Chapter 88: Planting Peaches

After Madam Shu Fang’s corpse was placed inside the coffin, Li Si took the remaining timber from earlier, put it together, and assembled a coffin lid.

Afterward, the four of them placed the coffin lid on. When the coffin lid was put in place, Shu Rong and his daughter beside it could not help shedding tears. Shu Min even lay on the coffin and wailed loudly.

Li Si and He Zhong, watching from the side, also felt uncomfortable in their hearts. Humans are not grass and trees, so who can be without feeling? Moreover, the fact that they had been able to escape from the peach grove was thanks to Madam Shu Fang inflicting damage on the Peach Tree Demon before her death. They had to acknowledge this kindness.

After Shu Rong and his daughter cried for a while, they gradually restrained their emotions, wiped their tears, and walked to the side.

At this moment, He Zhong and Li Si stepped forward, lifted the coffin, carried it to a shaded place, and then placed tree branches over the coffin.

After the two of them covered the coffin tightly with branches, they walked to Shu Rong and his daughter. Li Si said, “Let us go. You still need to reach Fengmen County as soon as possible. After your injuries are healed in Fengmen County, you can come back to bury her.”

Hearing Li Si say this, Shu Rong and his daughter nodded. They sighed, then followed Li Si and the others down from Peach Mountain.

Going down the mountain did not take much time. Before long, they had reached the foot of the mountain.

Li Si looked back at Peach Mountain and found that the fire had already weakened a great deal. He estimated that it would go out before long.

At this time, He Zhong walked to the side of the peach grove, picked up the branches that had been cut off earlier, and covered the dead inferior horse with them.

Seeing this, Li Si and the others also followed He Zhong’s example, picked up branches from nearby, and covered the inferior horse with them.

Before long, the inferior horse was also covered with branches.

“Sigh... this old partner of mine accompanied me for more than half my life. I never expected it would leave just like this.” He Zhong sighed, tears also flowing from his eyes.

To him, this inferior horse could be considered his family. He had never expected it would encounter something like this.

In truth, he still felt guilty in his heart. After all, the inferior horse had already given a warning at the beginning, but at the time, he had not taken it seriously. Instead, he had thought the inferior horse was so irritable because it had not gone out for a long time.

It was because of his own stubbornness that he had caused the inferior horse’s death and also put himself and Scholar Li in danger.

Now, just like with Madam Shu Fang, he could only handle it like this for now, then come back later to bury his old partner.

After sighing for a while, He Zhong turned back and forced a smile at Li Si and the others. “Let us go. We must hurry to Fengmen County. If we are any later, the road will be difficult to travel.”

The others nodded. Li Si climbed into the carriage and took out his book chest. Shu Rong and his daughter also followed He Zhong and took some dry rations from the luggage behind the carriage to carry with them.

Li Si took a dried steamed bun from his book chest and began chewing it. At this moment, he finally felt that this dry ration tasted quite good as well. Although it was not as delicious as peaches, eating it felt reassuring.

After taking the dry rations, the group began travelling, walking toward the official road.

And not long after they had left, a man wearing a red leather jacket floated down from a distant tree. He looked toward the road leading to the official road. His deathly blue face gradually became twisted and ferocious. Saliva dripped from the corners of his mouth, making him look especially terrifying.

“Hee hee...”

At this moment, a hollow, ethereal giggle rang out in the forest.

The red-jacketed man’s ferocious-looking body froze. His expression gradually stiffened, and his whole body trembled.

Suddenly, he jerked his head around and immediately tried to fly toward the official road.

But at this very moment, a long scarlet tongue shot out from the forest and suddenly wrapped around him, leaving him unable to move in midair.

Immediately afterward, the tongue suddenly curled, and the red-jacketed man turned into an afterimage that was dragged into the forest. It stirred up a rustling of leaves, and in the end, only a miserable scream that did not sound human remained.

A breeze slowly blew past, bringing with it the rustle of leaves. A loud swallowing sound echoed through the forest.

Afterward, giggles rang out from the forest again.

On the other side, the group had already reached the official road. At this moment, Li Si stopped and said to the others, “You should return to Fengmen County. I still have to go to Zetian Prefecture to sit the examination.”

The others were somewhat surprised, but only He Zhong thought of something. His expression changed, and he immediately advised, “Scholar Li, you should return to Fengmen County with me.”

Li Si shook his head and said with a smile, “It is nothing. I also happen to want to walk alone for a while. Once I reach Jingning County, I can find another carriage.”

He was not prepared to return to Fengmen County with the others. After all, there was still a ghost watching him. At a time like this, if he followed the others back to Fengmen County, it might instead push everyone who had just escaped danger into peril again.

In that case, it would be much easier for him to face it alone.

As for running away, he was not prepared to do that. After all, he might be able to flee for a while, but could he flee for an entire lifetime?

His lifespan was already short. Only by fighting for it could he live.

Seeing that Li Si was speaking around the issue, He Zhong stopped trying to persuade him and sighed.

Then, as if he had thought of something, he took out a sheet of talisman paper from his clothes, handed it to Li Si, and said, “Scholar Li, this journey to Zetian Prefecture may bring who knows how many dangers. Keeping this with me is of no use. I should return it to you.”

On the other side, seeing He Zhong’s action, Shu Rong thought for a moment, then also took out his talisman paper from his clothes and handed it to Li Si. “What Uncle He says is quite right. The talisman paper should be returned to Benefactor.”

Seeing this, Li Si did not decline. He accepted the talisman paper from the two of them and smiled. “In that case, many thanks.”

Afterward, as if he had thought of something, he turned to He Zhong and said, “Uncle He, there is something I would like to discuss with you privately.”

Hearing Li Si say this, Shu Rong took his daughter to a shaded place in the distance to cool off.

After seeing the two of them walk far away, Li Si and He Zhong found a rock and sat down.

“Uncle He, what plans do you have after returning this time?” Li Si looked at He Zhong and asked.

Hearing Li Si say this, He Zhong was slightly stunned. His tone was helpless as he said, “I also do not know what to do. My old partner is dead now, so I cannot continue working as a carriage driver.”

“Perhaps I will find an estate and work as a tenant farmer for them. That way, I can still survive.”

At this point, a bitter expression appeared on his face.

Seeing He Zhong say this, Li Si nodded slightly and asked, “I wonder if Uncle He would be willing to work for me?”

He Zhong was slightly stunned. His expression immediately became solemn, and he said seriously, “Scholar Li, there is no need to treat me as an outsider. These old bones of mine were saved by you. As long as you do not dislike me for being old and frail, even if you ask me to climb a mountain of knives or cross a sea of fire, I would be willing.”

Hearing He Zhong say this, Li Si nodded slightly. He turned and took a blood-red peach pit from the book chest beside him, handed it to He Zhong, and said, “I need you to help me plant peaches.”

The moment He Zhong heard Li Si’s words, he immediately shuddered. His solemn expression instantly vanished, and fear appeared in his eyes. “Do you mean like Chen Zhongyang?”