Seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune: Starting with death row inmates

At dawn, sunlight filtered through the pale mist in the woods and fell on the old, dark eaves of the inn.

The neighing of horses broke the silence. From the stables behind the inn, two waiters, panting heavily, led out two fine horses and brought them to Shen Chen and Qin Pi: "Gentlemen, what do you think of these two horses?"

Qin Pi crossed his arms and looked at the two horses in front of him. One was a chestnut-red horse that was strong and powerful, with glossy fur and bulging muscles. It was a fine steed.

The other horse was much shorter in comparison, and apart from its dark, cloud-like coat, it had nothing particularly striking about it; it was quite unremarkable.

Qin Pi looked at the black horse and shook his head, saying, "Brother Shen, you picked too casually. This horse is quite ordinary. How about we switch with this one?"

When Wei Xiong learned that you had just escaped from prison and were returning to the mountain stronghold without any mounts, he offered to buy you two horses.

[You, with your poor riding skills, chose a docile black horse, while Qin Pi chose a wild and unruly steed. He offers to trade horses with you. What is your choice?]

[Good fortune: Refuse to change horses, stick to your choice, auspicious]

[Unfavorable fortune: You agree to change horses, but your clumsy movements, due to your lack of experience riding, have angered the wild horse. It pounces and throws you off, causing fractures and serious injuries. It's fierce.]

Shen Chen decisively refused Qin Pi: "Brother Qin, your horse is too temperamental. I think anyone but you would be thrown off if they rode it. Don't go looking for trouble."

Qin Pi glanced at the tall horse, then at the thin Shen Chen, scratched his head, and realized that this made sense: "Brother Shen is right, I was inconsiderate."

Wei Xiong handed a bag of money to Xue San Niang, saying, "If you see the living dragon, please give him my regards."

Xue Sanniang agreed, then looked up at Shen Chen and Qin Pi riding horses and said with a smile, "A fine steed is a good hero. Now that you two heroes have returned to Quanya Mountain, it will be like a dragon entering the sea. If you become successful in the future, don't forget to support my business."

When Xue San Niang mentioned the word "business," she emphasized it, her eyes sparkling with seductive charm as she looked towards Shen Chen.

To Shen Chen's surprise, neither Qin Pi nor Wei Xiong, the two thuggish men, made any lewd jokes at her.

"This woman is not simple..." Shen Chen narrowed his eyes and replied politely, "Then I'll accept your kind words, boss lady."

"Hehehe..." Xue Sanniang chuckled as she returned to the house, feeling rather regretful. "This young man is truly meticulous in his words and actions..."

Thinking this, Xue Sanniang turned to the two shop assistants and instructed them: "If that Master Shen comes to the shop in the future, treat him well and do not neglect him."

Upon hearing this, the two men were utterly astonished: "Sister Xue, he's just a county clerk, at most he has some connection with Qin Pi, why do you value him so much?"

Yesterday, the arrest warrant was issued by Anxi County, and the group learned of Shen Chen's identity, which made them somewhat contemptuous of him.

"Don't you know how good my judgment is?" Xue Sanniang said lazily. Suddenly, her ears twitched, and she looked towards the door. "A guest is coming."

At the stable, Qin Pi patted Wei Xiong on the shoulder and said, "Brother Wei, since we are so destined to meet, why don't you come with us to Dog Tooth Mountain?"

Wei Xiong laughed and said, "Then wouldn't I have to hand over half of the money I robbed to the mountain stronghold? I'm not willing to do that."

As he munched on half a chicken leg, he led his horse around and said, "Money, either for yourself or for your brothers. I'm not going to spend it on those lazy bums who live off others, like those lords in the county, those bosses who only know how to make their subordinates work themselves to the bone, and those women who only know how to spread their legs..."

He then stuffed the chicken leg into his horse's mouth. It was a ochre-yellow Hu horse, clearly brought from the Western Regions. The Hu horse opened its mouth and chewed the chicken leg, swallowing it whole, bone and all.

"Good horse, just like me." Wei Xiong smiled and let the horse lick his palm. Then he leaped onto the horse and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Shen Chen and Qin Pi: "Brothers, we'll meet again someday."

"Okay, see you again..." Qin Pi and Shen hadn't finished speaking when they suddenly heard a voice calling from the doorway: "Excuse me, is the skinning knife here?"

Shen Chen raised an eyebrow: "Someone's looking for you, Brother Qin."

Qin Pi was slightly taken aback, but then recognized the voice as coming from the mountain stronghold, and shouted, "Who is looking for me?"

A group of people immediately rushed into the stable. They were all carrying bows and knives, and their fierce demeanor made it clear that they were no good people.

Leading the group were two women who looked alike, seemingly sisters. The younger one had her hair tied in a high ponytail, while the older one had short hair that reached her ears.

"Greetings, Brother Qin." The short-haired woman first bowed to Qin Pi, then her gaze fell on Wei Xiong on horseback beside her, her eyes lighting up. "I didn't expect to find the bandit Wei, the great hero, here too!"

Wei Xiong waved his hand: "I'm leaving soon, so I won't disturb your meeting with your mountain brothers."

"Hey, hey." The woman with the high ponytail quickly stopped Wei Xiong, her tone earnest, "Hero Wei, please wait. We have something to ask of you. Please come inside and talk."

Wei Xiong paused for a moment, then turned to look at Qin Pi and Shen Chen. Remembering that both of his sworn brothers were from Dog Tooth Mountain, he nodded and said, "Alright, I'll stay and hear what difficulties you have."

The short-haired woman sized up Shen Chen beside Qin Pi: "And this young man is...?"

Qin Pi introduced himself, saying, "This is my sworn brother, Shen Chen. I was able to escape from that prison entirely thanks to him."

He then introduced the two women to Shen Chen: "These two are the leaders of my mountain stronghold, the elder sister Fang Yu and the younger sister Fang Xue."

Shen Chen politely extended his hand to Fang Yu: "Shen Chen greets the two heroines."

Fang Yu had already read the newly issued wanted notice from Anxi County early in the morning and knew that a corrupt clerk had also escaped with Qin Pi, which was probably Shen Chen.

Fang Yu and her sister were driven to ruin by corrupt officials. She always wanted to kill such corrupt officials. Naturally, she felt disgusted with Shen Chen as well. However, for Qin Pi's sake, she still reached out her hand, touched Shen Chen's hand slightly, and then withdrew it.

Fang Xue, the younger sister, shook hands with Shen Chen politely.

Fang Yu immediately turned to Qin Pi and said, "Brother Qin, please come inside to talk."

Qin Pi noticed Fang Yu's cold attitude towards Shen Chen. He frowned, but seeing that Shen Chen didn't say anything, he didn't react on the spot and followed Fang Yu into the inner room of the inn.

Shen Chen was about to follow Qin Pi into the house when two bandits suddenly reached out and stopped him.

"Those who are not here should stay away," the two bandits said bluntly, staring at Shen Chen.