CHAPTER 64: CHAPTER 63: DOU JIN NIANG

This matter had crossed Ruan Mian’s mind as well. Perhaps the original book hadn’t yet reached a critical turning point in the plot, which is why these important supporting characters couldn’t just meet their end.

Unless... the time for them to die had arrived.

But if they couldn’t die, tormenting them wouldn’t be bad either.

Qi Nanfeng nursed a grudge in his heart from the beginning; he retreated while stubbornly saying, "I can only tell you that you Ruan Family people won’t live much longer."

He lifted the corner of his lips, putting on a mysterious front: "Even if you, Ruan Mian, have immense abilities, can you still protect so many people then? It’s pure fantasy! You can’t even save yourself, yet you dream of helping me? I think... ah... Ruan Mian..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Ruan Mian kicked him down the slope!

Qi Nanfeng rolled suddenly down the long slope, his pitiful cries echoing repeatedly.

Ruan Mian stood up without looking back, coldly staring at the disappearing figure, her gaze deepening.

Nothing could be discerned from him, but the man wasn’t particularly smart; he always let slip some clues.

The path ahead should lead to Zhuangzhou Mountain Pass, Runing City.

After the avalanche accident, those behind probably couldn’t cause trouble on the road. If they wanted to accomplish something, then Runing City should already be a trap.

Ruan Mian called Cui Zhu over, instructing her to inform the men in her family to be particularly vigilant about their surroundings.

Qi Nanfeng, who had been kicked down the slope, twisted his ankle again, adding new injuries to old ones, making him incredibly miserable.

With immense effort, he climbed back up. The Liu Family saw her son like this, but she was powerless to help him.

"Son, can you still walk? Your mother... seems to have caught a cold, feeling terribly unwell."

She dragged her heavy body, feeling as if she might collapse at any moment.

The Liu Family always thought of herself as hardy; back at the Qi Mansion, Ruan Mian often bought her good supplements.

Rarely had she felt so miserable.

It must surely be because of inhaling those things yesterday.

Taking advantage of the situation, Ruan Jiao quietly moved to the back of the group and, from somewhere, found a sturdy stick, handing it to Qi Nanfeng, feigning concern.

"Young master, you’ll walk faster with this. I also have some medicine powder; let me apply it for you!"

Though aware that Qi Nanfeng despised her appearance and no longer felt the same, she still remembered some words Li Shen said before his death.

He mentioned that behind Qi Nanfeng, the Fifth Princess had protection, and he had even saved the King Yan’s son in the past, ensuring he’d have someone to look after him in Wuheng.

Now, in his plight, when he’s in dire straits, if she became his salvation, surely when he profited, he would remember her kindness.

So she suppressed her emotions, gently and tenderly taking care of him.

Qi Nanfeng did not refuse. It would be foolish not to take advantage of a willing woman’s attentions!

Especially now that even his mother was powerless to help him, finding someone who was willing to take care of him was not easy.

Particularly such a naive girl, a few warm words could make her willing to go through fire and water, controlling her was much easier than dealing with that Princess.

So he took the opportunity to touch Ruan Jiao’s hand and whispered, "Jiao’er, if we are fortunate to reach Wuheng, I will surely take you into my chambers and let you live comfortably."

Ruan Jiao was secretly pleased, but said aloud, "Young master, I am kind to you because I can’t bear to see you in pain. When you’re distressed, my heart hurts as well. As for anything else, I have no extravagant hopes."

"I know you are the best woman in the world, don’t worry, I won’t let you down."

...

After passing through the valley, they climbed another mountain. Luckily, the weather was favorable, and it had stopped snowing.

Now they had very few supplies left; Ruan Mian had no suitable reason to contribute more, thinking it best to consume what they had first.

With no snow, walking was more manageable.

At some point, the sides of the road began to show more and more red fruits. The government officers seemed unperturbed, so Ruan Mian went forward and picked quite a few.

Cui Zhu quickly stopped her, "Miss! These fruits are so bright red, they must be poisonous. We better not try them lightly."

Like some mushrooms, the more colorful they are, the more toxic they tend to be.

Yet Ruan Mian laughed and said, "These are called Dou Jin Niang, they are edible. They can be eaten fresh, cooked, or ground into powder and can also be used to brew and steep wine."

She picked a few and popped them into her mouth, found them sweet and sour, and tasting quite nice.

Cui Zhu was mildly surprised, seeing the lady fine, she also wanted to try some.

Seeing them eating so happily, Li Mao, without a second thought, kicked a servant, "Why aren’t you picking more to stock up?! We can’t let them take them all!"

His eyes were full of envy and resentment.

He had severely underestimated the Ruan Family’s girl, a forsaken woman yet truly skilled.

It had ruined his good fortune, and the earnings were taken by the old hag, while Mrs. Chen and Ruan Qingsong were always lingering before him.

Such a beautiful lady, why couldn’t she be his?!!

The Ruan Family’s debt, he remembered it all too well!

However, the wild fruits multiplied as they picked them. They all moved along the direction the fruits grew, hoping to stockpile as much as possible to avoid starvation.

Unknowingly, darkness fell, and they reached a sloping hill with no trees, only rows of red fruits growing everywhere.

In the moonlight, the fruits appeared even redder against the snow, and the roadsides were lined with the gleaming red fruits.

For some reason, everyone felt a bit eerie.

The government officer looked around from the front, finding a leader to ask, "Boss, how come we’ve never seen a road like this when escorting prisoners before?"

With so many red fruits on both sides, such a memorable place would hardly be forgotten.

Unless...

"We’ve taken the wrong path, bring the map here to have a look."

The officer told everyone to rest in place, intending to light a fire to take a closer look.

But at that moment, someone walking at the front ran over, shouting, "Lord! Lord! There seem to be houses ahead, have we entered a village?"

"Houses?" On the map, this area was marked as wilderness; the nearest village was at the foot of Zhuangzhou Mountain Pass.

Perplexed, they moved forward, seeing a few stone houses sparsely scattered along the roadside slopes, but none had any light inside.

They resembled small Earth God Temples in barren hills, yet not quite like it.

The cold wind blew, sending shivers down everyone’s spine.

Ruan Mian approached one of the houses, finding the stones used to build them looking relatively new, as if they were makeshift shelters.

As she pondered, in this wilderness, there suddenly came the sound of gongs, a group carrying a red sedan chair approached from afar under the moonlight, and the fiery fruits on both sides resembled a wedding procession at first glance.

Everyone was instantly creeped out!

"Lord... Lord, are people really getting married here in the middle of the wildland at night!!" As they panicked, those in front of the sedan chair banged on the gong and even started singing aloud.

"Clearly, the snow had stopped yesterday, it still feels like walking in snow woefully, two ghosts facing each other unknowing, wandering round and round aimlessly, taking a bride by naming flowers, when will the weather clear up yo~~~~"

"Ghosts... it’s a ghost!!"

"This is the Ghost Village, Lord, the Ghost Village!"