Halfway up the mountain, three forks in the road appeared. At the end of these three forks is Zouma Village, East Horse Village and West Horse Village.

Gu Changhe chose the middle road down the mountain.

The mountain roads are paved with stone slabs of varying sizes, and the stone paths are winding, high or low. All the slabs had broken into many pieces, and in some places they had collapsed badly, and the slightly intact slabs had some shallow pits, which were probably caused by people and animals walking on them for a long time.

A few minutes later, everyone heard the silver bell-like laughter of girls floating from not far away.

Rounding a hill, I saw a tea plantation, where dozens of women were picking tea, carrying a small bamboo basket behind them. A group of three, a group of five, they were picking tea and talking and laughing at the same time.

Several women saw Gu Changhe, and a woman walked towards everyone.

"This is the women's captain Chang Guilan." Gu Changhe said in a low voice, and then shouted loudly, "Captain Chang, where is the tea?" ”

"This is the last crop of the year, distributed to the big guys for the New Year, Gu Gong'an, you came at the right time, when you go, take a little back to drink, although it is not as good as the taste of spring tea, but it is not worse than spring tea. Gu Gong'an, what are you? Chang Guilan looked at Ouyang Ping and his party.

"We're looking for Ma Dazhu, is he at home today?"

"Early this morning, I saw him go to Xima Village, and he took his fellows with him, and he must have gone to play cotton. In two hours he will be back in the village, and you will go to his house and wait for him. ”

Between the tea plantations and the village, there is a shallow river, which is relatively wide, and there is a wooden bridge made of sticks.

Walking on the wooden bridge, you can see the underwater stones and small fish swimming among the stones.

The group walked through the village and into a col to the north.

Under the shade of several large banyan trees, there are two courtyard gates. Both gates are ajar.

In the col lived the Ma Dazhu brothers. Ma Dazhu lives in the east, and Ma Erzhu lives in the west.

Gu Changhe walked to the door of the east courtyard: "Is anyone at home?" ”

"Who?" An old voice came from the courtyard.

Gu Changhe gently pushed open the door, and there was an old lady in the courtyard, who was rubbing the rope.

"Auntie, are you busy?" Gu Changhe walked up to the old lady.

The old lady leaned her eyes forward, and finally recognized Gu Changhe: "Isn't this Comrade Gu from the police station?" ”

The old lady was about seventy-five years old, with gray temples, shrugged shoulders, and a slightly hunched waist.

"Comrade Gu, who are you?" The old lady glanced at Ouyang Ping, and a hint of alertness flashed in her eyes.

"Auntie, we want to find Dazhu to know a little bit about the situation."

The old lady wound the rope into a dozen circles, tied the buckle, hung it on the back of the chair, and then beckoned the comrades to sit down.

On the right side of the courtyard, a round stone table is placed under a date tree, and there are seven or eight drum-shaped stone benches around it.

"It's really unfortunate that Dazhu went to Xima Village early this morning to play cotton, and these days, he has been staying at home."

"Auntie, when will Ma Dazhu come back?"

"The widow of Xima Village brought a letter asking Dazhu to play a bed of cotton, and if it is fast, she will come back soon."

Ouyang Ping looked at his watch, the time was 8:45.

Everyone could only sit at Ma Dazhu's house and wait for the master to come back.

The air was filled with a very strong rancid smell.