Chapter 520: Looking for Him to Cure an Illness?

The three looked up and saw that on the mountain tops on both sides, at some point, a dozen or so people were standing, their shadows vague and faces unreadable.

All that could be seen were the varied weapons they held in their hands.

The one shouting was a big fellow, looking about thirty, brandishing a massive cleaver that glimmered faintly.

Tuan Tuan poked his little head out of Xiao Er's arms and shouted toward the summit, "Uncle! What did you just say?"

"I didn't catch that! Could you say it again?"

The big fellow froze, "W‑what did you say?"

He shook his head, then helplessly croaked again, "This mountain is— is mine…"

Daoba laughed in exasperation, "I opened this mountain, I planted these trees! If you want to pass, you must leave a toll! Brother, you're making this too hard! Come, let me speak for you!"

The big fellow was clearly taken aback; how could this man use such a line?

He widened his eyes at Daoba, "Y‑you, who—who are you?"

Daoba haughtily lifted his head, "Look closely, we're of the Ma Bang! Where are you scamps from, daring to provoke people of the Ma Bang?"

"Ma, Ma Bang? Xixi Xi Ling Ma Bang?"

Daoba frowned, "Of course! Across the whole Xibei, who dares to claim that name?"

"We're just passing through, we won't interfere with you."

"If you insist on reaching out, you'd better weigh it first; one day the brothers of the Ma Bang might come and raid your little nest!"

The people on the mountain were clearly intimidated, gathering to whisper among themselves.

"Wow!" Tuan Tuan looked at Daoba, "Uncle Daoba, so the Ma Bang's name is that useful!"

Daoba beamed with pride, "Of course! Little ancestor, elsewhere it's fine, but in Xibei no one dares to touch our Ma Bang!"

Just then a loud shout rang from the summit, "If you're of the Ma Bang, do you know Daoba?"

Daoba was startled, "I am Daoba!"

He pointed to the scar on his face, "Can't you see this huge scar on my face?"

The people on the mountain replied, "Too far! Can't see!"

Daoba, half laughing, half exasperated, "Then come down and see!"

"I won't change my name, won't alter my surname; I am Daoba!"

Xiao Er gave him a glance, "Calling out names—are they old acquaintances or enemies?"

Daoba frowned, thinking for a while, "I'm sure I have no such brother; if he were truly my brother, I'd have brought him into the Ma Bang long ago."

"As for enemies, that's uncertain; anyone roaming the jianghu has at least one foe."

He shouted toward the summit, "Come down! Let me see who you are!"

The people on the summit conferred briefly, then gradually vanished behind the mountain.

Xiao Er and Daoba exchanged glances, drew their swords, and took a defensive stance.

Xiao Er whispered, "Miss, hold tight; if a fight breaks out, you'll have to cling to the horse's back and keep your eyes shut."

"Mm! Second Uncle, fight well, we must win!"

Daoba burst out laughing, "Little ancestor, you really aren't scared!"

Tuan Tuan swayed his little head proudly, "Of course!"

After a while, more than twenty people slowly approached from both front and rear.

The dusk deepened; as the dark silhouettes drew nearer, Xiao Er's face darkened, he turned his horse, stood opposite Daoba, and raised his sword.

The person at the front lit his torch; the flickering flame illuminated a young face, while those behind remained shrouded in shadow.

He stopped a dozen steps away, holding the torch aloft, "Which of you is Daoba?"

Daoba showed no fear, pulled out a fire‑starter, blew, and lit the flame near his face, "It's me!"

The man examined him closely, his voice surprised, "It really is you! Daoba brother!"

"I'm Shan Zi! Three years ago, I drank with you at Xie Bangzhu's birthday feast!"

Daoba was taken aback, scrutinizing, "Shan Zi? Weren't you the one who stayed home planting and herding with your brother? How did you end up here?"

Xiao Er felt relieved; not an enemy, that's good.

Shan Zi stepped up to the horse, "The harvest was poor, and the Zhou family's flock fell ill and all died."

"So now the whole village, young and old, has come here."

At that moment, torches flared up.

Only then did a few see clearly that the vague crowd of twenty‑something comprised men, women, and children, all wielding simple wooden sticks and shoulder poles.

Daoba dismounted, "Then why didn't you come to me?"

Shan Zi lowered his head, "Anyone who can join the Ma Bang must have some cultivation."

"We know nothing, and besides, the village has dozens of families; we can't all go with you."

Xiao Er clasped his fists and said, "Brother, we're looking for a place to spend the night and will leave at dawn. Do you know of any shelter?"

Shan Zi returned the clasp, "There is one; please follow us."

Having said that, he turned and walked toward the depths of the canyon.

Xiao Er dismounted, and together with Daoba, led their horse to follow him.

A grimy little boy curiously approached Red Cloud, staring intently at the towering horse, his face alight with excitement.

Tuan Tuan looked down at him, "Do you want to ride?"

The boy nodded, "It's really beautiful!"

Tuan Tuan smiled, "Then get on, we'll ride together!"

"Really?"

"Of course! Second Uncle, lift him up."

Xiao Er grabbed the boy and hoisted him onto the horse's back, placing him behind Tuan Tuan: "Sit steady."

Another, older boy couldn't hold back upon seeing this: "I want to ride too!"

Tuan Tuan tilted her little head, thought, and said: "You want to ride too, but three people would be too heavy—Red Cloud would get tired."

The boy slowly lowered his head.

"Uncle Xiao, you hold him up, I'll get down."

The older boy suddenly lifted his head, his face full of surprise; he never imagined that this delicate-looking little girl would, for his sake, actually be willing to give up such a beautiful horse.

Xiao Er laughed, took Tuan Tuan down, and also lifted him onto the horse's back.

A few women nearby murmured softly: "This little girl is really not bad."

"Yeah, this horse looks worth a lot of silver, and she actually lets the older boys ride it."

Tuan Tuan, however, didn't care: "Because they like Red Cloud! I like it too!"

The three of them followed them to a small valley embraced by cliffs, about the size of three or four courtyards.

In the valley's center burned a pile of campfire, and a dozen or so shacks made of branches and torn felt, haphazardly jammed together, had wind‑blocking stones piled on their roofs.

Several women squatted by the fire, adding wild greens to a chipped pottery jar.

Seeing strangers arrive, they hurriedly stood up, pulling the children in their arms closer together.

"Don't be afraid, they're acquaintances." Shanzi called out, then turned to look at Daoba: "Daoba Brother, the place is crude—don't despise it."

Daoba waved a hand: "We've all come from hardship—this is nothing."

Tuan Tuan widened her eyes, looking around.

The two boys on the horse's back jumped down, stroking Red Cloud's mane, their faces full of envy.

Several other kids poked out their little heads, not daring to step forward, all staring longingly at Red Cloud.

Red Cloud let out a loud snort; the children instantly shrank back in fright, then immediately burst into giggles.

Tuan Tuan also laughed, taking Xiao Er's and Daoba's hands, and walked to sit by the fire.

Shanzi shouted to the women: "Second Aunt, Third Aunt, bring out our stored dried vegetables, and add extra salt!"

One woman responded, lifted a clump of dark dried vegetables from the shack, and carefully placed it into the pot.

Another woman fished out an oil‑paper packet from her bosom, opened it, and inside was a pinch of salt the size of a thumb.

She pinched a small amount with her fingers, sprinkled it into the pot, hesitated, then added another pinch.

The flames licked the pot's bottom, and the aroma of the wild greens slowly drifted outward.

Shanzi sat by the fire, poking the blaze with a stick: "This year's harvest is poor; the fields barely yielded anything."

"The government still wants to raise taxes, saying it's for war, because grain supplies are insufficient."

He lowered his head, his voice muffled: "The sheep have all died off; we simply can't survive, so we fled here to hide—at least we still have our lives."

The wild‑vegetable soup in the pot was done; a woman first ladled a bowl for Tuan Tuan.

The soup was clear, with a few dark‑green leaves floating in it, and not a trace of oil.

Tuan Tuan lifted the bowl, lowered her head, and took a sip.

Daoba felt a bit nervous—this little ancestor is actually the Princess (Commandery) of Jingcheng! Where would she have eaten such a thing?

Tuan Tuan, however, lifted her head and smiled sweetly: "The auntie's soup is really delicious!"

The woman's face lit up: "As long as the young lady doesn't disdain it, that's good."

Daoba gave Tuan Tuan a thumbs‑up: "This little ancestor really is something—no airs at all!"

Shanzi asked: "Daoba Brother, how did you end up here?"

Daoba gave a brief explanation: he was going to Hidden Cloud Valley to ask the experts there to come treat an illness.

Upon hearing that, Shanzi said: "Then you've really found the right person—that old gentleman is extremely kind; whenever we're sick we go to him."

Daoba blinked: "You? Going to him for treatment? Can you afford the fee?"

Shanzi also stared: "A fee? No need—he's never taken a single copper coin!"