After provoking the holy maiden of Miao territory, she was infected with a love curse.

But nothing stays hidden forever.

Someone was using witchcraft outside the bandit stronghold, and Lü Panshan, who was wiping his scimitar, learned of this.

He frowned, and the coarse cloth in his hand slowly came to a stop, his calloused fingers wishing they could tear it apart.

"In this Miao region, who could possess such abilities? I think it must be the holy maiden whom the Miao King highly values?"

The man sitting on the wooden chair picked up the teacup, took a sip, and wore a simple long robe with his long hair tied back with a hair ribbon. He was dressed in Han Chinese clothing.

It's not difficult to establish a foothold in Silver Moon River, but it's much harder to establish a foothold in Lingshui City. You need territory, sales channels, and no entanglements with the imperial court.

Therefore, although they are Miao people.

However, he also maintained contact with the Han people in Lingshui City. This man was the strategist in charge of sales channels.

He had connections in the capital, enabling him to sell the stolen goods for a good price without any worries.

His father trusted him greatly.

Lu Panshan could tell that he had objections, but he couldn't go against his father's wishes.

If you want to make a lot of money and gain real power, you have to make some insignificant sacrifices.

If you really want to honestly farm in the village by the mountains and rivers, you'll only be destined to be robbed by others.

Stand up.

Lu Panshan sheathed his curved sword and tucked it into his waistband. His silver ornaments swayed slightly as he smiled at the man.

"Brother Bai, don't meddle in things that aren't your business."

"Whenever someone comes to visit my village, I will personally go up to greet them."

It is still unknown whether the person who came is Sang Che.

Lu Panshan was curious about which village the girl had come from, making such a big fuss. Could it be that she had taken a fancy to some young man in the village?

Could it be that she has her eye on him?

That would be absolutely unacceptable.

Turning around, Lü Panshan said to the servant who had come forward to report, "Do you have any information about that person? Go and send someone to stop her for me. Treat her well with good food and drink. I'll be back in a bit."

"Let's see what her intentions are in injuring people on my turf."

The servant quickly replied, "Yes, young master."

Liu Bai watched this scene, shook his head and sighed, then poured himself another cup of tea.

He had heard of the holy maiden of Miao territory, who had been a hostage in the imperial court after the previous Miao king's defeat, and whose personality changed drastically during the years she was tortured.

If it really is her, it wouldn't be surprising if she acted so arrogantly.

When Lü Panshan reached the door.

Liu Bai then looked up and called out, "Brother Panshan, you must not be careless. Remember to be careful in everything you do."

Hearing his words, Lü Panshan chuckled dismissively and said, "I've never been afraid of anything since I was born."

"Brother Liu Bai, there's no need to worry. I'm not some weakling who only knows how to read the classics."

Having said that, he strode out with an air of grandeur.

...

The area around the bandit stronghold and wharf on the Silver Moon River was already quite close to Han Chinese territory.

Therefore, Yin Huaixi can tell which people are of mixed Miao and Han descent.

She looked at the mountain village hidden in the mountains and wilderness and secretly memorized the terrain.

If I need to escape in the future, using the "golden cicada shedding its shell" trick in this bandit stronghold would be the most suitable.

In the distance, beside a noodle stall.

Two Miao men with scars on their faces were drinking together, with a plate of peanuts and half a chicken in front of them as snacks.

"Did you see that woman? She's dressed so gaudyly, she must have a lot of money... Why don't we steal all their jewelry and travel money while they're resting later?"

"Won't we have money for drinks tomorrow?"

His pockets were cleaner than his face.

They can't even get anything good to eat, they can only eat chicken... This is really tough on them.

Recently, the wealthy merchants of Lingshui City have apparently heard some news and have stopped traveling by mountain and water roads to their area.

The few who dared to walk this way were those who had long-term dealings with the chieftain and his men; who would dare to offend them?

Nowadays, they can only target wealthy individual investors, regardless of their background or connections. They grab the money and run, then spend it all.

This is the most carefree and unrestrained way.

Another person held chopsticks, picked up some peanuts, and slowly put them into his mouth, showing no intention of getting up.

"The women in the village all use witchcraft. I advise you not to go with them, lest you get eaten by the insects and I have to collect your corpse."

After saying that, he took another sip of wine.

"Especially in the villages further inland, the people there hardly interact with the outside world. You may treat them as one of your own, but they may not see you as one of their own."

"If you want to die... then go by yourself."

"I'm not going to play along."

Hearing his brother's pathetic state, the other man stealthily pulled a cloth bundle from his waist and placed it on the table.

He looked smug and confident: "It's just a Gu worm, isn't it?"

"Your brother has traveled all over the country for so many years, and I still don't know how to break the curse?"

"If you smear this on your body, the Gu worms won't be able to detect your presence. Then, when that woman's Gu magic fails, she'll be able to do whatever we say."

Upon hearing this, the man who had previously given up his thoughts began to stir again. If there was a way to remove the curse, he could simply kidnap that woman and then he wouldn't have to worry about money for alcohol for the next two or three months.

Seeing his brother waver, the man took out a small dish and placed it on the table, covering it with his rough palms.

To block out the sunlight.

Then he boasted, "My older sister also knows how to use Gu. She gave me this Gu worm to carry with me. Any Gu that is not as powerful as this one will be afraid of it and will disappear on its own."

"Let me tell you, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. There are definitely more than just the two of us watching these two women."

"If we go too late, someone else might beat us to it!"

Alcohol emboldens the timid.

The other man put down his chopsticks, his eyes flashing with a fierce light.

"Okay, let's do it."

...

Walking openly down the street, Yin Huaixi was not worried at all; on the contrary, she prayed that her elder sister's spies would find her.

This trip was a hard-won opportunity for her. Even if her elder sister's people couldn't find her, Yin Huaixi had to rack her brains to spread the news that she was in the village.

If her older sister knew, her chances of successfully escaping would increase significantly.

"Take a look, have a look!"

"Freshly baked glutinous rice cakes!"

The vendors were hawking their wares, and the mixed smells in the air made Sang Che feel slightly uncomfortable.

The noise made it hard for Sang Che to tell if Yin Huaixi was beside her. She reached out her fingers to the side, and Yin Huaixi noticed her reaction.

Reluctantly, he handed over his hand.

The moment their fingers intertwined, Sang Che reacted like a child who had just eaten malt candy, her eyes narrowing as her earlier unease and anxiety vanished.

"What would you like to eat?"

"I'll buy it for you."

These words concealed Yin Huaixi's own ulterior motives; she needed to find a reason to send Sang Che away so she could run out and deliver the message.

Sang Che gripped her palm and nodded slightly.

She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, a burly man dressed neatly with a curved knife at his waist appeared in front of the two of them.

"Is this young lady a new face who just arrived in the village?"

"Our young chieftain invites you."