CHAPTER 77: DISHARMONY (2)_1

After the carriage stopped, the coachman lifted the curtain, and a woman dressed in a green scholar’s robe stepped out from within.

She had beautiful features, with eyebrows like distant mountains, and exuded an air of cultured elegance, yet her brows concealed a sharp edge. Her frame was not as robust as the women of Dayuan but slender and graceful, and her fair, snow-white skin added a touch of radiant beauty to her.

The woman’s smile was dignified as she casually greeted Zhou Dachun and then promptly asked, "I’ve been away for several days, how is everything at home? Has there been any major incident?"

Zhou Dachun suddenly remembered how, on the day he went to the Liang family to collect debts, he was instead repelled by ’Dong Dabao.’ Master Hong happened to leave the mountain that day, and it had been several days before he returned.

Zhou Dachun was about to reply when, at that moment, "Big Sister Hong!"

A boisterous voice rang out. Hong Xiangjun and Zhou Dachun looked toward the west, where they saw a stout woman quickly approaching them against the backdrop of the evening glow.

It was Zhu Xingfang!

"Big Sister Hong, we’re old friends by now. I’ve run into trouble this time, and I really need your help, Sister!"

Zhu Xingfang seemed anxious as she pulled something out of her bosom. "Sister, you took a fancy to my copper lock the other day. I’ll cut to the chase—this time, I need Sister’s help, and if you agree, I’ll gladly give you the copper lock with both hands!"

Hong Xiangjun’s eyes flashed briefly; Zhu Xingfang’s copper lock was nothing special. She had only mentioned it in jest, but who would have thought that Zhu Xingfang would take it seriously?

...

Kaoshan Village.

The sun was setting, and the evening light shone from the west.

Zhou Dachun, accompanied by a group of people, surrounded the Liang family’s home, a scene strikingly similar to one several days prior. Remembering the young girl’s impressive display of power that day, Zhou Dachun still felt somewhat intimidated. But she had already made sure before coming today that the girl was not at home.

Thinking of the instructions Master Hong gave her, she then reassured herself, what does it matter if the girl is home? We’re not here to fight with her, right, that’s it!

With renewed confidence, Zhou Dachun looked at the Liang family courtyard and saw Liang Haoming and Liang Yixuan emerging from a house.

The two of them looked serious; after all, Zhou Dachun’s crowd was rather imposing.

But Zhou Dachun did not lead her group to barge into the Liang family’s house. Instead, she took out something round and threw it into the courtyard.

"Hold your breath!"

Haoming immediately warned, but it was still too late. The object, which looked like a clump of dried mud, hit the ground and suddenly burst into clouds of white smoke. The smoke quickly spread, with Yixuan directly in its path.

After inhaling the white smoke, he collapsed.

Haoming immediately rushed to Yixuan’s side. At that moment, he heard a thud from inside the house—it was his second brother Shu Yu waking up. Seeing that something was amiss, he wanted to come out to check, but instead, he too fell to the ground, overcome by the smoke.

Haoming, holding his breath, was fighting the urge to gasp for air. He quickly hoisted up Shu Yu and Yixuan, with his left arm carrying his second brother and his right arm clutching his sixth, and just as he was about to step out, he let out the breath he was holding.

Then, with a thud, he fell clumsily to the ground...

...

The medicinal herb gathering trip of Dong Huiying and Zhi Chen went very smoothly, which might be due to their good fortune.

When the two returned from the mountain, the pack Zhi Chen had brought from home was now bulging, filled with items like wolf pelts and teeth, as well as freshly picked herbs. Most of the herbs were common and inexpensive, but among them were also some rare finds, such as Small Ginseng, which was considered precious.