Two days prior, Meng Nanzhou had spotted Cheng Sanhu carrying game, preparing to peddle it in a neighboring town. He had overheard him chatting with a butcher about wanting to try his luck on Lushan Mountain again.
Having been interested in astronomy since childhood, Meng Nanzhou had studied the stars the previous night and predicted heavy rain for that day. He recalled a time in the past when he had overslept and missed his lessons at the town academy; Cheng Sanhu had taken him up Lushan Mountain to save time. It was a winding path that stretched across the mountainside. Though narrow, there was no need to worry about slipping off, as the thick gravel and dense weeds provided a firm grip.
However, if one were to actually slip down the slope, it would be disastrous. The base of the mountain was littered with countless jagged tree trunks and hard boulders; falling from that height meant death or, at the very least, severe maiming.
Chapter 27