Chapter 23 The Mudslide Rolls, Unexpectedly Li Ruantang Has Two Faces…

Boom—— Another thunderclap exploded in the sky. Accompanied by lightning, it clearly illuminated the expressions on everyone’s faces.

Hu Sanniang was hesitating.

Fu Lanxian was indeed a scoundrel, but there was some truth to what she said. Without Li Ruantang, this matter naturally would not have been spread.

Moreover, when the mountain was blasted two years ago, her mother was still the village head. If an investigation were to be conducted, then her Hu family…

Fu Lanxian seemed to have anticipated her reaction long ago. “Sanniang, you and I have been from the same village for many years. Although I, Fu Lanxian, am a petty person, I would never joke with my own life.”

Her eyes were sincere as she continued to persuade, “Think about it, as long as we get rid of her, and the few of us keep our mouths shut, there won’t be any impact on Hu Family Village.”

“Besides, she doesn’t have a jade pendant,” Fu Lanxian glanced at the expressionless Li Ruantang provocatively. “At most, she’s just a small fry under those big shots. Even if she loses her life, no one will care. If someone really asks, we’ll just tell the truth, saying she fell off a cliff and died from severe injuries.”

She didn’t mention the connection of this matter to the Hu family, but her eyes spoke clearly, making Hu Sanniang increasingly solemn.

“If you agree, you’ll be one of us,” Fu Lanxian took half a step forward with her hands behind her back and smiled. “The grudge between you and me can also be written off.”

She wasn’t worried about Hu Sanniang. With the late village head Hu as a precedent, the silver stuffed into the Hu family wasn’t something Hu Sanniang alone could deny. It was clearly written and stamped on black and white paper. Even if it went to the capital, they couldn’t escape punishment.

“You…” Hu Sanniang’s momentum weakened considerably. She glanced at Li Ruantang’s pale face and lowered her voice, “Let me think about it.”

“What did you say?” Fu Lanxian exaggeratedly rubbed her ears and smiled triumphantly at Li Ruantang. “Sanniang, the rain is quite heavy. Speak louder so that Lady Li can hear clearly.”

“Moreover, we are both women. How can we hesitate like those men when making decisions? I know you have a relationship with this Li, but people, ah, can’t just rely on this intangible thing called friendship to live. You have to grasp something practical.”

“For example—” Fu Lanxian took out a few pieces of silver from her waist pouch and weighed them in her palm. “I know this Li has ordered many good things in the village. If she dies, those creditors will surely go to the Hu family to make trouble. How about this, I won’t make things difficult for you. As long as you don’t meddle in a while, these will all be yours, how about it?”

Fu Lanxian revealed a thoughtful smile, seeing Hu Sanniang’s expression becoming increasingly wavering. She suddenly raised her hand, and those few people who had been prepared behind her suddenly bypassed the slowly approaching Hu Sanniang and charged straight at Li Ruantang.

The torrential rain did not slow down the speed of those daggers advancing.

Li Ruantang slightly frowned, turned to dodge one person, and before she could steady herself, another pair of daggers came from her right side. She glanced at Hu Sanniang who was about to walk close to Fu Lanxian, and her hands very dexterously twisted the wrists holding the daggers. Howls of pain immediately rang out in the rain.

The smug Fu Lanxian hadn’t even had time to put on another act when she saw a dagger fly straight out of Li Ruantang’s hand, heading towards her forehead.

Before Fu Lanxian could dodge, Hu Sanniang, who had just been hesitating, suddenly changed her expression. Taking advantage of her distraction, she very nimbly grabbed her wrist.

Hu Sanniang, accustomed to farm work for years, had a very strong grip. She pinned down the panicked Fu Lanxian with one hand.

“What are you doing!”

She shouted hoarsely, “Hu Sanniang, have you gone mad?! Do you know how many important figures are involved in this? Once it’s spread, you and I will both be nothing but grass! If you still have your wits about you, you should be helping me deal with this ill-intentioned Li Ruantang right now!”

Fu Lanxian was already at the end of her rope. After struggling in vain several times, she became increasingly vicious, “Moreover, she was already a dying person. If you hadn’t dragged her back to Hu Family Village, how could all these things have happened!”

Hu Sanniang remained silent. She looked up at Li Ruantang, who had finished dealing with those people, and respectfully said, “Lady Li.”

The woman who slowly approached had blood splattered on her sleeves. Her usually gentle face was cold as she casually took out a pill. Seeing this, Hu Sanniang hurriedly pried open Fu Lanxian’s mouth.

The bitterness that entered her throat made Fu Lanxian cry and snot.

She widened her eyes in surprise and angrily said, “Li Ruantang, don’t you claim to be righteous? How come you’re also using such underhanded methods!”

Earlier at the Hu family’s door, it was precisely because of her pedantic behavior that Fu Lanxian dared to bring people up the mountain. Unexpectedly, Li Ruantang actually had two faces.

She spat hatefully a few times, about to vomit, when Hu Sanniang took out a handkerchief and firmly stuffed it in her mouth.

Li Ruantang slightly raised her eyebrows, kicked the person to the ground, and stepped on her chest, saying, “Since you have close connections with the capital, I suppose that Sun Huolang is also your man.”

Long Mountain Gully had indeed collapsed a few times, but Li Ruantang had gone through the notes left by the village head Hu and also asked Miss Cao. Without exception, all the households that died in the collapses had conflicts with Fu Lanxian.

Moreover, every time there was a collapse, people in the village saw smoke rising from Long Mountain Gully from afar.

Therefore, whether the collapses were acts of nature or man-made was a major question.

In addition, in the past two years, due to the deaths from the collapses, everyone in Hu Family Village was afraid and rarely went out through Long Mountain Gully. If someone was really doing something here, it would be hard to discover.

Li Ruantang applied force with her foot and said coldly, “The pill you just ate is a secret medicine from my mansion. It has a burning effect on the meridians. If you don’t have the antidote within a day of taking it, you will bleed from seven orifices and die with your tendons and bones burned and cracked.”

“If you confess everything, I’ll spare your life. How about that?”

Fu Lanxian never had much backbone. Now, hearing Li Ruantang’s words, she immediately felt her internal organs heating up. She was so scared that she trembled continuously, nodding her head repeatedly.

Hu Sanniang, being very observant, removed the handkerchief stuffed in her mouth. Fu Lanxian took a deep breath, her eyes darting around. Her expression immediately changed from panic to fawning, “Lady Li is indeed a noble person from the capital. To be honest, that Sun Huolang does have some status. You also know that I’m just a village ruffian, even doing these things was just following the orders from above. I’m…”

Li Ruantang looked at her sideways and increased the pressure on her foot.

Fu Lanxian, who was barely managing a smile just now, immediately begged for mercy, “Lady Li, spare me. Every word I said is true. At that time, Sun Huolang brought a noble guest to the Fu family, saying they wanted to borrow Long Mountain Gully.”

“I don’t understand geomancy and fate, I only remember that the noble person wearing a bamboo hat said this place had the aura of a true phoenix.”

“The aura of a true phoenix?” Li Ruantang sneered and scoffed, “If that were true, now that this place is desolate, do you know how many heads you have!”

Fu Lanxian was visibly stunned, her eyes bulging. Suddenly, she seemed to understand.

If what that person said back then was true, wouldn’t she have become an accomplice in cutting off the Empress’s true phoenix aura?!

Before she could think further, Li Ruantang’s indifferent voice came softly, “Privately building an altar and destroying the feng shui of this place is punishable by death. However, if you were deceived by someone—”

She looked down at the terrified Fu Lanxian from above, “There might still be a glimmer of hope if you make amends for your crimes.”

“Lady Li, no, no, Great Lady Li!” Fu Lanxian immediately burst into tears, “I was truly deceived, that’s why I mistakenly boarded this criminal ship. Please, be merciful and save me.”

Just as she was speaking, a rumbling sound suddenly came from the top of Long Mountain Gully. Unlike the loud thunder, it seemed to be carrying something heavy and rushing.

Li Ruantang frowned and signaled Hu Sanniang to pick up Fu Lanxian, who had turned into a soft pile, “Quick, let’s go!”

The terrain of Long Mountain Gully was long and narrow, and there were no plants or trees around the altar. In an instant, black mud and rocks surged down.

Li Ruantang had seen records of this in ancient books, but the books didn’t specify how to avoid it.

Hu Sanniang, following Li Ruantang’s instructions, dragged Fu Lanxian and ran out. At first, Li Ruantang was right behind them. Just as they were about to turn two more big bends to reach the exit of Long Mountain Gully,

She suddenly weakened at the knees, her vision uncontrollably darkening.

“Lady Li.” Hu Sanniang was anxious. She looked back at the black mudflow behind them and immediately crouched in front of Li Ruantang, “I’ll carry you out on my back.”

“No need, you go first.” Li Ruantang, pale-faced, gritted her teeth and quickly said in a low voice, “Fu Lanxian is a witness. You protect her and go first. Otherwise, all three of us will perish here.”

“But—”

“No buts!” Li Ruantang’s expression was solemn, “I have my own way of dealing with this. Three days later, come back to Long Mountain Gully to find me.”

She spoke with such conviction that Hu Sanniang didn’t doubt her. She hurriedly said, “Lady Li, rest assured. In three days, I, Hu San, will definitely come to receive you.”

“As for Chiu Chiu.” Li Ruantang’s eyes softened, “Please take care of him for me.”

Behind them, the rumbling sound was getting closer and closer. Hu Sanniang had no time to say more. She hurriedly bid farewell to Li Ruantang and ran out, dragging Fu Lanxian who was begging for the antidote.

As she ran, she couldn’t help but look back.

The gully behind had already been swallowed by the black mud and rocks, even the place where Li Ruantang was standing just now…

The total word count of this book is: 589,323 words. Hu Sanniang was greatly shocked. As the two stumbled around two big bends and looked back again, the speed of the mudflow had slowed down considerably compared to before.

Not far away, the young gentleman hiding in the grass was holding a pot of astragalus water, eagerly peering into Long Mountain Gully.

Upon seeing two figures, Meng Jun’s heart leaped with joy. Before he could go forward, he heard Hu Sanniang shouting hoarsely, “Quick, Ning’er, take Li’s husband and run back!”

Hu Youning didn’t understand but obediently pulled Chiu Chiu to turn around.

He reached out quickly, accidentally knocking over the pot of astragalus water that the young gentleman had been holding for a long time.

Crack——

The crisp sound of pottery breaking was fleeting amidst the torrential rain. Meng Jun stared blankly at the two approaching figures.

Running in front was Hu Sanniang, and following behind with her arms tied was the disheveled Fu Lanxian. The two of them stumbled, their steps moving quickly.

In the distance, a low rumble could be heard. A strong scent of earth spread from Long Mountain Gully. Although the young gentleman didn’t know what had happened, none of the people who had entered the mountain with Fu Lanxian had come out.

Where was Li Ruantang?!

His heart felt blocked with discomfort, and the feeling of powerlessness and foreboding from his dream surged repeatedly in his heart.

Hu Youning nervously held onto Meng Jun, “Chiu Chiu, I’m afraid there’s been another collapse in Long Mountain Gully, otherwise my mother wouldn’t…”

Not seeing Li Ruantang, Hu Youning had already guessed the outcome, but it wasn’t appropriate to tell Chiu Chiu directly. He applied force to his wrist, “Chiu Chiu, if we don’t leave now, it will be too late!”

Too late, what would be too late?!

The young gentleman’s heart felt as if it was being tightly gripped in his chest. He opened his mouth, clearly wanting to object, but couldn’t utter a single word. This morning, before Li Ruantang left, she had specially threaded the mutton-fat jade on a red string and put it around his neck.

Now the jade resting against his chest was still cool, but where was she?

The coolness spreading from the gully mixed with the rain, chilling people to the bone, making their teeth chatter and fingers unable to grip.

Those beautiful phoenix eyes gradually dimmed, like night stars robbed of their luster.

Almost instinctively, Meng Jun forcefully shook off Ah Ning’s arm and ran towards Long Mountain Gully like a madman.

They had made a pinky promise.

Others might not care about her, but he couldn’t. He had to go find Li Ruantang.

Otherwise, how lonely and in pain she must be.