do you have a way to evade the Xuanfu Army?" Xiao Qiu asked

Xiao Qiu defeated the first ambusher, and then fell into a siege and melee, with people everywhere. There was no need to search for a target; one could simply reach out and strike. There was also no way to defend, as fists came raining down like a storm.

The matter is settled; just moments ago, the young men who were fighting with Xiao Qiu have, in the blink of an eye, become partners working together in the same boat, each coming up to pat him on the shoulder.

Although Xiaoqiu is grateful for the care and guidance of the Wind Granny, she is still very happy to leave this place and go to the library. In the kind gaze of the old woman, there always seems to be a hint of questioning, making Xiaoqiu hesitant to meet her eyes

The girl in his memory was quite different; in just a few years, Fangfang had undergone many changes. However, one thing remained the same: the large eyes always held a look of anxiety and unease, as if she could be called upon at any moment to speak in front of a crowd of strangers

As noon approached, the garland still remained in Xiao Qiu's hand

There were a total of eight youths blocking the road. Apart from the brothers Daliang and Erliang, the other six were part of Ershuan's group. If Xiaoqiu had seen them, she would have certainly jumped on her horse and sped away with Fangfang. "Why do you want to help me?"

Stop, stop, don't hit anymore, everyone cease!

It was a layer of loose soil that spanned across the road, resembling the tunnels dug by ants, but the texture of the soil was too coarse, more akin to the handiwork of a child

The two individuals soon understood its meaning, as a long rope sprang forth from the loose soil, woven from tree bark, thick and lengthy. Accompanying this were the heart-wrenching shouts from both sides of the road, piercing the sky and startling dozens of nearby birds.

The chestnut horse was completely unaware of the journey ahead. After stepping out of the gate, it naturally turned towards the eastern wild forest town, still wishing to head to the familiar woods to graze. Xiao Qiu corrected its direction, and it did not object, quietly walking along the main road

Er Shuan was the only one who did not show any signs of surprise. "Xijie City is quite nice; you can hide very well there. My uncle's family lives there, and I stayed there for a few months."

Xiao Qiu found it uninteresting and did not understand why Fang Fang, who had seemed so excited yesterday, appeared so listless upon waking up. He dashed into the woods by the roadside and picked a variety of colorful wildflowers, quickly weaving them into a crown.

All the boys let go of their hands, including Xiao Qiu. He saw the Da Liang and Er Liang brothers along with the - picture - book, and he somewhat believed Er Shuan's words

I am afraid you might run away. Ershuan seemed to think this matter was simple enough not to require further explanation

The melee has ceased, and Xiao Qiu is entangled with one person, while another has her neck in a chokehold. Two others nearby are raising their fists, ready to join the fray

Only one young boy appeared somewhat hesitant, "Is it safe in the forest? I heard that monsters and demons prefer to dwell in deep mountains and old forests. A Taoist priest came to the town the day before yesterday, and my father said he is not actually here to catch children, but to capture demons."

Xiao Qiu ran ahead, still several zhang away from the corner. She stopped in her tracks, captivated by a strange mark on the ground

Xiao Qiu felt somewhat discouraged; he knew almost nothing about the world beyond Yelin Town and had no way to evade the Xuanfu Army. He glanced at Fang Fang, who appeared even more bewildered than he was. Then he looked at Da Liang, who nodded, clearly having been persuaded by Er Shuan.

The old woman walked out from the inner room, her back slightly hunched and her gait somewhat unsteady, yet she remained remarkably composed. Not only did she swiftly devise a future plan, but she also made all the necessary preparations without uttering a single sound: enough food to last for three days, separately stored loose silver coins, several changes of clothing, and so on, all packed into two large bundles. A note with the address was entrusted to Fangfang for safekeeping, and she even provided a complete saddle.

A few steps away, Er Shuan surveyed the entire scene with authority, noticing that everyone was obedient except for one person.

Xiao Qiu has never even walked on the main road, let alone the small paths, and can only nod in response

Er Shuan squatted on the ground, casually picked up a sharp, elongated stone, first drawing a circle, followed by several lines, some horizontal and some vertical. "Our Ye Lin Town is located to the east, while Xi Jie City is situated to the southwest. In fact, the distance between them is not very far; it is just that there is a large mountain and a vast forest in between, making the official road seem much longer. My plan is to take a shortcut, enter the forest, and follow the river westward. I estimate that I can get out in five or six days, then turn onto the official road, and there will only be a few days' journey left to Xi Jie City."

We are not here to arrest anyone, " Ershuan said

"Then why are you doing this?" Xiao Qiu pointed at the rope on the ground, feeling that the other person's actions resembled interception rather than assistance

The two set off in the early morning, and the sunlight quickly became scorching. The chestnut horse instinctively walked in the shade of the trees, always wanting to stop and graze. Xiao Qiu ran back and forth, urging it to keep moving, occasionally lifting her head to steal a glance at Fang Fang on the horse's back

Of course not, I just guessed that old madwoman was lying, so I stayed here to wait for you

Xiao Qiu still did not fully understand, "Why do you want to help us?"

The bald boy is young and small in stature. Cleverly, he does not rush towards Xiao Qiu, but instead considers the fallen Fang Fang as his opponent. At this moment, the two are still engaged in a scuffle, and the bald boy has not gained a clear advantage.

The two people and the horse were startled at the same time. Xiao Qiu instinctively jumped back a step, while the chestnut horse reared up, whinnying loudly. Fang Fang, who was on top, let out a cry and fell to the ground

"Alright, I trust you," Xiao Qiu said this with great difficulty, but once the words were out, he felt a sense of relief. The heart of a youth finds it easy to hate someone and equally easy to forgive. "We are going to Xijie City, there... there are acquaintances there"

She is doing well, Fangfang whispered, her lips seemingly not moving at all

"I can make you believe me," Ershuan said confidently, pausing for a moment, "Where are you going?"

The events unfolded too quickly; figures rushed out from both sides of the grass. Xiao Qiu did not have time to assist Fang Fang and instead confronted the fastest ambusher, shouting loudly to ensure that she would not be outdone in terms of momentum.

The official road made a sharp turn not far ahead, turning from west to south. It is from that point that the dense trees gradually become sparse, transitioning into patches of mugwort grass that are as tall as a person.

Fangfang rode up on her horse, pulled on the reins, and asked, "What is that?"

Xiao Qiu opened her eyes, her mind blank, feeling unusually drowsy. However, supported by habit, she rolled out of bed and jumped to the floor. After stumbling a few steps and bumping into a stool, she remembered that this was not her home, and today she would not be riding horses, but rather heading to a distant and unfamiliar place

Xiao Qiu was even more perplexed and cautiously asked, "Aren't you here to take us back to the town?"

It was too silent, and the monotonous sound of hooves made Xiao Qiu feel anxious. "Wind Granny," after an hour, he finally thought of something to say.

Since you are going to take the official road, let me tell you, at most you will reach Linhe Town, and if you go any further, you will be captured. My father has sent someone to report to the authorities at Xiao'er Fortress. The Xuanfu Army has already set up a net to catch you, and you cannot escape anywhere.

The transformation of the two plugs was unexpected, and Xiao Qiu and Fang Fang were stunned. They exchanged glances, both half-convinced. Xiao Qiu finally saw Fang Fang's appearance clearly

Ershuan spoke so confidently, as if he had once taken this shortcut, which left no room for dissent. On the first day away from home, all they felt was excitement

Nodding slightly, he said, "The main road is no longer passable; we must take the small path."

Ershuan took a bold step forward, being the first to enter the forest that the youths knew nothing about

"I do not believe you," said Xiao Qiu. Although Da Liang and Er Liang were present, he still found it difficult to accept the transformation of Er Shuan and his group.

Because you are doing a good deed. "Ershuan turned to Fangfang, his voice solemn and somewhat affected, saying, 'Fangfang, I apologize to you on behalf of the Shen family, and I hope to make amends.'

The expressions of the boys changed as they looked at Ershuan. His height, which was already the tallest among them, appeared even more imposing at that moment

He did these things unconsciously, and only when he held the beautifully shaped flower crown did he realize that only Fangfang could wear it. However, he could not bring himself to speak, nor was he even bold enough to make a hint. The young girl on the horse was simply too unfamiliar to him, and he still could not see her true appearance clearly.

She entrusted the power of decision-making to Xiao Qiu

She is truly impressive, having acquaintances in Xijie City. She has a kind heart, preparing so many things for us, even saddles. It seems she already knew that we would be leaving Yelin Town...

Daliang hurriedly spoke, "It was my idea. I thought you might see... Ershuan, and perhaps he would run away faster, but I didn't make them jump out and fight." Daliang angrily shot a glance at Lengzi, who had stubbornly failed to stop it just now

I have a map at home. This statement from Ershuan completely established his leadership position. Daliang and Erliang both gasped, and even Xiaoqiu couldn't help but slightly part her lips; they had never even seen what a map looked like.

It is none of your concern

This was the first time she spoke up in the entire morning, yet Xiao Qiu did not notice, her thoughts entirely focused on that patch of loose soil, "It seems like a line drawn by someone, but I don't know what it means..."

The two knots were rubbed on the top of the head twice, "Just because I called out 'good', my father beat me up yesterday, saying I was being disloyal. I want to show him what true 'disloyalty' really is"

What if I can't escape? Fangfang still wants to marry me, brother. My father no longer likes her, and as for you, my father is furious and says he wants to kill you

Er Shuan kicked the bald man, stopping his inexplicable laughter, and then walked up to Xiao Qiu, saying with utmost seriousness: "Xiao Qiu, you are doing great; let us help you."

I said to stop. Ershuan raised his voice