Chapter 466: Guo Yanqiu in Peril

In the evening, Zhao Xiaoyang joined the wine table.

Liu Erwa and three other brothers set up a table in Yuan Zi, and Guo Yanwen kept them company at that table.

Qin Li, being older, rested early.

Guo Yanru was too tired last night; she had no energy all day and went to sleep early.

Also, Kong Ming's two young disciples were in the time for nurturing spirit and refining qi; they were not allowed to touch alcohol, and Kong Ming sent them to rest in the side room.

Old Two Guo Yanqiu bustled in and out of the kitchen preparing side dishes.

She fried two plates of spicy beef intestines, first giving a large portion to Liu Erwa and his brothers at this table, because there were more people here and they could eat a lot.

Then she brought another plate into the main hall, placing it at Lin Feng's table, saying, "Brother-in-law, Daoist priest, this is spicy beef intestines, and there's also fried snails underneath."

Lin Feng gave an "hmm" and said, "It's not early; you should rest early!"

"Understood, brother-in-law."

Guo Yanqiu agreed, turned around, and left with a fragrant breeze.

Kong Ming turned his head and glanced at Guo Yanqiu a few times.

Then Zhao Xiaoyang asked Kong Ming, "Daoist priest, calculate for me how many women I will have in my lifetime."

Kong Ming laughed and said, "This humble Daoist cannot calculate that, but I can tell you when you will have a child."

"Oh?"

Zhao Xiaoyang became interested.

Kong Ming raised his hand, did a finger calculation, and said, "In 15 years, this humble Daoist guarantees you will definitely have a child; if I'm wrong, you can hang me up and beat me."

Lin Feng glanced at Kong Ming, thinking this old Daoist had surely been hung up and beaten before.

Zhao Xiaoyang calculated: in 15 years, Wang Yu will be in her fourth year of college; this year she should graduate.

Wang Yu had told him that she would want a child after graduation.

This old Daoist at least got half right—impressive!

Zhao Xiaoyang chuckled and asked Kong Ming whether it would be a boy or a girl.

Kong Ming shook his head, saying that couldn't be revealed; revealing too much would shorten one's lifespan.

Outside there were four brothers; Zhao Xiaoyang couldn't stay in the main hall all the time, having drunk enough, he went out to keep the younger brothers company.

At this point, Kong Ming had something to say to Lin Feng: "Mr. Lin, you have at least three children in the Guo family, but only one is the Guo chairman's."

"Huh?"

Lin Feng widened his eyes and stared at Kong Ming.

Kong Ming's words could not be clearer.

He has three children in the Guo family; Guo Yanru gave birth to only one, so the remaining two... can only be Guo Yanqiu.

To be honest, Lin Feng currently has no designs on Guo Yanqiu.

After Lin Feng processed this, he shook his head and said, "Daoist priest, you shouldn't talk nonsense; you must have drunk too much!"

Kong Ming laughed and said, "This humble Daoist still has some cultivation; if Mr. Lin doesn't believe me, let's wait and see!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Guo Yanqiu walked over holding a plate of fried snails.

Kong Ming hastily closed his mouth.

Then it was Lin Feng's turn to size up Guo Yanqiu.

Over the past two years, Guo Yanqiu has grown up, becoming as beautiful as her sister Guo Yanru, younger, and full of youthful vigor.

What are you thinking about!

Lin Feng hastily withdrew his gaze.

"Drink, drink! Daoist priest, let's have another cup!"

Lin Feng picked up the alcohol bottle and poured a cup for Kong Ming.

Kong Ming gave a hehe laugh.

Being able to sit at the same table and drink with someone like Lin Feng, and have Lin Feng pour him a drink, is something he could brag about for a lifetime.

Guo Yanru finally behaved herself.

Lin Feng drank a bit, slept soundly, and slept until dawn.

Although they weren't relocating the grave, the grave site's surroundings still needed to be rearranged.

Early in the morning, Kong Ming brought his two disciples, along with Qin Li, the Guo Yanru and Guo Yanwen siblings, Zhao Xiaoyang and his group, and some villagers to the grave site.

Under Kong Ming's direction, a large number of pine and cypress trees were to be planted on the slope above the grave site, and also on the lower slope.

Also, all the surrounding thorns and weeds needed to be cleared away.

Kong Ming said, "To have good feng shui for the grave site, we must remove the weeds; only unattended wild graves become overgrown with weeds..."

By the time Lin Feng got up, it was already midday.

That sleep was truly fragrant.

Going out the door and looking toward the grave site, it was a bustling scene.

Zhao Xiaoyang stood with arms crossed, directing the three new newcomers to weed.

Liu Erwa had a cigarette in his mouth, drove a tractor, and with a villager's accompaniment, pulled a cart of bricks back.

Then he carried those bricks up to the slope to repair the grave site.

On the other side of the mountain, Wang Qingshi was releasing water.

After half the water was released, the villagers all went to catch fish.

Once Wang Qingshi came to his senses, he became sensible.

They selected two baskets of fish and brought them over to give to the Guo family.

After releasing the water, the next step was to request an excavator to fill the fish pond and plant trees.

These chores probably won't be finished until this afternoon.

It was almost noon when Zoulì, Guo Yanru, and Guo Yanwen returned home to make lunch.

"Where is Old Two?"

Zoulì saw that Guo Yanqiu wasn't there and asked.

Guo Yanwen said, "Early this morning, Second Sister went out with her backpack, saying she was going to pick herbs over at Three Bay Bay."

Qin Li's eyes widened upon hearing this, and she asked, "She went alone?"

Guo Yanwen nodded.

Qin Li said, "Why didn't you say earlier? In the past two years, natural gas has been connected, so no one chops wood for cooking anymore. Trees have overgrown that area, there are lots of snakes and wild boars; it's too dangerous for her to go alone."

Guo Yanwen's eyes widened, and she said, "Then I'll go look for her right away!"

Saying that, she ran out the door.

Guo Yanru then said, "Mom, Yanqiu has grown up in this area since childhood, she knows the way, don't worry."

Lin Feng furrowed his brows and said, "I'll go take a look too!"

Saying that, he ran out the door.

Guo Yanru shouted from behind, "Be careful!"

Lin Feng replied, "Got it!"

Lin Feng caught up with Guo Yanwen, and the two walked together on the mountain trail toward Three Bay Bay.

The mountains in this area aren't high, but the forest is extremely dense.

Almost all are cypress trees, and some paths used to be blocked.

"Your second sister really has guts; this forest is so dark."

Lin Feng sighed.

Guo Yanwen laughed and said, "What's the big deal? When we were kids, my second sister and I often went in there to dig wild sweet potatoes, pigskin arches, and go to the bamboo grove ahead to catch bamboo worm larvae."

Back then the forest wasn't so dense; when the sun got strong at noon, we'd run to that ancient tomb to cool off in the shade.

"Are there still ancient tombs here?"

Lin Feng was surprised.

Guo Yanwen nodded and said, "Yes, but they're not big; most are from the Ming and Qing dynasties, and many are graves of poor people. Usually they'd dig a cellar, make a hole, put the person inside, then seal it with a stone slab, and erect a stele outside."

When I was a child, firecrackers were set off here every day because someone was using a steel drill to probe for caves.

Actually, what they dug up was worthless; there aren't any big tombs here. After a few people were caught, and since they really couldn't find anything valuable, no one came to dig anymore.

"What medicinal herbs are there here?"

Lin Feng asked curiously.

Guo Yanwen said, "There's plantain, fishy-smell herb (that's houttuynia), plus wild ophiopogon, bitter tea, and goldcoin herb… all wild, and their medicinal effects are better."

As they talked, they reached a fork in the road.

"Brother-in-law, there are two paths here; I'll take this one, you take that one, and if I find my second sister, I'll call you."

"Mm!"

Lin Feng nodded.

At the same moment.

In a mountain ravine over two li away from Lin Feng and the others, Guo Yanqiu was blocked in a tomb cave by someone.

Two young men looked at the cave with a sinister grin.

One of them laughed and said, "Little sis, come out! You can't hide for long; in a moment we'll smoke you out, and you'll have to come out yourself."

Saying that, they approached the cave entrance.

A tree branch stabbed out, almost poking the young man in the eye.

"Damn! You almost poked my eye out; wait till you come out, see how we'll deal with you!"

The young man who had almost been stabbed by the branch swore angrily, immediately ran off to cut cypress branches, preparing to smoke Guo Yanqiu out.

Actually, these two are tomb robbers.

Guo Yanqiu discovered these two while digging for herbs, and they also discovered her.

Seeing how beautiful Guo Yanqiu was, the two men harbored lustful thoughts.

Guo Yanqiu reacted quickly, immediately threw down her backpack, grabbed a probing branch, and squeezed into the ancient tomb that only allowed one person to pass.

If anyone outside tried to come in, she would poke them with a branch, and she also had a knife in her hand.

For a moment, the two men couldn't do anything about her.