Tiger Roars Echoed From The Mountains

Huo Changfeng, observing Tong Dinshan's bewildered expression compared to the joyful demeanor of the young lord who seemed to have stolen honey after being called Amo, and noticing Qiao Ziqiu teasing him on the side, seemed to understand something. This simple-minded man seemed to be blessed with happiness. Perhaps his little sister's efforts were in vain.

He wondered what kind of girl his unseen niece would be to capture the attention of the youngest and highest-ranked Five Pearl Prince of the Yunmeng Dynasty with such dedication. He then instructed Huo Qixiang to go out with them.

Seeing Tong Dinshan's nervousness, Huo Changfeng didn't press him. He casually chatted about topics like daily life in the mountain village, the Tong family's population, and local customs.

Uncle Zhong personally brought some special snacks, interjecting a few sentences about which ones were new products sent by the Tong family.

This greatly eased Tong Dinshan's tension. He began explaining Xiangbei's inventions and various experiments with a proud and confident air, gradually lightening the mood. It wasn't until Tong Chen came in and reported that everything was arranged and they could go up the mountain at any time.

As they left the house, Huo Qixiang led a team of eight guards and two fast horses from the Renji Pharmacy in Zebei Town.

Qiao Er, Cheng Mo, Uncle Zhong, and Cheng Tian, along with a large group of people, mounted their horses.

Tong Dinshan and Tong Chen were still escorted by the guards who had brought them down the mountain in the morning.

They headed eastward into the deep mountains. The main road outside the Zebei Manor was relatively flat and spacious, filled with military personnel.

It took only about half an hour to reach the Water Pavilion. As they approached, Cheng Shan whispered a few words to Huo Changfeng and then caught up with the group and Uncle Zhong. Cheng Mo turned back to Huo Changfeng's horse and said, "Please forgive me, Uncle. We've been rushing to expand the road these past few days and need to quickly open up a carriage path into the valley. So, the road ahead is filled with broken rocks, and it's a bit difficult. We need to be extra careful."

"Thank you for the reminder, Prince Mo. We will be careful, and I also ask the lord to pay attention to safety."General Huo answered respectfully.

Indeed, there were many broken rocks piled on the side of the road, and the military engineers were busy expanding the road on both sides. When the large group approached, they paused their work and saluted by clenching their right fists and placing them over their left chests.

Huo Changfeng had never seen this kind of etiquette before, but he understood it instantly. It was a sincere pledge, interesting. He began to observe this overly courteous young prince and paid more attention to the details around him, especially the scattered rocks on the road. It was evident that these rocks, large and small, had collapsed from the slopes on both sides. However, unlike the commonly used method of fracturing rocks with fire and water, these rocks had clearly burst apart due to tremendous external force, scattering everywhere. Some had even fallen to distant places. What kind of force could cause such extensive rock collapse and landslides? The surface of the road was smooth and compacted, but what was the mud used to glue the broken stones together? As he pondered, he urged his horse to move forward steadily. Two tiger roars came from deep in the mountains, causing some of the horses, except for those that had been on the battlefield, to become a bit restless.

"Everyone, please calm your mounts. It's very safe here," Cheng Mo spoke up, and Tong Dinshan followed up with an explanation, "Yes, the fierce beasts are all in the deep mountains here. You can already see the stone quarry of the manor in the valley ahead. We'll be home soon."

"Well, Uncle Tong, the fierce beasts do stay in the northern deep mountains most of the time, but there have been some minor incidents recently," Cheng Mo rode alongside General Huo and whispered, "A few days ago, Miss Tong and I found a large herd of wild water buffalo trapped by three adult tigers and several leopards in the northern mountains for some unknown reason. I've already had someone keep an eye on them. Since you've come to our Dongbin, I thought of inviting you to join in the hunting. Would Uncle be interested?"

"Oh, you're serious? Interested? More than interested, it's an honor for me! Thank you, Your Highness, it's truly an honor. I'm so grateful, I don't know how to express it. How many people will be joining the hunt?..."

The General, who had been skeptical and scrutinizing since they met, was now eagerly asking about the terrain, types of animals, hunting preparations, and more. When Cheng Mo dismounted, he followed suit and continued to barrage him with questions until someone tapped him on the arm and called him "big brother," suddenly realizing that his little sister's family was here to greet him.

"Oh, little sister, I apologize for my rudeness. I got carried away with excitement and forgot myself, all because Prince Mo gave me a big gift, a really big one! I apologize, quickly introduce everyone to big brother."

Seeing Mr. Tong, the old herbalist, welcoming them outside the manor further warmed General Huo's heart. He thought that even though life might be tough for his little sister in these mountains, being valued and cared for by her family should provide some comfort. After all, she wasn't like those delicate daughters of civil officials, but rather the daughter of a military general.