The Leisurely Life of a Peasant Woman in the Tang Dynasty

The wind blew across the cliffs, making a low humming sound, like the roar of a wild beast. Tang Youyou gripped her dagger tightly, scanning her surroundings with sharp eyes. The shadows of the trees swayed, the rocks were jagged, everything seemed peaceful, but there was a hidden danger.

"Haha, Madam Tang is so alert." A greasy voice came from behind a huge rock. Shopkeeper Hua and Niu Xiaoer walked out slowly with sinister smiles on their faces.

"Shopkeeper Hua, you are here as expected." Tang Youyou snorted coldly, not hiding the disgust in her eyes, "Why, you want to use the same trick again?"

Shopkeeper Hua rubbed his hands, his greedy eyes falling on the sheepskin map in Tang Youyou's hand: "Madam Tang, you're joking. I just happened to pass by here and admire the beautiful mountain scenery. But Madam Tang, you went to this desolate mountain alone, could it be that you found some treasure?"

"It has nothing to do with you." Tang Youyou hid the map in his arms and stared at the two of them warily.

"Don't be so cold, Madam Tang." Shopkeeper Hua put on a hypocritical smile. "We're all here for wealth, so why not cooperate? You can't take the treasures in the ruins by yourself, so why don't we go together..."

"No need." Tang Youyou interrupted him, "I'm used to being alone." She stepped sideways, trying to bypass the two of them and continue forward.

Upon seeing this, Niu Xiaoer immediately stood in front of Tang Youyou and said in a rough voice: "Want to leave? Not that easy! Hand over the map if you know what's good for you, otherwise..." He waved the stick in his hand, and the threat was self-evident.

Tang Youyou's eyes flashed, but she continued to walk forward, deftly bypassing Niu Xiaoer. She knew that getting entangled with these two would only waste time, and she had to get rid of them as soon as possible.

She walked along the rugged mountain road, taking every step with extreme caution. Not long after she got there, she suddenly felt her feet go empty and she fell down.

"Haha, you've fallen into the trap!" The triumphant laughter of Shopkeeper Hua and Niu Xiaoer came from above their heads.

Tang Youyou reacted quickly. Just as she was about to fall into the trap, she grabbed a nearby branch and steadied herself. She looked up and saw a bottomless pit looming before her. The bottom of the pit was filled with sharp wooden stakes, a terrifying sight. If she hadn't reacted quickly, the consequences would have been disastrous.

"Despicable!" Tang Youyou gritted her teeth and climbed up with all her strength.

When Shopkeeper Hua and Niu Xiaoer saw that Tang Youyou had escaped, a hint of surprise flashed across their faces, but then they returned to their sinister smiles.

"It seems Madam Tang is truly blessed," Shopkeeper Hua said sarcastically, "but do you really think you can escape our clutches like this? This mountain is riddled with traps we've set. I wonder how long you can hide!"

Tang Youyou snorted coldly, ignoring their provocation and continued to move forward. She knew that now was not the time to get entangled with them, and she had to find the ruins as soon as possible to get rid of their entanglement.

After walking for a long time, Tang Youyou arrived at a valley. The entrance to the valley was narrow, with steep cliffs on both sides. Only a narrow path led into the valley. As soon as Tang Youyou stepped into the valley, she felt a cold and gloomy breath. She looked up and saw that the valley was filled with mist, and the shadows were hazy, making it difficult to see the scenery inside. Just then, she heard footsteps behind her... "Madam Tang, how are you?"

Tang Youyou's heart sank suddenly. She knew that it was Shopkeeper Hua and Niu Xiaoer who were catching up. She didn't look back, but quickened her pace, trying to get through this strange valley as quickly as possible.

"Mrs. Tang, don't waste your energy. You can't escape!" Shopkeeper Hua's voice came from behind with a hint of pride.

Tang Youyou ignored him and continued running forward. The fog in the valley was getting thicker and thicker, and visibility was extremely low. She could only grope forward by feeling.

Suddenly, Niu Xiaoer rushed out from the nearby woods and blocked Tang Youyou's path. He brandished the stick in his hand and hit Tang Youyou viciously. Tang Youyou dodged sideways and hit Niu Xiaoer in the chest with a backhand palm, knocking him back a few steps.

"Bitch, you're quite powerful!" Niu Xiaoer roared and rushed up again.

Shopkeeper Hua also rushed out from the woods on the other side, and attacked Tang Youyou together with Niu Xiaoer. Although Tang Youyou was agile, two fists could not defeat four hands, and she gradually fell behind.

Niu Xiaoer took advantage of Tang Youyou's unpreparedness and hit her leg with a stick. Tang Youyou cried out in pain and fell to her knees. Seeing this, Shopkeeper Hua laughed triumphantly: "Madam Tang, you can't escape now! Hand over the map obediently, and you can suffer less physical pain!"

As he spoke, he reached out to grab the map in Tang Youyou's arms.

At the critical moment, a figure fell from the sky and kicked Shopkeeper Hua in the chest, sending him flying.

"stop!"

Tang Youyou looked up and saw Constable Li standing in front of her with a righteous look on his face.

"Constable Li!" Tang Youyou shouted in surprise.

"Mrs. Tang, are you okay?" Constable Li asked with concern.

"I'm fine, thank you Constable Li for your help." Tang Youyou said gratefully.

Constable Li turned his gaze towards Shopkeeper Hua and Niu Xiaoer and shouted, "You two, how dare you rob in broad daylight! Surrender now!"

Seeing this, Shopkeeper Hua and Niu Xiaoer knew that they could not gain any advantage today, so they had to flee in shame.

Constable Li walked over to Tang Youyou and asked with concern, "Madam Tang, are you really okay?"

Tang Youyou shook her head and said, "I'm fine. I just hurt my leg a little bit. It's nothing serious."

Constable Li looked at the wound on Tang Youyou's leg and said, "This wound doesn't look light. Let me bandage it for you."

Tang Youyou nodded, and Constable Li took out some ointment and bandages from his package and carefully bandaged Tang Youyou's wound.

"Thank you, Constable Li." Tang Youyou expressed her gratitude again.

"It's just a small favor," Constable Li said. "Madam Tang, these wild mountains and hills are not peaceful. It's too dangerous for a woman like you to walk alone. How about I give you a ride?"

Tang Youyou wanted to refuse, but thinking of the injury on her leg and the strange atmosphere in the valley, she finally agreed.

After they walked side by side for a while, Constable Li suddenly stopped and said, "Madam Tang, I have official business to attend to. I can't continue with you."

Tang Youyou nodded to show her understanding.

"The official road is not far ahead. If you keep following it, you'll reach the nearest town." Constable Li pointed ahead and said, "You must be careful along the way."

"Thank you, Constable Li, for the reminder. I will pay attention to it." Tang Youyou said.

Constable Li bowed and turned to leave. Tang Youyou looked at Constable Li's departing back, her heart filled with gratitude. She took a deep breath, turned around and continued walking towards the depths of the valley. The valley was filled with mist, like a huge maze, waiting for her to explore.

Not long after they left, Tang Youyou suddenly heard a voice behind him: "It seems that we meet again."

Tang Youyou watched Constable Li disappear into the mist, a warm feeling welling up in her heart. In this wilderness teeming with danger, Constable Li's presence was like a beacon, illuminating her path forward. She glanced down at her bandaged wound. Though it still ached, Constable Li's concern reassured her. Taking a deep breath, Tang Youyou gripped the map tightly and continued walking deeper into the valley.

Thick fog filled the air, obscuring the sun. All around was silence, with only the sound of her footsteps echoing through the valley. Occasionally, the distant cries of unknown birds added a touch of eerie atmosphere. Tang Youyou looked around warily, clutching a branch she'd picked up from the roadside, just in case.

As she went deeper, the surroundings became more complex. The towering cliffs looked as if they had been cut by a knife or an axe, with jagged rocks of various shapes. The path under her feet also became bumpy and uneven, and it was easy to fall if she was not careful. From time to time, the low growls of wild animals could be heard from the depths of the dense forest, making Tang Youyou's nerves tense to the extreme.

Once, a huge wild boar suddenly rushed out from the bushes, its fangs ferocious and its momentum menacing. Tang Youyou was startled and quickly dodged. The wild boar brushed past the corner of her clothes and crashed into a large tree with a dull sound. Tang Youyou was still in shock, her heart pounding.

Another time, as she was passing through a dense bush, she suddenly heard a rustling sound. Tang Youyou immediately stopped, held her breath, and carefully observed the situation around her. She saw a colorful venomous snake poking its head out from the bushes, spitting out its tongue, and staring at her with cold eyes. Tang Youyou didn't dare to act rashly, and slowly retreated until she was out of the snake's attack range, then turned around and took a detour.

Tang Youyou knew that Shopkeeper Hua and Niu Xiaoer had not given up. She could feel that they were like two venomous snakes, hiding in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike. But she had no time to care about them now, because she was facing a more dangerous challenge.

A bottomless canyon stretched before her, like a vast chasm blocking her path. On either side of the canyon were steep cliffs that dropped almost vertically, creating a formidable prospect. A thick white fog hung at the bottom of the canyon, making it impossible to see what lay below, adding to the mystery and terror.

This canyon wasn't marked on the map; it was clearly an undiscovered, dangerous path. Tang Youyou stood at the edge of the canyon, hesitant. Should he take a detour, or risk crossing it? Taking a detour would undoubtedly waste more time, and there was no guarantee he wouldn't encounter other dangers. Crossing the canyon, while dangerous, was a shortcut to the ruins.

Just as Tang Youyou was hesitating, she suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her: "It seems that we meet again."

Tang Youyou turned around suddenly and saw Shopkeeper Hua and Niu Xiaoer standing not far away, with sinister smiles on their faces. Niu Xiaoer was holding a thick wooden stick in his hand, obviously ready to attack her.

Tang Youyou's heart sank, knowing she was in a desperate situation. With the canyon in front and pursuers behind, how could she escape? She took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and thought about her response. She had to make a decision quickly, otherwise, she would face greater danger. The fog in the canyon, the approach of Shopkeeper Hua and Niu Xiaoer, all indicated that the next step would be an even more difficult challenge.