The road at the canyon mouth was still wide, but after half a li it narrowed until it was only a little wider than a single carriage.
The horses were moving very slowly. The mountain path twisted and turned; if they went too fast, they'd inevitably scrape against rocks and branches on either side.
The horse team had just entered the canyon when a whistle suddenly sounded from the mountains.
Qi Er and You Er both felt a chill in their hearts; they knew it had to be bandits passing along a signal.
Just then the armed escort following them raised his voice and called, "Heroes of Niu Tou Mountain, this is a job taken by the Fuwei Escort Agency. Please, sirs, be so kind as to let us pass."
A voice came from the mountain. "You people can go, but I've taken a liking to those two horses. Leave them behind!"
Qi Er and You Er exchanged a glance and kept silent.
The escort forced a smile and said, "May I ask which hero is speaking? I'm Da Beng of the escort agency, my master is—"
