205: Mao Shiba's tip-off reveals the danger in Yunnan, exposing the traitor and showcasing the talents of the women.

The sun had just climbed over the wall of the Zhuang Residence courtyard when Shuanger put the last packet of medicine into her small universe—trauma medicine from Peach Blossom Island, detoxifying powder brought by Mu Jianping, and anti-poison pills confiscated from the Divine Dragon Cult. They were sorted into porcelain bottles, each labeled with small handwritten tags. "Brother Hui, the weather in Yunnan is hot. I folded the light shirts—three for each person—and brought herbs to prevent heatstroke. Boiling them into water should help," she said, wiping sweat from her brow, then pointed to a wooden box nearby. "I packed the preserved fruits that His Majesty Wei Xiaobao requested, and Princess Jianning's cloth doll too. Nothing was forgotten."

Xie Hui had just finished confirming the location of the Divine Dragon Cult's stronghold in Yunnan with Long'er, still clutching a hand-drawn map. Hearing this, he nodded with a smile, "Thank you for your hard work. You are always so thoughtful. Jianping, have you contacted the Prince Mu's Residence former troops?"

Mu Jianping sat on a stone stool, holding a freshly written letter, a spot of ink staining her pink skirt. "They're contacted! My brother said he has already sent twenty trusted followers to wait at the Yunnan border. He also drew us a shortcut to Prince Pingxi's Mansion, saying a secret tunnel through the back mountain leads directly to the Treasure Pavilion, but we must be careful of the traps Wu Sangui set inside the tunnel."

Fang Yi ran in from outside, her green skirt billowing in the wind, clutching a crumpled piece of paper. "Brother Hui! The brothers from the Green Wood Hall Yunnan Branch sent word that Prince Pingxi's Mansion recently tripled its guard, and a group from the Divine Dragon Cult arrived. The leader is called 'Crimson Flame Old Freak.' They say he uses the Flame Palm, which can melt a person's bones!"

"Crimson Flame Old Freak?" Xie Hui frowned. Although this name wasn't a major character in the original the deer and the cauldron, he was a notoriously ruthless figure in the Divine Dragon Cult, specializing in using the Flame Palm for murder and pillage, and had previously colluded with Wu Sanguis Former Troops. "It seems we need to be extra careful on this trip to Yunnan."

Just as he finished speaking, a rough voice full of Jianghu spirit came from outside the courtyard gate: "Lord Wei! Little Brother Xie! Mao the Eighteenth is here!"

Xie Hui's heart leaped—Mao the Eighteenth! He was the tough guy who adventured through the Jianghu with Wei Xiaobao in the original story, righteous but a bit too straightforward. He quickly went out to meet him and saw a muscular man wearing coarse short clothes standing at the door, carrying a large saber on his shoulder, with a scar across his face—it was indeed Mao the Eighteenth. Behind him were two Young Men carrying cloth bundles, looking like they had just finished a long journey.

"Big Brother Mao, long time no see!" Xie Hui stepped forward, smiling, and patted his shoulder. "We parted ways at Yihong Courtyard last time. I didn't expect to see you here."

Mao the Eighteenth was stunned, clearly not expecting Xie Hui to recognize him, then burst into laughter. "I knew Little Brother Xie was a straightforward fellow! I came this time to bring you news—I just got back from Yunnan and saw Divine Dragon Cult flags piled up outside Prince Pingxi's Mansion. I also heard people saying they are setting traps in the Treasure Pavilion, waiting for you to come and get the forty-two chapter sutra!"

Wei Xiaobao ran out of the room at this moment, clutching a gold ingot, and shouted when he saw Mao the Eighteenth: "Big Brother Mao! You came at the perfect time! We are just about to go to Yunnan. Why don't you come with us? When we get the Treasure Trove, I'll split half with you!"

Mao the Eighteenth waved his hand, his expression serious. "I'm not here for the Treasure Trove! That old bastard Wu Sangui killed my brothers, and I've wanted revenge for a long time! Since you are going this time, I'll guide you. I know the roads around Prince Pingxi's Mansion well—where the pits and traps are, I know them all!"

Xie Hui nodded, knowing Mao the Eighteenth's character—righteous and not greedy—making him the perfect guide. Just as he was about to ask Shuanger to pour Mao the Eighteenth a bowl of water, Fang Yi suddenly tugged his sleeve, signaling him with her eyes to look at the two Young Men behind Mao the Eighteenth. The two looked honest, but their hands were constantly pressed against their waists, and their eyes occasionally darted toward the weapons crate in the courtyard.

"Big Brother Mao, are these two your brothers?" Xie Hui asked calmly, pointing to the two Young Men. "They look unfamiliar. Did you just meet them?"

Mao the Eighteenth scratched his head. "I picked them up on the road. They said they were also anti-Qing and wanted to work with us. I felt sorry for them, so I brought them along."

The two Young Men quickly nodded. One thin, tall man even offered a fawning smile: "Yes, yes, yes! We have long wanted to oppose the Qing Dynasty. We heard that Little Brother Xie is very capable and want to follow you!"

Fang Yi walked over at this point, pretending to brush dust off them, and her finger brushed against the thin man's waist—she felt something hard, shaped like a Poison Smoke Tube. "Brothers, you must be tired from the journey. I'll go pour you some water." She turned and walked toward the house, whispering to Xie Hui as she passed, "They have Poison Smoke Tubes on their waists, the Divine Dragon Cult style."

Xie Hui's heart tightened, but he kept his expression neutral and said to Mao the Eighteenth, "Big Brother Mao, let's go inside to talk. The sun is strong outside, don't get sunburned."

Just as they entered the main room, the thin man suddenly pulled out the Poison Smoke Tube from his waist and sprayed it toward Xie Hui. "Xie Hui! Prepare to die! Crimson Flame Old Freak sent us to kill you!" The other short, stout man also drew a saber and rushed toward Mu Jianping—clearly intending to take a hostage.

"Watch out!" Xie Hui reacted quickly, pulling Mu Jianping behind him. His black iron sword flashed out of its sheath, clanging as it deflected the Poison Smoke Tube, and he followed through with a kick that sent the thin man flying. Fang Yi was not idle either; she pulled Anesthetic Powder from her sleeve and tossed it at the short, stout man. As soon as he smelled it, he collapsed on the ground, unable to move.

Mao the Eighteenth was both shocked and enraged. He stomped his foot on the thin man's chest. "You dog! I kindly brought you here, and you turn out to be a spy for the Divine Dragon Cult! I'll chop you down today!" He raised his large saber, ready to strike.

"Don't kill him!" Xie Hui stopped him. "He's still useful; we can interrogate him about Crimson Flame Old Freak's plan." He crouched in front of the thin man, pointing his black iron sword at his throat. "Speak! What traps did Crimson Flame Old Freak set in Prince Pingxi's Mansion? How do we break the mechanisms in the Treasure Pavilion?"

The thin man's face turned pale with fear, and he stammered, "I... I don't know! Crimson Flame Old Freak just told us to kill you. He said... he said there is a 'Bone Dissolving Pool' in the Treasure Pavilion. If you fall in, you'll turn into water. And... and there are twenty poison smoke cannons aimed at the entrance of the secret tunnel..."

Before he could finish, Long'er's voice suddenly came from outside: "Brother Hui! This is bad! People from the Divine Dragon Cult are here! About thirty of them, all carrying firearms, challenging us at the gate!"

Xie Hui quickly stood up and addressed everyone: "Big Brother Mao, you and Xu Tianchuan stay inside and guard these two spies. Jianping, you and Shuanger go into the small universe; don't come out. Fang Yi, you come with me to the entrance and see what they want!"

Just reaching the entrance, he saw more than thirty Men in Black standing at the alleyway entrance, all holding firearms. Leading them was Crimson Flame Old Freak—an old man with a flushed face, holding a copper tinder box. His clothes were tattered from being burned by sparks. "Xie Hui! Hand over Mao the Eighteenth! And return the silver you confiscated from the Main Altar, or I will flatten this courtyard!"

"Just you?" Xie Hui sneered, pulling an improved Gunpowder Pot from his inner universe—twice as powerful as the Divine Dragon Cult's Poison Smoke Pot. "If you dare to open fire, I will blow all of you into dust!"

Crimson Flame Old Freak clearly hadn't expected Xie Hui to have such a powerful weapon. His expression changed, but he still tried to stand firm: "Don't try to scare me! I have firearms. Do you dare to come closer?"

Fang Yi quietly circled to the side of the alley entrance and signaled Xie Hui—she saw a pile of firewood behind the Men in Black. If she lit the pile, the smoke could block their vision. Xie Hui understood, and suddenly threw the Gunpowder Pot onto the ground—*Boom*! Smoke filled the air, startling the Men in Black, who quickly backed away.

"Now!" Fang Yi lit the torch in her hand and threw it toward the firewood pile. *Rumble*! The pile caught fire, and thick smoke billowed out, making the Men in Black cough violently. Xie Hui seized the opportunity to rush forward. With a sweep of his black iron sword, he severed the firearms of two Men in Black. Long'er also led the Divine Dragon Cult former troops to charge from the side, and in no time, they had dealt with most of the Men in Black.

Seeing the situation turn sour, Crimson Flame Old Freak tried to flee the alley, but Mao the Eighteenth blocked him—having rushed out of the house at some point, holding his large saber. "Trying to run? Mao the Eighteenth isn't finished with you!" The two began to fight. Although Mao the Eighteenth's saber technique was simple, every move was deadly. Just as Crimson Flame Old Freak was about to launch his Flame Palm, Mao the Eighteenth slashed his wrist, and the tinder box clattered to the ground.

"Take him down!" Xie Hui shouted. Two former troops rushed forward and tied up Crimson Flame Old Freak. Seeing their leader captured, the remaining Men in Black threw down their weapons and surrendered. Fang Yi walked over and shouted at them: "If you want to live, join us in opposing the Qing Dynasty; you'll have food and silver. If you still want to follow the Divine Dragon Cult, we'll throw you to the dogs!"

The Men in Black looked at each other, and soon more than half of them raised their hands: "We'll follow! We'll follow! We won't follow the Divine Dragon Cult anymore!"

After dealing with the Men in Black, everyone returned to the courtyard. Mao the Eighteenth was guarding Crimson Flame Old Freak, grinding his teeth in anger. "Speak! What collusion do you have with Wu Sangui? How do we break the mechanisms in the Treasure Pavilion?"

Crimson Flame Old Freak grimaced in pain but still held firm: "I won't say! Just kill me!" Mu Jianping walked over at this moment, holding a small porcelain bottle. "This is Prince Mu's Residence's 'Bone Itch Water.' If I drop it on you, you'll roll on the ground itching for three days and three nights without stopping. Want to try it?"

Crimson Flame Old Freak's face was deathly pale. He quickly shouted, "I'll talk! I'll talk! I colluded with Wu Sangui's son, Wu Yingxiong, to set traps in the Treasure Pavilion. When you go for the forty-two chapter sutra, we planned to push you into the Bone Dissolving Pool! The main switch for the Treasure Pavilion's mechanisms is inside the copper bell on the pavilion roof, and it can be opened with Wu Sangui's token!"

Xie Hui had someone escort Crimson Flame Old Freak away and said to Mao the Eighteenth, "Big Brother Mao, we owe you for the warning this time, or we would definitely have suffered losses in Yunnan. If you are willing, come with us. Once we get the forty-two chapter sutra, we'll continue our anti-Qing efforts together."

Mao the Eighteenth thumped his chest. "I've wanted to work with you guys for a long time! Wherever you go from now on, I'll go too. I won't hold you back!"

In the evening, Wei Xiaobao returned from the palace, holding an Imperial Guard Token given by the Kangxi Emperor. "Brother Hui! His Majesty gave us five hundred Imperial Guards, and he also said that after we get the forty-two chapter sutra, we should bring Wu Yingxiong back too. He says that brat is recruiting troops and buying horses in Yunnan, planning a rebellion!"

Xie Hui took the token, feeling much more secure—with five hundred Imperial Guards helping, plus the Prince Mu's Residence former troops, Green Wood Hall brothers, Mao the Eighteenth, and the defectors from the Divine Dragon Cult, they could handle the traps at Prince Pingxi's Mansion. He addressed everyone: "We set off for Yunnan early tomorrow morning. Everyone rest well tonight. Shuanger, check the supplies again, make sure nothing is forgotten. Long'er, talk to the anti-Qing Men in Black and see how much they know about Prince Pingxi's Mansion. Jianping and Fang Yi, come with me to refine the secret tunnel map to ensure a smooth journey tomorrow."

Everyone responded in unison, and the courtyard became busy again. Shuanger was inventorying the herbs, Mu Jianping helped organize the map, Fang Yi was gathering information from the anti-Qing Men in Black, and Mao the Eighteenth chatted with Xu Tianchuan about previous anti-Qing matters. Wei Xiaobao, holding the token given by the Kangxi Emperor, bragged to Jianning nearby: "Look! The token His Majesty gave me can mobilize the Imperial Guard. It's much more powerful than your cloth doll!"

Jianning was unconvinced. She pulled out the cosmos ring Xie Hui had given her from her sleeve. "My ring can enter the small universe! It has lots of delicious food and cannon. It's much more powerful than your token!"

Xie Hui looked at the scene before him, his heart filled with warmth—with Jianghu heroes like Mao the Eighteenth joining them, the support of confidantes like Mu Jianping and Fang Yi, and sworn brothers like Wei Xiaobao and Long'er, no matter how dangerous the road to Yunnan was, he was confident he could overcome it. He pulled out the seven copies of the forty-two chapter sutra from his inner universe, running his fingers over the yellowed covers, and thought silently: Wu Yingxiong, Crimson Flame Old Freak, we'll see you in Yunnan. That last copy of the forty-two chapter sutra, I must have it!

It was late, and the lights in the courtyard were still on. Everyone was preparing for the next day's journey. Xie Hui stood under the corridor, looking at the moon in the sky, when he suddenly heard footsteps behind him—it was Shuanger, carrying a bowl of hot soup. "Brother Hui, don't overwork yourself. Have a bowl of soup to warm up. We have a long journey tomorrow."

Xie Hui took the soup and drank a mouthful. The rich, delicious flavor slid down his throat, dispelling the evening chill. He looked at Shuanger's gentle eyes, then at the busy people inside the house, knowing clearly: with them by his side on this journey, there was no obstacle they couldn't cross. The trip to Yunnan was not just for the forty-two chapter sutra; it was the first step toward overthrowing the Qing Dynasty and establishing the New Dynasty. He had to win, and he certainly would win.