Not long after, Gu Zhang and the village chief came back.

The entrance fee was still the same, 300 coins per person.

After getting used to it, no one questioned the entrance fee. Gu Zhang estimated that Gu Rong had spent all his money long ago, and was thinking of giving him some secretly when he saw the eldest sister coming over, stuffing something into Gu Rong’s hand and leaving.

Gu Zhang was relieved and invited everyone to enter the city.

After a short stop in Xincheng, everyone continued to move forward.

After walking for a few days, before setting off this morning, Uncle Ma said seriously: “Today we are going to pass Qinglong Gorge. There is a group of bandits entrenched in Qinglong Gorge, about a hundred people. First, we must walk faster and try to pass through Qinglong Gorge before dusk.”

“Second, everyone should be alert. These bandits are not the refugees we met before. They have been robbing houses all year round and have some martial arts skills. If they start fighting, no one can take care of each other. If we don’t fight hard, we may die there.”

Everyone was uneasy after hearing these words.

But they still had to go.

They hurried and encountered refugees blocking the road. At dusk, they just stepped into the territory of Qinglong Mountain.

Seeing that it was getting dark, everyone was worried. Gu Zhang asked Uncle Ma: “Can we walk back to the entrance and then cross over here tomorrow morning?”

Uncle Ma shook his head: “It doesn’t matter if we cross today or tomorrow, we have to cross, the sooner, the better.”

“It’s the same whether it’s morning or not, but people feel safer during the day.”

“This section of the road is less than ten miles, if we walk faster, it will only take half an hour.”

Uncle Ma shouted: “Everyone follows closely, walk faster!”

Not long after entering the mountain road, perhaps because of the shade of the surrounding trees, the sky seemed to be dark all of a sudden.

The wind lantern was hung on the mule cart, and everyone dared not speak. For a while, there was only the sound of mule hooves and the rustling of dead leaves in the mountain wind on the mountain road.

The children had been put into the carriage long ago. Mrs. Qian pushed Bao’er in. No one said anything. Gu Zhang only said: “You sit in there quietly. Don’t move or shout.”

Bao’er didn’t say anything. That day, he shouted and was not only scolded by everyone but also beaten by Gu Zhonghao. He was afraid.

After walking for more than a quarter of an hour, Uncle Ma saw a bunch of thorns lying on the road ahead. He was startled and stopped the mule cart. He asked loudly: “Is the hero in front of you from Qinglong Gorge?”

As soon as he finished speaking, a man walked out from the darkness beside the road.

The man was a full-bearded man with a big knife in his hand, glancing at Uncle Ma.

Uncle Ma got out of the car and bowed: “Thank you for your hard work, Boss.”

The bearded man bowed lazily: “Thank you for your hard work, boss. Whose food do you eat? Whose clothes do you wear?”

Uncle Ma took out a flag from his bag and stuck it on the mule cart: “I’m Old Ma from Zhenwei Escort Agency, I hope the boss will give me some face.”

Every year, Zhenwei Escort Agency gives some benefits to the bandits on the roads they often travel. This Qinglong Gorge was also taken care of every year.

The bearded man hesitated for a moment: “It’s not that I don’t give a face to your escort company, but these years are not good. Everyone needs to eat. If I give you face, everyone will starve to death.”

Uncle Ma said in a deep voice: “The ancestors left food, and the boss can eat it all. I, my brother, can only eat a little bit. Please show some mercy, boss.”

Gu Sanlang whispered at this time: “What are you talking about, Uncle Ma, why are you still talking so much with this bandit? The bandit is just one person, what is there to be afraid of? I don’t believe that I can’t defeat him!”