The pursuers thought we were heading north, so I went in the opposite direction and walked back across the mountains and forests. We had just escaped from Yuancheng, and they didn't expect us to turn back.

I knitted four pairs of straw sandals and asked Yun Zhou and others to put them on.

Walking in the mountain forest after the rain is dangerous and exhausting. We walked carefully, so the speed was very slow.

Fortunately, no pursuers caught up with us, and we successfully reached the official road leading to Jiu Shuang Kingdom.

I heard from the two roommates of the mirror thief that they once rested here and there was also an inn nearby.

Everyone in Yuancheng knows about our relationship with Jiu Shuang Kingdom, and the people who are chasing us may not know it. If I encounter danger, I may divert to Jiu Shuang Country.

For safety reasons, I asked Mr. Zhang and the others to stay in the mountain while I went down alone to buy dry food.

I assume that the people who are chasing us have arranged manpower on the official roads leading to various countries, and the four of us must not appear at the same time.

When we came out of the inn, the landlady picked out some newly made clothes that she couldn't take with her and gave me two sets.

I changed into her clothes, sneaked into a small town next to the official road, and bought dry food in batches in the town, as well as a backpack and a bamboo hat.

I walked around the town, everything was normal on the streets, and no one was following me.

But beside the official road outside the town, there were a few people sitting in a tea shed, wearing black light armor. Whenever someone passed by, they would glance at them.

Wearing a bamboo hat on my head and carrying a basket on my back, I left the town and walked toward the mountains and forests. If I didn't go to the official road, they wouldn't pay attention.

I found the inn mentioned by the roommate of the mirror thief and made some inquiries first to make sure there were no black-armored people in the inn. Then I went to the mountains to bring Yunzhou and the others out and stayed together in the inn.

This inn is relatively small, with only four rooms. The owner complained that business has been slow recently and the rooms are empty, so he was willing to give us a discount.

We have been living in the mountains for these days, and there is no condition for bathing. Considering the differences between men and women, I opened two rooms, one for Manager Zhang and Yun Zhou, and one for Yue Nanxiang and I.

In this way, Manager Zhang can help Yunzhou take a bath, and it will be convenient for Yue Nanxiang and I to go together.

The boss is a talkative person. Perhaps the lack of customers in many days has stifled him. He was busy around us, talking non-stop.

He didn't ask questions and kept talking to himself, mostly complaining about bad business and the recent chaos in the world.

I checked the tea, wine and food he served, and they were all fine.

He said that since the accident in Yuancheng, his small shop has lost business. Before the martial arts conference started, he had added several extra beds. People came to stay every day and he had no place to entertain them.

It's good now, I don't have one person anymore, I don't know what will happen in the future.

I mentioned it deliberately, saying that many merchants had escaped from the city. They had no place to stay and they should be looking for a place to stay.

The boss sighed and said, "You don't know something. There is a big inn in Shuangye Lake more than ten miles away from here, with nearly a hundred guest rooms. The merchants who come and go don't mind walking an extra ten miles and go there. The conditions are better there.

"

No wonder he was thinking that business was good some time ago, but it turned out that it was a rare time when business was good.

"My shop has been open for more than ten years, and I had some regular customers in the early days. Now everyone has gone there, and this shop can't stay open. Alas... It's a coincidence that you are here. My shop will be closed tomorrow, so we can meet each other.

It's fate, I'll treat you to the food and drinks today, please feel free to use them."

There were indeed packed luggage near the inn’s counter. I thought they were the guests’ luggage, but I didn’t expect them to be the store’s.

Manager Zhang stopped the boss, chatted with him for a few words, and invited him to sit down and have a drink with us.

They are both similar in age and speak slowly and in the same tone.

Yue Nanxiang and I sat on one side, and Yunzhou sat across from me. Manager Zhang and the boss sat opposite each other, making it easier for them to chat.

I have never seen Mr. Zhang drink. That day at the landlady’s inn, I invited him to drink for free, but he didn’t even drink a single glass.

Today he took the initiative to drink and chat with the boss over a glass of wine. I guess he just wanted to talk to him.

Sure enough, after three rounds of drinking, the conversation between him and his boss became more and more extensive.

The boss complained first, saying that he had worked hard for three years but still couldn't survive. This year he couldn't even pay the monthly salary for the clerk, so he had no choice but to fire him and guard the small shop by himself.

Originally, the martial arts competition was an unprecedented event, and he wanted to take this opportunity to get back to his roots.

Unexpectedly, Yuancheng suffered a great disaster and all the residents were scared away.

Some people who escaped from Yuancheng also went to Shuangye Lake Inn, but no one dared to stay there.

"Why is this?" Manager Zhang asked.

"Brother, you don't know something. My little shop has no backing, so who dares to come? The Frost Leaf Inn is backed by a big tree, and people live in their shop. No one dares to arrest people in front of them."

"Oh? Big tree? Is this the territory of the Martial Arts Alliance?"

"Hey, you are joking. The Wulin Alliance has suffered heavy losses and cannot protect itself. How can it care about others?"

"That's...a store opened by Tiangong?"

"Tiangong? If such a big thing hadn't happened this time, would anyone in the world have heard of their names?"

"If this is not the case, I forgive Brother Yu for being ignorant, but I really can't think of any other sect that has such power."

"Frost Cold Thousand Lakes, Han Family."

"Is it the Han family among the four major martial arts families?"

"Isn't that a big deal?"

"It's not small."

"How can our small shop be a match for others? Three years is the limit. If we don't leave, we won't even be able to save the coffin."

"Brother, is this store sold?"

"Who wants it? The Frost Leaf Inn has food, drink, and entertainment. It has everything. This place is not suitable for any business and cannot be sold at all."

This small inn is indeed not close to the official road, and there are no villages nearby, so there is no suitable business project for business.

The official road leading to Jiu Shuang Kingdom was built five years ago. Previously, this land was only bounded by mountain roads. Most of the people who stayed here were businessmen who went into the mountains to collect mountain goods from the mountain villages.

At that time, this small shop was the only inn on the road. Since the official road was built five years ago, there have been very few people walking this mountain road.

In addition, there is a large inn opened more than ten miles away. There is a paved stone road connecting the official road and the inn, making it convenient for people and cars.

The business of this small shop is naturally getting worse and worse.

"Brother Yue, to tell you the truth, our family came to Jiushuang to visit relatives, but when we came we found out that the relatives had moved away and disappeared. We had nowhere to stay. There was a disaster in our hometown and the whole village was gone. If

If you really decide to give up this little shop, why not sell it to me so that our family can have a place to stay."

As soon as Mr. Zhang said these words, the boss was so excited that the glass of wine spilled.

I raised my eyes and looked at Manager Zhang. I had no objection and continued to eat.

A small shop on a barren mountain, no one cares about it, is a good place to hide and live.

Boss Yue got excited and took Mr. Zhang to visit the house.

Although the shop is small, the owner takes great care of it. He said that every table and chair in the shop was built by himself.

If Mr. Zhang is willing to take over this small shop, all the items in it will be given away for free.

After he was happy, he became worried again. After all, the business of this store will not improve. If we take over, how will we live in the future?

Manager Zhang told him to rest assured that we could open a mountain goods shop, go into the mountains to collect goods, farm and raise chickens, and our life would still be passable.

Boss Yue thought it was reliable, so he signed a contract with Manager Zhang.

Manager Zhang took out his share of broken banknotes to pay. It was reasonable for the 'head of the family' to pay for the house.

Boss Yue was so happy that he didn't sleep all night. A car came to pick him up the next day. Before he left, he specifically told us that all the things in the store would be given to us. There was also a pile of things left behind by previous customers in the warehouse. He put labels on them all.

Which room and which guest left it behind? I thought maybe someone would come back to look for it in the future, so I put it all in one place for easy storage.

If it takes too long and no one comes back, it will be up to us to deal with it ourselves.

Boss Yue left happily. After his car was far away, Yue Nanxiang tugged on my sleeve and asked curiously:

"Sister, why does that uncle look like aunt?"

"He should have come from some palace. He is a clean eunuch, so he has no beard, his face is thin and white, and he looks and behaves a bit like a woman."

Yue Nanxiang wanted to ask again, but Manager Zhang quickly interrupted and asked her to choose a room to be her bedroom.

Boss Yue is about the same age as Mr. Zhang. He has opened a shop here for more than ten years. He has no wife or children. Now he is returning to his hometown, supposedly to join his brother.

Coupled with the differences in his body that I 'observed', his identity and background as a eunuch should be correct.

It's just that all eunuchs in any country are lifelong, so how can he get out of the palace?

Presumably he also has a story of his own.

Manager Zhang diverted Yue Nanxiang's attention, then he put on the backpack I bought, modified it, and went out to buy things in town.

Boss Yue left a box of his clothes to Manager Zhang. Although the clothes were not of a fashionable style, they were made of absolutely good materials. He lived in the mountains and did menial work all day long, so he was reluctant to wear them.

Now his body is thin and his back is stooped, and these clothes no longer fit him.

Boss Yue put on a suit that suited him well. He went to town with a basket on his back and purchased some fabrics, rice noodles and various vegetable seeds.

When I saw him carrying these things back, I asked, "Do you really want to be in a place like this?"

Manager Zhang asked with a confused look on his face: "Aren't you looking for a place to live in seclusion?"

I held my forehead and said, "This place is not secluded enough."
To be continued...