I couldn't care about paying attention to the conversation between Liu Chaofeng and Wu Jixue, and Wu Zheng focused all his energy on how to control his breathing to prevent being discovered by the other party. Fortunately, in the wild, there is always a breeze blowing slowly, and it happens to be after autumn, the grass and trees have withered, and the leaves that are still hanging on the sparse branches where the wind passes, as well as the dead grass on the ground, will inevitably make a squeezing sound, thus covering up Wu Zheng's faint breathing.

After a long time, Wu Jixue and Liu Chaofeng, who were not speculative, suddenly moved their hands, and, under the intentional guidance of Wu Jixue, the group gradually descended along the hillside, which was the direction to Liulinbao.

Wu Zheng, who finally felt safe, didn't dare to stay where he was anymore, and quietly went into the continuous South Mountain to the south of Dongshan.

This drill was a few hours, and it was not until night fell and the sky was full of stars that Wu Zheng finally drilled out of Nanshan and appeared on a sheep intestine trail along the stream.

For the Shannan area south of Wujiabao Nanshan, Wu Zheng has never been here. The first time he set foot on this strange land, Wu Zheng not only did not feel timid, but there was a sense of ease in his heart to escape.

Considering that it was not far from the territory of Wujiabao and Liulinbao at present, Wu Zheng did not dare to stop and rest. Wu Zheng, who had a full stomach at the beginning of the time, after running in the afternoon and in the middle of the night, as well as the fright from Wu Jixue and Liu Chaofeng, was now hungry again.

It's just the third watch in the middle of the night, and Wu Zheng doesn't know where to look for food, so he can only drink a few sips of cool stream water first and continue to bury his head in the road. However, Wu Zheng still kept an eye on the grass on the side of the path, hoping to encounter a hare or pheasant and other small animals that suddenly popped up. As long as you can hit one or two, even if you don't dare to make a fire and barbecue, you can always go to a place where people live and change a full meal.

It went all the way until dawn, and finally let Wu Zheng kill a hare that suddenly came out. I didn't go far with the hare before I saw a small village.

The small village built next to the creek and the mountain looks like it should be no more than thirty households, although the sky has just dawned, there are already people with curling smoke, Wu Zheng walked over.

Stone houses, stone courtyard walls, fence gates woven with branches and sticks.

Before they could get closer, a fierce dog barking could be heard inside.

Immediately, Wu Zheng heard the owner's inquiry:

"Who?"

Leaned over to the fence gate, and saw through the sparse gap that there was an old man burning a fire in the yard, and the news just now was naturally from the old man who was turning his head to look at the direction of the fence door.

"Grandpa, it's me, passing by, trying to beg for a drink. ”

"Oh, you wait. ”

The old man stood up, first tied up a big black dog that barked incessantly, and then slowly walked to the fence gate, removed the wooden stick from the top door, and opened the fence door casually.

Glancing up and down at Wu Zheng, especially the hare that Wu Zheng was carrying in his hand, the old man said:

"Little brother, come in. ”

"Thank you, grandpa. ”

Naturally, if you want to ask Wu Zheng about his origin, Wu Zheng can only make it up casually.

"Grandpa, I'm from Wujiabao in the north, and I went into the mountains in the evening to catch a few rabbits, and I didn't want to get lost. ”

"Little brother, you're a big fan of the road. Wujiabao is in the north of the mountain, but you ran to the south of the mountain. Are you hungry? At a young age, thanks to your courage, you are only afraid of changing children, and it is estimated that you will not be able to get out. Not to mention that there are wolves in the mountains. ”

"Grandpa, I really haven't eaten since last night, can I exchange this rabbit for a meal for grandpa?"

"You kid said, grandpa is so old that he can still covet the rabbit you worked so hard to catch all night? ”

After a while, the old man brought out two white-flour steamed buns, a plate of pickles, and an empty bowl to Wu Zheng.

"Little brother, it's too late to do it early in the morning, so let's eat some leftovers. ”

As he spoke, he poured another bowl of boiling water for Wu Zheng.

Not to mention the white-flour steamed buns, but the wowotou, they are all delicious for Wu Zheng now. Especially after escaping death, Wu Zheng, who was in a relaxed mood, felt especially so. It didn't take much effort to make two big steamed buns.

"Is it enough? If it's not enough, I'll have to wait until breakfast is ready. It's still for my grandson, that's all. ”

"Grandpa, enough, enough, thank you Grandpa. ”

After chatting with the old man for a while, he inquired about the nearby villages and roads seemingly casually. Before leaving, Wu Zheng insisted on keeping the hare despite the old man's objections.

Wu Zheng never dreamed that he would not mention the kindness of the old man, and he would also bring death to the old man. Of course, that's an afterthought.

From the old man's mouth, Wu Zheng learned that there is a big village and town on the road to the south, which is the largest town within thirty or fifty miles nearby - Xiangyang Town.

In Wu Zheng's heart, except for the Shuntian Mansion mentioned in his father's last letter, there is no other destination. I also asked Mr. Zhen Qingyi tentatively, knowing that Shuntian Mansion was in the north. Although the direction of walking now is far from that of Shuntianfu, forced by the situation, Wu Zheng has to consider staying away from Wujiabao and Liulinbao first, and staying away from danger first.

More than forty miles of road, passing through several villages in the middle, in the afternoon, Wu Zheng finally came to Xiangyang Town.

Standing at the entrance of the village and looking carefully for a while, Wu Zheng found that the so-called big town in the old man's mouth was only about 100 households, which was about the same size as Houpo Village.

Wu Zheng, whose belly was already empty, had to burrow into the mountains behind the town again. It seems that God is favoring Wu Zheng, when he walked not far along the path into the mountains behind the town, in the grass on the side of the road, I don't know who put two rabbits on the trap.

At this time, Wu Zheng couldn't take care of it, saw that there was no one left and right, untied the sleeve, and just took the rabbit away. Leave the sleeve in place, hoping to give the owner one or two more.

Finally, before sunset, Wu Zheng carried two hares and walked into Xiangyang Town bathed in the evening glow. Walking aimlessly along the only main street in the east and west, hoping to meet a buyer.

When I walked to a big stone mill on the side of the street, I saw several women chatting while pushing the mill, and inadvertently Wu Zheng heard these words:

"His second aunt, the eldest son of the Sui family is going to enter the city to attack the book, and he is going to come to the spring to test Xiucai, have you heard?"

"Ha, who in the town hasn't heard of such a big event?"

"It's just that the kid in my family who just turned six years old and has been in a private school for less than half a month has been muttering about it. ”

"Then have you ever heard that the Sui family is looking for a scholar for the eldest son?"

"Huh, what's going on?"

"yes, I haven't heard of that. His second aunt, what's going on?"

"What's going on?"

The woman who was called "his second aunt" stopped talking here, looked at both sides of the street, and saw that only Wu Zheng, a half-grown child, was walking over with two rabbits, so she put her mind at ease and whispered:

"A few days ago, a blind fortune teller came to the village, and he was invited to his house by the Sui family, and he came out after a long time, just to tell fortunes for the eldest son. ”

"How do you know?"

"Yes, his second aunt, what is the result?"

"How do I know? ”

"Okay, his second aunt, don't be a good girl. ”

There must have been something unsavvy to say, and he tilted his head again to look in both directions, as if he had just discovered that the boy with the two rabbits was not from the town. The "second aunt" suddenly changed the topic and asked Wu Zheng, who slowed down and wanted to hear what conditions the family had for recruiting scholars:

"Hey, you kid, where did you come from, I just recognized it, it's not from our town, right?"

"Auntie, I'm really not from Xiangyang Town, I went to the mountains to hunt rabbits today, I don't want to delay, I'm not in a hurry to go home. ”

"No, no, you don't look like someone from a nearby village. There's no accent like yours at all. ”

Wu Zheng really didn't expect that this "second aunt" would be so fond of many things, and just wanted to make up an excuse to come out, but the two women who had been waiting to hear the Sui family invite a fortune teller couldn't wait.

"His second aunt, isn't she just a half-grown child from a foreign country, tell me quickly, what the fortune teller said. ”

Seeing Wu Zheng's grinding appearance, the "second aunt" waved her hand to Wu Zheng and said:

"Go, go, it's none of your business. ”

Although I wanted to hear it in my heart, it was just that the woman openly drove herself away, and Wu Zheng had to leave quickly.