Whether in life or in death

Thirteen had no intention of eating such things, but alas, his stomach was uncooperative; upon catching the scent of meat, it growled incessantly. Especially when he saw Gu Qiuhan devouring it ravenously, he could no longer restrain himself and took a bite. Due to the lack of seasoning, neither of them could discern much flavor, finding it not much different from dog meat, albeit slightly coarser. In the blink of an eye, the two wolf legs had turned into a pile of bones, and the two exchanged a glance, bursting into laughter.

Thirteen let out a sigh and smiled, saying, "Fortunately, after many years, I still remember this formation."

As night fell, an eerie silence enveloped the surroundings, so quiet it sent shivers down one's spine. The plum grove, seemingly beautiful yet harboring hidden dangers, lay in stillness, while the white skeletal remains sprawled across the bed, combined with this strange letter, instantly filled the room with an air of mystery

There are a total of six paintings, all of which are landscape paintings, characterized by clear and fluid brushwork, expansive and distant views, and uniquely selected scenes. The two individuals squeezed together to examine the inscriptions on the paintings. The first painting is on paper, with the inscription in the upper right corner reading, "Spring Mountains Clear and Bright. In the year of the Bingwu, during the spring, on the full moon of the first month, painted by Ma Wenbi at the Shusheng Studio." Upon reading this, both of them involuntarily exclaimed "Ah" in unison, quickly exchanged glances, and hurriedly turned their attention to the second painting. This one is on silk, inscribed with "Poetic Meaning of Evening Clouds (in Clerical Script). In the year of the Jichou, on the full moon of the intercalary seventh month, created by Ma Wanwenbi." The third painting has the inscription in the upper right corner: "Crossing the Snowy Ridge (in Seal Script). Wenbi created this for Yanming."...

Shisan said, "I have never seen Shen Bisha, so why are you concerned about her appearance?"

The Thirteen-Eyed Plum Blossom Grove said with great ambition: "This is not an ordinary plum grove, but one that has been artificially planted based on the principles of Qimen Dunjia, known as the 'Red Plum Calamity Formation.' This formation was created by the esteemed Liu Ji and is vastly different from the usual arrangements of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams. From the outside, it appears to be merely a grove of plum blossoms, but once you venture inside, you will become lost in a sea of flowers. Without knowledge of this formation, it will be impossible to escape."

Gu Qiuhan had injured her calf, and it was difficult for her to walk on her own, making it impossible to carry Shisan. The two had no choice but to support each other, moving forward with a staggered gait.

Gu Qiuhan smiled and said, "I just think that where there is an elder sister, there must be a younger sister. If Shen Bisha had not been fortunate enough to escape, the Tianfu might have had another courtesan lady."

"Innocent?" The girl hesitated, then coldly laughed and said, "This secret is enough to make the world pile up with bones like mountains and blood flow like rivers! To avoid leaking information and alarming the snake by striking the grass, I cannot tell you what it is for now. Let's talk about that painting first. After discovering the secret, Shen Bitiao either hid it away or kept it with her at all times. I hope that painting is still hidden somewhere, undiscovered by anyone; otherwise..." Her expression gradually became serious, and after a pause, she continued, "I asked Defu, and he did not see that painting, and you seem to know nothing about it either. After the murder occurred, only three people had contact with Shen Bitiao one after another, excluding you and Defu, which leaves the real murderer. If Shen Bitiao had the painting with her, it is very likely that it has already been taken by the murderer, then everything I am doing now will be in vain"

Gu Qiuhan, seeing her speak so seriously, couldn't help but exclaim, "If it weren't for accompanying Miss Thirteen, would I, Gu Qiuhan, not become fertilizer for these plum blossoms?" Yet he thought to himself, "Liu Bowen is exceptionally talented, well-versed in astronomy and military strategy, so it's not surprising that he created this 'Red Plum Ambush Formation.' But why has this formation appeared here? How does Thirteen know about this formation? Could it be that she has some connection with Liu Bowen?" He knew that Liu Bowen had been commissioned to compile the 'Fire Dragon Divine Book,' which not only recorded methods for creating advanced firearms and gunpowder but also included various extraordinary formations from ancient times to the present, including the 'Red Plum Ambush Formation' that Liu Bowen himself had devised. However, this all fell under military secrets; aside from the emperor and certain relevant high officials, anyone else daring to sneak a look would face the grave punishment of extermination of nine clans. In Gu Qiuhan's view, Thirteen's identity was becoming increasingly mysterious.

Where is this? Am I not dead? asked Shisan, rubbing his throbbing head

Gu Qiuhan waved his hand in front of her and asked, "What’s wrong with you?" Shisan responded with an "Oh," and said, "Follow me, don’t speak." As she spoke, she grabbed his wrist and passed between the two plum trees at the front, turning left, circling around one plum tree, and then turning right. Gu Qiuhan followed her as she turned and turned, and soon discovered that the forest was littered with bones, mostly of wild beasts, but there were also a few human bones. Gu Qiuhan was alarmed and thought, "How strange, what kind of people live in this house?" Looking up, he was horrified to find that the small house, originally situated in the plum grove, had vanished, replaced by a sea of plum blossoms, stretching endlessly, with no visible path for walking! Gu Qiuhan was greatly startled; he was about to ask, but saw that Shisan's expression was serious, as she hurriedly pressed on, recalling her solemn warning to him not to speak, he could only hold back his questions.

Thirteen hurriedly tugged at Gu Qiuhan's sleeve and whispered, "We need a live one." Gu Qiuhan knew she was still fixated on capturing a living person to extract the name of their employer, and felt a surge of frustration, thinking, "It's easy for you to say that while standing; do you know the methods of the Six Soul-Searching Ghosts? It is already a great fortune for us to stay alive, and you still want to capture one for questioning?" As the hook tip approached his forehead, he quickly swung his knife to parry. Gu Qiuhan blocked three hooks, his arm trembling slightly from the impact, and he secretly marveled, "His techniques are ordinary, but his internal strength is extraordinary. If six people were to attack together, it would indeed be difficult to resist."

Gu Qiuhan broke off a sturdy branch; his knife was nowhere to be found, so he had to slowly carve it with a dagger, saying, "I am still alive, how could you possibly be dead?" Shisan was taken aback for a moment, recalling the instant of falling into the valley when Gu Qiuhan had protected himself with his arms and body. At this moment, his cheeks were bruised and swollen, and his clothes were tattered, making him appear far more disheveled than herself, which unexpectedly warmed her heart.

A sallow-faced man in the middle said, "Take my life!" Gu Qiuhan replied, "Compared to wealth and beauty, my life is truly insignificant. You may take it at any time if you wish, but I fail to understand what use my life would be to you." The assassin, who had already retired, had undoubtedly been lured back into the profession by someone offering an extremely tempting price, and that person must be the true mastermind behind the Shen Bitiao murder case. Gu Qiuhan fantasized about extracting clues from the six individuals, but they were all competent assassins; how could they make such a mistake? The sallow-faced man even intended to deny him another chance to speak, as he flicked his silver hook and lunged forward.

Thirteen, still shaken, anxiously pulled aside the curtain of the carriage, only to see six men standing side by side ahead, each holding a tarnished silver tiger-head hook. Six pairs of sinister eyes were fixed on the horse-drawn carriage. This was a mountain road, with towering rocks on the right and a misty valley on the left. The six men blocking the way formed an impenetrable barrier, as if one man could hold off a thousand.

What pleases a woman the most is when a man tells her she is beautiful, and Thirteen is no exception. With a chuckle, she replied, "How do you know I am not a femme fatale?" Just as she was saying this, the carriage suddenly came to a halt, without any prior warning. Both of them were involuntarily thrown forward. Gu Qiuhan braced himself against the side of the carriage with one hand and grasped her fair wrist with the other, preventing her from falling out of the carriage.

Gu Qiuhan remained unaware of the inappropriate situation and continued to smile, saying, "What are you daydreaming about? Is it so funny that it has left you utterly captivated?" Shisan trembled as he replied, "Yes... it is indeed amusing, it has even attracted the wolves..." Gu Qiuhan's smile froze, a chill creeping up his spine. He suddenly turned around and saw several greenish lights flashing in the darkness. Even without much experience, Gu Qiuhan knew those were the eyes of wild wolves! He quickly drew his dagger and moved closer to Shisan, saying, "Don't be afraid, wolves fear fire." Shisan nodded weakly, but his heart was still filled with extreme fear.

They slept soundly until the bonfire extinguished, and the two were awakened by the cold wind, only to realize it was already noon. Regaining their composure, Gu Qiuhan cut off two wolf legs and carried them with him, saying, "To avoid getting lost, we shall head east. If we cannot find our way out, do not blame me." Shisan laughed and replied, "Blame you for what? If we cannot find our way out, we can just live as wild people in the mountains, hunting wolves and tigers, that would be interesting." Before finishing her words, she sensed something amiss and her pretty face turned red.

Gu Qiuhan handed her the trimmed branch and said, "Let's go." Shisan took it and used it as a cane, but just as she stood up halfway, she exclaimed, "Oh no," and sat back down. Gu Qiuhan was taken aback, seeing her forehead drenched in sweat and her expression filled with pain, and asked, "What happened?" Shisan replied, "My foot is broken, it hurts so much..." Gu Qiuhan lamented, truly fearing that her worst fears were coming true; if she could not walk normally, it would undoubtedly be a burden on herself.

Gu Qiuhan saw her leaving in a hurry, completely disregarding her injured ankle, and couldn't help but shake his head with a bitter smile. Suddenly, he heard her let out a sharp scream and retreat even faster than before. In her panic, the injured foot stepped down hard, sending a piercing pain straight to the bone, and she was about to fall backward. Gu Qiuhan reacted quickly, catching her around the waist from behind, and asked, "What is it this time?" Shisan's face turned pale as she pointed at the curtain and said, "There... a dead person..."

Gu Qiuhan curled his lips, actually wanting to say that sophistry was a skill of women like her. Shisan completely put away her delicacy, limping as she picked up some wood to stoke the fire. Gu Qiuhan cut off two wolf legs, skinned them, and roasted them on a dagger over the flames. Shisan slightly furrowed her brows and asked, "Can wolf meat be eaten?" Gu Qiuhan had certainly never eaten it before, but the smell was still acceptable, and he smiled, saying, "When one is starving, even human flesh can be eaten; what else is there that cannot be eaten? Give it a try, it's pure game."

Gu Qiuhan swept down close to the ground, barely managing to grab her arm, when unexpectedly he received a kick to his backside. At that moment, even with his extraordinary abilities, he could not maintain his balance and tumbled down into the valley along with Shisan. Fortunately, although the valley was deep, it was not steep; otherwise, falling straight down would have led to a disastrous fate of being smashed to pieces. Gu Qiuhan, disregarding everything, shielded Shisan with his body, but felt dizzy and disoriented, with a heavy feeling in his chest that made him want to vomit. He cursed inwardly, "I wonder which beast did this? Just a little poke would have sufficed; why kick me like that?"

After traveling for half a day, as dusk approached, the mountain path gradually became flatter, and the trees were no longer as dense as before. The two individuals knew that success was near, and they were both overjoyed. However, they were still in the mountains, and with nightfall imminent, they could not help but worry about how to survive another winter night.

The young girl nodded and said, "In his later years, Liu Ji commissioned Ma Wenbi to create a portrait of Shen Bitiao, instructing her to present the portrait to the current emperor after his death. Not long after, Liu Ji indeed passed away, and Shen Bitiao returned to 'Drunken Flower Shade,' likely forgetting about the portrait. However, not long ago, Shen Bitiao uncovered a secret from that portrait, which led to her being embroiled in a deadly calamity. Now, many people are searching for that portrait, but its whereabouts remain unknown.

Although her figure was petite, she was still the weight of a person. At this moment, Gu Qiuhan was in pain all over, and carrying her made walking quite laborious. When Shisan saw him stumbling, he felt quite guilty and gently whispered in his ear, "You are truly kind." Gu Qiuhan's steps faltered for a moment, and he let out a helpless sigh

Gu Qiuhan, without hesitation, said: "A person asked his friend, 'Why does an emperor begin to rule the country at the age of fourteen, yet at eighteen, people still do not allow him to marry?' His friend replied, 'Because governing women is much more difficult than governing a country.'" Rather than a joke, it is more of a complaint disguised as humor. After telling this, he looked at Shisan with great satisfaction and asked, 'So, was it funny?' However, he found that Shisan not only showed no sign of amusement but instead had a pale face, staring blankly at something behind him.

After wandering for half a day, Gu Qiuhan, exhausted from trekking through the towering mountains, found no end to the dark, oppressive forest. As the sun began to set in the west, both of them were filled with anxiety. In such cold weather, spending the night in the mountains would undoubtedly bring unimaginable suffering. Gu Qiuhan sought out a sturdy old tree, set Shisan down, allowing her to lean against the tree while he furrowed his brow, gazing into the distance, his heart heavy with gloom.

Gu Qiuhan released her, stepped forward to lift the curtain, and saw a skeleton lying flat on the bed. Having served in the Ministry of Justice for many years, although he was not a coroner, he had seen quite a few corpses, so after a brief moment of surprise, he quickly calmed down. Observing the color of the skeleton, it was evident that it had been there for at least two or three years. He respectfully bowed three times to the skeleton and said, "The two juniors are borrowing a night’s stay here, and will leave tomorrow. We have disturbed the host, and we hope for your forgiveness." After lowering the curtain, he turned to Shisan and said, "It seems he was all alone, and after his death, no one came to bury him. I will go outside to dig a pit and give him a proper burial."

Although Gu Qiuhan was highly skilled in martial arts, he was not a hunter and was unfamiliar with the habits of wild beasts, forcing him to act recklessly. As three wolves lunged at him, he leaped into the air, delivering a series of kicks that sent one wolf tumbling away. The other two wolves, however, were clever; upon seeing their companion kicked, they both sat back, successfully evading Gu Qiuhan's flurry of kicks. After landing, Gu Qiuhan leaned forward, directly pressing down on one wolf, and with a swift motion, he slashed its abdomen, causing its entrails to spill out.

The yellow-faced man, seeing that he could not gain any advantage, inevitably felt anxious. He contemplated that their side should attack from below, believing that the opponent would expend more effort, and he needed to devise a way to bring them down. With this thought, he struck out with a hook, hitting the horse's leg. The horse broke a leg, suffering unbearable pain, and let out a tragic neigh as it collapsed forward. Gu Qiuhan and Old Du both executed a "thousand-pound drop," stabilizing their stance, but Shisan, who did not know martial arts and was caught off guard, immediately fell from the cart and rolled into the deep valley

The second person was taken aback, not expecting that the reclusive master of the house, who had met a violent end, was actually Ma Wenbi, the one who painted for Shen Bitiao! In this case, it was only natural for Liu Bowen to guide him on the formation. Gu Qiuhan thought to himself: "The guidance on the 'Red Plum Calamity Formation' and the painting for Shen Bitiao are clearly conditions exchanged between the two parties. The letter mentions, 'Once my foolish illness is fully cured, I will surely visit again and fulfill your wish, gifting you a painting as a token of gratitude.' When Ma Wenbi wrote this letter, he should not have painted for Shen Bitiao yet, and this letter was not sent out. Could it be that Ma Wenbi fell ill shortly after and passed away? Then when did he paint Shen Bitiao's portrait? Upon further reflection, the letter only states 'to gift a painting' without specifying that it was for Shen Bitiao. Perhaps when Ma Wenbi first sought Liu Bowen's advice, he had already fulfilled Liu Bowen's request by painting a portrait of Shen Bitiao. After returning, he improved upon the 'Red Plum Calamity Formation' according to Liu Bowen's guidance, achieving remarkable results, and in his joy, he wanted to gift a painting to Liu Bowen. Although this explanation seems reasonable, Gu Qiuhan still felt a sense of discomfort, as if he was not satisfied with his own speculation, but he could not pinpoint what exactly felt off.

After reading the thirteenth chapter, I was quite astonished and glanced at the skeleton, saying, "According to this letter, the 'Red Plum Formation' was originally created by him, and Liu Ji merely improved upon it. It is strange why Liu Ji would misattribute it and include this formation in the 'Book of the Fire Dragon'"

The remaining part, likely suffering from the decay of the corpse, has become unrecognizable, thus the signature is no longer visible. However, this letter is evidently addressed to the sincere Duke Liu Bowen, and within the text, there is even an implication that the "Red Plum Formation" was not originally created by Liu Bowen, which greatly astonished Gu Qiuhan

Brother Bowen, I have not seen you for a long time and I am aware that you have been unwell, which causes me great concern. During our last meeting, I presented to you my creation, the "Red Plum Formation," and greatly benefited from your guidance. Following your teachings, I have changed the positions of the three altars and planted a hundred plum trees, achieving significant success! Once I fully recover from my illness, I will certainly visit you again to express my gratitude and fulfill your wish by gifting you a painting as a token of my appreciation

"There is truly no road that heaven has closed off to humanity!" Gu Qiuhan exclaimed joyfully, "Tonight, I can sleep to my heart's content." He had thought that Shisan would be equally excited, but he found her standing frozen in place, staring at the small house among the plum blossoms, her eyes reflecting an expression that was difficult to define, a mix of surprise and fear.

Gu Qiuhan scoffed and said, "When others are born beautiful, they are deemed a source of trouble; yet when you are born beautiful, it is considered only natural. How can this be justified?"

Thirteen was completely stunned by the dangerous and bloody scene, his mouth agape, unable to close it for a long time. Gu Qiuhan did not rush to get up, lying on the ground, panting heavily, looking at Thirteen with a smile, and said, "Coward, there is something to eat." Thirteen came to his senses and asked, "What did you call me?" Gu Qiuhan replied, "You only know how to watch the excitement and dare not help; what else could you be but a coward?" Thirteen did not refute, nodded thoughtfully, and surprisingly revealed a hint of a smile.

Take good care of yourself, and may your hopes and prayers be fulfilled

The yellow-faced man sprang back with both feet, secretly astonished: "This kid is crazy, actually using such a mutually destructive move." Gu Qiuhan forced the yellow-faced man back with a knife, leisurely turning around, the intent of his blade flowing as he attacked each of the two men under the carriage with a strike. He stole a glance and saw that the coachman, Old Du, was also fighting fiercely. The three men surrounding him were all skilled, but to Gu Qiuhan's surprise, Old Du's martial arts seemed to be even above his own. A horsewhip was crackling in his hands, the whip flowers flying chaotically, and the three men were jumping around in front of him, unable to get close.

Thirteen dismissively remarked, "It is merely the beauty that brings disaster."

After walking out for a while, his eyes suddenly brightened. Amidst the vast expanse of yellow, there appeared a vibrant red hue, which was a grove of plum trees. Recently, Gu Qiuhan had been seeing plum blossoms the most, but in this desolate mountain, when he was utterly exhausted, suddenly spotting a large patch of red plum blossoms naturally invigorated him, and the vigorous vitality even made him temporarily forget his fatigue. At first, he thought he was seeing things and rubbed his eyes vigorously. Upon looking closely, he was overjoyed this time, for not only were there plum blossoms, but also a small house made of rammed earth surrounded by the plum trees!

The young girl said, "Now you should understand, even though Lu Li is dead, if we can find out who the mastermind is, we can still seek justice for you." Gu Qiuhan was delighted and said, "Alright, I will follow your arrangements, I... shall call you 'Thirteen' from now on?" The young girl replied, "Yes, call me Thirteen." Gu Qiuhan responded with an "Oh" and asked, "Miss Thirteen, how much do you know about Shen Bitiao's background? For instance, where is she originally from, and who are her relatives?"

Thirteen struggled to stand up and said, "I will go with you." Gu Qiuhan knew that she did not dare to stay alone, so he did not refuse. He tore down the curtain and wrapped the skeleton, lifting it up. Just as he was about to turn around, he suddenly caught sight of a letter on the bed, which had just been pressed down by the skeleton and was now revealed. Gu Qiuhan hesitated for a moment, put down the skeleton, and picked up the letter.

In a box, Gu Qiuhan discovered many paints, estimating that the owner of this place must be a painter. She said to Shisan, "What are you standing there for? Help me look for clues that can prove the identity of the house owner." Shisan, as if waking from a dream, quickly joined her. The two of them, like thieves, turned the already chaotic room into a complete mess. Before long, Shisan found several paintings and spread them out on the ground, while Gu Qiuhan held up an oil lamp to examine them closely.

Thirteen recited the scripture-like words: "Shen Bitiao was originally from Huai'an Prefecture. Her father, Shen Ze, once served as the Deputy Minister of Water Resources and was ordered by the Emperor to go to Huai'an to manage the waterworks. After years of effort with no success and enormous expenditures, he was sentenced to death. Shen Bitiao was subsequently sold to a brothel. She had a younger sister named Shen Bisha, who was at the Qingxiao Pavilion on Langya Mountain learning the arts at that time, thus escaping the calamity."

The room is not small, yet it is cluttered with a haphazard pile of items, predominantly paper, silk, and writing materials, thus the dampness is intermingled with faint traces of the scent of paper. Gu Qiuhan lit the oil lamp on the desk, and her vision gradually became clearer; wherever her gaze fell, there was a layer of dust over an inch thick, indicating that no one had lived here for quite some time. Against the wall stood a wooden bed, with the curtains hanging low, completely concealing the interior. Thirteen, fearing that Gu Qiuhan would compete with her, declared, "Tonight I will sleep here," and limped into the tent.

Although the wild wolf that bit Gu Qiuhan's calf was dead, it still would not let go. Gu Qiuhan endured the pain and pulled out the wolf's fang, but upon seeing the wound bleed profusely, he could not help but frown. Shisan gracefully stood up, took out a large red handkerchief, and squatted in front of Gu Qiuhan to bandage his wound. She was careful and cautious in her work, afraid of causing Gu Qiuhan more pain, and it took her the time of a tea session to finish the bandaging. Looking at her handiwork, she let out a long sigh and said, "It is a man's duty to protect women, and it is a woman's responsibility to care for men. Now you should understand, right?"

As the last rays of the setting sun hid behind the mountains, the forest was completely enveloped in darkness, and the temperature continued to drop. Shisan huddled against a tree trunk, wrapping her mink coat tightly around herself, yet her body still trembled with cold. Gu Qiuhan broke some dry branches and started a campfire, which provided a slight improvement. However, the chill had not receded, and hunger set in. While poking at the fire, Shisan complained, "I am truly unfortunate; I was living a good life, and now I have to suffer here." Gu Qiuhan glanced at her but said nothing. If one were to speak of misfortune, who could be more unfortunate than him, Gu Qiuhan? Regardless, she ultimately had her own motives, while Gu Qiuhan was nothing short of a complete misfortune! In a single night, he had transformed from a carefree minor official in the Ministry of Justice to a fugitive murderer, hiding from place to place, with hardly any refuge in this vast world. The psychological torment of such oppression was far more complex than merely enduring the cold and hunger.

Gu Qiuhan exclaimed, "What secret caused the death of an innocent woman"

As the night wore on, the weather grew colder, and even the desire to sleep could not bring rest. They endured the hazy hours until dawn, yet both were too exhausted to continue their journey. As the sunlight filtered into the forest, warmth gradually returned. Gu Qiuhan added more firewood and said, "It is no longer cold; let us sleep for a while to regain our strength for the journey ahead." Shisan had waited all night for these words, and upon hearing them, he joyfully exclaimed and immediately fell asleep.

Approximately six individuals had made prior arrangements; as soon as he moved, three of them immediately lunged at the coachman, while the other two split to the left and right, effectively encircling Gu Qiuhan, demonstrating a remarkable level of coordination

"Formation?" Gu Qiuhan suddenly realized, "What formation?"

"What happened?" Thirteen limped over. Gu Qiuhan handed her the letter, then began rummaging through boxes and cabinets in search of clues regarding the identity of the owner of this place.

Gu Qiuhan sighed, saying, "The greatest oddity of the Ming Dynasty, Liu Bowen, was not exempt from the common ways, claiming the formations of others as his own, which is truly lamentable." This sigh was genuinely heartfelt; he had always regarded Liu Bowen as a deity. Although they had never interacted, he held Liu Bowen's strategies, talents, and character in the highest esteem. However, he never expected that Liu Bowen would engage in such acts of seeking fame and reputation.

With this assistance, Gu Qiuhan's spirits were greatly lifted. He let out a series of sharp breaths and struck three times in quick succession, driving back the yellow-faced man who attempted to approach. Together with Old Du, they held the high ground, taking advantage of the terrain. Although they were outnumbered two to six, they found it not particularly difficult. Once they engaged, the entire mountain path was completely blocked by them. The travelers arriving from both sides, fearing for their own safety, stood at a distance, watching and complaining.

He removed the thirteen boots and socks, and saw that the snow-white ankle was indeed swollen high, but there were no signs of a fracture. He sighed in relief and said, "The muscles are injured, but the bones are fine; it's nothing serious." Thirteen retorted, "Can't you see how swollen it is?" Gu Qiuhan replied irritably, "I thought you were just this fat to begin with." Thirteen was infuriated and was about to explode, but then saw Gu Qiuhan turn his back and crouch down. Thirteen asked in surprise, "What are you doing?" Gu Qiuhan said, "I'm going to carry you; we can't just wait to die at the bottom of this valley, can we?" Thirteen hesitated for a moment, then wrapped his arms around Gu Qiuhan's neck and obediently lay down on his back.

He turned his head to look at Shisan, seeing her eyes tightly closed, already fainted, but her breathing was steady, indicating that she was not in serious danger. After resting for a while, the cold air from the valley gradually approached; if he lay down any longer, he feared he would freeze to death. Gu Qiuhan got up, pinched Shisan's nose, and brought her back to consciousness.

The young girl commanded the coachman, "Return to the heavens." Gu Qiuhan anxiously said, "Aren't we bringing De Fu back with us? He can testify that after me, Lu Li followed upstairs." The young girl dismissively replied, "Hmph, what good is his testimony? After all, he didn't witness Lu Li committing murder, and besides, Lu Li has already perished at your hands, leaving no one to corroborate the story." Gu Qiuhan sighed and muttered, "So, does that mean my trip was in vain? What plans do you have after we return?"

After a moment of confrontation, two green dots slowly moved, reaching behind them. Gu Qiuhan cursed under his breath, "Beasts, you want to launch a pincer attack." He picked up a burning twig and handed it to Shisan Dao, saying, "Hold this and do not move." After speaking, he suddenly turned around and lunged at the two green dots behind. The wild wolves were also very agile, leaping back and letting out a long howl, while the other two wild wolves immediately circled around the fire and pounced forward like lightning.

That painter from Qinhuai who once served as the governor of Fuzhou? Although Gu Qiuhan is not one to indulge in the frivolities of elegance, he has still heard of Ma Wenbi's reputation

Gu Qiuhan forced a smile and said, "Beautiful women bring disaster! It seems you have unfortunately hit the nail on the head." The six individuals, each with distinct appearances, were clearly not related, yet they wielded the same type of weapon. Gu Qiuhan quickly deduced their origins and laughed aloud, "The Six Ghosts of Soul Searching, I have heard that you have washed your hands of crime. This time returning to the world, is it for robbery of wealth or for lust?"

Suddenly, a cry of "Ouch" was heard, as she took a half step back and bumped into Shisan. Gu Qiuhan was taken aback, realizing that she was unskilled in martial arts, and while he was dealing with these few fierce opponents, he also had to protect her, which was indeed quite challenging. With his mind in turmoil, he did not delay in action; he swiftly turned around and wrapped his arm around her slender waist to prevent her from falling. Shisan shouted, "Be careful!" Gu Qiuhan anticipated the enemy's attack, knowing that if he waited to turn his head and look closely before responding, it would be too late. Therefore, without even glancing, he thrust his knife forward, swiftly stabbing at the abdomen of the yellow-faced man.

Under the warmth of the campfire, Shisan quickly dozed off. Suddenly, with a loud "pop," Shisan jerked his head up and glared, saying, "Why did you hit me?" Gu Qiuhan replied, "In a place like this, if you fall into a deep sleep, even if you don't freeze to death, you will surely fall seriously ill." Shisan, with a mournful expression, said, "What should I do? I've been tired all day and haven't eaten anything; I can hardly keep my eyes open." Gu Qiuhan smiled wryly and said, "First, the cart carried you, then I carried you, and you still complain about being tired?" In truth, he was the one who was extremely exhausted. To keep both himself and Shisan more alert, he suggested, "How about this: we tell jokes, and whoever tells a bad one will be punished to collect firewood." Shisan clapped his hands and said, "Great, great! You go first." He resolved in his heart that no matter how ridiculous Gu Qiuhan's joke was, he would definitely hold back his laughter.

She spoke in an ambiguous manner, and Gu Qiuhan listened, feeling as if he understood yet did not understand. He thought to himself: "She is being secretive with me, and I cannot easily trust her. We are merely using each other to fulfill our own needs. I do not necessarily need to know her background, nor do I need to share my thoughts with her."

Gu Qiuhuan's mind stirred, "The appearances of the two sisters must be quite similar, right?"

Amidst the howling of the wild wolf, a sudden scream pierced through, as the wolf that Gu Qiuhan had kicked away rolled right under Shisan's feet. At that moment, it had already gotten back up, glaring with eyes like ghostly flames, fixated on the fire stick in Shisan's hand. Gu Qiuhan did not dare to be negligent; he rolled on the ground and reached behind the wolf, grabbing its tail and plunging a dagger into its rear. The wolf howled in agony, turning its head to bite. Gu Qiuhan had no time to withdraw the dagger, so he released its tail and seized its long snout. At that moment, he felt a sharp pain in his leg, as the wolf behind him lunged forward, biting down hard on his calf. Gu Qiuhan quickly clamped his legs together, trapping the wolf's neck, and with a forceful twist, he heard a crack as he broke its neck. The remaining wolf, having been stabbed in the rear, was in excruciating pain, its mouth held by Gu Qiuhan, unable to bite back, only able to flail its four paws in a frenzy. Gu Qiuhan withdrew the dagger and indiscriminately stabbed at it, until its legs went limp and it ceased to make a sound, before finally stopping.

Thirteen scrutinized the tightly closed door and pondered, "Who lives in such a remote mountain and has set up the 'Red Plum Ambush'?" Gu Qiuhan replied, "We will know once we go in, won't we?" He knocked on the door and waited for a while, but there was no response, so he called out again, "Is anyone there?" Still, there was no answer, indicating that it was an empty house. Gu Qiuhan pushed the door hard, and with a creak, it opened, releasing a wave of damp air. By this time, it was dark, and visibility inside the room was not very clear. Gu Qiuhan took out a lamp, struck a match to light it, and quickly scanned the entire room by the faint glow of the small flame.

The young girl straightened her legs and gently patted her knees, absentmindedly saying, "First, I'll find a place for you to settle down, and then I'll plan the next step." Gu Qiuhan retorted, "Since we are to cooperate, we should be honest with each other. You might as well reveal some secrets to me, so I won't be left to guess and overthink things unnecessarily." The young girl smiled gently and asked in return, "Do you know who Ma Wenbi is?"

Gradually, Gu Qiuhan discovered that Shisan was not wandering aimlessly. Each time she circled a tree, her lips would move as if she were silently reciting something, occasionally letting out a soft sigh before retracing her steps and circling forward again. After walking for a full hour, she finally emerged from the plum grove, and the house that had vanished into thin air stood solidly before her once more. Looking back at the path, the distance from the door to the edge of the plum grove was merely a few zhang, and the entire grove spanned less than a mile. Why was it that upon entering the grove, she could see nothing of the outside world?

Finally reaching the bottom, the two rolled a considerable distance on the flat ground before gradually coming to a stop. Gu Qiuhan lay on his back, staring at the sky, feeling as if his internal organs were still violently shaking, and his entire body felt as if it were falling apart. The aching sensation made him wish he could lie here for a lifetime without getting up. Above him was a hazy expanse, the sky high and the clouds light, and it was impossible to see the mountain path, the carriage, or the six soul-searching ghosts; all that filled his vision were withered yellow trees and jagged rocks. Gu Qiuhan couldn't help but feel a sense of dread; if he had collided with a rock while rolling down, he would have surely suffered a fatal injury.