《The Amusing Adventures of a Directionally Challenged Dad and Daughter》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 In Yizhou County, there is a vige called Qingfang Vige, with sixty households. In the vige, the Zhao, Jiang, and Yang families, three surnames, ount for sixty percent of the poption, they are the natives of the vige. The remaining forty percent belong to other surnames, with the Gu family being thergest family after the three main surnames. The old Gu family is from Grandpa Gu''s generation, who fled here during a time of great chaos, Grandpa Gu had three brothers. Each of the three brothers had no less than five sons and three daughters. The eldest in the Gu family had the most children, he married twice and had ten sons and five daughters. The Gu family relied on their children to outnumber the poption by far. Even the people from the three main surnames think twice before trying to bully them. In a thatched house at the foot of the vige, a man was crying uncontrobly holding his daughter who had already passed away. Someone advised him to bury the child. "Old Gu Six, your daughter is already dead, if you don''t bury her in this weather, the body will stink by tomorrow." "Yes, Old Six, let the child rest in peace, don''t make things more difficult." The man held his eight-year-old daughter, suddenly went crazy, "Get out, all of you get out, my daughter is not dead, whoever dares to say my daughter is dead, I will make their family arrange the funeral." The people who were just now advising him angrily said, "You are just a fool who doesn''t know any better, Old Gu Six." "Go, go, go, you ignorant fool, let him hold his dead daughter and let it stink." "Disgusting." The crowd dispersed, leaving only the father and daughter in the once crowded room. Gu Chang''an woke up in a daze amidst the crying, Old Gu Six was too engrossed in his crying to notice that his daughter was pretending to be dead. Gu Chang''an''s first feeling upon waking up was, so hungry, so hungry. She pushed the man holding her, "Hey, stop crying." Feeling dizzy from hunger, weak, her voice faint like a mosquito, but Old Gu Six still heard her. Bright light shone from his lifeless eyes, "Daughter? Daughter? Oh, you really woke up." Gu Chang''an was utterly confused, what did this man call her? Daughter? Her father passed away when she was five, she was raised by her grandparents, is this man out of his mind? Suddenly, a piece of text appeared in Gu Chang''an''s mind. Name: Gu Qingming Gender: Male Age: 26 Hometown: Qingfang Vige, Yizhou County, Ye Dynasty Background: Ancient times The sixth son of the Gu family, born to Lady Li, the first wife of the eldest Gu, who passed away during childbirth. Old Gu Six was not loved by his father, without a mother, resented by his siblings. Lady Li passed away when giving birth to Old Gu Six, he became the family''s scapegoat. Gu Chang''an: Isn''t this the beginning of some novel''s female lead? Ancient times? Ye Dynasty? What''s going on? Oh~ Am I in a time-traveling trend? Stay calm, continue reading the exnation. Since he could walk, Old Gu Six had to support himself by begging. At the age of five, when the eldest Gu married his second wife, Old Gu Six was kicked out of the house. Luckily, he was adopted by an old hunter, and a wandering Taoist gave him the name Qing Ming. (Prefer to grow wings and fly into the Qing Ming¡ªFrom Tang Dynasty''s "Hu Wu Ren Xing" by Nie Yi Zhong) At the age of seventeen, he married Lady Zhang, and at eighteen, they had a daughter named Chang''an, symbolizing a lifetime of peace and happiness. The original owner is now eight years old. Yesterday, while picking wild fruits on the mountain, she fell from a tree and died. Lady Zhang drowned in the river five years ago, and the old hunter passed awayst year. Gu Chang''an: What a tragic fate, wiped outpletely. The drought hassted for three and a half years, and it is now the fifth month, with five months of drought already. Extreme cold is expected in October, with temperatures predicted to drop to minus fifty degrees. Prepare for half a year of cold wave and be ready with evacuation supplies. Mission prompt: The Gu family father and daughter are passersby,plete the mission by living to a ripe old age. Reward: A lifetime of merit. Gu Chang''an:... She''s not sure if she can earn a lifetime of merit. From one deadly world of survival to another difficult world of survival. What a big change. She was also given a father. Her age has shrunk, increasing the difficulty of survival. From Now On, She Must Call a Man Just a Few Years Older Than Her ''Dad''? Mysterious Creature: Otherwise? Call him Old Six? Gu Chang''an:... Well, that''s not impossible, can you give me some hope? Like the female lead in novels, give her a space, no matter how big or small, and some resources, no matter how much. "Ding! Space binding in progress." "Ding! Binding sessful." Gu Chang''an:??? Is there really a space? Hey, did you hear that? Mysterious Creature: Sending you a space as assistance, good luck! Gu Chang''an:??? You''re amazing! Oh well, she won''t dwell on it. Since she has to live until the original father''s natural death, that unclear creature shouldn''t harm her, right? Gu Chang''an woke up, then fell back asleep. Old Gu Six cautiously checked her breathing, feeling her warm breath on his fingers. He smiled in relief, feeling at ease. Luckily, he didn''t believe what others said, or else his daughter would really be gone. There was new rice in the house, which he took to the kitchen. The muddy water that had settled for two days now had over twenty centimeters of clear water on top, perfect for making porridge. Two of the vige''s three wells had dried up, and the water in the remaining well was very murky. The river had also dried up. The crops in the fields had withered, and the drought was getting more severe. It was estimated that every household''s remaining food would onlyst for two months. There was less and less edible food in the mountains, but there was still no sign of the court sending relief. Old Gu Six was worried that even with money, he wouldn''t be able to buy food. Over the years, he had saved a lot of silver from hunting, but he hadn''t saved any food. Would he be afraid of not being able to buy food with silver? He wanted to give himself a p; it was okay if he went hungry, but his daughter couldn''t. When Gu Chang''an woke up again, the room was empty, and she couldn''t wait to check her collected supplies in the space. "Oh my, isn''t this my mansion?" "Thank you so much!" Thinking of the drought in this world, Gu Chang''an immediately went to check if her supplies were still there. Two double-door refrigerators, fully stocked. Good, good. Various meats and seafood in the cold storage were also there. Satisfied! The warehouse is a bit short on grains and oils. There are ten bags of twenty catties of rice, and twenty bags of fifty catties of rice. Twenty vacuum-packed bags of Jinlongyu rice, each weighing five catties. There is a total of only 1300 catties of rice. Two hundred catties of flour in ten catty bags, twenty bags in total. Thirty catties of sweet potatoes, some of which need to be saved as seeds. Twenty catties of sweet potato flour. Fifty boxes of Lao Tan pickled cabbage noodles, each box containing ten barrels. With all these supplies, two people should be able to eat for two years, but the drought willst for three and a half years, so more needs to be bought. With this empty vi, do they have the money to buy food? No, it''s the drought! The first thing to worry about is whether there is water in this vi. The thirty barrels of water she collected won''tst long. Gu Chang''an immediately rushed to the kitchen, turned on the tap, and water gushed out. Thankfully, there is water. Then she ran to the master bedroom on the second floor and turned on the hot water in the bathroom. She breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, there is hot water, and the bathing issue is also resolved. Sensing someone approaching, Gu Chang''an exited from the space. She doesn''t have the memories of the original host, so she doesn''t know what kind of person Gu Chang''an was. She has no intention of maintaining a false persona. No matter how well she acts, the truth wille out eventually. It''s better not to hide from the beginning. If Old Gu Six epts her, then she will be his daughter. If he doesn''t ept her? She''ll have to figure something out. But even if she doesn''t want to maintain a facade, she still needs toe up with a reason to deceive him. What if he believes it? Right? It''s best to maintain a father-daughter rtionship for convenience. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 "Darling, are you awake? Are you hungry? Quickly drink the porridge." Old Gu Six happily brought in a small bowl of thick porridge. The man was estimated to be one meter eighty-five tall, even in the post-apocalyptic world, he was quite outstanding, although he appeared somewhat slender. Dressed in coarse clothes, with a straight figure and a sturdy lower body, he was clearly someone who trained. His narrow and elongated phoenix eyes slightly arched upwards, the smile in his eyes diluting much of the sharp, not-so-easy-to-get-along-with feeling. His thin lips curved up, his smile bright, making him appear somewhat silly. Gu Chang''an: A good-looking man ruined by his smile. "Have you eaten?" "Eaten," he would make some ck doughter. "When you lie to me, your eyes wander," his wandering eyes betrayed his guilt. "Darling, you eat first, andter I''ll make some ck dough to eat. In the afternoon, I''ll go to the city to buy grains." "You sit down and listen to me,"e, listen to my story. Gu Chang''an got up from the bed, pulled him to sit on a stool, and she sat beside him. Then she said, "Wasn''t I unconscious for quite some time before?" Old Gu Six ced the porridge on the table and remained silent for a while before saying, "A day." "Yes, don''t be afraid. I didn''t die, I went to another ce." Old Gu Six''s pupils slightly contracted, somewhat disbelieving. "What ce?" Gu Chang''an thought of the world before the apocalypse. "Heaven on Earth? I was originally from that world, but because of the cmity, my master sent me here, reborn as your daughter. Yesterday, because of my unstable soul, my master summoned me back, that world is currently very unsafe, so my master sent me back here again." "I didn''t have memories of my past life before yesterday, but now that I''m back, I remember everything." Old Gu Six was somewhat uneasy and fearful of losing her, he asked, "If that world bes safe, will you leave?" He didn''t expect his daughter to have such a background, facing a cmity? It sounded very powerful. "No, don''t worry, I am your daughter, and I will never change in this lifetime. I will always be with you until this life is over, only then will I havepleted the cmity." For the reward of that lifetime of merit, she must apany you until the end. Old Gu Six felt relieved, who her daughter was in her past life didn''t matter, what mattered was that in this life, she was his daughter, Old Gu Six''s daughter. For a lifetime. "Is my darling a little fairy?" "...Yes, I am a little fairy who won''t let you go hungry." The matter of space definitely had to be mentioned, otherwise, how could they survive the journey of cmity? There had to be someone to cover for her, right? If she were to escape the cmity alone, that was fine, didn''t she still have a father? In their family, it was just the two of them, she had to keep it a secret. She bet on Old Gu Six''s love for his daughter, if she won, everyone would be happy. If she lost? She''d leave him, she didn''t want the merit of a lifetime. Mysterious species timely appeared: Don''t worry, he loves his daughter more than himself, he won''t say anything even if he dies. Gu Chang''an: You know him very well? Mysterious species: Of course. Gu Chang''an: Can I take Old Six to find a ce in the deep mountains and old forests to hide, ande out when the disaster is over, okay? Mysterious Species: Are you really so naive? Do you think it''s easy to hide in the ancient deep mountains and forests? If it''s easy to hide, why are so many people fleeing? Do you think you''re clever? Who doesn''t know that there are water sources in the deep mountains and forests? In such a serious drought situation, how deep into the mountains do you have to go to find a water source? Jackals, wolves, tigers, leopards, poisonous snakes, giant pythons, all fierce beasts gather in the deep mountains and forests, how many of them can you handle? Even if you have lightning powers, can you keep using them without running out? Stop thinking about it, go flee,e on, I''ll n an escape route for you, stop hiding all the time, go out and see the world. You are currently in the eastern region, head north. Gu Chang''an: No, aren''t droughts in novels usually in the north? How is this the east? Mysterious Species: Droughts in the east and west regions, locust gues in the southwest, water disasters in the south, currently only Lingnan and the north are normal. Gu Chang''an: Is this the end of the world? Causing so many disasters. Mysterious Species: The new world is unstable, and for reasons that are not convenient to disclose. Gu Chang''an: Get lost!!! Mysterious Species: Alright! Old Gu Six took out a bag of 20 kilograms of rice from the side, and Gu Lao Liu saw the sudden appearance of something. Hmm? Such a strange packaging, but he can read. Northeast Wuchang Rice? Old Gu Six grinned foolishly, "My daughter is truly a little fairy." "Don''t get too excited yet, Master said that this world will experience a severe drought for three and a half years, and the supplies Master gave me are only enough for the two of us to eat for two years. There will be a cold wave in October, very, very cold, the kind that can freeze people to death, in about half a month we will have to go flee. We must quickly prepare supplies, how much silver do you have?" Old Gu Six''s pupils shook, a severe drought for three and a half years? Is God not giving people a way to survive? How cold is cold enough to freeze people? "I have three hundred and seventy taels, let''s go prepare supplies this afternoon." "Okay." "Daughter, you must not reveal your powers to anyone else, and do not use them outside, if you must use them, I must be by your side." "Okay." "We can''t use this bag for rice, next time you take it out, just tear the bag." "Do we have arge container or bag for rice at home?" Let''s unpack some of it first. "We have cloth bags, I''ll go get them for you." Old Gu Six went to his own room and brought back five cloth bags from the cab. The cloth bags were not big, they could only hold about twenty pounds. It''s okay, they can be reused. Gu Chang''an opened the rice bag, "Dad, lift it up and pour it into the cloth bags." They transferred the rice to the cloth bags, and Gu Chang''an then took out a piece of pork, a handful of bok choy, and then a bucket of mineral water from the space refrigerator. "Dad, you go cook, I''ll pack the food." Old Gu Six saw things appearing out of thin air and his hands trembled, "My daughter is a little fairy." Gu Chang''an: ... "Daughter, we can''t take out this water container either." "Okay, I know, you pour the water into the container, I''ll put away this bucket." Old Gu Six ran to the kitchen and brought a clean water container, he hadn''t seen such clean water in months. He poured the water, took the rice, meat, and vegetables, and quickly returned to the kitchen to cook. After Old Gu Six left, Gu Chang''an took back the stic bucket into the space and remembered someone mentioning her having lightning superpowers. She calmed her mind and sensed it, pleasantly surprised to find out that her superpowers had indeed followed her, just a bit weaker than before. Before, she could kill zombies with one strike, but now she could probably just electrocute them to a half-dead state, but not immediately kill them. It''s better to be weak than to have nothing at all. Gu Chang''an went into the space, filled four small cloth bags with rice, and decided not to mention it to anyone since her house was somewhat unsafe. She smelled the stench on her body, realizing that in this water-deprived state, the original owner probably hadn''t bathed for months. Thinking about how Old Gu Six had just hugged her and cried, truly showing no disgust, being blood-rted after all. She took a bath in the bathroom, then washed her hair, feeling like she had lost twenty pounds. Looking at the little girl in the mirror, at the age of eight, with milk-white skin, a round face, big eyes, long and curly eyshes, a delicate nose, and a cherry-like mouth. A real-life SD doll? Adorable! Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Gu Chang''an admired her own beauty for a while, then left the dimension to find clothes to wear. Little Chang''an was the happiest little girl in Qingfang Vige. Her father provided her with good food, clothing, and entertainment. She had never worked or been scolded. She was the envy of all the children in the vige. Her clothes had no patches; they were finely crafted cotton dresses bought from clothing stores in the city. She ate fine grains, had eggs and meat every day. She didn''t have to work. There were no brothers or sisters at home topete for things with her. There were no grandparents or parents who favored boys over girls. Old Gu Six loved Little Chang''an dearly. Little Chang''an was beautiful, and many little boys liked her. She lived in a world so different from the other girls in the vige. They didn''t dare approach her, and they were also envious of her, so they tacitly isted her. Little Chang''an had no friends or ymates in the vige. But Little Chang''an didn''t care. She didn''t like ying with them either, as they always liked to say hurtful things that Little Chang''an didn''t want to hear. There were always women in the vige who wanted to be Little Chang''an''s stepmother, but fortunately Old Gu Six rejected them all. Otherwise, she would have been bullied by her stepmother like Hua Hua at the vige entrance. Hua Hua had endless chores, wore tattered clothes, never had enough to eat, and had to care for her younger brother. Strangely, Gu Chang''an suddenly had Little Chang''an''s memories. Little Chang''an was an innocent and adorable girl. Gu Chang''an was grateful that she didn''t have to maintain that persona. Being truly innocent and pure would have been far too difficult to maintain. Just as Gu Chang''an finished dressing, Old Gu Six brought in the food. "Daughter,e and eat quickly. I''ve made vegetable and lean pork porridge. If I stir-fried it, the aroma would be too strong. Everyone is tightening their belts these days. If the vigers knew we still had steamed rice, stir-fried meat, and vegetables, it would cause a big problem." "Okay, you know best." Apparently ravenous, Gu Chang''an ate tworge bowls before feeling full. Old Gu Six ate the remaining half pot. He patted his stomach and sighed, "I feel alive again." Gu Chang''an followed Old Gu Six to the kitchen. She put the water barrel from the kitchen into her dimension, then ran back to her room and entered the dimension. She found a water pipe in the warehouse, connected it to the kitchen faucet, and filled therge water barrel. She emerged from the dimension, ran back to the kitchen, and ced the water barrel there. "Dad, why don''t you take a bath and change your clothes? You smell too bad." Old Gu Six nced at the water-filled barrel and silently said, "My daughter is a little fairy." [Smiling emoji] "Okay, I''ll bathe after washing the bowls. You go rest in your room first. Once I''m done cleaning up, we''ll go to town to buy supplies." Gu Chang''an nodded. Instead of resting, she thought that with only three hundred taels of silver, Old Gu Six wouldn''t have enough if grain prices rose too high. She remembered that her safe had gold bars and various jewels and ornaments left by her grandfather. She didn''t n to use the gold bars, as the gold refined in ancient times might not be as pure as modern gold. If she used high-purity gold for purchases, it might cause unnecessary trouble. It was best to adapt to the times. As an outsider, she should not try to change this world. Wasn''t she just a passer-by? Passers-by should simply do their part and not interfere. Gu Chang''an looked at the jewels and ornaments in the safe, but none of them were suitable for this world. Jade might work, but the quality was too rare for pawnshops to give a fair price. She relocked the safe, left the dressing room, and rummaged through the vanity in the bedroom. She found an imperial green jadeite peace buckle pendant, a pair of handcrafted gold bracelets, and two pairs of exquisite pearl earrings. Except for the gold bracelets, she could pawn the other two pieces and exchange them for silver to buy supplies. She didn''t need to buy winter supplies, as the vi had plenty of cotton quilts prepared as her dowry by herte grandparents. She only needed to put on the appropriate covers from this era. For coats, she could wear her modern ones underneath and cover them with the clothes from this world. No one would undress her to inspect her clothes, right? But to evacuate the vige, she should still buy some winter gear appropriate for this era, just in case. Gu Chang''an remembered that she had bought many down jacket inserts before. They were warm while allowing her to wear other clothes over them without appearing unusual. From Little Chang''an''s limited memories, she knew that cotton was a preciousmodity in this world, extremely scarce and expensive. The poor couldn''t afford it and had to make do with reed mattresses in winter, stuffing the reed flowers into covers and using them like cotton. Such bedding offered little warmth. Wealthier families might buy their household members thin cotton padded jackets with only a thinyer of cotton. That was considered luxurious, far better than those who relied solely on shaking to stay warm in winter. Little Chang''an was the luckiest, with thick cotton quilts to cover herself and thick cotton-padded jackets to wear. This was because Old Gu Six was a skilled hunter who could earn silver. After the old hunter passed away, the Oldest Gu family wanted Old Gu Six to return and work for them, earning money like an ox or horse. But Old Gu Six wasn''t a saint. Why should he follow the idea that "all under heaven must obey their parents, filial piety is supreme", even if it meant breaking his bones and tendons? Everyone in Qingfang Vige knew he had been abandoned. Those who blindly followed and jeered at him, he spat at them - they were nothing. He wasn''t going to pursue an official career, so reputation meant nothing to him. He directly beat up Oldest Gu and broke the leg of Oldest Gu''s son by his second wife. Then he set fire to Oldest Gu''s house. As for his own blood brothers, Old Gu Six gave each of them a good beating - it felt great. After that, no one from the Oldest Gu family dared to ask him to return again. Once Old Gu Six had cleaned himself up, he brought the silver, hitched up the ox cart, and called from the courtyard, "Daughter, let''s go." Gu Chang''an found the exquisite Su Embroidery pouch her grandmother had made in the storage box in her dimension. She slung the small embroidered bag over her shoulder and left the dimension without dy, running out of the room. The ox cart had straw and a tattered nket cushioning the surface, allowing Gu Chang''an to sit without difort. Old Gu Six waited for his daughter to settle, then cracked his whip at therge yellow ox, signaling it to slowly leave the courtyard. Thinking that an ox cart would be inconvenient for evacuating, Gu Chang''an said, "Dad, let''s buy a horse carriage." "Horses are meant for the battlefield. Commoners are not allowed to buy and sell them privately. If you don''t like the ox cart, I can get you a mule carriage instead - one pulled by mules." "That works too. It''s just the two of us with not much to carry. A mule carriage should be enough." "Large mules can carry six to seven hundred pounds." As the ox cart swayed through the vige, the vigers who saw Gu Chang''an widened their eyes in horror. "Ah, a ghost!" The timid ones ran back home. Some were so frightened that their legs shook, unable to move from where they stood. They had clearly seen Gu Chang''an breathe herst. How was she alive again? Was she even human? But if she was a ghost, how could she appear in the sunlight? Could she be a demon? Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Watching the ox cart leave the vige, outside the vige. The vige suddenly became tumultuous. "You, did you see it just now?" "I saw it, this, this Gu Chang''an, wasn''t she dead?" "Re, revived?" "Could it be an evil spirit in disguise?" The courtyard of the Vige Head''s family was packed with people, and the old Vige Head had a splitting headache from all the shouting. His eldest son bellowed, "Quiet, what''s all themotion about?" The vigers thought Gu Chang''an''s revival was ominous. "Vige Head, Gu Chang''an died and came back to life, she must be an evil spirit in disguise. When has there ever been someone who died and came back to life?" "That''s right, that''s right, Vige Head, capture Gu Chang''an and burn her to death, to prevent her from harming anyone." Everyone said they wanted to burn Gu Chang''an to death, giving the Vige Head an even worse headache. In his youth, he had traveled and seen people appear to be dead in certain situations, but the ignorant would assume they were dead and bury them. He thought Gu Chang''an might have been in such a situation, these foolish vigers. "All shut up, what evil spirit nonsense? Look at yourselves behaving like ghosts, you lot are more like evil spirits than Gu Chang''an. She never died, do you think Old Gu Six is stupid? Would he not know if his own daughter was dead or alive? You all are meddling in other people''s business, do you have enough food at home? Did you gather wild vegetables today? That''s enough, don''t crowd here, go do what you need to do." The Vige Head''s scolding dispelled any fear the vigers had. The Vige Head was the most educated person in the vige and had seen the world, so the vigers trusted him. Then they recalled that Old Gu Six had insisted his daughter wasn''t dead, perhaps they had made a mistake? Nevermind, nevermind. They didn''t even have their own food situation settled, how could they have time to worry about whether others were dead or alive? The vigers dispersed in groups, chatting about family matters. The Vige Head looked at the dry, cracked earth outside and said to his eldest son, "Go to the city and investigate the situation there." "Yes, father." Gu Chang''an and her father were unaware of this farce in the vige as they walked and discussed what they needed to buy. "Father, what do you think of the Vige Head''s character?" Old Gu Six pondered for a moment and said, "He is a fair and upright Vige Head who does real work for Qingfang Vige." He didn''t interact much with the vigers, as before his adopted father took him in, he had begged in the city or other viges. Later when his adopted father brought him home, their house was a bit far from the vige, and he disliked going there. He really didn''t want to see the people of the old Gu family. Moreover, he didn''t have time to wander in the vige, as he had to practice martial arts with his adopted father, learn hunting, reading and writing. He was very busy. His impression of the Vige Head was just that, as for the vigers, they were just people who put on a facade. "Father, should you remind the Vige Head about the travel permit? Is it in the Vige Head''s possession?" "Hmm, yes, I should remind him. Whether we have the travel permit or not, it''s safer to travel with arge group when fleeing the famine." During such chaotic times, it''s easy for people''s evil intentions to be unleashed. His martial arts skills were decent, but two fists could not ovee four hands. They paid six coins each to enter the city. It was unclear if it was due to the weather, but the entire city looked grayish, and people walking on the road kicked up dust. The streets were not very wide; Gu Chang''an did not know how road widths were calcted in ancient times. Compared to modern roads, they were about the width of twones. They first went to the grain store, where a few scattered people came to buy grain or check prices. Old Gu Six approached and asked, "Shopkeeper, what are the current grain prices?" The middle-aged man, who had just been chasing people away, seemed delighted, like a different person. "Sir, please don''t call me the wrong title. I''m just a worker at this grain store; you can call me Elder Brother Li. Grain prices have risen a lot; new rice is 40 coins per pound, old rice is 35 coins per pound, brown flour is 18 coins per pound, and white flour is 25 coins per pound." "Thank you, Elder Brother Li. Your temperament is admirable; I can also tell you are not short-sighted." "Old brother, you have a way with words. Let me give you some inside information; this grain store doesn''t have much stock left. Our shopkeeper has gone out of town to procure more grain. If he can get it, good, but if not, then no amount of silver will buy grain. I''ve heard that there are droughts in all 46 counties of the surrounding 5 prefectures, so it will be difficult to get any grain." "Thank you, Elder Brother Li. Please prepare 800 pounds of new rice, 500 pounds of old rice, and 500 pounds of white flour for me. I''m buying rations for my entire vige." "Oh my, you''re asking for arge amount. It''s a good thing you came to Chen''s Grain Store, as we have that much stock. If you had gone elsewhere, you might not have been able to buy any today." Elder Brother Li cheerfully called two young workers to bring the goods from the warehouse. This was a big customer; in addition to his wages this month, he would also get a good bonus. What a profit! Old Gu Six looked at the old ox; it could not pull 1,800 pounds of grain, and even if it could, it would attract too much attention on the way back. Recalling his daughter''s abilities, he whispered to Gu Chang''an, "Daughter, can you use your powers to hide the grain for me?" Gu Chang''an nodded. Old Gu Six was relieved and said, "Elder Brother Li, I''ll take the grain in two trips. First, I''ll take one cartload out of the city, as our vige''s other ox cart is waiting outside. I''lle back for the restter." "Alright, that''s 62 taels of silver in total. Pay me half now, and the other half when youe back for the rest." "Agreed, 31 taels. Take it, I''ll pay you the other half when I return." The workers moved quickly, with the rice and flour in 100-pound sacks, and had already loaded ten sacks onto the cart. It didn''t look like much, but it was heavy. Gu Chang''an also got off and walked. Father and daughter drove the ox cart around the city randomly for two rounds, then found a small alley and drove the cart inside. Old Gu Six kept watch at the entrance while Gu Chang''an observed their surroundings. With a wave of her little hand, she transported the ten sacks of grain into the manor''s warehouse. "Father, it''s done." Old Gu Six looked at the empty ox cart, licked his lips; his daughter Gu Chang''an was truly formidable. He returned to the grain store with the empty cart, paid the other half of the silver, and waited for the workers to load the cart. Just like before, he went back to that alley and secured the grain. Then they went to a small grain store and bought 300 pounds of rice and 200 pounds of white flour, with prices the same as the previous store, just on a different street. Gu Chang''an noticed that the grain stores only sold very basic grains: rice, white flour, and brown flour. Rice was divided into old rice and new rice, that was it. There were no beans, no sweet potato flour, no corn flour, and no coarse grains. In Gu Chang''an''s memory, she had never seen corn, sweet potatoes, or potatoes. When vige families ran out of grain, they would eat brown flour and wild vegetable porridge or just wild vegetables to stave off hunger. Before grain prices rose, brown flour cost 3 coins per pound. Tsk tsk, how heartless, how heartless. The famine hadn''t even started yet, but grain prices had risen like this, would people even be able to live? Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Gu Chang''an calcted how much rice and flour were in the warehouse now. All the rice added up to 2900 catties, and there were 900 catties of flour. She and Old Six should have enough staple food for the next three years. If it''s not enough, there are still 500 barrels of instant noodles, which canst for nearly three months. There are 25 boxes of various breakfast bread, each box weighing 20 catties, which can also be eaten for a while. In the cold storage, there are about 1200 catties of various meats, 1000 catties of fish and shrimp, and over 2000 hairy crabs, some of which were stored before the apocalypse, Thinking about not going out in the winter, it''s better to be prepared, and some of them were purchased from distant ces. There are 20 boxes of well salt, 10 boxes of iodized salt, and 10 boxes of sea salt, with 50 packs in each box, totaling 2000 catties. There are 200 bottles of soy sauce, 100 bottles of white vinegar, 100 bottles of aged vinegar, and 120rge packs of chicken essence. There are 60 barrels of 10 catties of peanut oil, 80 catties of olive oil, and 200 catties of rapeseed oil. Cinnamon, star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, tangerine peel, white sesame, and various spices, she didn''t know how many there were, but they were all packed in tworge boxes. In the two double-door refrigerators, the freezer is filled with dumplings and tangyuan. The fresh-keeping area is filled with fruits and vegetables, and spicy strips are also indispensable. Gu Chang''an sat on the cart, closed her eyes, and entered the space with her divine sense to check the supplies in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, there are no snacks. She didn''t really like to eat them before, but now that she can''t eat them, she misses them. Oh, why is there still a bag of loose rice in the refrigerator? It might have been bought before the apocalypse, weighing about five or six catties. Not bad, better than nothing. After checking the supplies, Gu Chang''an felt more at ease and withdrew her divine sense from the space. "Dad, let''s go buy a mule first." "Okay, there''s a mule and horse market in the East Market. Let''s go there to buy a mule, and then go to the car dealership to buy a cart." The East Market is not far away, and they arrived in the time it takes to burn incense. The market had a particrly strong smell, almost driving Gu Chang''an away. Gu Old Six took out two pieces of cloth, handing one to Gu Chang''an, "Daughter, covering your nose and mouth will help." Father and daughter covered their faces, and the smell wasn''t as overpowering. The sellers in the market immediately started shouting when they saw someoneing in. "Guest, buying a donkey? Our donkeys are strong and capable, a good helper for work." "Hey, guest,e and see, our mules are strong and can handle heavy work." "Guest, we have donkeys and mules, choose as you like." Gu Old Six, holding the old cow with one hand and his daughter with the other, ignored the shouting and walked straight to the innermost vendor. This was a vendor selling cows, with a calf and two yellow cows in the pen. The old man saw Gu Old Sixing and immediately approached. "Guest, buying a cow?" Gu Old Six: "I want to sell this cow, including the cart. How much silver do you think I can get for it?" The old man circled the yellow cows, touched them, and said, "Your cow is old. Even if I buy it, I may not be able to sell it." He wanted to say that he would buy it and secretly sell it to someone else for meat, but that couldn''t be said. Eating beef is illegal in this world. Cows are used for farming, and they are protected by the government. Unless the cow dies of old age or illness, it cannot be ughtered. Old Six knew the final fate of the old ox, he bowed his head and whispered to the old ox''s ear, "I''m sorry, the journey ahead is far and not suitable for you." Then he said to the old man, "You take care of him." "The whole cart frame together is 20 taels of silver, is that eptable?" "It''s fine." The old man gave Old Six 20 taels of silver, he untied the cart frame from the old ox''s body, and led the old ox into the pen. Old Six turned and left with his daughter, they did not see the old ox behind them. After they left, the old ox knelt down on its front legs and knocked its head on the ground. In fact, even if the old ox was not sold and taken to escape the famine, it might not have made it to the destination, it could have copsed halfway and still been eaten. The old man sighed softly, "Get up, this is all fate, don''t pick the wrong womb in the next life." Old Six stopped in front of a mule pen, the mules in this pen were obviously taller and stronger than those in other pens, and of course, the price was higher. There were only two mules, choose one out of the two, both were simr, he chose one that looked more pleasing to the eye. The price was 30 taels of silver, non-negotiable. Having just sold the cart for 20 taels, he needed to add another 10 taels. The owner gave him two bundles of hay, Old Six let the mule carry it by itself. After paying the silver, the mule was led out, his daughter was carried on the mule''s back, then the hay was ced on top. Old Six led the mule carrying his daughter and hay out of the East Market. They went to the carriage shop, but did not find a suitable carriage, they would have to order one, which would take over half a month. By the time it was ready, the day lilies would have wilted, so they ended up buying a simple version. It was just a carriage frame with bamboo curtains all around, a wooden board covering the top, providing shade and shelter from rain, and privacy from prying eyes, not bad at all. It was much lighter than those solid wood carriages, but still very sturdy. The price was rtively cheaper, at 10 taels of silver each, they bought a medium-sized one, just right for them. The carriage was fitted onto the mule, the two bundles of hay tied to the top of the carriage, Gu Chang''an sat inside the carriage. Old Six drove the mule cart to West Street, where they bought ten water pouches and a covered water barrel from a grocery store, all for show. When they all fled together, they couldn''t possibly cook inside without a fire, right? They couldn''t go to the mountains to find water without everyone else, right? These were all for carrying water outside, they didn''t n to put therge water jar from their home outside, it was too big and had no ce to put it. Gu Chang''an could sneak water out of the vi with the water barrel and water pouches, therge water jar was not needed. They didn''t buy much, after all, there were only the two of them, and things would be consumed slowly. They also bought two bundles of waterproof oilcloth, each 30 meters long. In this world, there was no refined salt or vegetable oil, they had to buy separately, not needing much, she could sneak into the vi to cook. They bought 5 catties of coarse salt and 5 catties ofrd. They also bought a bundle of coarse hemp rope, one hundred meters long. In total, everything cost 13 taels, a bit expensive. The items were ced in the carriage, Gu Chang''an went inside and lowered the carriage curtain, the mule cart left the grocery store, and she stored everything in the living room of the vi. Gu Chang''an looked at the shoes in the shoe shop and was surprised to find that there were no thousandyered sole cloth shoes? The so-called thick sole is just a few extrayers of cloth. If you have the time to add those extrayers, why not spend a little more time making thousandyered soles? Despite the criticism, he still had to buy them. He bought twenty pairs of thick-soled cloth shoes, five pairs of cotton shoes, and two pairs of deer skin boots for Old Six. Gu Chang''an didn''t buy any for himself. The shoes Old Six bought for little Chang''an could be changed every day without repeating for three months. Old Six spared no expense when it came to his daughter. He would have been content to just buy for his daughter, even if he had to wear straw shoes himself. Gu Chang''an rejected this idea. Why buy so many? She was still growing, and her feet would grow too. As long as they fit well, that''s all that matters. After buying the shoes, the father and daughter went to the clothing store and bought matching cotton clothes and pants. The shopkeeper looked at the two of them as if they were crazy, buying winter clothes in the middle of summer. Their minds must be a little off. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Old Gu Six and his daughter didn''t care how others looked at them. They picked up their cotton clothes and left, thinking they didn''t need to buy anything else. Gu Six wanted to buy two more quilts, but Gu Chang''an stopped him, saying, "We have enough, no need to buy more." They could have also skipped buying the cotton clothes, but it''s best to follow local customs when dressing. After leaving the clothing store, it was already gettingte, and by the time they got home, it was dark. Gu Chang''an cooked tomato and egg stir-fry, spicy pork, and a pot of rice in the vi''s kitchen. Old Gu Six didn''t recognize tomatoes, "Daughter, what is this egg stir-fry? It''s quite tasty." "Tomatoes, if you like it, have more." "Is this vegetable from that world too?" "Yes, tomatoes can be cooked, eaten as fruit, or made into sauce, with many ways to enjoy them." "It''s a pity that such a delicious thing, there are no seeds here. Otherwise, when things settle down, we can grow some ourselves." "None." At that time, they thought, life is not easy, who has the energy to grow vegetables? Moreover, the environment and climate at that time were not suitable for growing crops. After dinner, Old Gu Six washed the dishes while Gu Chang''an took a shower in the vi. He also brought out two buckets of hot water for Old Gu Six, knowing that in the hot weather, after a day of shopping in the city, one would feel sour. "Dad, I''ve put two buckets of hot water in your room. Wash the dishes, take a hot bath, and it''ll be morefortable to sleep." "Okay, thank you, daughter," a daughter like a little fairy, truly lucky and happy (£Þ?£Þ£© Gu Chang''an didn''t know what time it was, but since there was nothing urgent, he decided to go to sleep. Old Gu Six went out after taking a shower and coincidentally met the Vige Head''s eldest son discussing something. "Old Gu Six is here? Sit down and tell us what''s on your mind." Old Gu Six sat down on the long bench nearby and said, "Vige Head, this afternoon, I bought grain in the city and heard from the shop assistant that several grain shops in the city have very little stock left, and the prices have skyrocketed. Then I heard from the grocery store''s errand boy that several wealthy merchants in the city have taken their families and left for the south, and the magistrate''s family also left the city this morning." The Vige Head''s eldest son, Yang Poxiao, said, "Father, it''s true. I even heard that people from the neighboring county have already started fleeing." The Vige Head remained silent for a long time before softly saying, "Leaving one''s homnd is difficult." He then added, "Difficult as it may be, there is no other choice. The water in the well is almost running out, and if we don''t leave for better prospects, we will only be waiting for death. Even the mountains are starting to wither, and there is not much food left to find. Several months have passed, and we haven''t received any disaster relief from the court. It seems we won''t be getting any." Old Gu Six said what he needed to and left. He left quickly and didn''t hear the Vige Head''s attempt to stop him. As he walked halfway, he heard the gong at the threshing ground being struck, and the vigers all hurried in that direction. Old Gu Six continued walking home, knowing what the Vige Head wanted to discuss - the matter of fleeing. They had prepared their supplies, and when the time came to leave, they would leave together. Old Gu Six and his daughter were unaware of the arguments at the threshing ground, and they slept peacefully. One night passed without words, and the next morning, Old Gu Six made a vegetable and lean meat congee. After finishing breakfast, they drove a donkey cart to the city, nning to buy some cooked food today. The vigers preparing to escape the famine had also gone into the city early to purchase supplies. As the donkey cart passed through the vige, it sparked a discussion. "Old Gu Six has reced his cart with one that has a carriage. How much money do you think he really has?" "We have no idea. People who earn a lot of money don''t go around boasting about it." "The old hunter must have left him some inheritance before he passed away, and he also knows how to hunt. Otherwise, why would Oldest Gu want to call him back?" "Ugh, Oldest Gu has no shame. He never raised Old Gu Six, yet he expects him to take care of him in his old age." "That''s right. Filial piety is more important than anything else. Parents gave him life, so he should be grateful. People like Old Gu Six, who would harm their own father, are worse than animals." "Exactly, there are no bad parents in the world. It''s just that Old Gu Six was lucky to survive after killing his own mother. Oldest Gu kicked him out of the house because he was afraid he would harm his other children." The sudden saintly remarks left the others stunned. Who in Qingfang Vige didn''t know how miserable Old Gu Six''s life was before meeting the old hunter? Everyone kept their distance from them, avoiding ying with the "crazy" ones, fearing they would be infected. Most of the vigers agreed to escape the famine. If the trees die, people die. Since they couldn''t survive here anymore, they had to find a ce where they could. However, some stubborn old folks were unwilling to leave, insisting that their roots were here. The Vige Head had spent half the night trying to persuade them, but they wouldn''t listen. So he gave up, letting them choose whether to leave or not. Anyway, he was going to leave with those willing to go and find a ce suitable for settling down. In the city, Gu Chang''an and Old Gu Six spent the day shopping. The diet was monotonous, with only steamed buns the size of an adult man''s fist. Due to the increase in the price of white flour, all foods rted to flour also saw a price hike. A basket of 20 steamed buns cost 5 cents each. They bought ten baskets, totaling 200 buns, costing one tael of silver. The palm-sized pancakes cost 5 cents each, and they also bought 200 of them, spending one tael of silver. It''s not that they didn''t want to buy more, but the shop only had that much. They also pre-ordered 500 steamed buns and 500 pancakes for tomorrow. Cooking on the road was inconvenient, but steamed buns and pancakes could be eaten hot. They bought some pastries as snacks to satisfy their hunger. With nearly half a year of drought, the market was empty, with no vegetables or meat avable. Father and daughter went to the grain store and found that there was a purchase limit. Overnight, the prices had doubled. New rice cost 50 cents, old rice 45 cents, white flour 35 cents, and ck flour 28 cents. Each person was limited to buying two catties of grain per day. Old Gu Six had nned to buy more grain, but upon seeing this, he gave up. It seemed that the shopkeeper hadn''t adjusted to the grain supply. Gu Chang''an calcted the family''s savings. Old Gu Six''s father had 370 taels of silver saved, and yesterday''s expenses totaled 186 taels. Today, they spent 7 taels, leaving a bnce of 179 taels. After this calction, she realized that in the poormunity, their family was quite wealthy. Let''s hold off on buying jewelry for now, they''ve pretty much bought everything they needed. There''s no point in spending money on luxuries while fleeing, they can figure out how to make money once they settle down. With nothing else to buy, the father and daughter went to a restaurant for lunch, spending two taels of silver. To be honest, the food wasn''t that great, it was a waste of two taels of silver. As they left the city, they ran into fellow vigers at the city gate who offered them a ride. "Old Gu Six, stop, please stop, I want to ride with you." Old Gu Six ignored her, he recognized the woman as Mrs. Zhao from the Zhao family. It was her who had advised him to return to the Old Gu family, saying that there are no parents in the world who are not worth respecting. This person was now on Old Gu Six''s cklist, he flicked the reins twice, and the mule took off. Mrs. Zhao, being old and frail, only ran a few meters before stopping and cursing. "You heartless wretch, you deserve to be driven out by your own father, a penniless family with no sons, no one will even bury you when you die." The curses of Mrs. Zhao were unheard by the Old Gu family, but passersby could hear her yelling at the empty air. Everyone''s faces showed disgust as they distanced themselves, thinking she must be a crazy woman? Chapter 7 Chapter 7 The vigers who went to procure supplies returned veryte, with gloomy faces. After queuing all day, they could only buy two pounds of grain. Other supplies were easy to buy, just a matter of money. But grain could not be bought even with money. Each family rationed their existing grain stores, supplementing with dried vegetables and wild greens, which wouldst about three months. It was uncertain whether they could make it to a safer area within three months. The Vige Head postponed the date for fleeing famine. He had originally nned to leave in three days, but everyone''s grain supplies were low. If postponed by half a month, with each household sending two people to the city to queue and buy two pounds of grain per day, they could buy thirty pounds. With two people from each family, they could bring back sixty pounds. That would sustain them longer on the road, at least until they reached another town to buy more provisions. The Vige Head mobilized the vigers, "Starting tomorrow, each household sends two people to the city to queue for grain. Everyone else goes to the mountains to gather whatever edible nts and bark they can find." Someone from the crowd shouted, "Vige Head, what about those of us without money to buy grain?" "Yeah, those ck-hearted bastards are selling the low-quality grain for 28 cents a pound, which we can''t afford!" "My family''s savings aren''t enough to buy even two pounds of rice." The Vige Head struck a gong a few times and shouted, "Quiet!" Then he continued, "Those without money for grain, go to the mountains to dig for wild vegetables, tree roots, and bark." Eldest Gu''s family had arge number of mouths to feed, little grain stores, and hardly any money. They were among the leading families without money to buy grain. The idea of asking Old Gu Six for support began to take root again in Eldest Gu''s mind. Compared to starving to death, getting beaten seemed insignificant. After the crowd dispersed, Eldest Gu gathered a family meeting at home. "Gu Dagou, tomorrow you take Er Gou, San Gou, Si Gou, and Wu Gou to Old Gu Six''s home. You all came from the same womb, so he can''t let you starve. Ask him for a hundred taels of silver. Once you have the money, you and your brothers go queue in the city to buy grain. Your stepmother and I will take the women of the family to the mountains to find food." The five Gu brothers, Gu Dagou, Er Gou, San Gou, Si Gou, and Wu Gou, lowered their heads and responded, "Yes." Their thoughts were identical to Eldest Gu''s. They felt that since their birth mother died giving birth to Old Gu Six, if it weren''t for him, they wouldn''t have to endure their stepmother''s cruelty. In any case, Old Gu Six was responsible for their life and death, and it was his duty. Moreover, Old Gu Six only had one good-for-nothing daughter. After he died, wouldn''t they need their son to carry on the family line? It was only right for Old Gu Six to give them money to spend. Old Gu Six was unaware of their scheme, otherwise he would have spat in their faces. "Why would I need an outsider to carry on my family line? I''ll just have my daughter do it. It''s not like having a son would bring me back to life." The next morning at dawn, Old Gu Six and his daughter Gu Chang''an left the vige on their mule cart. Gu Dagou and his four brothers pounded on the door for a long time, but no one answered. A passerby told them, "Stop pounding, Old Six and his daughter left for the city at first light." Er Gou asked, "Big brother, what do we do now?" Gu Dagou spat on the doorstep and said, "Let''s go to the city. That broom star and good-for-nothing daughter must have gone to buy grain. I''ll catch them at the grain shop." The five brothers rallied their half-brothers, a group of nine, and marched boisterously to the city. However, they were disappointed, as Old Gu Six and Gu Chang''an had already picked up the steamed buns and baked buns they had pre-ordered. Father and daughter went to the cksmith''s shop and bought two new sickles, two new hoes, and two vegetable knives. Weapons were strictly controlled and could not be bought and sold freely. There were no weapon shops on the streets. ording to Old Six, the weapons used by mountain bandits were self-made. They would melt down iron tools and agricultural implements, then reforge them into swords and other weapons. Indeed, even to be a bandit required a special skill, otherwise they wouldn''t have any weapons. Old Six also had this skill, taught by histe grandfather. The low, locked shed in their backyard was a fully equipped cksmith''s forge. No one in the vige knew about it, as it was well hidden. When Grandfather was alive, he often made arrowheads for his own hunting, and also sold them to others. Gu Chang''an thought that old hunters were probably more than just hunters - they knew martial arts, hunting, and weapons crafting. Then they went to the Cloth Store and bought two bolts of dark cotton cloth. Gu Chang''an would use it to make bedsheets, as their current ones were only 1.3 meters wide. The smallest bedsheets in her spatial realm were 1.5 meters wide. They had left early, so they returned early as well, having bought all the supplies they needed. They had considered buying more grain, but it was simply unavable. Rather than wasting time queuing all day for just two pounds of rice, it was better to return home and prepare the necessary supplies. With all the steamed buns and baked buns they bought, shouldn''t they make some sauce for dipping? Didn''t the bedsheets need to be sewn? Didn''t Old Six''s shoe soles need reinforcing? There was so much to do. About ten miles outside the city, they encountered the nine Gu brothers led by Gu Dagou. Gu Dagou blocked the mule cart, his eyes glinting with greed. "Old Six, we have no grain at home. Quick, give me a hundred taels of silver to buy grain." Gu Chang''an wasn''t worried that her Old Six father would go soft, after all, he was a ruthless man capable of beating his own father and burning down houses. So she remained in the cart, munching on a tomato. She had discovered that the food in her refrigerators could regenerate - if she ate something, it would be replenished in two hours. Of course, this only applied to the food in her refrigerators, not the pantry or cold storage room. But even with just the refrigerators, she and Old Six didn''t need to worry about starvation. The two refrigerators were fully stocked. The only downside was that she couldn''t put anything new inside - it would just get thrown back out. That was a bit unreasonable. She only wished for an endless supply of shrimp and hairy crabs, but even this small desire was denied. At least the refrigerators had boxed pork and beef, so she didn''t have to worry about running out of those. Old Six did not disappoint her expectations - heshed out with his whip, knocking down five of the brothers. Gu Dagou fell to the ground, cursing, "Old Gu Six, you ck-hearted broom star! Aren''t you afraid of being struck by lightning for hitting your elder brother?" The other brothers were a bit timid, still afraid from the previous beating before the new year. If not for Gu Dagou''s lead, they wouldn''t have dared approach Old Gu Six. Gu Chang''an considered herself a kind person, so she decided to grant Gu Dagou''s wish. With a slight movement of her tender hand, lightning as thick as an arm descended from the sky, striking the five Gu Dagou brothers. The other four brothers standing farther away were not spared either, each being struck in turn. The lightning looked terrifying, but its power was only about half of what she could summon in her previous life. The nine Gu Dagou brothers fell to the ground, hair standing on end, smoke billowing from their mouths, skin charred ck, eyes rolled back, and bodies convulsing violently. Death is not possible, but all their flesh will rot, and there''s a high probability they''ll see their flesh falling off in the future. They will also lose the strength in their limbs, unable to do heavy work, so the women of the family will have to shoulder the burden of supporting the household. Though the force of the lightning was not great, being struck twice could still kill a person. For people like Gu Dagou, death is liberation; letting them live is the real punishment, worse than death. They suffered greatly on the journey fleeing famine. Old Gu Six was stunned, wasn''t he? He didn''t believe it was the heavens helping him, it must have been his daughter. How wonderful to let out a scream of joy, that such a formidable fairy is his daughter, he is so blessed! When he worshipped, he must have faced the right direction, paying tribute to his daughter''s master. Then the immortal sent his disciple to be his daughter. Gu Chang''an: Six Dad, you have quite the imagination. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Passersby looked in horror at the nine who had been struck by lightning, hastily keeping their distance. The ancients were superstitious, seeing them struck down, they must havemitted misdeeds to be punished by Heaven. Everyone was apprehensive about such matters and had no interest in gawking. Moreover, they hade to buy grain, merely surviving the famine was already a challenge, let alone having the heart to watch a spectacle. Coming and going, all the passersby gave them a wide berth, even fellow vigers acted the same upon seeing them. Not a single person came forward to help, instead running past them as they approached. Fearing they too would be punished by Heaven if they got too close. Old Gu Six drove his mule cart away, only then asking Chang''an, "Daughter, was it you helping your father discipline them?" "Yes, father, are you afraid?" Chang''an said nervously, fidgeting with her hands, though her expression remained calm. Old Gu Six shook his head, "Not afraid, my daughter is so formidable, even if I''m gone in the future, no one would dare bully you." Chang''an let out a sigh of relief, truly, how touching. "Daughter, when using your spiritual powers, you must be cautious, lest anyone discover you. I fear those ignorant fools might cause a fuss." "Don''t worry father, no one will discover it." "As long as you''re certain." He didn''t ask whether Gu Dagou and the others were dead or alive, better if they were dead. Oldest Gu and Lady Zhu learned from the vigers that their sons had been struck by lightning ten miles from the county town. They were still lying on the road, their condition unknown. They borrowed Old Gu Two''s ox cart and set off for the county town with their grandchildren. Old Gu Six and his daughter Chang''an had already returned home and finished their lunch. During the day, as the vigers passed their doorway on their way to the mountains, Old Gu Six couldn''t conveniently work in the cksmith''s shop. Chang''an arranged for him to sew bedding covers. She couldn''t do it herself, but her father was skilled in all areas. Though not as meticulous as a woman''s needlework, at least he could sew in a straight line. The two bolts of cloth bought that morning were used to make four 1.5 x 2.0 meter bedding covers, with any excess used to make outer shells for down jackets. The spatial dimension held winter clothes worn by herte grandfather that she couldn''t bear to discard. Her grandfather had been a dashing old man, tall and lean. Both he and Old Gu Six had a slender build, so the clothes fit him well. Only the shoe sizes were two sizes too small for Old Gu Six to wear. Chang''an brought out a 1.5 meter, 15 jin (about 7.5 kg) white cotton batting quilt. "Father, cut the bedding covers ording to the dimensions of this quilt." The plump, snowy batting looked especially pleasing. Old Gu Six hefted the cotton quilt, weighing about half again as much as their regr quilts at home. "Father, sew four bedding covers." Then she retrieved a men''s long down jacket and a mid-length women''s down jacket liner from the spatial dimension. At only eight years old and 1.3 meters tall, Chang''an could wear the mid-length as a long jacket. "Use any leftover fabric to make outer shells for these two jackets, enclosing them inside." Old Gu Six felt the jackets, somewhat doubtful, "Daughter, these jackets are so thin and light, are they really warm?" "They''re warm, better than cotton padded jackets. When it gets cold, you''ll know the effect once you wear them." "Alright, I''ll take care of it properly. Clothing in this style definitely can''t be worn outside, it would cause huge trouble." "Thank you for your hard work, father." "Not hard work at all." Old Gu Six did his needlework in his own room, while Chang''an closed the door to her room and entered the spatial dimension. First, she checked on the washing machine, which was still usable. That was a relief, otherwise hand-washing these ancient-style clothes would be truly troublesome. With no water to drink, who would bother washing clothes? So she bathed and dried her clothes in the spatial dimension, no one would know she had washed them, right? Chang''an returned to the kitchen and took mushrooms and pork from the refrigerator, preparing to make a mushroom meat sauce. Then she retrieved a bag of chilies to make chopped chili sauce. Father and daughter each busied themselves, making preparations to flee the famine. At Oldest Gu''s house, the nine sons had been brought back, but they had no money to call a doctor. Finally, Lady Zhu took out thest two taels of silver to summon a doctor for her favorite youngest son and her eldest biological son. As for the other sons, five weren''t hers, so she didn''t care about them. She even had two of her own that she didn''t want to bother with. The doctor came, took their pulses, and examined their bodies. Stroking his beard, he said, "The flesh was damaged by the lightning strike and may slough off in the future. Their limbs are weak and unable to perform hardbor, but their lives are not in danger." Oldest Gu and Lady Zhu both breathed sighs of relief, if it was just flesh falling off to regrow, as long as they were still alive it was fine. Little did they know their relief was premature, Chang''an''s ability was a mutated lightning strike. Once the flesh fell off, did they think it would regrow? They could only wish for death rather than such a wretched life. Chang''an herself didn''t understand why she had developed such a strange lightning ability. But she enjoyed using it, as long as it was effective, she didn''t care what it was. Oldest Gu''s nine sons were utterly disabled. From the vigers, Oldest Gu learned the details of what had urred. He dared not confront Old Gu Six about this matter. It was far too uncanny, and he feared losing control of his tongue, only to be struck by lightning himself. Turns out the Sweeping Broom Star was destined to torment the Eldest Gu family. Any thoughts of taking advantage vanished. The sight of those nine stricken sons was too shocking, extinguishing any fanciful notions. Lady Zhu wept and pounded Oldest Gu with her fists, "It''s all your fault for provoking that ill-fated star. We''re about to flee the famine, what are we to do now?" Oldest Gu shoved Lady Zhu away, saying irritably, "Everything''s my fault, you didn''t object at the time either. If we''re fleeing the famine, then we''ll go, what else can we do?" "You mean just leave, just like that? Who will carry all our belongings? Those brothers are all reduced to useless cripples." "Their personal belongings can be carried by their wives and grandchildren. The unmarried Old Eight, Old Nine, and Old Ten can get San Cao, Si Cao, and Wu Cao to help carry for their older and younger brothers. We have a cart to load the public belongings, problem solved, right?" "The belongings are handled, but what about them?" "Those who can walk will follow, those who can''t will be left behind." In any case, he had 18 grandsons, if a few worthless sons were gone, so be it. He would soon have great-grandsons, who still cared about some useless sons? Lady Zhu fell silent, the old man intended to abandon those sons. After a long while, she finally said, "My eldest and youngest muste with us." "Make your own arrangements." The conversation between the old couple was overheard by the sons'' wives and children. They too agreed with Oldest Gu''s decision, bringing deadweights while fleeing the famine was unwise. That afternoon, the vigers continued searching the mountains for anything edible. But the mountains held so little food, everything had been stripped clean that morning. After sewing one bedding cover, Old Gu Six put away his needlework and went out to cut grass for the mules. Chang''an made seven bottles of mushroom sauce and five bottles of chopped chili sauce (Lao Gan Ma). Then she made five more bottles of Lao Gan Ma (brand of chili sauce). The busy afternoon passed like that, and she cooked dinner in the space and brought it out. Too many people had been passing by their house these days, so she didn''t make any meat dishes. For dinner, they ate seaweed rice balls and vegetable soup. Old Gu Six ate these novel foods, his whole being seeming to glow. His eyes shone like a wolf seeing meat, the look of a true food lover. He ate ten rice balls the size of his own fist. With Old Six''s appetite, the rice in Chang''an''s granaries wouldst only three years. Fortunately, there were five or six pounds in the fridge that could be replenished endlessly. Otherwise, they would have to control Old Six''s portions. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 The next day, Old Gu Six also followed the vigers up the mountain to forage for food. This was to let the vigers know that their family also had limited food reserves, so there was no need to target them. Gu Chang''an continued to prepare food in the space. The space was in a constant temperature state, so the food should not spoil quickly. She cut a basin of vegetables and nned to make vegetable buns with vegetable filling, without adding meat. On the road of fleeing, people ate wild vegetable porridge, so eating meat buns was not appropriate. Although eating white flour was quite ostentatious, it was still more low-key than eating meat. Not all the people in the vige were poor. There were quite a few families who could afford new rice and white flour. At least the family with the most poption was not poor, and their family was quite united. Helping each other and having enough to eat and wear was a normal life. They were only a father and daughter, so eating a little better was normal. Of course, eating white flour buns did not prevent Old Gu Six from going to dig wild vegetables. asionally eating a cold mixed wild vegetable dish was also good. Gu Chang''an made five hundred vegetable buns, all steamed and ced on the long dining table outside. After steaming the buns, she continued to make mushroom sauce, this time without adding meat. She took out a bag of mushrooms from the refrigerator every two hours. A bag looked like three catties, but when taken out, it weighed about eight or nine catties. Gu Chang''an was so busy in the space that she lost track of time, and Old Gu Six did note home for lunch. He brought three bread made by himself that could smash wild chickens and a pot of water into the mountain. There were many people in the mountain, so he could not bring much dry food, let alone good food. As long as he could fill his stomach, he would eat when he got home at night. He spent the whole morning in the mountain but didn''t catch a single hair. He leaned against a tree, and the hard bread made his teeth ache. After eating his daughter''s food for two days, he felt that what he made was too hard to swallow. Next to him was a man of simr age to Old Gu Six, holding a piece of wild vegetable bread and eating. Seeing his handsome face contorted, he thought he was angry for not finding anything to eat in the mountain. "Old Six, our vige has so many people, and the mountain is so big. The edible things have long been dug up. Now everyoneing to the mountain is just trying their luck. There''s no need to be so generous. Your family only has two people. No matter how tough it is, you can grit your teeth and get through it. Unlike my family, with over twenty people and just a little bit of food, it has to be secretly taken by my sister-inw to help her family." Old Gu Six looked at the man, feeling a bit familiar but couldn''t remember who he was. He handed the bread in his hand to the man, "Here, have some more." Damn, almost knocked my teeth out. The man quickly refused, "No, no, no need. Food is precious now. How can you casually give it away? Old Six, you still have a daughter to support. You can''t be generous. Quickly put it away." Old Gu Six couldn''t be bothered to argue with him, so he stuffed the two hard breads into the man''s arms and left. The man was touched to tears, and he picked up one of the breads and took a small bite. "Crack," his teeth loosened, and the bread didn''t budge. The man: ... The feeling of being touched was reduced by half, but he was still very grateful. He took the bread back, wrapped it in a cloth, carefully put it in his arms, pressed it with his hand, afraid it would fall. No one harvested in the mountain, so Old Gu Six cut arge bundle of grass and went down the mountain. Gu Chang''an stayed in the space for a day and when she came out, it was almost dark outside. Her family''s Old Gu Six had not returned yet, and she cooked dumplings for dinner. Old Gu Six was fifty years old, she ate ten dumplings herself, cooked them and ced them in the space, waiting to bring them out when it was time to eat. She also had to close the doors and windows to prevent the fragrance from drifting out. She made all the water dumplings in the refrigerator into steamed dumplings, which could be eaten cold on the escape route. Thinking about the gluttonous look in Old Gu Six''s eyes yesterday, she cooked a pot for him to taste first. When the sky waspletely dark, Old Gu Six carried arge bundle of grass into the house. He first went to the backyard to put the grass into the donkey''s shed, then returned to the front yard, scooped up adle of water from the water tank to wash his face and hands. Old Gu Six sighed again, it was really good to have a daughter who was like a little fairy, never having to worry about running out of water. He thought that now that they had water and food, they could actually stay and not go on the escape route. But disasters must be apanied by troubled times, and living here with his daughter was extremely dangerous. Everyone else had gone on the escape route, only they had not left, still having food and drink, even the dumbest person could think that they had a problem. Anyway, he was tired of staying here, so why not go to where others were tired of staying. Gu Chang''an closed the doors and windows and brought out the dumplings. Old Gu Six smelled the fragrance, his eyes brightened, and he rushed to the table like a Husky, sat down and started eating. A pot of 50 dumplings, he finished in ten minutes. Rubbing his stomach, he said, "So white flour can be eaten like this?" Gu Chang''an: There are more ways to eat, but I don''t n to make them. Old Gu Six carefully picked up the bowl and looked at it, the porcin white bowl was painted with blue and white auspicious clouds, it was really beautiful. They used ck and yellow earthenware bowls. Beautiful porcin bowls and tes could not reach the hands ofmon people, they were only used by the pce nobles. In her past life, her daughter must have lived a luxurious life, but now she had be his daughter, following him to endure hardships, wasn''t that going through a disaster? "Daughter, your bowls, tes, and porcin items cannot be used during the escape route. Even if you use them at home, you must put them away immediately, in the Ye Dynasty, only the pce nobles are qualified to use exquisite porcin. Ifmon people have them at home, they will be taken to the yamen by the officials and beaten, and also fined." Gu Chang''an: What kind of bizarre setting is this world? This is so damn annoying. It''s just two eating bowls, is it necessary? If you can''t use it, you can''t use it, what exquisite porcin? This was bought by her at the ten-yuan wholesale market, but still, the imitation blue and white porcin pattern was really beautiful. "I understand, Dad." Gu Chang''an put the bowl and chopsticks into the dishwasher in the space kitchen to wash, disinfect, and dry. She prepared two buckets of hot bath water for Old Gu Six daily, and then the father and daughter each returned to their rooms. The clothes Old Gu Six changed out of were all washed by Gu Chang''an the next day in the washing machine in the space. Spin-drying and drying, no need to hang them outside. When others passed by, no one would know that they had water to bathe and wash clothes. Theundry detergent Gu Chang''an used had a faint floral scent, and the clothes she washed and wore on her body, as long as she didn''t get close to people, the scent couldn''t be smelled. She doesn''t have a fragrance-freeundry detergent, so the clothes won''t get clean without it. It''s not yet time to escape the famine, but on the way to escape, Old Gu Six''s father will start to be a sloppy dad. What''s so fragrant about it? Just not stinking to death is considered good enough. Old Gu Six didn''t take a bath first, but when it waste at night, he went to the backyard cksmith shop. He sweated profusely in the cksmith shop, working until dawn beforeing out. He returned to the house, carried two buckets of cold water to the backyard, and took a cold shower. He looks thin when dressed, but has flesh when undressed, that''s Old Gu Six for you. Usually seen as thin and weak, who would have thought he had an eight-pack abs? The muscles bulging on his arms, that vigorous strength, not the weak chicken look usually seen. This is a lurking leopard. After Old Gu Six finished showering, he used soap nuts to clean the clothes he changed out of and hung them in the blind spot. After tidying up, he returned to the front yard. By then, it was already bright outside, and he cooked a pot of thick porridge. Gu Chang''an got up, washed up in the space, and smelled the fragrance of the porridge. She brought out a te of pickles. "Dad, you have to eat porridge with pickles." Chapter 10 Chapter 10 "Dad, why are your eyes so red?" Old Gu Six filled Chang''an a bowl of white rice porridge and said, "I was melting iron in the backyardst night, didn''t rest." "You''re getting old, don''t stay upte, it''s easy to go bald." Chang''an nced at Old Gu Six''s thick, jet-ck hair and imagined what he would look like bald. Oh~ The image is too beautiful to look at. Old Gu Six refused to ept his age, "I''m only 26." "Yes, yes, you''re only 26, not even at the age of maturity. If you stay up a few more nights, you might be the youngest bald man." Old Gu Six:... Not listening, not listening, finish your meal and go to sleep. After breakfast, Old Six Dad went to catch up on sleep, while Chang''an went to take stock of the clothes worn by the father and daughter throughout the seasons. She had a lot of clothes, all made of fine cotton, stuffed full in arge cab. There were also several pieces of gold and silver jewelry and hairpins in the box. For winter, she had bought three sets of thick padded jackets a few days ago, as well as two sets of padded skirts. Old Six Dad had thirteen sets of linen clothes and two padded jackets. Tomorrow, she would go to town to buy a few more sets of clothes for Old Six Dad. Originally, she wanted to reinforce the shoe soles for Old Six Dad, but ended up giving up. With her clumsy hands, she wasn''t sure if the shoes she made would be sturdy enough. The shoes she bought mightst for ten days to half a month. Don''t let them get ruined as soon as she touches them. Today, she nned to dry some dried green beans, as people on the famine relief road would add wild vegetables to their cooking pots. Their family shouldn''t be too different, so let''s add some dried green beans. She could also dry some radishes and make a few jars of spicy pickled radishes to eat with rice or steamed buns. It''s too hot to make preserved meat, but there''s Sichuan-style cured sausages in the fridge. Perhaps because they hadn''t found any food in the mountains for two days in a row, the vigers didn''t go up the mountain today, and she could faintly hear someone shouting, "Thest well has dried up." Men and women in the vige gathered around the well, crying, with an olddy sitting on the ground pping her thighs. "Oh, God, you''re not giving us any way out." The vige head''s straight back was slightly hunched. "The men are all going out of the vige to find water, can''t wait half a month to go on famine relief. The women are going home to pack up, and will set off the day after tomorrow at the hour of the Rabbit." The vige head looked around and didn''t see Old Gu Six. He called his eldest son, "Xiaoxiao, go tell Old Six that we''re setting off for famine relief at the hour of the Rabbit the day after tomorrow." "Yes, Dad." The people gathered around the well dispersed, those going to find water went to find water, and those going home to pack up stayed home wiping away tears and packing. Chang''an was drying dried green beans and radishes in the backyard, and heard someone outside calling for Old Six. She ran out, took a look, didn''t recognize him, then took a second look and found him somewhat familiar, probably someone Little Chang''an had seen before. This soft and cute little girl immediately captured Yang Poxiao''s heart. Every time he saw her, he wanted to take her home and raise her as his daughter. He tried to soften his voice as much as possible, half squatting down to be at eye level with Chang''an. "Little Chang''an, where''s your dad?" "He''s gone out," he''s sleeping, but she couldn''t say that, everyone was worried about food and water. Old Gu Six was sleeping soundly at home during the day, is that appropriate? Chang''an''s soft voice made Yang Poxiao once again have the idea of being a human trafficker. He probably couldn''t beat Old Gu Six, so he decided to have a child with his wife. "When your fatheres back, tell him that we will gather at the vige entrance the day after tomorrow at the Mao hour to flee the famine." "Okay, thank you uncle," the well was dry, they had to flee the famine early. Chang''an thought for a moment and reminded, "Uncle, it''s hot now, maybe it will be very cold in winter. You should prepare some thick clothes in advance. When we are on the road fleeing the famine, if it''s cold, there will be nowhere to buy them. My father said, this is called being prepared for any eventuality." Yang Poxiao patted Chang''an''s head and said, "Alright, uncle will tell everyone to prepare, thank you little Chang''an." He didn''t think much about it, just thought it was something Old Gu Six taught her. Old Gu Six should have prepared some cold-proof supplies, so Chang''an reminded him. Yang Poxiao thought it wouldn''t hurt to be prepared, anyway, it would probably be cold on the road in winter, no matter what. He went back and told Li Zheng, who was thinking that most people in the vige couldn''t afford cotton quilts and padded jackets. They used quilts made of reeds and coarse hemp, and clothes made of coarse hemp to keep warm. Even if he reminded them, it wouldn''t help, as they didn''t have the money to buy them. But he still had to remind them. He once again gathered the vigers at home. "You should find a way to prepare some cold-proof supplies, when winteres, we will definitely still be on the road fleeing the famine. If we can''t eat enough and can''t keep warm, we might freeze to death on the road before reaching another ce. Don''t hold onto your money and be unwilling to spend it, as long as we have our lives, there''s no obstacle we can''t ovee." Some families really couldn''t afford it, some were just unwilling, shaking through the winter would be enough for them. There were a few obedient ones, belonging to the three surnames of Zhao, Jiang, and Yang. Their n leaders also spoke up, "Those who have money can buy cotton clothes and quilts for themselves, those who don''t, find help from their n brothers. In the face of disaster, everyone should work together, any disputes can be settled after stability is restored." The words of the n leaders carried weight, and everyone was willing to listen. Some people sneered, not taking it seriously. Those who didn''t listen to advice would be the first to suffer on the road fleeing the famine. In Chang''an''s home, as soon as Yang Poxiao left, Old Gu Six got up, having slept for less than an hour. "Dad, did I wake you up?" Old Gu Sixzily leaned against the door frame, yawned, and said, "No, who is it? Oh, right, Yang Da, I woke up as soon as he entered the courtyard." Is his vignce so strong? Is it okay for outsiders to approach? "Do you want to go back to sleep?" "Not anymore, what are you doing?" "Drying green beans and radishes." "Do you need help from dad?" "No need, they''re all dried, since you''re not sleeping, let''s go to the city." "Is there anything else to buy?" "To buy clothes for Dad." "No need to go, Dad has clothes to wear, time is a bit tight, I''ll sew the quilt cover and those two clothes first. Don''t worry, daughter, there is still cloth in Dad''s room, if there aren''t enough clothes, I''ll make them." ??? Is he so versatile? "Alright, I''ll go pack up." "Okay, throw away what needs to be thrown away, don''t bring everything, we can buy new ones when we get there." "Got it, Dad." Old Gu Six went back to the room to do some needlework, while Chang''an busied herself with packing up their belongings. She had a space, so she could bring everything she needed. She started in the kitchen, where she had been cooking in the space for the past two days, putting away all the kitchen items. She couldn''t put everything away, the things they needed to use regrly had to stay out in the open. Two pots, one big and one small. The small one stayed outside, while the big one was stored in the space, along with therge water tank. They still needed the water bucket, so it stayed out for now. The oil and salt had to be kept outside, leaving behind arge soup bowl and a small rice bowl for the two of them to eat from. On the road of escape, there was no time to cook properly, everything was cooked in one pot and eaten straight from it, two bowls were enough. Thinking about the pickled vegetables she had made, she left a small bowl for them as well. They didn''t need the dish rack, they would get a cupboard when they arrived, safe and hygienic. The cutting board, knife, and spat had to be kept outside. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 There isn''t much to bring to the kitchen, just some pots and pans. The vegetable washing basin was left outside. Chang''an put the jars of oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and utensils in the vegetable washing basin. After a careful look around, there was nothing missing, so she went to the main room. The main room was even simpler, with a dining table and four long benches. Two bamboo chairs, two rattan chairs, collected! A small table? Collected! Alright, the main room is done. She went to the room where her grandfather used to stay. Empty, with only a bed, an empty old cab, and arge wooden box. On the wall hung a simple and elegant bow, with ancient characters carved on the handle. It looked like oracle bone script. Chang''an put the bow into the space and left the room. Next was her own room, with five sets of clothes she was wearing, and a winter coat. Three pairs of shoes were left outside. The quilt and mattress were packed in the wooden box, ready to be moved into the carriage tomorrow night. The rest of the clothes and shoes were packed into the space along with the cab. The small round table and stools in the room were all collected. She took out a piece of cloth, packed the five sets of clothes, one coat, and three pairs of shoes together. After tidying up her room, she went to Old Gu Six''s room. Old Gu Six was busy sewing without even looking up. Chang''an left him five sets of clothes, a coat, and three pairs of shoes, all packed together. The rest was collected into the space along with the wardrobe. The wooden box containing the quilt and mattress was not collected, they would put it in the carriageter. Old Gu Six''s room was very simple, with just a bed and a wardrobe. Now that the wardrobe was collected, only the bed was left. There wasn''t much to bring from the outside into the carriage, and with only two people in the family, it was normal to have few things. The quilt taken out from the space was also collected with the bed. Old Gu Six watched his daughter pack things calmly. Having a little fairy daughter made evacuating very convenient. After finishing collecting everything in the house, it was time to move to the courtyard. The green stone bs used for the floor looked nice and could be used in the new home, so they were collected! In the storage room. Farming tools, collected! Hunting tools? Collected! Baskets, collected! There wasn''t much to collect in the backyard. Back in the room, Chang''an organized some grains to be ced in in sight. Fifty kilograms of rice, thirty kilograms of flour. Ready-to-eat food and water were not taken out yet, they would take them when they left the day after tomorrow. Chang''an dragged the wooden box out of her grandfather''s room. She put the rice and flour into the wooden box. After tidying up, she went back to the space to marinate some spicy and sour radish strips. She also roasted some shrimp and jerky, so they could have jerky when it wasn''t convenient to eat meat. Hmm, bananas could be made into banana chips. Peanuts could be boiled in salty water and dried as snacks. Potatoes could be made into salt and pepper potato slices, crispy and delicious. She also made some mashed potatoes, which could be eaten as snacks or as a main course. And so, the father and daughter each busy with their own tasks, one sewing and the other preparing food in the space, worked hard for two days. The next morning, Old Gu Six finished making four duvet covers and two pieces of clothing. In the afternoon, he went to the mountain to cut a load of grass and then worked in the iron forge. Now the vigers are all at home packing up their things, no one is going to the back mountain, so they are not afraid of being discovered. The vigers who went out to buy winter supplies are rushing back in groups. Yang Poxiao is one of them. When he returned home, he told his father, "Dad, the refugees broke through the city gate and entered the city. The grain shops and major restaurants have been looted." The Vige Head picked up a gong and headed towards the threshing ground, knocking as he walked. The vigers also heard from their men about the refugees entering the city. When they heard the sound, they ran out to see, wondering if the Vige Head had any solutions? Or should they leave the vige now? They haven''t finished packing up yet, they are all reluctant to part with their belongings. The Vige Head saw that almost everyone had arrived, and shouted, "Everyone should have heard about the refugees entering the city. We will still depart at dawn tomorrow, the time remains unchanged. At night, each household should send a man to stand guard, just in case." Old Gu Six and his daughter didn''t know about what was happening at the threshing ground, and even if they did, they wouldn''t go. If he went to stand guard, there would only be his daughter at home, and he was even more worried. The Vige Head also knew about their situation, so he didn''t ask Yang Poxiao to inform them. The weather is very good for drying goods now, the sun is strong enough to fry eggs. The dried beans and radishes from Chang''an are almost half dried. She went into the space to marinate the radishes, and then made some rice balls. She also made a lot of fish balls and meatballs. Old Gu Six didn''t even eat dinner, he was busy at the forge until midnight before returning. Chang''an left him fish balls and rice balls for supper. There are refugees lingering outside the vige, and the vigers are standing guard, the torches almost lighting up half the vige. It seems that there are many people in this vige, and the refugees dare not rush in. They thought the vigers wouldn''t guard for too long, but they didn''t expect people to still be on guard until 3AM. The refugees left grumbling unwillingly. Old Gu Six went to bed at 11PM, slept for an hour and a half, and got up at 3AM to pack up. He first fed the donkey grass and water, then brought out the prepared things. When Chang''an''s father came in to move things, she also woke up. She washed up in the space, changed into the patched clothes her father made for her yesterday. She steamed a basket of buns for breakfast, then went out to help pack. They didn''t have much stuff, threerge wooden boxes, two parcels, two straw mats. Chang''an brought therge water tank in the kitchen into the space, and carried out the contents of the wooden basin. The small iron pot and cutting board had already been taken out by Old Gu Six. Old Gu Six harnessed the donkey cart and said to Chang''an, "Daughter, go collect the things in the forge." Chang''an went to the backyard with a torch, pushed open the door, and took a sharp breath. There were over ten unopened knives and swords hanging on the wall, a small frame of sharpened arrowheads, and arge bundle of finished feather arrows, probably over a hundred. These things were definitely not made in the past few days, but had been there before. She took all these things into the space, including the tools for forging and making weapons, leaving nothing behind. In the front yard, Old Gu Six lifted the bamboo curtain of the cart, and nailed three wide wooden boards on the left, right, and back sides. The cart was now in a semi-enclosed state. After nailing the wooden nks and lowering the bamboo curtains, they began to move things inside. Threerge wooden boxes were ced on the left, right, and back, with two packages inside the cotton-filled box. Pots, bowls,dles, and basins were ced in the middle of the carriage, along with a covered water bucket filled with water and ten water bags. The wooden box containing food also held steamed buns, buns, and pancakes, but not too much as it was too hot and they would spoil. It was just enough food for a day, and they would take more from the space after finishing. Old Gu Six folded the straw mat andid it on the floor of the carriage so Chang''an could sit or lie downfortably. With all the household items inside the carriage, there was only enough space for one person to sit or lie down, but therge wooden boxes could also serve as seats or beds. This was all Chang''an''s territory. Two bundles of hay were tied to the top of the carriage, and the basin for the mule to drink from was ced inside. Once everything was packed onto the carriage, the father and daughter sat on the shaft of the carriage to have breakfast. Two cups of milk, one for each, and freshly steamed buns were all taken out. Chang''an was full after eating one bun and drinking a cup of milk. Old Gu Six''s father saw his daughter eating so little, looking like a little chick, and he was worried! He tried to persuade her, but she wouldn''t listen, which made him even more worried. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 A tray of 20rge steamed buns, and Old Gu Six ate 12 of them, along with arge cup of milk. Chang''an was also very worried, how could she afford to feed someone with such a big appetite! After finishing breakfast, there were still two quarters of an hour before the morning shift. "Daughter, sit tight, we''re setting off." They first went to the vige entrance to gather, and once everyone was assembled, they could begin the journey. Chang''an sat in the donkey cart in a Ge You-style slouch, as the cart swayed and rocked its way to the vige entrance. They didn''t look back at their former home, as Chang''an hadn''t lived there for long, so she didn''t feel any sense of attachment. As for Old Gu Six, he was indifferent, for he had already decided to abandon everything. Why linger over what was meant to be left behind? He and his daughter were headed towards a better future, where they would have a better ce to live. Yesterday afternoon, he had collected the remains of histe wife and father-inw. How could he leave his father-inw and wife behind when fleeing famine? They had to be brought along, for a family must stay together. He didn''t tell Chang''an, for fear of frightening her, but the remains were ced in his wooden box meant for cotton quilts. Old Gu Six was delighted, with his father-inw, histe wife, and his daughter all in the cart. A family could go anywhere together. When they reached the vige entrance, most of the people had already gathered. Old Gu Six stopped the donkey cart while still some distance away, not wanting to drive it into the midst of the crowd. He didn''t want to get too close to the Old Gu Family, as they disgusted him. It would be better for him and his daughter to stay at the very back. Chang''an lifted the cart curtain and saw a sea of dark heads in front of them. This was an enormous procession of over 600 people. Most families had carts, whether handcarts or donkey carts. The Zhao, Jiang, and Yang families had many ox carts and donkey carts. A few other families also had ox carts. The elderly and those too young to walk sat on the handcarts, pulled along by their families. As the morning shift arrived, the Vige Head struck the gong. "Everyone, kneel and bow farewell to the vige, for we may never return." The vigers knelt and bowed, weeping. Their kneeling inadvertently drew attention to Old Gu Six and Chang''an. They remained seated in the cart, unmoving. "Daughter, we won''t kneel." Your mother and grandfather are with us in the cart. Chang''an didn''t know, assuming Old Gu Six simply felt no attachment to this ce and thus didn''t want to kneel. The vigers were too distraught to care whether Old Gu Six knelt or not. There were still some people remaining in the vige, clinging to dreams of relief from the imperial court. Whether they would survive was simply a matter of luck. The Vige Head struck the gong again, signaling "Depart." The procession set off slowly, gradually leaving the boundaries of Qingfang Vige. Chang''an slept in the cart for a while, waking to find the procession still plodding along at a sluggish pace. Therge numbers,bined with everyone''s belongings which couldn''t all fit on the handcarts, meant they had to travel encumbered. The small children couldn''t walk, and families with many children couldn''t have them all ride on handcarts, while the adults couldn''t pull the weight. This inevitably slowed their progress. The morning was nearly over, yet they still hadn''t reached the main road. Along the way, they saw scattered groups of disheveled refugees in tattered clothing, unclear where they hade from. Chang''an took ice from the refrigerator in her spatial realm and put it in a waterskin, handing it to Old Gu Six once the ice had melted into water. "Father, have some water." Old Gu Six took the waterskin and drank, the icy coolness incredibly refreshing. He gulped down a third of the water, "Glug glug glug." They were at the very back, with the Jiang Family also traveling alongside them. The Jiang Family also had ox carts and donkey carts, with the elderly and children riding in the donkey carts while their belongings were loaded onto the two ox carts. The women of their family were better off than most, not having to carry anything on their backs, just keeping up with the walking. The procession stopped at an open area. Old Gu Six looked up at the sky and said, "It''s noon." Chang''an also looked up, unable to discern anything. She took a small iron pot and a bag of steamed buns from the cart, using the wooden box as cover to retrieve a jar of pickled vegetables from her spatial realm. Eating some pickled vegetables would be refreshing on such a hot day. Old Gu Six brought out the water bucket, first helping Chang''an set up the pot stand and pouring some water into the pot. Then he went to untie the donkey and give it water and fodder. Chang''an gathered firewood to light the stove, then stared dumbly. How could the steamed buns be hot? Was she supposed to boil them in water? With everyone watching, she couldn''t retreat into her spatial realm to heat them up. The buns had been cold and hard when she took them out, so how could they suddenly be piping hot by just turning away? She looked at the people in front, who were tearing tbread into pieces and cooking it in a pot with dried vegetables into a gruel. Chang''an silently put the bag of steamed buns back into the cart. Steamed buns would release an aroma when heated, while everyone else was eating gruel. Using the cart as cover, Chang''an took out cold vegetable buns from her spatial realm, recing the pickled vegetables with chopped chili peppers. The dough for her buns was fermented, with thin skins, so they remained soft even when cold. Unlike the steamed buns bought in the city, which hardened like rocks when cold. Those scorched tbreads were also tough as nails. Cold buns would be fine on such a hot day. The water in the pot was boiling, so Chang''an extinguished the fire, letting the water cool slightly before pouring it into Old Gu Six''s old waterskin. Sheid out a straw mat and sat waiting for Old Gu Six. After feeding and watering the donkey, Old Gu Six led it to a nearby grove to relieve itself. Upon returning, he tied up the donkey and sat down to have lunch with his daughter. Sounds ofmotion came from the front - were they already causing trouble after just half a day? Chang''an craned her neck to look, but Old Gu Six pressed her down. "Eat. What''s there to gawk at?" The quarrel was among the Old Gu Family, with all nine of the useless sons in tow, not having been left behind. Those nine good-for-nothings had to lean on canes to walk, so carrying their own packs was out of the question. Thus, their family only gave them meager portions of food, saving more for those capable ofbor. But the nine wastrels wouldn''t have it. "Father, Mother, why are you giving us so little to eat?" protested Gu Gao Di, the second son of Lady Zhu. The five sons of Gu Dagou remained silent, as they had already split from the main family yesterday on orders from Oldest Gu. Now that their affairs were separate, with their own meager provisions, they had to ration carefully. The five brothers stayed quiet, even distancing themselves to avoid any association. Their father had dered yesterday that their survival on this journey depended solely on themselves, a matter of life and death. They felt relieved, no longer having to rely on their father and stepmother for sustenance. With their own children all grown up, there was no fear of starvation. Oldest Gu didn''t say a word, while Lady Zhu, with a sagging old face, said, "There''s just a little food left in the house. You, a mere eater, should just fill your belly a bit." "We all still have to carry things. How can we have the energy if we don''t eat more?" "Then why can my younger brother and older brother eat more?" "Didn''t you see that your older brother is carrying a bundle of clothes? Your younger brother is still growing, so he needs more food." "I don''t care about that. Why do just my younger brother and I get less to eat? We''re all your sons, Mother. You can''t be so biased." "So what if your old mother is biased? Don''t like it? Then don''t follow us." Lady Zhu''s words put an end to the argument. Where would Gu Gao Di and Gu Gao Shan have the courage to not follow? They could only swallow their anger. Chang''an couldn''t help but stand on her tiptoes and take a nce ahead. With her good eyesight, she spotted Oldest Gu''srge family in the middle and rear. With those nine bald heads, they were impossible to miss. For now, she could only see that their skin was starting to peel off, but as for the rest of their bodies? Only they themselves knew. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 After resting for about an hour, the Vige Head struck the gong and called out, "Pack your things, we''re moving on." Chang''an hoped no one would suffer from heat stroke in this kind of weather traveling at midday. They didn''t carry much, and it didn''t take long to load everything into the carriage. Old Six harnessed the mules to the wagon, and Chang''an got into the carriage. It took about half an hour for the group in front to start moving slowly. Old Six drove the mules, slowly catching up. Chang''an wanted to go out and drive the wagon, letting Old Sixe in and rest. But Old Six didn''t allow it, reasoning that she was still young, and she was a girl - if she got tanned and dark, what would she look like? Chang''an closed the carriage curtains, then went into her space and took a watermelon out of the fridge. She cut it up, put it in a juicer, and squeezed out arge basin of watermelon juice. She emptied two water pouches, filled them with the watermelon juice, and added a couple of ice cubes. Chang''an took the two pouches of watermelon juice and two pears out of the space. She first handed the pears to Old Six, "Dad, have a pear." Old Six took them and bit into one, cool and refreshing. He thought he was the luckiest refugee fleeing the famine because he had a little fairy daughter - no one couldpare. Chang''an sat in the carriage, hugging and nibbling on a pear. It was cool andfortable. The olddies and children sitting on the tbed in front saw Old Six eating pears, and they all swallowed their saliva, turning their gaze away silently. Don''t look, don''t look, it''s too tempting. The children wanted to cry and ask for some, but the olddy quickly covered their mouths. Old Six just had him and his daughter, and he was a capable man. It was perfectly normal for them to have enough to eat. Old Six even ate the core, not wasting a bit. Chang''an waited for him to finish the pear, then handed him the watermelon juice. Old Six took a sip of the sweet fruit juice, feeling blissful, like he was floating. After two sips, he stopped, covered it, and put it back in the carriage to drinkter when he was thirsty. They were at the back, without bothering anyone and no one bothering them, taking it easy. It was good being at the back for now when there weren''t many refugees on the road. But when more refugees appeared, they''d have to be on high alert in the back, or they might get robbed. In the afternoon, they traveled for about two hours before reaching the main road. Once on the main road, there were more and more refugees. Who knows where they came from - they were all skin and bones, empty-eyed, in tattered rags. They wore straw sandals, and some didn''t even have sandals. The riverbed along the way had dried up and cracked, yet some were still digging there, trying to find water. The surrounding forests had withered from the outside in, and all the edible nts along the road had been dug up. The refugees saw therge group of five or six hundred people from Qingfang Vige with loaded tbeds, so they must have food. They didn''t dare rob them - although thin, the vigers looked energetic and clearly had food. The refugees urged the elderly, weak, women, and children to beg, hoping the Qingfang vigers would take pity and give them something. When they set out, the Vige Head hadn''t instructed the vigers to be generous or softhearted, or else it would bring disaster. Most wouldn''t give away their food - if they gave some out, their own families would have less to eat. In times like these, a handful of grain could save a life. But some were softhearted and easily swayed, unconsciously feeling sympathy when seeing the elderly, weak, women, and children. This softness was dangerous - soon they were surrounded by people asking for food, causing chaos in the group. The women turned pale with fright, sweating profusely. She had given away half a bun, so why were all these people surrounding her, demanding food? She had already said she didn''t have any left. Why were they looking at her like that, like she was a bad person? The Vige Head came rushing over from the front with some men. "What''s going on here? Leave, leave at once, or don''t me us for being unkind." Seeing the fierce men, the refugees didn''t dare rob them forcibly. They all knelt on the ground, begging the kind people for something to eat and drink. "Please, good people, give us some food, some water to drink. We''ve been without food or water for days." "Please, good people." The Vige Head coldly drove them away, showing no mercy. "None. Please leave our group immediately." Seeing they wouldn''t listen, the Vige Head called over some young, strong women. "You, drag all these people away. Men, guard the group and don''t let anyone near." People also came to beg from Chang''an and Old Six, but Old Six was truly merciless. He didn''t discriminate between men and women - anyone who approached gotshed, leaving bloody gashes. Don''t hit women? In this chaotic world, were there any women? Before, except for his daughter-inw and daughter, all other women weren''t women to him. Now, except for his daughter, no one else was human. Seeing how vicious he was, the refugees didn''t dare approach. Bah! What kind of man was he, hitting even women. What a waste of a handsome face. They looked toward the front of the group - everyone there had also been dragged away. It seemed they wouldn''t get any food. The Vige Head reorganized the group, having each family send out an able-bodied person to walk the perimeter, with the elderly, weak, women, and children surrounded in the middle. He specifically emphasized, "No one is allowed to give food to the refugees. Whoever is softhearted and brings disaster to the group will be expelled from the Qingfang Vige group." The Vige Head wanted Old Six toe to the front, "Old Six, it''s just you and your daughter, soe walk at the safe front." But Old Six refused. "Vige Head, I''ll walk at the back." Don''t think he didn''t know what the Vige Head was scheming. The ones leading the front were the old fogeys from the Zhao, Jiang, and Yang families. With them leading the group, if Old Six walked in front, it''d be fine if nothing happened. But if something did happen, he''d be their free bodyguard. Everyone knew he was skilled in martial arts, with good abilities. They were plotting to use him as an expendable shield. It was easy enough for him to protect just his daughter alone. But at the front, he''d have to divide his attention protecting all those people too. Then he couldn''t focus all his efforts on keeping his daughter safe. What if she got hurt? The Vige Head saw Old Six wouldn''t budge and felt frustrated. At a time like this, Old Six was still being selfish with no team spirit. But after a while, the Vige Head consoled himself. He thought that normally in the vige, Old Six kept to himself, never getting close to anyone. He might not even know who all the vigers were, so why would he want to protect them if they had no ties? Why rely on an outsider like Old Gu Six when there are so many men in your own family? How disappointing! The Vige Head''s anger red up quickly but dissipated just as fast. Turning back, he cautioned, "Just stick close to the group. The further we go, the more refugees we may encounter, so stay vignt." Old Gu Six: "Understood, Uncle Vige Head." The group continued their slow advance, with a small band of refugees trailing far behind them, perhaps fifty or sixty people. These people had note begging earlier, but now they followed, hoping to find a way to survive. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 As the sun set in the west, it was about to get dark, so the group finally stopped. They had arrived at a ce without any open spaces, so they halted and rested on the road. Chang''an had boiled porridge in her space in the afternoon, and it was still warm, with no fear of any aroma wafting out. She had already discussed this with Old Gu Six, so they didn''t take out any pots to cook over a fire. Others just assumed the father and daughter were going to eat dry rations again. Old Gu Six unloaded the mules, following the same routine as the morning, feeding them dry grass and water. One of the two water buckets had already been emptied, all used for the mules'' drinking water. The Vige Head mobilized everyone to go find water, as the vigers'' supply was almost depleted. "One person from each household should go find water." The vigers brought their own buckets and water skins, heading into the mountains in groups. Old Gu Six didn''t go, as he didn''t want to leave his daughter alone here sote. The water they had outside was enough for the mules until tomorrow, and they could find more water during their midday break. His main concern was getting water for the mules to drink - he couldn''t very well have the mules and people drinking water every day while he didn''t go look for any, that would be suspicious. The vigers didn''t mind that he wasn''t going to find water tonight, all assuming the father and daughter had a small enough need that their existing water supply would suffice. The disced refugees trailing behind also went along to find water, just following as they had done all afternoon without disturbing anyone. Old Gu Six didn''t tie the mules up nearby, worried the refugees might steal them in the dark of night. He tied a small, pointed wooden stake to the rope and drove it into the ground, with the mules lying down beside the cart. Chang''an ate her meal inside the cart, calling Old Gu Six in to eat once she had finished. The rice porridge was mixed with shredded mustard greens, and she brought out ten small steamed buns for him too, worried the porridge alone wouldn''t be filling enough. She felt eating inside the cart was quite nice, with no one able to see them. Tomorrow she would cook the rice in her space, leaving it at a warm temperature before bringing it out, so there would be no aroma. She had made so many sauces, minced chilies, and pickled vegetables that could be used to vor the rice. Chang''an sat on the grass mat on the ground, looking up at the distant sky. Despite being sunny every day, not a single star could be seen at night, the sky a pitch ck abyss that seemed to want to swallow the earth. After Old Gu Six finished eating, he called for Chang''an to go rest. "Daughter, go rest in the cart. There are a lot of mosquitoes in these open fields at night. I just burned some mugwort sticks inside the cart." "Where did you get the mugwort from?" They had even forgotten to buy candles. Luckily she had candles her grandfather had bought to have candlelit dinners with her grandmother, with around ten pairs remaining. They also had a box of candles used for worshipping the God of Wealth, including somerge pir candles simr to those used at weddings, with nine pairs. She didn''t know who had bought those, but they were gathering dust in the storage room, finally proving useful now. After her vi became a space, the household deity statue of the God of Wealth disappeared, so they wouldn''t need to worship it anymore. Old Gu Six said proudly, "Why wouldn''t I be your dad? When I went to buy steamed buns and fried dough twists, I told you to wait in the cart, didn''t I? I bought the mugwort then. I didn''t have much, so I just kept it to myself." "Then why didn''t you think to buy candles?" Old Gu Six: "...I didn''t think we''d need candles out in the wilds like this, I figured we''d make a fire pit." "Make a fire pit in this heat? Aren''t you afraid of getting hot?" "Do I look like I''m not afraid of the heat?" There wasn''t a single breeze at night, just sweltering humidity that had soaked his clothes in sweat. Chang''an tried to lead Old Gu Six into a secluded area, intending to bring him into her space so he could take a cold shower in the vi, but she discovered he couldn''t enter. Only she could ess the space, so there was no choice but to keep enduring the heat. Old Gu Six didn''t understand. "Daughter, did you need to use the restroom? Don''t be afraid, dad will stand guard here, just go ahead." "...No, I wanted to give you something tasty," she thought. If she went to use the restroom, she could enter her space to avoid any snake bites in the wild. Chang''an took out a small cloth bag of beef jerky from her space as a snack. Old Gu Six epted it and opened the small bag to look inside. Beef jerky? He grinned foolishly, his daughter was so filial. Old Gu Six carefully put it away, and the father and daughter returned to their spot beside the mule cart, never having gone too far, just four or five meters, able to keep an eye on their belongings. "Dad, you rest first, I''ll keep watch." "No need, you go rest in the cart first, there are no mosquitoes in there. I''ll stand guard out here." He watched as Chang''an entered the cart, then sat down on the grass mat, leaning against the cart to rest. As soon as Chang''an entered the cart, she went into her space. She remembered buying some mosquito-repellent bracelets online before the apocalypse, wondering if she still had them. She rummaged through her bedroom and found an expired bottle of eau de cologne before finally locating the three bracelets in the bottom drawer of her nightstand. Each bracelet cost just 29.90 yuan, she had bought three - two blue ones and a ck one. She wasn''t afraid of the bracelets being exposed, as they just looked like cheap bangles of indeterminate material. Chang''an put on one of the blue ones herself, then took the ck one out of her space and lifted the cart''s curtain to see Old Gu Six wasn''t resting peacefully, constantly swatting at mosquitoes. She got out of the cart and put the bracelet on him. Old Gu Six sensed his daughter approaching, but didn''t open his eyes until he felt something being put on his hand. It was a small, lightweight ck ring of some unknown material. Seeing his curious look, Chang''an exined, "This is an outdoor mosquito-repellent bracelet. I don''t know if it actually works, but you can try wearing it. I''m wearing one too." She lifted her arm to show him. Old Gu Six found it quite wondrous, thinking it was so good to be a deity, not even needing to swat away mosquitoes himself. While the father and daughter bonded, the vigers who had gone to find water still hadn''t returned after two hours. Their family members were getting restless, asking the Vige Head to send someone to look for them. It was dangerous in the mountains after dark, and the Vige Head was also worried, as his eldest and second sons had gone. The people they were worried about were carrying water and torches as they walked back, having gone quite far to find water seeping from a rock face in a mountain valley. There was little water, and many people drawing from it, so each person only got about half a bucket. Though not much, it was better than nothing. The vigers of Qingfang Vige saw that the disced refugees following behind were behaving themselves, so they didn''t give them a hard time and even left some water for the refugees to collect. The migrants expressed their deep gratitude, for this was the first kindness they had received after fleeing famine for over half a year. They were grateful to have joined this group, otherwise by following those other migrants, they would surely have perished. While waiting for the water, everyone managed to find some wild vegetables and elm bark nearby to eat. It was precisely these things that made them determined to stick with this group, as it was their only chance of survival. They had considered venturing into the mountains in search of food, but there were few of them, mostly women and children. It would be too unsafe in the mountains. Following thisrge group to look for water and food would be much safer. The vigers of Qingfang Vige had also managed to dig up some wild vegetables to bring back. Halfway through their journey, they encountered vigers who hade out to look for them. "Yang Poxiao, Ming Xiao, why were you gone for so long? We were all getting so worried," said Jiang Fei. "Brother Jiang Fei, why did you alle out? Sorry to have caused such worry," Yang Poxiao said sheepishly while scratching his head. With no water nearby, they had to travel farther, which was why it took them so long. He had forgotten to send someone back with a message. "It''s alright as long as you''re safe. Let''s head back now." Chapter 15 Chapter 15 When the vigers saw their men safely returning with water, the worry in their hearts finally eased. They set up pots to cook food for their men, then poured the water their men had brought back into the pots to boil. After cooling, they transferred it into water canteens. The refugees following behind the group also burst into tears of joy upon seeing their men return with water and elm bark. A woman holding her five-year-old daughter, Little Ya, wiped away her tears and said to her, "Little Ya, Daddy has brought back water and food. We will have something to eat." The little girl smiled weakly, already too exhausted from hunger to speak. Yesterday, she had even drunk her father''s blood. She felt that she had be a burden to her parents. With little food and water, her father had even let her drink his blood. She was afraid he wouldn''t be able to hold on. It would be better if she just died, but her parents were risking their lives to keep her alive. They now had food and water, but they were worried again as they had no pots or fire to cook with. Did they have to eat everything raw? Little Ya''s Daddy hesitated. He and his wife could eat raw wild vegetables, but he was afraid their young daughter might get sick from eating them uncooked. Other families were in the same situation, with elderly and young children, the youngest only two years old. Little Ya''s Daddy gritted his teeth and walked towards the Qingfang Vige group. He didn''t go to the front, but instead found Old Gu Six and his daughter trailing behind the group. Everyone in the group had lit fires, so this area wasn''t too dim. The mosquito repellent bracelets were somewhat useful - at least Old Gu Six didn''t have to keep swatting mosquitoes while sleeping. Chang''an sat beside Old Gu Six, keeping himpany with a vacant stare. Before Little Ya''s Daddy approached, Old Gu Six had already awakened, his eyes clear and alert, not like someone who had been sleeping. He red fiercely at the approaching man, a skeletal figure so thin that Old Gu Six tried to scare him off with his gaze. Little Ya''s Daddy was indeed somewhat frightened by the imposing aura of the man leaning against the carriage, sitting on the ground. Thinking of his daughter, he swallowed hard and resolutely walked over. As he drew closer, he noticed the child sitting beside the man was an exceptionally beautiful girl with bright, starry eyes that shone brilliantly. Her chubby baby face resembled a small, milky cake. Little Ya''s Daddy was momentarily entranced. This child was really cute and well-fed. If only his Little Ya could eat and dress well, she would surely look just as adorable. Seeing the man staring at his daughter, Old Gu Six''s gaze turned icy as he stood up and hid Chang''an behind him. With a swift motion, he drew the soft sword concealed at his waist, pointing the de directly at Little Ya''s Daddy. In the distance, Little Ya''s mother and the other refugees saw this and their faces paled. They immediately ran over with the children, hoping to plead for the man to spare Little Ya''s Daddy''s life. Little Ya''s Daddy was so startled that he stepped back two paces, cold sweat pouring down as he stammered an apology, "Sorry, sorry, I didn''t mean to..." From behind Old Gu Six, Chang''an peeked out to look at the man across from them, who was so thin he hardly looked human. When he had gazed at her earlier, his eyes held no malice, only wonder. She tugged on Old Gu Six''s clothes and said softly, "Daddy, why don''t we ask him what he wants first?" Hearing Chang''an''s sweet voice, Little Ya''s Daddy didn''t wait for Old Gu Six to ask, immediately exining, "I mean no harm, nor am I here to ask for food. I only wish to borrow some fire and, if possible, a y pot to cook some wild vegetables for my daughter." As he finished speaking, his wife holding their daughter, along with the other refugees apanying them, all knelt and kowtowed. "Please spare my husband''s life, honorable sir. We will forever be grateful for your kindness." Little Ya crawled out of her mother''s arms and prostrated herself on the ground, begging Old Gu Six, "Please spare my Daddy''s life, honorable sir. He did not intend to disturb you. I beg you, in the name of a father''s love for his daughter, to forgive him." Thismotion drew attention from those ahead, and someone alerted the Vige Head, who rushed over with others. Old Gu Six sheathed his soft sword and returned it to his waist. Looking at the little girl prostrate on the ground, and then back at his own daughter, he decided to treat this as umting merit for his daughter''s sake. He took a fire striker from his pocket and tossed it to Little Ya''s Daddy, then turned to Chang''an and asked, "Daughter, do we have any y pots?" He couldn''t recall seeing any when they packed up. Chang''an: ... She had thought the broken y pots on the kitchen floor were useless, so she didn''t take them. However, she had seven or eight sandy pots of various sizes in her space. Giving them one wouldn''t be a problem. Chang''an crawled into the carriage, considered theirrge group size, and took out a big sandy pot from her space. The sandy pot was quite heavy, and she dragged it out of the carriage with a ''thud thud'' sound. Once outside, she called out to Old Gu Six, "Daddy, it''s heavy. Help me carry it." Old Gu Six immediately came over and lifted the big sandy pot, examining it. Hmm, it didn''t seem unusual in any way. He passed the pot to Little Ya''s Daddy. "Here, take it. We don''t have any y pots, only this." Little Ya''s Daddy held the pot and kowtowed to Old Gu Six, "Thank you, honorable sir." His wife, daughter, and the other refugees also knelt and kowtowed, "Thank you, honorable sir." Old Gu Six waved his hand, telling them to leave. "Alright, alright, go now." By the time the Vige Head arrived, Little Ya''s Daddy had already taken his group back to their resting area. "Old Six, what happened?" Old Gu Sixzily replied, "Nothing, they just came to borrow some fire." "Borrow fire, yet you drew your sword?" "They frightened my daughter." "... Well, you shouldn''t give them any of our food supplies if they ask. I can see you didn''t bring much either. Our food supplies won''tst long. We don''t know how much further we have to travel. If we give away our food, we''ll end up starving ourselves." "Don''t worry, Vige Head Uncle. We won''t give them any. Our food supplies are only enough for ourselves. We can''t provide relief to others." He wasn''t lying. Their food supplies were indeed only enough for themselves. Even though he had bought a lot of food, he could eat it all himself. Seeing that Old Gu Six had his own calctions, the Vige Head didn''t say much more and left with his people. After they were gone, Old Gu Six told Chang''an, "Daughter, the further we go, the more refugees we will encounter, and we may see even more miserable people than those we just met. The world is in chaos. We must exert our utmost effort just to protect ourselves. We don''t have the ability to help others, so we cannot be softhearted, or we may invite trouble." "Dad, I know we''re just ordinary people, not saviors, and our resources are only enough for ourselves. We have the heart but not the ability to help others." Being a saint in troubled times is not feasible. In the apocalypse, she saw a mother whose excessivepassion ultimately led to the deaths of her parents, husband, and children. There have also been cases where saints caused the demise of their entire team, which is why people say to kill the saints first in times of chaos. This kind of species, if not eliminated, will lead to even more deaths. A saint even questioned a teammate with spatial abilities, "Why don''t you take out the food from your spatial storage and give it to others?" The teammate replied, "The food in my spatial storage is only enough for our team, not enough to share." The saint refused to listen and insisted the teammate take out the food. In the end, everyone knew they had resources and came to kill them for their supplies. That teammate with spatial abilities met the most gruesome death, forced to hand over their resources, then skinned and thrown into a horde of zombies as a human nk. Those saints believe that if you have spatial storage, you must save the world. Not doing so is considered selfish and morally wrong, and you don''t deserve to have spatial abilities. Nonsense! Having spatial storage also requires having supplies. How can one save others without resources? Such a ridiculous mentality is truly unparalleled. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Old Gu Six saw that his daughter was daydreaming again, but he didn''t disturb her. He knew his daughter wouldn''t be an overly kind person, so he was relieved. He didn''t want his daughter to be thepassionate type. Those kinds of people not only bring trouble to those around them but also can''t protect themselves, making them easy targets for deception. He''d rather his daughter be a bad person than a good person in this chaotic world. He didn''t need her to get her hands bloody either, because he would be the de in her hands, taking on all the sins, as long as she remained unharmed. They weren''t meant to be saviors of the world. Mysterious being: [That''s right, no task of saving the world, she''s here to save your sorry butt.] As for himself, he was someone who had to rely on his daughter to survive. With his fate, he should be grateful if he doesn''t have to take a life. Be a savior of the world? That must be a joke. Mysterious being: [Don''t you dare mess around. Just live a long life to your dying day and return to your rightful ce. The Heavenly Way has designated saviors, don''t try to steal their job.] Chang''an heard the mysterious being muttering and quietly asked, "You won''t be here all the time, will you?" Mysterious being: [... I won''t be.] Chang''an: "Oh, so goodbye?" Mysterious being: [Goodbye is goodbye, the next one will be better behaved.] Chang''an: ... What nonsense is this? Mysterious being: [You call Old Gu Six ''Dad'', so you should call me ''Grandpa'', good granddaughter, call me Grandpa.] Chang''an: "Get lost!" Mysterious being: [Alright.] Old Gu Six saw his daughter''s face twist a little, with a hint of gritting her teeth. He asked with some concern, "Daughter, what''s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Chang''an grimaced with a smile, "It''s nothing, just feeling a bit hot." Can I say that there seems to be someone nagging like your dad? Really, what''s going on here? It turns out the one truly being tested is this Old Gu Six. When he finishes his trials and returns, I wonder if he''ll have memories of the present. What''s this feeling of embarrassment all about? My toes twitched, so awkward! I don''t know which path of divinity this Old Gu Six follows. Which direction should I pray to usually? Old Gu Six didn''t know what Chang''an was thinking. He only urged her to go rest, "Daughter, it''ste, go to sleep quickly. Children need to sleep more to grow taller." "Oh, okay, sure." If I didn''t know, it would be fine. But now that I do know, there''s an awkward feeling of not knowing how to interact. Chang''any curled up like a pretzel in the carriage, feeling a little restless. Mysterious being: [Are you bothered? Just interact with him the same way you did before.] Chang''an: "No, I just don''t understand. You were able to bring me here and give me cheat codes, so why couldn''t you just give the cheat codes directly to Old Gu Six? Then I wouldn''t have toe here." Mysterious being: [If I gave him the cheat codes directly, wouldn''t that mean he failed his trials? He''s already failed five times.] Hearing that he had failed five times, Chang''an didn''t know why she felt likeughing. This really did no injustice to Old Gu Six''s name. Chang''an: "What were the reasons for the previous five failures? Was it because you gave him cheat codes?" Mysterious being: [You''ll find outter.] Chang''an: "Can''t you tell me now?" Mysterious being: [No, the heavenly secrets cannot be revealed.] Chang''an: "Alright, you can leave now. I want to sleep." Mysterious being: [...] You''re so adorable, you''re so beautiful, I''ll listen to you. Chang''an slept for two hours before getting up to let Old Gu Six sleep instead. Old Gu Six was just an ordinary person now, he needed to sleep, or he would copse. "Dad, it''s your turn to sleep. I''ll stand guard." Chang''an climbed out of the carriage and sat on the mat. Old Gu Six patted her head and said, "Dad''s not tired, you continue sleeping." "No, you have to sleep. You''ll be driving the carriage during the day, and if you don''t sleep at night, how will your body cope? I can sleep in the carriage during the day, so it''s okay if I sleep less now." Seeing his daughter insist that he sleep, Old Gu Six took out a long sword from under the carriage and handed it to Chang''an. "Take this. If any bad peoplee, just stab them. Dad will rely on you to protect him." Chang''an took the sword. To be honest, it was a bit heavy. She had lightning abilities, so she didn''t need the sword. "Dad, did you forget that I can control lightning?" "Just hold it to look the part and deter any bad people." "Alright then." Old Gu Six watched Chang''an hugging the sword, the small girl with her two little pigtails was about as tall as the sword, looking especially adorable. He let out a "pffft"ugh. Chang''an didn''t understand what was so funny that made this Old Gu Sixugh in the middle of the night. Noticing his daughter''s puzzled gaze, Old Gu Six pressed his fist to his lips to suppress hisughter, closed his eyes to sleep, but his upturned thin lips showed that he was in a good mood. At the same time, in a misty secret realm, four old men hidden in the clouds whose appearances couldn''t be seen clearly were ying mahjong. One of them said, "If your son dares to mess up my world again this time, I''ll chop him and his daughter up and make soup to drink." "Don''t worry, it won''t happen again this time. Just make sure the savior you chose doesn''t provoke them, and it''ll be fine. Self-drawn tile, I''ve won." Another old man danced with joy. The other old men rolled their eyes and gave him the agreed wager, which were shiny objects, except for the one who had spoken to him, who gave him two talisman papers. "What do you want these prank talismans for?" "For my granddaughter to y with." The other old men gave him another eye roll, looking at his smug expression as if he was the only one with a granddaughter. Hmm... It seemed, perhaps, maybe, he really was the only one with a granddaughter. So what were their sons doing? Can''t even have a child now? No need to y mahjong anymore, let''s go back. In the blink of an eye, only the smug little old man remained. Then Chang''an received two folded talisman papers. The mysterious being told her, [These are prank talismans. I don''t know what kind of pranks they y, you''ll only find out after using them. I won them ying cards, impressive, right?] Chang''an: "Yeah, you''re so awesome!" Mysterious being: [I''ll give you some pretty stones too. You can y with them yourselves from now on. I won''te find you very often anymore.] Chang''an: "Oh, goodbye then, no need to see you off." Mysterious being: ... This cotton jacket has holes. But she''s also a cotton jacket with holes, others don''t even have one. The little old man consoled himself and left. He couldn''t intervene too much either, or the old Heavenly Way fellow wouldn''t be pleased. Chang''an waited for a while to make sure he had really left. Idle, she looked ahead to where Little Ya''s Dad and his group were borrowing fire and pots in the evening. They divided into two groups, each lighting a fire. Some of the men took turns keeping watch while the elderly, women, and children slept. Sensing Chang''an''s gaze, they looked back and respectfully greeted her from afar. Chang''an slightly nodded, unsure whether they could see it, and then averted her eyes. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 The night passed peacefully until dawn. Old Gu Six rose and stretchedzily before leading his mule to a nearby grove to graze. Chang''an climbed into the carriage and entered her space, steaming the buns and brewing two cups of milk. She then went to groom herself. When Old Gu Six returned from outside, he found his daughter missing from the carriage. She often disappeared and reappeared suddenly, returning with food in hand. He acted as if he knew nothing, standing guard outside and keeping others at bay. Chang''an let the steamed buns cool slightly before bringing them out of her space. Having only drunk one cup of milk, she was already full. The buns were steamed for her father¡ªsixrge ones and a big cup of milk should suffice. "Father,e have your breakfast," Chang''an called out, tugging at Old Gu Six''s sleeve as she exited the carriage. "Alright," he replied, patting his daughter''s head out of habit before climbing into the carriage. Half an hourter, the Vige Head struck the gong. "Pack up, we''re moving out!" With nothing to pack, Chang''an and Old Gu Six simply hitched the mule to the carriage and waited for the others. It took another quarter hour for the caravan to finally start moving slowly forward. "Father, where are we headed?" Chang''an asked. Old Gu Six bit into a strip of beef jerky and drawled, "No idea. My guess is the Vige Head ns to take us south." "But Father, we can''t go south. There''s been flooding there, and the locals are fleeing famine themselves. With all that flooding, disease will be rampant. We''d best avoid the area." "I''ll have a word with the Vige Head when we stop for the midday break." "Mmm, just say you heard it from the refugees. With more and more of them on the roads these days, who knows whose words they are?" "Daughter, if not south, where would be safer?" "Let''s head north to the wilderness." "I''ve heard the northern wilderness is vast yet sparsely popted. The people are fierce, thend unsuitable for crops, and the winters unbearably long and cold¡ªnot conducive for survival." "Father, do you trust me?" "I trust whatever you say, daughter." "In the southwest, there are locust gues. In the west, drought. In the south, flooding. In the east, drought again. We only have two viable options: Lingnan or the northern wilderness." "Then why not Lingnan?" "Because someone told me we must go to the northern wilderness." As for why not Lingnan, she had no clue herself. A small voice chimed in, "But why? That''s where the war began. I''ve been sick with worry over you two little calves." Old Gu Six didn''t pry further, assuming Chang''an''s teacher had advised her. It''s best not to inquire too deeply into the affairs of immortals. The sun scorched the earth, and plumes of dust rose where the travelers passed. Groups of famine refugees could already be seen on the road, though their numbers didn''t exceed those from Qingfang Vige. Suddenly, a piercing scream rang out from ahead: "Ahhh!" Chang''an jumped, dropping the skewered shrimp on the mat below. But she could still eat them if she picked them up within three seconds. The scream brought the caravan to another halt. Chang''an stood on her tiptoes atop the carriage canopy, peering ahead, while Old Gu Six shifted aside, worried she might fall. "Daughter, lean on my head for better bnce," he offered. Seeing no grease atop his head, Chang''an steadied herself by resting her plump little hand there as she continued watching the spectacle unfold. The scream hade from Gu Dagou''s daughter-inw. As they marched along, she saw a chunk of flesh fall from her father-inw''s face, terrifying her. She now crouched, retching violently¡ªhaving eaten nothing, only bile came up. Just howrge was the psychological scar this incident left her? Her scream drew everyone''s attention to the sight of the eight Gu brothers losing flesh from their faces before the crowd''s eyes. Imagine the psychological scar inflicted upon the entire caravan. Those with slightly weaker constitutions promptly vomited in unison. As flesh fell away, gaping holes were left on their faces¡ªa horrifying sight that drove the children to tears. Voices rose, demanding the Vige Head "Expel Gu''s entire family from the caravan! They''ve been cursed by the heavens. Don''t let them bring ruin upon us all!" "That''s right, Vige Head. Drive them out! The refugee trail is arduous enough without such monsters among us. What if they provoke the wrath of the heavens?" Chang''an averted her gaze, nearly vomiting herself at the revolting scene. So her thunderbolts had this... interesting ability? Gu Dagou''s furious roars came from ahead: "The real monster is Old Gu Six! He''s the one who did this to us!" The angrier he grew, the more flesh fell away¡ªeven from his body. Everyone, family included, shrank back from them in revulsion. Recalling Old Gu Six''s reputation, some vigers wavered, their eyes drifting toward the back of the caravan. Then a young man spoke up in dissent. "If Old Six had such powers, could the Gu family have bullied him so?" His mother chimed in, "My Mu is right. If Old Six could summon the wrath of the heavens against anyone, the oldest Gu would have been struck long ago instead of waiting until now!" This was the young man Old Gu Six had fed those rock-hard buns to up in the mountains. The vigers found his logic convincing. Seeing their waver, Gu Dagou cried out through his agony, "It was scolding him that brought this curse upon me! He''s a monster, I tell you!" Those present that day affirmed, "That does seem to be what happened." The Vige Head then intervened. "If you believe this is Old Six''s doing, we''ll settle it directly. Whoever''s at fault will be expelled from the caravan." With such constant infighting disrupting their already arduous refugee journey, better to banish the source and find some peace. The father and daughter ignored the ruckus ahead. Old Gu Six was whispering to Chang''an, "Daughter, might they turn into skeletons still drawing breath?" Chang''an stroked her chin thoughtfully. "I suspect the pain would kill them before they became mere skeletons." From the corner of her eye, Chang''an glimpsed the Vige Head approaching with Gu Daquan''s entire family. With a subtle motion of her small hand, she summoned a sh of thunderbolts¡ªthis time striking the oldest Gu, who copsed frothing and convulsing. A warning to the Vige Head: If he dared bring these people to make trouble, she would give him an electrifying massage next. The bolt struck the ground at the Vige Head''s feet, nearly knocking him over backward a few paces. Those apanying him swiftly backed away. Phew, that was a close call with that lightning strike! Chang''an and Old Gu Six looked ahead with feigned surprise, as if witnessing something remarkable for the first time. The vigers believed the father and daughter''s heresy. "Look, they themselves don''t know what happened. If they were ying tricks, why would they spare your lives? A bolt of lightning could have struck you dead instantly." "Surely the Oldest Gu''s family must have done something extremely immoral to anger the Heavens, which is why they were struck by lightning." Chang''an did not have the mind to look for Old Gu Six now. He had almost been struck himself and his heart was still pounding rapidly. That was too close! No one should associate with the Oldest Gu''s family, or they would meet with misfortune. Chang''an really did not understand the Vige Head''s thought process. If you said he was a good person, he would often do foolish things. But if you said he was not a good person, he acted justly and strictly, which was very contradictory. The Vige Head immediately ordered, "The entire Oldest Gu family is to be expelled from our group. They cannot travel with Qingfang Vige. Whoever dares to help them will also be expelled." Gu Er and Gu San, who had been restless, immediately settled down. They were brothers with the Oldest Gu, but they could not put their brother before their families. The vigers did not wait for the Vige Head''smand and collectively pushed the Oldest Gu''s family out of the group. The nine brothers who had been struck by lightning were still shedding flesh from their bodies and cried out in pain whenever they were moved. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Did Chang''an really think the entire Oldest Gu''s family was so formidable? Is this it? The incapable Battle Five would probably fight better than them? The other members of Oldest Gu''s family knelt before the Vige Head, saying they could expel the nine brothers who were struck by lightning, including Oldest Gu, from the family, begging the Vige Head not to expel them from the group. They were never very capable people. They could bully Old Gu Six before only because he was still young, but after he grew up and had the old hunter protecting him, they could no longer bully him. Now, expelling them from Qingfang Vige meant leaving them no way to survive. "Please Vige Head, don''t expel us. We will never bother Old Gu Six again, I beg you." Lady Zhu led the kneeling and begging. Losing ten able workers at once, their old and weak family with grown-up but ipetent grandsons would struggle. If expelled, they would likely be robbed by other refugees soon. The Vige Head remained unmoved and led his people to depart again. Lady Zhu and others could no longer beg, hurrying to catch up with the group, but were held back by their able-bodied sons and men. "What are you doing? You want this whole family to die with you?" The nine men, already inhuman wrecks, could not speak but firmly grabbed their wives, clearly intending to take them along. One manid on the ground, unconscious and neglected, as their father had intended to abandon them initially. The women steeled themselves and kicked the men away. Previously, they would not have dared, nor could they have overpowered them. Now, these once strong and powerful men offered no resistance as the women effortlessly kicked them aside. Each household took their sons, daughters-inw, granddaughters, loaded them onto carts, and rushed to catch up with Qingfang Vige''s group. Lady Zhu also took her grandsons and daughters, leaving behind her once most beloved oldest and youngest sons, and hurriedly left with what little belongings they had. They fell behind Little Ya''s Dad''s group, wanting to overtake them to catch Qingfang Vige''s group but not daring to. The eyes of these refugees were too fierce, as if they would kill anyone who dared walk in front of them. Little Ya''s Dad''s group knew the people behind were the expelled ones, so they were not afraid of them. Although unaware of what happened ahead, they had seen the lightning strike earlier. Anyone struck by lightning could not be a good person. If they let those people walk ahead, wouldn''t that be walking behind that person? What if more lightning struck and they got caught in it? Of course, they could not let those people walk ahead. The group tacitly blocked them from moving forward. As they walked, Lady Zhu and the others fell further and further behind the front group. This group of elderly, weak women and children, with grandsons spoiled by Oldest Gu and unable to carry loads or lift anything. Previously, they could keep up by having Gu Er and Gu San''s children help out of respect for Oldest Gu. Now that burden was gone, but they equally could not move quickly, unable to catch up with the front group, only watching helplessly as they went further and further away. They resented Old Gu Six in their hearts, but dared not show it, let alone curse him. Wasn''t it because they wanted to cause trouble for Old Gu Six that Oldest Gu got struck by lightning? Fearing they might get struck by lightning for cursing Old Gu Six, they could only curse inwardly: "Indeed a disaster star, whoever gets near suffers misfortune." Chang''an fell asleep swaying in the mule cart, unable to cook the promisedrge rice meal for Old Six''s Dad today. The group stopped at noon, having reached a rtively t area where some small groups were already resting. The mule cart stopped, waking Chang''an. She lifted the cart curtain, "Dad, is it noon?" "Yes, we''ll stop to eat something and rest before continuing." Old Gu Six lifted his daughter down and took the pot and water bucket from the cart. His daughter had been inside all morning, so she would need to cook outside. After getting down, Chang''an climbed back up, packing the steamed buns and roasted tbreads from the wooden box into her space to prevent spoiling. For lunch, she decided to cook dried snap peas, cured sausage, and rice together in one pot. She had an idea¡ªto hoard some. In this frustrating world without potatoes, sweet potatoes, or corn, everyone ate the same rice and flour. What was there to hoard? It was just that others added wild vegetables while she added snap peas and sausage. It was just the two of them, father and daughter, and Old Six''s Dad was quite capable. Wasn''t it reasonable for their meals to be a bit better? Did the two of them really need to live eating wild vegetables and tree bark just to fit in? Ridiculous. Moreover, they could protect their own food supplies, so why not eat well? Chang''an brought out the rice, sausage, and snap peas. Old Gu Six had set up the pot and heated the water. Chang''an carried the ingredients over. She rinsed the rice twice and put it in the pot, then used a fruit knife to slice the sausages into the pot. There was a cutting board, but she was toozy to take it out for just two sausages. The extremely sharp fruit knife sliced them quickly, after which she added the snap peas and a bit of seasoning. Done! No lid? She climbed back into the cart and rummaged through her space, finding a wide bamboo cutting board that fit perfectly as a lid for the small iron pot. She took it out, climbed back down, and covered the pot with it. She tended the fire, adding firewood and carefully watching to avoid burning the pot. Old Gu Six went to tend to the mules, feeding them water and hay, then took two empty buckets and told Chang''an, "Daughter, I''m going to get some water. Eat first if the rice is ready." "Okay, be careful Dad,e back soon." Chang''an looked up to respond, then turned her attention back to stirring the pot with a wooden paddle. "Got it," Old Gu Six replied, and went into the woods with the buckets. He did not call any vigers, toozy to bother with that rabble. The aroma of rice and sausage drew everyone''s attention. Their in rice porridge, once appealing, now seemed tasteless inparison. The vigers swallowed their saliva. Seeing Old Gu Six leave with the buckets, some thought the lone young Chang''an might share if they asked. Little Mu carried the water buckets as he followed Old Gu Six away, with a few others leaving behind them. Little Ya''s Dad also took some people with him. Most people in Qingfang Vige thought that since the Vige Head didn''t give the order to find water, they shouldn''t leave. They were like oxen plowing the fields, moving only with a whip''ssh, despite their homes running out of water, unaware to take the initiative to search for water. The Vige Head looked at these people with a headache; the clever ones had already followed Old Gu Six. "Do you still have water at home? Why are you all just sitting around? Don''t you know to go out and find water?" The vigers snapped out of it, noticing that Po Xiao and Ming Xiao from the Vige Head''s family had already left. They hurriedly picked up their buckets and rushed out. Someone secretly made their way towards Chang''an, holding a bowl in their hands. "Hey Chang''an''s niece, whatcha making that smells so good? Gimme some too, will ya?" Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Chang''an held a sharp fruit knife in her hand, thrusting it towards the ck paw that tried to lift the pot lid. The man, startled, quickly pulled his hand back and looked at Chang''an. His eyes, usually twinkling like stars, were now filled with icy murderous intent. The man shuddered, his face going pale. His hand had nearly been stabbed through. He hadn''t expected the seemingly soft and bullied girl to be such a tough one, no wonder she was Old Gu Six''s daughter. Chang''an coldly snapped, "Get out." The man spat contemptuously, picked up his bowl, and left, cursing, "Spawn of a broom star, little broom star." Others who had wanted to take advantage of the situation saw clearly that the young girl was truly vicious. That little knife had aimed to chop off Wu Ei''s hand. Those who thought Chang''an was easy to talk to didn''t dare approach anymore. They only wanted some food, not to bully her. If they really did bully this girl, Old Gu Six could take their lives. Since she was unwilling to give them food, it was better not to go looking for death. Right after Wu Ei returned to his resting area, a bolt of lightning struck him down from the sky. He frothed at the mouth, his limbs convulsing, smoke rising from his head. People nearby were so startled that they moved further away. Wu Ei''s mother, Old Lady Wu, wailed and rushed over, "Son, son, don''t scare your mother!" They were only mother and son. If Wu Ei was gone, she would be left alone. Wu Ei was unconscious, unresponsive no matter how Old Lady Wu shook him. Old Lady Wu red fiercely towards Chang''an and wiped her tears, shouting loudly, "Vige Head, Chang''an is a monster. Today she harmed my son, tomorrow she could harm others." Her shout made everyone look at Chang''an fearfully. They didn''t want to believe it, but Wu Ei had indeed gone to Chang''an and insulted her before being struck by lightning. Chang''an turned her back to them, checking that the rice was cooked, removing burning firewood from underneath the pot to extinguish the mes. Another bolt of lightning struck Old Lady Wu, who screamed and fell, her body charred and smoking. The vigers looked at Chang''an in horror, but she did nothing, merely sitting and eating from her bowl obediently. For a moment, they were puzzled. If she was the cause, she wouldn''t have remained so motionless. Unable to understand, the vigers concluded that Chang''an and Old Gu Six must be protected by the Heavenly Lord. They both feared and respected the father and daughter, afraid that saying or doing anything wrong would bring down lightning upon them. They instructed their families to watch their mouths and actions, and warned their children not to y with Chang''an. It would be fine if they yed happily, but if that little demon became unhappy, the Heavenly Lord might think their children had bullied her and strike them with lightning. How would they cope if that happened to their children? Chang''an was unaware of the vigers'' thoughts, and even if she knew, she wouldn''t care. It was better this way, with fewer troubles. It was stronger to make them fear you than to let them think you were easy to bully. The Vige Head dared not say anything about upholding justice either, as he had been warned that morning. Now he didn''t want to be involved in anything. He only hoped the vigers would stop provoking Chang''an and Old Gu Six, lest the whole vige be struck by lightning before they reached their destination. In the mountains, Old Gu Six was followed by a long line of people, with Little Ya''s Dad walking beside him. The outskirts of the mountain were withered, with no water source to be found. They continued deeper into the mountains. In an area overgrown with thorns, they saw damp soil. Old Gu Six carefully avoided the thorns and slowly moved inward. After about half an incense stick''s time, they emerged from the thorn bushes, their clothes torn despite the caution. Beyond the thorns was a reed marsh, and they heard the sound of flowing water. But before they could proceed, rustling noises came from within the reeds. Everyone stopped in their tracks as more than ten poisonous snakes raised their upper bodies, vertical pupils staring at them warningly, tongues flicking out. The more timid vigers trembled with fear, while Little Ya''s Dad and the others froze tensely. The Yang brothers, Yang Poxiao and Yang Mingxiao, were a bit braver, having caught snakes to sell at the medicine shop back in Qingfang Vige to earn money for their family. Old Gu Six calmly set down his water bucket, and in the blink of an eye, a sh of sword shadows cut those more than ten deadly snakes into countless pieces on the ground, utterly lifeless. With another sword strike, Old Gu Six shattered half the reed marsh with his sword aura. Two more strikes ttened the reeds, leaving no more snakes to emerge and show off. Old Gu Six was furious. He just wanted to fetch some water, but these snakes dared to block his path. Didn''t they know he was worried about his daughter alone over there? Little Ya''s Dad looked at Old Gu Six admiringly. They had indeed followed the right man; sticking with the boss gave them a great sense of security. If they had found this water source themselves today, they might have all perished here. Old Gu Six looked at the ground with disdain and went around the reed marsh towards the stream ahead, not immediately fetching water but continuing forward. The vigers didn''t follow, thinking the area Old Gu Six had cleared was the safest. Moving ahead might bring other dangers, and if Old Gu Six couldn''t act in time, they would be done for. So they dug water pits here, as the water was too scarce to fill buckets. Working together, they quickly dug the pits and waited two quarters of an hour for the muddy water to clear before scooping it into buckets usingdles. They didn''t crowd around chaotically, but queued up one by one, showing a modicum of discipline despite their cowardice. Little Ya''s Dad, the Yang brothers, and others followed Old Gu Six further ahead. After another half an incense stick''s time, they stopped at a clear pool with many fish, and a tiger lying across the bank, staring at them intently as if challenging them to touch its pool and be devoured. Little Ya''s Dad, Yang Poxiao, and Yang Mingxiao thought, "This is getting really exciting, just trying to fetch some water." If they went to fetch the water themselves, wouldn''t it be like serving themselves up as a meal? Old Gu Six set down his bucket and met the tiger''s cold, defiant gaze. The tiger sensed the two-legged creature''s challenge and slowly stood, entering abat stance. "Growl." "Tsk." Old Gu Six scoffed disdainfully at the tant provocation. Little Ya''s Dad and the others immediately moved away from him, although they highly admired you, they couldn''t be so reckless. The tiger leaped into the air, but it seemed to have miscalcted the width of the pond to the other side, and without a running start, it plopped into the pond halfway through its jump. The tiger, with a bewildered look on its face, sshed around in the pond. The great tiger had lost its facepletely today. It was all because of that dumb thing on the other side that provoked it. When it got over there, it would eat that thing first. Old Gu Six had had enough. This dumb thing had dirtied his water and scared the fish away. Wielding his inner energy, he struck the sword aura at the tiger in the pond, "You run into my pond and dirty my water? How dare you!" The tiger, which was about to mber onto the bank, was struck by this sudden barrage and fell back into the pond. "Roar," the damned two-legged creature, don''t me the king for eating you if you don''t stop. "Roar, roar," stop hitting me, it hurts so much. The onlookers gaped in astonishment, was the tiger too weak? Or was Old Gu Six too fierce? This was like beating a little cat, the big tiger seemed to have no ability to fight back against the beating. Uncertain, they continued to watch. The tiger, beaten to near death, was then flung onto the bank by Old Gu Six''s inner energy. It didn''t dare roar anymore andy on the ground, feigning death. Many fish in the pond were also beaten onto the bank by Old Gu Six''s inner energy. He turned to the group of people hiding about ten meters away and said, "Pick up the fish. Why are you all just standing there?" More than a dozen heads nodded in unison, fearing that if they were too slow, they would also be struck by Old Gu Six. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Old Gu Six looked around the pond. The source of the water was flowing down from the rock wall on the right side, so he carried a bucket over. He then ced the bucket down, moved a fewrge rocks to make a small t area, and ced the bucket there. The water flowing down from the rock wall fell right into the bucket. It would take some time for the bucket to fill up, so Old Gu Six decided to go into the woods to see if he could hunt any small game. Old Gu Six headed toward the tiger, squinting his eyes as it approached with its tail sticking straight up. "If Ie back and see you''ve hurt anyone, I''ll skin you alive and break all your bones." "Roar!!" The tiger trembled all over. The aura emanating from this two-legged beast was terrifying. It felt the pressure of a blood-binding. No, it and the two-legged beast were different species, so how could there be a blood-binding? This was devilish. Whatever, this two-legged beast must have beast-like abilities. Better not provoke it!! Seeing that the tiger was truly afraid, Old Gu Six turned and entered the woods. The people processing fish by the pond saw Old Gu Six leave and looked apprehensively at the tiger. But the tiger obedientlyy down and closed its eyes to rest, not bothering them at all. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and continued processing the fish, big and small. With many hands, the fish were processed quickly. By the time they finished, Old Gu Six''s bucket was full. Little Ya''s Dad went over, switched out the buckets, and covered the full one. Then he led the dozen or so people with him to forage for wild vegetables around the area. Yang Poxiao and Yang Mingxiao exchanged a nce and joined in the foraging as well. They found some wild vegetables, but not many edible ones ¨C just a small handful each. In a bush nearby, Little Ya''s Dad discovered a new species. He carefully dug it out. Underneath were fruits the size of a child''s fist, with many clustered on each vine. They didn''t know if these were edible, so they looked to the Yang brothers, who also had never seen these before and didn''t know what they were. "Why don''t we wait for Old Six to return? He''s well-read and knowledgeable, he''ll surely recognize them." Everyone agreed with Yang Poxiao''s suggestion. While waiting for Old Gu Six, they dug up all the simr fruits around, amounting to around 200 pounds. After digging them up, they sat by the pond waiting for Old Gu Six. His two buckets were already full, and the bamboo tubes Little Ya''s Dad''s group had brought were now being filled. Yang Poxiao told them to fill the tubes first. "With just those two tubes, you can''t carry much water. What would you do if you couldn''t find a water source? Where are your packs?" The bamboo tubes were only about a meter long each, so the two tubes couldn''t hold much water for drinking and cooking each day. They''d have to conserve. Little Ya''s Dad said, "We lost all our belongings when we encountered bandits on the road. The only reason we still have these two tubes is because we were wearing them on our backs." "Where did you alle from?" "The south." "What? What happened down south that you had to flee here? We were nning to head south to escape!" Yang Poxiao and Yang Mingxiao were stunned. If people were fleeing south, what was the point of them going there? "Six months ago, the south was hit by severe flooding, even worse and longersting than your drought. Many people contracted the gue, and most who didn''t flee were burned to death. We snuck away and avoided the main roads, traveling only mountain paths. We don''t know how long we walked before encountering bandits and losing our belongings. Most of our family members had already died back home. We headed east and met refugees from the southwest on the official road. Not all of us here are from the south. We banded together with others we met along the way." "And what happened in the southwest?" Then a refugee from the southwest in Little Ya''s Dad''s group spoke up, "Last September, the southwest was hit by a locust gue that decimated all the crops. The locusts kept swarming and growing in number. We saw no relief efforts from the imperial court, so to survive, everyone fled outwards." Yang Poxiao and Yang Mingxiao were shocked - how isted were they that they didn''t know about these cmities? It wasn''t that they were isted, it was that the local officials deliberately suppressed the information and sent people to block refugees on the roads, preventing news from spreading. Later, when the eastern regions faced severe drought, with more fleeing every day, local officials didn''t have bandwidth to worry about refugees arriving from elsewhere. By the time the refugees showed up wandering in Yizhou County, the local officials had already fled with their families and belongings overnight. Yang Poxiao said, "Then we can only flee west?" "The west also has drought. Either go to Lingnan or to the northern wastes." Old Gu Six returned just in time to hear Yang Poxiao''s words, mentioning the two ces they could go: the northern wastes or Lingnan. He and his daughter were heading to the northern wastes. As for Elder Zheng and the vigers, they would undoubtedly choose Lingnan based on the plentiful mountains and water there. Though mosquitoes were numerous, it wasn''t an unsolvable problem. But in the eyes of these people, the northern wastes were worse than Lingnan. Wintersted half the year there with snowfall taller than a person. Never mind whether crops could even grow ¨C just the weather alone could kill them. No need to consider it, they would definitely choose Lingnan. A wet, cold winter was better than freezing to death, right? Yang Mingxiao asked Old Gu Six, "Brother Six, where do you n to go?" Old Gu Six didn''t answer him, only asking, "Have you all filled your water?" Little Ya''s Dad said, "Yes, we have." He had made up his mind ¨C they would follow Old Gu Six, who seemed more reliable. Old Gu Six nodded, crouching down to process the hunted game he had brought back: two wild chickens and two wild rabbits. He skinned the rabbits whole. The skins could be used to make fur-lined boots for his daughter, but it wasn''t convenient to tan them on the road, so nevermind. ncing at the processed fishid out on the rocks to dry, Old Gu Six split one of the rabbits in half, giving one portion to Little Ya''s Dad and the other to Yang Poxiao. Little Ya''s Dad waved it off. "No need, no need, these are your hunted game." "Don''t waste words, just take it. Why must you dawdle? Hurry up and prepare to depart, my daughter is still waiting for me." Originally going to refuse, Yang Poxiao also didn''t dally, taking the half rabbit and wrapping it in leaves. Little Ya''s Dad tearfully epted the other half, watching as Old Gu Six finished processing the game. Then he took Old Gu Six to examine the fruits they had dug up. "Old Gu Six, do you know what these are?" Ah! He called me ''Old Gu Six'' and addressed himself too, so I must y along. Old Gu Six squatted down and used his sword to slice one open. He had never seen it before and didn''t recognize it, but his intuition told him it was edible. However, could he say he didn''t recognize it? Of course not, as his daughter was a little fairy, and there was nothing a little fairy didn''t know. "These are all edible. Let''s divide the fish first, then leave two people here to wait while we go back and get bags to carry them." Only his daughter knew how to eat these things, so it wouldn''t be too much for him to take a share, would it? Besides, he had even given them half a rabbit, so having them give up a few potatoes was a fair exchange. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Little Ya''s Dad and the group he brought were part of the same gang. The fish were divided into three portions. There were two grass carp, each weighing about two pounds, and five crucian carp. The rest were only two or three fingers in size. Old Gu Six took two grass carp and one crucian carp, giving half to Yang Poxiao and Little Ya''s Dad, with two crucian carp each. He had enough big fish, his daughter probably wouldn''t like the small ones with lots of bones that could get stuck in her throat. He left Yang Mingxiao and a middle-aged man from Little Ya''s Dad''s group to watch over things. Old Gu Six threatened the pretending-to-be-dead tiger to protect the two men before leaving with the others. Tiger: How heavy-handed of you? Don''t you have any sense of mercy? It could barely stand up now, otherwise it would''ve left long ago instead of enduring your taunts. Chang''an was sitting by the pot, idly poking the charcoal ashes underneath, bored. Her Old Six Dad had been gone for nearly an hour and a half. Surely nothing had happened to him? The vigers who went to fetch water together had already returned. Maybe Old Six Dad was fine? Next door, Little Ya''s Mother was anxiously looking into the woods, holding Little Ya''s hand. Just as Chang''an wondered if she should go look for them, her Old Six Dad returned with two buckets of water. One bucket''s lid had something wrapped in leaves - wild chickens and rabbits he''d prepared. The other bucket''s handle had fish strung together with grass rope. "Dad," Chang''an dropped the branch and happily ran over to him. Seeing his fair, adorable little daughter, Old Gu Six''s mood lifted. But out of habit, he still gave her a once-over to make sure she was okay before rxing. Old Gu Six set the buckets down by the carriage and mysteriously took out something from his pocket, no bigger than Chang''an''s tiny fist. He handed it to her and asked, "Daughter, do you know what this is? Little Ya''s Dad and the others dug up a lot of them." Chang''an took the clean little thing and looked at Old Gu Six in surprise. Those people had good luck - it was just a potato! "This is a potato. You can bake it or boil it to eat. I''ve made you potato mash before, remember? It can be a staple food when there''s no grain." Old Gu Six''s usually fierce phoenix eyes now shone like a child who had found a treasure. Chang''anughed softly, dimples appearing on her cheeks. "We don''tck grain, so we can keep these as seeds to nt when we reach the northernnds." Old Gu Six nodded vigorously. "I''ll go pack them up with Little Ya''s Dad and the others. But since they dug them up, we''ll just take some for seeds, if that''s okay?" "Of course. They dug them up through their ownbor, we have no right to take equal portions." Chang''an crawled into the carriage and took out a hemp sack from her space, handing it to her dad. "Dad, seed potatoes shouldn''t be washed, just bring them back with the soil." "Got it." Old Gu Six took the sack, then called out, "Little Ya''s Dad, let''s go!" "Coming!" Little Ya''s Dad responded loudly, patting his daughter''s little head before telling his wife, "Missus, I''ll be back soon. When I return, we''ll have food." Little Ya''s Mother nodded. "Be careful, don''t cause trouble for Old Six." "I know, I won''t." Carrying baskets woven from vines and willow branches, they followed Old Gu Six back into the mountains to collect the potatoes. Little Ya''s Mother hugged Little Ya and told her, "We''re able to eat and drink because of Old Six''s grace. Never be an ungrateful person." Little Ya nodded solemnly. "Mother, I''ll remember. I won''t dare forget." They could now have meat and fish - something previously unimaginable. The other vigers taught their children simrly, that they owed Old Gu Six a great debt they would repay for the rest of their lives if needed. Meanwhile, at Yang Poxiao''s ce, the vigersined that he and his brother weren''t being fair enough. They thought the brothers were too selfish, not to mention the rabbits Old Gu Six gave them, but all those fish too. Since the pond ahead had fish, and they all went to fetch water together, why didn''t they call the others to catch some too? They hadpletely forgotten that it was they who chickened out and refused to go further. Someone riled up the crowd, "We all went out to find water together, so those fish belong to all of us too. They should be divided up." The more hot-tempered Yang Mingxiao red angrily at the man. "These fish were given to us by Old Six. We didn''t catch them ourselves. If you want fish, go catch them yourselves. From now on, let''s all find our own water. My brother and I won''t lead the group anymore." Someone wasn''t having it. "So you won''t lead, like we can''t find water without you Yangs around." How quickly they forgot almost being scared to piss themselves by the snake. Yang Poxiao patted his brother''s shoulder, holding two cloth bags. "Forget it, let''s go. Old Six and the others left long ago, we shouldn''t keep them waiting." The two brothers left the mess for their own father the Vige Head to clean up as they headed into the mountains after Old Gu Six''s group. They both thought, if their dad distributed the fish, they wouldn''t bring home a single wild vegetable from then on, just water. Unsurprisingly, they knew their dad well - the Vige Head did n to divide the fish to resolve the ruckus. But there weren''t many fish, not even enough for one small fish per person in the vige. In the end, he decided to have them cooked into a pot of fish soup for everyone that night. Only then did the agitators quiet down. The other two family heads shook their heads at the Vige Head''s handling, but to the vigers, Yang Demin acted fairly and justly. To his own family, he was just a spineless pushover. But they were the beneficiaries, so had no interest in teaching proper conduct. How the Vige Head handled things was none of their business. If he were part of their families, the two old heads would give him a few whacks with their canes. Half an hourter, Old Gu Six and the others returned with the potato harvest. Earlier in the mountains, he had also told Little Ya''s Dad and Yang Poxiao what this thing was called and how to eat it. Old Six had gained yet another wave of adoration, practically floating on air. He didn''t divide out much, just half a hemp sack, around thirty pounds. Little Ya''s Dad said each vine would yield many tubers, so it should be enough for seeds. He didn''t tell them that these things could be nted, and now they couldn''t even fill their stomachs, let alone talk about nting crops. For now, they should focus on the present. In the future, if Little Ya''s Dad and the others also went to the northernnds, he could share some seeds with them. If they went to Lingnan? He could also share some with them, and let them know that these potatoes could be used as crop seeds. As for whether they would eat them all up, that was not within his consideration. "Dad,e and eat quickly, the food''s getting cold." Chang''an carefully carried therge bowl of rice and handed it to Old Gu Six. He poured some clean water to rinse the pot, leaving a bit of oil so it wouldn''t rust easily. With everyone watching, Old Gu Six brought back wild chickens, rabbits, and fish. He couldn''t go into the spatial realm to cook them and bring them out ready. For the next couple of days, he would still have to cook over an open fire outside. However, to prevent them from spoiling, he would still need to put them into the spatial realm and take them out when it was time to cook. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Old Gu Six held a steaming, heaping bowl of rice, lost in thought. When did he give his daughter the image of a rice bucket? Seeing him daydreaming, Chang''an urged him, "Dad, eat quickly, we''ll be leaving soon." Old Gu Six couldn''t find the answer, but half a stick of incenseter, he had finished every grain, using a handful of ash to wipe the bowl clean. It was so delicious, he felt like he could eat a bit more. As soon as the thought urred, Old Gu Six''s pupils shook, and he found the answer. That''s where the rice bucket image came from, always wanting a little more, always feeling like he hadn''t eaten enough. Old Gu Six: ... He was clearly a handsome and heroic father, yet somehow became the rice bucket dad, a transition that took him by surprise. But he couldn''t me himself, it was because his daughter''s cooking was too delicious, making him want more after eating. It wasn''t his fault, he wouldn''t take the me. Yang Mingxiao''s roar echoed across thend, and everyone looked ahead, even refugees from other groups couldn''t help but crane their necks to watch the drama unfold. "I already said those fish were from Old Gu Six for us, for us, dad why did you give them away?" Yang Poxiao''s face was also gloomy as he looked at his father. He had nned to fry some small fish for his wife and son that night, and send some over to Chang''an as well. He never expected his good old dad to give all the fish away to the vigers. The vige chief scolded Yang Mingxiao with a stern face, "It''s just a few fish, is it worth shouting at your own father like that? We''re all vigers, we need to help each other. The refugee road is still long, you can''t be so selfish." Yang Mingxiao was about to explode with anger. Was this really about being selfish or not? Those vigers begged for their fish today, who''s to say they wouldn''t demand their food supplies tomorrow, using the excuse that the vige chief should help fellow vigers. Their dad was just too naive, wanting to help everyone butcking the means. Seeming fair on the surface, but actually wronging his own family for the sake of others. One day they''d be dragged down by him. Chang''an asked her Old Gu Six father, "Is this the fair and just vige chief you mentioned?" Indeed fair and just, sharing the fish with everyone, inconveniencing his own son to amodate others. Old Gu Six pursed his lips and stayed silent. He hadn''t noticed it back in Qingfang Vige, probably because he didn''t interact much with the other vigers, so he only had a superficial understanding of the vige chief. Yang Poxiao said coldly, "From now on, we''ll only fetch water, we won''t bring back any more food. That half rabbit was from Old Gu Six for my brother and me. We n to cook it for my wife, my brother, and the children to eat. Don''t count on getting any." At this, Yang Shu Xiao, the third son of the Yang family, objected. He was the most educated in the family, having passed the Tong Sheng exam already. This year he was supposed to take the Xiucai exam, but then the natural disaster struck, shattering his dreams. He was the most favored son, his parents saving the best food for him, saying he needed more nourishment for his studies, even their fourth, most beloved son had to make way for him sometimes. "Elder brother, we haven''t divided the family yet, so anything you bring back is for all of us to share. Even if you don''t want to give any to me and our fourth brother, you have to let our parents eat, right?" Yang Mingxiao rolled up his sleeves. He had been annoyed by his younger brother''s theatrics for a long time and wanted to divide the family. "Then let''s divide, I''ve been sick of you for ages anyway." Mrs. Yang wiped away tears. How did ite to this? How did they reach the point of dividing the family? All her life, she took her husband as her master, doing whatever he said without objection. Now her sons were fighting like this, and all she could do was cry helplessly. The vige chief pped Yang Mingxiao hard across the face. "Want to divide the family? Not a chance, unless you''re banished from the Yang n entirely." Yang Mingxiao was also stubborn. Since the world was in chaos anyway, and he had no ns to pursue an official career, nor did his two sons intend to be schrs, he might as well be banished. As for carrying the stigma of being unfilial, if he left and went somewhere no one knew him, who would care? "Then banish me. This family has to divide today, no matter what." The vige chief pointed at him, too angry to speak, then red at his eldest son. "You feel the same way?" Yang Poxiao knelt before the vige chief and kowtowed, making his intentions clear that he too wanted to divide the family. "Fine, very well, then get out, no matter if you live or die you''re not part of the Yang family anymore. I, Yang Demin, have no selfish, ungrateful sons like you." The vige chief summoned the Yang n''s patriarch and struck the names of the two brothers, their wives, and children from the family tree. The patriarch advised them briefly, but seeing it was no use, gave up. Though from the same n, this was a family matter. But for such an incident to ur in their prestigious Yang n was still somewhat embarrassing. The Yang patriarch was also displeased with the two brothers. Making such a big deal over something so small, they had no fortitude whatsoever. So be it, let them be banished, they wouldn''t tarnish the reputation of the rest of the Yang descendants. The brothers were given their share of the family''s belongings, one third of the food supplies. The family had one ox cart and two wooden carts. One wooden cart was given to the brothers when their share was divided. With their banishment, their household registration was also split off and given to the two brothers. The brothers decided to travel together as refugees for now, and start fresh once they settled somewhere. They pulled their belongings on the wooden cart, their wives and children following behind, moving towards the rear of the refugee caravan. Mrs. Yang chased after them crying, "Elder sons, you''re leaving your mother behind?" The brothers knelt and kowtowed three times to Mrs. Yang, saying "Mother, take care" before turning and leaving without looking back. Mrs. Yang ran after them, but the vige chief pulled her back. "If you go with them, I''ll divorce you, and you can be with them instead." Hearing her husband threaten to divorce her, Mrs. Yang didn''t dare move or cry anymore, obediently following the vige chief back. The vigers who had demanded the fish shrank back to their ces, not daring to make a scene. But they also didn''t think they were in the wrong, believing the Yang brothers were too selfish and petty instead. The two brothers ended up at the rear of the caravan next to Old Gu Six. Yang Mingxiao grinned happily, not looking the least bit upset about being driven out by his own father. He said, "Old Gu Six, please look out for us from now on." Old Gu Six thought this person seemed a bit unhinged. If he didn''t want to give up the fish, he shouldn''t have. Who would dare stir up trouble over it? Now he''s been kicked out of his family, so what? "Old Gu Six, don''t look at me like that. My older brother and I have had enough of our father''s indecisive nature. This is a good opportunity." The feud within the Zheng family over the division of the household had been going on for some time, dying their departure. But as soon as the gong sounded, the convoy that had been prepared to set off began to move, leaving Wu Ei and his mother behind. Chang''an lowered the bamboo curtain and drew up the cloth curtain. She felt like she was constantly moving in and out of spaces, and the bamboo curtain alone didn''t feel secure enough. During themotion at the Zheng family, she had taken the opportunity to draw ayer of cloth curtain inside the carriage. Previously, no one might have noticed, but after a long time, it would be hard to remain undetected. It was better to keep it well concealed. She had ced arge basin of ice inside the carriage, so it wouldn''t be too ufortable from the heat. The brothers Yang Poxiao and Yang Mingxiao were pulling and pushing the carriage respectively, with the two youngest children, aged three, seated inside. Yang Poxiao''s eight-year-old son walked alongside his mother. The two brothers felt that they didn''t need to assist the burdens Yang Zhengxiao and Yang Shuxiao, lest they have it too easy. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Five days after the Yang brothers had left their n, an internal conflict arose in the Vige Head''s family. Yang Chunhe, the elder sister of Yang Poxiao,ined to her third brother, "Couldn''t you have just endured a little bit? Is it really such a big deal to eat less meat? Look now, we have to pull the cart ourselves." Yang Zhengxiao also regretted his impulsiveness. Why did he have to argue with those two bullies? Life would have been so much easier if they were still around. They wouldn''t have to do anything, just follow them. But now they had to pull this heavy cart themselves. It was utterly exhausting. Not only was it tiring, but he also had to listen to his sister''sints, which rubbed him the wrong way. He snapped back at her, "If you don''t want to push the cart, then go follow those two." The siblings bickered endlessly while the Fourth Yang and Younger Sister Yang silently trudged on, carrying arge bundle on their backs. They too resented Yang Shuxiao. If it weren''t for him, their family wouldn''t have lost two able-bodied workers. Their father, the Vige Head, was also displeased. The fish that their elder and second brothers had brought home were meant for the family to eat, but he had foolishly given it all away. The Vige Head roared, "Quiet, all of you!" Then, with cold indifference, he said, "Elder daughter, why are you arguing with your third brother? As a schr, how can he argue with you? Give him some leeway. When pushing the cart, put in some effort so your third brother can pull it." It was a tant show of favoritism,pletely unreasonable. Ever since they had fled the drought, the Vige Head had acted as if possessed, straying entirely from his character. Chang''an, who was far behind, wanted to take a nap in the afternoon but the sweltering heat made her restless. Hugging a basin filled with ice, she wished she could bury her head in it. At their current pace of fleeing the drought, it would take them over a year and a half to reach their destination. Look, just look, it''s already getting dark again. "Father, why don''t we just flee on our own? At this snail''s pace, we might as well spend the entire three years of drought on the road." Old Gu Six considered it seriously and said, "Daughter, although I have some martial arts skills, I''m nowhere near being invincible. Traveling in arge group has its advantages, as it can deter bad people." "Father, you''re overthinking it. That motley crew? Even if there were six hundred of them, it wouldn''t make a difference." "Let me think about where we can find a travel permit." "We''re all refugees fleeing the drought, what do we need that for? Look around, how many people have one? Everything''s in chaos. Don''t think about being able to enter a city with a travel permit. With so many refugees, which city would dare let disaster victims in for fear of causing unrest? The only way refugees could get into a city is by breaking down the gates. We don''t need a travel permit." Old Gu Six: "It seems you make a lot of sense. I can''t refute you." Chang''an took a sip of watermelon juice and continued, "We need to find a ce to take shelter before winter arrives. Look at the pace of this group, we might freeze to death on the road. Don''t worry about not being able to fight off bad people. Isn''t there still me? If you can''t beat them, I''ll just strike them with lightning." They shouldn''t have waited to flee together in the first ce. They should have packed up and left quickly. Who could have imagined Old Gu Six would stubbornly insist on getting a travel permit from Zhang? Old Gu Six found it feasible. He too was fed up with this group''s snail''s pace. They didn''t look like refugees at all. Someone even yelled, "Vige Head, slow down, we can''t keep up. It''s gettingte, let''s stop and rest." Even people going for a stroll wouldn''t be so indolent. Look at this location, is it suitable for stopping and resting? This was a ravine. If there were bandits, they could simply roll a fewrge rocks down from above and wipe them all out. The Vige Head was well aware of the danger and refused to listen to the vigers'' calls. He led the group onward, but the vigers seemed to have lost their motivation, slowing down more and more until they eventually stopped in the ravine altogether. The Vige Head turned back to see that over half the vigers had stopped in the ravine, unwilling to proceed further. They had already set up pots and started cooking fires. Chang''an and the others were at the end of the line, not yet in the ravine. They too refused to enter. Originally, they had nned to pass through the ravine and continue for another ten li before resting. Seeing the situation ahead, Old Gu Six promptly turned the donkey cart around and headed back. They stopped at the entrance of the ravine, as they could easily be caught up in any potential incident there. Yang Mingxiao and his brother also followed suit. Little Ya''s Dad, seeing them turn back, looked bewildered. Old Gu Six waved at them, signaling them to turn around too. Although they didn''t know what had happened, it was safer to follow instructions. The whole group obediently turned around and retreated. The other refugee groups behind them saw this and their leaders also led them back, thinking something must have happened ahead. Old Gu Six led them back ten li before stopping to rest and regroup. One of the group leaders approached him and said, "Excuse me, sir. I am the Vige Head of Miao Vige, Miao Changqing. May I ask what happened ahead?" Old Gu Six gave his donkey some water and hay, then nced indifferently at the old man. He simply said, "We can''t pass through. There''s a group resting in the ravine." Vige Head Miao didn''t mind his attitude, only feeling a vague sense of pressure from this young man that made him somewhat afraid. He said, "Thank you," and as he left, he added, "Apologies for the disturbance, please forgive me, sir." Then he scurried away without looking back, as if a dog were chasing him, his old legs moving surprisingly fast. Chang''an was roasting a wild chicken, with rice porridge boiling in a pot beside her. The aroma of the roasting chicken wafted through the air, drawing envious nces from others. Little Ya''s mother had cooked fish soup and roasted potatoes. On Yang Poxiao''s side, his wife had cooked half a wild rabbit. Most of the surrounding refugees had only recently fled their homes and still had food supplies, so they were merely envious, not intending any harm. As for those who had no food and were eating wild vegetables, they didn''t dare approach Old Gu Six and the others, realizing from their physiques and demeanor that they would only be offering themselves up as food. The refugee group closest to them had about a hundred people from Miao Vige. A chubby little boy was hitting his mother, demanding meat. "Cheapskate, hurry and get me some meat. I want to eat meat!" The five or six-year-old boy, round as a ball, pounded his fists on the woman, while the others in their group seemed to take it as normal, acting as if they didn''t notice. Vige Head Miao only nced over and sighed, saying nothing. They had intervened before, but the other party thought they were meddling, and their goodwill had backfired. The boy''s grandmother pushed the wooden-headed woman, "Didn''t you hear my precious grandson say he wants meat? Why aren''t you going to beg for some?" The bitter and caustic expression on her face made one feel sick just looking at her. There really were insufferable people wherever you went, but they couldn''t just not eat just because there were insufferable people around, could they? Chang''an''s hands kept moving, turning and scooping the ingredients. Every now and then, she would nce at her father, Old Gu Six. "Dad, take it easy with your movements. This is a small pot, not a big one. Don''t knock it over," she said. She suspected that the hole on that big iron pot was made by Old Gu Six''s banging. Old Gu Six listened obediently and slowed down his stirring of the porridge, not forgetting to ask Chang''an for confirmation, "Daughter, is this okay?" Chang''an took a look and replied, "Okay." A woman slowly approached Chang''an, her eyes fixed greedily on the roasted chicken. When Old Gu Six saw a stranger approaching his daughter, he grabbed a wooden stick from the ground and swung it towards her, nting it three inches deep into the ground next to the woman''s feet, scaring her so much that she fell to the ground. "Ah!!" Chang''an looked up coldly at the woman, who was sallow and emaciated, her clothes patched upon patched, with a coarse cloth wrapped around her head. She looked at them with terror in her eyes. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 The woman pleaded, "I, I, I just wanted toe and get some meat for my son to eat." "Shouldn''t your husband go hunting if your son wants to eat meat? Why should I give my meat to your son?" The response was sharp. Look at how she spoke - asking for some meat for her son to eat, as if it was a perfectly reasonable request? Chang''an was no longer a true child, she would not sympathize with such a person. Even if she was truly a child, at eight years old she could still distinguish right from wrong. Old Gu Six looked at his daughter, who appeared to be merely an eight-year-old child, yet tried to act like an adult, speaking in a serious manner. She was naturally adorable, but this demeanor made her even more endearing to his heart. Chang''an spoke with a naturally soft and sweet voice. No matter how stern her words were, it always sounded like she was being coy, without any intimidating force. Chang''an was frustrated. She clearly wanted to y the role of a graceful woman, but ended up with the appearance of a soft bun. That was how she was in her previous life, and even after being reborn in ancient times, she was still the same - couldn''t she at least have a different appearance? Old Gu Six cleared his throat lightly, suppressing hisughter, afraid his daughter would get angry. He coldly growled at the woman, "Get lost." The woman looked up and met Old Gu Six''s gaze, cold and gloomy like the venomous snake she had seen while gathering firewood in the mountains, carrying a lethal toxin that could take her life at any moment. She was so frightened that she scurried back to where her family was resting, with them witnessing everything that had happened. After the woman returned, no one dared toe over and disturb them again, a bunch of cowards who only bullied the weak. The little boy started beating the woman fiercely, "You useless good-for-nothing, can''t even get a piece of meat for me to eat, what use is a mother like you?" The old man also pped the woman a few times, cursing, "Useless thing." Her husband just sat there, turning his face away, pretending not to know anything. A few young girls were cooking wild vegetable porridge, not a single person stood up to defend the woman. No one paid attention to the drama unfolding in the woman''s family. Survival itself had be uncertain, who had the leisure to care about others'' family matters? The woman did not resent her son and family, but instead grew hateful towards Old Gu Six and his daughter. They had a whole chicken, why couldn''t they give her a chicken leg? If they did, she wouldn''t have to endure beatings, and her son could eat meat. God was so unfair, the good-for-nothings in other families could enjoy good food, but her three daughters couldn''t even have more than a bowl of wild vegetable porridge. The pitiful are bound to be hateful. She did not look for the cause within herself, but instead resented heaven, earth, and others who lived better lives. The wild chicken was roasted, and Old Gu Six used a knife to slice the chicken leg meat into pieces, cing them in a small bowl for Chang''an. He himself tore off a chicken wing and started gnawing on it. A bite of roasted chicken, a sip of porridge, it tasted incredibly delicious. Chang''an felt that if her Old Gu Six father lived in modern times, he could be a mukbang streamer, eating so appetizingly that it felt like his stomach was a bottomless pit that could never be filled. Apart from the main meal, this Old Gu Six also ate a bag of beef jerky, three bags of banana chips, and a bag of shrimp crackers. Chang''an felt immense pressure, as if she could not afford to raise him! The small bowl contained the meat of two chicken legs, but Chang''an only ate half, about one chicken leg''s worth, and drank half a bowl of porridge, considering herself full. This worried Old Gu Six, how could she eat so little? He felt as if he might end up starving his own daughter. "Daughter, would you like to eat a little more? Not much, just finish the meat in the small bowl." Seeing her Old Gu Six''s hopeful eyes, Chang''an cruelly refused, "No, I''m full." "This little bit couldn''t possibly fill you up? Look, your father ate a whole chicken and drank a whole pot of porridge, but you''ve only had a few bites? Be a good girl and eat a little more." "Dad~, I really am full. Eating too much at night can cause indigestion, and you don''t want me to feel unwell, do you?" She knew how to be coy and cute, without even trying. All she needed was to soften her demeanor, and she would naturallye across as adorable. Old Gu Six, the one who could resist his daughter''s pleas the least, nodded in agreement without hesitation, "As long as you''re full, put the meat aside and eat it again tomorrow." Chang''an nodded, hugged the bowl, and crawled back into the carriage, closing the curtain behind her and entering the space. Noticing his daughter''s aura disappear, Old Gu Six shifted closer to the carriage, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. If anyone dared to look their way, his cold, piercing gaze would strike them like daggers. Two quarters of an hourter, Chang''an emerged from the space, and only then did Old Gu Six rx. Little Ya''s Dad and Yang Poxiao came over to discuss the night watch with him. Little Ya''s Dad had eaten seven-tenths of a full meal today, and his whole being had regained some energy. The people in their group also had a bit of vitality, unlike the lifelessness of the previous days. These mountains wereyered upon each other, with the outer mountain ranges nearly half withered. There shouldn''t be any wild beasts roaming around; the beasts would also need to survive, so they should have migrated deeper into the mountains. Even without wild beasts, they still needed to be wary of people, so keeping watch was a must. "Old Gu Six, my brothers and I will keep watch. You and the youngdy can rest assured." Chang''an was bewildered: When did she gain such an identity? Yang Poxiao continued, "Ming Xiao and I will take the second half of the night. The rest of you brothers, keep watch during the first half." Old Gu Six said, "Yu San, you all keep watch during the first half. Poxiao and the others will take the second half with me." Little Ya''s Dad wanted to say that they could keep watch for the entire night, but upon meeting Old Gu Six''s emotionless gaze, he couldn''t utter a single word, as if his throat was being choked. His face turned pale, and he lowered his head and replied, "Yes," before leaving. None of the families'' bonfires had been extinguished. A single bonfire couldn''t illuminate very far, but with hundreds or even thousands of them, they lit up half the sky in this small area. Ten miles away in the valley, as Old Gu Six had guessed, they were surrounded by bandits. On both sides of the cliffs, bandits stood guard, blocking the entrance and exit of the valley. When the bandits arrived, the vige chief could not care for the vigers still trapped in the valley and fled with one-third of the vigers outside the valley, desperately trying to escape. The one-third who managed to escape were all from the three surnames, and another one-third of the three surnames were still trapped in the valley. Mu and his mother also followed the vige chief and fled, but his elder brother and sister-inw, as well as his second brother and sister-inw, and their children failed to escape. Mu''s mother wanted to go back and find them, but Mu held her back tightly, calling out to them to keep moving forward and not stop to rest. His brothers and sisters-inw looked at him like he was a murderer trying to take their lives. See, they didn''t listen and ended up surrounded. "Mother, even if you go back now, you''d only be adding another head for the bandits." Mu''s Mother clung tightly to Mu, begging him, "Mu, please go and rescue them¡ªthey are your elder brothers and nephews!" Mu looked at his aged mother without much expression, and asked, "Even if I go back and die, do you still want me to rescue them?" It was said that his mother loved and favored him the most, but only he knew who she truly favored. It was not that he was difficult to deceive; she simply feigned favoring her youngest son in order to keep the household peaceful. Mu''s Mother did not speak, but gazed steadily at him, neither affirming nor urging, allowing him to make the decision himself. If anything should happen in the end, it would be the result of his own choice, not her fault for sending her youngest son. She feared that her youngest son might go and never return, that she would be the one sending him to his death, and her conscience would never be at ease. She knew Mu had a soft heart, and that if she looked at him like this, he would not have the heart to refuse. As Mu''s Mother expected, Mu did indeed agree, but not because of his soft heart. He wanted to settle the matter once and for all. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 The escapees lost most of their belongings, bringing only a small amount of food. Mountain bandits were chasing them relentlessly, and with their possessions, they couldn''t run quickly. After running out, everyone scattered. Mu brought his mother into the woods, searching for a ce to settle her with Vige Head, so he could return to the valley. But his mother said, "I can find Vige Head and the others myself. You hurry back." She was anxious, as her eldest son and grandson were still in the valley, and any dy would be dangerous. Yet she hadn''t considered that Mu was just an ordinary farmer. Apart from physical strength, he had no skills. How could he rescue them? With what means? He would only add to the death toll. Mu gave his mother all the food and water he had brought, then knelt and kowtowed three times. "Mother, take care. Whether I return alive or not, consider me no longer your son from now on. I''m unfilial and cannot provide for you in your old age. Please forgive me." His voice was calm, neither sad nor joyful. After kowtowing, he turned and left. Mu''s mother knew that from tonight, she had lost this younger son. She covered her mouth and wept bitterly, but didn''t try to stop him. Her eldest son and grandson still needed rescuing, and she couldn''t be soft-hearted. Not hearing his mother''s pleas, Mu''s previously hesitant steps became resolute, as he had given up on his mother. In the valley, people were panic-stricken and screaming. The mountain bandits toyed with them like rats, asionally throwing small stones or branches from above. Their aim was precise, not hitting anyone, but scaring them into trembling. If they had mustered the courage to fight back, they might have escaped. s, they were utterly cowardly. Seeing the bandits''rge knives, they dared not move. With people throwing stones from the cliffs above, they were even more afraid. Then they remembered Old Gu Six. Surely someone so formidable could defeat these bandits! People began searching for him, but he was nowhere to be found. They started shouting, "Old Gu Six! Old Gu Six! Please save us!" No one responded. Everyone realized Old Gu Six wasn''t with their group - he had either escaped or fallen behind. The mountain bandits roared withughter. Their leader mocked, "Calling your ancestors won''t save you!" The vigers knelt, kowtowing and begging, "Please spare our lives, mighty lords! We''re only disaster victims, with no valuables." The leader scoffed coldly, "Killing you would soil my hands. Listen up - the women, girls, and all your belongings stay. The men, elders, and your grandsons can leave." The elders were relieved to keep their grandchildren. Losing belongings didn''t matter, as long as they lived. As for their daughters-inw and granddaughters, once their sons survived, they could just remarry. No fear ofcking granddaughters - more likely too many! The men expressed boundless gratitude, leaving with their fathers, mothers, and sons without a nce at their wives and daughters. The women wailed for help, but the men acted deaf. Some refused to abandon their wives and daughters. Most people had left, but these few kept kowtowing, begging the bandits not to take their wives and daughters, until their foreheads bled. The bandit leader ordered his men to take the belongings back to their mountainir. Watching those still kowtowing - twelve of them - he considered them braver than the cowards who deserted their wives and daughters. "Enough, get going!" he barked. Fearfully, they asked, "We can take our wives and daughters?" "Yes, scram!" "Thank you, thank you, great lord!" They supported each other, hobbling away, but were soon halted. "Wait!" Their legs turned to jelly and they knelt, faces pale as death. The leader gestured with his chin. "Which belongings are yours?" The vigers trembled, identifying their meager possessions. Surely their paltry goods wouldn''t determine if they were spared? They were poor, with barely a month''s food. The leader looked disdainfully. "Take your own things and go. I don''t need your paltry garbage." Immensely grateful, the vigers left with their families, pushing handcarts. The abandoned women and girls were bound, enviously watching those dozen-odd men depart with their wives and daughters. The leader bellowed, "Shut up! Another sound and I''ll behead you. If your men had persisted, they could''ve left with you too. me your own bad luck!" The fullyden mountain bandits headed back up the mountain with their spoils and captives. A junior bandit reported to the leader. "Big Boss, ten li ahead there''s another group of refugees, but only small parties. Doesn''t look like they have much." Indeed, as the junior had observed, the small groups had little - one handcart per family at most, some only wheelbarrows or nothing at all. Compared to Qingfang Vige''s mass exodus, these refugees were unimpressive. The leader waved a dismissive hand. "A bunch of paupers, what''s to plunder? If we do, it''ll be big groups like tonight''s, enough to feed us for a year." Then one of the bound women suddenly shouted, "They''re not poor! Old Gu Six has silver and food! His daughter is very pretty, you could sell her for a fortune! Spare us and go rob them instead!" "Yes, yes, great lord! Spare us and rob Old Gu Six, you''ll profit far more than selling us!" The leader''s interest was piqued. What kind of unlucky man was this Old Gu Six, to be betrayed by such scum? "Well then, brothers, let''s see how fat this sheep is!" The leader took some men towards the group ten li away, but soon stopped. "Bring those two loudmouths." Two li away, Old Gu Six already knew they wereing. He leapt nimbly over fallen trees to scout ahead. Soon he returned, calling for Yang Poxiao. "Rouse Yu San and the others - everyone! Mountain bandits areing!" Then he lifted the carriage curtain again and saw that Chang''an was already awake, so he said, "My daughter, stay inside the carriage for now. Those men are no match for your father''s skills." Chang''an nodded. With her father''s agility and ability to move like the wind, dealing with a few mountain bandits shouldn''t be a problem. The refugees who were awakened in the distance started to panic when they heard about the mountain bandits. Even before seeing the bandits'' shadows, they began to gather their families and belongings and flee into the woods, as if they wanted to run ten miles in a single step. Little Ya''s Dad and Yang Poxiao, the two brothers, gathered their people around Old Gu Six''s location, using Chang''an''s carriage as the center. They gathered the elderly, women, and children in the middle, while the men formed a circle around them, enclosing them. When the bandit leader and his men arrived, they saw the group led by Old Gu Six standing ready, while the other refugees had already scattered and fled. The leader didn''t care. Their target was Old Gu Six. He asked the two bound women, "Which one of them is Old Gu Six?" Chapter 26 Chapter 26 The Skinny ck Woman''s eyes flickered, not daring to look at the person opposite her. She said weakly, "The most handsome man in the middle, his daughter is in the carriage." You can''t really me her though, who doesn''t want to live? They were just trying to save themselves. Old Gu Six frowned slightly, he didn''t recognize the woman opposite him, why would she want to harm him? The leader immediately noticed Old Gu Six standing out with his exceptional looks. Their eyes met, Old Gu Six''s gaze was devoid of any emotion as he looked at them calmly, yet those slightly upturned phoenix eyes carried an aura of sharpness. The leader regretteding over. At a nce, this was no easy target, but since they were already here, there was no turning back. "Old Gu Six, I heard you have silver and food supplies, and your daughter is quite beautiful too. Why don''t you bring her out for us to take a look?" The followers behind him chimed in, chanting "Bring her out, bring her out." Old Gu Six''s eyes narrowed, his gaze turning cold and dark. They could covet anything of his, but they must noty a hand on his daughter. In a sh, the soft sword at his waist was drawn, and without a word, he charged forward. The bandit leader was caught off guard, and the jeering followers also rushed towards Yang Poxiao and the others. Among the followers, the bandit leader was the most skilled in martial arts, but he was still no match for Old Gu Six. In just over ten moves, Old Gu Six pierced his shoulder and kicked him three meters away, leaving him on the ground with no ability to retaliate. The bandit followers didn''t even reach Chang''an before being struck down one by one by Old Gu Six''s ruthless sword strikes. The two women who had betrayed Old Gu Six''s location were pale and huddled together, not daring to move for fear of being killed by his sword. At the same time, they resented him, wondering why he didn''t stay with the group at night, so they wouldn''t have been robbed. The remaining followers who didn''t charge forward were trembling, helping their leader up as he said a single word: "Leave." They didn''t care about the severely injured followers or the two women anymore. "Did I say you could leave?" Old Gu Six''s voice rang out, cold as winter snow. The leader lowered his head in apology, "I''m sorry, we failed to recognize your greatness. Please, Brother Gu, spare us." "How many people are in your mountain stronghold?" If there were few people, he would just take his daughter to raid for supplies, since they didn''t have much either. "Fifteen hundred." The leader had a bad feeling - they might meet their end here today. Blood gushed from his shoulder wound, and he was already feeling dizzy and unsteady. Old Gu Six pondered for a moment. A stronghold of fifteen hundred people - they didn''t know theyout, were there any deadly traps? Of course, he could have these petty thieves lead the way, but could they be trusted? What if they were being led into a trap? On this side, he was the only capable fighter. No matter how skilled he was, he couldn''t ughter over a thousand people single-handedly. Who could guarantee that none of them were formidable martial artists? He had no intention of letting his daughter fight. Who knew what side effects might ur if she used her powers too much? And with her powers manifesting so suddenly and in the same ce, even a fool could tell something was amiss. The people behind them appeared friendly, but he couldn''t let his guard down. Besides, were the people of Qingfang Vige even worth saving? Just look at those two women. Still, he asked one more question, "Why did you capture these women?" One of the followers immediately replied, "It was their own husbands who didn''t want them. If their husbands had insisted on taking them, we would have returned the supplies and let them go. We didn''t mistreat the women either, we just sold them to rich families to be servants, which is better than staying with those heartless husbands." After hearing this, Old Gu Six decided not to get involved. Since they weren''t doing anything indecent, he couldn''t be bothered to interfere. He wasn''t a hero of the Martial World, fighting for justice wasn''t his responsibility. The bandits had a code, and the victims weren''t good people either, so why should he care? The two women huddled nearby suddenly found the courage to shout, "Old Gu Six, save us! We don''t want to be enved!" Old Gu Six ignored them, not even considering rescuing them. Sparing their lives was already merciful enough. He told the bandit leader, "Give me four donkey carts or ox carts, and two carts of supplies - one cart of food grains and one cart of thick cotton clothes and bedding. If you provide the supplies, I''ll let you go." The leader leaned against his follower, already too weak to stand. He gritted his teeth and replied, "Alright, we''ll get them right away." The followers poured their hemostatic medicine onto his wound, using up their own supplies and even taking some from theirrades. The leader ordered his men to fetch the supplies and carts, "Four of you, get Brother Gu the supplies and vehicles he demanded." Only five men remained by his side, one staying to care for him. Old Gu Six added, "The cotton clothes and bedding must be of good quality." The leader waved his hand weakly, urging his men to hurry. He sat slumped against a withered tree by the roadside, his wound hastily bandaged to stop the bleeding for now. Seeing everyone''s attention diverted, the two women tried to sneak away, but they had only taken two steps before being spotted by the follower guarding the leader. The follower was furious - if not for these two women, the leader wouldn''t have been injured. He vented his anger on them, there was no way he could let them escape now. He picked up arge de from the ground and held it horizontally in front of them. "If you dare try to run away, I''ll kill you both right now." His icy, murderous voice froze the two women in fear. They nodded frantically and obediently squatted back down, no longer hoping for Old Gu Six to save them. He was just a cold-blooded, heartless scoundrel. Half an hourter, the leader''s followers returned, driving four donkey carts. Two carts were loaded with supplies, while the other two were empty. With the help of his followers, the leader stood up. "Brother Gu, we''ve brought the supplies and carts. Can we leave now?" If he didn''t return soon, he wouldn''t be able to hold on. Old Gu Six nodded, allowing them to depart. Then he called to Yu San behind him, "Yu San, take the supplies and donkey carts back. Give two sacks of grains to Brother Yang''s family." He thought that by providing them with cotton clothes and food grains, these people wouldn''t follow him and his daughter anymore, right? He added, "Give them one of the donkey carts too. Load the other three carts with the remaining supplies and let the children, women, and elderly ride in the empty cart." See, he was being so amodating in dividing the resources. "Yes," Old Gu Six and hispanions from their troupe unloaded two bags of grain and left a donkey cart for the brothers Yang Poxiao. In Old Gu Six''s troupe, there were two elderly people, four children, and five women, all skinny and looking unwell. The donkey cart was enough to carry them. As for Yang Poxiao''s side, the two brothers didn''t have much in the way of household possessions, and they didn''t receive much grain either. They didn''t refuse the grain that was given to them. All of this was lifesaving grain, and now was not the time to be pretentious. They loaded their belongings onto the donkey cart, and Yang Poxiao''s eight-year-old son could now ride in the cart. However, their two wives still had to walk. The two women exchanged a smile and said, "Husband, don''t worry, we can keep up." Chang''an opened the cart''s curtain and looked around, saying, "Father, let''s leave quickly. There''s a bloody smell here, and I''m afraid it might attract birds of prey." "Daughter, sit tight, we''ll be leaving right away." Old Gu Six and his daughter led the way, with a lit torch stuck into the donkey cart. Seeing them depart, Yang Poxiao and his brothers followed behind with their family, also carrying lit torches. Next came the troupe of Old Gu Six. Originally, Chang''an had nned to escape the famine with just her father Old Gu Six, but she didn''t expect a whole string of people to tag along behind them. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 As they passed through the valley, the area was in disarray, with discarded wooden nks, wheelbarrows, buckets, and broken pottery jars scattered around. The good supplies had been taken away by the mountain bandits, leaving behind items of little use to them. Little Ya''s Dad and the others managed to find four buckets, a few unbroken pottery jars, and two wooden basins. On their journey fleeing the drought, they had to rely on scavenging for equipment. It seemed therge group from Qingfang Vige had mostly dispersed along the way, and they were likely to encounter more of them on the road. Some people, upon encountering those who had managed to flee with their wives, children, and supplies, only then realized that if they had persisted in bringing their families along, they could have escaped safely without losing their belongings. Those who knew regretted it bitterly, but it was toote. They could only flee empty-handed. Some thought about robbing those who had escaped with supplies, but with those twelve familiesprising seventy or eighty people banding together, it wouldn''t be easy to rob them. Mu hid in the dry grass at the valley''s exit, watching the vigers leave in disarray. His two elder brothers and nephews were among them, but he couldn''t see his sisters-inw or nieces. Since their mother insisted that the eldest son and grandson escape, he had no business with them. Hecked the ability to rescue the others. Mu didn''t go to find his brothers. He remained crouched in the grass until thest group with supplies had left, only then departing himself. He thought, "You see, even the mountain bandits made distinctions between good and bad. Those who imed they couldn''t let their family lineage die out, abandoning their wives and daughters, ended up with nothing." "Those who vowed to stay with their wives and children, not only kept their families but also kept their food supplies." Mu crouched here, waiting for Old Gu Six. As daylight approached, he finally saw a group emerge from the valley, led by Old Gu Six himself. His legs were numb from crouching, and he stumbled out to block the mule cart''s path. "Old Six, take me with you. I want to go with you." Old Gu Six stopped the mule cart and pointed out the practical problem: "You''re empty-handed. Do you expect us to feed you?" Mu hurriedly exined, "No, no, you don''t need to feed me. I have silver money. When we reach the next town, I''ll buy food supplies. I can find food myself. I won''t eat your supplies. I just want to tag along. I''ve cut ties with my mother and the others." "You cane along, but don''t betray us, or else you''re dead," Old Gu Six said, the final word "dead" carrying tangible murderous intent towards Mu. Mu turned pale, his legs trembling, but he persisted and nodded, "I won''t. Please trust me." Old Gu Six nodded in agreement. "Follow the others." He seemed to ept those following behind to join them. Among those behind, Mu only recognized the Yang Poxiao Brothers. He followed along with them. Their torches had been extinguished as they exited the valley, and they didn''t intend to rest here, continuing onward. In the cool morning before the heat of the day, Chang''an opened the carriage curtain to look outside. Everywhere they passed was enveloped in dust and haze. Further ahead, they saw disaster refugees scattering in all directions, as well as the desperate and destitute vigers from Qingfang Vige, who looked even more miserable than the ragged disaster victims. Those refugees may have been fleeing the drought for a while, but at least they had some belongings, while the Qingfang Vige vigers had nothing but themselves. They must have traveled around twenty miles from the valley. Along this stretch of road, there were far too many disaster refugees. At the moment, they were resting and preparing their morning meals by the roadside. Some Qingfang Vige vigers spotted Old Gu Six and the Yang Poxiao Brothers and immediately approached them for help. "Old Gu Six, Yang Brothers, we finally found you. Quick, give us some food supplies. We''re starving to death." Their tone was so self-righteous, as if they had some close rtionship. Old Gu Sixshed out with his whip, coldly shouting, "Get lost!" The man struck by the whip winced in pain. He looked at the wound, his clothes torn and flesh split open, a pitiful sight. Pointing at Old Gu Six, both angry and in pain, he said, "You heartless scoundrel! We''re from the same vige. If you won''t help your own, where will you find support in the future?" Old Gu Six couldn''t be bothered to waste words andshed out with another whip, knocking the man down. The others didn''t dare approach, remembering the previous drought and lightning, trembling in fear. With no one blocking their path, they continued forward. This stretch of road wasn''t suitable for stopping and resting. Chang''an gave those people a cold, disdainful sneer. Need the support of brainless fools like you? She lowered the bamboo curtain and drew the cloth curtain, then entered the space and started cooking a pot of lean meat porridge. She also steamed fiverge steamed buns and reheated the leftover chicken legs fromst night in the microwave. After finishing these tasks, she went upstairs to wash up. She didn''t make herself look like a disheveled mess. With her Old Six around, she feltpletely safe. Capable people didn''t need to disguise themselves. Although they might encounter some troubles, they could all be resolved. Problems that could be solved weren''t really problems, were they? After freshening up, she came downstairs. The steamed buns and chicken legs in the kitchen had finished warming. She set them out to cool a bit so the aroma wouldn''t be too overpowering when brought out. She stirred the lean meat porridge in the y pot, letting it simmer for another ten minutes. The children and women among the disaster refugees looked enviously at the children and women riding in the mule carts of their group. Those refugees had been walking for three or four months, their appearance utterly haggard and exhausted. The group traveled for about an hour before finding a sheltered spot to stop and rest, by which time others had already packed up and continued on their way. Chang''an didn''te out until she had finished her breakfast in the space. Every day, she would brew a cup of milk for Old Six, though he always drank it with a look of revulsion, as if drinking poison. Yet he never refused. He ate whatever was given to him, no matter how much he disliked it. Chang''an spread out a straw mat and told Old Six, who was eating breakfast in the cart, "Dad, get some rest after you finish eating. No one got any restst night, so we''re not in a hurry to move on." Old Gu Six replied, "Got it." Chang''an gave the mules some water, then led them to nearby grass to graze, as their supply of dry grass had run out. She brought a sickle and, while the mules grazed, cut grass nearby. The children in the group had led their donkeys out to graze as well. Little Ya, seeing Chang''an cutting grass, wanted to help but had no tools. She walked over timidly and said, "Miss Chang''an, let Little Ya help you cut the grass." Chang''an looked up to see a little girl with arge head and slender neck, about four or five years old. She appeared so thin that her eyes seemed a bit protruding, rming Chang''an, who feared her neck might not be able to support her head. The three boys apanying her were simr in appearance, appearing a couple of years older than Little Ya. However, the two children of the Yang Poxiao Brothers seemed normal, keeping their distance and ying with a donkey and cutting grass on the other side. Chang''an smiled and said, "No need, I''m almost done cutting. Later, I''ll give you the sickle, so you can cut some grass for your donkeys too. Sometimes, it''s not safe to lead them out to graze when it getste on the road." She did not correct their address of her, for this was the ancient era, where equality was unheard of. Old Gu Six had given them a chance to live, and they chose to follow him of their own ord. From the start, they did not consider themselves equal to Old Gu Six. Chang''an benefited from her Old Gu Six''s influence, upying a superior position. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Chang''an reached into her sleeve pocket, actually taking out a small bag of beef jerky from her spatial storage. It was a crooked little cloth bag she had sewn herself, about the size of an adult''s palm. She took Little Ya''s thin, bony hand and ced the beef jerky in it. "Go share it with your little friends." She couldn''t save the whole world, nor did she intend to meddle in such matters, but this child truly moved her heart. Chang''an''s hands were delicate and soft. Little Ya felt the gentle warmth from her hand, and her waxen little face showed a shy expression. She grabbed the little cloth bag, tilted her head to peek inside, and saw that it was indeed jerky. Startled, she quickly covered the bag and returned it to Chang''an. Meeting Chang''an''s clear, innocent gaze, her naive and gullible demeanor, Little Ya thought it was fortunate that Chang''an had a formidable father. Otherwise, on this famine-stricken journey, she would surely have been swindled to the bone. Chang''an: ...Her appearance is innate; she is not easily fooled. "Miss Chang''an, you cannot give this to us. Please keep it safe for yourself. You cannot give it away so freely in the future." These pieces of jerky may not have seemed like much in normal times, but now they could save a life. Chang''an did not take it back. "If you don''t want to eat it yourselves, you can take it back and share it with your parents. Don''t keep passing it back and forth. If other disaster victims see it, it won''t be good." She bundled up the hay, led the mule, and dragged the hay back, while Little Ya didn''t follow her back. She watched Chang''an''s receding figure for a while, her eyes flickering, unclear what she was thinking. The four little friends divided the jerky, and the three boys hid it in their pockets. Little Ya also ced the small cloth bag containing the jerky close to her chest, cherishing it. The biggest of the boys picked up the sickle Chang''an had left behind and went to the lush grass, squatting down and deftly cutting it. His movements were practiced, clearly not his first time doing such work. Old Gu Six sat on the reed mat, leaning against the tree trunk with his eyes closed, resting. When Chang''an returned, he opened his eyes, his gaze clear, not appearing to have slept. He stood up and took the hay Chang''an had dragged back, tying it to the top of the carriage, then tethered the mule to a nearby tree. "Daughter, next time don''t go cutting grass. The sickle is sharp, and the grass is coarse. What if you cut your hand? Let your father do it. You don''t need to worry about these things." Chang''an didn''t argue, simply agreeing, "Okay, I won''t go next time." If she didn''t agree, he would nag her for a long time, so she would deal with next time when it came. As noon approached, more and more disaster victims stopped to rest, setting up cookstoves, gathering firewood, and venturing into the mountains to find water and food. Old Gu Six also took Yang Poxiao, Mu, Little Ya''s father and four others into the mountains. Chang''an wanted to go with them, but Old Gu Six didn''t agree. The mountains were dangerous, and someone needed to stay behind to watch the mule carriage. They couldn''t just let others help watch it, could they? Those people had their own belongings and family members to look after. This time, it was just their small group, so they couldn''t leave only the elderly, weak, women and children behind. Thus, they left Yang Poxiao and five other men to watch over the group. They didn''t n to cook anything for lunch after finishing their meal. Not long after, Little Ya and her friends returned to their mother, secretly giving her the jerky, and then whispering something in her ear. Those adults looked at Chang''an with an expression of tearful gratitude. Chang''an blinked her big eyes and smiled, her dimples shallow yet intoxicating. Many disaster victims ventured into the mountains in search of food and water, and with so many people, conflicts were inevitable. No one knew each other, so they weren''t willing to share what they found. Some argued and fought over a small patch of withered wild vegetables, not wanting others to follow them into the mountains. It was quite lively. Old Gu Six led his group past them deeper into the mountains. It was impossible to find water at the outskirts. Some people wanted to follow them, and he didn''t stop them. If they wanted to follow, so be it. He would just lead them to find water. Whether they could find food or not was up to their own luck. Old Gu Six and Yang Poxiao led the way, followed by a long line of people. People tend to follow the crowd. Seeing others following, more joined in, thinking that with more people, they were bound to find a water source. This time, they didn''t encounter any dangerous creatures while searching for water, but they searched for a long time. Several water sources had dried up, so they had to keep going further. The deeper they went, the more anxious the followers became. Some gave up halfway, not wanting to continue, and formed smaller groups to search elsewhere. Eventually, only Old Gu Six''s group of eight remained. The damp soil and rotten leaves indicated they were headed in the right direction. asionally, a venomous snake would appear, but Old Gu Six dispatched them with his sword. They were fortunate to also catch two wild chickens along the way. They found a water source behind a thicket - a small waterfall, though now dried up due to the drought, leaving only a trickle. Two people were left at the bottom of the waterfall to collect water and search the area for any edible wild vegetables. Mu was one of them. The others ventured further to search, while Old Gu Six continued deeper to hunt. After all, how could they venture deep into the mountains without bringing back some meat? This time, besides water buckets and pouches, they brought baskets and bup sacks, well-prepared to find arge quantity of food if luck permitted. Not every time was lucky. Little Ya''s father and his group only found some wild fruits and caught a few small sparrows. Mu found some wild vegetables and wove a small basket from vines that looked sturdy enough. He asked the man collecting water with him, "Brother, what is your name?" The man set down a bucket of water and replied, "My name is Zhang Quan - Zhang for the archer, Quan for the whole." "I am Mu. You can call me Little Mu, Brother Zhang." "Alright, Brother Little Mu." The two continued searching the area, digging up any budding wild vegetables. Mu was in the most awkward situation, without any belongings. It was only because Yang Poxiao took pity on him and shared a waterskin that he had something to carry water in. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have had anything. He could only swallow his pride and follow along. When they reached the next town, he would have to buy proper supplies and repay Yang''s kindness. His thought was rather naive. Currently, scavenging for equipment was more promising than purchasing it in town. After all, some disaster victimscked the strength to carry all their belongings due tock of food, so they had to discard items along the way to survive. On their way, they saw many abandoned water jugs, crocks, and other heavy objects by the roadside. Mu had learned hunting before, and seeing that the buckets and water skins were filled, he told Zhang Quan, "Brother Zhang, I''ll go look in the woods." "Go ahead, I''ll keep watch. Be careful," said Zhang Quan. Zhang Quan sat on a rock, waiting for everyone to return, while Mu ran into the woods with a sickle, disappearing from sight after a while. The first to return were Little Ya and his group of five. They didn''t have much luck today, with each carrying basket containing only some sour wild fruits and sweet roots. Little Ya held seven or eight sparrows in his hands. Little Ya cleaned the sparrows under the waterfall, and Old Gu Six returned an hourter with his usual good haul. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Little Ya''s Dad nced at Old Gu Six''s three rabbits and two wild hens, then looked down at the few pieces of fruit in his own hands. He felt a bit ashamed. The difference between them, both being men, seemed quite significant. He took a small piece of silver from his pocket and asked Old Gu Six, "Could I buy a rabbit from you?" Old Gu Six didn''t take the silver but handed him a slightlyrger rabbit. Yang Poxiao also bought a rabbit and a wild hen with some silver. If only they weren''t on the road, they could have skinned the rabbits and made rabbit fur boots or hats for his daughter. If they could hunt a fox, that would be even better. They could make a fox fur coat for her. After their hunted goods were all dealt with, Mu came back carrying the game he had hunted¡ªa wild rabbit and a wild hen. Little Ya''s Dad felt dejected again. Even this single guy who just tagged along managed to hunt something. This made them feel even more useless. They collected some firewood and sat down to roast the wild hens and rabbits. After the meat cooled down, they wrapped it in leaves and stashed it in their baskets. Only then did they leave the woods, carrying their water. The number of refugees on the road was increasing. They couldn''t openly cook and eat meat, or it might cause chaos. If others couldn''t eat their fill, wouldn''t it be too ostentatious if they could? And even had meat? There were all sorts of people among the refugees. It would be best if they didn''t cause trouble for Old Gu Six and his daughter. Otherwise, they feared Old Gu Six might abandon them. Old Gu Six, blending in with the crowd, also roasted a wild hen. He would have to take it home and let his daughter process it further. His daughter definitely wouldn''t eat this tasteless roast meat. As they left the mountain, they collected some dried grass to put in their baskets. They encountered many people on the road, all of whom hadn''t found water. They all looked dispirited. Seeing them all carrying water, someone asked, "Brother, where did you find your water?" At this point, Yang Poxiao became their spokesperson. "Deep in the mountains. If you follow the path we took, you will find it." There were no dangers on the road, as Old Gu Six had cleared them all. Since they had already fetched their water, it didn''t harm to tell them. There had been many people following them when they went to fetch water. They didn''t say anything. It was those people who had given up halfway. The man thanked them: "Thank you, brother." Then, he led his people into the mountains following the path they had taken. As it was too hot at noon, the refugees didn''t rush on their journey. They were afraid of getting heatstroke. There were no doctors or medicines on the road. If something went wrong, they might copse on the road and not be able to get up. The sun was scorching, and Chang''an felt she had gotten quite a bit darker. It was so hot that it was hard to breathe. Even the wind that blew was hot. She hid in the carriage to rest. Only after cing tworge basins of ice did she feel slightly better. Old Gu Six came back and didn''t see his daughter. He lifted the carriage curtain and saw her leaning against the ice basin in the carriage, eating watermelon sorbet. She had also prepared a bowl for him. She shifted a bit to let Old Gu Six into the carriage. Old Gu Six first tied the dried grass from his basket to the top of the carriage. Then, he put two buckets of water into the carriage and handed the basket to Chang''an. Chang''an took over the basket. It contained half a roasted wild hen, three unroasted ones, and a wild rabbit, all cleaned up. She stowed these items into her space, nning to prepare roast pheasant with mushrooms in her spaceter. The half-roasted pheasant still needed some seasoning. Eating it as is, without even a hint of salt, would be too gamey. Old Gu Six settled into the carriage, feeling noticeably cooler. Chang''an fetched him a bowl of watermelon slushie from her space, which he epted with a face full of enjoyment. He sighed, "If only we didn''t have to flee." Chang''an, legs crossed, replied: "That''s what everyone wishes for." After finishing the watermelon slushie, Old Gu Six stayed in the carriage, which was much cooler than outside. He leaned against the carriage wall to rest a bit, nning to set off around noon. Everyone was already on the run; who still cared about the old rules of men and women not sharing spaces? Who cared about men and women over seven not sitting together? At night, everyone slept on the same straw mat. Everyone was scrambling in the wilderness, who would pay attention to you? Everyone was worrying about when this escape would end. How to use the limited food to travel the farthest? Of course, there were those with ill-intentions even in these dire circumstances, such people existed at all times. Approaching noon, most of the refugees had already started on their way. Chang''an fetched a pear and a small bag of cherry tomatoes from her space for Old Gu Six. Old Gu Six finished the pear inside the carriage before stepping outside, with the small bag hanging around his waist. They packed up the straw mats, harnessed the mule to the cart, and readied to depart as soon as Little Ya''s Dad and Yang Poxiao finished packing. Mu had exchanged half a wild rabbit for three and a half kilos of rice with Yang Poxiao. Of course, this was a friendly price, taking into ount that Mu was a new member of Old Gu Six''s team, and they gave him an extra half kilo. He then traded a chicken leg for a y pot and used a rabbit leg to repay the favor of the water bag. Now that he had his basic daily necessities settled, he packed everything into his pack and carried it himself. Yang Poxiao suggested he put it on the donkey cart, arguing that his things wouldn''t add much weight. However, Mu declined. "Brother Yang, I''ll carry it myself for now, and put it on the cart when I can''t carry it anymore. Thank you." After more than ten days of intermittent travel, they arrived at Xinping County, the first city they encountered with its gates wide open after fleeing. This city was more than twice the size of Yizhou County. Now, however, the city gates were wide open, with refugeesing and going freely. Little Ya''s Dad said, "I''m afraid the city has already been upied by the refugees. We probably won''t find any supplies in there." Chang''an thought about the disadvantaged member of their group and decided they should still check it out. "Dad, let''s go in and see if we can find anything useful." Whatever Chang''an said wasw for Old Gu Six, so he simply said, "Let''s go in." The refugees, with their numb expressions and ragged clothing, looked at Old Gu Six''s group, who still had plenty of supplies, with envy. Some harbored ill intentions. Their group consisted of fewer than seventy people, and there were refugees who nned to rob them when night fell. Even if they were sessful now, they wouldn''t be able to guard their loot. Just as they could rob others, others could rob them. It was best to act under the cover of darkness, unnoticed. Old Gu Six led his people into the city, where the streets were filled with disaster-stricken people. Some were crying while holding their deceased children, some were struggling to carry their elderly mothers, and some families were searching everywhere for food and water. The whole street was filled with a gloomy atmosphere. The bodies of some victimsy on the road; some had died from severe injuries, while others had starved to death. The shops along the street were severely looted, especially the grain shops and food stalls, presenting a scene of devastation. They knew it was impossible to find any grain. As Chang''an braced for theing cold disaster, Mu, who had nothing, would inevitably freeze to death. "Dad, let''s check the shops that sell cotton clothes and quilts." They searched and finally found a ready-made clothing store on another street. The shop had also been looted, but the victims were mostly looking for food. The clothes and other items were not all taken away and were left in a mess. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Following Old Gu Six and his daughter, the group of people entered the shop without any questioning, doing whatever he asked them to do. They had a blind trust in Old Gu Six - if he asked them to find cotton clothes and quilts, there must have been a reason for it, and they simply did as instructed. In the storeroom behind the clothing shop, they found five thick cotton quilts and ten sets of cotton clothes. "Give Mu two quilts and two sets of cotton clothes and pants. We''ll go to the shoe shopter to find cotton shoes. Since we''ll still be on the road in winter, let''s prepare for it in advance." With the cotton clothes and quilts, Mu could no longer carry everything by himself. Old Gu Six told him to go with Little Ya''s Dad and the others, "Yu San''s group has a pushcart that can hold things, you can put your things on it and help push the cart." "Yes," Mu said as he ced his belongings on the pushcart, then turned to Little Ya''s Dad and the others, "Thank you all for your help along the way." Little Ya''s Dad and the others helped Mu secure his belongings on the cart, patting his shoulder and saying, "We''re all brothers, it''s only natural to help each other." Then the group went to the shoe shop, but it was empty and everything had been looted. Chang''an, seeing the desperate looks of the refugees earlier, said, "Dad, let''s leave the city. We shouldn''t stay here tonight." The city had be a gathering ce for refugees, and even if there were any supplies left, they wouldn''t be able to get them. As they passed by a pharmacy, they stopped and took some medicinal herbs, mostly for treating injuries, colds, and fevers. On their way out of the city, more people started following them, their greedy eyes revealing their intentions. The people trailing them thought Old Gu Six''s group would stop and rest once they left the city, but to their surprise, the group only walked faster without any intention of stopping. Old Gu Six''s group headed north, and when thest bit of daylight was swallowed by darkness, they stopped to rest in a dried-up, cracked riverbed. There were too many refugee camps along the main road, some people were even coughing, so Chang''an thought it was better not to stay close together. Conveniently, there was a wide riverbed by the road, so they stopped to rest there. The refugees who followed Old Gu Six''s group out of the city were very patient, trailing them for thirty li before stopping to rest when the group did. That night, they didn''t cook any meals, and everyone ate dry rations. Mu had no rations, so he ate the dried meat from the animals he had hunted along the way. Chang''an cut open the pre-steamed buns from the middle, stuffing them with meat and vegetables, and she and her father ate their dinner in the cart as usual. Old Gu Six knew that tonight someone mighte looking for trouble, so he was more vignt than ever before. In the dead of night, someone with a sickle approached Little Ya''s Dad and the others at the rear of the group. There were people keeping watch, and the intruders were spotted as soon as they approached. Where did these people find the courage? They were mere skin and bones from starvation, how could they overpower those who ate seven or eight meals a day? Zhang Quan raised his hoe and struck, with a high uracy rate, hitting his mark with a single blow. The leader was struck down, wailing on the ground, waking up the surrounding refugees. Women hugged their children tightly, while some bold men lit torches and approached the riverbed. With their leader down, the others still didn''t give up their evil intentions, swinging their sickles forward. But these people were no match for Old Gu Six''s de. By the time the other refugees came to see what had happened, it was already over. This time, they had struck with deadly force to deter the other refugees. As more and more refugees fled, all kinds of people emerged, and they needed to leave an impression that they were not to be trifled with. They couldn''t let anyone think of attacking them, and when the refugees saw the seven or eight people lying on the ground, none dared to approach. Old Gu Six led the group a bit further before stopping to rest again. The refugees who hade to investigate returned and told their families, "Stay alert tonight, some refugees tried to loot food at night but were killed in retaliation." Not all refugees were fleeing alone; many were entire viges traveling together. Qingfang Vige''s group may have been among the first and fastest to scatter. Ever since Little Ya''s Dad, Yang Poxiao and the others joined them, Chang''an could sleep soundly, as they took turns keeping watch, no longer needing the eight-year-old child to do it. In the morning, everyone only boiled water and soaked some stir-fried noodles to eat. Chang''an and Old Gu Six had the best living conditions in the group, secretly eating steamed dumplings and milk away from the others. Old Gu Six led the group resolutely northward, while most refugees headed southeast, likely having heard about the disasters in different regions. Only a few were heading north, and kind-hearted people they met would try to persuade them otherwise. "The northernnds are wild and uncivilized. Who flees disasters in that direction? You should go to Lingnan instead. No matter how bad the environment and climate, at least there are mountains and water." Old Gu Six thanked the old woman, "We''ve decided to go north. If it''s not suitable for living, we can always go to Lingnanter." "Young people always love to make things difficult," the old woman said with an expression of exasperation, unable to dissuade them. Old Gu Six did think this way - how would they know if a ce was good or bad without seeing it for themselves? Either way, they had plenty of time, so they might as well treat it as a journey. They bid farewell to the old woman and continued on their way. Perhaps because they were heading north, after half a month, they encountered fewer and fewer refugees on the road. Unlike half a month ago when the roads were crowded with people, now they only saw individual families fleeing northward, rarely seeing any entire vige groups. At noon, they passed through a forest and stopped to rest, sheltered from the scorching sun. As usual, Old Gu Six led a group to find water and hunt, while Chang''an and the others stayed behind to cook and rest. With fewer refugees on the road, Chang''an''s group didn''t bother hiding anymore, cooking meat when they had it. Chang''an disliked the makeshift stove, as it turned everything into one big stew, though the chaotic stew was actually quite delicious. They would stew radishes, cabbage, vermicelli noodles, and pork together, saving time while tasting good. "Ah! What a surprise!" Chang''an eximed in shock, noticing the disfigured young man sitting back-to-back with her against the same tree, only realizing his presence after finishing cooking. Little Ya''s Mother hurried over, "Chang''an, what''s wrong?" Chang''an nodded her head, "Nothing, Auntie Zhang, there''s someone here." Little Ya''s Mother walked over and took a look, also startled. The young man seemed to have passed out. His face was crisscrossed with gashes, his flesh mangled, making his original features unrecognizable ¨C it appeared someone had deliberately disfigured him. "Ma''am Zhang, let''s get him inside. He seems to still be alive, I don''t see any wounds other than on his face," Chang''an squatted next to the young man and examined him, confirming only his face was severely injured. Who could have been so cruel, to ruin the young man''s face like that? Was it out of jealousy over his good looks? Chang''an guessed half the reason ¨C the young man was disfigured partly because he was too handsome, but his identity yed another role. She thought she''d heard online not to randomly pick up strange men from the roadside. But this could hardly be called a man ¨C he looked only thirteen or fourteen years old, just a child. Moreover, his attire suggested he was from a well-off family. He wore cloud-patterned brocade, a jade hairpiece of imperial green ss, had fair skin, and a slender yet sturdy build, clearly never having gone hungry. [Save him, you''ll earn great merit.] "If I don''t save him, you save him yourself." [I can''te, but if you save him, you''ll earn great merit. It''s a really good deal, and you can let him leave once he''s recovered.] "What if he ends up brain-damaged?" [He won''t, I promise.] "Fine, but make sure to record that merit for me. No credit, only cash up front." [Got it, got it.] Chapter 31 Chapter 31 In the squad, there was a man named Jin Qiaoren who had studied the art of healing, but he was not proficient in it - he could only say that he could treat non-fatal conditions. He had learned a little from the old vige physician, and could treat simple colds, fevers, and external injuries, but anything more difficult was beyond his capabilities. The wounds on the young man''s face had started to fester, and Doctor Jin had to slowly clean them for him. The pain must have been excruciating, as the young man woke up midway through the process. "You''re awake? It must be quite painful, but try not to move. I''m dressing your wounds right now." Chang''an had amoxicillin in her space - an oral anti-inmmatory medicine. After dressing the young man''s wounds, she dissolved the powder from the capsules in water and gave it to him to drink, though she wasn''t sure if it would work. However, she couldn''t give him a whole capsule. This substance wasn''t meant to exist in this world, and she also didn''t want to invite trouble by giving it to someone whose identity was unknown. In any case, don''t underestimate people from ancient times - some of them were far more intelligent than you could imagine, especially those who had experienced court intrigue. Ten of you wouldn''t be enough to match their wits. This young man was clearly no ordinary person. Just because you have a special space doesn''t mean you''re the main character. Caution is key in all matters. The powdered medicine gave the water a bitter taste. What''s wrong with the water tasting a little off in these times of cmity? Couldn''t it just be from an unclean water source? After Doctor Jin finished dressing the young man''s wounds, he looked like he had been pulled out of the water. The wounds on the young man''s face were just too difficult to treat. His face was ruined. Unless they could find the divine physician Men Ji to treat him, this young man would have to live out his life with that disfigured face. The young man passed out again from the pain. Chang''an looked at his bandaged head and realized he might not be able to drink the water himself. "Aunt Zhang, could you please help feed him this half-bowl of water?" She had no desire to care for him herself, much less take in a foundling. No matter his status or identity, she wanted to keep her distance. If she ended up rescuing someone like Fu Shenxing, she would rather die than have anything to do with him. "Sure, leave it to Aunt Zhang," Little Ya''s Mother took the y bowl, which also had a wooden spoon. The young many on the carriage behind them while Chang''an returned to the mule cart to eat her own hodgepodge stew. This time, Old Gu Six and the others had found some potatoes - not as many asst time, about a hundred pounds or so. Old Gu Six didn''t divide them up, giving them all to Chang''an''s group. Yang Poxiao and Little Ya''s Dad each got around 40 pounds, Mu got 20 pounds, and Little Ya''s Dad and Yang Poxiao also gave him a few more pounds. Old Gu Six didn''t catch any game this time. He searched the mountain forests but couldn''t find a single living creature, so he had to return with just water. When they returned, they found the injured young man had joined their squad. Old Gu Six asked Chang''an, "Girl, why did you bring back this burden?" The young man: ...There''s something I don''t know whether I should say or not. "I didn''t go out of my way to rescue him. He was just behind the tree where I was cooking. I happened to see him, so I''ll let him leave once he recovers." "Alright." The disaster refugees traveled in groups of three to five, ten to fifteen people. Chang''an''s group of sixty to seventy was considered arge squad. Theirrge numbers meant no one dared to provoke them on the road, and they could even rest at noon, unlike before when there were too many refugees for them to rest safely. The young man had a high fever for two days before his condition improved slightly on the third day. Chang''an was the one who had him rescued, so she made the rice porridge he ate. Chang''an only cooked the porridge, while Little Ya''s Mother and some other women took care of feeding him. The young man knew his face was ruined. He remained silent for several days until Doctor Jin tried to console him. "A real man can''t give up on living like this. As long as you''re alive, there''s hope. If you die, it''s your enemies who benefit." It''s not known whether it was those words about benefiting his enemies that motivated him, but the young man gradually regained his vitality and didn''t need to be coaxed into eating anymore. Although he had been in a state of withdrawal these past few days, he knew the porridge he ate every day was made by Chang''an. He began helping Chang''an gather firewood and tend the fire. Since his bandaged face only allowed him to eat porridge, Chang''an would cook it separately for him, adding anti-inmmatory medicine that gave it a medicinal and bitter taste. The young man simply thought Chang''an was adding medicinal soup to the porridge. She would bring out a y pot from the carriage with the ingredients already inside, so he couldn''t see what was put in. At noon that day, the young man asked Chang''an, "What''s your name?" "Chang''an, as in ''evesting peace'' Chang''an," she replied casually as she stirred the chicken porridge in the pot. The young man was silent for a few breaths before saying, "Your name is nice. Could you give me a name too?" Chang''an thought this young man must have a screw loose. He hadn''t lost his memory, just had his face disfigured - but that didn''t mean he needed a new name, did it? Was he that bored? As if sensing Chang''an''s thoughts, the young man added, "My old name represents the past. I want to start anew, so please give me a new name." Chang''an suddenly thought of ''Chang Le'' (evesting joy), "''Chang Le'' then, as in ''Chang Le'' from ''evesting peace and joy''." The young man was delighted. Although his face was bandaged and his expression couldn''t be seen, his cheerful tone made his happiness evident. "Chang Le, Chang Le, I love it. Thank you." Chang Le''s past became a secret unknown to anyone. To Chang''an and the others, they only knew the young man who was now called Chang Le. They were merely passing travelers in each other''s lives. After a brief stopover, they would each go their separate ways. A monthter, Chang Le''s face was finally healed enough to remove the bandages. However, he didn''t let anyone see it, especially Chang''an. He and Doctor Jin retreated to a secluded spot. When the bandages were removed, Chang Le''s face was revealed to be covered in crisscrossing scars. Doctor Jin had seen it for over a month and was unfazed. He just felt sorry for the young man and wondered who could have been so cruel. Doctor Jin gave Chang Le a bamboo hat with a hanging veil of gauze that Chang''an had taken from one of her dresses in the space. "Chang Le, if you can find the divine physician Men Ji, there''s hope for your face to be restored." Chang Le pondered for a moment before replying, "The divine physician''s whereabouts are elusive, especially in these chaotic times. It may be very difficult to find him." He had met Men Ji once before when the physician came to the Capital to treat a nobleman. Chang Le happened to see him then, so he knew what Men Ji looked like, but he didn''t know where the physician was. "Don''t be disheartened, maybe fate will bring you together naturally," they said. The two returned to the group. Chang Le saw that Chang''an didn''t ask about his face, and he breathed a sigh of relief, afraid that Chang''an would be curious. Should he show her or not? Showing her might scare her, but not showing her might make her angry. As usual, Chang''an rarely spoke to him, her attitude cool and distant, maintaining a neither-too-close-nor-too-far distance. Chang Le felt that if not for him being the one she rescued, Chang''an wouldn''t bother acknowledging him. Chang''an said indifferently, "Since you''re better now, you can leave." Chang Le was at a loss for words, weakly asking, "Can I travel with you for a while? I''ll help with the chores." "How long?" "Half a month, please, just half a month?" Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Chang Le stayed behind. He would go into the mountains with Old Gu Six and the others to find water and hunt. Chang Le was skilled in martial arts, although not as good as Old Gu Six, but he was still considered outstanding among his peers. Chang Le wanted to take Old Gu Six as his master, but Old Gu Six refused him. His intuition told him not to establish this karmic tie, as it would be of no benefit to him. "My meager skills are hardly enough to teach others without leading them astray. In the snowy mountains, there is a Master Yan Fu. If you can be his disciple, you will undoubtedly make tremendous progress in both literary and martial pursuits," Old Gu Six said. As the weather grew cooler, Chang Le wore Old Gu Six''s clothes, instantly transforming from a noble young master into a child wearing an adult''s oversized garments. The 1.7-meter-tall youth donning a 1.86-meter-tall grown man''s attire had an air of performing grand theater. However, Chang Le naturally exuded an aura of nobility and refinement, a profound bearing and elegance ingrained in his bones that no clothing could conceal. No one found his attire particrly amusing. Seeing that the oversized clothes hindered Chang Le''s movements, Chang''an took a pair of scissors and trimmed the excess length. Chang''an seemed somewhat concerned. With the impending cold disaster, she wondered if their cotton clothes and quilts would be sufficient for so many people. Chang Le sat by the fire, fidgeting with the kindling. He had heard of Master Yan Fu before, and perhaps in the past, he might have had the confidence to approach him. But now, with his disfigured appearance, he feared Master Yan Fu might not even agree to meet him. As if sensing his thoughts, Chang''an said, "People revere and fear him, treating him like a deity to be worshipped. I believe Master Yan Fu is not the type to judge based on appearances. Otherwise, he would not have earned such a fine reputation. Perhaps this could be a turning point, an opportunity arising from adversity. Even if it fails, it''s no big deal¡ªyou''ll merely remain where you are and can seek another path." Chang''an then recalled a line from the movie "The Big Fish and Begonia" and shared it with him: "In this brief life, we will eventually lose everything. You might as well be bold¡ªlove someone, climb a mountain, chase a dream." Chang Le seemed to catch a glimpse of his grandmother''s kindness in Chang''an''s eyes, but he shook his head, realizing he must have been mistaken. His anxious heart settled, and he thought, "Yes, my life is already like this, so what is there to worry about?" From that day on, the carefree Chang Le embarked on a grand journey, taking a renowned master, conquering the realm, and bing an emperor for the ages. Of course, that''s a story for another time. For now, he still relied on Chang''an and her daughter for survival. Chang''an once again broached the subject of him leaving, but he wished to travel with them a little longer. He gave Old Gu Six the jade crown from his head as payment for provisions, as it was the only valuable item he had left. Still unable to shake him off. The snowy mountains were in the northernmost region, and Chang''an and her group did not n to venture that far. They intended to travel, stopping asionally, and settling wherever they found a suitable ce. The cold wave struck unexpectedly, plunging them into a true overnight winter. Fortunately, they had umted a decent supply of food along the way, or they might have frozen or starved to death. "Dad, let''s head into the mountains, toward higher ground. This snow will only intensify," Chang''an had to shout for Old Gu Six to hear her over the howling wind and snow. The wind was too strong, and even the mules could barely move forward. Old Gu Six led from the front, pulling them along, while Chang''an wanted to dismount and assist, but the wind nearly blew her away, scaring Old Gu Six so much that he refused to let her get off the carriage. At the rear of the procession, Chang Le helped Little Ya''s Dad and others push the carts. The powerful wind significantly impeded their progress. This part of the mountain forest seemed rtively t and at a higher elevation, but would they be able to find a cave? The cold disaster wouldst half a year, forcing them to stay in the mountains for that duration. They had to find a ce that could withstand the wind and snow to settle in. Once inside the mountain, the wind wasn''t as intense as in the open areas, but the trees still swayed and rustled ominously. Chang''an worried they might break and fall on them. Moving the carts and mules through the dense forest was challenging, slowing everyone''s pace considerably. Still, it was better than being out in the open, where the wind threatened to blow them away. The group headed toward the higher elevations of the mountain forest, keeping an eye out for any suitable caves along the way. Unfortunately, they didn''t spot even a rabbit hole, let alone a cave. Upon reaching the midpoint of the higher ground, Chang''an told Old Gu Six, "Dad, since we can''t find a cave, let''s settle down here. This area is rtively t, and the surrounding trees can provide some shelter from the wind." "Alright, if there''s no cave, we''ll build houses," he said, surveying the area and deeming it suitable. "Or should we just dig our own caves?" Building wooden houses would require cutting down trees, and log cabins wouldn''t offer much instion against the cold. Digging their own caves might be warmer. Old Gu Six considered it and agreed it could work. He announced to everyone, "We''ll stop and settle here. First, set up shelters, then each of you can choose a spot and dig your own cave." Someone asked, "Won''t the caves we dig copse?" "If you''re worried about cave-ins, you can always cut down trees and build simple huts," Old Gu Six replied. It was up to personal preference. Everyone agreed, deciding to build small wooden huts if they felt the caves were unsafe. No one was forcing them to dig caves. First, they constructed shelters to block the wind and snow. With the cover of the carriage, Chang''an was able to discreetly retrieve items from her dimensional space while everyone else was preupied. She took out a waterproof tarpaulin, enough food for three people for half a year, and some extra rations. She couldn''t just bring out the exact amount needed, or else, after six months, when everyone realized her family had finished all their food while others still had supplies left, how would she exin it? They might use her of sorcery and demand, "Since you can conjure food, you should do so for the sake of the people and ensure no one goes hungry. You must be a kind and generous person." Such moral ckmail was nonsensical and infuriating to even consider. As the weather grew colder, she would gradually retrieve the cotton clothes, quilts, shoes, and other necessities from her dimensional space. Old Gu Six and Chang Le were setting up the shelter, while Chang''an slowly brought out supplies from her space. It was fortunate they had previously robbed two cartloads of supplies from the mountain bandits, or else none of these dozens of people would have survived. Even with cotton clothes and quilts, everyone shivered from the cold. Once the shelter was erected, they quickly gathered dry kindling and started a fire to keep warm. The men went out to clear areas for building houses¡ªthose constructing huts went to chop down trees, while those digging caves searched for suitable locations and cleared the surrounding trees and undergrowth. The ce that Old Gu Six found was just opposite where they were now pitching their tents, an area with a lot of weeds and no big trees. Chang''an picked up some branches and drew a simple diagram on the ground, "The kitchen will be in the middle, with a room dug out on each side, and we''ll need to dig a small window in each room." Following Chang''an''s instructions, the two men, one big and one small, started working. They found digging a cave dwelling was easier than chopping down trees to build a house. Working alongside them to dig cave dwellings were the two Yang Poxiao brothers, as well as Little Ya''s Dad and Mu. The others all nned to build wooden houses. Doctor Jin also intended to dig a cave dwelling, but his wife disagreed, fearing a cave-in, so he had no choice but to follow her wishes and build a wooden house. The digging of Chang''an''s family''s cave dwelling went quickly. Old Gu Six and Chang Le were both martial artists with strength, and they dug out the 10-square-meter kitchen area in just one day. Then they started on the rooms. Chang''an''s room was rtively small, around 10 square meters, while the other room for Old Gu Six and Chang Le to share was dugrger since they didn''t n to sleep in the same bed. While the people here were busy making their winter shelters, most of the disaster victims who had headed to Lingnan were unprepared, and many had already frozen to death. It wasn''t even the coldest time yet, but people had already started freezing to death. One could only imagine what it would be like during the coldest period. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 In the end, most of the vigers of Qingfang Vige gathered together, just as Yang Poxiao had feared. Those who cameter, the vigers without food, all asked the Vige Head for rations. The Vige Head''s family had to ration their own food, so how could they lend any out? Apart from the Vige Head himself, the Yang family refused to lend anything, and the other two families were even more unwilling to lend. Then the vigers of Qingfang Vige erupted into a great battle. In the end, the three major families emerged victorious, of course. The three major families were unwilling to let those people follow them, and the Vige Head, under pressure, dared not be soft-hearted anymore. Mu used to do all the physicalbor in his family, but after he left, the work fell to his older and second older brothers. However, the whole family had grownzy, and no one was willing to go out and fetch water or forage for wild vegetables. Mu''s Mother had the rations that Mu had left for her, and with this small amount of rations, she sustained the whole family for a month. When the rations were finished, they allined that Mu should have left more. Mu''s Mother didn''t exin; Mu had only brought out this small amount of rations, leaving it all for them. She alsoined about Mu, asking why he had to make such a fuss and cut off ties. Wasn''t everything fine? And he didn''t even know when toe back. Now there wasn''t even anyone to fetch water or dig for wild vegetables. In the bitter cold, the whole family huddled together to keep warm, but it was no use. The first to freeze to death was Mu''s Mother. Until her death, she resented Mu''s unfilial behavior and never looked for the reason within herself or realized that she had done anything wrong. Those disaster victims without clothes stripped the clothes off the dead to keep warm, though it didn''t help much, but it was better than nothing, allowing them to live one more day. The surviving disaster victims headed for the mountains, hoping to find caves to shelter from the cold. With so many people, trouble was bound to arise. Disaster victims often fought over caves, or those with fewer people who found a cave would have it snatched away by those with more people. In the snowy fieldsy those frozen to death, as well as casualties from the struggles between people. It was a cruelpetition, the survival of the fittest. But further north, it was rtively peaceful, with nopetition. Everyone found shelter for their own family, and if they couldn''t find a ce to shelter from the cold, they built houses themselves. Some people also learned from Old Gu Six and dug caves in the mountains,ing to learn from Old Gu Six. It took Old Gu Six and Chang Le six days to dig a two-room, one-hall cave dwelling. Old Gu Six and Chang Lepacted the floor and walls. They dug a pit in the floor of the room to build a fire for heating, so the rooms wouldn''t get too cold. The windows were covered with ayer of waterproof oilcloth, and the room doors were hung with rough cloth curtains that they had acquired for free during their first trip to the city. It took another day to build the stove, the main door, and a small table for eating. The beds were made by stacking firewood about half a meter high, covered with dried grass and a grass mat, then nkets for sleeping. Chang Le''s bed was padded with two old cotton quilts, and he slept under a new cotton quilt. Old Gu Six slept under a down quilt. Chang''an didn''t know martial arts andcked internal energy to protect her body, so she had two quilts: an old cotton quilt and a down quilt. A fire burned in the pit in the room, and they wore thick enough clothes, keeping the whole ce nice and warm. To prevent the entrance from being blocked by heavy snow, they also built a porch at the main entrance to block the wind and snow from outside. Those building wooden houses had almost finished as well. They only built one room per family to live in. The wooden houses had gaps that would let in drafts, so they had to seal the cracks with yellow mud mixed with crushed dried grass. Chang''an and the others had already moved into their warm houses, with all their belongings piled in the kitchen area. The shed was dismantled and rebuilt next to the house. Old Gu Six and Chang Le took advantage of the not-too-deep snow to chop a lot of firewood and store it in the shed, so it wouldn''t get wet. The mule was also kept in the shed, with a fire lit to keep it warm. The shed had curtains to block the biting cold winds, so the mule didn''t have to shiver from the cold. Old Gu Six and Chang Le continued to go out and chop firewood, while Chang''an stayed home to cook for them and boil water to drink. Whatever Old Gu Six did, Little Ya''s Dad and the others followed suit. So after the blizzard struck and the temperature plummeted, they all had enough firewood stockpiled and hunkered down in their own shelters. In the -50¡ãC weather, with the onset of freezing mode, half the vigers of Qingfang Vige froze or starved to death, including Mu''s two older brothers. The Vige Head wondered about his two sons he had driven out, not knowing how they were faring. At the time, he felt no regret in expelling them, but along the way, without their help, the journey to escape the famine had been extremely difficult. Third Yang snorted coldly and said, "What could have happened to them? Following Old Gu Six, someone so capable, they''re probably living much better than us, the ungrateful brats." Fourth Yang chimed in, "We didn''t move very fast either, and we haven''t encountered them the whole way, so perhaps they went north. "Dad, do you think we chose the wrong ce? Look, Old Gu Six went north, so maybe it''s not as bad there as we thought." "We''ve alreadye this far. Once the weather gets better, it''ll only take three more months to reach Lingnan. To change course and go north would take almost another year. How could we afford to waste that much time? Let''s just go to Lingnan." When they fled the famine, they at least had cotton clothes and quilts, but even those weren''t warm enough in this weather. The Yang n all lived together in a cave, huddling around a fire to keep warm, which was still better than freezing to death outside. As for the Yang Poxiao brothers they were so concerned about, they were living more thanfortably¡ªeating their fill, dressed warmly, and in a nice, toasty house. Living together, the brothers discussed their parents, "I wonder if our parents have found a ce to shelter from the cold?" "Don''t worry, Brother. They''re heading toward Lingnan, and with all those mountains, they''re bound to find a cave to shelter in." Yang Mingxiao truly wasn''t worried at all. Their father wasn''t stupid, and he was with the rest of the n, too. Those elders wouldn''t just stand by and let anything happen to their father. Mu sat alone by the fire in the cave, lost in thought, imagining the fate that had befallen his mother and two older brothers. No matter how decisive he tried to be, he never expected them to meet such an end. Blood ties and family affection weren''t something that could be severed with mere words after over twenty years together with his mother and brothers. There were bound to be some lingering feelings. But he only grieved for three or four days before getting over it. This was a natural disaster, not something man could control. Once he was settled, he would set up memorial tablets and make offerings for them. Fear of cold couldn''t keep Chang''an huddled in the bedding forever, she thought. But there was still an outsider at home, so she couldn''t go for days without eating, could she? With the cold weather, the cooking chores were handed over to Old Gu Six and Chang Le. Chang''an supervised while warming herself by the fire, and these clever folks learned quickly. Their cooking might not be outstanding, but at least it was passable. Chang''an took on the role of idle proprietress, beginning her days of fattening up. During their flight from the famine, Old Gu Six and Chang Le hadn''t bathed at all. They felt disgusted with their disheveled state, so they went out, scooped up snow, melted it indoors, let it settle, then boiled the water for bathing. Their peaceful cat''s winter life was suddenly disrupted by a group of unexpected arrivals. These were no ordinary disaster victims¡ªthey demanded Chang''an''s house for their master''s lodging as soon as they arrived. They certainly knew how to pick on the vulnerable. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 The purple-faced youth, unremarkable enough to be lost in a sea of people, was bundled up in a thick overcoat and surrounded by a group of ck-clothed men with only their eyes visible. The ck-clothed man in the lead, of medium stature and exuding an aura of menace, was the one demanding to buy Chang''an''s house. His exposed eyes radiated a bloody ferocity. "One hundred taels, and you give up your house," he rasped, his hoarse voice as grating as a crow''s shrill cry, unpleasant to the ear. Chang''an and Chang Le remained inside, straining their ears to listen to themotion outside. Old Gu Six''s brows were set in indifference, his gaze sweeping calmly over each person with a piercing glint shing in the depths of his eyes. His voice was extremely faint, carrying an icy chill that cut deeper than the bitter winter outside. "Get lost." The man''s pitch-ck eyes were too sharp to hold for long, and the chilling aura surrounding him was formidable. Though aloof, he was like a fierce tiger to be feared. The ck-clothed man grumbled inwardly, "st, we''ve hit a wall." "Senior, apologies for the disturbance," said the previously silent youth, stepping out from the protective circle. His in looks belied the pleasant quality of his voice. It was like the sound of water striking stones, clear and melodious, or a fresh spring quenching thirst, fluid and deep. Chang''an wondered how someone with such a pleasing voice could be a dimwit urging his underlings to seize people''s houses. Peeking through a tiny gap left in the window, she saw a group of dark figures with a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old youth in a blue overcoat at the front. From Chang''an''s angle, she could only see the youth''s nondescript profile, so in as to discourage a second nce. She pursed her lips in disdain. It seemed the heavens had shut one door on him, only to open a window. To have followers who would rob people''s houses¡ªno wonder the master was such an unsavory character, his unsightliness understandable. Chang''an moved away from the window, no longer looking out. The youth seemed to sense a fleeting, disappointed gaze and furrowed his brow briefly before regaining hisposure. Having to linger outside in this freezing weather with these people was truly vexing. Old Gu Six curtly told them to leave in an irritated tone, "None of the houses here will be given up to you. Please depart immediately." The youth lowered his eyes, a hint of displeasure passing through his sinister gaze. Truly a fallen tiger being bullied by dogs. Of the over one hundred escorts he had brought, only these seven or eight remained. They could not afford further losses, or else he would have demonstrated the might of the Crown Prince of Prince Yun''an to that man. But not now. They were unaware of the man''s true strength, and the imposing aura alone revealed he was no simple character. When out and about, one must yield when necessary to avoid losses. "We shall depart immediately. Our deepest apologies for the disturbance. Please, senior, forgive us." The youth bowed in sincere apology before leading his men away from their lodgings. Only after watching them leave did Old Gu Six turn and re-enter, shivering as his formidable six-meter-eight aura dissipated. He had to admire the youth still walking outside. This contrast left Chang Le staring in bewilderment after emerging from the room. Chang Le: Uncle Gu, your seamless switching has left me utterly baffled. "Why are you still gawking? It''s time to make lunch. Don''t let my daughter go hungry," Old Gu Six ordered Chang Le without hesitation, his slightly upturned phoenix eyes lending an aloof, piercing air. Chang Le was unfazed. After nearly three months together, he had a basic understanding of Old Gu Six, even if not a thorough one. The man meant no harm. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to know more, but Old Gu Six was quite capricious, always offering surprises just when you thought you knew him. Chang Le prepared the meal more deftly than Old Gu Six, rinsing the rice, starting the fire, cutting the cured meat into cubes, and tossing in a couple handfuls of dried string beans from a half-sack. For lunch today, they would have cured pork and string bean rice porridge. Knowing Old Gu Six''s hearty appetite, he took out five of the rock-hard buns to steam-soften and eat together. The water they used now came from melted snow filtered through a simple filtration system Chang''an had made. Basic filtration was better than drinking unfiltered. With an outsider in the house now, she couldn''t freely draw water from her space. What a hassle taking someone in. If it were just her and Old Six, she could use her space as she pleased, and their provisions would be much better. She had intended to let him leave once he recovered, but in this biting cold, sending him away would be akin to a death sentence. Having rescued him, it would be a waste not to utilize his help. Besides not being able to freely ess her space, everything else was fine. Having an extra pair of hands to do chores, Chang''an contentedly yed the role of house mistress. Was it too much to ask for his help around the house in exchange for saving his life? Not at all. Everyone lived in their own houses. With the frigid weather, no one ventured out to socialize. Larger households could chat amongst themselves, while smaller ones had only solitude. Outside, snow fell in swirling flurries. Having finished lunch at Chang''an''s home, Old Gu Six and Chang Le squatted to pass the time. The youth and his subordinates who had been driven away set up a windbreak not far from Chang''an''s lodgings, digging caves into the hillside like her household. The youth warmed himself by the fire in the shelter, wondering when this cold spell would end. Theycked food, and a prolonged duration would surely be their undoing. This cold snap had already frozen untold numbers of disaster victims to death. They had nearly be among them, only surviving by stocking ample winter supplies before departing the Capital. Some had been lost to pursuers along the way. All they could do now was pray for the cold spell to end soon. With many hands, they managed to dig out two rooms by nightfall, installing doors,pacting the floors and walls. They worked through thete hours before finally resting. With no spare quilts for bedding, they had only a thick nket, half of which the youth''s master used as a mattress, the other half as cover. A fire was lit inside the room, far warmer than the windbreak outside. The youth gradually regained his warmth. Eight subordinates huddled around the fire pit outside, sitting across from each other. They had no nkets and had to rely on the fire pit for warmth. All of them possessed inner strength to protect themselves from the cold, and their clothing was thick and warm, so they didn''t feel too cold. "Chief, we only have enough food supplies for one month," one of them said with some concern to the leader. "The cold spell should be over in a month. By then, we can hunt for some wild game in the mountains to sustain us until we reach Lingnan." They didn''t know that the cold disaster wouldst for half a year, and their optimism was premature. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 The snow had been falling for a month before it finally stopped. Fortunately, there was a porch, otherwise the house doors would have been impossible to open by now due to the umted snow being higher than a person and the ground being frozen solid. Chang''an bundled herself up tightly, leaving only her eyes exposed. As she opened the main door, a cold wind rushed into the house, causing her to shiver. She said to Old Gu Six, "Father, the snow has stopped. Let''s go and clear the snow off the roof. If it piles up too thickly, it might copse the cave." Old Gu Six waved his big hand and grabbed Chang''an by the back of her cor, pulling her back inside. Lazily ncing at the snow umted almost two meters high outside, he insisted that Chang''an stay indoors and rest. "It''s freezing out there. Go back to your room, daughter. Chang Le and I will clear the snow. Not only do we need to clear the roof, but also the area in front of the house. Luckily, we''ve been regrly clearing the donkey shed, otherwise it would have copsed by now." Looking at her own short legs and then at the snow outside, Chang''an didn''t argue with her father. She knew her own capabilities and didn''t want to cause more trouble than help. She would wait for an opportune time to go out and assist them. But when would that opportune time arise? Let''s watch the snow-clearing progress! Old Gu Six and Chang Le, one with a hoe and the other with a wooden shovel, seemed to be clearing the snow off the roof without much effort. One shoveled while the other chipped away, working in perfect coordination. As they cleared the lower snow, the snow from the slope above would slide down. So they simply continued clearing upwards until they reached the spot where trees blocked further progress. Chang''an went to the shed to feed the donkey with hay and water, adding some firewood to the pit. She had stored a lot of hay in her space, so the donkey had enough to eat and afortable ce to rest, otherwise it would have starved. After feeding the donkey, Chang''an noticed that apart from their family, no one else was clearing the snow off their roofs. She frowned slightly, wondering if these people had nomon sense at all. Even though it rarely snowed in the east, or basically never snowed, seeing such a thickyer of snow, any normal person should have thought to clear the roofs, right? Weren''t they afraid of their houses copsing and burying them inside? Since these people were following Old Gu Six, she should probably call out to them. Chang''an climbed onto the thickyer of snow, but immediately sank into it, rming Old Gu Six. He immediately leapt down from the slope, pulled Chang''an out like plucking a radish, and shook off the snow from her body. "I told you to stay indoors. Why did youe out and wander around?" he scolded, tapping Chang''an''s head. His voice, unlike its usual gentleness, carried a hint of coldness due to his anger. He could only reprimand her, not discipline her, unable to bear doing so. If she had been a son, he would have ensured she had aplete childhood. Old Gu Six carried Chang''an back inside and firmly said, "Stay indoors and don''te out." Chang''an tugged at his sleeve and urgently said, "Father, call those people out to clear the snow too. It''s bound to snow again, and if they don''t clear it, it will be dangerous." "I''ll go call them. You stay inside and keep the fire going." He strode out and bolted the door from the outside. Chang''an heard his voice, sounding helpless, "Father, there''s no need for this, is there?" "There is a need." His voice faded as he then shouted loudly, "Everyonee out and clear the snow off your roofs!" His shout startled those who were leisurely warming themselves by the fire, as well as the refugees nearby. Grabbing their tools, they hurried out, fearing that if they were too slow, this fierce man would barge into their homes and beat them. In an instant, the camp became a bustling hive of activity, with no one shrinking from the cold. Most children under the age of ten were left indoors by their parents to keep warm, though some parents called their five- or six-year-old daughters out to work alongside them. Those children belonged to families that strongly favored sons over daughters. In those households, boys around twelve or thirteen years old wouldfortably warm themselves indoors while enjoying the various benefits and conveniences provided by their younger sisters. A shrill, scathing voice rang out from the distance on the right, audible within a five-mile radius. "You worthless girls, you good-for-nothing brats! Apart from eating, what else can you do? If you don''t work properly, get out and stop wasting my food!" Children love to y by nature. After being cooped up indoors for over a month, upon emerging and seeing the vast expanse of pristine white snow, it was only natural for them to feel joyful and want to y. However, Grandma Sun couldn''t bear to see her granddaughters ying while working, finding their smiles andughter grating. As girls, how could theyugh and frolic so unrestrainedly? How would they ever find good inws? Recalling her own youth when she never had the chance to y like this, always hungry and overworked, frequently beaten, and taught by her parents to always prioritize her brothers over herself. These little brats simply hadn''t been beaten enough. Their smiles were irksome, theirughter grating. She went back inside, grabbed a thick wooden stick as thick as a child''s arm, and started beating her five- or six-year-old granddaughters without a word. The two children cried and pleaded, "Grandma, stop hitting us, please stop! We won''t y anymore, we promise we won''t y!" Their parents, ustomed to this, remained indifferent as their daughters were beaten. No one in the camp knew each other, so no one was willing to interfere in another family''s affairs. Even if they felt sorry for the children, no one would speak up for justice. It''s not that people''s hearts have grown cold, seeing children beaten yet doing nothing to stop it. But didn''t you see that the children''s own parents didn''t intervene? If their own fathers and mothers don''t care, how can you expect outsiders to take pity? Should we call the Leshan Giant Buddha toe and sit on you? Every family has its own difficult scriptures to recite. On the road fleeing famine, there were days without certainty of the next. It''s better to mind your own family''s business first. Of course, there were a few who couldn''t bear to watch, and one of them was Little Ya''s Mother. She ran over, angrily snatched the wooden stick from Grandma Sun''s hand, and said, "Stop hitting them! If you keep hitting these two little girls, you''ll beat them to death! They were just ying in the snow for a bit!" Little Ya''s Mother only had one daughter herself and couldn''t stand to see children being bullied, so she instinctively rushed over to stop Grandma Sun. Grandma Sun''s weathered face darkened, her triangr eyes filled with disdain as she looked at the frail Little Ya''s Mother. She stretched out her gnarled, branch-like hand and snatched the wooden stick back. "I''m disciplining my own granddaughter, what business is it of yours, an outsider? Why don''t you kindly take these two little brats back and raise them yourself?" She gave Little Ya''s Mother a forceful shove, knocking her down into a pile of snow. Yet the woman did not get back up after falling. "Useless thing, can''t even protect yourself, and you want to y the hero? Know your limits." Grandma Sun''s son, the father of the two little girls, spat out these words dripping with scornful mockery toward Little Ya''s Mother. The girls'' actual mother simply acted as if she did not see or hear anything, vigorously continuing with her work. Little Ya''s Father hurried over and helped his wife up. He was truly exhausted -- his wife was stubborn and would never learn, always rushing in to defend others against injustice. She never considered whether people actually needed her rushing in to defend them. Her kindness was kindness, but she could not discern the situation. The whole family looked at her like she was a fool. Even the two children regarded her with cold indifference rather than gratitude. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 An outsider suddenly intervened, and Grandma Sun lost interest in scolding her granddaughters. However, she still coldly asked Little Ya''s Mother, "Since you seem to like these two wretched children so much, why don''t you buy them back for 10 pounds of aged rice?" She looked at Little Ya''s Mother expectantly. Little Ya''s Mother looked at the two poor little girls pitifully. Her heart was willing, but shecked the means. They didn''t even have enough food for themselves, let alone rice to buy children. Seeing her conflicted expression, Little Ya''s Dad knew what she was thinking and hurriedly pulled her away, "Let''s go, let''s go. We''re starving ourselves, where would we get grain to buy children?" "Pah! What good is it without grain?" Grandma Sun spat an old phlegm at their retreating backs. Then, pointing at her two granddaughters, she said, "You two wretched brats don''t have such luck. Since no one wants to take you, you can only be cattle and horses at my old Sun family, serving my great-grandson." Little Ya''s Mother heard what Grandma Sun said from afar. She turned to look at the two little girls huddled on the ground and asked Little Ya''s Dad with some reluctance, "Husband, why don''t we ask Master Six for ten pounds of rice and buy those two children?" "Wife, we have our own daughter. Why would we need to buy someone else''s children? What would our daughter think?" Little Ya''s Dad was very troubled. It was like this in the vige before, and even after fleeing the famine, it was still the same. "Wouldn''t it be nice for Little Ya to have two more sisters to keep herpany? I can''t have any more children, so Little Ya will be quite lonely without any siblings." Lonely? Not to mention the character of those two little girls, they were surviving on Master Six''s charity. How could they afford to feed two more children when their own survival was uncertain? Would they take in two more children topete for food with their daughter? Little Ya''s Dad tly refused in a cold voice, "No, we don''t have the ability to raise two more children." However, Little Ya''s Mother was not discouraged and had a fanciful idea, thinking she hade up with a good n. She asked Little Ya''s Dad excitedly, "Husband, Master Six''s family only has Miss Chang An as a daughter. Why don''t we ask Master Six to buy them to bepanions for Miss Chang An?" "Why would they buy them?" Before, when they were in the vige, he didn''t find her character troublesome. But now, he felt her kindness was indiscriminate. "They can afford it, right? Since they''ve already rescued one, saving two more isn''t too much to ask. Moreover, those two children are quite diligent. If they''re bought back, they can help out with chores." Listen to that matter-of-fact tone! Whether their family could afford it or not was their own business, what did it have to do with her? "Shut up," Little Ya''s Dad''s face darkened, suppressing his anger, which made his voice deeper. Seeing Little Ya''s Mother staring at him in a daze, her lips pouting and tears glistening in her eyes, as if she was about to cry any second. Little Ya''s Dad didn''t give her a chance to use him. He went up the hill to clear the snow on the roof, calling out to Little Ya''s Mother, "Hurry up and work, instead of finding trouble all day long." Old Gu Six saw the whole incident below clearly and heard Little Ya''s Dad and Mother''s conversation distinctly. He scoffed in disdain. He decided not to team up with them after the disaster was over. If their group had someone like Little Ya''s Mother, who couldn''t do good deeds herself but wanted to force her kindness onto others, she would be more terrifying than the natural disaster in this year of famine. After clearing the snow on the hill, Old Gu Six had Chang Le clear the snow at the entrance as well, shoveling it all to the other side of the slope. It would be harder to clear it when they had to leaveter. Chang''an heard the gossip from outside, not very clearly. She didn''t expect the usually simple and somewhat dull Little Ya''s Mother to be such a ''kind'' person, wanting to monopolize kindness for Old Gu Six''s family. It was impossible to buy someone else''s children. She and her father lived freely and weren''t mentally ill to bring in two unrted strangers into their family. Clearing the snow was abor-intensive task. Chang''an steamed sausages from her space, stir-fried rabbit meat with dried chili peppers, and then steamed a pot of rice using the outdoor stove. Since Chang Le was an outsider, for more than a month, their family mostly drank porridge, ate steamed buns, and those rock-hard fried bread that could kill a dog if thrown. As for vegetables, they mostly ate wild chickens and rabbits that Old Gu Six had hunted while fleeing the famine. Those wild rabbits and chickens were preserved by salting, but mainly through the preservation function of her space. After clearing the snow on their side, Old Gu Six saw the other people around and helped Little Wood''s family clear theirs as well. Then he nced at Little Ya''s Dad''s side, where only the couple was working, slower than the other families with five or six people. Thinking of Little Ya''s Mother''s behavior earlier. Old Gu Six felt she might have been idle from being too well-fed, so he let them clear the snow themselves and went home with Chang Le. Hearing footsteps outside, Chang''an hurriedly took the dishes out from her space. Not too hot or cold, just right, without worrying about the aroma drifting out. It was Chang Le who came back, the young man wearing a wooden mask. His body was no longer gloomy like when he first arrived, and the lean youth exuded confidence and calm, seeming to have emerged from the shadow of his disfigurement. "Old Gu Six said he''ll be out for a while but will be back soon," his voice was a little hoarse, perhaps from not speaking for too long. Chang''an poured him a bowl of water, "Have some water first." Not knowing when Old Gu Six would return, Chang''an added some cold water to the sand pot and ced a small steamer on top, just big enough for tworge bowls of food. She covered the steamer and added some fuel under the sand pot to keep the dishes warm. The two sat in front of the fire, silently waiting for Old Gu Six to return. Chang''an knew Chang Le didn''t like to talk, and he was the same. Both of them quietly gazed into the fire in silence. Meanwhile, Old Gu Six was leaping through the snow-covered mountain forests, heading deeper into the mountains. In the depths of the mountains, the trees were dense, and the snow on the ground was not as thick as the outskirts. However, the towering trees were bent over, and some had even broken. With the snow stopped and the sun out, those small animals that had been hibernating for over a month should being out to forage. Old Gu Six wanted to hunt some fresh game for his daughter to eat. Children were still growing, and after eating nothing but salted meat and dried vegetables for over a month, he didn''t want her health to deteriorate. Old Gu Six was always lucky. He didn''t frequently bagrge prey, but whenever he ventured into the mountains, he never returned empty-handed with small animals. A rather scrawny rabbit bounced in front of him. Old Gu Six hurled a stone, and the merrily bounding rabbit tumbled to the ground, its short legs twitching a couple of times before falling still. Old Gu Six picked up the small rabbit, his eyes full of disdain. "Starved to skin and bones? Barely any meat, all bones." He bound it with a grass rope and carried it as he ventured deeper. This time, he encountered a wild chicken foraging for food, easily dispatching it with a well-aimed stone. The wild chicken copsed without even a twitch. Suddenly, a series of loud bangs echoed from within the forest. Old Gu Six''s expression changed abruptly. He nced upwards at the towering trees around him, spotted a suitable one, and nimbly climbed up, awaiting therge prey that woulde fleeing in his direction. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 A wild boar was being chased and hunted by a grey wolf and a silver wolf. It happened to run to about thirty meters in front of the tree where Old Gu Six was resting. The wild boar was already severely injured and was no match for the two wolves. It was immediately pounced upon and taken down. Old Gu Six, afraid that the wolves would eat the boar, leapt down from the tree when the boar was about to be bitten to death. He shook out a short sword from his right sleeve. Powered by his inner strength, the short sword shot towards the silver wolf with lightning speed. The silver wolf, just about to have a big meal, had not even had a chance to bite into the boar before it was struck down. Seeing this, the grey wolf immediately took abative stance, baring its fangs menacingly, its body tensed with its back arched. "Woooooo~" It let out a long howl, leaping towards Old Gu Six, wanting to tear apart this two-legged creature that had killed one of its wolf kin. Old Gu Six nonchntly looked up at the attacking grey wolf, using his lightness skill to dodge to the side. He then flung a dagger from his left sleeve. The dagger lodged fully into the grey wolf''s forehead, leaving only the hilt sticking out, a testament to the immense force behind the throw. The grey wolf fell from midair with a "thump", kicking up a flurry of snow from the ground. Its eyes still retained a ferocious gaze, unblinking even in death. After waiting for five breaths to confirm that the wolves were truly dead, Old Gu Six walked over to the grey wolf, bent down, and pulled out the dagger embedded in its head. Wolf blood spurted out, and if he hadn''t dodged quickly, his clothes would have been stained. He cleaned the dagger on the snow on the ground before returning it to his left sleeve. When extracting the sword from the silver wolf, he was more cautious and didn''t pull it out directly. He gripped the hilt and sliced a long cut on the silver wolf''s body, then pulled out the sword. This way, the wolf''s blood didn''t stter out. He then used the blood to clean the de in his hand. He didn''t n to bring the dead wolves back. Wolves are pack animals with a strong sense of revenge. If he brought them back to where the disaster victims were staying, a pack of wolves mighte and attack. With just his own strength, he wouldn''t be able to protect so many people. He first buried the wolf corpses in the snow, then with an expressionless face, he swung his sword to behead the dead wild boar. Another swing disemboweled the headless boar. Old Gu Six frowned and pursed his thin lips, a look of disgust on his face as he processed the boar''s entrails. He used his sword to scoop out the entrails and set them aside, then looked at his filthy short sword. *look of an elderly subway passenger checking their phone* However, after some thought, he realized this sword had apanied him for over ten years, so it could still be washed and used. In the past, when he hunted wild boars in the vige, he would carry the whole boar down the mountain and sell it to restaurants in the city. He had never processed a wild boar himself. The pork they ate at home was always fresh, farm-raised pork bought from the market. Resigned, he squatted down and used the snow to clean his short sword before returning it to his right sleeve. Then, grabbing the boar''s hind legs in one hand and carrying the wild chickens and rabbits in the other, he dragged the boar out of the mountain. At the edge of the mountain, seeing the trail of boar''s blood on the snow, he cleaned it up as best he could. It was only then that he shouldered the boar and used his lightness skill to leap towards their camp. Not far from the camp, he happened to see a group of youths rushing down the mountain in a hurry, as if being chased by a ferocious beast. They saw Old Gu Six but didn''t pay him any mind or greet him. The group trod through the thick snow and left, as if there was a ferocious beast chasing them. Old Gu Six still kindly called out a warning, "You''d better not leave now, there might be another blizzarding." Those in front, hurrying on their way, didn''t even turn their heads, as if they hadn''t heard him. "Damn fools who refuse good advice," Old Gu Six snorted coldly, muttering those words, before shouldering the wild boar and heading back home. This time, he didn''t n to share the wild boar. Those who wanted to eat meat could exchange it with silver or grain. Chang''an and Chang Le had been waiting for Old Gu Six to return for a long time. Since it was almost time for dinner, the two of them decided to eat first, leaving Old Gu Six''s portion warm in the pot. Hearing a "thump" from outside, Chang Le rushed out, worried that something had happened, with Chang''an following closely behind. When they went outside, they saw the cleaned and disemboweled headless wild boar. Seeing Chang''ane out, Old Gu Six''s narrow phoenix eyes crinkled happily. The usually callous and unsociable Old Gu Six now looked somewhat silly. "Daughter, Dad hunted a wild boar," he said, sounding like he was seeking praise. Chang''an felt like he was asking to be praised? "...Wow! Dad is so amazing, you even hunted a wild boar!" Her bright eyes, serious expression, and admiring tone didn''t seem insincere at all. Old Gu Six was fully satisfied, so happy that he was practically blooming with little flowers. His daughter had praised him, he would continue to work hard next time!!! Chang Le: ...... He saw yet another side of the ever-changing Old Gu Six. Hearing the noise, the other people also came out. Seeing therge wild boar, their eyes lit up. It had been a long time since theyst ate pork. Chang''an immediately went back to light the stove and boil water. The boar''s bristles hadn''t even been fully removed yet. She brought out the food she had left for Old Gu Six and called out, "Dad,e eat first when you''re back. Let Chang Le watch over the wild boar." "Alright," Old Gu Six let Chang Le stay outside. He didn''t feel particrly hungry until he heard her call for dinner. Smelling the aroma of the food, his stomach growled appropriately a couple of times. No matter how hungry he was, he always washed his hands first, and then his face, before picking up his personalrge bowl and sitting on the small wooden stool by the fire pit to eat heartily. Outside, Yang Poxiao and his brothers asked their wives to bring out the boiling water they had on the stove. Together with Mu, they started to remove the bristles from therge wild boar. Chang Le didn''t stop them, they were all reasonable people, no need to strictly guard it. Little Ya''s Dad also wanted to go help, but seeing that there were already three people working on it, he didn''t go over. Sometimes having too many people doesn''t necessarily make the work faster, it could even get in the way. Other disaster victims heard that someone had hunted a wild boar and came to watch themotion. Most were just there out of curiosity, after all, in such freezing weather, anyone without skills would either starve or freeze to death, let alone have the ability to hunt wild boars. A few people had greedy looks on their faces, including Grandma Sun''s family. Little Ya''s Mother didn''t notice Grandma Sun among the crowd. She still persisted in telling Little Ya''s Dad, "Husband, you should talk to Old Gu Sixter and have him buy those two kids. Look, he was even able to hunt such arge wild boar, it must weigh over two hundred pounds. It''s no trouble at all to feed two more mouths." Grandma Sun was only about five or six steps behind them. Little Ya''s Mother didn''t make any effort to lower her voice, so she could hear every word. Her eyes flickered as she calcted something, her sharp gaze revealing her scheming. Without further dy, she hunched her back and returned home. Old Gu Six was a capable man. He sent those two money-losing burdens away and brought back meat for his older grandson to eat. Those two burdens would not starve following a capable man like Old Gu Six. This time, it was not Little Ya''s Dad reprimanding her, but Little Ya''s Mother, who looked at her astonished and asked, "Mother, what are you plotting? Why would Old Gu Six buy two extra mouths to feed? Just because he''s capable?" "Shouldn''t capable people help the weak? Otherwise, why would the Heavenly Lord grant them such abilities if not to save the world?" She believed it should be that way. Those with great power who do not aid the weak and only pursue self-interest would be punished by the Heavenly Lord. "People''s capabilitiese from their own efforts, not from the Heavenly Lord. When has the Heavenly Lord granted you great abilities for your kindness?" Her sister-inw mocked her from beside her. They had joined Little Ya''s family''s team halfway and had been together for half a year, so the sister-inw knew this woman well. Incapable yet always wanting to recklessly show kindness, her benevolence was something she could not fulfill herself, so she always tried to impose it on others. Out of respect for Third Brother Yu, no one openly confronted her, but they were not fond of herpany. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Arge space had been cleared around Little Ya''s family, and everyone kept a distance from her. They looked at Little Ya''s Mother like she was a lunatic. Had this woman''s brain been chewed on by wild dogs? After finishing his meal, Old Gu Six had cleaned up every part of the wild boar, leaving nothing behind. A group of people stood there waiting for him. Hezily nced around and said, "Those who want meat can exchange it for money or grain. Each family can only exchange for two pounds, at thirty cents per pound. If you''re exchanging with grain, one pound of new rice can get you two pounds of meat." ording to the current grain prices in the city, thirty cents couldn''t even buy one pound of pork. A pound of new rice was much more expensive than pork, worth far more than just two pounds of pork. These refugees didn''t have any new rice. Everyone was eating aged rice and coarse flour, without even white flour. Grain prices had surged too fiercely for them to afford or obtain it. Old Gu Six knew that exchanging one pound of new rice for two pounds of pork was unreasonable and disadvantageous to others. But this was something he had risked his life to hunt - shouldn''t he bepensated for hisbor? After nearly half a year of eating coarse flour and wild vegetables, everyone wanted to improve their meals a bit. Two pounds of meat for sixty cents was indeed expensive, but what wasn''t expensive these days? Sixty cents wasn''t unaffordable, and he had obtained this through his own skills. Mary exchange was reasonable. Ah? But some still found it unreasonable. "Why are you still charging us money? We''re all refugees escaping the famine, shouldn''t we be helping each other? Just distribute it for free, and you can go hunt another er, right?" Everyone was eximing, "What a character! Who is this clueless idiot?" Before they could see who it was, people in the crowd were already retorting. "I don''t have any grain left, so send some to my family, won''t you? We''re all refugees escaping the famine, we should help each other." "Chen Dahua, my pot has a hole in it, give me yours. We''re from the same vige, we should help each other even more." "Olddy, I don''t have enough quilts, share one of yours with me, we''re fated to meet." "My house can''t amodate my whole family, olddy, let us stay in your house?" Chen Dahua covered her face and fled, thinking these people were too shameless. She couldn''t outargue them. She spat in her heart, "Hmph, a bunch of poor refugees. Wasn''t she trying to help them save sixty cents? Every one of them is like a debt collector. No good deed goes unpunished." Seeing her leave, everyone exchanged nces and burst intoughter. The first to step forward and buy meat was a bearded burly man. His clothing wasn''t very thick, and his lips were purple from the cold, but he had a bright smile with a roguish air. His voice boomed, "Brother, I''ll take two pounds." "Give me two pounds too. It''s been so long since I''ve had meat, I''ve forgotten what it tastes like. The journey while escaping the famine was too arduous, I need to nourish my family properly." With someone taking the lead, others followed, and the small space was soon packed with people in a lively scene. With so many people, the air quality wasn''t great. Not everyone was like Chang''an''s family, bathing and changing clothes every few days. Others didn''t have such conditions. Just being alive was already difficult enough, how could they afford such luxuries? Chang Le was the one dividing the meat for everyone. Without a scale, they had to estimate the weights by hand, a task given to Yang Poxiao. Before escaping the famine, he had worked at a winery in the city, so he had some knack for judging weights by hand. Chang Le had martial prowess and considerable strength. He cut the pork into roughly equal portions to avoid disputes over unequal distributions. On the other side, Grandma Sun''s family was discussing exchanging their two granddaughters for meat. "Let me tell you two, don''t think this olddy is trying to harm you. That man has great skills, and if he takes you in, you''ll have meat to eat, grain to eat, and be able to stay warm." Upon hearing they would have meat to eat and stay warm, the two little girls were tempted. In this family, they couldn''t even eat more than a serving of the coarse flour porridge, leaving it for their brother. Their parents had no worries about exchanging their two daughters for meat, and were even d their daughters could finally be useful. "Mother, how much meat should we exchange these two girls for?" "Four pounds will do, two pounds per girl." The girls'' mother hesitated slightly, "Isn''t that too little?" Grandma Sun red, "What else can these money-wasting burdens do besides eat? It''s kind of them to take you in and provide food, let alone giving you four pounds of meat in exchange." Then she turned to the two girls with a cold expression, "If they''re willing to keep you two, you better be diligent, not like at home where you''repletely useless." After a couple of scolding remarks, she said no more, leaving their eldest grandson at home as she brought the two girls and their son and daughter-inw to Chang''an''s ce. The wild boar meat was almost sold out. After everyone had bought their share, around ten pounds remained. Three pounds were given to Yang Poxiao and his brothers for their help, and Mu got two pounds by himself. Five pounds were left, and Chang''an nned to have Old Six make some fried pork bites with them. Seeing that her own family had to pay for the meat they ate, Little Ya''s Mother felt somewhat disgruntled. Weren''t they considered their own people? Why were they still being charged? Their entire family fortune was just five taels of silver, which they had barely managed to hide from the bandits looking for loot. This purchase took away sixty cents, which pained her heart to think about. Seeing her distressed expression, Little Ya''s Father scolded her irritably, "That''s enough. How much have they helped us along the way? If not for Old Gu Six, we would have starved to death long ago. One can''t be too presumptuous." "How am I being presumptuous? Aren''t we considered their own people now? To charge their own people for a bit of meat?" Seeing her mother''s attitude, Little Ya was perplexed. She asked innocently, "Mother, didn''t you say one should be grateful and not be an ungrateful person?" Little Ya''s Mother was momentarily speechless, but she still retorted defiantly, "That doesn''t mean one should be blindly grateful either. We need to consider the benefactor''s character first, or we might end up harming ourselves." "Just shut up, you white-eyed wolf," Little Ya''s Father said with a dark expression, angered at his wife for the first time in their seven years of marriage. He squatted down and gently told Little Ya, "Little Ya, remember, in this world, no one is obligated to help others. Helping is a kindness, not helping is their prerogative. We should be grateful to everyone who has helped us." "I understand, Father," she nodded firmly. Her mother was wrong, her father was right, so she listened to her father. Little Ya''s Mother was scolded by Yu San and looked at the father and daughter with tearful, helpless eyes, hoping they wouldfort her, but the two ignored her. Yu San''s mind was not on her. He was thinking that perhaps they could no longer travel with Old Gu Six, otherwise with his wife''s temperament, who knows what trouble she might cause in the future. This was not about repaying kindness, but repaying kindness with enmity. Suddenly, a cold, furious roar came from outside, "Get out!" It startled Yu San so much that he almost cut his own hand with the knife he was using to cut meat. He hurriedly put down the knife and strode out of the house. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Chang''an looked on speechlessly at the absurd scene unfolding before her. "Our family doesn''t do charity. Take your children and leave. We don''t have any meat to trade for these two kids." The little girl was fair and delicate, like a soft rice dumpling. Her voicecked any intimidating force, sounding tender and almost whining. Chang''an was furious, truly! She wanted to be a graceful woman, but instead she transmigrated into a cute young girl. And now someone wanted to take her Old Six away from her? This could not be tolerated. "Chang Le, drive them away," she waved her little hand, feeling like she was opening the gate and letting the dogs out. Old Gu Six stepped back, allowing the two children to handle it as he watched the drama unfold with folded arms. Grandma Sun grew agitated, hopping up and down as she pointed at Chang''an and scolded her, "You little girl, how barbaric! You have no manners at all. I was talking to your father, what''s it got to do with you?" Though you look appealing, that doesn''t excuse interfering with her selling her granddaughters. Seeing someone insult his daughter, Old Gu Six was displeased. He angrily berated Grandma Sun, "How dare you criticize my daughter? Your whole family is uglier than a dog. Get out of here, don''t pollute my territory, or I''ll cripple all of you." Grandma Sun faced his fury head-on, seeming to see zing mes in his eyes and an invisible pressure bearing down on her. Terrified, her old legs went weak and she immediately knelt down. On this cold day, beads of sweat the size of soybeans rolled down her forehead. The man''s eyes seemed to conceal a dark abyss that could devour a person. She wanted to look away but couldn''t move. It felt like an invisible hand was squeezing her heart, threatening to crush it. She raised her hands over her head and prostrated herself, begging, "I beg the great one to spare this old woman''s life. I''ll never dare again." The onlookers who hade from their homes to watch themotion looked on bewildered. What was happening? Grandma Sun''s two granddaughters hid behind their parents, reluctant to approach but with regret in their eyes. It seemed they couldn''t stay after all. They secretly nced at Chang''an. That girl was so beautiful. If they could stay, they would be well-fed and warmly dressed, surely growing up to be just as pretty. How selfish of them, having the means but unwilling to help their sisters escape suffering. "Get out!!" The icy roar shattered the sky. Grandma Sun''s son and daughter-inw trembled, not daring to approach Old Gu Six and provoke his wrath. They carefully approached to help their elderly mother up, swiftly leaving without even looking at their two daughters. After a few steps, the three of them fell in a heap. The two granddaughters reluctantly went to help their parents up. But they were rewarded with a p each from their mother, who viciously berated them, "Useless things, can''t you use a little strength?" The girls, having been struck, felt even more resentment toward Old Gu Six and Chang''an. But what was most hateful were the onlookers who coldly watched them get beaten. They then noticed Little Ya''s Mother, who had spoken up for them that morning. The sisters exchanged a nce, released their grip on their parents, and hurried over to kneel before Little Ya''s Mother. "Please take us in, Madame. We eat little and can do lots of chores." The two little heads knocked heavily on the frozen hard ground, showing utmost sincerity. Little Ya''s Mother was immediately moved to pity and rushed over, gently helping the two girls up. She said kindly, "Don''t do that. My family is poor too, we don''t have extra food to support two more people. Why don''t you try asking someone else?" Hearing this, the girls were about to kneel again, but Little Ya''s Mother stopped them. She was at a loss now, turning to look at her husband Yu San and daughter. Chang''an shot her a cold look, "Mother, are you trying to starve Father and me by bringing them home?" Little Ya''s Mother opened her mouth, wanting to say they had Old Six, how could they starve? But meeting Yu San''s icy gaze, she couldn''t get the words out. So her husband was a selfish, callous man too. Ashamed, she told the girls, "I''m sorry, I can''t help you." Grandma Sun saw her granddaughters'' actions but didn''t stop them, thinking this family was together with that Old Six, so following this woman wouldn''t be too bad. But she didn''t expect it to fail as well. She stepped forward and dragged one girl with each hand, grumbling curses as she walked away, "You worthless brats, so greedy. You''re just destined to be miserable, you''ll never have that kind of luck." Watching the two children stumble along as they were dragged away really pained Little Ya''s Mother''s heart. She wanted to confront Old Gu Six, ask him why he wouldn''t lift a finger to help. After so many years of marriage, Yu San could tell from just the look on her face that she was about to make a fuss. He tookrge strides forward, grabbed her arm, and sternly pulled Little Ya''s Mother back home. The onlookers had arrived halfway through and grasped the situation. The old woman wanted to sell her granddaughters to the young man skilled at hunting boars. The deal fell through, so she threw a tantrum insulting the man''s daughter, then inexplicably knelt begging for mercy. The two girls tried to find a good household for themselves but failed as that woman couldn''t make the decision, so they couldn''t stay either. Everyone clicked their tongues and left Old Gu Six''s doorstep, chattering away. "That old woman is really heartless, selling her own grandchildren." "Well, you can''t judge, these famine years drive people to desperate acts. This is only the beginning." An elderly person who had experienced war sighed sadly, "Sixty years ago when I was five, the droughts and locusts ruined all the crops. The imperial court was ipetent. My family fled from west to east, and there were corpses littering the journey. People resorted to cannibalism - that was true tragedy." "I never thought sixty yearster I''d have to relive that path. I''ve lived through two famines in this lifetime." The snow that had stopped for a day began falling again in the evening, first lightly and beautifully romantic. As night fell, howling winds brought heavier snow, making visibility nearly zero. Households tightly shut their doors, huddling as families by the fire. They were grateful to have cleared the rooftops of umted snow, or else the weight could have caused a copse in this weather. That night, the scent of meat wafted through the barracks as every household had cooked the meat purchased that afternoon. Most either stir-fried it or made meat porridge, leaving more than half to stretch across several meals. Chang''an was frying crispy pork belly by the stove as the men,rge and small, craned their necks in eager anticipation of the meat sizzling in the oil. The aroma was truly intoxicating. How could they not make meat this delicious themselves? Chang''an''s lips twitched slightly, wanting to cover his eyes in embarrassment at the sight of the two gluttons eagerly gobbling away in public. He scooped half a bowl and handed it to the two foodies, "Go sit by the fire pit and eat, be careful not to burn yourselves." Like coaxing children, he ushered the two to sit by the fire pit to eat, as they were getting in the way gathered around the stove. He was afraid the hot oil might stter and burn them. Old Gu Six thought of the group who left earlier that day with some regret, having warned them not to go, as they would likely freeze to death on the road. Meanwhile, those he was concerned about were braving the wind and snow, hoping to find a ce to take shelter from the storm. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 The young man and his attendants happened to walk onto a in, where visibility was less than two meters ahead, causing the group to scatter like headless flies. The wind was so loud that they had to shout to be heard, "Young Master, hold on a little longer." The young man''s vision blurred, his whole body powerless. He regretted not listening to that man''s advice. If they had dyed by a day, they could have avoided this disaster. He had escaped the assassin''s de, only to face death in this cmitous storm. Two more attendants fell, instantly freezing into ice sculptures, followed by others copsing one after another. In the end, only the leader in ck robes and the young man remained. The young man feebly leaned on his man, "Qiao Yi, don''t worry about me, quickly leave and find shelter." The two were close, though the young man''s voice was faint and difficult to hear over the wind, Qiao Yi understood his young master wanted him to escape alone. Qiao Yi pretended not to hear, as he was an orphan with no ties. He had been rescued by the lord in his youth, which led to his current position. He considered this life a debt to repay. He fought desperately to protect the young man, but mere human effort could not defy nature''s might. The two leaned on each other as they fell into the snow, instantly buried under the umting drifts, erasing all traces. The howling in sounded like the heavens in a rage, intent on destroying the earth. Not only the young man and his attendants were buried in this blizzard, but half of those traveling to Lingnan rushed out of the mountain caves when the snow stopped, eager to continue their journey. They had run out of food and could not wait for the snow to melt, hoping to reach the next town quickly. Some chose to wait for the snow to melt, patting their chests in relief at narrowly escaping death. Vige Chief Yang led his people, heeding the warnings of the two n elders, avoiding this disaster. The blizzard raged for three full days and nights before gradually weakening into moderate snowfall. This snowsted two months, during which the vigers had to clear the umtion three times. By the fourth month, it snowed for three days, then stopped for a day, or snowed for two days, then stopped for half a day. Many families in the vige had run out of food, and the previous harmony had dissipated. Some began venturing into the deep mountains in search of food, despite the dangers¡ªthose who did not freeze to death became prey for vicious beasts. Some turned their attention to Old Gu Six, hoping he could guide them into the depths. After reprimanding a few people, the vigers developed a respectful fear of Old Gu Six, unanimously describing him as a man on par with ferocious beasts. One day, an old man came pleading, taking out an ancient-looking jade pendant from his robe and trembling as he handed it to Old Gu Six. His cloudy eyes were full of hope as his hoarse voice, like a crow''s cry at night, said: "This is a family heirloom passed down from my grandfather. I offer it as payment if you would lead us into the mountains." Chang''an took the jade pendant from Old Gu Six''s hands, examining it twice. The pattern faintly resembled a dragon, with characters in oracle bone script. Though she could not decipher the meaning, the old man''s ancestry must have been extraordinary, as only emperors in ancient times could use dragon imagery. Could the old man be a descendant of a former dynasty? Chang Le peered over, also unable to read it, but blinking a few times, it seemed vaguely familiar. He felt he had seen a simr jade pendant pattern in an ancient book, but could not recall the details at the moment. Seeing his daughter''s keen interest in the jade pendant, Old Gu Six epted the old man''s payment and agreed to his request. "If it''s not snowing tomorrow, we''ll go tomorrow. If it is snowing, we''ll wait until it stops. Those going must listen to me. Anyone acting on their own will bear the consequences." "Yes, yes, I thank you on behalf of everyone," the old man excitedly bowed in gratitude. Old Gu Six swiftly stepped aside, worried the old man might injure himself. He personally escorted the old man back, watching his unsteady steps, afraid he might fall on the way. An hourter, Old Gu Six returned. Chang''an, recalling novels from her previous life, thought that the older an object was, the more spiritual power it possessed. This jade pendant might also be enchanted. As Old Gu Six sat down beside her, she grabbed hisrge hand and scratched his index finger with her nail, but his skin was too thick to break. Without questioning, Old Gu Six cut his own index finger, and Chang''an quickly pressed his bleeding finger onto the jade pendant. There was no reaction. The air suddenly fell silent. Under their strange gazes, Chang''an smiled awkwardly, grabbing a handful of ash to stop the bleeding on Old Gu Six''s finger. She did not avoid Chang Le, for if the jade pendant possessed any mystical power and Chang Le harbored ill intentions, she could simply strike him down with lightning. Ten breathster, the jade pendant emanated a dazzling purple glow, and Chang''an seemed to hear the roar of a dragon. At the moment the purple light descended, Chang Le fell into a deep slumber, or rather, everyone in the vige except Chang''an and her father fell unconscious. Even the animals hiding in the deep mountains cowered in fear and trembled. Miraculously, no one outside the mountains could see this purple light that only shone for three breaths. Chang''an was speechless, realizing the jade pendant''s slow reaction time. A nine-wed purple dragon formed from the purple light and entered Old Gu Six''s brow, vanishing along with the light. Old Gu Six sat motionless with his eyes closed. As Chang''an approached to check on him, an invisible force pushed her away, merely preventing her from touching Old Gu Six. Chang''an sat watching Old Gu Six, intending to ask him about the situation once he awoke. She waited untilte at night, struggling to stay awake and asionally adding firewood to the pit. She did not want the person lying on the ground to catch a cold, as falling ill during such times would be especially troublesome. Just as Chang''an was about to doze off from exhaustion, Old Gu Six awoke, a purple sh flickering across his eyes before fading. Seeing him awake, Chang''an''s drowsiness vanished, and she excitedly grabbed Old Gu Six''s hand, asking, "Father, how are you feeling? Is anything amiss?" "I''m fine, it''s just that there''s a purple dragon in my mind," he said, a bit bewildered. Others might curse one for having a brain full of fish, but in his case, his mind housed a dragon. Chang''an: "...Dad, that''s the Sea of Consciousness," not knowing whether Old Gu Six would want to go through the trials again after regaining his memories and recalling his current foolish state. "Oh, I can''t get rid of it," Old Gu Six said with a hint of grievance, for who wouldn''t be concerned if a foreign entity suddenly appeared in their mind? "Why would you want to get rid of it?" Chang''an, unaware of Old Gu Six''s train of thought, asked in confusion. "I''m afraid if it stays in my mind, I''ll be an idiot," he said worriedly. What would his daughter do if he became aplete fool? Chang''an tried to reassure him, for someone who seemed so clever, how could he be so daft at times? Was it perhaps an aftereffect of failing the trials five times? "It won''t harm you. The fact that you were able to open that jade token means you''re destined for it. It might even protect you." The purple dragon in Old Gu Six''s Sea of Consciousness propped its massive head on its front paws, watching as Old Gu Six acted foolishly. Tsk, these were all Old Gu Six''s embarrassing past moments. It had to record them so that it would have a chance to turn the tables on him in the future. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Last night Old Gu Six sleptte, and by the time he left in the morning, Chang Le hadn''t woken up yet, so he didn''t go. He did want to go with Old Gu Six, but s, Old Gu Six didn''t agree, saying that with only Chang''an at home he wouldn''t feel at ease, so he asked Chang Le to stay and protect him. As for what happenedst night that caused him to suddenly fall asleep, he didn''t ask too many questions, just assumed he was tired and fell asleep. Old Gu Six, leading the group into the mountains, felt quite unsettled, thinking about that dragon in his consciousness sea, which would see all his privacy, even going to the bathroom would be inconvenient for him, making him feel uneasy all over. The Purple Dragon scoffed disdainfully, "You have what I have, who cares to look at you? Looking at myself is better than looking at you." It felt like it had new material to mock Old Gu Six with. Old Gu Six''s overall aura was extremely low, scaring the people following him into the mountains into silence, all thinking he was unhappy because he had to lead them into the mountains. But in fact, he was upset at that dragonughing rather shamelessly, unable to beat it or drive it away, wouldn''t you be upset too? With no outlet for his rage, he vented it on the prey in the deep mountains, and he also discovered that his strength seemed to have increased, and his agility had also greatly improved. If he was considered upper-middle ss in martial arts before, now he could be said to have entered the upper ss, though of course he was still quite a distance from the pinnacle of martial arts masters. All the prey was hunted by Old Gu Six alone, while those who came along just acted as porters. In two hours, he had acquired a nearly 300-pound wild boar, five wild chickens, and three rabbits. This also showed those who came along how difficult it was to hunt prey, though what they didn''t know was that Old Gu Six was only exerting thirty percent of his strength, as he didn''t want to let these people get too full of themselves, or else he would be the one troubledter on. If they formed a dependence, and there wasn''t enough food, they would look to him to solve it, and he was afraid he wouldn''t be able to control his temper, leaving all these people stranded in this mountain forest. Old Gu Six didn''t intend to share the wild boar meat, after all, they had paid him a fee, though that fee left him somewhat displeased. But he did calcte extra hazard pay, giving them one wild chicken and one rabbit. That old master who hade asking for help had somehow be the leader of this group of disced refugees, and everyone was happy to listen to him. The old master had two sons and three grandsons, but strangely, there were no women in their family, just the six males from three generations who had fled the famine. Someone asked the old master, "Where are your daughters-inw?" "They all passed away during childbirth." Seeing the old master didn''t want to borate, the one who asked didn''t pursue it further, as it would be too impolite to keep prying when the other party doesn''t want to say. Women risking their lives in childbirth, with many dying from difficultbor, was nothing strange, it could only be said that the old master''s family had bad luck, losing both daughters-inw that way. The people following Old Gu Six didn''t go into the mountains today, instead waiting at home for him to return with the hunted prey to divide it up. They had already developed azy, dependent mentality, feeling that with Old Gu Six around, they didn''t need to worry about these things, it was too cold outside to move. They didn''t consider whether Old Gu Six might be cold too, why should he have to look after them? When Old Gu Six returned, they saw that he had only brought back two small hunted animals, thinking he hadn''t caught anything, and everyone was very disappointed, even with a hint of reproach in their eyes. Old Gu Six of course noticed their looks, silently mocking them - see, this is human nature, those who loudly im to not be ungrateful end up contradicting themselves. From the left side of the camp, obscured by trees, came sounds ofughter and revelry, and a faint scent of blood lingered in the air. Driven by curiosity, they banded together to go see what was so amusing. Old Gu Six ignored them, carrying the wild chicken and rabbit back home, leaving those people feeling unsettled again, feeling that Old Gu Six didn''t take them seriously, not even offering an exnation. Of course, there were a few exceptions who understood, like the brothers Mu and Yang Poxiao, as well as Little Ya''s Father Yu San, that half-baked quack doctor and his wife didn''te out either. Seeing the lively scene of people dividing up the wild boar meat, along with wild chickens and rabbits, they felt envious, but still had some sense, realizing that Old Gu Six hadn''t brought the hunted prey back, but left it here instead, and he himself didn''t participate either. These prey obviously didn''t include a share for them, and they resented Old Gu Six even more, thinking that since they had all gone into the mountains, he should have hunted an extra wild boar to bring back. Old Gu Six could roughly guess their thoughts, but he didn''t care, it seemed being a good person was impossible, he was still too young, unable to tell humans from ghosts. He tossed the wild chicken and rabbit to Chang Le, telling him to clean them, while Old Gu Six washed his hands and face, epting the big bowl of hearty fried rice Chang''an brought him, eating the fragrant meal. Chang''an would often, when Chang Le was out, add a few more pounds of rice to the food bags, around five or six pounds at a time. Usually during these times, Old Gu Six would cook for himself, afraid Chang Le would discover Chang''an''s secret. "Dad, should we have potato and chicken stew for dinner?" Her freezer in her space always had ten potatoes, which would reset once used up, no need to save potato seeds from the ones they ate. Frozen potatoes probably wouldn''t sprout anyway, only suitable for food. The ten potatoes were as big as an adult''s fist, and while Chang Le was still out, she took three out from her space and tossed them into the fire pit to bake, nning to dice up the other seven and throw them into the pot to stew together for dinner. "Sure, dad will make you potato and chicken stew for dinner." Old Gu Six used ash and clean water to wash the bowl, put the seven potatoes in a wooden basin to wash and peel the skins, setting the peeled potatoes aside. After peeling the potatoes, he picked up a hatchet and rope and went out again, the weather was unpredictable, and he thought it would be good to stock up on more firewood, since they still had to stay in these mountains for another two months. Even if the weather warmed up, they might not be able to leave right away, with snow this deep, it wouldn''t melt for another six or seven days. The brothers Yang Poxiao and Mu also went along with him to chop firewood, Yu San wanted to go too but was held back by Little Ya''s Mother. She had gone to take a look at those people dividing the wild boar meat, some among them wanted to buy some meat to eat, but were rudely rebuffed. Apparently Old Gu Six had epted payment from them to lead them into the mountains, and Little Ya''s Mother was increasingly looking down on him, seeing him as selfish and ungrateful. She absolutely could not let her husband continue following him, or else as her father said, he might be tainted by bad influences. Yu San frowned at the woman he was pulling, "What exactly do you want to do?" For the past two months, she had been constantly nagging that Old Gu Six was not a good person, too selfish, and had no great love in his heart. He had argued with her twice, but it didn''t make her stop. Eventually, he got tired of dealing with her, and even Little Ya didn''t seem to want to cling to her anymore. He had already made up his mind that the next time they set out on the road, he would no longer follow Old Gu Six, to avoid causing trouble for others. Whether the rest followed him or Old Gu Six would be up to them. Now it seemed like they didn''t even want them to follow, and he had seen these people for who they really were - a bunch of ungrateful and treacherous bastards. Little Ya''s Mother behaved as if she couldn''t read the atmosphere. Thinking she was doing good for her husband, she softly said, "Husband, you should not follow Old Gu Six anymore, lest you lose your principles." Yu San looked at her acting like she was the smartest person in the world, and he wanted to scold her. But he nced at his obedient daughter and held back. He coldly pulled his hand away from Little Ya''s Mother and took big strides out of the house. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 The snow had stopped for five or six days without showing any sign of melting, and the temperature seemed to have dropped a few degrees colder. Many people saw that the snow had stopped for so many days without falling again, and they were getting restless, wanting to set off early and arrive at the ce they intended to settle down soon. Most of these people wanted to go to The Capital, thinking that being at the feet of the emperor, it wouldn''t be too bad, and they were already very close to The Capital, just a couple of months'' walk away. But they didn''t know that The Capital was now a ce where everyone feared for their own safety. The emperor was licentious and tyrannical, the whole Capital was shrouded in gloom and despair, with the ruler not ruling, and the subjects not following. The emperor of a nation acted like a bandit, plundering people''s wealth and seizing their wives and daughters. Loyal ministers were either exiled or had their entire families executed. Who would still care about how the disaster victims were doing? Yu San''s house was crammed with people, all those who had followed him from the beginning. They too had heard that other disaster victims were heading to The Capital, not the northernnds. They felt that Old Gu Six was leading them to the northernnds with ill intentions, so they approached Yu San to discuss parting ways and no longer traveling with Old Gu Six. Yu San looked at their disdainful faces with a deep, solemn gaze and asked softly, "Have you made your decision? No regrets?" Didn''t they know their own worth? What was there for Old Gu Six to remember them for? Ill intentions? He saw them as the ones with ill intentions. "We''ve made our decision, no regrets," came the morous voices from inside the house. Yu San raised his hand to quiet them down, and when everyone fell silent, he continued, "Then let''s part ways here. I wish you a smooth journey." "Yu San, what do you mean? You''re noting with us?" A short, middle-aged man looked at him displeasedly, his tone slightly confrontational. Everyone stared at Yu San with bright, expectant eyes, waiting for his answer. True to their expectations, Yu San said calmly, "Yes, I won''t be leaving so soon, nor will I go to The Capital. Of course, I won''t be following Old Gu Six to the northernnds either. I''ll go wherever the road takes me." They looked at him in disbelief, wondering if he had gone mad. Shouldn''t they find a ce to settle down early in such a famine year? And what did he mean by going wherever the road takes him? How much food did he have to sustain himself going wherever he pleased? Yu San didn''t exin further or try to stop them. Seeing that he didn''t want to say anything else, they all turned and left. Their luggage was already prepared, ready to go at any time. With the thick snow on the ground, carts wouldn''t work, so they divided their belongings into separate bundles, each family carrying their own. After leaving Yu San''s house, they went home, shouldered their bundles, gathered their families, and followed the other disaster victims, leaving the mountain. Of those who had originally been with Yu San, only Doctor Ren remained, while Yang Poxiao and his brother Mu were Old Gu Six''s staunch followers, so they didn''t leave either. Out of respect for the jade token and the two times Old Gu Six had helped him earn money, he went to remind the old master that it wasn''t yet time to leave. The old master was wise enough to heed the advice. He gathered the people who followed him and held a small meeting. Those who had originally intended to leave heard Older Tong say to wait a little longer before leaving, so they thought they might as well wait a couple more days. With the elm bark, wild boar meat, and wild chickens they had supplemented, eating sparingly, they couldst for over a month. They didn''t mind waiting a few more days here. Listening to advice and eating their fill could save their lives. Surprisingly, even Grandma Sun''s family didn''t leave. ording to what she told her son and daughter-inw, her eyelids had been twitching badly, and she felt uneasy, so she wanted to wait a couple more days or until the snow melted before leaving. Those who wanted to leave had left. Little Ya''s Mother angrily ranted at Yu San at home, "Why aren''t we leaving? Are you still hoping to follow Old Gu Six?" "Yu San, I''m telling you, if you''re still stubbornly clinging to him, you''ll end up harming me and Little Ya. Do you really expect that ck-hearted man to treat you well?" "Enough, if you want to go with them, then go now. Stop farting around here," Yu San snapped at her. If not for Little Ya''s sake, he really would have struck a woman. After venting his anger at her, Yu San grabbed a chopping axe and rope and left. He was afraid he wouldn''t be able to control himself if he stayed. Little Ya followed her father out the door, not wanting to listen to her mother''s ranting anymore, as hearing it too much would only confuse her. The next day was still clear and sunny. Those who had left were struggling to walk on the snow, their eyes filled with longing for a better life in the future. They didn''t listen to Old Gu Six and Older Tong''s advice, thinking that waiting until the snow melted would mean another five or six days of waiting. They might as well start walking slowly, arriving at The Capital a few days earlier. On the third day, it started snowing at around 5 a.m. At first, it wasn''t heavy, but by 7 a.m., a fierce wind had picked up. With their heavy luggage on their backs, they were blown down and couldn''t get up. Everyone worked together, helping each other up and holding hands as they continued forward. By the end of the 7 a.m. hour, the snow was getting heavier and heavier, and the biting cold wind left them with nowhere to take shelter. Their cotton clothes didn''t seem to provide much warmth, and today was exceptionally cold, at least twice as cold as the previous few months. They started to regret not heeding the advice. They should have just waited a little longer. They didn''t proceed further but turned back. However, it was easier to go out than to return. They had already been blown off course by the wind, and they had set out during clear weather two days ago. Now, with heavy snow falling, the return journey was bing increasingly difficult. Chang''an couldn''t understand why so many people refused to listen to advice and insisted on being willful. Those who had left the day before yesterday were most likely not going to make it. Those who hadn''t left were thankful they didn''t follow the crowd, or else they would have been buried somewhere by now. This time, many more people had frozen to death. Qingfang Vige was almost wiped out. The Yang n, due to the vige chief''s decision not to leave the mountain cave, only had about ten young people left, who were barely saved by the efforts of their nsmen. The snow stopped after more than twenty days, but the weather only grew colder day by day. Chang''an had threeyers of quilts, while Old Gu Six and Chang Le added an extra down quilt. Now they didn''t care if they exposed themselves; the priority was not freezing to death. Chang''an estimated the temperature to be around minus fifty or sixty degrees Celsius. Even those who took shelter in the mountain caves without sufficient winter supplies had frozen to death, including many elderly and weak children. This temperature persisted until the end of the winter disaster. Outside, the sun was shining brightly, and the snow began to melt. Thinking about the people who must have frozen to death outside, this temperature recovery and melting snow would also cause the corpses in the wilderness to rot, so a post-disaster gue would be unavoidable. She seemed to have two boxes of Shuanghuanglian oral liquid bought before the apocalypse in her space. Whether they were useful or not remained to be seen, but for prevention purposes, she would drink one when leaving to ease her mind. While waiting for the snow to melt, Old Gu Six and Chang Le went deep into the mountains to hunt every day. They didn''t know how much longer they would have to travel, so it was better to prepare more food just in case. Older Tong also led everyone to use silver coins to purchase the game hunted by Old Gu Six. When it was time to set off, everyone would look after themselves, as they had no ability to hunt in the mountains, so it was better to use silver coins to buy food now. It was unknown whether they could enter the next town, so it was better to be prepared. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 They did not wait for the snow topletely melt before leaving. When there was still a foot of snow on the ground, Chang''an and the others set off fully prepared. The few remaining people in the camp also left along with them. It must be said that during these past five or six days, Old Gu Six and Chang Le had earned a bit of money, splitting it evenly, each earning more than ten taels of silver. This time their mule carts were loaded to the brim, and Chang''an had no ce to sit, only able to sit on the quilts. Fortunately, it was not hot now, so sitting on the quilts was quite warm. Old Gu Six and Chang Le took turns driving the cart. Chang''an sighed again, having an outsider around was inconvenient. If Chang Le was not there, all these things could have been stored in her spatial bag. Following behind them was Mu, alone driving a donkey cart that had been abandoned by the group that had left earlier. At that time, the snow was too deep, and the donkey carts could not move at all. That bunch of idiots who were in a hurry to leave discarded everything they could. Behind Mu were the brothers Yang Poxiao, and finally Yu San''s family of three and Doctor Ren and his wife. They maintained a distance of more than thirty meters from those in front, indicating their intention not to follow Old Gu Six anymore. Everyone understood it in their hearts, and tacitly did not mention it. Before leaving, Chang''an poured a box of Shuanghuanglian oral liquid into the cool white porridge, and everyone had a share, even Older Tong''s family. Chang''an was not sure if taking the medicine this way would still be effective, but it was just to ease her mind. It was Old Gu Six who distributed the medicine, not letting Chang''an do it. He handed out the medicine without much exnation, and did not force those who did not want to drink it. Those on their side all drank it, including Yu San''s family and Doctor Ren''s wife who were no longer traveling with them. Among Older Tong''s group, only Older Tong''s family drank it, while the others dared not drink it. However, Old Gu Six did exin briefly, "To prevent epidemic diseases." Seeing that despite the exnation, those people still did not drink and looked at him with suspicion, Old Gu Six simply turned and left with the medicine bowl. After all, it would not be him and his daughter who would die if something happened, and what did those people have that was worth him scheming for? Outside the mountain forest, the bodies of refugees that had been covered by the snow were exposed due to the melting snow, and began to rot and stink in the warming weather. "Dad, Chang Le, cover your mouths and noses," Chang''an handed out two pieces of coarse cloth cut to size from the cart, for them to cover their faces. The two obeyed and guessed Chang''an''s intention. Chang Le went back and reminded Mu and the others, asking them to pass the message along, whether they would follow or not was up to them. The snowy road was slippery, so everyone walked cautiously, covering only over twenty li that day. As the temperature rose day by day, the heavy cotton padded jackets were taken off and reced with summer clothes. It was too hot to sit on the quilts, so Chang''an had no choice but to store them in her spatial bag first, and take them out again when she got out of the cart cabin. More than ten dayster, Chang''an and her group parted ways with Little Ya''s family and Doctor Ren''s family. Chang''an and her group continued northward, while Little Ya''s group went to the capital. When parting, Yu San came to bid farewell to Old Gu Six, without saying much, only saying: "Safe travels, take care!" Older Tong''s family of six stood at the fork in the road pondering for a long time before deciding to also head north, but most of those following him did not catch up. The capital was a gathering ce for the nobles and elites, not an easy ce to survive. It was better to find a ce far from trouble and live freely. The further north they went, the quieter the road became. In contrast, the refugees heading to Lingnan were the opposite ¨C after half a year of famine, many had died, and most people had run out of food. Evil intentions were unleashed, and many small towns and cities were attacked and upied by refugees, whomitted arson, murder, and looting without restraint. Many officials who genuinely cared for the people also lost their lives. The starving people began to resort to eating children, their humanity twisted, and various local warlords became self-proimed kings in their own territories. Meanwhile, in the magnificent imperial pce, the old emperor indulged in wine and women, surrounded by singing and dancing. None of the information from outside the imperial city reached the old emperor''s hands, all of it went to the hands of Zhenguo General Chen Qixiong, whomanded an army of two hundred thousand. In the front courtyard study of the Zhenguo General''s residence, General Chen and his eldest son Chen Su were discussing rebellion. Chen Su was truly exasperated by his father''s indecisiveness and rubbed his temples with a headache. He sighed lightly and asked, "Father, what are you afraid of? The realm is divided, and the people are suffering. Do you still want to remain loyally obedient to that ipetent ruler?" Chen Qixiong wanted to scold his son for such treasonous words, but he opened his mouth and swallowed the words back down. He waved his hand helplessly, as if epting reality. The ruler he had been loyally serving had somehow be like this. The Ye Dynasty had be rotten, and to revive it, it must be broken and reorganized. The general''s usually straight back was now hunched, and his voice was hoarse as he said, "Go ahead and do what you want to do." He then staggered to a hiddenpartment, carefully took out a small box, and handed it to Chen Su, "This is the military tally thatmands the two hundred thousand troops. Take it." A flush of excitement appeared on Chen Su''s handsome face. Heaven knows how long he had been persuading his father, and now he had finally gotten his wish. He received the military tally with both hands, carefully tucking it into his robe, as if afraid of dropping it, even pressing down on his cor to secure it. "Father, do you know who has the tally that canmand three hundred thousand troops?" "I don''t know about that. It used to be in the hands of Shuo Prince, butter Shuo Prince returned it to the emperor. After that, I''m not sure whose hands it fell into. There hasn''t been a war in twenty or thirty years, so perhaps it''s still with the emperor." Chen Qixiong shook his head slowly. He truly did not know about this. Their emperor, ah, in his youth he was a notorious tyrant known throughout thend, possessing literary and martial talents, as well as cunning and resourcefulness. No one could fathom his thoughts. Unexpectedly, in his old age, he had be like this, as if he were a different person from the tyrant he was in his youth. "I understand, thank you father," Chen Su bid farewell with a bow. He was extremely excited now, pressing his rapidly beating chest. After taking a few deep breaths outside the study, he finally managed to calm his agitated heart. Returning to his own courtyard, he summoned his trusted aides, beckoning one over and whispering a few instructions in his ear. The aide nodded solemnly and said, "Yes." Then he was seen using his lightness skills and disappeared from the spot. Chen Su summoned his staff overnight, and the group discussed until midnight before dispersing. They nned to initiate their rebellion in the south, with Chen Su leading the bulk of the troops to upy territory and establish his own kingdom. To prevent the old emperor from making a desperate move, some men were left behind to secure the families of the generals. From then on, the Ye Dynasty began to splinter into numerous feudal states, while the old emperor residing in the pce remained oblivious, like a domesticated pet caged and isted from the outside world and major events unfolding. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 How many people went after this world? Chang''an didn''t care, nor did she want to know. Wasn''t she and Old Gu Six told to just muddle through life and not get involved? So they would just muddle through and live their own days. They didn''t rush on the road, walking and stopping, looking for a suitable ce to live. Although they were going to the northernnds, there was no need to go all the way north, right? Somewhere partway would be fine. As the sun set in the west, they passed by a small vige. The vige was tiny, with only a dozen or so households visible. The wooden thatched huts were dpidated, and there was no sign of life in the vige, so it must have been an abandoned one. Old Gu Six went down to scout the path, entering the vige to investigate. The houses were full of dust, with straw all over the floors, and the roofs had holes. Almost every house was in this state. The people of this vige must have left a long time ago, turning it into a deserted vige. However, it was better than sleeping outdoors, so Old Gu Six stood in the vige and waved towards the highway opposite, waiting for someone to see him and drive the cart into the vige. But the mules and donkeys refused to move forward once they reached the vige entrance, no matter how much they were whipped and pulled. Chang''an thought of the stories of animals predicting disasters, and she looked seriously towards the vige ahead. After a while, she said, "Chang Le, don''t force the mules. We''re not going in." Then Yang Sheng called out to Old Gu Six, "Dad,e out, we''re not staying in the vige tonight." Being a treasured daughter''s dad who trusted her unconditionally, Old Gu Six promptly left the vige without hesitation. He had also noticed the mules'' abnormal behavior, and for whatever reason, it was better for them to sleep outdoors tonight. When Old Gu Six returned, the group turned around and left. They didn''t even need to drive the mules, as they bolted on their own, not stopping until they had run five miles away. Old Gu Six thought about it and decided not to rest there. He led everyone another ten miles before stopping. Night had fallenpletely. Ever since the cold disaster, the originally moonless night sky now had moonlight and twinkling stars, no longer pitch ck. "Alright, this wide open area will do. We''ll rest here for the night." Old Gu Six had chosen an open area, far from the mountains, surrounded by fields. It was like they had entered another world. The flowers, grass, and trees here were lush and vibrant, the green rice paddies flickering with fireflies in the moonlight, striving to radiate their own unique light. The starry sky, rice paddies, and fireflies - these were sights Chang''an had never seen in her previous life. The marvelous animations hade to life, beautiful and dreamlike. Chang''an''srge eyes were filled with wonder, and she wished her future home would also have such beautiful nights. While they appreciated the night scenery here, those who had already reached the capital were not faring so well. The capital''s city gates were tightly shut, with no one allowed in or out. The disaster victims werepletely ignored, and when they went to viges in the suburbs, they were driven away. In the dead of night, the tightly closed city gates suddenly opened, and officials holding torches rode out on tall warhorses. Upon seeing this, Yu San''s eyelids twitched, and he had a bad feeling. He promptly decided to quietly move back with his wife and children, abandoning their donkey cart and taking only half a bag of old rice and a y pot. When he reached Doctor Ren, he whispered, "Leave, quickly." Doctor Ren didn''t ask any more questions. Yu San was a clever one, and following him was the right choice. He put his luggage on his back and tightly held his old wife''s hand, crouching and slowly retreating through the crowd with Yu San. There were tens of thousands of disaster victims at the city gates, and they all thought the officials wereing out to provide them with shelter. Everyone surged forward, their eyes filled with joy as they looked ahead. Only a few noticed their abnormal behavior. After retreating to the back of the crowd, they took advantage of the night and the crowd''s cover to quickly move towards the nearby mountains. Not only the five of them were alert. Some others also left the crowd and entered the mountains. Those who entered the mountains didn''t dare stop to watch themotion. They didn''t even dare look back, using the dappled moonlight to head in another direction - the downhill path towards the viges in the suburbs. They dared not hide deeper in the mountains, lest they be caught by the officials or torn apart by ferocious beasts. Yu San''s instincts were spot on. As soon as they entered the woods, torches were lit on the city walls, and a row of soldiers with bows and arrows took aim at the disaster victims below. The officials who hade out, along with their soldiers, bound all the able-bodied men, young and old, among the disaster victims. Only then did the disaster victims realize that these officials were not there to provide shelter. Some tried to make amotion or escape, but the archers on the city walls rained arrows down on them. Cries filled the area outside the city gates. Those who tried to flee into the woods were caught by the pursuing officials and beheaded. After more than half of the disaster victims were killed or injured, the rain of arrows from the city walls finally stopped. The disaster victims huddled on the ground, trembling and covering their heads with their hands. Women clung to their children, weeping tears of blood. Children who had lost their parents sat on the blood-soaked earth, wailing loudly. "Mother, mother." Beautiful young women were captured by the officials and taken away on horseback. When their husbands chased after the horses, pleading for their release, the officials shed them in half with their des. The officials led away the bound men, and the lead official raised his sword and shouted, "It is your honor to swear allegiance to the Rong King! Anyone who dares disobey will be killed!!" "Move out!" Only the weak women and children were left outside the city gates, their eyes filled with despair as they cried out in anguish that shook the heavens. Even after running far away, Yu San and the others could still faintly hear those miserable and despairing cries. They wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads with their sleeves. They came to the edge of the vige but didn''t immediately descend the mountain, afraid of encountering the officials as soon as they went down, rendering their efforts futile. They went hungry on the mountain, hiding for an entire day. Only at deep night, when all was quiet, did they quietly descend the mountain, passing by the side of the vige without making a sound. After descending the mountain, they didn''t dare stop to rest. Even though they were hungry after a day, they could only endure it, as they had not yet left the dangerous area and couldn''t linger for a moment. After walking all night, they still hadn''t left the capital''s territory, and everyone looked exhausted. "Keep going, keep going. We''re heading north, and we''ll be out of the capital''s territory soon," Yu San encouraged everyone while panting heavily, carrying the food supplies and holding Little Ya''s hand. The Rong King''s territory was in Zhizhou Prefecture, part of the Jiangnan region. As long as they didn''t go south, they wouldn''t encounter those officials. It wasn''t until noon that they finally left the capital''s territory. Only then did they dare stop, as a clear streamy ahead. The group of over twenty people, whether acquainted or not, set up fires by the stream to cook. Little Ya simply copsed on the ground, not wanting to move an inch. In this lifetime, she never wanted to experience fleeing from a disaster again. She thought that if they had followed Chang''an from the beginning, nothing would have happened. Of course, she did not me her father for making the wrong decision. If her mother had not made a fuss, she believed her father would have followed Master Six without hesitation. No, she was too tired. She should sleep for a while. Unlike the excitement on this side, Chang''an and the others had a good night''s sleep while camping, but equally exciting was the deserted vige they passed through in the afternoon. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 In the Capital, manymoners were trying to flee by any means possible. The current Capital was filled with smog and fumes, and they were preparing to go to outlying areas to take refuge until the turmoil passed, at which point they would return with their families. Being locals of the Capital, they naturally knew more than outsiders, and those fleeing the city went directly north without hesitation. They avoided the pitfalls that Chang''an and herpanions had fallen into by following in the footsteps of those who had fled the Capital. As night fell, a group of fifteen or sixteen people passed through a deserted vige. The thatched cottages in this deserted vige were newly built, illuminated by bright lights, with smoke rising from cooking fires. Children chased chickens and dogs in the courtyards of their homes. One grandmother scolded her daughter-inw for not being diligent enough, while another grandmother berated her granddaughter for being clumsy. The peach blossoms in the vige were in full bloom, and two yellow dogs barked at each other under a peach tree, prompting their owner to run out from a house to stop them. They were two boys aged seven or eight who came out first to separate their dogs, then looked towards the outskirts of the vige and saw a group of fifteen or sixteen people approaching. The boys shouted in unison, "Vige Head, Vige Head, we have guests!" A weather-beaten man in his sixties emerged from one of the thatched cottages and looked in the direction the boys were pointing. Oh? There were indeed guestsing. The guests from the afternoon had not stayed, probably because they found the vige too simple. But these guests would have to stay ¨C it had been a long time since the vige had been so lively. The Vige Head took the two children by the hand to wee the visitors, smiling kindly and speaking in a warm, affable manner, "Our guests havee from afar. If you don''t mind, please stay the night in our vige." People are often easily deceived by outward appearances and first impressions. For example, a burly man with a ferocious demeanor may actually have good character and morals, while a handsome man with a gentle, kind smile could be a hypocrite and a despicable person. Without knowing the true reality, if you saw them both at first nce, wouldn''t you choose the handsome, gentle one? Many people would make that choice, so it''s normal to be deceived by appearances. The eyes can only see the external, but how many people can see through the false facade to the truth beneath? Ahem, I''m digressing. Back to the story. This group of people was drawn into the vige by the Vige Head''s outward appearance. There were sixteen of them, too many for one household, so they were split into four groups of four each. The vigers weed them warmly with good food and wine. After three rounds of drinks, they were asked where they hade from. One middle-aged man wiped away tears as he sadly said in a mournful voice, "We have fled from the Capital." The Vige Head raised his sparse eyebrows with curiosity, "Oh? Why do you say you fled?" "s! We had no choice but to flee. The Emperor is extravagant and licentious, neglecting state affairs. The people suffer greatly, and he even forcibly takes women from good families and plunders the property ofmoners in the Capital. The people of the Capital live in constant fear and dread." "Would you be willing to settle in our vige then? Our vige may seem simple, but we have pure folk customs. If you work diligently, you won''t go hungry. We have little contact with the outside world, so you need not worry about being caught up in the turmoil." The Vige Head''s persuasion was gentle and kind, and a few of the group were tempted. As long as they could live in peace, it didn''t matter where. Someone asked, "If we settle here, will the vigers have any objections? After all, there is only so muchnd." "No, they will be delighted." "We''ll discuss it with our families first." "Very well, decide quickly so I can allocate you somend. Tomorrow, I''ll have the vigers help build houses for you." The four men left the Vige Head''s house to find the others staying elsewhere. They didn''t see the Vige Head''s strange smile as he watched them leave. His kind, gentle eyes were nk and empty, the whites fixed unblinkingly on the doorway as he awaited their return. The sixteen men, women, and children gathered at the vige entrance. The four middle-aged men asked the eldest elder, "Father, what do you think?" Before the old man could answer, a five- or six-year-old boy urgently said, "No, no, I don''t want to stay here!" The elder picked up the boy, whose eyes were brimming with tears, as if he was very afraid they would stay. He hadn''t eaten a bite at dinner and the elder was worried he might be ill. He felt the boy''s forehead, which seemed normal, but he was still concerned. "Li''er, are you not feeling well? Tell Great Grandpa, okay?" Li''er hugged Great Grandpa''s neck, burying his little head in the elder''s shoulder as he urgently urged him, "Leave, Great Grandpa, leave. Li''er doesn''t like it here." "Okay, okay, Great Grandpa will take little Li''er away. We''ll leave right away, all right?" The elder''s eyes were deep and profound as he instructed his sons and grandsons, "Pack up our belongings. We''re leaving this ce immediately." "Father, have you considered what time it is now? If we leave now, we''ll have to spend the night in the wild, which is extremely dangerous. You''re spoiling the child too much." The first to object was Li''er''s own grandfather, the elder''s eldest son. The elder simply cast a deep look at him, then told his eldest grandson firmly, "Since they are unwilling to leave, you and your wife, being Li''er''s parents, pack up ande with your old grandfather." Li''er had always been a good, obedient child. Even if he disliked something, he had never cried and fussed like this before. Children have a spiritual intuition, and this vige may not be as simple as it appears on the surface. The elder said quietly to his sons, "There''s something wrong with the people in this vige. If we don''t want to lose our lives, we must leave immediately." His sons didn''t take him seriously, thinking he was just spoiling Li''er too much and making up excuses to appease his great-grandson. "Father, they just weed us with good food and drink, but now you want to leave without a second thought?" "Yes, Father, I think this vige is very nice. The vigers are all very friendly. As outsiders, who knows if we''ll encounter people as nice wherever else we go?" "In any case, I''m not leaving. If you want to leave, then go ahead. We''ll have to pass through here again when we return to the Capital anyway." "Our third brother is right. Since we''ll still have to return to the Capital, let''s all just go where we want for now and consider it a journey." Since his sons were all unwilling to leave, being an open-minded Elder, he calmly told his children and grandchildren, "Those who wish to stay behind, stay. Those who want to follow Great Grandpa, quickly pack your belongings and we''ll depart immediately." In the end, it was the Elder''s youngest son and daughter-inw, along with their two sons and daughters-inw, as well as Li''er''s parents, who apanied the Elder as he left. As they were leaving, the Vige Chief earnestly urged them to remain, his face full of reluctance. This made the Elder more wary. What normal person would feel such reluctance at the departure of a group of strangers who were merely passing through? He called out loudly to the vigers seeing them off, "Thank you, fellow vigers, for your warm hospitality. We will meet again if fate allows." Once they had exited the vige, the Elder instructed his children and grandchildren not to look back, and they trudged onward with lowered heads. The vigers were dumbfounded. They had expected the departing group to turn back for onest look, but instead, they hurried away at a brisk pace, and soon disappeared into the moonlight without a trace. The mist grew thicker, enveloping the entire vige in a dense fog, gradually obscuring its original appearance. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 The people who remained behind discussed building houses with Vige Head, then fell into a sweet slumber, dreaming of a wonderful future life. Their dreams were starkly different from reality as they were awakened by difficulty breathing. Upon waking, everything was pitch ck. They thought it wasn''t daylight yet and wanted to continue sleeping, but they couldn''t breathe properly. Trying to get up to check if there was something wrong with their bodies, "thump", their heads hit a wooden board. They were puzzled, recalling that the bed had no ceiling when they went to sleep. They reached up and felt an arched surface, making them even more confused. Whose bed has such a low ceiling? As they tried to get out of bed to light a candle and investigate, "thump" again, their feet hit something. They became a bit panicked then, reaching out to feel their surroundings, only to realize they were trapped in an enclosed space. The air inside was thin, making it difficult for them to breathe. Then a sh of insight struck - they seemed to be trapped inside a coffin. Fear spread throughout their bodies as they began frantically pounding on the coffin and screaming for help, but no one could hear them. They deeply regretted not listening to their father''s advice to leave the vige, and bitterly resented their father for not exining clearly that this would kill them. Another voice rang out from inside the coffin, "Stop shouting, no one wille to save you," the voice was chillingly sinister and terrifying. "You, you, you are, who?" a feeble voice quivered with fear, as if about to cry. "Hehe, who am I? I''m the one recing you." The sinister, terrifying voice surrounded them as the trembling person asked, "Wha, wha, what do you mean?" "From now on, you''ll take my ce sleeping here, while I take your ce living among the people!" "No, no, no way, please spare me, please go find someone else. Many people are fleeing the Capital, go find them instead, okay?" "No way, I''ve set my sights on you." "Please, please..." Losing consciousness fromck of oxygen, no one could find them as they died in this deste corner, unknown to anyone. As daylight broke, when they awoke again, they found themselves on the official road outside the vige, unable to discern if it was reality or a dream for a long time before finally regaining their senses. Looking around at the dpidated vige in the daylight, it was starkly different from the night before. The group shivered, their faces pale as paper, struggling to get up and support each other as they left to catch up with their father. Chang''an and the others were oblivious to what happened in the little vige. They passed through normal viges and would stop to rest, but most viges were unwilling to let them in. The local vigers were very exclusive, instinctively wary of strangers approaching, let alone letting refugees like them stay overnight for fear they would cause trouble in the vige. Passing through one vige, they saw the vigers dragging their families and belongings, pushing handcarts and driving ox-carts, streaming out of the vige en masse. Seeing this, Old Gu Six slightly raised his chin, and Chang Le instinctively jumped off the carriage to approach the group of vigers. He first bowed politely to the middle-aged man leading them and asked in a raised voice, "May I ask where the elders are headed?" The young man wearing a wooden mask was polite. Vige Head sighed and replied, "Yesterday, the officials notified our vige that all able-bodied men aged 10 to 50 must join the military and report to Jing King''s army within two days. If they don''t show up, the officials wille and forcibly take them." "There were few able-bodied men in our vige to begin with. To survive, we have no choice but to flee." Chang Le bid them farewell with a bow. "Thank you, elder. I have something to inform you as well - do not lead the vigers southward to flee, it is even more dangerous." Vige Head watched Chang Le''s departing figure, then looked towards the people waiting in the distance, who were clearly refugees fleeing famine as well. Since the young master told him not to go south, they would go elsewhere instead. Seeing those people heading further north, perhaps the only safe ce was the realm of exile, though living conditions there were extremely harsh. Well, it would just be a difficult life, better than losing their lives at least. What had originally been a trickle of a few dozen people leisurely fleeing northward was now joined by arge group of over two hundred more people. Old Gu Six knew that forced military conscription had started here, and with such arge group traveling openly on the road, their intent was far too obvious. There might even be officials lying in wait for them to surrender themselves along the way. Chang''an lifted the carriage curtain and said softly, "Father, let''s change our route and avoid the main roads." "As expected from my daughter. Your father had the same thought, but the small paths will likely be difficult for this mule carriage to traverse, and we may have to abandon it." Then his daughter would have to travel on foot, which would be too arduous. "Father, it''s alright. Once we pass through Jing King''s territory, we''ll find a suitable ce to settle down." "Very well, I''ll listen to you, daughter." They changed their route to take the remote side paths. The people following Chang''an and her group remained steadfastly behind them. Seeing the people ahead leaving the main road to enter the small paths, Vige Head hesitated briefly before deciding not to follow. They needed to leave Jing King''s territory as quickly as possible, and with such arge group, they would travel slowly on the small paths. He feared officials might take a different route to intercept them on the small paths. He had considered many possible scenarios that could arise from taking the small paths, but failed to consider the possibility of being surrounded from two sides. The authorities likely anticipated his assumptions and gave the vigers time to turn themselves in voluntarily. Knowing they would try to flee, the officials didn''t bother going to the viges to capture them, instead setting up checkpoints at all the exit routes to let the peoplee to them instead. Chang''an and her group chose the small paths, which would be advantageous for them if any incidents arose. There were bound to be a few troublemakers among therger group on the main road, and killing Jing King''s people on the main road would only invite trouble upon themselves. Chang''an''s group were just ''ordinary'' refugees fleeing famine, never intending to get caught up in the turmoil engulfing the realm. They preferred to avoid any avoidable trouble. Their goal was to be ''ordinary'' farmers. The initial stretch was still passable, with the mule carriages able to get through. But the closer they got to the mountains, the more difficult the terrain became. "Father, let''s discard the carriagepartments. The mules can carry whatever we need, and we''ll discard anything too cumbersome to carry." At this point, neither the mule carriages nor the handcarts could proceed any further, only people and livestock could pass. Everyone followed Chang''an''s instructions, discarding what needed to be discarded and keeping what could be carried. Chang''an had already ''discarded'' a batch of items earlier on the journey under various pretexts, having actually stored them all in her spatial bag. The original threerge wooden boxes had be one, and one of the buckets had also been ''discarded''. Most of the cotton quilts had been ''thrown away'', leaving only two beds. The food supplies they had taken out originally were not much, and only one hundred pounds of new rice and fifty pounds of old rice remained, which the mules could carry, so their family had nothing much to discard. Old Gu Six and Chang Le took turns carrying the pots, bowls,dles, and basins, while Chang''an only needed to keep up. On the journey fleeing from the famine, Chang''an had not walked at all, so suddenly having to walk, she felt a bit unustomed to it and wanted to lie down and sleep for a while after just one hour of walking. Just as Chang''an had thought, the subordinates of the Jing King had predicted their prediction, and more than thirty officials were waiting for the fleeing people to fall into their trap, about a hundred miles away on a small path. And the checkpoint on the official road was farther away, deliberately chosen at the intersection of the next county town and several viges, with as many as two hundred officials guarding it. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Chang Le went ahead and scouted the path before returning, his breathing still slightly unsteady. He said urgently, "There are officials guarding the path fifteen li away." "We''ll go over the mountain," Old Gu Six surveyed the surroundings. The mountain wasn''t tall, the trees weren''t too dense, and there weren''t many thorns and weeds as far as the eye could see, though there were quite a few stones on the mountain. But it was better than traversing through thickets of thorns. "Bind your sleeves and pant legs with cloth strips to avoid getting tangled in branches and weeds." Chang''an took out an old bedsheet from a wooden box. "Dad, cut it into cloth strips." "Okay," Old Gu Six took the bedsheet and, together with Chang Le, used a short sword to cut it into strips four fingers wide. Mu also came to help, and Yang Poxiao brothers assisted in distributing the cloth strips. Of course, there were only eleven of them, and Older Tong''s family was preparing on their own. After everyone had bound their sleeves and pant legs, half an hour had passed. Old Gu Six led the mule in front, clearing the path, with Chang Le carrying the backpack and Chang''an walking behind him. The order behind them remained unchanged: Mu followed by Yang Poxiao brothers, and finally Older Tong''s family. Chang''an was not familiar with these people, and she rarely talked to anyone, even during breaks. Even with Chang Le, she rarelymunicated. Chang''an felt that she was someone who was not good at interacting with others. She couldn''t find topics to chat with people, and she could end any conversation with just one sentence. Chang''an felt that finding topics was too much effort, so it was better not to talk. There were too many stones on the mountain, causing her soles to ache. Chang''an gritted her teeth and persevered. Everyone was walking like this, and even younger children were able to walk on their own. Why should she act spoiled? The officials stationed fifteen li away looked dejected. They had been squatting for seven or eight days already, catching nothing but mosquitoes. "Boss, did the higher-ups make a mistake? Maybe thosemoners didn''t even n to escape?" A slim, tall young man wearing a regr constable uniform with arge sword hanging from his waist couldn''t help but voice his doubts. The middle-aged official called "Boss" pped the back of the young man''s head with a fan. "What are you saying? Whether they''re escaping or not has nothing to do with us." Then he whispered, "The higher-ups didn''t stipte that we must catch people. Being stationed here means we don''t have to do those despicable deeds. Do you want to go to the viges and catch people instead?" The young man quickly shook his head, almost shaking it off. "No, no, I don''t want to do those despicable deeds. I''m afraid of retribution." "Ji You, go ahead and scout. If you see anyone, give us a warning." Ji You nodded vaguely and intentionally raised his voice, "Boss, I''ll go ahead and scout. Maybe we can catch a few strays." He said this for certain despicable people to hear, lest they make unfounded usations against him. Brothers working together had already be unrecognizable for the sake of money. The boss, of course, understood his intention and also raised his voice in response, "Go ahead," even patting Ji You''s shoulder. Chang''an and her group trudged over two mountains before stopping to rest. Except for the formidable Old Gu Six and Chang Le, everyone was exhausted like a dog, sitting down without wanting to move even a finger. But they had to move, as everyone struggled to get up and prepare food due to their growling stomachs. Chang''an didn''t have this worry. As soon as they stopped, Chang Le went to gather firewood while Old Gu Six set up the pot and washed the rice. Apparently, they had run out of meat and vegetables, so they could only have in porridge. Chang''an had secretly brought a small bag of meat floss, just enough for three people. Well, Chang Le didn''t know what was in the wooden box, so she might as well try to bluff her way through. Mu was the most pitiful. His rations had run out two days ago. Considering his unwavering determination to follow Old Gu Six, Chang''an lent him thirty stale mantou that could kill a dog and ten jin of aged rice, which he would have to return once they settled down. Of course, it was Mu himself who said he would return them. Chang''an didn''t refuse. A peck of rice can lead to gratitude, a peck of rice can lead to resentment - the people in Xiao Ya Dad''s group were the best examples. The fact that she had rations was her own business. She was not a savior who must help others unconditionally. The space she had didn''te to her by chance; she had asked for it from that person. That person didn''t require her to save the world either. From the beginning to the end, the only one she wanted to save was Old Gu Six. The notion of those with great abilities saving the world was nonsense. If you want to be a saint, then go ahead. Chang Le put down the firewood, nced at the gloomy Chang''an, and left again. He wanted to hunt a wild chicken or rabbit for Chang''an to eat, but he was unlucky. Or perhaps the mountain range was barren, as he walked a long distance without spotting any prey, not even a small sparrow. When Chang''an saw him return, his entire being exuded a sense of defeat. She asked, not understanding, "What''s wrong?" He sat down beside Chang''an, slightly dejected. "I wanted to hunt a wild chicken for you to eat, but I couldn''t even catch a sparrow. Am I just really unlucky?" "It''s just that you didn''t catch a wild chicken. Why does it have to do with luck? Coming back empty-handed is normal. Even my dad can''t catch prey every time he goes hunting." They weren''t destined heirs who would have prey voluntarilye to their doorstep. "No, Uncle Gu never came back empty-handed whenever he went hunting." He argued seriously, then pondered and continued, "That''s right, so it must mean my luck is just too bad. Whenever I go hunting alone, Ie back empty-handed nine out of ten times." Chang''an didn''t know how to console him. This unlucky child''s luck was indeed a bit mystifying. If Old Gu Six wasn''t with him, he probably couldn''t catch any prey. A silence fell as she couldn''t find the right words tofort him. She was afraid that if she tried to console him, Chang Le would burst into tears. Old Gu Six chuckled. After apanying them for so long, he had somewhat understood this child. A person going into the mountains alone couldn''t catch any prey, couldn''t find any wild vegetables, would always drop their bowl at every meal, and would inevitably choke while drinking water. So he suddenly understood why this child, despite being skilled in martial arts, could still be disfigured by others. It was quite possibly due to the misfortune he brought upon himself. Seeing Old Gu Sixughing heartily, Chang Le became emo. Today''s rice porridge had meat floss added, so it didn''t taste too nd. Perhaps they were truly exhausted, as Chang''an even drank an extra bowl of porridge. Although it was already the end of the chen hour, no one thought of resting on the spot. After eating and resting for two quarters of an hour, they set off again. They hoped to find a rtively spacious ce to spend the night as soon as possible and to quickly pass through this mountain range. The mountains stretched endlessly one after another, or so it seemed from the vantage point atop them. Of course, there must be viges below, but how much farther did they have to go? Ji You, who had gone ahead to scout the path, stopped where Chang''an and the others had discarded their belongings and looked around. He noticed signs that someone had climbed up the mountain. He silently erased the trail, and disposed of the items left behind, knowing there was a mountain gully ahead where he could discard everything. As he finished cleaning up, he encountered six refugees ¨C five adults and one child. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 The two parties stared at each other wide-eyed, the group of five seemed quite flustered, not sure what to do next. Ji You waved his hand, "Don''t be scared, I''m not here to catch you. However, you can''t pass through this road, someone is guarding up ahead, you should go around the mountain." These five people were the ones who had left most of their children and grandchildren behind with Old Man Fang, his eldest grandson, Little Son, and his Little Great-Grandson. They didn''t have much luggage, just a few change of clothes, some dry food for the road, and water skins. Compared to refugees fleeing famine, they were incredibly simple. Old Man Fang carefully examined the young man before him. He had an upright aura, clear and righteous eyes, he seemed trustworthy. He immediately thanked him, "Thank you for your warning, young man. Your kindness is etched into my heart. I fear it might be inconvenient to repay your kindness now, so let''s do it another day." "That''s enough, what repayment? You should get going. If my colleaguese, you won''t be able to leave, and I won''t be able to save you." He urged them impatiently. He had shown them the way, why were they still standing there like fools? If they didn''t leave soon, they wouldn''t be repaying him, they would be getting him into trouble. Seeing them still standing there in a daze, he let out a sigh of frustration, "Get lost, what are you standing there for?" After shouting at them, Ji You turned around and walked away. It was their business whether to leave or not. Stupidity would be their own downfall. Old Man Fang looked at his stupefied children and grandchildren, let out a sigh and said, "Let''s go." "Dad, there''s no path on the mountain, how do we go? Could that man be ying us for fools?" Fang Xiaosi looked at the forested mountains on both sides, there was no trace of anyone walking through. "Smack", Fang Xiaosi received a smack on the back of his head, Old Man Fang scolded him: "Idiot". After scolding him, he didn''t bother about them anymore. He took Little Great-Grandson, Fang Mingli''s little hand and went up the mountain, the same way Chang''an and her group had taken. The lucky ones following Old Man Fang were his nephew and son. Their brothers weren''t as lucky, they thought Old Man Fang had taken the official road, and they followed that road straight into a trap. Chang''an and her group wandered around in the mountains, not knowing where they had ended up. The deeper they went, the more humid it got, encountering snakes, bugs, rats, and ants was inevitable. Fortunately, there was no one fussy in their group, otherwise, they wouldn''t have been able to go on. Being in the deep mountains had its advantages, they could hunt for game at any time, dig up fresh wild vegetables, and asionally pick some mushrooms. Fortunately, Chang''an found some wild sweet potatoes, but they were the kind that after being steamed and tasted, could choke you to death on the spot, and they weren''t even sweet. However, having something was better than nothing. No one would reject them, especially Mu, who treated them like a priceless treasure. "Little Chang''an, can we really eat this?" He was a little scared of this unknown thing. Most things in the mountain were poisonous. Chang''an rolled her eyes at him and unceremoniously said: "Start digging." More exnation wouldn''t be as effective as a personal experiment. Chang''an started a fire nearby and threw about ten sweet potatoes of roughly the same size into the fire. Then, a pot was set up again, water was poured into it, and five or six red yams were washed with the water from the water bag and put into the pot to boil. There were quite a lot of these red yams. Chang''an called out to Older Tong and the others to dig together, and they would share what they dug up. However, Older Tong refused. He felt that these were discovered by Chang''an, and they should not take advantage of others. But they were clearly running out of food, and they weren''t really taking advantage. It was only right to receive the fruits of theirbor if they participated in it. And it wasn''t entirely discovered by Chang''an. It was Older Tong''s grandson who first raised the question. In fact, strictly speaking, it was the Tong family who discovered it, so why would the discoverers of the food not participate in the distribution? Chang''an was not good at persuading people. Like a bull that won''t drink water, he would only force its head into the river to drink. This delicate task of persuasion should be left to Old Gu Six. However, to her surprise, Old Gu Six lived up to his reputation, he was direct and straightforward, ordering Older Tong''s children and grandchildren in a simple and crude manner, "Dig!" This method of ''persuasion'' was akin to Chang''an forcing the bull to drink water. Faced with his fearsome demeanor, the Tong family father and son sniffled, looked helpless and pitiful, and tremblingly picked up their hoes to join in the digging of the red yams. Old Gu Six turned his head back, gave Chang''an a triumphant look, and said, "See, isn''t it simple?" Chang''an and Chang Le twitched at the corners of their mouths, then solemnly gave him a thumbs-up, living up to the name of Old Gu Six. The red yam was a heavy food. More than ten people were digging in a small area, and in half an hour, they dug out about three hundred jin. After they finished digging, the roasted and boiled red yams on Chang''an''s side were also ready. "Come and taste this red yam." Chang''an divided one for each person, some ate the roasted ones, some ate the boiled ones, and he gave a roasted one to Old Gu Six and Chang Le. At the end, he didn''t forget to remind everyone, "Don''t eat too fast, or you''ll choke. Second Uncle Yang, watch your two little brothers and don''t let them choke." Under Chang''an''s reminder, everyone ate carefully, and the two three-year-old children didn''t choke. Mu, feeling full, patted his stomach and said, "This red yam is filling." The others also nodded. Even though the taste was not very good, if they could nt it on arge scale, it could be a life-saving food. The government taxed rice and wheat. After paying the taxes, it wasn''t enough to fill the family''s stomachs. If they could nt some other grains that they didn''t have to hand over, life would be much better. Chang Le looked at the half-eaten red yam in his hand, his eyes deep, unsure of what he was thinking. Only Old Gu Six noticed his anomaly. Old Gu Six looked puzzled, then understood, and finally pped Chang Le on the back of his head. He said unkindly, "What are you daydreaming about? Get to work so we can get down the mountain sooner." Whoever you were, if you fell into his hands, you had to listen to him and his daughter. They estimated that there should be about three hundred jin of red yams. They divided it by person, not counting the two three-year-old sons of Yang Mingxiao''s family, who had nobor power. Each person got twenty jin. The Older Tong''s family who all participated in the digging of the red yams got the most, 120 jin, and the least was Mu, who was the only one in his family. She had no ns to eat the sweet potatoes from the Chang''an family; they still have grains. The sweet potatoes would be left aside for now, to be used for making sweet potato pancakes once they settled down. The path they were treading was downhill, but they were still deep in the lush mountains with dense shrubs. One had to be careful to avoid getting clothes torn by thorns. Everyone, except the Chang''an family, was walking very cautiously. They might just be lucky or perhaps it was because it was daytime, they didn''t encounter any ferocious birds. They only managed to exit the deep mountains when night fell. Surprisingly, there were animal traps and pitfalls around, causing even the three members of the Chang''an family to tread carefully. This suggested the presence of people living at the bottom of the mountain. They found a t spot to rest, not blindly descending the mountain. It wouldn''t be toote to proceed after scouting the situation at the mountain base tomorrow. They hoped that Jing King hasn''t imed this ce yet. They had been walking in the mountains for over ten days, and they should have left Jing King''s territory by now; still, they feared unexpected urrences. "Dad, did you hear that?" Chang''an asked Old Gu Six after she listened carefully, afraid that she might have misheard. Old Gu Six answered calmly, "Someone''s crying out for help." He felt it was a bit strange to hear such cries in the middle of the night. "Should we go check it out? Maybe it''s the residents at the mountain base, we could use this opportunity to scout the situation?" Chang Le stood up and said, "I''ll go check. If someone really fell into a trap, I''lle back to call for help." "I''ll go with you," Old Gu Six got up as well. Chang Le was still a child in his eyes, even with her impressive skills, her age was an undeniable factor. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Fifty meters away from their resting ce, there was arge hunting trap where the sound came from. "Help, help!" Chang Le held up a torch and went to investigate, with Old Gu Six following behind him. The one who fell into the trap was a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl. When she saw someone had heard her call for help, she cried with joy. Without waiting for Chang Le to ask, she hurriedly introduced herself, afraid that others would not rescue her. "I''m from Serene Wind Manor in the valley. I''m a junior disciple of the renowned physician Men Ji. I identally fell into this trap while gathering herbs in the mountains. Please save me, and I will definitely reward you." Chang Le and Old Gu Six, who were troubled about where to find a way in, exchanged a nce and both showed a sinister smile. How convenient, the opportunity had presented itself. Old Gu Six tilted his chin, letting Chang Le take the lead while he assisted from the side. The favor would be owed to Chang Le, making it easier for Men Ji to treat his faceter. Chang Le rescued his junior disciple, and to repay the life-saving favor, he would help the benefactor treat his face. No problem with that, right? The pit wasn''t deep, and that youngdy probably had no martial arts skills, otherwise, she could have used lightness skills to fly out. However, Chang Le didn''t use lightness skills to fly down and pick her up, as that would be too easy and wouldn''t leave a deep impression on the rescued person. At this time, Old Gu Six stepped out to assist, "You two wait here, I''ll go back and get a rope." He left Chang Le and the girl in the pit alone. Chang Le, usually not talkative, took the rare initiative to strike up a conversation, "My name is Chang Le, Chang Le of Chang''an. What''s your name?" The young man''s melodious voice echoed through the silent forest, ethereal and distant. "My name is Yun Yiren." This Chang Le had such a pleasant voice, even better than her senior brother''s. Was he from the vige down the mountain? What a pity he wore a mask, so she couldn''t see his face. With such a nice voice, he should be good-looking too, right? In less than half an hour, Old Gu Six came back with a coil of hemp rope. He handed it to Chang Le, "Here, lower the rope down, let her tie it around her slender waist, and we''ll pull her up together." Yun Yiren heard the conversation above and grabbed the rope to tie around her delicate waist. After she was done, "Hold onto the rope tightly, we''ll pull you up," Chang Le grasped the rope and pulled upwards, with Old Gu Six assisting from behind. The two appeared to be straining with great effort, but Old Gu Six wasn''t actually exerting any force; they were just putting on a show. They made the little Lady Yun doubt if she had gained weight, touched by their hardship in saving her life. If Chang''an were here, he would definitely say she was still too young. After finally rescuing her, the youngdy asked them to send her back to Serene Wind Manor. Chang Le hesitated for a moment. Old Gu Six didn''t agree immediately either but asked, "How far is Serene Wind Manor from here?" Yun Yiren looked at them in puzzlement. Weren''t they vigers from the vige down the mountain? How did they not know where Serene Wind Manor was? Puzzled as she was, she still answered, "It''s just at the foot of the mountain, half an hour''s walk away. It''s too dark, and I''m afraid to go down the mountain alone." "To be honest with you, we are refugees fleeing from famine. Other ces are forcing conscription, so we came here from the mountains." "Ah? You''re not vigers from down the mountain? I don''t know if any officials havee to the vige for conscription either. Serene Wind Manor is still five miles away from the vige, and we don''t have any business to go to the vige." Never would she have imagined these two were refugees. It was fortunate she didn''t encounter bad refugees, or she might have perished here today. Yun Yiren was scared into a cold sweat, thanking her lucky stars. However, she didn''t ask the two to escort her down the mountain anymore. She took out the token of Serene Wind Manor and gave it to Chang Le. No matter what, they were her life-savers, and she couldn''t be ungrateful. "In the future, you can use this token to find me at Serene Wind Manor, and I can do you a favor within my abilities." After saying that, she turned to leave with her backpack, but identally knocked off Chang Le''s mask. "Ah!!" Yun Yiren was so startled by Chang Le''s scarred face that she stepped back three paces. Then, realizing her mistake, she quickly apologized, "Sorry, sorry, I didn''t mean to." Chang Le nced at her with a gloomy look, shook his head lightly, then bent down dejectedly to pick up the mask and put it back on. Old Gu Six just rubbed his face and suppressed the upturned corner of his mouth. "You... why don''t youe back with me?" Yun Yiren thought a young man with such a nice voice shouldn''t have a face so covered in scars. Seeing Chang Le''s gloomy expression, she felt sympathy for him. His face should be treatable by her master, and since he had saved her, she should repay him. Chang Le put the torch in Yun Yiren''s hand and said indifferently, "No need, you go back." Then he turned and walked away withrge strides. Old Gu Six stood still, knowing there was more acting toe. Sure enough, the youngdy reached out her slender jade hand and grabbed Chang Le''s sleeve, saying anxiously, "Come with me. My master can cure your face, as a reward for saving my life." Yes, a life-saving favor. If they hadn''t pulled her out of the pit, who knows how long she would have been stuck there. She might have been preyed upon by wild beasts before her senior brother found her, and her life would have been lost. Chang Le pulled back his sleeve, his masked face showing no expression, but his tone sounded a bit unhappy, "I''m used to it; cured or not, it''s all the same. Besides, we can''t be considered your life-savers since your life wasn''t in danger." "It''s not like that. You did save me, soe back with me. My master is very skilled; he can definitely cure your face." Old Gu Six chimed in to persuade him, "Chang Le, go with her. Maybe he really can cure you? Men Ji is a renowned physician, isn''t he? Trust that he has a way. You don''t want to live your whole life wearing a mask, do you? Chang''an also hopes your face can be cured." Chang Le fell silent for a moment, then finally nodded. He told Yun Yiren, "I need to bid farewell to my sister." "You can bothe with me." "No need, we are too many people, not suitable to disturb the physician. You just take Chang Le back," Old Gu Six refused in a deep voice. What if the physician didn''t want to treat Chang Le due to theirrge group? Hearing about too many people, Yun Yiren didn''t say anything else and followed the two to their resting ce. Chang''an saw them returning, and they had brought someone back with them, whom she knew must be the person they had rescued. "Father, Chang Le, you''re back!" "Yes, daughter. Chang Le will be going down the mountain with Miss Yun Yiren. He hase to bid you farewell," Old Gu Six said, wondering if his daughter would feel reluctant after spending so much time together. However, his concern waspletely unnecessary. She felt not the slightest reluctance, but rather a sense of relief that the time had finallye for them to part ways. But would she show that she couldn''t wait for him to leave? Of course, she had to put on a performance of reluctance. "Chang Le won''t be staying with us anymore?" Her eyes disyed three parts disappointment, four parts sadness, and three parts reluctance. She thought her portrayal was quite convincing. Chang Le truly felt reluctant. He lowered his head and said gloomily, "When my face has healed, I''lle find you all." "Okay, then," Chang''an replied nimbly. This made Chang Le think that her reluctance was an illusion, that he must have misjudged the situation. Chang''an must certainly be reluctant for him to leave. Chang''an lit another torch for him. Since he had to go down the mountain, he should leave soon, as it would be dangerous on the mountain if he lingered too long. Chang Le gazed deeply at Chang''an, took the torch, and left with determination. The next time they met, she would see him whole and unharmed. Little did he know that after this parting, they would never meet again. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Old Gu Six sent off Chang Le and Yun Yiren, then returned and softly told Chang''an about the rescue earlier. Chang''an waspletely speechless, while feeling relieved for Yun Yiren. It was fortunate they were not trying tomit robbery or murder; otherwise, she would have been a pitiful child in need of a quick-transmigrating host to save her. Exposing her family background right at the start, Chang Le pretended to be pitiful and Chang''an felt sorry for this stranger. How was this peculiar creature raised? If the two people she met today had ill intentions, she could have brought a disaster to Serene Wind Manor. Their already small group lost another member, but neither Old Gu Six nor Chang''an cared much about it. Not to mention having been together for so long, even a dog would develop feelings, let alone a human. It was true, and it made sense. But they were strangers to begin with. He had his path to follow, and Chang''an and Old Gu Six had their own paths as well. What good would it do to feel reluctant? Could you forcibly keep him or go in his stead on the path he was meant to walk? Life is a long journey, those encountered are mere passing scenery and transient guests. Everyone has their own life, and one cannot change another''s life because of reluctance, nor should one alter the path they wish to walk because of reluctance. If there is a predestined rtionship, no matter how much time and distance separate them, there will be a day when they meet again. They did not linger because of Chang Le''s departure. The next day, at the first light of dawn, Old Gu Six went down the mountain to scout the situation while Chang''an and the others waited on the mountain. Chang Le knew they would leave today, so he went up the mountain early to bid farewell to Chang''an again. He happened to meet Old Gu Six at the foot of the mountain. "Why did youe? Is the divine physician willing to treat your face?" "Willing," Chang Le did not mention that apart from repaying his life-saving debt, there were three additional conditions to secure this opportunity. The gatekeeper did not specify what those conditions were, leaving them to be revealed gradually in the future. He knew these three conditions were like a sword hanging over his head, but even if it was a sword, he had to let it hang there. He had more important matters to attend to, and to seed, he could not hesitate or look back. "I already said goodbyest night, so there''s no need to go again." Old Gu Six blocked Chang Le''s path up the mountain. After a long standoff, Chang Le eventually took a step back. He said in a hoarse voice, "I want to see her one more time." "We are not travelingpanions. It''s best if we each stay well," the cold words extinguished the hope in Chang Le''s eyes. Neither Old Gu Six nor Chang''an wanted to be involved in those troubles. Old Gu Six only wished for his daughter to live a peaceful life, free from those messy affairs. Just as Chang Le was about to say something else, a faint cry came from afar, "Chang Le, Chang Le." The girl ran over, panting, her eyes filled with anxiety. Upon seeing Chang Le, she let out a sigh of relief. "I thought you had left." "I won''t leave," Chang Le''s indifferent tone eased Yun Yiren''s restless heart, and she smiled joyfully, like the sun rising through the morning mist. She pulled on Chang Le''s sleeve, saying happily, "Then let''s go back." Shepletely ignored Old Gu Six standing beside them. Chang Le responded with a faint "Hmm," following Yun Yiren down the mountain. He turned back to look at Old Gu Six, whose expression was cold and aloof, like a deity enthroned among the clouds. At that moment, he suddenly realized that he had never truly be a part of the Gu family. The warmth of family he felt was real, but also like a dream. As he turned away, the drooping tree branches in the morning breeze drew a heavenly chasm between them. He could gaze up at the lofty mountains and clouds, but could not cross this chasm. So close, yet worlds apart. Old Gu Six''s expression was cold as he used his lightness skill to swiftly fly off the mountain. Outside the mountain was a small vige with only around ten households. The vige was very tranquil, with each household scattered far apart, maintaining a respectful distance from one another. After a quick nce, Old Gu Six turned back up the mountain. At this moment, the Purple Dragon that had been dormant in his consciousness suddenly awoke. Itzily spoke, "There is no danger within a hundred miles." "Why didn''t you say so when I went down the mountain?" Old Gu Six''s tone was unpleasant. Was this foolish dragon doing it on purpose? The Purple Dragon rolled its eyes in annoyance, "I was asleep until just now, and I''ll be going back to sleep soon. And don''t call me a foolish dragon; my name is Purple Extreme." After saying that, Purple Extreme closed its dragon eyes again, as if the moment of wakefulness was just an illusion. Knowing there was no danger within a hundred miles, Old Gu Six swiftly returned to the mountain. "Have you all packed up? Get ready to leave immediately." Old Gu Six shouldered his backpack and took the mule''s reins from Chang''an''s hand, but she insisted on leading it herself. "It''s no trouble for me, Father. Just follow along and don''t get lost." "Father, why don''t you let me carry the backpack?" She felt Old Gu Six was working too hard. "No need," it was the mule that was struggling, with a mountain of belongings on its back. The others followed quietly behind. Chang''an was d to be apanied by such taciturn and low-maintenance people. If they had a bunch of troublemakers trailing behind, that would have been a real headache. At the main gate of Serene Wind Manor, two people gazed down the winding path where a group of more than ten people slowly walked past. Until the tall and small figures leading the group were out of sight, Yun Yiren tugged on Chang Le''s sleeve, saying softly, "Chang Le, they''re gone. Let''s go back." Chang Le did not move until everyone was out of sight, then followed her pull back to Serene Wind Manor. Senior Brother hurried over, grabbed Chang Le''s arm without a word, and said, "Come with me. Our master wants to see you." Yun Yiren followed the two, running and asking all the way, "Senior Brother, what does our master want to see Chang Le about? Is it to treat his face?" "I don''t know. Can you stop following us? Our master didn''t say he wanted to see you. Have youpleted the coursework our master assigned?" His impatient voice faded into the distance. Unable to catch up, Yun Yiren bit her lip in frustration, stomping her feet angrily before going back toplete her coursework. Chang''an''s group passing through the vige drew the wary gazes of the vigers, who held farming tools and eyed them suspiciously. Only after the group had left the vige did the vigers rx. This group dressed in tattered ragsing from the mountain could only be mountain folk or bandits - impoverished and vicious people to be wary of. It never urred to them that they might be disaster refugees. In their subconscious minds, those fleeing famine would head south or southwest. Who would be foolish enough to flee northward? The farther north, the more deste it became. Half of the year was winter, with not enough food or warm clothing. What was the point of fleeing to that bitter cold ce? Moreover, that area was a ce of exile, with all kinds of people. If you didn''t starve or freeze to death, you''d likely get beaten to death first. After leaving the vige, they walked for two more hours along the mountain path. Up ahead, a small town appeared. The town wasn''t prosperous, with no walls or guards, not even an archway. You could see the end of the single street from the outside. However, though small, it had all the basic amenities for living - food, clothing, housing, and transportation were all covered. When Mu saw the town, he almost shed tears of joy. Finally, there was a ce to buy grain. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Mu, Chang''an, and Old Gu Six were waiting outside, while the others had all gone into the town to buy grains. Because their clothes were tattered and they smelled quite unpleasant, the shopkeeper at the grain store almost didn''t sell them grains, thinking they were beggarsing to cause trouble. After hearing that they were refugees fleeing the famine, the shopkeeper finally didn''t drive them away. The shopkeeper asked them, "Where are you all heading?" Mu smiled and said, "We''re going to the northernnds." "Phew!" The shopkeeper gasped, looking at Mu as if he was joking. "Shopkeeper, we really are going to the northernnds," Yang Poxiao handed the money for the grains to the shopkeeper, confirming that they were not joking. The shopkeeper frowned and asked solemnly, "Do you know about the northernnds?" They nodded, and Mu said, "We''ve heard a little about it." "Heh, I advise you not to go there, or else you''ve evaded the famine for nothing." "What do you mean by that, shopkeeper?" "Not to mention the issue of farming, most of the people living there are court criminals exiled as punishment. It''s a ce to punish criminals. What are you going there for? Do you think you''ll die too slowly?" "It can''t be that serious, can it?" They were a little worried, as their group of more than ten people, except for Old Gu Six, were all weaklings. "Don''t think I''m trying to scare you. Over the years, how many upright court officials have been wrongfully exiled to that ce? Most of them didn''t live more than a year. Look at you, you''re not much better than those schrly weaklings. Our town may be small, but the people are kind and honest, and we never bully outsiders. The vige chief is an upright and benevolent person. Why don''t you consider settling down here?" "This... we need to discuss it. Thank you, shopkeeper. If we decide to settle down here, please help us meet the vige chief." "Sure, sure," the shopkeeper bowed and saw them off cheerfully. Watching the group leave, the young assistant asked puzzledly, "Shopkeeper, why did you invite them to settle down in our Autumn Leaf Town?" For a hundred years, no outsiders had ever settled down in their town, and they had so few people. "Jin Niu, we''re in business. Year after year, it''s the same few peopleing and going. When will we ever earn enough silver to see the outside world?" Jin Niu''s small eyes lit up as he understood. He smugly said, "Of course, the more people in Autumn Leaf Town, the better business will be." "Exactly, you''ve got a sharp mind. From now on, if we see any refugees fleeing the famine, we can try to sell our town to them. You watch the store, and I''ll go talk to the owners of the inns and restaurants." "Got it, shopkeeper. You can go, I''ll take care of the store." Mu and the others were indeed a little tempted. This was a nice ce with green hills, clear waters, and vast fields. They hesitated for a moment, but Yang Poxiao still spoke up, "Old Six, what do you think of this ce? Should we settle down here?" As soon as he spoke, Old Gu Six knew what they were thinking, but they still wanted to seek his opinion. Old Gu Six patted his shoulder and said calmly, "If you all like it here, and the locals are willing to ept you, then you can stay." "But you''re not staying?" Mu hurried over, a little flustered. "No, we still want to walk a bit more. But this is indeed a good ce, suitable for settling down." This wasn''t the ce he had in mind, and it didn''t match his vision. The first to make the decision was Older Tong''s family. "We n to settle down here. We didn''t intend to keep heading north anyway, and this ce seems suitable." Yang Poxiao''s brother and their wives all signaled to their husbands that they also liked this ce - it was peaceful, quiet, and not too crowded, which was good. They looked back at their wives and children, gritted their teeth, and decided to settle down here as well. "Old Six, we won''t go with you anymore. They say the people in the northernnds are rough and rugged. We''re just ordinary folks, and we fear that we might be a burden to youter on." Only Mu was left hesitating, with everyone looking at him. He fell silent for a long while. Initially, he had wanted to stay with Old Gu Six, but as Yang Poxiao said, once they reached the northernnds, they might be a burden to Old Gu Six, which would harm him. With reddened eyes, he said hoarsely, "I''ll stay too. Old Six, may you have a safe journey!" He gave Old Gu Six the ten pounds of aged rice he had just bought and hisst half tael of silver. "This is all I have. Let me pay you back first. When the world is at peace again, I''ll find you and pay back the rest, alright?" Old Gu Six took the half tael of silver but not the rice. "Just take back this half tael for now. You can pay back the restter." One could be without silver, but not without grains. Then he turned and left with Chang''an, leaving only the two of them on this journey of fleeing the famine, which was fine. They hadn''t nned on bringing others along from the start. Mu and the others stood and watched as Old Gu Six and his daughter disappeared into the distance, their figures bing two ck dots before vanishing at the end of the road. Those who decided to stay picked up their belongings and returned to the town to find the grain shopkeeper. The shopkeeper smiled and took them to meet the vige chief, having contributed to adding new residents to the town and gaining more than a dozen potential future customers. Chang''an and Old Gu Six stopped in a forest, moving all their belongings from the mule''s back into the spatial pocket. They put the empty basket back on the mule, adding two days'' worth of grains. Now it was just the two of them, father and daughter, with hardly anyone else on the road, so they could use the spatial pocket as long as they were careful and made sure no one was around. The vegetables and fruits from the refrigerator in the spatial pocket could finally be eaten. She hadn''t bathed for several months and was almost suffocated. That night, she let her father guard the campfire while she went into the spatial pocket and scrubbed herself from head to toe, then soaked for half an hour beforeing out, feeling like she had shed dozens of pounds. "Dad, you should go take a bath too. You really stink," she took out clean clothes and soap from the spatial pocket for Old Gu Six and filled arge bath tub with water, setting it about thirty meters away in the woods. Hearing his daughter say he stunk, Old Gu Six froze, lit a torch, grabbed the clean clothes and soap, and dashed towards the direction she had pointed. They hadn''t had a chance to bathe on the road, right? After the famine, they had only found one suitable water source, a flowing stream, where they had bathed once. Afterwards, they encountered only mountain springs, and the water flow was notrge. Everyone subconsciously thought they were now fleeing famine, so why would they get so clean just to be ughtered? They hadn''t bathed for two months by now. In this sweltering heat, two months without a bath, can you imagine how sour and refreshing that smell must be? The muley behind Chang''an, allowing her to lean against it. It must be said that this mule had be sentient. Ever since they threw away the carriage, it had been exceptionally obedient, acting on its own initiative without Chang''an''s direction. It would often make gestures to curry Chang''an''s favor, as if afraid that she would also discard it. From the woods on the right came rustling noises. The mule''s long ears twitched, and then it nuzzled Chang''an''s back, alerting her that someone wasing. Chang''an stroked its mule''s head, indicating that she knew. Two figures in ck robes emerged from the dark forest, a man and a woman. The man seemed injured, and the woman in ck was supporting him. It so happened that Old Gu Six also returned at this time. Seeing his somewhat disheveled appearance, he must have realized outsiders were present and hurried back. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 A young man in light blue cotton robes with dripping wet hair suddenly appeared, startling the two men in ck clothes. They knew it was unlikely for a lone young girl to spend the night in this deste wilderness. They did not expect to encounter a young man. The man had piercing ck eyes and an aura of chilling severity that was intimidating. The two men halted their steps, not daring to approach further. They could not afford anyplications in their current situation. Silently changing direction, they stopped about fifty meters away from Chang''an. Chang''an sniffed, the fragrance seemed familiar, was it the scent of a Shusheng moisturizing soap? She had been careless, simply grabbing a bar of soap without realizing it was the most strongly scented Shusheng. Tsk, she would need to be more careful next time. "Youngdy, your dad will clean up a bit. Shout if anyone elsees," Old Gu Six said. Seeing Chang''an nod, Old Gu Six added two sticks of firewood before leaving. Half an hourter, as Old Gu Six returned, Chang''an willed the bathtub back into her spatial dimension with a thought. The night was not very peaceful. Around midnight, a group of yamen runners wielding torches and wearing official uniforms appeared noisily in the woods. These men looked intimidating, but they did not give Old Gu Six and his daughter any trouble. At first nce, a child and a young man were clearly not the ones they were searching for. One of the runners was about to question Old Gu Six, but was stopped by another leader. "Don''t bother them. Questioning them is useless, those who fled have already escaped. Let''s search further ahead." "Yes," the man agreed after some thought. Even if this father and daughter had seen the fugitives, they had already fled. They would continue searching ahead. If there were no signs, then the fugitives might have entered the mountains. A woman and an injured man would not find it easy to survive in the mountains. The ones they were searching for were likely the couple Chang''an had seen. If they moved quickly, they might still catch up. After the yamen runners left, another thirty or so soldiers arrived, giving Chang''an and Old Gu Six only a cursory nce before rushing ahead without pause. Really, did they not look like decent people? What heinous deed had that couplemitted to provoke such a widespread manhunt? Even after the soldiers had passed, three more groups gave chase, by which time Chang''an had already fallen asleep. Old Gu Six would cover her ears whenever someone approached to avoid waking her. The two fugitives in ck seemed to have good luck, eluding capture despite the intense pursuit. The next morning, the weather was a bit cooler, signaling the arrival of early autumn. Chang''an changed into warmer clothes, but Old Gu Six still wore his summer short garment. Chang''an offered him a thicker robe, but he waved it off, saying he was not cold. "Dad, autumn is here again. We should find a ce to spend the winter," Chang''an said. Over a year had passed since they had fled, and they were still on the road. Those refugees who had gone south to Lingnan had probably already settled down. Some had indeed settled, but others wanted to escape and could not. Before even reaching the borders of Lingnan, they turned around and fled north. Chen Su had initially led his troops south, but upon witnessing the devastation there, with the region contested by several local warlords, he quickly abandoned the n and went to Lingnan instead. After arriving in Lingnan, he began actively recruiting and purchasing soldiers. When he could no longer attract voluntary recruits, he resorted to conscription, drafting able-bodied young male refugees into his army camps. Among them were the third and fourth sons of Vige Chief Yang, who bitterly regretted their decision, weeping as he watched only the elderly and women left in his family. More than just the Yang family shed tears of regret after arriving in Lingnan. Some even wailed and beat their chests,menting why they had not listened to those who urged them to go north instead. Now they had to face the consequences, with all the able-bodied men in their families conscripted into military service. Chang''an did not know the current situation in Lingnan. She and Old Gu Six traveled leisurely. Chang''an rode a mule while Old Gu Six led it, crossing mountain ranges, fields, and streams, from early autumn into early winter. What had initially been a journey for just the two of them gradually drew a scattered trail of refugees fleeing northward. Then Old Gu Six realized they had gone astray, ending up in the vast northwestern wilderness. Gazing at the boundless destion, a cold gust of wind swept up the yellow sand in a howling frenzy, a bleak and chilling sight. Chang''an and Old Gu Six: ... The refugees following behind: ... Sitting atop the mule, Chang''an casually remarked, "Dad, we may not make it to the north this year either." "Shall we try again next year?" Old Gu Six wondered where they had gone wrong, as they had been heading north all along. How did they end up in the northwest? "I suppose that''s an option." The refugees trailing behind them suddenly realized that following this father and daughter would be futile. Otherwise, they might never reach the north even after the drought ended. Old Gu Six led the mule, turning back, this time taking the rear as those who had followed them took the lead. In the distance, the jingling of bells could be heard. A caravan of over a hundred people, their goods marked with two different colored gs - one a triangr khaki color for an escort agency, the other blue with arge Chinese character ''jiang'' (river). Each wagon bore these gs, likely belonging to a merchant caravan guarded by the Qingyuan Escort Agency. "That''s the merchant caravan of the Jiangnan Jiang Family, escorted by the Qingyuan Escort Agency. The Jiangnan Jiang Family is the secondrgest merchant house in the Ye Dynasty, conducting business with the western regions." Chang''an gazed ahead and asked Old Gu Six, "Dad, do you know anyone from the Jiang Family caravan?" "I know someone from the Qingyuan Escort Agency. They once invited me to join, but I declined. Later, I was hired to escort one of their caravans. The weapons they used were forged by your grandfather." "Wow," Chang''an remarked, herte grandfather was indeed no ordinary man. Father and daughter withdrew their gaze as they passed by the distant caravan. The lead escort of the Jiang Family caravan, Wan Ke, also noticed Old Gu Six. Despite the distance, he recognized him. Wan Ke was momentarily stunned, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. It was indeed Old Gu Six. He let out an exmation of surprise - fleeing the famine had led them all the way to the northwest? What a remarkable feat. Wan Ke surmised that Old Gu Six was likely aiming for the north but had taken a wrong turn along the way. Old Gu Six had made such navigational mistakes before when escorting caravans for them, so Wan Ke immediately guessed the truth. He burst into loudughter, nearly scaring the life out of hisrades. "Let me catch my breath first, I''ll be right back." Wan Ke''s horse shot out like an arrow, and in the blink of an eye, it arrived before Old Gu Six. "Whoa!" Wan Ke tugged hard on the reins, and the horse reared up, neighing twice before finallying to a halt. The mule was startled by the horse, almost causing Chang''an to fall off, but thankfully Old Gu Six reacted quickly and caught him. "You''re seeking death," he put down his long sword, wasting no words as he drew his de and thrust it toward Wan Ke. The killing intent that rushed at him made Wan Ke break out in a cold sweat, and he barely dodged that sword strike. It had only been three years since theyst met, but Old Gu Six''s martial arts skills had advanced by at least two levels, and the substantial pressure he exerted almost left Wan Ke with no strength to retaliate. Wan Ke apologized as he evaded, "Old Gu Six, Old Gu Six, quickly stop, I was wrong, I was wrong." Old Gu Six flicked his wrist, and the fierce sword gleam shed by, slicing off half of Wan Ke''s sleeve. It was only then that he withdrew his attack, twirling the sword flower lightly before sheathing his soft sword back at his waist. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 "Are you nning to take your daughter to the North? Have you considered going South instead? Although it''s quite chaotic there right now, the environment and climate are not bad." Wan Ke earnestly suggested to Old Gu Six to consider the South. Their escort agency had also moved there, and it was a waste for someone as skilled as Old Gu Six not to take advantage of this. By the way his eyes were darting, Old Gu Six knew he was not up to any good and rejected him emotionlessly, "No." "Ah, don''t be so hasty. The North is really cold. If not for yourself, consider your daughter, won''t you?" Old Gu Six patted Chang''an''s head, unmoved, "I''m afraid you don''t need to worry about that, Wan Ke." They were just acquaintances, not friends, and he had no intention of reminiscing with him. After putting Chang''an back on the mule, he left. Wan Ke didn''t stop him. Where others wanted to go was their own business. He had just given what he thought was the best advice. If Old Gu Six didn''t listen, there was nothing he could do. He really wanted to be friends with Old Gu Six, but unfortunately, he wasn''t interested. It seemed like Old Gu Six didn''t want to get too close to anyone. No matter how familiar they were, he would always maintain a certain distance. Old Gu Six had set a threshold in his interactions with people. He wouldn''t cross it, and neither could others. Watching the father and daughter''s retreating figures, Wan Ke smiled helplessly, turned his horse around, and returned to the caravan. Perhaps they''ll meet again if fate allows. Before nighttime, Chang''an and Old Gu Six arrived at a deserted town. There was no one left in the town, the streets were covered in yellow sand, the y walls had copsed in many ces, the thatched roofs had fallen to the ground, the doors and windows were in tatters. The people of this town must have fled from famine a long time ago. They chose a house with rtively intact doors and windows to stay in. The doors and windows were indeed intact, but there was no roof. However, the walls hadn''t copsed, which was quite good. They couldn''t be too picky. Now it was just her and Old Gu Six, Chang''an took full advantage of the space, and they had a small barbecue at night. Lamb skewers, beef skewers, roasted eggnt, and corn were all on the grill. After a round of operation, very good, she taught Old Gu Six the skill of barbecuing. When they got to the North, they could set up a barbecue stall to sell skewers. "Dad, is it delicious? In the future, we can sell barbecue at the market." Chang''an flipped themb skewer in her hand, grinning foolishly. "Not bad, we can set up a stall during farming downtime. It''s easier than going hunting in the mountains." "Do you want to make a fortune?" She asked casually, somewhat carefree. Old Gu Six thought carefully before answering Chang''an, "No, I used to practice hard so I could protect you and your mother. Now, I just want to find a quiet and stable ce with you, with decent scenery to settle down." He didn''t have any ambition, neither to achieve a great career nor to make a fortune. He might have had such thoughts when he was young and reckless. But when the Gu family could no longer bully him, he no longer expected anything from them. The urgent desire to be sessful gradually disappeared. "Well, if you don''t, you don''t. To cultivate a field well is also an achievement," in this era of scarcity, cultivating a field well is not a simple matter. It seems she forgot to tell Mu and the others about nting sweet potatoes. No matter, once they begin cultivating sweet potatoes and potatoes, they will surely promote it. They will find out eventually. Barbecue should be apanied by beer, she didn''t stock up on that, but she did have Happy Fatty Water. She and Old Gu Six''s father each had a can. "My girl, what is this?" Cool and sweet, it even fizzes when you drink it. "Coke, do you like it?" Chang''an gulped down a mouthful, sighing contentedly. It had been a long time since she hadst drank it, and today she finally gets a taste. "Tastes good." Old Gu Six tilted his head back and ''glug-glug'' finished a whole can in one go. In the evening, the father and daughter eachy on a grass mat on the ground, hands cushioning their heads, legs slightly raised, even the angle of their shaking legs was the same. Their movements were not just simr, they were identical. Without any doubt, they were blood-rted. They gazed at the stars and nned their future. Old Gu Six gently said, "Find a small vige with not too many people and settle there. Buy some fertilend, cultivate the fields, do a bit of hunting, asionally go to town to sell some barbecue. Life doesn''t need to be rich and morous, simple and in is good." Chang''an agreed with his idea. After all, her mission was to protect him until his natural death. As long as he didn''t court disaster, anything was fine. She was not a career-oriented person, not to mention she had no ns to marry. She wouldn''t even have any descendants, so why bother with a career? Was she supposed to work herself to death, then leave her property to strangers after she''s gone? So, what was she after? Was she just looking for something to do because she was bored? She was a selfish person, without such noble virtues. How could she build a career and then donate it to the country? If she were still in her original world, she might have done so. But here, she was not even sure if this world truly existed, or if it was just one of the countless small worlds in the universe. However, Chang''an still felt it wasn''t real enough, like a virtual world. She had no interest in making a fuss. Live as easily as possible, as if starting a retirement life. The father-daughter duo made their way leisurely on their own refugee path. Along the way, they even saw people who had originally fled from the northwest and were now returning. "Madam, where are you from?" Chang''an helped a woman who almost fell. Compared to the groups of people, she seemed too weak. They were all women, in tattered clothes, withered looks, numb expressions, even despair. The madam sat down with the help of Chang''an''s hand, her voice very soft, as if it would dissipate with a gust of wind. "We were originally fleeing from the northwest, but we didn''t expect to end up back here." Chang''an squatted next to her, asking in confusion, "Where did you go? Why did youe back?" "We went to the south, but we didn''t know there was a gue there. My two sons were infected with the gue and died there. Then we left the south and wanted to go to Lingnan. But before we left the southern border, there was a war. My husband was captured and forced into the army. He was killed on the spot for refusing. I was the only one left in our family. We heard that Lingnan was also very chaotic, simr to the south. So, everyone decided to return to our homnd." "But what good does it do to return? With no grain, no water, and thend parched, isn''t it just waiting for death?" Looking at these people, for some reason, Chang''an felt a suffocating sensation in her heart. "Why don''t you go north?" Madam shook her head,ughing lightly, "Since I''vee back, I won''t leave. I have no concerns left in this world. How long I can live is up to fate. I don''t want to struggle anymore." "Which vige are you returning to?" "We can see it from here." Chang''an looked in the direction she was pointing, right where she and her father had taken a rest, a ce without a memorial archway or a stone monument, the name of the vige unknown. She helped Madam up, "Shall my father and I take you back?" Looking at the sincere gaze of Chang''an, such a soft-hearted young girl, Madam was reminded of her deceased daughter. Any words of refusal she had, ultimately remained unspoken. Tears welled up in her eyes as she nodded, with Chang''an''s assistance, she slowly walked towards the vige in the distance. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Not everyone who returned with Madam was from the same vige, but that didn''t matter anymore. After all, they were all living day-to-day, and it was all the same wherever they settled. The terrain looked like the loess hills that Chang''an had seen on the inte in her previous life, except that they weren''t living in cave dwellings, but rather in short, mud-brick houses. Many of the houses had copsed, probably from being uninhabited for too long. The vigers went back to their own homes, while the outsiders searched for liveable houses to settle in. For non-locals to register and settle here, they were supposed to report to the County Administration Office, but in these chaotic times, it didn''t matter whether they reported or not. It was even a question whether there was still anyone at the County Administration Office. Madam''s house was on the west side of the vige, with three bedrooms and a kitchen room. One of the bedrooms had copsed, and half of the mud-brick courtyard wall had crumbled. After sending Madam home, Chang''an looked around but couldn''t find a well, which puzzled her. Even without a drought, where would they get drinking water? "Father, why don''t you go check outside, and maybe we can settle down here too?" Chang''an gave Old Gu Six a signal, which he understood as his daughter wanting him to get Madam out of the way so she could take action. Old Gu Six nodded, then casually said to Madam, "Sister-inw, could you take me outside for a look? I want to see if this ce is suitable for us to settle down." "Huh? Aren''t you going north?" Madam looked perplexed. "It''s not a must. It''s all the same wherever we go. I just want to take a look, and if it''s not suitable, we''ll leave." Madam found it odd that this young man didn''t seem to be thinking straight. Anyone with eyes could see that this ce was unsuitable for living, unless they were like her, just waiting to die. "Father, you go ahead and look around. I''ll rest here and wait for you toe back," Chang''an waved her hand and smiled, saying she wouldn''t go. "All right, you wait here for Father to return." Watching Old Gu Six and Madam walk away, Chang''an searched the front and back courtyards, trying to find a way to store more water for Madam and the others. In the front courtyard, she found tworge water jars buried in pits, covered with wooden boards. The jars were quite clean since they were covered. Chang''an immediately used therge water jars from her space to fill them up, then transferred the water into the buried jars. Therge water jars in her space were used back in Qingfang Vige, and though they looked big, when she filled them and poured the water into the buried jars, it only filled them halfway. It took fourrge jars of water to fill the tworge buried jars. With fifty or sixty people, these two jars wouldn''tst long, even for drinking. Chang''an covered the water jars with wooden boards, then went to the house nearest Madam''s. This household had only a kitchen room left standing. Thinking that Madam''s house had two buried water jars, perhaps other houses had them too, probably used for storing water. Indeed, there was onerge jar, which Chang''an filled and covered before returning to Madam''s house. The vige wasn''t big, and the best houses were already upied. She didn''t n to go around helping others store water, as she couldn''t keep finding excuses to kick people out of their homes. It was now early winter, and with threerge jars of water, they should be able to make itst until it snowed if they were frugal. Once it snowed, they could melt snow for water, which could tide them over into next year. Of course, Chang''an didn''t know if it would snow, but she hoped Heaven wouldn''t deprive the impoverished of this chance. The most important issue now was food. Chang''an sighed, this was the downside of not having a carriage for concealment. Their belongings were out in the open, whereas with a carriage, they could have smuggled out more food. In her space, she still had some tough steamed buns and fried dough twists, foods they rarely ate. She had about two hundred steamed buns and three hundred fried dough twists left. Chang''an had initially nned to leave them with Madam to distribute, but then worried that if there were any malicious people, it could endanger Madam. It seemed she and Old Gu Six would have to stay another day, waiting until night to discreetly deliver the food to each household, under the guise of doing a good deed anonymously. It was unavoidable, as in this situation, she couldn''t openly do good deeds, lest it raise suspicions about how she acquired so much food out of nowhere. It was better to be an anonymous benefactor. She had originally intended to stick to her policy of not helping or saving anyone, but seeing the despondent expressions on these elderly, weak, and helpless people triggered her saviorplex. So she would lend them a hand, but whether they could survive this cmity was beyond her concern. She would do her part, and leave the rest to Heaven''s will. Half an hourter, Old Gu Six and Madam returned. "Father, Madam, you''re back! Madam, earlier I was curious and lifted the wooden boards in your courtyard, and found two jars of water in the buried pits." Chang''an cheerfully shared her ''discovery'', acting as if she had found some amazing treasure, putting on quite a convincing show. Madam stared in shock at the spot where Chang''an had lifted the boards, seeing the tworge jars filled with water. She knelt and wailed, not crying out of joy, but mourning her dead children and husband. How wonderful it would have been if her children and husband had also returned. The father and daughter didn''t disturb her, quietly leaving the courtyard and waiting outside for a while before returning. By then, Madam had stopped crying. She stood up, wiped her tears, and said a bit apologetically, "Forgive me for making a scene." "It''s alright, Madam. The copsed house next door also has a full water jar." Upon hearing this, Madam was delighted. She hurried out to inform everyone toe to her house for water. She didn''t go door-to-door, only telling the nearest two households, who then spread the word to the others. Within two quarters of an hour, fifty or sixty people had gathered in Madam''s courtyard. They didn''t have buckets, only water pouches and bamboo tubes, which they used to fill up. Even after filling all their containers, there was still a third of therge jar left. Chang''an noticed that there were no relieved expressions, and the aura of despondency hadn''t lifted despite having water. It made sense when she thought about it - having water didn''t change the fact that theycked food. Perhaps Madam was the most optimistic among them, at least they had water to drink for the time being. Chang''an took out twenty steamed buns from the spatial bag and gave them to Madam, leaving under her teary gaze. In fact, they hadn''t gone far, just leaving this vige and stopping behind a high ground. "My daughter, do you n to bring them food tonight?" Old Gu Six mumbled with a mouthful of tomato. Chang''an felt exasperated, silently sighing in relief that she had cleverly acquired a spatial bag from that someone, otherwise, how could they afford to feed this glutton? On the escape from the famine, except for the period when Chang Le apanied them, he had stopped eating. But once everyone parted ways, this Old Six started eating nonstop, his stomach like a ck hole connected to outer space, never seeming to be full no matter how much he ate. She was thankful that the two fridges in the spatial bag had a regenerating function, able to supply his voracious appetite. Chang''an ate a bag of spicy strips and leisurely replied, "Yeah, we''ll go do a good deed tonight, you''ll be my lookout." Chapter 55 When the moon reached its zenith, a pair of a tall man and a young girl led a mule into the vige. Father and daughter worked together; Old Gu Six went to check the sleeping spots of the households, while Chang''an filled every family''s water jars to the brim. Even the household of Madam, whose water jar was previously three-quarters emptied, was replenished. At each house, they left a sack of one hundred pounds of aged rice, twenty steamed buns, and thirty tbreads, as well as thirty pounds of white flour, all ced in the kitchens. On their journey, they had been eating fresh rice, only leaving Chang Le twenty pounds of aged rice. This time, the aged rice in Chang''an''s spatial pouch waspletely depleted, and all the steamed buns and tbreads were given away. Since they had been caring for Chang Le for nearly a year, as the saying goes, "A half-grown boy eats a poor father out of house and home." The fourteen or fifteen-year-old youth was in the midst of a growth spurt, and apart from meals on the road, there was nothing else to eat, so his appetite matched that of Old Gu Six. They had two rice pots made, and without the aged rice as a base, Chang''an''s spatial pouch had only about nine hundred pounds of rice left. However, it wasn''t a big problem, as the five pounds of rice in the fridge could be reused cyclically. Moreover, they still had flour, instant noodles, dumplings, and other food items, enough to sustain them until they reached the northernnds. After finishing the final household, father and daughter, along with the mule, left the vige and returned to the ce where they had rested earlier, nning to continue their journey the next day. As dawn broke, wails of joy echoed throughout the vige. The water and provisions Chang''an had given them brought hope for survival, and their once hopeless, numb expressions came alive. Madam recalled Chang''an and Old Gu Six from the previous day, and a vague guess formed in her mind. However, she kept this burgeoning answer to herself, not telling anyone else for fear of bringing trouble upon them. In the years that followed, during her lifetime, Madam erected a memorial tablet for Chang''an and Old Gu Six in her home, praying for the benefactors'' longevity, fortune, and peace. But of course, that is a story for another time. For now, Chang''an and Old Gu Six set out on their journey home, greeted by the morning sun. To be prepared, Chang''an took out fifty pounds of rice for the mule to carry, unpacked a box of breakfast bread, removed all the packaging, and ced the bread in a clean cloth sack in her basket. "Father, should we look for a carriage in the town?" Chang''an felt it would be inconvenient without a carriage, making it difficult to take advantage of her spatial pouch. Old Gu Six agreed that having a carriage would be more convenient. After searching for half a day, they finally found the main road, which was deste and devoid of people. They walked for two more days before reaching a small county town with earthen walls and open gates, unguarded by soldiers. Inside the town, many shops were closed, and few people roamed the streets. Those present appeared sickly, with yellowplexions and thin bodies, looking weary and travel-worn. "Young brother, could you please tell me which direction the carriages are?" Old Gu Six stopped a sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth to ask for directions. The youth noticed their neat attire and Old Gu Six''s handsome features, as well as the young girl''s fair appearance, standing out from the locals. They were clearly outsiders. "Go left at the next intersection," the youth replied without difficulty or misleading them. He then hurried off, as if in a rush. Chang''an and Old Gu Six followed the youth''s directions, turning left, and found the carriage shop at the end of the street. The shopkeeper was an old man in his sixties. There were no new carriages, only five used ones for sale. "These are all the carriages here, all used ones. I''ll sell them to you cheap," the old man said with a hunched back, leaving Old Gu Six to make his choice. Chang''an approached the shopkeeper and asked, "Shopkeeper, why are there so few people in this town?" "They''ve all gone elsewhere to settle down," the old man sighed, taking a rag to wipe the dust off the carriages. "Why haven''t you left, Shopkeeper?" "The yellow soil has buried us up to our necks. Living anywhere is the same, so I don''t want to bother." Old Gu Six selected a small but sturdy-looking carriage, primarily for the convenience of using Chang''an''s spatial pouch on the road. "Shopkeeper, how much is this carriage in silver?" The old man nced at it casually and said, "Four taels will do." Father and daughter exchanged a nce. So cheap? The shopkeeper then exined, "I didn''t spend much silver acquiring these carriages, so selling them to you for four taels isn''t a loss. After selling these few, I''ll be closing down." Since the shopkeeper imed he wasn''t losing money, Old Gu Six paid the silver without hesitation, pulled the carriage out of the shop, unhitched the mule from its load, and attached the carriage to it. This carriage was a proper one,plete with carriage doors. After Old Gu Six loaded their belongings inside, Chang''an climbed aboard. The carriage had seats inside, and once she was seatedfortably, Old Gu Six drove the mule-drawn carriage away. Ever since acquiring the carriage, Chang''an would cook and eat in the spatial pouch of the carriage every day. They had been traveling for about half a month when they encountered more and more refugees along the way. Upon inquiry, most of them were fleeing from the south. Old Gu Six drove the mule-drawn carriage amidst these refugees, appearing rather out of ce. Looking at the others, covered in dirt and grime, and then at themselves, clean and tidy, they certainly didn''t seem like refugees themselves. Some people curiously asked Old Gu Six, "Brother, where are you from?" "From the Capital," Old Gu Six replied without hesitation. The one who asked was driving a donkey-drawn carriage, appearing cleaner and neater than those traveling on foot. He was apanied by his elderly parents and carried arge sword at his waist, a martial artist. Confirming this with a nce, the man introduced himself during their midday rest. "My name is Lin Fucheng, from Nantang County. May I ask your name, Brother?" "My surname is Gu, and I''m the sixth son, so you can call me Old Gu Six." Old Gu Six spread out a straw mat on the ground and casually responded to the friendly Lin Fucheng. Chang''an brought out their pre-prepared lunch from the carriage: thirty steamed dumplings, five egg pancakes, now only slightly warm and no longer fragrant. She then returned to the carriage to retrieve a small y jar of pickled vegetables. Father and daughter had already begun eating, while next door, Lin Fucheng''s mother had just put the rice into the pot, as was the case with other families. Everyone curiously looked over at their food, but seeing it was just pre-made provisions, they didn''t pay much more attention. Chang''an only ate one egg pancake and three steamed dumplings, while Old Gu Six finished off the rest. As the crowd was having lunch, a heart-wrenching cry erupted from the front, attracting arge group of onlookers, each holding their bowls as they gathered around. The quickest to react was Lin Fucheng''s mother, who downed her gruel and set down her bowl and chopsticks in just a few gulps, her old legs moving swiftly as she rushed forward. "You beasts! My Eldest Daughter is only twelve years old, how could you bear to sell her to a man over thirty years her senior? Jing Dazhuang, you coward, you can''t even protect your own daughter, you don''t deserve to be the Eldest Daughter''s father!" The Eldest Daughter was held tightly in her mother''s embrace, a kitchen knife clutched in her hand. As the old man reached out to grab the Eldest Daughter, she red at him and shed at him with the knife. The old man retreated hastily, observing the Eldest Daughter''s mother''s frenzied state. It seemed he would not be able to take this wife home, so he prioritized his own safety. With narrowed eyes and a sullen expression on his fleshy face, he said coldly to Old Woman Jing, "Return the grain and silver to me, I will not be marrying into this family." Old Woman Jing was reluctant to return the grain and silver she had obtained, but seeing the Eldest Daughter''s mother''s crazed state, she too feared being stabbed. In the end, she pushed forward the Second Daughter, who was of the same age as the Eldest Daughter, to take her ce. Chapter 56 Er Ya''s Mothercked the firmness of Da Ya''s Mother, and she was also someone who heavily favored sons over daughters. She had given birth to three daughters before finally having a son as her fourth child. In her view, exchanging Second Daughter for thirty jin of rice and one tael of silver was quite worthwhile, as she certainly didn''tck for daughters. Most importantly, she didn''t dare defy her mother-inw, as she had no natal family to back her up. She lived cautiously in her husband''s family, so how could she possibly protect Second Daughter? The Old Widower cast a somewhat disdainful nce at the sallow and emaciated Second Daughter. Though the same age as Eldest Daughter, one was fresh and lively while the other looked worse than a long-starved refugee. The twelve-year-old girl was listless, her stature no taller than a ten-year-old child. But none of that mattered. He was merely buying a servant girl to attend to him; as long as she worked diligently, that would suffice. Compared to the pampered Eldest Daughter, Second Daughter was indeed more suitable. Second Daughter didn''t resist, following the Old Widower as he left. She knew that even if she resisted, it would be futile. Her mother wouldn''t protect her like her aunt had protected Eldest Daughter. She even optimistically thought that perhaps life with the Old Widower would be better than in the Jing Family. As long as she worked hard, the Old Widower should feed her. Indeed, she would have food to eat, but beatings would be inevitable as well. Thismotion at the Jing Family alerted Eldest Daughter''s maternal grandmother''s family. Eldest Daughter''s grandmother arrived with her three sons and daughters-inw to support her daughter and granddaughter. "Madam Jing, is your entire family about to starve to death or what? How dare you try to exchange my granddaughter for grain and silver!" Eldest Daughter''s three maternal uncles wasted no words, immediately pinning down Jing Dazhuang and pummeling him. Old Woman Jing anxiously hopped from foot to foot nearby, not daring to intervene for fear of being caught in the crossfire. Jing Erzhuang and Jing Sanzhuang kept their distance, more afraid of being implicated. They had experienced the fists of the Ye brothers before and knew it wasn''t a force they could withstand. The sound of fists hitting flesh was painful to hear. Old Woman Jing was unwilling to call her other two sons to help, fearing they would also be beaten. She could only harshly rebuke Da Ya''s Mother: "Madam Ye, are you just going to watch your husband be beaten by your brothers? Quickly stop them!" Da Ya''s Mother held her daughter, turning her back to Old Woman Jing, pretending not to hear. Eldest Daughter''s older and younger brothers were filial enough to try to stop their uncles when they saw their father being beaten, but to no avail. They were pushed away and fell two meters back. These two good-for-nothings had long been corrupted by Old Woman Jing and were of no good character. They remained silent when their grandmother tried to sell their sister, only thinking of how to benefit from the situation. After the Ye family uncles finished beating Jing Dazhuang, Ye Sanniang (Da Ya''s Mother) proposed a divorce. "Jing Dazhuang, let''s divorce. Your family is a den of wolves, utterly vicious. I fear that if I''m not careful, my Eldest Daughter will be sold off by you people one day." Old Woman Jing excitedly jumped out, pointing at Ye Sanniang and cursing, "You cheap hussy! You slut! I knew you were restless, wanting to divorce so you can go find your lover, isn''t that right?" She certainly couldn''t let Madam Ye divorce Dazhuang; she had no money to find another wife for him. "p!" Old Lady Ye gave Old Woman Jing a resounding p across the face, pointing at her nose and angrily scolding, "You disrespectful old thing, your mind is full of filthy thoughts!" Old Woman Jing screamed and lunged at Old Lady Ye after being hit, but no one helped her. Her daughters-inw all hid far away, watching her being beaten with schadenfreude expressions. Old Lady Ye''s daughters-inw came forward to hold down Old Woman Jing and beat her. It was a one-sided group assault; Old Woman Jing was only tough within her own family, but a pushover when facing outsiders. "Jing Dazhuang, if you don''t agree to the divorce, we''ll beat your mother to death." Jing Dazhuang was a filial son. Seeing his mother beaten ck and blue, his earlier resolve to refuse the divorce instantly vanished. How could a wife be more important than his mother? If it''s divorce, then so be it. After all, he already had two sons. He gritted his teeth and said, "I agree to the divorce. Release my mother first." Ye Sanniang''s younger brother, Ye Tingfeng, immediately ran back to their temporary lodgings to fetch writing materials to help his sister draft a divorce agreement. He was the most educated in the Old Ye Family, having already passed the child examination. If not for the famine year, he would have been taking the provincial examinations this year. "Mother, what are you doing? Isn''t little sister fine? Why must you break up this family?" Ye Sanniang''s eldest son, Jing Dabao, looked on with disapproval, even ring at Eldest Daughter, feeling it was all her fault. Ye Sanniang ignored her eldest son. She had long been utterly disappointed in these two sons and had no hope for them. Ye Tingfeng quickly returned with thepleted divorce agreement. Ye Sanniang bit her finger and pressed a fingerprint on it. Jing Dazhuang was illiterate and didn''t know that the divorce agreement stated that Eldest Daughter had no rtion to him and would henceforth take the Ye surname. He thought it was just a regr divorce agreement, but he still felt he should be angry and indignant. He red with round eyes, but only for a moment. The three Ye brothers stood nearby, eyeing him fiercely, with an air that suggested they would beat him to death if he didn''t press his fingerprint. With no choice, as his own brothers wouldn''t help him, he could only press his fingerprint in frustration. Seeing their parents truly divorcing, Jing Dabao and Jing Erbao felt a moment of panic, but quickly dismissed it. They felt their mother was too inconsiderate, always causing unrest in the family. The divorce was a good thing; in the future, they wouldn''t have to worry about their mother interfering with their marriage prospects. Ye Sanniang didn''t know what her two ungrateful sons were thinking, and even if she did, she wouldn''t have cared. Surrounded by her brothers and sisters-inw, she took her daughter back to the Ye family. Old Woman Jing sat on the ground, crying and wailing, cursing the Ye family''s ancestors for eighteen generations. However, all the spectators had dispersed, leaving her to perform her one-woman show. Jing Dazhuang went to help his mother up, only to receive a p in return. "You useless thing, you just stand there watching while others bully your mother." The filial son Jing Dazhuang silently endured his mother''s "love," while his two good sons turned away in disgust, pretending not to see. Mother Lin returned from watching the spectacle and began animatedly sharing the gossip, concluding with a sigh to her husband and son, "In these chaotic times, such incidents will likely be moremon." Lin Fuchengforted his mother, "Mother, don''t worry. I won''t sell my children." "Of course you won''t. Even if you wanted to, you don''t have any to sell!" Mother Lin flew into a rage at the mention of this, grabbing a fire poker and giving her son a sound thrashing. At twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, he still couldn''t find a wife. Bah, what rotten luck! Old Man Lin sat to the side, chuckling as he watched the mother and son''s chase of attack and retreat. Chang''an and Old Gu Six were chewing on dried meat, watching Lin Fucheng scurry about, finding it quite amusing. After a brief rest, they prepared to set off again. Chang''an lifted the curtain of the carriage window to look outside. These refugees were far better off than those they had encountered initially; at least these people had food, water, and clothing. With so many people on the road, it was inevitable toe across some peculiar characters. The most frequent and lively disputes were about mother-inw and daughter-inw rtionships, as well as the issue of favoring boys over girls. One mother, in an attempt to get meat for her son, wanted to sell her fourteen-year-old daughter to Old Gu Six as a concubine. "I see that your family only has a father and daughter. It must be inconvenient without a woman to take care of household chores," she said. "My daughter is very hardworking, with a voluptuous figure that''s good for childbearing. She can give you a chubby son to continue your family line. You can take her away for just one cured meat." Chang''an thought to herself that it was another trouble brought on by cured meat and rice. They just wanted to leisurely escape the famine, why did they keep encountering such bizarre people? Chapter 57 The young girl pushed forward by the woman shyly looked at Old Gu Six, showing no sign of unwillingness. Chang''an thought: Another day of "what the dog?!" Big sister, is something wrong with your brain? Why are you acting shy towards an old man? Even if he is good-looking, he''s still an old man. "Are you sure you want to sell your daughter to my father?" Chang''an rolled her eyes dramatically. Old Gu Six''s gaze remained fixed on his daughter. Seeing her roll her eyes, he found it adorably endearing. The woman nodded firmly. One look at this family and she could tell they were well-off. If they could establish a connection through marriage, her son could benefit greatly. Chang''an took a sip of water and said, "My father is simply inhuman. He likes to beat women. My mother was beaten to death by him. He''s always unreasonable. After killing his wife, he even takes it out on her family. My grandparents and uncles were all buried alive by him. If you think you can handle his temper, you can sell your daughter to be his eighth wife. I''ll even acknowledge her as my stepmother. Yes, you heard right, the eighth. He kills one every year. The deaths of the inws weren''t all from being buried alive. Some were beaten to death, some were burned alive, and others were thrown to the wolves in the mountains." The woman stared in disbelief, her eyes wide. "The... the eighth?" "That''s right. If she marries my father, she''ll be my eighth mother. So, do you want to make the trade or not?" The people around them fearfully backed away, keeping a distance of ten zhang. What kind of monster was this? Old Gu Six''s mouth twitched. His daughter was earnestly ruining his reputation, but he didn''t stop her. If this ''good'' reputation spread, they might have some peace on the road. They had been truly annoyedtely, with people frequently approaching to bother them. He even yed along by kicking the woman''s son and pping her husband twice, portraying the image of a short-tempered man with violent tendencies. The young girl and her mother turned pale with fright. They quickly helped the son (brother) up and left without a word. This man looked decent, but who knew he was capable of such atrocities. They''d better find a normal person to trade meat for their son. Having meat is useless if you''re not alive to eat it. The Lin family of three looked at Chang''an and Old Gu Six as if they had learned something new. They didn''t believe what Chang''an said, treating it as if she was speaking nonsense with a straight face. This series of wild actions had a good effect; no one dared to approach and bother them anymore. Chang''an was curious about how these people had escaped to this ce. How did they avoid being conscripted by the Jing King along the way? "The Jing King''s fief is in internal strife. We took advantage of the chaos to slip through," Lin Fucheng felt that life had be unbearable. They thought escaping from the south would make things better, but they didn''t expect the outside to be just as chaotic. Chang''an looked up at the gloomy sky. "Father, let''s find a ce to rest." The weather was getting colder. It looked like it would either snow or rain, neither good for traveling. Old Gu Six also nced at the sky. "Daughter, hold on tight," he said, then cracked his whip on the mule. The cart no longer moved leisurely but galloped forward. Fortunately, others intentionally avoided them, so they could move quickly. This ce had no viges or inns nearby. If they didn''t hurry, they might end up getting caught in the rain. Lin Fucheng followed them, feeling that this father-daughter pair seemed like experienced refugees. Following them couldn''t be wrong. An hourter, they found an abandoned, dpidated temple. When the main door was pushed open, it made a dull creaking sound. The Buddha statue standing in the center was covered in dust. The main hall of the ruined temple was vast, able to amodate fifty to sixty people. On the left and right sides stood or sat over a hundred bodhisattvas whose names Chang''an didn''t know, all covered in a thickyer of dust. "How could such arge temple be abandoned?" Lin Fucheng found it unbelievable. He could understand small temples being abandoned due tock of incense offerings, but building such arge temple would have required significant manpower and resources. How could they bear to let it fall into ruin? "When the incense offerings dwindle, it naturally falls into disrepair." That made sense. People who worship believe that crowded ces with thriving incense offerings are more efficacious, regardless of the temple''s size. Their voices echoed in the main hall, making it seem particrly empty. A "pitter-patter" sound started on the roof. Chang''an walked to the door to take a look. "What the...? It''s actually hailing?" Hail in winter? This was her first time experiencing it. Like small stones, hail fell densely from the sky. The heavens seemed unconcerned about potentially killing people, and the hailstones were getting bigger as they fell. Old Gu Six went out to lead the mule into the main hall. Lin Fucheng followed suit, also fearing his donkey might be killed by the hail. Chang''an saw that the hailstones were now as big as her fist. She looked up at the roof, expecting that the dpidated temple''s ceiling would likely be smashed into a skylight. The howling wind blew hail into the main hall. Chang''an, standing at the doorway, was hit by arge hailstone. Luckily, her clothes were thick, otherwise, she would have been bruised. They all worked together to close the main hall door. "Father, let''s set up a tent inside the main hall using our rain covers." They had two pieces of rainproof cloth. To be safe, they made a threeyered canopy, with the four supporting points on the roof beams. They had plenty of hemp rope, and Old Six Father''s lightness skill made it easy for him to climb up to the beams. As Chang''an had predicted, even the hail was abnormal in this year of disasters. The roof was smashed by dense hailstones the size of a grown man''s fist, and broken tiles came ttering down. They took shelter in the tent, temporarily safe. Of course, the Lin family had set up their own tent on the other side of the main hall, keeping to themselves. The doors and windows of the main hall were in danger of being blown open by the strong wind. Old Gu Six and Lin Fucheng together lifted the heavy incense table and propped it up against the main door. They also movedrge bodhisattva statues to block the windows on both sides. Lin Fucheng sped his hands and said, "Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha speaks of universal salvation. Please help us ovee this difficulty first. Don''t take offense." By the time he finished his muttering, Old Gu Six had already blocked two windows. Outside, the sky was pitch ck. Once all the windows were blocked, the main hall was so dark you couldn''t see your hand in front of your face. Chang''an took out two prayer candles and lit them. Not hearing anymotion from Lin Fucheng''s side, she assumed they also had some form of lighting, so she didn''t ask Old Six Father to do a good deed and send them candles. Not knowing what time it was, Chang''an felt a bit hungry. It must be around dinnertime. Her space was stocked with firewood, but it wouldn''t be wise to use it without reason, especially with strangers present. Old Gu Six understood immediately. He grabbed a candle and strolled through the main hall, dismantling two small incense tables to use as firewood. He gave some to Lin Fucheng as well. Their family knelt and bowed before the Buddha statue, murmuring, "Please forgive us, Bodhisattva." Chang''an entered her space to cook, while Old Gu Six started a fire with the wood he''d brought back. It certainly wouldn''t be enough tost the night, so Chang''an tossed out some more from her space. In the space''s freezer, there were wild chickens and rabbits that Old Gu Six had hunted before. Chang''an prepared a stewed wild chicken with mushrooms, a pot of rice, and a dish of stir-fried green peppers with shredded pork. Old Gu Six pulled down the curtains of the shelter to prevent the aroma from wafting out. They had just finished dinner, with dishes and utensils still on the table, when the main hall''s door was pounded with a loud ''bang bang''. Faint shouts could be heard from outside. Old Gu Six calmly moved the incense table aside and opened the hall doors. Outside stood seven or eight ck-d men, battered by therge hailstones and looking like wet dogs. Chapter 58 The people inside and outside the door locked eyes, recognizing each other from a previous brief encounter. They looked even more disheveled than when they first met. Old Gu Six: These two are really lucky, so many people couldn''t catch them. The man and woman outside: Is this the fate the fortune-teller spoke of? No, where on earth is this person going? Based on their previous direction, they should be heading north, so why the hell did they take a turn? Are they just going in circles for fun? "Remember to close the door when youe in," Old Gu Six said indifferently as he turned back to his own shed. The left and right sides of the main hall were upied, with the eight people who had just entered resting in the front hall. They had chopped up the Buddha''s donation box to use as firewood. Buddha: This is somewhatcking in virtue. The three groups did not interfere with each other. Outside, the fierce wind continued to howl, though the hailstones were bing smaller and less dense. Chang''an watched as her Old Six Dad finished his dinner, then devoured a tomato and a handful of dried banana chips. "Dad, do you know what a greasy old man is?" "No idea," Old Six shook his head honestly as he chewed on some beef jerky. It was the first time he had heard this term. "It''s okay if you don''t know. When you be fat, bby, and your face is all shiny with oil, look in the mirror and you''ll understand." "Don''t worry, daughter. I practice martial arts and exercise. I''ll never end up like that. I''ll always be your most handsome dad." As he finished speaking, he wolfed down two more grilled shrimp. Chang''an: ... You glutton! This stomach connected to outer space was truly beyond herprehension. But what could she do? This was her biological father, it''s not like she could throw him away, right? She could only be more diligent in taking things out of the refrigerator to let it restock, otherwise it couldn''t keep up with Old Six Dad''s eating speed. Chang''anid out her bedding andy down to sleep. Seeing his daughter was about to sleep, Old Gu Six also stopped eating. He sat cross-legged nearby, closing his eyes to practice his internal martial arts. The shed was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and Chang''an fell into a peaceful sleep. In such a quiet environment, even the slightest sound could be infinitely amplified. Perhaps the group outside was too confident, as they brazenly began to discuss their affairs. Though their voices were low, those trained in martial arts had keen hearing, and Old Gu Six heard everything clearly. A woman''s hushed voice said, "We''ve searched all the ces the master mentioned but found nothing. Could the master''s information be wrong?" Another man said softly, "It can''t be wrong. The information came from the pce. The Military Command Token must just be hidden too well and hard to find. We''ll go to thest house now. If we still can''t find it, we''ll have to use special methods." "Is there a possibility that the Military Command Token has been in the pce all along, and the released information was just a smoke screen?" "Look at how ridiculous the Old Emperor is these days. Does he have the brains for that now? Even if the token was in his hands, it would have been tricked away by treacherous officials long ago." "We''ve overlooked someone." "Who?" Everyone looked at the woman in unison. The woman coughed lightly, her voice even softer, "The Fifth Prince''s maternal family, the former General King, Sheng Qu." "The Sheng Family was executed down to the ninth degree of kinship ten years ago, not even sparing newborn babies. The Fifth Prince also died of illness at that time. Even if the token was in the General King''s hands before, it would have been taken back by the emperor then, or fallen into someone else''s hands." "No, you''ve forgotten there''s still one person rted to the General King. He was cast out of the family andter disappeared, so he was overlooked during the execution." "The third son of the Sheng Family, the notorious yboy of the Capital. It''s said he was a cut-sleeve, and the Sheng Family expelled him for tarnishing their reputation." One of them had also heard of the Sheng Third Young Master and continued, "Strangely, the second month after the Sheng Third Young Master was expelled from the family, something happened to the General King''s mansion." "So maybe the Sheng Third Young Master was intentionally expelled by the Sheng Family, and the Military Command Token might be in his hands." "We can find that Sheng Third Young Master first." "Do we have a portrait of him?" Everyone: ... "Has anyone seen what he looked like when he was young?" Everyone: ... "Forget it, let''s go to thest house first. If we don''t find it, we''ll send a message to the master. The master must have seen that Sheng Third Young Master before." Their entire conversation fell into Old Gu Six''s ears, but he treated it as mere gossip, after all, it had nothing to do with him. Although he didn''t know who their master was, staying away from them was the right move. These people had "trouble" written all over them. Those hiding in the temple safely weathered yesterday''s hailstorm, but those outside weren''t so lucky. Many who couldn''t find shelter in time were killed by the hail. The next day, there was no more hail, and it was a bright sunny day. Although it was supposed to be winter, it suddenly reverted to summer overnight. The weather seemed to have gone mad, as if poisoned. Chang''an changed into summer clothes. When they left, the eight people in the front hall had already departed. However, that Lin Fucheng was still following behind them. After experiencing days of freely using their refugee space, suddenly having a tag-along again made the father and daughter quite unhappy. But they couldn''t tell him not to follow. After all, they didn''t build this road, how could they forbid someone from walking on it? Old Gu Six deliberately quickened his pace, trying to shake off the person behind. However, they seemed to have a special affinity with those two ck-d individuals. On the third day, they saw the pair being hunted down again. This time was even worse. Blood was flowing freely from their bodies, both were injured, and they were carrying another half-dead person as they ran. The two parties met again. The man and woman in ck: ... Old Gu Six: ... He drove his mule cart past them without a sideways nce, and at high speed, as if afraid they mighttch onto him. These two must have been kicked in the head by a donkey, right? Doing bad deeds in broad daylight, they''re lucky not to have been killed. The two people, carrying a severely injured person, watched as the mule cart kicked up a cloud of dust, speeding past them like the wind. They were speechless once again. Old Gu Six reached a three-way fork in the road. Without much hesitation, he chose the path that looked the most appealing and urged his mule to gallop forward at full speed. Lin Fucheng, who had been chasing them all along, was dyed for just a moment and when he reached the fork, he was stumped. He had lost them. He thought since they were all heading north on the same road, he should catch up in a couple of days if he hurried. For some unknown reason, following Old Gu Six made him feel more at ease. However, he chased and chased, pursuing for a month without catching sight of the father and daughter. Instead, he encountered more and more refugees fleeing northward. How fast were they running? Didn''t they ever rest? He had no idea that Old Gu Six was actually heading in the opposite direction from them. This time, though, Old Gu Six hadn''t taken a wrong turn or backtracked. Their direction was north too, but they weren''t heading to the same ce. This Old Six had nearly taken his daughter out of the country, leaving Chang''an utterly speechless. "Father, I just want to ask, howe you never get lost when hunting in the mountains?" Chang Le inquired. Old Gu Six scratched his head, looking a bit sheepish as he replied, "I do get lost in the mountains sometimes, but when I can''t find the way down, I can fly up to take a look around. It doesn''t matter which path I take down the mountain, as long as I can get home." "So that time we spent so long walking in the mountains, did you actually get us lost?" She strongly suspected that Old Six had been leading them astray. "No, didn''t you see me frequently flying up to the treetops to check our direction?" This was hisst shred of dignity as a father; he couldn''t admit the truth. Besides, if they hadn''t gotten lost, how would Chang Le have met the Apprentice of the Divine Doctor? How would Mu and the others have found a ce to settle? Chapter 59 Chang''an wiped her face, helpless. She wasn''t familiar with the ancient roads either. "Let''s just walk randomly," she said. They traveled day and night until they reached Xuantu Commandery. A little further east and they''d be out of the country. Having Old Gu Six as a father truly brought surprises at every turn. "Daughter, it''s snowing," he remarked. Snowkes drifted gently, not falling heavily, melting and disappearing as soon as they touched the ground. The erratic weather changed randomly; they had experienced all four seasons in a month, and now it seemed they had entered deep winter. Chang''an stretched her hand out of the carriage window. Snowkesnded on her fingertips, melting into water. The mule cart moved leisurely through the light snow, unhurried. Not all refugees would continue north; some had settled in Xuantu Commandery. Xuantu Commandery was a border town, not particrly safe. With the Great Ye Dynasty in turmoil, no one could guarantee that the Yan Kingdom wouldn''t seize the opportunity. It would be troublesome to settle down only to be forced to flee again. They passed a small city where hundreds of refugees shivered in the wind and snow, waiting for the city gates to open. Old Gu Six didn''t stop. He drove the mule cart away onto a small path. When encountering closed city gates like this, it was best to leave without waiting. This city was unwilling to ept refugees; otherwise, they wouldn''t have let so many people stand in the snow. The county magistrate should have arranged shelters by now. However, the reality was that the city gates remained shut, without even anyone distributing porridge. The attitude was clear ¨C there was no hope of entering the city. Ahead, in the woods, there was a fierce battle, with des shing. Old Gu Six stopped the cart at a distance, intending to wait for the two groups to finish fighting before proceeding. He took out some beef jerky Chang''an had given him, eating while watching intently, his eyes bright as he observed their every move. Chang''an lifted the curtain and looked out the window, then nced at the french fries with ketchup in her hand. It wasn''t necessary to eat fries with ketchup. She tossed the ketchup and fries back into her space, suddenly losing her appetite. The ck-clothed group had a slight advantage over the blue-clothed one. The blue group was wiped out, while two from the ck group were still breathing, albeit heavily injured. Neither Chang''an nor Old Gu Six intended to interfere. In suchrge-scale brawls, innocent bystanders could easily get caught in the crossfire. However, even though they didn''t want to get involved, the two parties had noticed these two "fish in the pond." Adhering to the principle of silencing even passing dogs, the two severely wounded men, eyes full of murderous intent, joined forces to attack Old Gu Six. They had no choice; these two passersby were simply unlucky to have witnessed the fight. To avoid causing trouble for their master, they had to sacrifice these unfortunate souls. Old Gu Six flicked his wrist, and a short sword hidden in his right sleeve flew out, transforming into a streak of light that pierced the chest of the man rushing towards the carriage. With a scream of agony, the man fell backward, instantly losing his life. He then leaped into the air, kicking the other attacker fiercely, sending him flying backward. The man, already severely injured, coughed up blood from this heavy blow and couldn''t get up. Old Gu Six calmly pulled the short sword from the first man''s chest and delivered a final blow to the ck-clothed man who was still coughing up blood, sending him to meet his ancestors. The two ck-clothed men died without ever imagining they would be taken down by an unremarkable passerby. Old Gu Six cleaned the short sword and tucked it back into his sleeve, casually returning to the mule cart as if he hadn''t just killed two men. He was somewhat concerned about Chang''an. "Don''t be afraid, daughter. Father will take you away from here immediately." "Don''t worry, Father. I''m not scared," Chang''an reassured Old Six softly. She truly wasn''t afraid; exploding zombie brains was far more disgusting than this. They bypassed the battlefield and slowly drove along the mountain path. The snow had been falling for a while, and a thinyer of white covered the leaves and ground. The mule trudged through the snow, and as night fell, they arrived at a small town. People on the streets hurried by, giving only a cursory nce to the neers before lowering their heads and rushing away. This small town was muchrger than the one where Xiao Mu and the others had settled, with four main streets running north, south, east, and west. Old Gu Six found an inn that looked decent. A waiter came out to greet them, smiling as he asked, "How many guests? Just passing through or staying the night?" "Two people, staying the night. We need two upper-ss rooms," Old Gu Six said, giving the waiter a tael of silver. He added, "Feed the mule good hay and take care of it." "Certainly!" the waiter called inside, "Two guests staying the night, two upper-ss rooms!" He took the reins from Old Gu Six and led the mule to the back courtyard. The innkeeper, hearing the waiter''s call, came out to greet them, smiling just as widely as the waiter had. "Please follow me, honored guests." The innkeeper personally led the father and daughter upstairs, showing them to two adjacent rooms. Then he said, "At our inn, you can pay after your stay. Would you like us to prepare dinner for you?" Old Gu Six looked at the innkeeper, whose smile was as wide as a chrysanthemum, paused for a moment, then said calmly, "Yes, please prepare dinner for two, and send two buckets of hot water to our rooms." The innkeeper asked a waiter to bring up the hot water first. Old Gu Six gently patted Chang''an''s head, saying, "Father will be right next door. Shout if you need anything." After Old Gu Six returned to his room, Chang''an bolted her door. She didn''t use the hot water the waiter had brought up; she didn''t have the courage to bathe outside in such cold weather. She entered her space and enjoyed afortable hot bath, thinking that the innkeeper''s dinner for two would probably be a normal portion. Her Old Six father had an abnormal appetite and would surely not be satisfied. Chang''an took thirty dumplings from the refrigerator and put them in a steamer. They didn''t need to be defrosted; they''d be fine with extra steaming time. She didn''t stay to watch them; after setting the dumplings to steam, she left the space. A quarter of an hourter, the innkeeper personally brought up their dinner. A waiter followed to remove the used bathwater from the room. The innkeeper brought tworge bowls of egg noodles and a bowl of pickled radish. "Please enjoy your meal. If you need anything, juste downstairs and find me." He closed the door as he left. Chang''an looked at the bowl full of noodles, topped with two fried eggs, which was indeed quite substantial. She ate one egg and a few bites of noodles, then gave the rest to her Old Six father. Chang''an rested her chin on her hand, watching Old Six eat. Despite his refined and elegant eating manner, his speed was not slow at all. He seemed to be able to eat anything without making a sound. Chang''an felt that eating noodles without making noise somehow missed the soul of noodle-eating. "Father, are you full?" Old Gu Six put down his second empty bowl and thoughtfully patted his belly. He tilted his head and said, "I think I could eat a bit more?" No sooner had he spoken than Chang''an took out some steamed dumplings from her spatial storage. The dumplings were piping hot, filled with pork and Chinese cabbage. Catching a whiff of the aroma, Old Gu Six''s eyes crinkled with delight. It had been half a month since he''dst eaten dumplings, and these would perfectly satisfy his craving. As Old Gu Six was savoring the steamed dumplings, a voice came from outside the door. "Innkeeper, did anyonee to stay at your inn this evening before us?" "Yes, a father and daughter," he replied. He didn''t know why these two were inquiring about this, but he couldn''t hide it anyway. The father-daughter pair had entered the inn in full view of everyone, so anyone who asked around would find out. The innkeeper stood by cautiously, hoping that the father and daughter weren''t the people these men were looking for. The cold, murderous aura emanating from the two men was barely concealed ¨C they were clearly not to be trifled with. Without waiting for the man to ask further, the innkeeper continued, "Both the father and daughter were exceptionally good-looking. The daughter was soft and tender like a sweet rice ball, while the father was strikingly handsome, albeit rather frail. He seemed to be a delicate schr." He emphasized the words "delicate schr," as if to hint that Chang''an and her father were unlikely to be the people they were searching for. Dear readers, would you prefer Old Six and Chang''an''s journey of escape tost longer, or for them to settle down and start farming sooner? Chapter 60 In the room, Chang''an and Old Gu Six exchanged a nce. They quickly stowed away the unfinished steamed dumplings into their secret space and opened the window to air out the room. Sure enough, a knock soon came at the door. Old Gu Six instantly slipped into character, adopting the appearance of a weak, helpless individual. Chang''an''s naturally deceptive appearance, with its innate innocence and naivety, required no acting at all. They didn''t have to pretend, butpared to the hassle of being hunted down for the rest of their journey, a little acting for now wouldn''t hurt. The door opened to reveal two people dressed in ck. Old Gu Six understood immediately¡ªtheir pursuers had been eliminated by a third party, and now these neers were searching for the killers. The men in ck were cautious and didn''t dismiss their suspicions despite the father-daughter duo''s appearances. One of them, with a sharp gaze, coldly asked, "Did you see anyone when you passed through the forest ahead this afternoon?" "Yes, when we passed by, there were many people lying on the ground. The blood had stained the earth red. My daughter was so frightened she cried." Old Gu Six''s eyes timely disyed fear and terror, his face turning a shade paler. The man continued, "Did you see anyone alive?" "No," Old Gu Six replied. What a stupid question, he thought. The two men in ck stared at him for a long while before leaving. Old Gu Six''s phoenix-like eyes narrowed slightly. He had a bold idea but needed to discuss it with his daughter first. Closing the door, the father and daughter put their heads together. "Daughter, we''ll need quite a bit of money to settle down in the future. How about we rob the rich to help the poor... and ourselves?" "How exactly do you n to do that?" "The masters of those two men we just saw must be wealthy. How else could they afford such skilled bodyguards?" "But we need to know which family they belong to, don''t we?" "Don''t worry about that. I''ll find out. Just tell me if you''re in or not?" "I''m in. It''s faster than setting up a barbecue stall." The pair''s smiles gradually turned manic. Those people didn''t seem like good folks anyway. Anyone who could train guards to kill even innocent passersby couldn''t be a decent person. There was nothing wrong with them making a little profit off such people. Old Gu Six finished the remaining dumplings. Two quarters of an hourter, a waiter came up to clear away the bowls. Feigning nonchnce, he asked the waiter, "Young man, those two men in ck knocked on every guest room door. Aren''t you worried they might disturb the guests?" The waiter sighed helplessly, "We have no choice in the matter. We can''t afford to offend them." "How so?" Old Gu Six raised an eyebrow. "They''re from the Prefecture Governor''s Mansion. Commoners can''t fight against officials. Besides, with the world in chaos now, the governor wants to dere himself king. We''re living on his territory, so even if we haveints, we have to keep them to ourselves." "Thank you, brother," Old Gu Six said, giving him ten copper coins as a tip. The waiter epted without hesitation, bowing and scraping as he said, "If the guest has any more questions, as long as I know the answer, I''ll tell you everything without holding back." "You can go about your business now. I''ll call for you if I need anything." "Alright then," the waiter flicked his cloth and left with the bowls and chopsticks. Chang''an stroked her chin thoughtfully and said, "This governor''s family must be quite wealthy. If we pull this off, we could livefortably for a long time." "We could buy a couple of oxen for plowing, purchase seven or eight mu ofnd, and still have money left over to hire farmhands," Old Gu Six squatted on the chair, nning their future. The more he thought about it, the more appealing it became. Robbing the Prefecture Governor''s Mansion seemed like an essential step towards their fortune. This could be their key channel to wealth. "How ambitious! With money, you could marry several wives and have eight or ten children," Chang''an patted Old Six''s head, not minding having a few stepmothers. After all, no woman could beat her in a fight. Old Gu Six suddenly jumped up, looking at Chang''an in disbelief. "You, you, you want to sell me off?" Chang''an: ??? "I''m your real father. How could you have such thoughts?" Chang''an: ??? "The money I rob¡ªI mean, earn through hard work, why should I spend it on other women? And have eight or ten children? What kind of good life would I have then? I could originally live an easy and rxed life, but just because I married a few more women and had a few more kids, I''d have to work hard and strive for sess, toiling like a dog to earn money to support them. Only a fool would make such a losing deal." Chang''an: As expected of Old Six, his train of thought is truly unique. "If you don''t want to marry, then don''t. As long as you''re happy." "You shouldn''t have such dangerous thoughts in the future. Be careful, or your mother mighte to find you at night and beat you for being an unfilial daughter." Chang''an rolled her eyes. If her mother could reallye at night, she certainly wouldn''t be the one getting scared. Old Gu Six thought to himself: Heh, you might not believe it, but your mother is right there in your space, listening to your unfilialments. That night, a heavy snow fell, covering everything outside in silver. It concealed all evil beneath its pristine whiteness, making everything appear pure and unblemished. Chang''an and Old Gu Six stayed in the small town for two more days, gathering information about the location of the Prefecture Governor''s Mansion and getting a general idea about the governor himself. To sum it up, he was a nasty 60-year-old man who refused to ept his age, ambitious topete for the world. Even before establishing his regime, he had started acting like an emperor, raising taxes and increasing corv¨¦ebor. He was even imitating the emperor by holdingrge-scale selections for concubines. Chang''an thought: So in this messed-up world, there''s not a single good person left, is that it? Does the Heavenly Way want to save the world or destroy it? The poption is already small, and with these natural and man-made disasters working in tandem, even if the world doesn''t copse, it will be in ruins. Under the bright sun, Old Gu Six checked out of the inn and left the small town with Chang''an. The winter sun seemed to have no warmth, and it was too cold outside. Chang''an simply went into her space to prepare food. She made more beef jerky and roasted shrimp, as Old Six loved these. In the cold weather, some ginger tea with brown sugar would be perfect to warm the stomach. She only had three jin of brown sugar left, but fortunately, it was stored in the refrigerator and could be replenished. Otherwise, they wouldn''t even have sugar to eat. She took a thermos, wrapped it in coarse cloth, and poured the prepared ginger tea with brown sugar into it for Old Six. Old Gu Six had be quite nonchnt about Chang''an''s asional production of novel items. He had perfected the art of ying dumb and deaf, believing it best not to inquire too much into the affairs of immortals. Chang''an busied herself in her space, preparing Sichuan-style fish in sour soup. Luckily, she had ready-made seasonings; otherwise, if she had to make the seasonings from scratch, this dish would probably remain a dream. The Prefecture Governor''s Mansion was located in Linyun County, thergest county in Xuantu Commandery, about three hundred li away. At their current pace, it would take them three or four days to get there. The father-daughter duo had been so focused on fleeing that they had be confused about their primary goal. Originally, their main task was to escape, but unexpectedly, that had be their side job. Now, they were thinking of crossing boundaries, robbing the Prefecture Governor''s Mansion, and making their dreams of getting riche true. In the snowyndscape, arge grey rabbit hopped down from the mountain, its eyes meeting Old Gu Six''s in a moment of mutual surprise. The big grey rabbit startled, its ears shooting straight up as it turned to flee. Perhaps in its panic, it didn''t bound far before crashing into a tree and knocking itself out. Old Gu Six stopped his cart and went over to pick it up, hefting the rabbit to gauge its weight - about four or five jin (2-2.5 kg). He hadn''t intended to hunt this rabbit; it was too cold to bother with dressing game. But to his surprise, it had knocked itself out, and it would be a shame to waste perfectly good meat that had practically delivered itself. As it was about time for lunch anyway, he found a spot to clear away the snow. He called out towards the cart: "Daughter." Chang''an emerged from her spatial pocket, bringing along two folding stools - it was too cold to sit on the ground in this weather. If they had stools, they couldn''t do without a table. Conveniently, she had a foldingptop desk in her spatial pocket from her previous life. After setting up the table and stools, sheid out bowls, chopsticks, and dishes. As soon as the food appeared, Old Gu Six tossed the rabbit he''d been holding onto the ground. What was a rabbitpared to a good meal? Chapter 61 The rabbit woke up while they were eating, wobbling as it tried to run away. Chang''an rolled up a snowball and threw it at the creature. Already disoriented, the rabbit copsed again, dazed. After finishing their meal, Old Gu Six washed the dishes and began to prepare the rabbit. Chang''an thought they could have spicy rabbit for dinner. Having fed the mule and packed up their belongings, they didn''t linger. Though it wasn''t as deadly cold as during the winter disaster, it still wasn''tfortable to rest outside. Two more days passed as they traveled. The father-daughter pair came across a tea stall in the middle of nowhere. There, a thinly-d woman with a face turned blue from the cold was kneeling on the ground, offering to sell herself to bury her father. The few customers at the tea stall paid her no attention. Why would someone sell themselves in such a deste ce? Couldn''t she go to town or the city? Moreover, she didn''t look like someone who couldn''t afford to bury her deceased father. The woman was sweet-faced with fair skin, not the kind that came from a poor family. Her clothes were made of fine cotton without a single patch, and she even wore a silver hairpin. If you''re going to sell yourself to bury your father, at least make it believable. Don''t you know to wear mourning clothes? Even a fool could see something was off about this woman. Anyone who wasn''t blinded by lust wouldn''t approach her. What could she be up to? Old Gu Six drove the mule cart past without stopping. In his mind, the woman''s dead father was none of his business. He hadn''t killed the man, so why should he buy her and pay to bury her father? He was poor too, you know? The woman was disappointed. She had finally seen a young, handsome man pass by, but he didn''t even nce at her. He just drove past the tea stall as if he were blind, eyes fixed straight ahead. She had been kneeling there for days. The only people who stopped at the tea stall were middle-aged men without a shred of sympathy. She couldn''t fool anyone in town or the city anymore, so she hade out here to try her luck. If she didn''t bring back any money today, she''d face another beating from her good-for-nothing husband. She just wanted to meet a kind soul who would take her away, but it seemed nearly impossible. In the cart that had driven away, Chang''any on the nkets and asked casually, "Dad, what did you think about that woman selling herself to bury her father?" "I saw her from the cart. I didn''t even stop," he replied. Chang''an: *facepalm* "Dad, when you die, remember to leave me plenty of money. Otherwise, I might have to sell myself to bury you too." "That''s impossible. If there''s no money, I''ll just wrap you in a straw mat, dig a hole, and be done with it." Old Gu Six smacked his lips. "Don''t worry. If we''re out of money, I''ll dig the hole for myself first. You can just have someone throw me in and cover it with dirt." Very good, a realistic version of digging your own grave. "Dad, keep up that invincible attitude. And don''t trust women by the roadside, especially don''t pick them up. They might want both your money and your life." "I understand, darling. Don''t worry, no one can swindle even a copper coin from me, except what I give willingly." The father and daughter chatted idly. Sometimes the mule would act up a bit, but usually, a few threats would sort it out. It wasn''t a big deal. Perhaps because it was just the two of them, appearing vulnerable, they caught the eye of some bandits. "This tree I nted, this road I paved. If you want to pass, leave some cash!" the bandits shouted. This was the first time Chang''an had seen robbers wielding hoes. Their slogan wasn''t nearly as impressive as "Toll booth ahead in 100 meters, please slow down." Oops, wrong script. These clearly weren''t professional bandits. They were probably just trying to make some extra money for the winter. Chang''an didn''t judge whether they were good or evil, but she certainly wouldn''t give them money just because they looked pitiful. They were nning to do some robbing of their own, after all. Old Gu Six didn''t waste words. Without even getting off the cart, he cracked his whip at the road-blockers, scattering them, and drove on without stopping. The bandits were dumbfounded. This wasn''t how it was supposed to go! "Boss, should we chase them?" one asked. "We can''t beat them. Don''t chase," the chubby leader replied, clearly intimidated as he picked himself up. The walls of Linyun County loomed high, with guards wielding long spears standing atop them. The city gates were tightly shut, and outside, a smattering of refugees had set up windbreaks, waiting to be settled. Chang''an and Old Gu Six stopped in a grove outside the city, not approaching the gates. "Dad, they''re not letting anyone in. What do we do?" Chang''an asked. Old Gu Sixzily nced up, unconcerned. "We don''t have to use the city gate to get in." "What, are you going to parachute in? Or climb the wall? Can you even scale such a high wall?" "Don''t rush. When it gets dark, I''ll take you into the city." "Alright, you''re the dad. I''ll follow your lead." "Darling, you rest here. I''ll be back soon." With that, Old Gu Six vanished. Chang''an guessed he was going to scout. Indeed, he was reconnoitering. First, he checked the guards at the front of the wall and found no gaps to exploit. Then he went to the right side of the wall. In the corner, there was a blind spot. As long as they didn''t make a bigmotion, they wouldn''t be discovered. Old Gu Six paced back and forth at the base of the wall. The guards on top naturally spotted him and kept a close eye on his every move. But they saw that he was just walking back and forth, as if taking a stroll. They lowered their raised bows but continued to watch him closely, ready to shoot if he caused any trouble. Old Gu Six knew he had caught the attention of the men on the wall, but he paid them no mind and continued searching for a way into the city. Having confirmed that the blind spot on the right side would work, he disappeared around the corner. The father and daughter pair waited until nightfall. The pitch-ck night, without even a single star, was perfect for mischief. "Darling, put away the cart. We''ll tie the mule here," Old Gu Six said. Whether it would be stolen by other refugees was up to the mule''s own luck. The spatial storage could only be essed by Chang''an herself; no other living creature could be put inside. It was truly inconvenient. Chang''an had called out to "that person" several times, hoping to upgrade the space, but no one answered her. They had prepared night clothes back in the small town and now changed into them. They quietly made their way to the spot Old Gu Six had scouted in the afternoon. Old Gu Six had Chang''an take out a length of rope with an iron hook tied to one end. He swung the hooked end forcefully, catching it on a battlement. He tugged hard to make sure it was secure, then piggybacked Chang''an and used his lightness skill to leap up the rope. They descended the same way. In the deep of night, only the sound of the night watchman''s pper could be heard on the streets. Old Gu Six continued to carry Chang''an on his back without putting her down. He didn''t take the usual path, but instead leaped across the rooftops of various houses, with Chang''an on his back. The night watchman happened to nce up, catching a glimpse of a dark shadow shing overhead. He rubbed his eyes, but saw nothing. Recalling ghost stories he had heard before, he shuddered violently, nearly wetting himself in fright. With a pale face, he scrambled and tumbled his way back home. The father and daughter were unfamiliar with Linyun County. Being strangers in a strangend, finding the Prefecture Governor''s Mansion would be a bit challenging. Chapter 62 "Father, let''s look for thergest and most luxurious mansion," said Chang''an. "It''s pitch ck out here. How am I supposed to know which mansion is thergest and most luxurious?" replied Old Gu Six. Chang''an: ... "Where are official residences usually located?" "In Yizhou County, they''re on the east side." "Given our current direction, Father, you should be going left for east. Why are you going right?" Old Gu Six: ... After an hour of searching, they found Flower Willow Street, the small tavern, and the wealthy merchant''s mansion. Just as Chang''an was about to suggest finding an inn in the city to stay for the night and scouting properly tomorrow, they finally found the Prefecture Governor''s Mansion. It wasn''t in the east of the city. Good heavens, it had been built in the west, and it was still under construction. The area it covered was vast, giving the impression of a pce being built. Even though it waste at night, the mansion was brightly lit, and faint sounds ofughter and merrymaking could be heard from afar. Old Gu Six led Chang''an carefully past the patrolling guards to a spot with the most security. The more people guarding a ce, the more likely there were treasures inside. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a paper package. "Daughter, cover your nose and mouth. Hold your breath when I light this package." Chang''an obediently did as she was told, watching Old Gu Six take out a flint and light it. A faint smoke wafted out, and the guards surrounding the courtyard fell one by one. By the time the white powder in the package had burned out, all of them had been knocked out. This courtyard not only had guards outside but inside as well. Old Gu Six went first, with Chang''an following closely behind. He swiftly and unexpectedly dealt with the guards inside the courtyard, not sparing even the two crouching on the roof beams. The two on the roof beams were killed outright. These two were probably the County Governor''s secret guards and couldn''t be left alive. Old Gu Six used his sword to break the lock on the room. Inside was just an ordinary room, as ordinary as could be. The County Governor''s mind worked in strange ways indeed. A bunch of people guarding outside, even secret guards deployed here, all to guard an ordinary courtyard and an ordinary room? Anyone with half a brain would know this room had to have some trick to it. The father and daughter pair began searching for hidden mechanisms. Chang''an thought of what she had seen on TV before, where secret passages were often behind bookshelves or paintings. However, they found nothing. Finally, only the bed was left to search. The pair lifted the nket and the bed board, but still nothing. Chang''an, in a fit of temper, kicked the bedhead. Then they heard a ''click-ck'' sound. Following the sound, they sawrge floor nks under the bed sliding aside, gradually revealing an entrance about the size of a well opening. She exchanged a nce with her father. Old Gu Six held Chang''an back as he took the lead. They descended the stairs to find an enormous underground chamber. Old Gu Six tossed a few copper coins out, waited for a few breaths, but no traps or hidden weapons were triggered. The underground room was filled with uniformly sizedrge wooden crates, at least two hundred of them. Old Gu Six opened the crate at the front. It was full of neatly arranged silver ingots. He picked one up and turned it over, finding the local money house''s mark on the bottom. Official silver from the imperial court always bore the court''s mark, while silver from aristocratic families or wealthy merchants had their family insignia, like the Jiang Family from Jiangnan who had their family crest on the bottom of their silver ingots. Common people used silver fragments, and even if they had ingots, those would bear the money house''s mark. Old Gu Six didn''t know how much the annual sry of a County Governor was, but he knew the silver in this underground chamber definitely came from illegitimate sources. It was clear evidence of collusion between officials and merchants, with a money house specificallyundering money for the County Governor. Each crate could hold a thousand taels. Chang''an roughly counted: there were 120 crates of silver ingots, 100 crates of gold ingots, and various high-grade jewelry and jade items. Chang''an didn''t bother to estimate their value, she just waved her hand and stored everything in her vi space. The underground chamber, which had been packed full, suddenly became very spacious. "Father, this is probably just one of the ces where they hide money." Old Gu Six nodded in strong agreement. "That''s right, there should be a main treasury. We still have time, let''s look for it." The father and daughter pair silently left this courtyard and wandered around for another half hour. Well, they didn''t find it, and the patrolling guards had already discovered the people who had fainted outside that courtyard. The County Governor had been alerted, and the entire mansion was now bustling with people searching for the intruders. Chang''an and Old Gu Six were hiding in a half-built courtyard. Old Gu Six nced at Chang''an, quickly picked her up onto his back, and dashed out. After escaping, they found a rtivelyvish courtyard. There were no lights inside, suggesting it wasn''t inhabited yet. Old Gu Six took out his flint and set it on fire. Watching it burn, Old Gu Six immediately left with Chang''an on his back. The people searching for the intruders were distracted by shouts of "Fire! Fire!" and rushed towards themotion. While the Prefecture Governor''s Mansion was in chaos, Old Gu Six took the opportunity to leave the premises. A group of people followed them out, though they used the main gate and left openly. Our pair had to sneak out quietly, without making the slightest sound. "Father, hurry! With all thismotion, they might start searching the entire city soon." "Alright, hold on tight!" Old Gu Six leapt into the air, and Chang''an felt the cold wind whistling past, nearly freezing her solid. Indeed, as Chang''an had predicted, when the County Governor realized the intruders hadn''t been caught in the mansion, he thought they might have escaped in the chaos and ordered a city-wide search. The guards from the Prefecture Governor''s Mansion were banging loudly on doors of shops, inns, and restaurants along the streets. Even ordinary people''s homes were being ransacked. If Old Gu Six hadn''t hidden quickly at one point, they would have been discovered. Theyy t on the roof of an ordinary citizen''s house, only getting up to leave after those people had walked out of the alley. They finally made it to the city wall, but the County Governor''s men had arrived there too, and the number of people on the wall had doubled. Chang''an thought to herself: In novels, the female protagonists always steal things so smoothly, why is it the opposite for her? They returned to the same corner where they had entered the city, but unfortunately, even though it was a blind spot, someone was now standing guard there. Father and daughter: We''re done for! Old Gu Six carried Chang''an on his back as they hid in the shadows. They were wearing night clothes, with ck masks covering their faces, blending into the darkness. After waiting for who knows how long, the guard finally left. But they didn''t act immediately, instead waiting another quarter of an hour. Still, no one else came to that corner. They nimbly climbed over the city wall and escaped. The mule was still waiting for them where they had left it, not stolen. "Father, why don''t you teach me lightness kung fu? Then I could run away on my own when we''re up to mischief in the future," Chang''an suggested. Old Gu Six gave Chang''an a long-suffering look. "Are you sure you can learn it? You tried when you were little, but you couldn''t even memorize the basic inner cultivation techniques. We gave up on that endeavor." He had never seen anyone with such poor memory. It was like trying to teach a fish¡ªshe''d forget the first half by the time she learned the second half. She never managed to remember it all. "...I must have been too young then. Just tell me, will you teach me or not?" Chang''an pressed. When little Chang''an had tried learning, she was only three years old. This wasn''t like memorizing texts where rote learning would suffice. It required true understanding and internalization. They had tried teaching little Chang''an as if she were an adult. She was just a normal three-year-old child, not a prodigy or blessed with protagonist''s luck. Their teaching methods were all wrong¡ªhow could she possibly learn? Young children have fleeting interest in everything. Of course she lost motivation when she couldn''t master it after a long time. Chapter 63 "Q-quickly, bring out the carriage. We need to leave here tonight," Old Gu Six stammered. It was his first timemitting theft, and he felt uneasy. Old Gu Six wanted to leave as soon as possible; otherwise, he couldn''t shake off his guilty conscience. "How can we travel in this pitch-ck darkness? If we suddenly light a torch in the dead of night, we''ll be too obvious. Fleeing at night with a torch is like announcing to everyone that we''re the ones who stole from the Commandery office. Besides, dawn isn''t far off. Let''s leave at first light tomorrow." Chang''an brought out the carriage, then went back into her space to change clothes. Outside, Old Gu Six also changed out of his night-raiding attire. They waited for about two hours. When the sky began to lighten and they could barely make out the path, they left. Luckily, they made their escape quickly. The guard who had spotted Old Gu Six lurking near the city wall the previous evening had changed shifts and, due to other reasons, hadn''t reported the incident in time. Early the next morning, when the new shift started, the guard reported the suspicious man he had seen the previous evening to his superior. However, the report came toote; the culprits had long since vanished. Soon after, a sketch of Old Gu Six appeared at the Commandery office. The sketch couldn''t be called inurate ¨C it was more like apletely different person, bearing no resemnce to Old Gu Six whatsoever. The face was square, withrge round eyes that seemed to re angrily. If they were to search for someone based on this sketch, it''s a conservative estimate that they wouldn''t find the real person even by the time the empire was unified. To avoid unnecessary detours, Chang''an and Old Gu Six started asking for directions. As they were still within the boundaries of Xuantu Commandery, they had the honor of seeing wanted posters stered on the walls when passing through towns, with dark-robed guards standing watch nearby. "Father, are they trying to catch you?" Chang''an asked. Old Gu Six nced at the sketch, emotionless. "No," he replied. The drawing looked like some vaguely human-shaped thing. He was devastatingly handsome; they certainly weren''t after him. Chang''an thought the artist at the Commandery office must be quite talented. If there were any wrongful convictions in Xuantu Commandery, that artist would surely bear some responsibility. However, they didn''t need to worry about their actions implicating innocent people. No normal person could possibly look like the person in that sketch. Not only was the face square, but the head was square too, and balding. Were they looking for SpongeBob SquarePants? Was this a case of expectation versus reality? Old Gu Six remained calm andposed, showing no signs of guilt as he paid the entry fee to enter the city. He had only felt a twinge of unease right after leaving the Commandery office, but he quickly reasoned it out. After all, they hadn''t stolen from good people, so why should he feel guilty? The guards at the city gate unknowingly let the wanted criminal pass through their fingers. The father-daughter duo walked brazenly through the streets. They didn''t need to resupply, so they merely passed through without lingering in the city. They could have taken the small paths instead of entering the city, but Chang''an was afraid of getting lost again. She thought it would be more reliable to stick to the main roads. Wanted posters were stered all over Xuantu Commandery, yet no one could catch the real culprits. The pair left the boundaries of Xuantu Commandery with impunity. As they traveled further north, the weather grew colder, and the snow on the ground thickened, making their journey more difficult. They decided to stop at a ce called Fenghua Town, renting a small courtyard on the outskirts. They nned to wait until spring before continuing their journey. It was only two months until spring, and they had already spent enough time on the road. A couple more months wouldn''t hurt. The house had mud walls and a thatched roof. Onerge room was divided into two: the outer area housed the stove, which connected to arge heated kang bed in the inner room. When Chang''an saw the heated kang bed, she almost fell to her knees in gratitude to her ancestors. She had finally found hope for surviving the winter. She had thought this damn world wouldn''t have such essential winter gear, but it turned out her imagination wasn''t bold enough. Chang''an ced two wooden boxes in the middle of the kang, and Old Gu Six hung up a coarse cloth curtain, dividing the kang into two spaces. During their winter hiatus, Chang''an began formally cultivating her inner energy. She thought she was quite clever, but that was just her own perception. Enduring hardships? That was for other people. Training in the depths of winter and the height of summer? That was Old Gu Six''s routine. Even while on the run, he never missed a day of practice. Stumbling along, Chang''an finally managed to cultivate some inner energy after a month, though this faint, elusive energy wasn''t enough to make her fly. Having something to do made the winter days less boring. Chang''an was stubborn; the more difficult something was, the more she wanted to master it. If talent wascking, she''d make up for it with effort. And so, she entered an immersive training mode that no one dared disturb. One day, as Old Gu Six was clearing snow from their roof alone, a neighbor, a middle-aged woman, brazenly called out to him to help clear her roof as well. "Hey, young man,e over and sweep my roof too!" Old Gu Six pretended not to hear. After finishing his own roof, he went back inside. It was too cold to be doing good deeds. The neighbor was a widow, but she had sons and daughters. There was no reason for him to help her sweep snow, especially given the saying that a widow''s doorstep is full of drama. Arge head popped out from the house next to the widow''s, looking somewhat sleazy. "Aunt Chen, I''ll help you sweep the snow!" "Get lost!" she yelled. "Dazhu, Erzhu,e out and clear the snow from the roof! All you do is eat and sleep all day. Even raising a pig would be more useful than you two!" Aunt Chen stormed back into her house with a dark face, grumbling about howzy her sons were. Two eleven or twelve-year-old boys who looked identical came out of the house with tools. They had just finished cleaning the house ¨C how could their mother say they did nothing? The two daily meals, housekeeping, clearing snow outside ¨C which of these tasks weren''t done by the brothers? But they didn''t argue with their mother, silently getting on with their work instead. The sleazy neighbor climbed down hisdder with a look of disdain. "Winter''s not even over, and some people are already feeling frisky," he muttered, loud enough for the neighbors on both sides to hear. Inside her house, Aunt Chen angrily twisted her young daughter''s arm to vent her frustration. The little girl''s eyes welled up with tears. "Don''t you dare cry, you little good-for-nothing! You disaster, you killed your father and forced me to be a widow raising you lot. How dare you cry?" The seven or eight-year-old girl had thin hair and a sallowplexion. She curled up at the end of the kang, hugging herself tightly and not making a sound. The brothers working outside pretended not to hear. They used to protect their sister, but she never appreciated it, so they stopped intervening. Chang''an and Old Gu Six had no interest in other people''s affairs. The pair were discussing whether to have hot pot or barbecue. In the end, Chang''an won, and they had hotpot. The winter days seemed to pass quickly, with darkness falling early. Chang''an lit her homemade icentern, and father and daughter sat around the stove, eating with gusto. Outside, it was a world of ice and snow, but inside, warmth permeated the air. This dinnersted quite a while, long enough for an unexpected visitor to arrive at their home. There was a muffled ''thud'' from the courtyard, though the sound was faint¡ªat least Chang''an couldn''t hear it clearly. "Daughter, stay inside and don''te out," Old Gu Six said. He wiped his mouth with a cloth he had set aside, instructing Chang''an not to leave the house. With a flick of his sleeve, a short sword appeared in his hand. Holding the sword, he cautiously walked out the door, then carefully secured it behind him. In the courtyard, where the snow had been cleared just that afternoon, a persony prone. The darkness of night made it impossible to discern their features. Chapter 64 Old Gu Six sniffed the air; the scent of blood wasn''t his imagination. He approached the man, and the metallic smell grew stronger. "Hey, are you still alive?" ... Old Gu Six grabbed the man''s feet, intending to drag him out, but after just a few steps, the unconscious man suddenly woke up. "Save... save... me..." "I won''t. Since you''re awake, I''ll put you outside the door. You can leave on your own," he said coldly, leaving no room for negotiation. He dragged the man to the doorway, propped him up against the wall, and was about to wash his hands of the matter. However, as he turned to leave, the man desperately clutched his trouser leg. Despite looking like he was on death''s door, he somehow found the strength to hold on so tightly that Old Gu Six''s pants nearly came off. The man used every ounce of his strength to beg, "Please... please... I''ll... repay you." Old Gu Six crouched down to pry the man''s hand loose, repeatedly refusing, "No, no, let go. If you don''t, I''ll have to cut your hand off." The man didn''t listen. Instead, he pulled something out of his pocket and offered it to Old Gu Six. Old Gu Six didn''t take it, but he got a good look at the object. It was a Dark Iron Token with a lifelike dragon engraved on it, soaring through the air. Apart from the jade token Old Tong had given him, this was only the second dragon-rted item he''d ever seen. Such things were supposed to belong to the royal family. His mind immediately shed back to the melon he''d eaten in the abandoned temple. Old Tong''s jade token was a family heirloom, and Old Tong wasn''t the same age as this Third Young Master Sheng. This man must be the Sheng San that the ck-d men were searching for. This thing could very well be a Military Command Token. Old Gu Six made a split-second decision: this man couldn''t die, at least not now. Sheng San was willing to die rather than hand over the Military Command Token, which meant that those pursuing him weren''t worthy of possessing it. "Let go. I''ll save you," he said, not knowing how many soldiers this token couldmand, but understanding that it shouldn''t fall into anyone''s hands right now. From what they''d heard on their journey, none of the so-called people in power cared about themon folk. Most people were still fleeing famine. If a war broke out, no one would survive. They themselves hadn''t even settled down yet. Who could guarantee that the fighting wouldn''t spread to this area? At least for now, there was a semnce of peace. Although life was still hard for themon people, at least they had a chance to survive. The various power holders were evenly matched. If this Military Command Token fell into the hands of one faction, war would undoubtedly break out immediately. Old Gu Six took the man to a dark corner. "Hang in there for a moment. Wait here for me." He was willing to save him, but he couldn''t bring him home. He needed to go back and clean up the blood stains in the courtyard and at the entrance. Of course, if Sheng San couldn''t hold on and died, well, that would just be fate. Sheng San: ... He''d never seen anyone save a person like this before. He was critically injured and nearly dead. Couldn''t this man prioritize? Half a quarter of an hourter, Old Gu Six returned. By then, Sheng San could already see his great-grandmother beckoning to him. Old Gu Six didn''t attempt to treat him himself ¨C he didn''t know how, and he might end up killing the man instead of saving him. He hoisted Sheng San onto his back and stealthily made his way to a small clinic, his heart pounding with fear of running into Sheng San''s pursuers. The doctor at the small clinic was terrified when Old Gu Six burst in. "Quick, find a quiet room," he demanded, holding a sword to the doctor''s throat, ying the role of a vicious thug to perfection. The doctorplied. Old Gu Six put Sheng San down, threatened the doctor again to treat Sheng San''s wounds with utmost care, and then left. Before leaving, he made sure to erase all traces of their visit. As luck would have it, just as he reached the entrance of the alley, he ran into the familiar man and woman who had just arrived in the area. Once again, they faced each other in silence. Fortunately, Old Gu Six hade prepared. He''d deliberately taken a detour to a small tavern to buy a jug of wine. He nonchntly averted his gaze and staggered home with the wine jug, reeking of alcohol. The man and woman exchanged a nce, then watched as Old Gu Six entered the fourth house in the alley. They searched the other houses one by one, causing amotion throughout the alley. When they reached Old Gu Six''s courtyard, they hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door. Compared to how they had barged into other people''s homes, they were being quite polite now. Old Gu Six opened the gate and gave them a wry smile. "Can I help you?" The aroma of food wafted into the noses of the group, and suddenly someone''s stomach growled loudly. This was, of course, Old Gu Six''s intention. He had left the door to his house open, allowing the smell of hot pot to drift into the courtyard. The door was still open now. ... The person whose stomach had growled was so embarrassed they wished they could bury their head in the ground. The woman spoke as if nothing had happened, "Sorry to bother you." Old Gu Six nodded and coldly closed the gate, returning to his house. However, he didn''t shut the door immediately, allowing the aroma of hot pot to linger a bit longer. In the alley, the man asked the woman, "Yu Ling, why aren''t we searching anymore?" Yu Ling shook her head and said tly, "He''s not here." The man was confused. How could she know without even searching? "You''re hopeless. First of all, we don''t even know if he''s the one who saved him. Even if he did, he came back with us from outside. Even if he had saved him, there''s no way the person could be in his house now." If Old Gu Six had saved Sheng San, he wouldn''t have had time to buy wine, especially considering how quickly they had arrived here. The group left the alley wearily, moving on to search the next location. Hearing them leave, Old Gu Six closed the door. Chang''an had already finished eating and was sitting by the fire to keep warm. Old Gu Six enjoyed his hot pot with wine, unable to stop eating. "Dad, tell me what you were up to earlier," Chang''an asked quietly, adding a handful of Chinese cabbage to the hot pot. "I took a severely injured person to a clinic." "Who was it? I hope you haven''t saved someone who''ll bring us trouble." "He is indeed trouble, which is why I took him to the clinic. Those people just now were looking for him. The person they''re searching for is called Sheng San, the third son of a general''s family in the Capital ten years ago. He has a Military Command Token, and that''s what those people are after." "So the person you saved earlier was Sheng San?" "Probably. He took out something that looked like a Military Command Token. He wanted to give it to me as payment for saving him." "What?" Chang''an jumped up in shock. Old Gu Six quickly reassured her, "Daughter, don''t get excited. Don''t worry, I didn''t take it. I just dropped him off at the clinic and came back." "That''s good," Chang''an sighed in relief upon hearing he hadn''t epted it. "I have no interest in ruling the world. Let someone else handle that exhausting job." Sheng San, whom he had sent to the small clinic, had his wounds bandaged by the doctor, who also brewed medicine for him to drink. The doctor worked tirelessly untilte into the night,pletely exhausting himself. As dawn approached, Sheng San developed a high fever, rming the doctor who once again busied himself with treatment. Whether it was Sheng San''s good luck or something else, Yu Ling and herpanions searched the town for three or four days but never stumbled upon that small clinic. Sheng San rested peacefully in the clinic for three days. Due to the severity of his injuries, he remained bedridden, personally cared for by the doctor. Chang''an and Old Gu Six''s life continued undisturbed, both immersed in the joy of practicing their skills. Half a month passed, and Chang''an discovered she could fly too, though only enough to leap from the ground to the rooftop. It was just the beginning, but it was undoubtedly a good start. She trained even more diligently. It was like ying a video game ¨C after ying for a long time, you suddenly clear a level. Then you wonder how long it will take to clear the next one, and you be increasingly addicted to ying. Two months flew by, and just as they were packing their bags to set off again, Sheng San came to the small courtyard looking for Old Gu Six. Chapter 65 A man with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes walked in from outside, his face still bearing a sickly pallor. He appeared to be a few years older than Old Gu Six, probably around thirty? He wore a cyan cotton robe, his stature matching Old Gu Six''s, though he looked much sturdier in build. Old Gu Six appeared to be a frail schr who couldn''t take care of himself, but in reality, he was a formidable fighter with a wild streak. Sheng San, on the other hand, looked tall and strong but was actually quite weak. Since he hade looking for them, Old Gu Six didn''t chase him away. His ability to appear here openly during the day meant that those hunting him had left the small town. The room was spotlessly clean, with only two rickety stools left by thendlord. Father and daughter: ... Sheng San waved his hand dismissively and said in a gentle voice, "It''s no trouble. I''vee to thank you. I''ll just say a few words and be on my way." The tall and small figures looked at him as if to say, "Go ahead, we''re listening." He chuckled softly and took out a pouch from his sleeve pocket. It was not small and felt heavy. Old Gu Six took it, opened it to find it full of silver ingots and three or four banknotes. He didn''t refuse, epting it without hesitation. He considered the silver as payment for saving Sheng San''s life, settling any debt between them. Seeing him ept the money, Sheng San took out the Dark Iron Token again. "I can see you''re no ordinary person, and quite clever too. You were willing to save me after seeing this token, so you must have guessed what it is. This is what those people were after ¨C a military seal that canmand three hundred thousand troops. Now the world is in chaos, with heroes rising up everywhere. If you have such ambition, it can help you seed. Don''t worry, they now know the seal isn''t with me, so they won''te looking for you." "The one looking for me is Chen Su, General Chen''s son. He''s not someone worth associating with. If you ever encounter him in the future, never trust him lightly." "Listen to me rambling on ¨C you''re from the south and north, so you probably won''t ever meet. Take the military seal. Even if you don''t want to fight for the world, it can still help you achieve great things." "I originally intended to give this to an old friend, but unfortunately, he''s gone now. Keeping it with me won''t let it serve its purpose." Old Gu Six looked at him with full alertness, as if to say, "Don''t even think about endangering my life." "You''ve already given me money, so the debt is repaid. Keep that thing for yourself. I''m not interested in the exhausting work of conquering the world." Sheng San was stunned by his reaction. After a moment, he understood and burst intoughter,ughing so hard that tears streamed down his face. See, not everyone in the world desires power and authority. Seeing that Old Gu Six truly didn''t want it, Sheng San opened his mouth as if to say something but ultimately remained silent. After a while, he cupped his hands in farewell, tucked the military seal into his robes, and slowly left the small courtyard. The father and daughter watched his somewhat mncholic figure disappear around the corner. They didn''t know how he had managed to convince Chen Su''s men that the military seal wasn''t in his possession. But they didn''t want to know either. The world was vast; perhaps they would never meet again. Since they didn''t want to get involved in the world''s conflicts, there was no need to seek trouble. They hitched up their mule cart and set off on their own path. Back on the right road, they began to see scattered groups of refugees. Compared to Chang''an and Old Gu Six, these people were the true embodiment of fleeing from disaster. They were in tattered clothes, skin and bones, covered in dust, with hair as messy as straw. Each carried arge bundle on their back, some with baskets. Those slightly better off pushed wheelbarrows loaded with household items and food. Some women carried children in their arms, their backs bent under the weight of their belongings. Each person held a stick as a walking aid. They moved from south to north, as many towns refused to take in refugees, so they kept heading northward. After fleeing for so long, people''s emotions were prone to breaking down. At times like these, elderly mothers became burdens on the journey. A man cursed his old mother with tears in his eyes as she sat on the ground, unable to get up. "Why won''t you just die? Because of you, my children are all dead. Can''t you stop being a burden to us?" The old woman remained silent, enduring the man''s scolding. She struggled to her feet using her walking stick and picked up the bundle she had put on the ground, painfully shouldering it. Each step seemed to take all her strength. Though the man who cursed her kept asking why she wouldn''t die, seeing his mother like this, he and his wife still came forward to support her as they slowly moved on. On this endless journey, they didn''t know when they would reach the end. At each town, they hoped for refugee settlements, but as they passed town after town, their hopes were dashed. They could only continue numbly. The northernnds, once feared and avoided by all, had now be theirst hope for survival. How ironic. Chang''an and Old Gu Six continued at their own pace, neither hurried nor anxious. They became a conspicuous presence on this refugee trail. No matter the circumstances, those who stand out will always face envy. Even in such dire situations where people had nearly lost their lives fleeing, there were still odd characters with the energy to cause trouble. "Stop that mule cart ahead! Quickly, stop!" An elderly voice suddenly rang out, attracting the gaze of most people on the road. Old Gu Six ignored it, even speeding up the cart a bit. Seeing that the cart not only didn''t stop but was moving faster, the old woman jumped up and down in anger, spewing rather vulgar curses. She insulted various body parts and cursed their ancestors back eighteen generations. A six or seven-year-old boy sat down hard on the ground, kicking and wailing loudly: "I want to ride in the cart! I don''t want to walk! You old money-losing wretch, go chase that cart! I want to ride!" Seeing her grandson cry, the old woman quickly squatted down to pick him up andfort him. "Grandma''s good boy, don''t cry, don''t cry. Grandma will definitely find you a cart to ride in." "You always say that, but I''ve been walking for so long. Liar, liar!" The boy wouldn''t stop, punching the old woman repeatedly. She seemed not to feel the pain, holding the boy tightly and cooing endearments. "Enough, are we going to keep moving or not? It''s almost dark." The boy''s father, his face full of impatience, roughly pulled the boy from the old woman''s arms and gave him a harsh p. Then he said, "If you don''t want to walk, you can stay here and feed the wild beasts." Seeing his father angry, the boy shrank his neck and didn''t dare make a sound, enduring even though his face was swollen from the p. The old woman and the boy both hunched their shoulders and didn''t dare to speak. Ever since fleeing from the famine, her son''s temper had be particrly nasty. Everyone in the family except for the eldest granddaughter had been beaten by him¡ªand beaten within an inch of their lives at that. His daughter-inw had even died from his beatings. Fearing they would meet the same fate as the daughter-inw (mother), the grandmother and grandson obediently kept quiet and followed silently behind the man. Even though their legs were so tired they could barely take another step, they gritted their teeth and kept up. Old Gu Six drove the mule cart far ahead of the others before finally slowing the mules back to a normal pace. "Father, it looks like we really are going to keep heading north," Chang''an said, timely offering two dried persimmons to her father. She nced at the refugees trudging along the road with their heads down. If other towns were willing to take in these refugees, she thought most of them wouldn''t continue northward. "Don''t worry, daughter. It''s for the best to go there," he said, not exining how it was for the best as he was busy eating the persimmons. Chang''an took his words as mere small talk and didn''t ask further. As they passed by a small stream, they saw a group of seven or eight people crouched by the water''s edge, staring intently into the stream. Behind them, over a dozen more people sat copsed on the ground. They were huddled together, looking at the people by the stream with terror in their eyes. Old Gu Six took a longer look at those frightened people. One middle-aged man seemed familiar, but he couldn''t recall where he''d seen him before. As the mule cart passed by them, the men and women crouching by the stream suddenly turned to look at Old Gu Six. Chapter 66 Old Gu Six noticed those seven people staring at him, drooling. No, they were drooling at his mule. What kind of taste did these people have? Wasn''t he better looking than a mule? Chang''an interjected: "That''s not the point. Isn''t the main issue that they want to eat our mule?" The seven people suddenly stood up and ran towards Old Gu Six. As they got closer, he could finally see them clearly. Each of their faces was as pale as paper, even their lips were white. They rushed straight towards the mule as if Old Gu Six wasn''t even there. Just as they were about to pounce, a wave of energy threw the seven people three meters away,nding them on the ground. The Purple Dragon in Old Gu Six''s consciousness awoke again, "You can''t handle these people. Let your daughter take care of them." "If I can''t handle them, how do you think my frail, helpless daughter could?" He wanted to bash this stupid dragon''s head in, though he probably couldn''t beat it. Purple Extreme rolled its eyes, "Your so-called frail, helpless daughter is much more useful than you. Let her strike them down with lightning." Old Gu Six thought of Oldest Gu and his family. "...Her lightning can''t kill people," but it could make them wish they were dead. "Impossible, back in the day..." Purple Extreme suddenly stopped mid-sentence, changed tack and said: "Those seven aren''t human. Her lightning will work on them." Old Gu Six''s interest was piqued. He asked excitedly: "Not human? Then what are they? Demons or ghosts? Do such things really exist in this world? Does that mean I might be able to see my wife again?" Purple Extreme: "...They''re all ghosts. They''ve possessed human bodies. And where did you get a wife from? See her? Dream on." The dragon was getting increasingly irritated!! "Bah! You''re the one without a wife. If I didn''t have a wife, where did my daughtere from, you stupid dragon?" Purple Extreme took a deep breath. No point arguing with a brainless creature. The important thing needed to be said three times!!! "If you don''t call Chang''an to act now, they''ll eat your mule and then possess you." Old Gu Six: Shock!!! Sure enough, those seven had already gotten up from the ground and were pouncing again. "Daughter, daughter, save the mule''s life!" Chang''an lifted the carriage curtain and looked out. Huh? These people? Puzzled as she was, her action was not slow. Lightning descended from the sky, leaving the seven smoking. Just as Chang''an was about to stop, Old Gu Six urgently said: "Strike them again!" Chang''an obedientlyplied. After two rounds of lightning strikes, the seven were charred like coal. Purple Extreme sighed softly. It was just as Old Six had said¡ªeven after two strikes, the people were merely charred on the outside and raw inside. Chang''an''s lightning was developing in an unpredictable direction. It had thought the strikes would obliterate their souls, but it seemed its intervention was still needed. The seven ghost souls now didn''t dare leave their bodies, fearing they''d be struck by lightning if they emerged. But whether they wanted to leave or not wasn''t up to them. A sh of purple light passed by, and the seven ghosts were instantly obliterated, not even having time to make a sound before they vanished. Then Old Gu Six saw several more purple shes enter the foreheads of the dozen or so people huddled together. Of course, only Old Gu Six and Chang''an could see all this. Those dozen people felt nothing, just a moment of dizziness. They looked at the unrecognizable charred remains on the ground, confused. Were these seven the ones who had been enving them? What had just happened? "I''ve erased the part of their memory where they saw the lightning. Everything''s resolved now. Don''t bother me unless it''s important. Go y by yourselves," Purple Extreme said before closing its dragon eyes. It was then startled by a loud shout from Old Gu Six. "Don''t sleep yet!" "What now?" Purple Extreme raised a w, then quietly put it back down. It had already been stupid enough; another fight might mean failing to ovee this tribtion. "Are there other ghosts in this world?" "Of course there are. Those who remain in the mortal realm either have unresolved grievances or were evil to begin with. The Taoists in this world are powerful beings, you needn''t fear." It suddenly remembered something and added: "Don''t keep thinking about nonsense. You can''t see your wife anymore, give up." Old Gu Six: "...But I''ll be able to see her when I die, right?" "Heh, you won''t see her even when you die. Don''t be so greedy." Old Gu Six took a deep breath, suppressing his urge to eat dragon meat. He didn''t bother Purple Extreme any further. He thought that this world was developing in a strange direction. It was truly eye-opening, like a small knife cutting a buttocks. The mule had been frightened by what just happened. Old Gu Six didn''t need to urge it on; it took off running on its own. The mule thought: Scared to death! Almost became a dish on the table. Chang''an waited for the mule to slow down before she walked out of the carriage and sat beside Old Gu Six, tilting her head and calling out: "Father?" Old Gu Six immediately understood. He cleared his throat and said: "Those seven weren''t human. I couldn''t beat them, so I needed you, my daughter, to protect me and the mule." "Oh," so physical exorcism didn''t work, and magical exorcism was needed! "Father, do you want to learn Taoism?" "Is it easy to learn? Is it tiring?" Old Six''s focus was, as always, unique. Chang''an rubbed her chin, "In this world, only lying t is not tiring. The easiest thing to learn is how to be a bad person." "Your father is too old to learn. Why don''t you go learn, daughter?" If his daughter learned it, it would be as good as him knowing it. Having his daughter''s protection would work just as well. "I might have inherited more of your genes. I''m not cut out for studying," expecting someone who couldn''t even understand art ss to learn how to draw talismans? Keep dreaming. Father and daughter sighed in unison! s!!! A group of horsemen passed by them, led by a young man in blue brocade clothes, whip in hand. Chang''an climbed back into the carriage. There was too much dust outside, not suitable for getting some air. In the afternoon, they passed by a vige and witnessed a scene of a father chasing his son with a thin rod. The child was running ahead, crying, while the man pursued him. Just as the man was about to catch up, the child cried harder and sped up. Chang''an wanted to get off the cart and help the man hold the child down so he couldn''t run. The beating he''d get would probably make him cry even harder than he was now! Old Gu Six had simr thoughts. If it were him, the child wouldn''t have made it past the doorstep. The mule cart slowed down a bit. Father, daughter, and even the mule all wanted to know: would the father be able to catch his son today? Unfortunately, the child''s mother came running out of the house, caught the father, and gave him a beating instead. The child escaped punishment. The child''s father stopped Old Gu Six and said, "Brother, the road ahead was washed out by the river half a month ago. It hasn''t been repaired yet. You''d better take the mountain path on the side of the vige." Old Gu Six narrowed his phoenix eyes, his gaze darkening as he looked at the middle-aged man. Just as he was about to speak, he noticed more than a dozen horsemen who had been galloping wildly were now heading back. Oh, never mind then. The big brother is a good person after all. A misunderstanding! A misunderstanding! He sped his hands together andughed heartily, "Thank you for informing me, big brother." The man waved his hand dismissively and headed home, carrying the stick specially used for beating naughty children. Old Gu Six drove his mule cart to the side of the road, allowing the group of horsemen to pass first. He then leisurely turned his mule around and waited until the group had gone far before slowly making his way towards the small path. Chapter 67 The consequence of taking the mountain path was that they would have to spend another night in the mountains, dramatically increasing the danger. Fearing wolves might appear, Old Gu Six lit two bonfires. They didn''t see any wolves, but a group of rough-looking men came down from the mountain, each carryingrge swords. "Oh, there''s a pretty littledy here," said one of them. The young man who spoke had a long scar on his face, stretching from the corner of his eye to his mouth. He was muscr, looking twice the size of Old Gu Six. The men with him started whistling and jeering. "Pretty boy, hand over your silver and valuables. If you don''t, we''ll take this littledy instead. She''d fetch a good price if we sold her to Spring Red Tower." The scar writhed like a grotesque centipede as the young man spoke. Old Gu Six calmly stood up and hid Chang''an behind him. He didn''t say a word, his emotionless eyes fixed on the scarred youth. It must be said that Old Gu Six could be quite intimidating when he was serious. At least the Scarred Youth dropped his cocky attitude when Old Gu Six looked at him, and the jeering men fell silent. They looked wary, trying to appear fierce. The Scarred Youth faced Old Gu Six''s imposing presence. The man''s sharp, deep eyes were cold and emotionless, showing neither joy nor sorrow, neither anger nor pleasure. Suddenly, the youth felt like he was looking up at a deity. In that moment, the Scarred Youth felt like an ant, a speck of dust. The pressure made it hard to breathe, and strangely, he seemed to see cruelty and mercy alternating in the man''s eyes. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, and his knees buckled, forcing him to kneel. Chang''an, gripping Old Gu Six''s left thumb behind his back, tilted her head to look. ?? She hadn''t seen Old Gu Six attack physically. Why did the man kneel? Chang''an wasn''t the only one confused; the Scarred Youth''s subordinates were also perplexed. Boss, shouldn''t you at least say something? How could you surrender without even fighting? A subordinate went to help him up. The Scarred Youth rose with his help, wiped his face, feeling embarrassed. He wanted to save face. This is just an ordinary person, right? He must have been seeing things earlier. But before he could utter any threats, Old Gu Six anticipated his move. He drew the soft sword from his waist, and with a sh of cold light, the Scarred Youth''s hair ornament fell to the ground. The Scarred Youth became a bristling youth. More shes of cold light ''swished'' by, and his upper garment turned into a midriff-baring three-quarter sleeve, while his lower garment became a tattered skirt. A loud scream, "Ah!!" startled the crows resting in the trees, causing them to fall to the ground. The crows struggled to fly away, cawing and cursing as they headed deeper into the mountains. The Scarred Youth felt he had never been so severely humiliated in his life. He raised his sword and swung at Old Gu Six. However, they were not on the same level; there was noparison. Old Gu Six didn''t even move his feet, just slightly tilted his body to avoid the iing de. His sword, however, pierced the Scarred Youth''s shoulder de. The youth''s face turned as pale as a ghost; the other man had nearly taken his life with a single move. Second Uncle had said he would encounter a bloody disaster today and shouldn''t go out. How urate that prediction was. If he survived this, he would definitely enshrine Second Uncle. Seeing their leader wounded, the subordinates raised their swords and charged forward with battle cries. Old Gu Six swung his sword, releasing a de of energy that knocked down five or six of them. Seeing this, the youth immediately shouted, "Stop!" He threw his ownrge sword to the ground and bowed to Old Gu Six, apologizing. "This lowly one failed to recognize Mount Tai. We have disturbed you, sir. Please spare my brothers. I, Da Qingzi of the Green Mountain Stronghold, will forever remember your kindness. If there''s anything you need in the future, I will serve you without hesitation, willing tobor as your dog or horse." Their group of twelve or thirteen couldn''t defeat this seemingly pretty boy. Tsk! How embarrassing! Old Gu Six tilted his head, mirroring Chang''an''s head tilt. He clicked his tongue lightly and saidzily, "Forget about kindness. Just hand over all the silver and money you have on you." The bandits: ??? Someone was stealing their job. Da Qingzi was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized ¨C they, the robbers, were being robbed by someone else? But there was nothing they could do about it. Who told them to be less skilled? He took the lead, carefully cing all the silver from his person on the ground. Seeing their leaderply, the subordinates followed suit, putting their money together with the youth''s silver. These people were quite honest, even handing over their copper coins. After robbing them, Old Gu Six asked quietly, "How many innocent women have you sold to Spring Red Tower?" Da Qingzi waved his hands repeatedly, fearing that any dy would cost him his life. "None, none at all. We just talk big, but we''ve never done anything so unconscionable. I only rob for money, I don''t take lives or women." "Fine, now get lost," Old Gu Six said coldly, sheathing his soft sword. To Da Qingzi, it sounded like heavenly music. He kept saying, "Yes, yes, yes," while holding up his tattered pants. He picked up hisrge sword and led his brothers in a mad dash up the mountain, not daring to look back. Once the men had disappeared into the night, Old Gu Six revealed his true colors, immediately crouching down to gather the money on the ground. "Come, daughter, let''s count how much we''ve earned today?" Chang''an took out a small cloth pouch she had sewn herself, used for storing snacks for Old Gu Six. She was in charge of holding the pouch, while Old Gu Six counted. Don''t ask why she wasn''t counting. The answer is that she doesn''t know how. She can only count copper coins and knows that one silver ingot is worth ten taels, but she can''t tell the value of these silver pieces. Old Gu Six counted with a grin, "One, two, three... We have six one-tael pieces, one two-tael piece, five two-qian pieces, two one-qian pieces, and twenty copper coins." "In total, we have nine taels and two qian of silver, plus twenty copper coins. Tsk, these bandits aren''t much, are they? Twelve or thirteen of them couldn''t even scrape together ten taels of silver?" Chang''an closed the pouch and tossed it to Old Gu Six, saying calmly, "It''s better than nothing." Old Gu Six agreed with a toothy grin. He put the small pouch in his chest pocket; this was his private money. The bulk of their funds was with his daughter, while he saved the small change. Back at the stronghold, Da Qingzi, having lost both money and face, not to mention being injured, was thoroughly mocked by his Second Uncle. "Oh, Da Qingzi is back! My, what a unique look you''ve got there!" Da Qingzi, his face dark with anger, ignored his uncle''s taunts and rushed to his room to change clothes. Da Qingzi''s Second Uncle followed, shaking his head and waving his duster. "Tsk tsk, that person''s martial arts are really something. Look how neatly they sliced your clothes! Should Second Uncle pay for a new set for you?" The door suddenly opened, and Second Uncle, who had been leaning against it, almost fell over. Da Qingzi asked him angrily, "Second Uncle, you were there too? Why didn''t you help me?" His uncle tapped him on the head with the duster and calmly asked, "Why should I have helped you?" "I''m your nephew. Shouldn''t you have stepped in when you saw someone hurting me?" He sounded quite aggrieved. "You deserved it. Can''t you just be a decent person? Why do you have to be a bandit like your father and elder uncle? You''ll end up like your father, meeting your end at the hands of a tough opponent." "I don''t know what else I could do besides being a bandit. Besides, there are so many people in Green Mountain Stronghold. If I don''t rob, I can''t feed them all." Did they think he wanted to be a bandit? It''s not like he had a choice. Apart from being a bandit, he didn''t know how to do anything else. It''s the only trade he''d learned since childhood. Chapter 68 "You''re overestimating your own importance. Can those measly scraps you steal feed anyone? If they didn''t know how to farm themselves, they''d have starved to death relying on you." Da Qingzi''s Second Uncle tapped his forehead once more, shaking his head as he left. If the Qing family didn''t have just this one seedling left, he wouldn''t have bothered with him at all. He was quite curious about the father and daughter down the mountain. He couldn''t divine anything about them - their origins were unknown, their destination unclear, and their future unforeseeable. All he could see was a fog of mystery. Trying to divine further almost resulted in bacsh - the fate of this father-daughter pair was beyond his ability to calcte. Hmm, it had been a long time since he''d returned to his sect. Perhaps it was time for a visit? As for his grand-nephew? Heh, he wouldn''t die anytime soon anyway. Let him be for now. The man of ethereal demeanor packed his bags and fled in the night. When Da Qingzi went to find his second uncle in the morning, he discovered the room empty, its upant long gone. He had hoped to learn some powerful techniques from his uncle, but he was toote. Down the mountain, Chang''an and Old Gu Six finished breakfast, packed up, and continued their journey towards the morning sun. Fortunately, this small path had no forks, otherwise they might have taken a wrong turn somewhere. Spring thunder rolled, but for half the day no rain fell. Just as Chang''an thought it wouldn''t rain, a fine drizzle began to fall. This kind of gentle rain, once started, wouldn''t stop easily. They were still on the mountain path with no vige or inn in sight, and no ce to take shelter. They had no straw rain capes, though Chang''an did have a raincoat for electric scooter riding in her spatial storage. Thinking that there was no one around in this wilderness anyway, she figured they might as well use it. However, Old Gu Six refused, saying, "We can''t let our guard down. Who knows if we might unexpectedly encounter someone? If we attract the attention of ill-intentioned people, we''ll have no peace." Chang''an put away the raincoat, noticing that her father''s hair was already wet from the rain. She worried he might catch a cold. "Alright then, let''s stop for now and find a t spot to set up a shelter and rest," she suggested. Spring was prone to thunderstorms, so they couldn''t stay nearrge trees for fear of lightning strikes. Finding a rtively high spot, Old Gu Six went to cut some sturdy tree trunks. The father and daughter worked together to set up arge tent using waterproof tarpaulin. The pair sat holding cups of clear tea, listening to the rain and watching the spring drizzle. "Daughter, do you think it''s raining in Yizhou?" Old Gu Six asked, wondering if the whole world was experiencing this spring rain. Chang''an took a small sip of tea and replied unhurriedly, "Is it possible that it''s only raining in the north?" She popped a dried plum into her mouth and added indistinctly, "As long as the drought hasn''t passed, those disaster-stricken areas probably won''t see rain." The two looked so content, it was as if they were sitting in a spacious, bright courtyard rather than a makeshift tent. Idly watching flowers bloom and wither in the courtyard, sitting and observing the clouds gather and disperse. For lunch, Chang''an prepared steamed shrimp and mapo tofu in her spatial storage, with rice as the main course. The rain continued all day, and Chang''an felt it might oust her very life. While they took shelter here, appreciating the rain, other refugees continued their journey wrapped in oilcloth. The next day, the rain showed no sign of stopping. Instead, it grew heavier, apanied by the rumble of thunder and lightning. Seeing that they still couldn''t leave, the father and daughter pair passed the time by practicing their internal energy cultivation. Chang''an had already made some progress, able to fly a hundred or so meters without falling, and climb trees with ease. The heavy rain continued for six or seven days. Old Gu Six stepped out of the tent to survey the surroundings. Fortunately, they had chosen a spot on a small hill, avoiding the valley below. If a sh flood urred, it shouldn''t reach them. Some refugees who had arrived in the area before the heavy rain began had also set up shelters with tarpaulins, like Chang''an''s family. However, their tarpaulins weren''trge enough, with seven or eight family members crammed into small shelters. Due to the rain, a small stream had formed in the valley below, filled with muddy water flowing down from the mountains. A loud crack of thunder sounded, and a bolt of lightning struck arge tree on the opposite mountain. The tree immediately began billowing smoke, but didn''t catch fire due to the heavy rain. Soon after, another loud boom was heard, but this time it wasn''t thunder. A section of the mountainside on the other side of the valley had copsed. The refugees in the lower areas, seeing this, began moving to higher ground despite the heavy rain. Meanwhile, Chang''an and Old Gu Six remained as steady as old dogs on their side. Unless a sh flood urred, they wouldn''t need to move. This was heavy rain, not a torrential downpour, so its power wasn''t as great. On the eighth day, the rain began to lighten, turning back into a persistent drizzle. The refugees, fearing more heavy rain and feeling unsafe in the area, packed up and continued their journey in the rain, hoping to quickly find a safe ce to shelter. Chang''an and her father remained unmoving, reluctant to travel in the sticky, persistent rain. Taking advantage of the lighter rain, the father-daughter pair went out under oil-paper umbres to gather mushrooms. Their decision to stay proved right, as heavy rain returned the next day. Who knows if those who had set out in the rain had found shelter? The weather alternated between heavy rain and drizzle for a full half-month before finally stopping. When the rain ceased, the sun came out, and Chang''an saw a rainbow hanging in the sky. "Dad, let''s not leave yet. Should we go gather more mushrooms to keep forter?" she suggested. Old Gu Six nodded. Fresh mushrooms in chicken soup were delicious, so of course they should gather more. They not only collected mushrooms but also caught several wild chickens and rabbits, setting off again with a bountiful harvest. On the road, they encountered many refugees who had fallen ill with colds from traveling in the rain. At times like these, a simple cold could be life-threatening. As they passed through viges, they saw mothers kneeling with their children, begging local vigers to save them. Not all vigers were cold-hearted. In the vige they were passing through, the vigers were quite kind. One mother had barely knelt down when a vige woman helped her up. With the approval of a nearby elder, she led the woman into the vige. From a distance, they could hear her say, "I''m taking you to Doctor Chang''s house now. Don''t worry, your child will be fine." Some adults who had caught colds weren''t allowed into the vige. While the vigers sympathized with the refugees, they had to consider their own people''s safety. What if they let everyone in and they suddenly caused trouble? Letting in a woman and child wasn''t too concerning, especially since the child was so young - it would have been heartless to refuse. They would ask Doctor Chang toe to the vige entranceter to treat these people. Old Gu Six urged the mule cart on without stopping, quickly leaving the group of refugees behind. His daughter had said that some colds could be contagious. He wasn''t worried for himself, but he feared his daughter might catch something, which would be miserable. For two consecutive days, Old Gu Six traveled at an increased pace, fearing the group of refugees might catch up to them. It wasn''t that heckedpassion, but he couldn''t bring himself to feel sympathetic. Knowing the risk of catching a cold from the rain, they had still chosen to travel, showing little regard for their own health. Despite leaving so many days ahead, the refugees hadn''t covered much more ground, as they had caught up to the father-daughter pair. To survive the journey to their destination, one had to protect their health. Otherwise, dying halfway would render all the previous travel meaningless. "Old Six" Old Gu Six thought he heard someone calling him. How strange, did someone here know him? How had he be famous? He turned his head to look. Well, well, a familiar face. Chapter 69 An elderly woman with graying hair at her temples, apanied by a boy of about seven years old and a young married couple, approached. They were covered in dust, their tattered clothes caked with grime. Wasn''t that his sister-inw in name only? She seemed to have quite the tenacious life force, managing to make it all the way here. Old Gu Six merely raised an eyebrow, ignoring them as he drove his mule cart past, treating them likeplete strangers. Lady Chen tried to run after the cart, but how could someone on two legs ever catch up to a four-legged mule? Chang''an lifted the cart''s curtain to look back. Lady Chen stood there stomping her feet and cursing loudly. Though the words were unclear, it wasn''t hard to guess they were quite vulgar. "Father, have we encountered those troublesome old Gu family members again?" Chang''an asked. "It''s of no consequence. If they can''t take a hint, then let the Gu family line end with them," he replied in a tone as casual as if discussing pleasant weather, despite the cruel content. Before Chang''an could respond, the mule cart suddenly came to an abrupt halt, nearly causing her to crash into the cart''s wall. "Daughter, are you alright?" Old Gu Six asked urgently, hearing her soft cry of surprise. "I''m fine. What happened?" Chang''an repositioned herself and curiously peered out of the cart. More than ten officials had blocked their path, arrogantly ordering Old Gu Six to get down from the cart. "Get down quickly ande with us," they demanded. Old Gu Six ignored them. When one tried to grab the mule, heshed out with his whip, sending the man crumpling to the ground. A bright red welt appeared on the official''s rugged face, and he clutched it while howling in pain. Seeing theirrade struck, the others rushed forward to subdue Old Gu Six. Old Gu Six''s whip danced through the air with deadly precision, knocking them down into a pile with the first fallen man at the bottom. The one on top yelled defiantly, "You''ll be taken to the county office and beaten for assaulting officials! The magistrate won''t let you off!" "Whether he lets me off or not is another matter. Right now, I don''t feel like letting you off," Old Gu Six retorted, delivering three or four moreshes in quick session. Cotton stuffing flew from their padded jackets as the whip found flesh, reducing the man to tears. "Stop, stop! You''ll kill someone!" he cried. "Tell me why you''re blocking my way," Old Gu Six demanded, snapping his whip around the man''s neck. The implication was clear - speak or be strangled. Having already offended them, he might as well get a few more licks in. The official''s face turned purple as he struggled against the whip, veins bulging on his forehead. He choked out, "Y-you... j-just... let... me... go... first..." Old Gu Six loosened his grip slightly. The official gasped for air like a fish out of water. When he could finally breathe again, he rasped, "We''re rounding up passing refugees for logging and quarrying work." "Do I look like a refugee to you?" Old Gu Six snarled, cracking his whip with each word, imbuing them with internal energy. "Ow! Ugh!" The slowest to react was now taking the brunt of the beating. This seemingly frail man turned out to be aplete maniac. The one at the bottom of the pile had started to roll his eyes back. Old Gu Six jumped down from the cart and kicked them one by one into the water-filled ditch beside the rice paddy. Chang''an lit two firecrackers (the kind used to st fish out of water - have you ever yed with those?) and tossed them in. Two loud "bangs" echoed from the ditch as mud flew everywhere, sending those who had just begun to stand up sprawling back down in fright. The dozen or so yamen runners were now covered head to toe in muck. Chang''an nimbly climbed back into the cart as Old Gu Six leapt onto the shaft and spurred the mule into a gallop. Once again, Old Gu Six and Chang''an found themselves as wanted fugitives, though this time the sketches bore a passing resemnce. Chang''an could draw too. She took out her makeup and got to work, transforming both father and daughter as if they had new heads. "Daughter, I had no idea you were skilled in disguise," Old Gu Six marveled, looking at himself in the mirror. He had gone from a strikingly handsome father to one who wouldn''t warrant a second nce in a crowd. She had even stuffed his clothes to give him the appearance of a middle-aged, hunchbacked old father. Chang''an''s fair, soft cheeks had been transformed into those of a sallow, scrawny girl, her eyes seeming a size smaller. "This isn''t disguise, it''s just makeup," she exined. The dark arts of Asia - look it up. It can make the ugly beautiful, and the beautiful ugly. She stored the cart in her spatial pocket, then mounted the mule with Old Gu Six leading it by the reins. They strolled past the officials searching for them with wanted posters in hand. One official stopped Old Gu Six, but perhaps because the current Old Six looked too ordinary, he didn''t even botherparing him to the poster. He simply asked, "Have you seen these two people?" Old Gu Six made a show of examining the poster before eximing as if remembering something, "Aye, I saw ''em pass by our vige a few days back!" His thick rural ent shocked Chang''an. When had he learned to speak like that? Hearing his ent, the official waved them on. Once they were out of sight, Chang''an brought out the cart and hitched it up again. As a precaution, they kept their disguises on. They continued their mad dash, but the further they went, the more Old Gu Six felt this couldn''t be the end of it. "Daughter, why don''t we go rob the Hun County magistrate''s house?" "Fine by me, as long as you don''t mind the trouble." They had almost left Hun County when Old Gu Six turned the mule around. Halfway back, they stopped and waited until dusk to continue. Hun County wasn''trge, but it was a small temple with a big evil wind. The emperor was far away, and even when he had been able to govern, he had never paid much attention to this area. The county magistrate had be the local despot. Being a native, he was rtively lenient towards his fellow vigers, but oppressed outsiders in various ways. Though lenient in other matters, when it came to taxes, even father and son had to keep clear ounts. The tax rate was one-tenth higher than the imperial levy, with the excess going straight into the magistrate''s pocket. There was also a crooked inn in town run by the magistrate''s rtives, specializing in fleecing passing merchants. Sixty percent of the inn''s profits went to the magistrate, with his rtives keeping the remaining forty. In the dead of night, a tall dark figure carrying a smaller shadow leapt across the rooftops of the county town. After darting through a couple of streets, they finally stopped at the magistrate''s residence. The Hun County magistrate''s mansion was the pr opposite of the Linyun Prefecture governor''s residence - one extremely opulent, the other extremely austere. This magistrate''s home wasn''t even as nice as those of the town''s wealthy families. Old Gu Six, carrying Chang''an like a chicken, infiltrated the magistrate''s residence as if it were deserted. Perhaps the old magistrate was too confident, thinking that if he kept his mansion looking shabby, no one would realize he had money and he wouldn''t need many guards. Chapter 70 The County Magistrate''s mansion wasn''trge, and they quickly found the storeroom. Tsk, what decent household leaves their storeroom unlocked? Isn''t this like openly advertising "No silver here"? It''s practically telling people they can wander around freely without worry. As the father-daughter duo expected, the storeroom contained only items befitting a County Magistrate''s standard use. Chang''an didn''t let it go; even a small fly is still meat. To find the real storeroom, Chang''an and Old Gu Six searched the entire county mansion, nearly getting caught by the housekeeper who got up in the night. They took anything of value from the ces they explored, and finally found a cer in a woodshed. This cer was more than twice the size of the small one they''d found in the Prefecture Governor''s Mansion, proving that you can''t judge by appearances, whether it''s people or ces. A shabby exterior doesn''t mean true poverty. Besides gold, silver, and jewels, there was even grain in the cer? Who stores things like this? Couldn''t they dig a few more holes? Without bothering to count the money, Chang''an waved her small hand, and all the gold, silver, and jewels were stored in her space, ced on the third floor of the vi along with what they''d taken from the Prefecture Governor''s Mansion. "Dad, should we take this grain too?" Old Gu Six untied two sacks and grabbed a handful of rice to examine. "It''s new rice, daughter. Let''s take it all. It''s not like any of this was honestly acquired anyway, so it doesn''t matter who eats it." Sixty to seventy sacks of rice, totaling six to seven thousand jin, were all stored in the warehouse of the space vi. Chang''an sighed in relief, feeling that the burden of supporting Old Gu Six had lightened considerably. After collecting everything and leaving the cer, Chang''an thought about how they''d need to build a house when they settled down. She hadn''t considered itst time at the Prefecture Governor''s Mansion. Now that she''d thought of it, why not take some roof tiles into the space? "Dad, let''s go to the County Magistrate''s courtyard." Chang''an patted Old Gu Six''s hand, and he picked her up, leaping towards the main courtyard where the County Magistrate lived. The main courtyard was the best andrgest in the entire County Magistrate''s mansion, with even the roof tiles newer than those in other courtyards. Then Old Gu Six watched as his daughter took all the roof tiles from the main courtyard. "Dad, go knock out the County Magistrate. Let''s tie him up and hang him on the city wall." Old Gu Six did as told, while Chang''an entered the County Magistrate''s room and took all his valuables. She wanted to strip him of everything, but the space wouldn''t allow it. The vi was only 600 square meters, so she couldn''t take too much. She had to choose only useful and valuable items. In the end, she also took more than ten flowerpots, throwing away the flowers and just keeping the pots and soil. Chang''an thought the bluestone bs in the courtyard were nice and could be used to pave their future home''s courtyard, so the main courtyard''s bluestone bs were also pried up and taken. Remembering that their big pot at home had a hole, Chang''an dragged Old Gu Six to the kitchen. There were tworge pots and two small ones; she stored them all in her space. The two chopping boards looked sturdy, and the kitchen knives were well-sharpened, clearly good des. She took them all. There weren''t any ingredients, probably because they''d buy fresh ones the next day, but she could take the two grass carp kept in the water vat. She might as well take the vat too. They could use it in their new home''s kitchen to keep fish. Thinking there was nothing else worth taking, Old Gu Six hoisted the unconscious old County Magistrate over one shoulder and picked up Chang''an with his other hand as they left the County Magistrate''s mansion. There were guards patrolling the city wall. Old Gu Six used the same trick as before, knocking out all the guards. Then he instructed Chang''an, "Daughter, you wait here. I''ll go tie him up." Chang''an wanted to participate, but seeing Old Gu Six seemingly stripping the County Magistrate''s clothes, leaving him with only a loincloth, she withdrew the foot she had stretched out. In less than a quarter of an hour, Old Gu Six had the County Magistrate tied up. The father-daughter duo quickly left the scene, leaving the County Magistrate wearing only a loincloth, swinging like a pendulum in the cold wind outside the city tower. Early the next morning, people entering and leaving the city saw the County Magistrate hanging in mid-air, frozen purple-blue, barely breathing. The city guards frantically pulled up the County Magistrate, who kept slipping in and out of consciousness, untied him, and hurriedly sent him back to the County Magistrate''s mansion to call for a doctor. Themoners below were in an uproar. Commoner A: "I think I just saw the County Magistrate hanging from the city tower." Commoner B: "I think I saw it too. Could our eyes be ying tricks on us? It''s high up there, we might have mistaken someone else for him." Commoner C: "Impossible, that was definitely the County Magistrate. My eyesight is excellent." ... By mid-morning, news of the County Magistrate''s mansion being robbed and the County Magistrate being hung from the city tower had spread throughout the entire county, and was still expanding outward. With the County Magistrate unconscious, the private advisor had no choice but to order people to catch the thieves. But the thieves they were trying to catch had already left Hun County. Chang''an had given Old Gu Six another disguise. Now he looked like a sickly father with a waxy yellowplexion, and Chang''an was a daughter with an otherworldly face. Old Gu Six looked at his daughter''s face andughed all morning, shaking as if he had Parkinson''s disease, which matched his sickly appearance quite well. Thinking of the dozen or sorge flowerpots they''d taken, Chang''an entered her space. She wanted to see if she could grow vegetables in the flowerpots within the space. She didn''t have many vegetable seeds, just some broli, Chinese cabbage, and cucumber seeds that her grandmother had bought when she was alive. They were several years old now, and she wasn''t sure if they were still viable. In their previous life, half of their vi''s garden was vegetables grown by her grandmother, and half was flowers grown by her grandfather. This space vi didn''t bring the garden with it, which wasn''t perfect. She started seedlings for all three types of vegetables to see if they would grow. She also took out two sweet potatoes to start as seedlings. Whether they''d bear fruit or not was beside the point; sweet potato leaves could be eaten as vegetables. Chang''an wasn''t very good at growing vegetables. Although she had helped her grandmother before, she only started helping after the vegetables had already grown. After finishing her work in the space, Chang''an came out. At this time, they were passing through a bamboo forest. Chang''an called for Old Gu Six to stop. "Dad, let''s not continue today. There''s a lot of bamboo here. Let''s cut some bamboo and make some things before we go." "Alright, it is indeed rare to find such well-grown bamboo." They put away the carriage and the father-daughter pair led the mule into the bamboo forest. From the other side of the bamboo forest, the sound of flowing water reached their ears. Following the sound, they came upon a clear small river. "Let''s set up a tent by this small river," Chang''an said, taking out two sickles to help clear the surrounding weeds and pebbles. Using bamboo as support poles and oilcloth as tent material, they built a 20-square-meter tent, securing the edges with stones. They first cut bamboo to make two single bamboo beds, then used bamboo to build a small shed outside the tent to serve as a kitchen. They made a simple bamboo fence,pleting the basic living facilities. The father-daughter pair began to cut bamboo and make things. First, they wove three backpacks and six pairs of baskets for carrying grain. You can''t have baskets without carrying poles, right? After finishing the baskets, they started making carrying poles. Old Gu Six did most of the weaving work, while Chang''an alternated between practicing her skills, cutting bamboo, and preparing three meals a day. While they were living contentedly here, the Hun County Magistrate was going mad trying to find the thieves. His life''s savings had disappeared overnight. This pained him even more than being hung from the city tower for a night. His usual amiable and cultured demeanor was long gone. "Get out, you useless lot!" An inkstone flew and hit the private advisor''s forehead, knocking him out cold, showing just how forcefully it had been thrown. Meanwhile, Chang''an and her Old Gu Six were thoroughly enjoying making bamboo crafts, feeling like they couldn''t stop. Bamboo chairs, rocking chairs, they made it all. One day, as Chang''an was washing bamboo tubes in the river to use for making bamboo tube rice, a person wearing brocade robes floated down from upstream, face down and back up. Chapter 71 Chang''an kicked the man, who didn''t react at all, as if he were dead. She called out to Old Gu Six, "Dad, Dad!" Hearing his daughter call him, Old Gu Six quickly put down the half-finished bamboo hanger he was making. Old Gu Six ran to the riverbank and saw his daughter poking at a person in the river with a bamboo pole, not knowing if the person was dead or alive. He went over and dragged the person ashore, turning him over. They had seen this man briefly on the road before - it was the young man in brocade clothes who had been galloping on horseback with others. After pulling him ashore, Old Gu Six didn''t bother with him further, and took Chang''an back home as well. Thinking about how he had previously helped Yu San and his group, only to have a bucket of cold water dumped on his head, he''d rather not mention it. He had treated others with kindness, only to be pped in return. Though one should remember kindness, it''s up to him whether to ept others'' gratitude. It''s not right to take his help for granted. Back at home, Chang''an began making bamboo tube rice, while Old Gu Six continued busy making hangers, which Chang''an had requested for hanging clothes. He thought it was unnecessary - couldn''t they just hang washed clothes directly on a rope to dry? But since his daughter wanted it, it must be useful. Chang''an busied herself in the makeshift kitchen, washing the rice and soaking it in clean water for half an hour. She prepared green peas, corn kernels, and diced carrots. She also diced shiitake mushrooms and Chinese sausage. She mixed all the ingredients with the rice, added some oil and a little sesame oil, then added other seasonings and mixed well. She filled bamboo tubes with the mixture, added some water, covered them, and steamed them in a pot of cold water. While the bamboo tube rice was steaming, which took longer, Chang''an also prepared a cold dish of shredded kelp and set it aside. The faint fragrance of bamboo tube rice wafted out. Old Gu Six put down his work, washed his hands, and sat down at the bamboo dining table, waiting to eat. His eyes were fixed on the stove, looking like a hungry chick waiting to be fed. Chang''an found it almost unbearable to watch. She suspected Old Six was the reincarnation of Taotie, the gluttonous beast of legend. How else could she exin his foodie nature? He seemed to eat endlessly all day, never appearing full. In the evening, when Old Gu Six took the pots, bowls, and bamboo tubes to the river to wash, he found that the man he had pulled ashore in the afternoon was gone. He didn''t think much of it, assuming the man had woken up and left on his own. What he didn''t know was that while they were eating, a herb-gathering woman hade down from the opposite mountain. Seeing the handsome young man in brocade clothes lying on the riverbank, she had waded across the small river and taken him away. Chang''an and Old Six continued weaving bamboo products: baskets, winnowing baskets, dustpans, and even made several brooms from bamboo branches. Later, thinking about future farming needs for winnowing grain, they wove four morerge baskets, making a total of ten with the previous six. Then they cut some wood to make nting boxes, two meters long by one meter wide, making ten of them. They dug soil from the bamboo forest to fill ten wooden tubs, which Chang''an neatly arranged in the space of the living room. The vi had a terrace, but unfortunately, they couldn''t go out. Otherwise, it would have been perfect to put everything on the terrace. They lived by the bamboo forest for about a month, making all the bamboo products they could think of, and before leaving, they cut more bamboo to take with them. The mule cart set off again, swaying along. During the journey, Chang''an and Old Gu Six often changed their appearances and bought another carriage. However, the mule pulling the cart remained the same, never changing. The most hard-working member of their family might be this mule, which hadn''t rested since they began fleeing the famine. Soon after they left the bamboo forest, it weed an unexpected group of visitors. They hadn''t erased the traces of their stay when they left, and the group of people, wrapped up with only their eyes visible, naturally saw signs that someone had lived there. These people were relieved they hadn''t let their guard down, thinking the person who fell off the cliff had surely died. They had searched below the cliff but found no body, so they had tracked all the way here. That person might have been saved by those who had lived here, and they had just recently left. The group followed the traces out of the bamboo forest, but lost the trail on the main road. "An Yi, what should we do now? The master said not to let Prince Qi return to the southwest," one said. "Didn''t the master also say that if we fail, we should spread the news to Chen Su that the Military Command Token is in Prince Qi''s hands?" An Yi replied. An Yi was very calm. The master had already thought of a backup n, so what was there to worry about? But these people were really something. Given their master''s habit of taking a nap wherever he fell before getting up again, how could he possibly have the Military Command Token? Most importantly, their master had been exiled to the northernnds. Had they ever seen a respectable family give a Military Command Token to an exiled prince? Were their heads just for decoration? Just to make them look taller? An Yi silently criticized them for a while, then led his brothers back to report their mission. Chang''an and her group traveled for another half month. When they passed through a county town, they finally saw a decent local official efficiently settling refugees. Old Gu Six didn''t stop, driving the mule cart onwards. People from all over living together, each ce with its own customs, different dialects, and different personalities - just thinking about it gave them a headache. They wanted to find a simpler ce, not somewhere with nine different dialects and ten different customs among ten people. The people settling in this county town were just like that. Chang''an could only understand three or four sentences, and the noise made her head buzz. However, no matter who you''re dealing with, people need to adjust to each other to find a better bnce in their rtionships. So before finding that bnce, chaotic days are inevitable. Yet, after living in a ce for a long time, one learns to follow local customs, integrates into local life, and eventually bes a local. After a while, one might even forget where they originally came from. The vegetable seedlings Chang''an had been nurturing in her space had already sprouted and grown. She transnted them one by one. The two sweet potatoes had also sprouted a bit, which meant they had sessfully taken root. "Dad, the sweet potatoes have grown too," she said. Old Gu Six, remembering the sweet potatoes they ate in the mountains that nearly made him roll his eyes, wasn''t very interested. But since his daughter had grown them, he had to show support. "My daughter is so capable, even better at farming than me. When we settle down, you can teach me, and then I''ll farm to support you." "Aren''t you going to hire farmhands?" she asked, remembering he had mentioned hiring workers to farm. "...You teach me, I teach the farmhands, and then I herd cattle while supervising? Sounds wonderful," he mused, delighted at the thought. Chang''an''s eyes crinkled withughter. She said teasingly, "Dad, you''re going to be a wealthyndowner with two oxen. Can you manage to herd two oxen by yourself?" She remembered a joke she had heard before about a young boy who went out to herd cattle. In the evening, the cattle came back, but the boy got lost in the mountains. She felt that if Old Six went to herd cattle, he might end up like that boy, and the cattle might have to go fetch him home. Hearing Chang''an''s cheerful voice, Old Gu Six was happy that his daughter was happy. He grinned broadly and said, "Two oxen? I could manage twenty!" Chang''an thought to herself: I''ll remember your bold words. Chapter 72 The weather was neither cold nor hot, so Chang''an didn''t stay in the carriage the whole time. She sat with Old Gu Six on the shaft, taking in the scenery along the way. They watched farmers busy in the fields and children ying andughing by the roadside. They saw willow branches hanging over embankments, flowers in full bloom, and clouds drifting across the sky. Chang''an and Old Gu Six were nning their future life. How many acres ofnd to buy? How many farmhands to hire? How many rooms to build? "Let''s just build a small courtyard house, just enough for us to live in. If we really need to hire farmhands, we can build a few more rooms for them to stay in," Chang''an suggested. Old Gu Six thought it was feasible. "With just the two of us living there, we don''t need a big house, or it will feel empty." "Ah! Get out of the way!" A loud shout interrupted their daydreaming. They saw a young man riding a pig, racing down the road ahead of them, with a group of vigers wielding various farm tools chasing after him. Just as it seemed the pig was about to crash into their mule, it stumbled, sending both the pig and the young man tumbling into a water ditch by the side of the road. The vigers jumped in after them, pulled the pig out of the ditch, and carried it away, leaving the young man still climbing out of the water. The father and daughter had just witnessed a prime example of how sometimes pigs are treated better than people. The young man, soaking wet and cursing, crawled up the bank. "If they don''t let me eat more meat when they ughter the pig, I''ll flip their table," he grumbled. As he looked up, he saw two pairs of bright eyes staring at him. The handsome young man''s face instantly turned as red as a monkey''s bottom. He scratched his head and stammered, trying to exin, "I-I''m very, very sk-skilled. My, my ma-master says I can be-be a gr-great general." It''s good for children to have dreams; one shouldn''t discourage them. Chang''an and Old Gu Six nodded in unison, "You can definitely do it." A great general riding a pig into battle ¨C now that would be unique, enough to make the enemy die ofughter. Seeing that they believed him, the young man''s smile suddenly shone like the sun. Even his parents didn''t believe in him, saying he was daydreaming, but he wasn''t just talking nonsense ¨C he was determined to make it happen. Before he left, he made a formal ancient bow to them from afar, saying, "My name is Yun Zhiheng. One day, my name will resound throughout the Great Ye Dynasty." From that moment on, the young man rode forth on his dreams, bravely venturing into the world. As he had said, when warlords vied for power across thend, the young man left his hometown behind. The young general Yun Zhiheng would be renowned throughout thend for his godlike military tactics, by which time the Great Ye Dynasty had already changed its name. Of course, that''s all in the future. For now, he was still just a bedraggled young man who couldn''t even outdo a pig. Chang''an and Old Gu Six jumped down from their cart and returned his bow. Seeing this, the young man''s smile grew even brighter. His parents said he only knew how to cause trouble, but look ¨C this wasn''t trouble-making, it was reciprocating courtesy, it was social etiquette. After watching the young man leave, the father and daughter returned to their cart and continued their journey. Chang''an felt that this leisurely journey should be apanied by some music, so she took out a y flute and yed the only song she knew how to y: "Forest Rhapsody." As they traveled further north, they saw fewer and fewer refugees on the road, until there were none at all. They didn''t go all the way to the far north, though. Old Gu Six brought Chang''an to a ce called Ningbei County, right next to thend of exile. The two areas were close, with trade between them, and people from the exilend often came to Ningbei County for the big market fairs. The entire county town was quiterge, but it had a somewhat dusty feel to it. On the outskirts were thatched huts, and further in were houses made of yellow mud bricks. The inner city presented a different scene altogether. The shops lining the streets were built of gray bricks with tiled roofs. The east side was where the nobles lived, and the west side was home to wealthy merchants. The north and south were where ordinary people resided, further divided by ss. The wealth gap was clearly visible. Old Gu Six led Chang''an to the County Magistrate''s mansion, asking for directions along the way. Before entering the town, they had restored their original appearances, so now they looked clean and tidy. The guards at the gate didn''t immediately turn them away. He took out a round, exquisite jade pendant from his bosom, with two characters inscribed in seal script. Chang''an nced at it a couple of times. After confirming with a look, she realized they were strangers to each other. Old Gu Six amusedly patted Chang''an''s head and said to the guard, "Please trouble yourself to take this jade pendant to the County Magistrate and announce that the son of Ji Xiaosheng seeks an audience." Although the guard couldn''t understand the inscription, it didn''t stop him from being cautious. He carefully took the jade pendant with both hands and said, "Sir, please wait a moment. I''ll go and announce you right away." "Thank you, I appreciate your help," Old Gu Six replied. After the guard entered the mansion, Old Gu Six exined to Chang''an, "Before your grandfather passed away, he instructed that if we ever encountered a major problem we couldn''t solve on our own, we could bring this jade pendant to seek help from Rong Hong, the Magistrate of Ningbei County. Although he''s only a county magistrate, his influence far exceeds his official rank. The jade pendant belonged to your grandfather, with his name inscribed on one side and a dragon on the other." "The biggest issue we''re facing now is settling down and establishing a household, so it''s time to use this connection." About a quarter of an hourter, the guard returned with a tall man with deep-set features and a serious expression, dressed in official robes. They hurried out of the mansion. The man''s identity was obvious. He approached the father and daughter, holding the jade pendant, his serious face showing signs of excitement. "Is this jade pendant yours? Is Ji Xiaosheng your father?" His deep, maic voice suddenly rang out, sounding somewhat urgent. Gu Qingming bowed to Rong Hong and replied calmly, "This humble one, Gu Qingming, greets the County Magistrate. In response to your question, Ji Xiaosheng was my adoptive father." Rong Hong waved his hand, appearing somewhat impatient. "Never mind all these tedious formalities. Where is your adoptive father? Has hee with you?" He hade, but Gu Qingming couldn''t say that. "My adoptive father passed away three years ago. Due to natural disasters in our hometown, I brought my child to the north to seek survival." They had indeed been fleeing for almost two years, so three years was urate. "What? He''s dead?" Rong Hong looked as if he had heard something utterly unbelievable, his eyes wide with disbelief. Gu Qingming quietly put away the jade pendant and pulled his daughter back a couple of steps, as if ready to flee at any moment. Rong Hong''s eyes reddened, and his booming voice became somewhat hoarse, "How... how did he die?" That man was two years younger than him, and he himself was still alive and kicking. How could that man have gone so early? "My adoptive father died of illness," Gu Qingming said, his mood low and sorrowful. "The dead are gone," Rong Hong sighed deeply. He patted Gu Qingming''s shoulder and said, "Your adoptive father treated you like his own son. He must have wanted you to live well." Why else would he have given him the jade pendant of the Ji family? This jade pendant was proof of identity and a symbol of authority. Given the current situation in the world, perhaps this jade pendant could never be shown in public again. He sighed once more and looked down at Chang''an, asking, "Is this your daughter?" The little girl was fair and plump, like a white, chubby steamed bun, quite adorable. Chang''an looked up at him. This man was really too tall, half a head taller than Old Gu Six. Looking up at him for too long could cause neck problems. However, she still maintained proper etiquette. When Gu Qingming introduced her, she obediently greeted him. "Yes, this is my daughter. Her name is Chang''an, meaning ''eternal peace.'' It was given to her by my adoptive father." "Chang''an greets Magistrate Rong." "Don''t call me Magistrate, call me Grandpa Rong," Rong Hong said, patting Chang''an''s head. "Grandpa Rong," Chang''an readilyplied. "Good, good. Come, follow Grandpa Rong back to the mansion. You must be tired after such a long journey. Rest for a few days first." Rong Hong held Chang''an''s hand as they walked in front. His strides were quiterge, forcing Chang''an to jog to keep up. She was too shy to ask him to slow down, so she could only bounce along, running to keep pace. Seeing this scene, Gu Qingming realized for the first time that his daughter actually had short legs. What to do? He really wanted tough!!! (PS: Sorry for thete update. Let me tell you a joke ¨C the author attended the wrong banquet today, haha ???¡¦¦Å¡¦???) Chapter 73 The short-legged creature followed them all the way to the main hall before stopping. Rong Hong instructed the steward, "Prepare a banquet and have people clean out two courtyards for my nephew and grand-nephew to stay in." Old Gu Six quickly intervened, "No need, no need, Uncle Rong. I was hoping to settle down and establish a home here, and wanted to ask for your help, Uncle Rong." "There''s no rush for that. It''s easily arranged." Under Rong Hong''s enthusiastic hospitality, the father and daughter, looking bewildered, ended up staying at the County Magistrate''s Mansion. The next day, when Rong Hong returned from his official duties, he summoned Old Gu Six to his study. "May I ask why Uncle Rong has called for me?" Since moving into the County Magistrate''s Mansion, Old Gu Six had be extremely well-mannered and much more serious. Rong Hong poured him a cup of tea. "Sit down and let''s talk." Old Gu Six sat cross-legged opposite him. On the low table between them was a half-finished game of Go. He asked, "Do you know how to y Go?" "I know a little," Old Gu Six said, picking up a white stone and cing it to the left of a ck one. The previously confusing game suddenly became clear. The two of them exchanged moves back and forth, with most of the ck stones being captured and the white stones steadily advancing towards victory. Rong Hong stared at the overwhelmingly one-sided game in amazement for a while, then burst into heartyughter. "You truly inherited your adoptive father''s unorthodox style. You don''t follow the usual patterns, yet one can''t say there''s anything wrong with it." He tossed the ck stone he had been holding back into the box, took a sip of the warm tea, his eyes flickering with interest. "What''s your view on the current state of affairs in the realm?" "I use my eyes to look at it," Old Gu Six replied. "Standing up or sitting down, either works." "...Do you have any thoughts on the matter?" Old Gu Six gave up pretending to be serious. He changed his sitting position, propping his chin on one hand, one long leg curled up and the other stretched out. He saidzily, "I have no interest in the affairs of the realm, and my adoptive father left no such instructions." "Would you be willing to lend your assistance to a worthy ruler?" "I''m not willing. Whoever wants this realm can go fight for it themselves. Don''t try to drag me into it." He sat up straight, hiszy demeanor turning cold and sharp. "If anyone dares to pull me into this game, I''ll make sure they don''t get what they want." He emphasized each word of "don''t get what they want," his voice carrying the chilling intensity of a snowy night. Rong Hong looked at him for a long time, then finally chuckled softly, easing the tense atmosphere. Old Gu Six returned to hiszy posture and asked casually, "Does Uncle Rong wish topete for the realm?" "To wield power over the realm while awake and sleep in the arms of a beauty while drunk - I think that''s every man''s dream. But I''m not skilled in the art of ruling, so I can''t be that person in power." "Has Uncle Rong already chosen someone to serve?" "Yes, but since you''re unwilling to get involved, there''s no need for you to know the details. This ce won''t remain peaceful for long. If you want a tranquil life, you should go elsewhere." "Alright, I understand. I''ve imposed on you too much. Please forgive me, Uncle Rong." Old Gu Six stood up, bowed, and turned to leave without hesitation. When he was three steps away from the door, Rong Hong called out to him. "Wait!" "Does Uncle Rong have any further instructions?" he asked, turning around leisurely. Rong Hong walked to his desk, took out a waist token from a drawer, and tossed it to Old Gu Six from afar. Old Gu Six caught it without changing his expression. It was inscribed in the Xiongnunguage, which he had some knowledge of. The token belonged to the Luandi n, one of the seven noble ns of the Xiongnu, and also the surname of the Khan of Xiongnu. He didn''t know why Rong Hong was giving him this token. "Take this token and go to the Xiongnu. Find the Luandi Khan, he will settle you in. You can live there for a while until the realm is stable, then return." Old Gu Six wanted to say that it might not just be "a while," but a very long time, possibly even a lifetime. He ced the token back on the desk. "Thank you for your kindness, Uncle Rong, but my daughter and I don''t n to go to the Xiongnu." He wanted to find a scenic, peaceful ce to live in seclusion with his daughter, enjoying simple meals and the changing seasons in tranquility. "Very well. If you have your own ns, then follow them," Rong Hong said, taking back the token and giving him a travel permit instead. This time, Old Gu Six didn''t refuse. He took the permit and bid farewell. Chang''an, seeing that her father hadn''t returned yet, decided to go to the front courtyard to look for him. As she passed through the garden, she encountered a troublesome child. "Hey, you little maid in front, help young master get the kite down from the tree." The chubby boy was half a head shorter than Chang''an, with five or six servants following behind him. Chang''an ignored him, and the servants immediately stepped forward to block her path. "Our young master is talking to you. Are you deaf?" Huh, just a nephew of some concubine. She had thought Rong Hong had raised an ill-mannered son. The chubby boy walked in front of Chang''an, looking her up and down. "You''re an unfamiliar maid. Are you new? From now on, you''ll serve in young master''s room." "Go serve your grandfather, you idiot," Chang''an said, kicking the chubby boy and sending him flying. His appraising gaze made her want to gouge out his eyeballs. Seeing their young master kicked away, the servants turned pale with fright. If anything happened to the young master, Aunt Fang would have their heads. Some immediately went to the front courtyard to find the steward, while others went to inform Aunt Fang. As Chang''an tried to leave, a skinny servant blocked her way. He had a shifty look and a perpetually hunched back. He red coldly at Chang''an, neither speaking nor moving aside. Without a word, Chang''an kicked him away too. ''Whoosh!'' ''Thud!'' The servantnded right at the feet of the hurrying steward. Chang''an greeted him, "Steward Liu, I''m sorry. Chang''an has overstepped her bounds." Steward Liu was a shrewd man who knew how to prioritize. "It''s the household''s fault for not being hospitable enough. We''ve disturbed Miss Chang''an. Please forgive us." When did this nephew arrive at the mansion? Aunt Fang was bing increasingly presumptuous. Chang''an waved her hand dismissively, while the chubby boy was still lying on the ground, moaning "Ouch, ouch." Old Gu Six arrived before Aunt Fang, carefully checking Chang''an and only rxing when he saw she was unharmed. "Who dared to hit my Jianren?" Aunt Fang''s voice preceded her arrival. A woman who looked as delicate as a willow and as fresh as a lotus emerging from clear water came swaying from behind the rockery. With such beauty, why settle for being a concubine? Chang''an wondered. Just as Chang''an was about to speak, Steward Liu beat her to it. "My apologies for disturbing Aunt Fang. It''s nothing serious. It was just the master''s grand-niece, Miss Chang''an, ying around with the young master." Aunt Fang only heard "Chang''an," ignoring everything else. "Seize that little maid called Chang''an and give her thirtyshes." However, no one moved. The others had clearly heard Steward Liu emphasize "the master''s grand-niece." Between Aunt Fang''s nephew and the master''s grand-niece, it was obvious whose side they should take. Seeing his aunt arrive, the chubby boy Jianren stopped wailing on the ground. He immediately got up and ran to hold Aunt Fang''s hand. "Auntie, after the beating, make that lowly maid serve me." This was thest straw. Old Gu Six grabbed the chubby boy by the cor and gave him two resounding ps across the face. Aunt Fang screamed and lunged at Old Gu Six, trying to rescue her chubby nephew. It was at this moment that Rong Hong arrived. He shouted coldly, "Stop!" Chapter 74 Aunt Fang saw Rong Hong as if she had seen a savior, and immediately fell to her knees at his feet to plead her case. After a long, ramblingint, her main point was that she wanted the person who hit her fat nephew beaten to death. Rong Hong watched coldly for a while before saying, "Are you finished?" Aunt Fang''s eyes glistened with tears, feeling terribly wronged. "Since you''re so fond of your nephew, why don''t you go back to your maiden home with him?" He coldly instructed Steward Liu, "Find some people to escort Aunt Fang and her nephew back, along with a letter of divorce to be delivered to the Fang family." This wasn''t how things were supposed to go. Aunt Fang was dumbfounded. Wasn''t she just seeking justice for her nephew? How did she end up with a divorce letter? Before Aunt Fang could beg for mercy, the servants, at Steward Liu''s signal, swiftly gagged her and dragged her away along with her beloved fat nephew. Rong Hong looked apologetically at Old Gu Six and Chang''an, "It''s my fault for not managing my household well. I''m sorry you had to experience this unpleasantness." The father and daughter pair smiled awkwardly, thinking they hadn''t really suffered any grievance¡ªit was his concubine who had. Tsk, at his age, taking such a young and beautiful girl as a concubine, how improper. Old Gu Six bid farewell to Rong Hong, "Uncle Rong, thank you for your hospitality. We''ll be leaving Ningbei County today. When we meet again, I hope all your wishes will havee true." Rong Hong wanted to ask the father and daughter to stay for two more days, but after a moment''s thought, he didn''t voice it. This ce wasn''t ideal right now; the sooner they left, the better. "I''ll have the steward prepare some food for your journey." Old Gu Six didn''t refuse, saying, "Thank you, Uncle Rong. We''ll trouble Steward Liu then." Steward Liu humbly replied, "It''s my duty, sir." The father and daughter had a farewell meal with Rong Hong, loaded up the provisions prepared by Steward Liu, and gradually disappeared into the distance under Rong Hong''s watchful gaze. When they reached themercial street, Old Gu Six stopped in front of a clothing store. "Daughter, wait for me in the carriage. I''ll be back shortly." "Alright," Chang''an thought her father was probably buying clothes for her, as she had grown taller and her clothes were now too short. She had a wall in her space from her previous life where her grandfather had marked her height when she was little. She measured herself and found she was now 1.4 meters tall. A quarter of an hourter, Old Gu Six came out carrying threerge packages. "Dad, why did you buy so much? I''m still growing. You should have bought more clothes for yourself." Old Gu Six stuffed the threerge packages into the carriage and calmly said, "Don''t worry, I''ve got it covered. I bought clothes that will fit you until you''re fourteen." "Didn''t you buy anything for yourself?" "I don''t need to. I have enough clothes, and we still have fabric at home. If I need more, I can just sew a couple." "No way, you should buy yourself a couple of nice outfits. We''re not short on money now, no need to be so frugal." "Daughter, I don''t need to dress too well. We haven''t settled down yet, we shouldn''t attract too much attention. How about I buy clothes made of cloud brocade to wear in the future?" "...Alright," she thought. It seemed to make sense. She then imagined her father in fine silks and brocades, looking like a young master from a noble family, but with two oxen following him around, instantly transforming his image into that of a foolish son of andlord. Actually, he didn''t need to dress too well, just appropriately for his image. Old Gu Six thought about what Rong Hong had said and made a decision, "Daughter, how about we find a mountain forest to live in seclusion?" "Okay, wherever you want to go, I''ll follow." "Mm, when the world bes peaceful again, we''lle out and settle down." Chang''an remembered someone''s advice not to go deep into the mountains. "Dad, let''s find a ce near the sea," she suggested. They could go fishing when they had nothing else to do. Having traveled to so many ces with her father, she had a general understanding of this world''s geography. It was simr to the map of her previous world, just with different ce names from ancient times. Thinking for a moment about coastal areas, she wondered about Xuantu Commandery? But there was also the Yan Kingdom nearby, equivalent to the Khitan people in ancient times of her previous world. This ce could be ruled out. Being at the border of two countries was fine when things were peaceful, but they could easily be coteral damage if conflicts arose. Well, they''d figure it out as they went along. Seeing that Chang''an had a ce in mind, Old Gu Six immediately agreed. His daughter''s happiness was the most important thing. Chang''an stored the threerge packages of clothes in her space, then came out to sit on the shaft of the cart and asked Old Gu Six, "Dad, didn''t you want to settle down here before? Why are we leaving now?" "Because some people''s ambitions are too big. If we want to live peacefully, we need to find another ce." They chased the sunset as they left Ningbei County, once again taking the road they hade on. At night, camping in the wilderness, Chang''an quietly asked Old Gu Six, "Dad, do you know what Grandpa''s identity was before?" She had been curious for a long time and finally asked. Old Gu Six handed the jade pendant to Chang''an. "Keep this safe. This jade pendant is very useful." "Your grandfather, ah, he was quite something, but unfortunately, he was unlucky. His original name was Ji Xiaosheng. Ji was the royal surname. He was the current emperor''s full brother. Because he was too outstanding, he was feared by his brother, the emperor. As for how he ended up bing a hunter in Qingfang Vige, your grandfather didn''t exin in detail. He only said it was like a cicada shedding its shell. As for hiding his identity? It was probably to save his life." Chang''an had considered many possibilities, but never imagined he would be royalty. The father and daughter chatted intermittently as the sun rose and set, ushering in a new day. They chose a different road this time, their destination left to chance. However, their luck didn''t seem to be very good. They seemed to have a special affinity for bandits, and this time they encountered truly vicious ones. Their mule cart was surrounded by a group of burly men reeking of blood. The bandit leader didn''t waste words, immediately demanding money. Would Old Gu Six give it to them? Of course not, so a fight was inevitable. Chang''an, seeing the situation, knew her rudimentary martial arts skills wouldn''t be of much use. This was where her lightning ability coulde in handy. As soon as the fight broke out, Chang''an used her ability. While Old Gu Six cut down their leader and deputy leader, Chang''an struck down the others with lightning. The sky rumbled with thunder, and lightning struck from a clear sky for a good half quarter of an hour,pletely depleting Chang''an''s ability. There were too many bandits, so Old Gu Six only took the money from the two leaders'' bodies, leaving the other small fry alone. The father and daughter pair drove their mule cart away at full speed from the scene. When the nearby bandits came down from the mountain, all they saw was a group of people lying on the ground, struck by lightning, their fates unknown. The two leaders had already been beheaded, and the third-inmand ''mournfully'' seeded as the new leader of the mountain stronghold. Old Gu Six and Chang''an traveled for two days straight before finally slowing down. This time, they avoided towns and stuck to mountain paths. In ces where the mule cart couldn''t pass easily, Chang''an would store the carriage in her space, bringing it out again when the road became passable. They traveled on and off, not knowing where they had arrived. What was certain was that they hadn''t found a suitable ce yet. As they passed by a small vige, they seemed to hear someone calling out to them. "Gu, Gu, Gu..." It sounded like someone with a stutter, repeatedly saying "Gu." Chapter 75 A thin, scrawny man stepped in front of the mule cart. Despite his small stature, his eyes shone with an unusual brightness.0 The father and daughter looked at him, utterly bewildered.0 Chang''an truly didn''t recognize the man in front of them, while Old Gu Six thought he looked familiar but couldn''t be certain if it was who he thought it was.0 The man, upon seeing Old Gu Six, became overjoyed, which only intensified his stutter.0 "O-o-o-old S-s-s-six, it''s-it''s-it''s m-m-me!"0 Old Gu Six only knew one person who spoke with such a distinctive stutter, so he asked, "A-a-are y-y-you A''qing?"0 Chang''an: Why are you imitating his way of speaking?0 Old Gu Six: It makes me seem friendlier.0 Chang''an expressed doubt: Doesn''t that make you more likely to get punched?0 A''qing''s already bright eyes lit up even more when he realized Old Gu Six had recognized him.0 He said, "Y-y-yes, it''s A-A''qing."0 Old Gu Six''s sharp eyes instantly brightened, and his face crinkled with joy.0 A''qing was from Liu Family Vige, next to Qingfang Vige. He was an orphan, and the vigers often bullied him because of his stutter.0 He was two years older than Old Gu Six, and when they used to beg together, A''qing would always protect him. Sometimes, when Old Gu Six couldn''t get any food, A''qing would share his own.0 Later, when Old Gu Six was adopted by an old hunter, he stopped begging.0 He would secretly save some of his own food rations to give to A''qing, but A''qing never epted them. He was afraid that if Old Gu Six did this, his adoptive family might throw him out, forcing him to beg again.0 The old hunter always knew about Old Gu Six''s hidden food stash. He never exposed him, but would quietly prepare extra food so that Old Gu Six could help A''qing without going hungry himself.0 Old Gu Six threatened A''qing, saying if he didn''t ept the food, he would never speak to him again.0 And so, with the old hunter''s silent help, Old Gu Six supported A''qing for five years. Later, A''qing left Liu Family Vige; vigers said his aunt had taken him in.0 Unexpectedly, after seventeen or eighteen years, A''qing had recognized him at a nce.0 A''qing said with a smile, "Y-y-you w-w-were g-g-good-looking as a ch-ch-child."0 In fact, Old Gu Six had only grown more handsome with age, his features maturing without bing unrecognizable.0 "How have you been?" Old Gu Six jumped down from the mule cart and gave him a big hug.0 "G-g-good. M-m-mother t-t-treats me v-v-very well."0 From the day he returned with his aunt, he had started calling her "mother."0 A''qing looked at Chang''an standing next to Old Gu Six. He seemed momentarily confused, then appeared to realize something.0 He asked, "Is-is-is th-this y-your d-d-daughter?"0 "Yes, this is my daughter Chang''an. Darling, this is your father''s benefactor. Quickly, greet Uncle A''qing," Old Gu Six said, patting Chang''an''s head.0 Chang''an stepped forward and gave A''qing a respectful bow, as befitting a younger generation. "Chang''an pays her respects to Uncle A''qing."0 "G-g-good," A''qing said, helping Chang''an up.0 Then he said to Old Gu Six, "C-ce, l-let''s g-g-go s-sit at m-my h-h-house."0 Old Gu Six nodded, "Alright."0 A''qing''s home was at the end of the vige - four thatched huts with a clean courtyard. The chickens were penned in a corner of the yard, not allowed to roam freely and defecate everywhere.0 His family was small: just an elderly mother, a wife, and two children - a son and a daughter.0 A''qing''s mother was out visiting neighbors. His wife was busy with housework when she saw guests arrive. She quickly put down what she was doing and came to greet them.0 She first carefully looked at Old Gu Six and Chang''an, then noticed the mule cart parked outside the yard.0 Though the father and daughter weren''t dressed in the finest clothes, theymanded attention just by standing there.0 A''qing''s wife was an ordinary, illiterate farm woman. She wouldn''t describe the father and daughter pair in the way a schr might.0 In her words, they were exceptionally good-looking, as if they glowed.0 A''qing happily introduced them to his wife, "M-m-mother, w-w-wife, th-this is m-my ch-childhood f-f-friend, Old G-Gu S-Six, and h-his d-daughter."0 A''qing''s wife felt somewhat awkward, momentarily at a loss for what to do.0 She smiled nervously, "Wee, sir, miss. Please,e in and have a seat."0 Old Gu Six spoke gently, "Sister-inw, please call me Old Six. This is my daughter Chang''an."0 "Greetings, Aunt A''qing," Chang''an stepped forward and gave another respectful bow.0 "Oh, please," A''qing''s wife hurriedly helped Chang''an up.0 She thought to herself, goodness gracious, this youngdy is truly beautiful, so soft and polite.0 Then she thought of her own daughter, who was probably running wild in the mountains with her brother right now, and her hands began to itch.0 As if on cue, the children she was thinking about returned home.0 "Mom, Mom, look what my brother and I found!" a voice called out before they even entered the yard. They paused at the gate, confused. "Huh? Brother, do we have guests?"0 "Looks like it."0 The siblings ran into the courtyard. The little girl was carrying a wild pheasant, while the boy had a basket full of fresh mushrooms.0 The first thing they saw upon entering was Chang''an and Old Gu Six.0 The siblings exchanged a nce, both wondering when their family had ever had such good-looking guests.0 A''qing went over and lightly smacked the back of their heads. "Th-this is U-Uncle Gu and Ch-Chang''an."0 He then introduced them to Old Gu Six: "Th-these are m-my s-son and d-daughter, D-Da..."0 Seeing his father struggling with the introduction, A''qing''s son took over: "Uncle Gu, I''m Dazhu, and this is my sister Qingqing."0 "Hello there," Old Gu Six greeted them with a warm smile.0 Dazhu felt a bit shy, though it wasn''t obvious due to his sun-darkened skin.0 Qingqing kept hiding behind her brother, stealing nces at Chang''an. This girl was fair-skinned and beautiful, with lovely clothes and embroidered shoes she had only seen in city shoe shops.0 She looked at her own rough, bony hands, then down at her cloth shoes with toes peeking out. Her big toe twitched ufortably as she tried to tuck it back in.0 She tugged at her coarse, patched-up clothes. Living in the vige, she had never felt different before, but suddenly having someone so unlike her in their home brought unfamiliar feelings.0 For the first time, she experienced a sense of inferiority, feeling an unprecedented embarrassment.0 Two girls of simr age, yet they seemed to inhabitpletely different worlds.0 One radiant and refined, the other worn down by the hardships of life.0 No one noticed Qingqing''s silence. A''qing''s wife asked the children to go tell their grandmother that they had guests.0 The siblings put down their findings and left together. On the way, Dazhu noticed something was off with his sister.0 "Qingqing, what''s wrong?"0 "It''s nothing, brother. Say, what do you think the outside world is like? Is everyone as beautiful as that girl?"0 The young boy was perceptive enough to understand why his sister was feeling down. He affectionately patted her head.0 Grinning, he said, "Qingqing, one day I''ll earn lots and lots of money. I''ll buy you the prettiest house, the most beautiful clothes, and the most delicious food."0 Chapter 76 The siblings'' eyes were filled with dreams of the future. Qingqing,forted by her brother, returned to her carefree self. The young man''s words were not mere titudes, but a promise. In the near future, he would indeed be wealthy and influential. Of course, that''s a story for another time. For now, they were still just mischievous children under their parents'' watchful eyes. They stopped outside a thatched cottage and called out loudly, "Grandma, Grandma!" Hearing her grandchildren''s voices, the olddy hurried out. "What''s the rush?" "We have guests at home," the siblings said as they went to support the olddy, walking her home. They didn''t forget to turn back and say goodbye to another olddy who hade out with her. "Grandma Jin, we''re taking our grandma home now. Pleasee visit us when you have time!" Grandma Jin waved her hand, her smile benevolent. "Go on then,e y again next time." When the three generations returned home, Ah Qing''s wife was cleaning a wild pheasant. She looked up, "Mother, you''re back? A''qing''s childhood friend hase to visit." Old Mrs. Chen was taken aback. A''qing''s childhood friend? Shouldn''t they be in Yizhou County? Inside the house, Old Gu Six and Chang''an saw an elderly person enter and quickly stood up to greet her. "Hello, Old Lady. I''m A''qing''s friend, Old Gu Six. I apologize for the sudden visit, please forgive the intrusion." "Hello, Grandma," Chang''an also greeted her respectfully. "It''s no bother, no bother at all. It''s kind of you toe from so far away to visit A''qing," the olddy said, gesturing for Chang''an to sit. She then added with a smile, "Let A''qing keep youpany. I''ll go prepare the meal." After she left, Chang''an also walked out. They couldn''t arrive empty-handed and eat a meal for free, could they? In the courtyard, Dazhu was chopping firewood. Seeing Chang''ane out of the house, he smiled shyly at her. Chang''an returned the smile, then left the courtyard and climbed into the carriage. She chose some suitable gifts from her space. A bolt of coarse cloth and a bolt of cotton cloth, which they had "acquired" from a city overrun by refugees when they first started fleeing the disaster. Two packages of homemade mung bean cakes. Since A''qing was Old Six''s father''s benefactor, she could give a more substantial gift. Giving silver directly wouldn''t be appropriate, but jewelry would do. Three pairs of silver bracelets were for the women. For A''qing and Dazhu, she chose a fine jade pendant each. Chang''an first brought the cloth and cakes back into the house. "Uncle A''qing, this is just a small token of our appreciation. Thank you for taking care of my father in the past." Seeing this, A''qing became flustered, scratching his head. "No, no, no, you don''t need to¡ª" Old Gu Six held him back. "These things aren''t expensive. Just ept them, it''s fine." Chang''an made another trip outside and brought in the bracelets and jade pendants. Each pair of bracelets was in its own box, as was each jade pendant. She ced the five boxes on the kang bed, pushing them towards A''qing. Just as A''qing was about to open them, a voice called from outside that the meal was ready. "A''qing, bring the guests out to eat!" In the courtyard, an eight-immortals table had been set up with four long benches. On the table was a pot of mushroom stewed chicken, two bowls of stir-fried greens, and a bowl of scrambled eggs. The main course was mixed flour pancakes, made from abination of dark and white flour. There was also a pot of rice porridge. The olddy came forward and took Chang''an''s hand. "Child,e quickly. Grandma has saved you the big chicken legs." She seated Chang''an at the ce where a bowl with two chicken legs was set. Chang''an smiled, her dimples showing. "Thank you, Grandma." "No need for thanks, just eat up." Once everyone was seated, Chang''an picked up one of the chicken legs and put it in Qingqing''s bowl beside her. "You eat too." Qingqing stammered, "I... I won''t eat it. You... you eat it," trying to put it back in Chang''an''s bowl. But Chang''an stopped her. "I have one. I can only finish one, two would be wasteful." Qingqing looked at Chang''an shyly, and without further protest, said, "Thank you." Chang''an grinned back at her. She then tore off a piece of meat from her own chicken leg and put it in the olddy''s bowl. "Grandma, let''s eat together." Old Mrs. Chen was surprised for a moment, then smiled so widely that her wrinkles deepened. "Alright, let''s eat together." This child is truly kind-hearted, she thought. Just like her father, a good child. If it weren''t for Old Gu Six taking care of A''qing back then, he wouldn''t have survived long enough for her to pick him up. As the family was eating happily together, a sharp voice suddenly came from the courtyard gate. "Oh my, Second Sister-inw, you have guests at home?" The olddyzily lifted her eyelids and said indifferently, "It''s my A''qing''s friend." "Oh? A''qing knows rich young masters?" The skeptical tone and the mockery in her eyes couldn''t be more obvious. No one responded to her, so she walked closer. Seeing the dishes on the table, she sat down next to the olddy. "A''qing''s wife, go get me a pair of chopsticks and a bowl. I haven''t eaten yet either." She acted as if she were in her own home, and her hands weren''t idle either. She picked up a pancake and started eating. When she saw the pot of mushroom stewed chicken, she dipped the pancake she had already bitten into the soup and ate it. A''qing, despite his quick reflexes, couldn''t stop her in time. He was furious, "Th-Th-Third Aunt, h-h-how c-c-can you d-d-do this?" "Stuttering fool, don''t talk. It''s tiresome to listen to. I''m your Third Aunt, what''s wrong with eating one of your pancakes?" She rolled her eyes, her face full of impatience. After speaking, she reached into the pot and grabbed a piece of chicken to eat. Old Gu Six and Chang''an simultaneously put down their bowls and chopsticks. Although they weren''t full yet, they had lost their appetite. The olddy was so angry her breathing became heavy. She stood up and delivered a resounding p. Despite her age, the olddy was quite strong. Third Aunt Chen was knocked to the ground, dazed. In the past, no matter how much she angered the olddy, they always endured it silently. Today, however, was different. This couldn''t be allowed! Realizing what had happened, she quickly got up from the ground, ready to fight with the olddy. The olddy, determined to stand her ground today, picked up a broom and started swinging it at Third Aunt Chen, chasing her out while she yelped and ran. After chasing Third Aunt Chen away, the olddy came back, apologizing to Old Gu Six: "She''s A''qing''s Third Aunt, a troublemaker. I''m terribly sorry. Let me cook some noodles for you." She sighed softly, wondering if there was enough white flour left to make two bowls of noodles. Chang''an quickly stopped her. "There''s no need, Grandma. We''re full, don''t trouble yourself." A''qing stood to the side, head lowered, feeling very sorry towards Old Gu Six. This was his first visit as a guest, and he had to encounter such a situation. Old Gu Six patted his shoulder,forting him, "It''s alright, Brother A''qing." After this disturbance, no one continued eating. The siblings helped clean up the bowls and the table, and they all sat in the courtyard to chat. Third Aunt Chen returned home, intending to have Third Uncle Chen seek justice for her, but was instead scolded by him. "You deserved it. In the past, Second Sister-inw was being considerate and giving you face. You''re just ungrateful. Stay at home and don''t go anywhere." Third Aunt Chen could argue with the whole vige, but she didn''t dare throw a tantrum in front of Third Uncle Chen. Because when Third Uncle Chen got angry, he would really hit her, and he hit hard. Back at A''qing''s house, Old Gu Six and Chang''an stayed for about two hours, learning about A''qing''s current living conditions. Apart from some financial difficulties, they seemed to be living happily and contentedly. The father and daughter politely declined their offer to stay the night, and got up to say goodbye. Before leaving, Old Gu Six had Chang''an take out a bag of flour they had bought. Leaving the flour behind, the father and daughter hurriedly departed, with A''qing chasing after them for quite a distance. The world was already in chaos. This parting might mean they would never meet again. (PS: Dear readers, where should Old Six and Chang''an go to the seaside? There will be two updates today. Can''t help it, I''ve been arranged to attend another feast, and several naughty kids havee to my house again. I''m about to go bald from all the noise, it''s so frustrating. We''ll return to three updates tomorrow. (,,??.??,,)) Chapter 77 A''qing watched the mule cart disappear into the distance, his eyes reddening as he finally turned to go home. On the way, he encountered some vigers who curiously asked, "A''qing, we heard a rich young master came to your house?" "Yes, yes, I heard he''s from the city," A''qing replied. "A''qing, when did you make such a friend?" "A''qing, don''t forget about us if something goodes your way." A''qing smiled politely but didn''t respond, keeping his head down as he hurried home. The vigers didn''t mind, smiling kindly before going about their business. When A''qing got home, his son pulled him into the room. On the kang bed were five neatly arranged open boxes, their contents clearly visible. The whole family looked to him, asking what they should do. The bag of flour was already quite valuable, and the jade pendant looked expensive at a nce. In the end, Old Mrs. Chen made the decision, "Little Gu has no fixed abode now, so even if we wanted to return these things, we wouldn''t know where to go. Let''s keep them safe for now and return them when we see him again." A''qing was given the three pairs of silver bracelets and two jade pendants to keep. The two packs of mung bean cakes were given to the brother and sister to eat, and the fabric was given to A''qing''s wife to store. A''qing then gave the silver bracelets to the olddy, "Mom, you... you... keep... keep... these. I''ll... I''ll... pay... pay... him back...ter." He understood Old Gu Six. These things were given to their family to use. Even if they could find him to return them, he wouldn''t take them back. In the future, he would work harder, save more, and pay Old Gu Six back generously. The olddy was silent for a moment before epting the three pairs of bracelets. She then instructed the siblings, "Don''t tell anyone that your Uncle Gu gave us such valuable gifts. Keep your little mouths shut." The brother and sister replied in unison, "We know, Grandma." They weren''t three-year-olds; they understood the principle of not unting wealth. After Old Gu Six and Chang''an left A''qing''s house, they turned off the main road onto a smaller path. The mountain road twisted and turned, but the mule cart could still pass through. "Dad, please be more careful and don''t take the wrong road again. You don''t want to be on the road forever, do you?" Chang''an said. Old Gu Six smiled sheepishly without saying a word. How could he say it was his fault for taking the wrong road? It was clearly the mule who moved its feet first. However, this wrong turn turned out quite well, allowing him to fortunately meet A''qing and know that he was living a stable and happy life. The first part of the road was still easy to traverse, but the mountain path ahead became increasingly narrow, forcing them to fold up the cart. Chang''an rode the mule while Old Gu Six led it from the front. Traveling through the mountains had its advantages. They could enjoy fresh pheasant and rabbit, asionally find mushrooms, and sometimes prepare wild vegetable sds. However, they didn''t have the protagonists'' incredible luck of finding all sorts of edibles in the mountains. They never dug up any ginseng or picked any lingzhi mushrooms. Another drawback was that it was difficult to maintain a sense of direction, and they often found themselves at dead ends. Just like now, the two people and the mule stood dumbfounded. Where had their big road gone? "Daughter, roads are originally made by people walking. Perhaps our predecessors only made it this far, and the rest is up to us to forge," Old Gu Six said. He nodded firmly, feeling that this exnation made perfect sense. He had convinced himself. "...Whatever makes you happy," Chang''an said as she climbed down from the mule. Without asking, she knew they would be climbing the mountain again. She had gotten used to it by now, treating it as if they were searching for their own territory. The father and daughter skillfully tied up their sleeves and trouser legs, then plunged into the mountain without hesitation. Neither of them thought about turning back to walk a bit, where they might have found a path to follow. Meanwhile, the winding path leading downwards seemed to say: I can''t believe you two. If you had just looked to your right, you wouldn''t have been left without a road to follow. Chang''an''s inner strength had been cultivated to the point where she could use it freely, and her physical constitution had greatly improved. Now, climbing mountains no longer left her gasping like a fish out of water as it had in the beginning. "Dad, is that a snake ahead?" Chang''an asked. "If your eyes aren''t deceiving you, then yes, it is," Old Gu Six said, quickly lifting Chang''an and cing her behind him. It was a white-banded krait, with a slightly oval-shaped head and a slender body and tail, about 1 meter in total length. It was a non-venomous snake, known for its rtively gentle temperament and slow movements. It hunted small birds, lizards, and small rodents for food. The snake raised half its body, baring its fangs and flicking its tongue at Old Gu Six, warning them not toe closer. The white-banded krait seemed to say: Don''te any closer, or I''ll bite you. Old Gu Six narrowed his phoenix eyes and clicked his tongue. He drew his flexible sword and swung it to the side, felling a small tree. The white-banded krait''s demeanor changed: My apologies, I''ll take my leave. It closed its mouth and slowly slithered into the underbrush. The rustling sounds continued for a while before finally fading away. Fearing they might encounter more snakes or poisonous insects, Old Gu Six simply picked up Chang''an and slung her onto his back. "Dad, it''s really not necessary. I can handle snakes," Chang''an said. "Hmph," was Old Gu Six''s only response. This... What could she say to that? There was no need to say anything more. Old Gu Six carried Chang''an on his back while she held the mule''s reins, and they headed in the direction they believed to be correct. They had only encountered that snake with clear stupidity in its eyes at the beginning. The rest of their journey went quite smoothly. After passing through the dense forest, they came to a valley. The valley was divided in two by a small stream. On the opposite bank was the forest, while they stood on a t grasnd. Two young deer were drinking water on the forest side. When they raised their heads and saw two people standing on the opposite bank, they fled in panic into the woods. "Daughter, it''s gettingte. Shall we rest here for the night?" Old Gu Six asked. "That''s fine," Chang''an replied. Chang''an let the mule roam freely nearby while she took out pots, bowls, and utensils from her spatial storage to prepare dinner. Seeing that Old Gu Six was about to go hunting again, she quickly stopped him. "Dad, don''t go. We still have plenty of food in the storage space." At some point, her Old Gu Six had developed a strong liking for hoarding food. Even when he couldn''t catch any game, he would gather handfuls of wild vegetables to store away. The cabbage and broli in the storage space were ready to eat. Chang''an picked a head of broli to stir-fry with cured meat and prepared a cold cucumber sd. She didn''t pick the cabbage to eat, nning to use it for making kimchiter. By the time they finished dinner, it waspletely dark. They still lit two bonfires, with a small iron pot of boiling water over one of them. Looking at the bubbling boiling water, Chang''an suddenly thought, why not have ate-night snack? How about some barbecue? "Dad, want some barbecue?" she asked. "Yes, yes," he replied eagerly. It had been a while since they''d had it, and it would satisfy their cravings. "I also want that sweet bubbly water we hadst time," Old Gu Six added. "It''s called c," Chang''an exined. Chang''an took out the barbecue grill and prepared various foods and seasonings. "Let''s wait a bit before we start grilling. We just finished dinner," she said. Old Gu Six patted his stomach. "Actually, I could eat some now." "...Then you can grill it yourself," Chang''an replied. Old Gu Six happily got to work, the master griller now on duty. He first grilled a corn on the cob for Chang''an before moving on to various meats. As Chang''an was contemting whether to eat the corn now or wait, she heard a voice from the forest, "Brother Ling, hurry and go! Don''t worry about me!" The voice sounded strained, as if there was a slipper stuck in their throat. Chapter 78 Then Chang''an heard another voice, "No, Xin''er, I can''t leave you behind. If we go, we go together." Who were these two,ing to this deep mountain to perform a melodrama? The woman, moved to tears, sobbed softly, then put on a brave face and said, "Alright, let''s go together. Even if we die, we''ll die together." Shortly after, Chang''an saw a man and a woman emerge from the nearby woods, their clothes disheveled, hair messy, stumbling and supporting each other as they walked. Upon seeing people by the stream, the man immediately shielded the woman behind him, eyeing Chang''an and Old Gu Six warily. In the darkness, only vague outlines could be seen in the weak firelight. The man looked somewhat familiar, but Chang''an couldn''t recall where she might have seen him before. The father and daughter pair merely nced at them indifferently, not paying them much attention. The aroma of barbecue wafted through the air. The two people, who had been on the run and pursued for days, couldn''t remember thest time they had eaten a proper meal. At that moment, their stomachs rumbled in protest. The man, concerned for the woman, approached Old Gu Six, hoping to buy some grilled meat for her. "Stop right there," Old Gu Six called out coldly. A long sword had appeared in his hand, which he nted in the ground nearby as a warning to the man. The man nced at the gleaming sword, then at the man whose face he couldn''t make out clearly. His expression stiffened. After a few breaths, he stood in ce and cautiously asked, "Noble sir, would it be possible to purchase some of your grilled meat?" Old Gu Sixzily raised his eyes. "How much silver are you willing to pay?" His hands continued to turn the rabbit leg, brushing on anotheryer of barbecue seasoning, making the aroma even more enticing. The man searched his sleeve pocket, only to find he had just two taels of silver left. He hadn''t brought much money with him to begin with. Xin''er had saved his life, and when they left her home, seeing that her parents made a living by gathering herbs and had many siblings to support, living in considerable hardship, he had left most of his money with Xin''er''s parents. Originally, the money he kept was enough to return to the Southwestern Qi Prince''s Mansion, but unexpectedly, several groups of assassins appeared on the road to hunt them down. And so, their funds were depleted before they could even leave the northern territory. He took out the two taels of silver, "I only have two taels of silver here. How much can I buy with this?" Two taels of silver was actually not a small amount; it would be enough for both of them to eat their fill. But Old Gu Six wasn''t a normal person. He sneered disdainfully, "Just this little silver? Forget it, go find your own food." His barbecue was so delicious that he wouldn''t sell it for less than five taels of silver. It would be best if these two big troublemakers left their vicinity as soon as possible. ording to his immature intuition, if these two didn''t leave soon, they might be in for some serious trouble. "Keep your distance from us, preferably go to the other side of the stream." The woman''s temper red up, and she immediately rushed forward, "What do you mean? This ce doesn''t belong to you alone. We''ll stay wherever we want!" Old Gu Six didn''t care if she was a woman or not. As she charged towards him, he grabbed a piece of dry firewood from nearby and swung it at her, sending her flying several meters away. "Ah~" "Xin''er!" The man scrambled to catch the woman. Seeing his woman struck, the man angrily questioned, "Are you even a man? Hitting a woman like that!" "Whether I''m a man or not is none of your business. My wife knows, and that''s enough. If you don''t get far away now, hitting you will be the least of your worries." Old Gu Six pulled the long sword from the ground, pointing its tip at the two. The man was furious, but he was helpless. His internal injuries hadn''t healed, and the constant pursuit and forced use of his skills had only worsened his condition. Now, even someone with basic martial arts skills could give him trouble in a fight. Moreover, that man was clearly no ordinary person. It would be suicidal to provoke him further. Reluctantly, he supported the woman and walked away, obediently crossing to the other side of the stream. This wasn''t cowardice; he simply didn''t want to stoop to that man''s level. Chang''an had been silently munching on corn, knowing her Old Six Dad could handle the situation, so she didn''t bother to intervene. The corn was a bit tough to eat, and she lost interest halfway through. She started skewering some broli for Old Six Dad to grill, then prepared two skewers oftro. Late at night, eating some vegetables would be fine, but those chicken legs looked so delicious. Maybe she should try one? Old Gu Six was gnawing on the corn his daughter hadn''t finished when he saw her reach for a chicken leg, despite her apparent intention to eat vegetables. On the other side of the stream, the couple was tormented by the tantalizing aroma, their stomachs growling incessantly. They had been holding out, but now they couldn''t bear it any longer. The man built a fire to settle the woman, then ventured into the mountains to try his luck. Old Gu Six, sensing that the night might not remain peaceful, didn''t prolong their barbecue session. They finished what was already grilled and packed up. Not long after they had cleaned up, just as Old Gu Six had anticipated, a group of dark-d figures emerged from the shadows, their killing intent palpable. They approached and nced at Old Gu Six and Chang''an, confirming with a look that these weren''t the people they were after. This man''s aura was even more menacing than their own professional demeanor. Better not provoke him. Retreat! Their employer had only paid for low-level assassins; there was no need for them to take on a high-level assassin''s job. Hmm? There was another campfire on the opposite bank. They decided to check it out. The man had not yet returned from his hunting expedition, and the woman, frightened, ran deeper into the woods. Her reaction was telling. It was clearly suspicious, and the group rushed across to pursue her. In less than a quarter of an hour, they caught the woman. She wailed loudly, telling them they had caught the wrong person. "The person you''re looking for went hunting. You should look for him in the mountains. Please let me go, I''m just an herb gatherer!" The assassins thought to themselves: They might not be top-tier assassins, but they weren''t stupid either. Chang''an nearly threw out her back at the woman''s outrageous behavior. What happened to all that talk of "I love you, you love me, we''ll never part in life or death"? How long had it been? And now it was every person for themselves when faced with danger? Bah! Love was indeed unreliable. The woman''s cries faded into the forest. She was probably being taken into the mountains to find the man. Chang''an and Old Gu Six spent a peaceful night in the valley. The next day, they set out early. They followed the valley outwards. This valley was truly long; they walked all morning without reaching the end. "This valley is longer than my life," Chang''an remarked. Old Gu Six gave her a light smack on the back of her head. "Pah! Pah! Children say the darnedest things." As they continued outward, the stream gradually widened. When they finally exited the valley, they encountered arge river. The river blocked their path. They couldn''t see any signs of human habitation on the other side, so if they wanted to cross, they''d have to make a raft themselves. This task fell to the multi-talented Old Six Dad. Father and daughter resigned themselves to cutting down trees. This dy cost them another day. When the mule stepped onto the raft, its legs trembled violently, and it had to lie down on the raft. Neither of them had experience steering a raft, so they couldn''t control the direction well and kept going in circles. "Daughter, why don''t I paddle alone? You can just sit and rest." Chang''an thought about it and agreed. It might be easier to control with just one person paddling. Old Gu Six tried it, and indeed, they stopped going in circles. However, as they reached the middle of the river, a ferry boat leisurely floated down from upstream. Chang''an and Old Gu Six: So they could have avoided all that exhausting work building a raft if they had just waited a little longer? Chapter 79 The ferryman was an old man wearing a bamboo hat and straw raincoat. He was quite surprised to see Old Gu Six and his daughter.0 "Where did youe from?" he asked.0 Old Gu Six scratched his nose awkwardly, bowed to the old man as a junior, and said, "We came down from the mountain across the way."0 "People still live in the mountains?"0 "No, we were just passing through."0 "I see. Well, you can''t go to the other side. If you cross over, it''s still mountains. Where are you trying to go?"0 "The ce closest to the sea."0 "In that case, follow me downstream. There''s a small town downriver. If you leave from there and travel for about a month, you should reach where you want to go."0 "Thank you, old sir."0 The old man waved kindly and positioned his ferry in front of their raft, moving at just the right pace for the raft to keep up.0 Floating downstream, they reached the small town the old man mentioned in about two hours.0 The town was not small at all. It was bustling with activity, with peopleing and going at the dock, and cargo ships loading and unloading goods.0 The old man called to the father and daughter toe ashore. "It''s gettingte. You should stay in town for the night and leave tomorrow."0 Old Gu Six didn''t refuse and followed the old man with Chang''an.0 The townspeople were curious about the new faces. As they walked from the dock to the main street, a group of adults and children followed behind, watching with interest.0 Those familiar with the old man smiled and asked, "Uncle Li, where did you pick these two up from?"0 Uncle Liughed and scolded the young man, saying, "What do you mean ''pick up''? They''re just passing through our town."0 He led the father and daughter to a decent-looking inn and turned to Old Gu Six, saying, "You two can stay here. The inn is run by my nephew, so you can rest assured it''s safe."0 "Thank you, old sir," Old Gu Six bowed again in gratitude.0 Some children joined in, imitating Old Gu Six''s bow with exaggerated gestures, then burst intoughter.0 The group of children left,ughing and ying.0 After saying goodbye to Uncle Li, Old Gu Six took Chang''an into the inn.0 The night passed uneventfully. The next morning, they were awakened by the aroma of meat pies from across the street.0 They got up early, checked out, bought ten meat pies from across the street, and left the small town leading their mule.0 Outside the town was a wide road with broad fields. Golden rice swayed in the morning sun, a breathtaking sight.0 They didn''t immediately bring out the carriage after leaving town. After walking for two hours and carefully observing that no one was around, Chang''an finally took out the carriage.0 Of course, taking the main road meant passing through towns. They had initially thought about taking small paths, but considering their sense of direction, Chang''an felt it was more reliable to stick to the main road.0 Some cities didn''t allow outsiders to enter, so in those cases, they had no choice but to take side roads.0 The cities they could enter were not peaceful. One day, they arrived at a ce called Qiushui County. Just to enter the city, they had to pay ten copper coins.0 The innkeeper shamelessly overcharged customers, demanding two taels of silver as a deposit before allowing anyone to stay.0 As they passed through the lobby, they overheard people whispering.0 "Have you heard?"0 "Heard what?"0 "Howe you haven''t heard?"0 "Well, what am I supposed to have heard?"0 "The Chen Family Army from Lingnan is fighting with Prince Rong''s Army in the south."0 "They''re both in the south. Their fighting won''t affect us. Instead of worrying about this, you should go to the docks and carry a few more big packages to earn some extra money."0 "How can you say that? If the south is fighting, won''t it be only a matter of time before we in the north start fighting too?"0 "That''s all the more reason to earn more money and stock up on food, so we don''t go hungry when the wares."0 The other person wanted to say more, but hispanion ignored him and strode away.0 During dinner, Old Gu Six and Chang''an ate in the lobby, incidentally overhearing some current events.0 It was all about the war in the south, people bing refugees,rge numbers fleeing, and worries about their own hometowns. If it came to that, where would they escape to?0 Chang''an thought: Will this fleeing ever end?0 They didn''t linger long in this county. Since fighting had broken out in the south, it wouldn''t be long before it reached the north, so they needed to hurry on their journey.0 They restocked some daily necessities in the city and also bought some grain and vegetable seeds before hastily departing.0 On the road, they noticed many families leaving the city with their belongings, heading for the mountains.0 Chang''an wondered if they were trying to avoid danger in advance.0 The father and daughter continued towards their destination, but unfortunately, halfway there, the mes of war spread to the north.0 Misery was everywhere, and people could barely survive.0 Taking the main road was no longer possible, so they had no choice but to switch to mountain paths again.0 This time, Old Gu Six didn''t blindly forge ahead. He first settled Chang''an safely, then went to scout the path alone.0 He was gone for four or five days. Chang''an waited in a cave, though she entered her space after Old Gu Six left.0 By the time he returned, ten days had passed.0 "I''m not sure exactly what''s ahead, but I''m certain that even after we leave these continuous mountain ranges, we still won''t be at the seaside," he said.0 "It''s alright, let''s just focus on getting out of the mountains first," she replied.0 They climbed mountains and forded streams, fighting off wolves and chasing away tigers. Their days were nothing short of exciting.0 By the time they emerged from the mountains, a month had passed. Before them stretched an endless wilderness; they had somehow arrived at a in region.0 Chang''an didn''t know where they were, but it didn''t matter as long as the road was easy to travel.0 However, their luck seemed to have taken a turn for the worse. A group of men with braided hair came galloping on horses, killing everyone they encountered and hanging the severed heads on their horses.0 Theyughed uncontrobly. Upon seeing Old Gu Six, they discussed something in theirnguage.0 Seeing them charge over, Chang''an was oddly reminded of stealing kills in a certain game she used to y.0 So now they had be potential "kills" in someone else''s eyes. Was this karma for her past game behavior?0 But they were destined to be disappointed. With Old Gu Six, the human killing machine, it wasn''t certain who would be taking whose head.0 "Daughter, stay in the carriage and don''te out."0 "Father, be careful."0 Old Gu Six faced multiple opponents. The other side wasn''t entirely unskilled; two or three of them could put up a fight.0 Fearing Old Six might be overwhelmed, Chang''an directly used lightning strikes. Old Gu Six followed up with killing blows. The father-daughter duo coordinated remarkably well.0 Noticing the jewels on their bodies, Old Gu Six didn''t hesitate to strip them of everything.0 For several consecutive days, they didn''t leave the wilderness but encountered several waves of braided-hair men. All of them ended up having their heads taken by the father-daughter pair.0 After they passed through the wilderness, the road became increasingly familiar.0 Father and daughter exchanged a nce. Wasn''t this the ce where they had robbed the County Governor''s mansion?0 They bypassed this area and continued forward. The road was full of disced people seeking refuge with the County Governor in Linyun City.0 An old man stopped their cart. "Young sir, may I ask if you''reing from Linyun City?"0 Old Gu Six stopped the mule cart and said calmly, "No, we''re just passing through."0 "Young sir, there''s no need to go further. The area ahead has been upied by people from the Yan Kingdom. We barely managed to escape."0 "Thank you for the information, old sir, but we''re not entering the city."0 Seeing that Old Gu Six wouldn''t listen, the old man just shook his head without saying more and let the cart pass.0 The mule cart moved forward at a steady pace, then turned onto a side road.0 Chapter 80 (Off-topic: Tomorrow is Chinese New Year''s Eve. The author would like to wish all the dear readers:0 May everything go smoothly for you! Good health! May all your wishese true! Good fortune and happiness!0 Always keep smiling! Happy New Year!!!)0 They decided to simply keep walking through the mountains, believing they would eventually reach their destination if they crossed enough peaks.0 The father and daughter unhesitatingly headed towards the more mountainous areas.0 When the weather was good it was fine, but on rainy days they had to find shelter and wait for the rain to stop before continuing their journey.0 If it weren''t for the space, they might have been living worse than wild people.0 The mule suffered along with them.0 During this time, Old Gu Six tamed a silver wolf, which became Chang''an''s mount, carrying her through the forests.0 At the bottom of a cliff, they unexpectedly discovered a thatched hut with some vegetables growing in front.0 They didn''t approach to disturb anyone, just passing by from a distance.0 The exit of the cliff was covered in thorns that could easily scratch them if they weren''t careful.0 Old Gu Six walked in front, clearing obstacles for Chang''an, who rode the silver wolf, with the mule following behind, as they carefully made their way out.0 Emerging from the cliff, seeing the view before them, Chang''an was reminded of song lyrics that perfectly described this ce:0 "Beyond the mountains are higher mountains, halfway up the slope, a p of thunder shakes the treetops" - from "Soul of the Sword"0 "Good grief, we''ve been walking in the mountains for two months, and we''re still in the mountains," Chang''an eximed.0 "Daughter, we must have faith. Once we cross the mountain ahead, we''ll surely arrive," her father reassured.0 "I think so too," she replied, "That''s what we thoughtst time, and we''re still in the mountains, aren''t we?"0 Chang''an patted the silver wolf, "If you lead us to the sea, I''ll let you return to the forest."0 The silver wolf howled once, as if it understood Chang''an''s words, and carried her to the left.0 Old Gu Sixzily raised an eyebrow, thinking, "If you knew the way all along, why did you let us run around aimlessly?"0 The mountain range to the left wasn''t as high as the one in front, but it stretched on endlessly.0 They didn''t follow the mountain range the whole way, but after crossing two mountains, the silver wolf led them down.0 At the foot of the mountain was a small valley with a waterfall, and water from the valley flowed down through a gully.0 The silver wolf didn''t stop, leading them out of the valley. Before they even exited, Chang''an could hear the sound of waves crashing against rocks.0 The air carried a salty scent.0 Sure enough, as they left the valley, an endless sea stretched before them. Ahead was a beach, with rocks standing firm on the shore, unmoved by the crashing waves.0 Chang''an jumped off the silver wolf''s back and patted its head, "Thank you, you can go back now."0 She took two wild rabbits from her space and gave them to it before letting it leave.0 The silver wolf raised its head and howled twice, then took only one rabbit in its mouth. With a leap, it bounded up the nearby cliff and disappeared in the blink of an eye.0 "Father, we need to start settling down," Chang''an said.0 "Mm, let''s go to the valley. It''s not far from the seaside and has fresh water," he replied.0 They returned to the small valley and carefully observed the ce. They could cultivate about one mu (0.16 acres) of farnd and three fen (0.03 acres) for vegetables.0 They didn''t n to build the house at the bottom of the valley, but walked up the hillside a bit.0 Before the house was built, they needed to live in tents. The father and daughter first set up the tents, then went to the seaside to bring back some stones using the space.0 Next to the tent, they built a grass and wood shed to serve as a kitchen, using yellow mud and stones to build a stove. Their simple home wasplete.0 The next day, she began to prepare the foundation to prevent flooding in case of heavy rain, so the house couldn''t be built too low.0 The hillside was sloping, so leveling the ground for the house foundation relied entirely on digging.0 "Father, let''s not build the house in a row, okay? How about a central hall with rooms on both sides, the room doors inside the hall, and the kitchen built outside?"0 It was a pity they didn''t know how to build a kang bed-stove, otherwise they wouldn''t need to build a separate kitchen.0 Old Gu Six had no objections; whatever his daughter liked, he would build.0 "That''s fine," he agreed.0 They dug out a level area of 120 square meters, which took seven days because it was on a hillside and had to be leveled entirely by hand. Chang''an was useless at farm work, so most of thebor was done by Old Gu Six.0 After leveling the ground, they began to dig the foundation, going one meter deep. Without a solid foundation, the house would be built in vain.0 Chang''an sighed deeply, thinking how other time travelers seemed to know everything - cement, brickmaking, soap-making - there seemed to be nothing they couldn''t do.0 But she didn''t know any of that, so they''d have to settle for a mud brick house. At least it would be warm in winter and cool in summer, she consoled herself.0 Without rice straw, they cut some dry grass, chopped it finely, and mixed it into the yellow mud. Then they used wooden molds to make mud bricks.0 The mud bricks couldn''t be used immediately and needed to be sun-dried. Making mud bricks was a big project. They nned one central hall, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a firewood room on the left, and a cksmith''s workshop on the right.0 After making the mud bricks and tamping down the foundation, they went to cut wood for the roof beams and doors and windows.0 By the time all the preliminary work was done, a month had passed.0 Old Gu Six began toy the walls, with Chang''an helping on the side.0 The father and daughter were exhausted, but after two months, they finally finished building the house. The roof tiles and the bluestone bs in the courtyard were all "borrowed" from the County Magistrate''s home.0 The new house was spacious and bright. Once the doors and windows were finished, they could move in for the winter.0 Chang''an regretted not "borrowing" doors and windows from the County Magistrate''s house too, as it would have saved them from making their own.0 While Old Gu Six stayed home to make doors and windows and build the courtyard wall, she went to dig vegetable plots. It was almost winter, so they couldn''t nt much, but they could prepare the soil for spring nting.0 After another busy month, they finally moved into their new home just before the temperature dropped. They also built a windproof wooden shelter next to the new house for the mule.0 Then they prepared enough firewood before the snow fell. As they settled in, they realized they were still missing quite a few things.0 They didn''t have a stove for heating the rooms, nor any charcoal.0 "Daughter, you stay at home. I''ll go out and see if I can find a small town to buy everything we need," Old Gu Six said.0 "Why don''t you take the mule with you?" Chang''an suggested, feeling it might be more reliable.0 "...No need, it would be inconvenient to bring it along."0 Chang''an gave him two silver ingots, which he broke into smaller pieces to take with him.0 This time, Old Gu Six was smarter. Instead of going through the mountains, he followed the coastline. With only one road, he couldn''t possibly end up in the sea, could he?0 Chang''an wasn''t idle at home either. She continued to cultivate the farnd. One mu wasn''t much, only 666.667 square meters, and nting it wouldn''t be enough to feed them.0 Fortunately, they had the space as a backup, so farming could be considered a leisure activity.0 It was the first time in two lifetimes she had cultivated wildnd, and it was truly exhausting.0 Suddenly, she had an idea. Didn''t they have a mule? If she made a curved-beam plow for the mule to pull, it could plow not just one mu, but ten mu ofnd!0 Chang''an shouldered her hoe and went home, then pondered how to make a curved-beam plow.0 She was a giant in thought but a dwarf in action.0 After two or three days of hammering and tinkering, she produced something that barely resembled a plow. It wasn''t pretty, but it was better than nothing. Since she didn''t know how to forge iron, she made the plowshare out of wood, whittling it to a sharp point.0 Carrying the hideously ugly plow and leading the mule, she went to the field to test the fruits of herbor.0 To her surprise, it was much easier than digging by hand, although the mule brayed loudly all morning.0 Chang''an felt it was cursing at her, and in quite colorfulnguage at that.0 Chapter 81 Chang''an was plowing the field at home with a grumbling mule, while Old Gu Six walked along the coastline for five or six days before finding a small fishing vige. After asking the vigers for directions, he walked for two more days before reaching the town. The town mostly sold seafood products. He found a stove and charcoal at a general store. Since he hade all this way, he decided to buy more things to take back. He also bought some clothes and six pairs of shoes for Chang''an. "Shopkeeper, do you have that red cloak in a size for a ten-year-old child?" he asked. "No, but you can look at other items. Our shop also has red jackets and skirts," replied the shopkeeper. "Thank you, that won''t be necessary. Just wrap up this cloak for me," he said. He''d buy it now, and his daughter could wear it when she grew bigger. As he left the clothing shop, he thought he heard someone calling him. Looking back, it turned out to be Wan Ke. "How is it that I see you everywhere?" Old Gu Six asked. Wan Ke rolled his eyes dramatically. Wasn''t that what he should be saying? "Are you lost again? Where''s your daughter? Did you lose her while fleeing from famine?" Wan Ke inquired. "You might get lost, but I''d never lose my daughter," Old Gu Six retorted. Seeing him carrying a load of goods on a shoulder pole and a basket on his back, Wan Ke suggested, "Want to sit for a while at the teahouse up ahead?" "No, I don''t have time," Old Gu Six declined. He had been away for many days, and his daughter was alone at home. "I have time. Where are you living now? I''lle visit," Wan Ke persisted, following Old Gu Six with a determination that suggested he wouldn''t give up until he achieved his goal. Old Gu Six put down his load and said impatiently, "Stop following me. My home is very far and not suitable for visitors." "A bit of distance is no problem. Take me to see your ce. If it''s suitable, we could be neighbors," Wan Ke replied, his expression serious and not seeming to be joking. Seeing his earnest demeanor, Old Gu Six asked, "You''re not working as an escort anymore?" "No, I''ve quit," Wan Ke answered, without exining why. However, Old Gu Six had his suspicions. The outside world was too chaotic, and with those in power behaving badly, strong young men like escorts were prime candidates for the battlefield. "My ce only has room for me and my daughter. You''ll have to find somewhere else," Old Gu Six said. That small valley couldn''t amodate too many people. Seeing that Old Gu Six was also serious, Wan Ke knew that no amount of persistence would work. "Alright then. Next time youe to town, visit me. I live in the small fishing vige up ahead," Wan Ke conceded. Then Old Gu Six discovered that they were heading in the same direction. After two days, they reached the small fishing vige where he had asked for directions earlier. "Old Six, it seems we live in the same direction. Why don''t youe have lunch at my ce before continuing on?" Wan Ke offered. Old Gu Six was about to refuse, but then he remembered that their house didn''t have a kang bed-stove. Since Wan Ke lived in the vige, his house should have one. He nodded and followed Wan Ke home, mainly wanting to learn the technique of building a kang. With a kang, his daughter wouldn''t be cold in winter. Wan Ke wasn''t married. His family hadn''t divided the household, so he lived with his two elder brothers and their wives, his nephews, and his elderly mother. Eleven people lived in a small courtyard with only three rooms, which looked very crowded. With not enough rooms, Wan Ke slept in the firewood shed. Wan''s Eldest Sister-inw saw Wan Ke bring a guest home and was very weing, calling for Wan''s Second Sister-inw to prepare lunch. Old Gu Six hadn''t really intended to eat lunch at Wan Ke''s house and quickly tried to stop Wan''s Eldest Sister-inw, "Sister, don''t trouble yourself. I just came to familiarize myself with the ce today." "It''s almost noon. How can youe to someone''s home and leave without eating?" Wan''s Eldest Sister-inw said with augh, efficiently tying on an apron and heading to the kitchen. Wan Ke held Old Gu Six back, "Eating a meal won''t dy you much. Sit down and have a cup of tea to rest a bit." Old Gu Six sat down and casually asked, "Do you know how to build a kang?" "I don''t. This house already had a kang when we moved in. But I can take you to look at it if you want to see if you can figure it out?" Wan Ke offered. However, reality proved that not everything can be learned just by looking. Wan Old Lady returned from outside carrying a basket. "Little Gu, you''re here! If you want to learn how to build a kang, have San''er take you to Old Uncle Fang''s house. I heard he built all the kangs in the vige." "Madam Wan, it''s been a while. How is your health?" Old Gu Six greeted her. "I''m very well. Now that we live close by, we should visit each other often," she said, assuming Old Gu Six also lived in the vige and thinking that frequent visits between neighbors could foster good rtionships. "Certainly, I''ll follow your advice," Old Gu Six agreed. Building a kang was a skilled craft. People made a living from this skill, so even if Old Gu Six asked, they might not be willing to teach him. However, it was still worth a try. Without a proper gift, Old Gu Six nned to use silver to open the door. Wan Ke led him on a fifteen-minute walk to Old Uncle Fang''s house. Old Uncle Fang''s family was small, just him and his two grandsons. His son and daughter-inw had gone out to sea years ago and never returned. Wan Ke exined their purpose, "Uncle Fang, sorry to disturb you. My friend here wants to learn about building a kang. He lives far away, so it''s too troublesome to invite someone to build one. He wants to build one himself." Old Gu Six handed over the prepared silver. Old Uncle Fang didn''t refuse. He still had two grandsons to raise and couldn''t afford to turn down the offer. He weighed the pouch, quite satisfied with its heft. "Alright,e with me," he said. He didn''t make things difficult for Old Gu Six. He took him into the room and, pointing at the kang, exined in detail, covering all the important points to note. With Old Uncle Fang''s instruction, Old Gu Six suddenly understood, immediately visualizing the structural framework of the kang in his mind. When leaving, Old Gu Six gave Old Uncle Fang an extra two taels of silver, then returned to Wan''s house where the whole family was waiting for them to eat. The Wan family''s living conditions were quite good, so the lunch was quite sumptuous: a pot of old hen soup, a bowl of stir-fried meat slices, a te of steamed cured pork, and a te of braised fish chunks. The staple foods were rice and steamed white wheat buns. Old Gu Six only ate until he was half full, then stopped. If he ate his fill, the Wan family wouldn''t have enough to eat. "Little Gu, eat more. Don''t be shy. Treat this as your own home," Wan Old Lady said, seeing him put down his chopsticks. Worried he hadn''t eaten enough, she quickly stood up to get him another bowl of rice. Fortunately, Old Gu Six was quick enough to stop her. "Madam, don''t worry. I wouldn''t stand on ceremony with you. I''m truly full." After lunch, Old Gu Six stayed a while longer and gave half of the pastries he had bought for Chang''an to the Wan family. It felt awkward toe empty-handed and still eat a meal. Wan Ke saw him out of the vige, noting the direction he took, thinking of finding a time to visit Old Six''s home as well. This time, Old Gu Six didn''t get lost. He followed the coastline all the way back home. Then he saw his daughter covered in mud, with the mule grumbling beside her. He didn''t know what it was cursing about. He felt the mule''s curses must be quite dirty, and wondered if it would be appropriate for him tough now. Chang''an''s face was covered in mud. Seeing Old Gu Six return, she grinned foolishly, "Dad, you''re back!" Old Gu Six coughed lightly, suppressing the urge to burst outughing. "Daughter, do you want to go back and wash up and change your clothes first?" Chang''an nodded and ran back home, entering her special space. Old Gu Six put down his things and led the mule to the small river to help it bathe. The small river had widened considerably, and thend had all been plowed. It must have been his daughter''s handiwork. It would be perfect for nting wheat in the spring, though he wasn''t sure if the soil here was suitable for growing grain. Chapter 82 (Wishing all readers a happy and joyous New Year, a cheerful Spring Festival, and a delightful celebration of the Lunar New Year''s Eve. Your happiness brings me joy, and your well-being fills me with sweetness. May the Year of the Dragon bring you vigor and prosperity, along with happiness and good fortune.)0 Old Gu Six learned the theoretical knowledge of building a kang bed-stove. He didn''t start right away but practiced a bit outside first.0 Then he began renovating the new house they had only lived in for a short while.0 After finishing the kang, Old Gu Six started going into the mountains to cut trees. He nned to build a boat so he could go fishing in the sea when he had free time.0 Chang''an went to the beach every day with a bucket, finding it extremely interesting. She felt that the seafood she collected herself tasted even better.0 When not at the beach, she would go into the mountains. She seemed busy every day, though it wasn''t clear what exactly kept her upied.0 Sometimes she would help Old Gu Six build the boat, but her craftsmanship wasn''t great. Her help was more like causing trouble, so it was better for her to just watch from the side.0 She thought thend they had cleared was still a bit small, so she started clearing morend on the hillside to nt sweet potatoes and regr potatoes.0 Then she remembered that cotton was particrly scarce in this world.0 "Hey, you there, are you around?" she called out.0 "Hello? Anyone there?"0 "Old man, are you still there?"0 "If you can hear me, please respond and bring me some cotton seeds."0 ...0 There was no response. Perhaps her signal hadn''t been received.0 It wasn''t until after dinner that evening that Chang''an finally got a reply.0 However, it was brief and hurried.0 [I''ve ced them in your space.]0 After saying this, the presence disappeared. Chang''an entered her space and found a paper package on the dining table, which must have been the cotton seeds.0 Chang''an picked it up and looked at it. It seemed to be about a pound, enough to nt about an acre ofnd.0 She needed to continue clearing morend. Old Gu Six had made a new curved-beam plow with an iron plowshare.0 Tomorrow they would bring out the mule to work. Chang''an thought about all the things they needed to nt in spring next year.0 Sweet potatoes and regr potatoes, wheat, vegetables, and cotton.0 The next day, the mule started working again, grumbling as usual, but this time it clearly felt much easier.0 Could it be that its strength had increased?0 Chang''an wondered: Could it be because of the new plow?0 By the time it started snowing, Chang''an had finished clearing hernd, but Old Gu Six''s boat was not even half done.0 The boat he was building was toorge; it probably wouldn''t be finished for at least a year.0 On snowy days, there was nothing to do but stay indoors for the winter. With the kang bed-stove and the regr stove, it wasn''t too cold, but they couldn''t go outside because of the strong sea wind.0 Next spring, they definitely needed to nt some fruit trees around the house to block the wind.0 In the depths of winter, the silver wolf that had originally guided them, along with its mate, found their way to the house. Chang''an thought they were just visiting.0 She fed them a meal of meat, and then they settled down in the outdoor kitchen of her house.0 Their intention was clear; they hade to stay temporarily.0 "This won''t do. Where am I supposed to get enough meat to feed you in the dead of winter? Why don''t you go back to your own home ande visit again in ten days or half a month?" Chang''an suggested.0 The silver wolf ignored her and cuddled up with its mate, sleeping soundly.0 Their thick skin was truly impressive; they had actually made themselves at home!0 Everyonee and see! There''s a thick-skinned wolf here, trying to force a viger to adopt it and its mate.0 Is this a perversion of wolf nature, or a moral decline?0 Chang''an decided to let the wolf couple experience the harshness of society.0 Living with Chang''an meant three days of hunger out of every ten.0 For the first few days, the wolf couple could eat until they were about 70% full. Later, they could only eat until half full. After that, Chang''an started behaving in a way that seemed inhuman.0 She was being more beastly than the wolves themselves. How could she make carnivores eat vegetables? Was this something a person would do?0 In truth, this wasn''t entirely Chang''an''s fault. The wild game stored in her space''s freezer had all been eaten by the wolf couple.0 They ate so much in one sitting, and the freezer couldn''t replenish fast enough.0 So she had no choice but to feed them vegetables. She and Old Gu Six didn''t even have meat to eat themselves, only crabs and shrimp.0 Chang''an saw disdain in the eyes of the wolf couple, and then watched as the silver wolf raised its front paw and kicked a piece of broli far away.0 After kicking away the broli, the silver wolf led its mate back into the mountains.0 Chang''an rubbed her nose, went out to pick up the broli, and returned to the house.0 "Daughter, it''s so cold, shall we have hot pot?" Old Gu Six suggested.0 "Sure," Chang''an agreed, taking out the pot and hot pot seasoning. She also stewed a pot of pork rib soup, and when the hot pot seasoning in the pot started boiling, she added the rib soup to it.0 Tripe,mb, beef, and various vegetables filled the entire table.0 While the father and daughter were leisurely enjoying their hot pot at home, the wolf couple was out hunting in the mountains.0 Then, for some unknown reason, the wolves had a conflict, and the silver wolf was pinned down and beaten by its mate.0 The winter evening grew dark early. Chang''an and Old Gu Six waited for a long time but didn''t see the wolf couple return. They assumed the wolves had gone back to the mountains and wouldn''te back.0 In the middle of the night, they heard wolf howls outside the yard, and the sound of ws scratching at the door, making their teeth ache.0 Old Gu Six put on his clothes and went out to open the door for them.0 When he opened the door, Old Gu Six was shocked. The silver wolf couple had brought back another wolf couple, and beside themy two dead wild boars.0 The silver wolf raised its paw and patted the wild boar, letting out a low howl.0 Old Gu Six strangely understood its meaning: they had brought their own food and wanted to continue staying in the same room as before.0 He stepped aside, and the wolves worked together to drag the wild boars into the yard.0 Then the silver wolf howled twice more, wanting Old Gu Six to help them butcher the pigs.0 "It''s toote tonight, it would disturb my daughter''s sleep. I''ll help you process them tomorrow," Old Gu Six said.0 The silver wolf raised its proud head, only to be swatted down by its mate. The two couples then retreated to the outdoor kitchen.0 Old Gu Six brought in a bundle of dry grass and followed them, making another bed for the new wolf couple.0 The next day, just as dawn was breaking, the silver wolf started howling under Old Gu Six''s window, calling him toe and butcher the pigs.0 Old Gu Six looked at the sky outside; it was barely light. He scratched his head in frustration.0 "Stop howling, don''t you know what time it is? Don''t wake up my daughter, or I''ll chase you all out," he grumbled.0 Hearing Old Gu Six''s impatient voice, the silver wolf returned to the outdoor kitchen somewhat dejectedly, waiting eagerly for daybreak.0 They had to wait until Chang''an woke up, and then wait for them to finish breakfast.0 During the time when it had been Chang''an''s mount, the wolf had eaten processed meat. After returning to the mountains, it had gone back to eating prey with fur, which it now found somewhat unappetizing.0 This was a bit unsanitary, so after enduring for a while, it brought its mate to find Chang''an.0 Yesterday, it had also brought its brother-inw and his mate. Now that they were living under someone else''s roof and had brought their family along, they had to be patient.0 After breakfast, Old Gu Six helped the silver wolf clean the wild boars. He kept about three jin of pork belly to fry some crispy pork for his daughter.0 "We humans believe in reciprocity. I help you butcher the pigs, you give me a piece of meat, and that''s how our friendship canst," he exined.0 The silver wolf looked confused, but the piece of meat wasn''t much. It tilted its head and patted a pig leg with its paw, indicating it could give him a whole leg as well.0 "No need, this is enough," Old Gu Six declined. Four wolves and two wild boars weren''t really enough to eat, so it was better to leave more for them.0 Old Gu Six helped them divide the wild boar meat into pieces and put it in the outdoor kitchen for them to eat slowly.0 Two humans and four wolves living under the same roof turned out to be surprisingly harmonious.0 When the wolves finished their prey, they would go out to hunt on their own, never asking Chang''an to feed them again.0 Every time they went out, they would bring something back for Chang''an. Once, when they came back and saw Chang''an cutting Chinese cabbage, the silver wolf came forward, swatted the cabbage away with its paw, and threw a wild chicken to her instead.0 Chang''an thought she saw pity in its eyes.0 This time, the wolves had been out hunting for over ten days and hadn''t returned, which made Chang''an a bit worried.0 Usually, they woulde back after seven or eight days. She wondered if they had encountered some danger.0 Chapter 83 The silver wolves, who were a source of concern for Chang''an, had wandered quite far this time and encountered a severely injured person. The silver wolf approached to inspect and found it was a two-legged creature like Old Gu Six, so it thought about bringing it back. Its mate came forward and gave it a fierce beating, followed by a scolding. The silver wolf whimpered twice, looking towards its brother-inw, who was gazing lovingly at his mate and had no time to deal with it. Under its mate''s forceful suppression, it had no choice but to bring back the hunt from the mountain. The injured man was thus abandoned by the two wolf couples, lying in the snow with his face frozen to a bluish-purple hue. Just as Old Gu Six was preparing to go out and look for them, the silver wolf and its family returned carrying their hunt. Upon seeing Old Gu Six, it howled twice. This time, Old Gu Sixmunicated back, thinking it wanted help with the prey. Old Gu Six took the pheasants and rabbits off the silver wolf''s back, went into the courtyard, and skillfully helped them ughter the chicken and butcher the rabbits, then very adeptly pocketed one rabbit for himself. While they were living peacefully, the small fishing vige was thrown into turmoil as a group of refugees swarmed in, looting indiscriminately. Although Wan Ke was skilled inbat, he couldn''t protect the entire vige. He told his family to take important belongings and hide in the mountains, while he ran towards the vige. The people in this vige were very kind. When his family first came to settle here, they weren''t ostracized but received a lot of help. He would protect as many as he could. He first ran to Old Uncle Fang''s house, arriving just in time to see refugees trying to break down his courtyard door. Without a word, Wan Ke went forward and struck each of them with his knife. The wounds weren''t severe, but could be fatal if left untreated. Seeing that this household had a formidable defender, the intruders quickly gave up, supporting their injuredrades as they stumbled away. He knocked on the courtyard door, "Uncle Fang, it''s me, Wan Ke. Please open the door." The three generations huddled trembling in the room heard Wan Ke''s voice and immediately ran out. "Young Wan, why are you here alone? Where''s your mother and the others?" Old Uncle Fang opened the courtyard door, pulled Wan Ke inside, then hurriedly closed it, his face etched with deep worry. Wan Ke reassured him, "Don''t worry, Uncle Fang. My mother and the others have gone into the mountains. Quickly, take the two children. I''ll escort you to my ce, from there you can go up the mountain and reunite with my mother and brothers." The two children, one eight years old and the other only six, were very sensible. Hearing they needed to hide in the mountains, they immediately ran back to pack their things. Then they helped their grandfather pack. They didn''t take too much, only enough for three to five days, thinking they could return once the refugees left. The food in the house was hidden, with only Old Uncle Fang knowing where to find it. Even if intruders broke in, they wouldn''t be able to find anything to eat. They were afraid the refugees might harm people if they couldn''t find food, but now that Wan Ke was here, they felt relieved. After escorting the three generations to the foot of the mountain, Wan Ke returned to the vige. By this time, some vigers'' homes had already been raided. The vige was aze, and the cries of vigers echoed throughout the area. Unable to find much food, the refugees had captured some children, some of whom were killed on the spot, and many young women were also taken. Seeing this scene, Wan Ke''s eyes turned red with anger. He charged at the refugees with his knife, each strike lethal. The starving refugees unleashed unprecedented explosive power. Even a master can be overwhelmed by chaos, and no matter how skilled Wan Ke was, he couldn''t ovee being surrounded by three or four hundred people. Just as he was about to be defeated, the vigers suddenly found the courage to fight back, joining the battle with various farm tools in hand. In the end, with a tally of injuring a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred of their own, the vigers of the small fishing vige narrowly won, temporarily driving back the refugees. The Vige Head decided to relocate the vige to the mountains. The vigers had no time for grief; those who had passed couldn''t be brought back, but the living had to continue on. The Vige Head raised a torch high, shouting hoarsely, "Everyone, quickly pack up! We''re leaving this ce immediately, into the mountains~" Families who had lost loved ones, fearing that the starving refugees might return to dig up graves, didn''t bury their dead immediately. Instead, they carried the bodies of their rtives with them into the mountains. In one night, the small fishing vige was emptied of its inhabitants. When the refugees regrouped and returned to the vige in greater numbers, they found only devastation. The vigers who had entered the mountains didn''t stop at the outer reaches but continued deep into the forest, oveing any difficulties they encountered by working together. Of course, they didn''t dare venture too deep. After crossing three mountain ranges, they stopped at a ce with a water source. The vigers helped each other, and within a month, this uninhabited deep mountain area had been transformed into a well-organized small vige. After settling his family, Wan Ke thought about Old Gu Six, who should also be living in a seaside vige, and worried if they might be in trouble. He told his family he was leaving, then set out with dry provisions and his broadsword on his back to find Old Gu Six. Meanwhile, the father and daughter duo he was worried about were eating well, sleeping well, and enjoying themselves, often tricking the silver wolf family into going hunting while they rxed at home. Those refugees also thought that since there was a vige by the sea, shouldn''t there be others elsewhere? However, after searching for two days, they found nothing, not even a passable road. The traces of Old Gu Six''s passage had long been erased by nature. If they had been just a bit more patient and continued searching, they might have found people. Unfortunately, they all gave up halfway. With no viges to plunder for resources, the refugees turned their attention to the town. However, the town wasn''t as easy to conquer as the small fishing vige. The town had more people, and when the town chief learned about refugees raiding viges, he arranged for tight security. The townspeople were also unprecedentedly united. It was no longer the time when one family''s good food could affect a neighbor''s grandson''s appetite and demandpensation. As for Wan Ke, he had originally intended to find Old Gu Six and his daughter, but who would have thought he''d stumble upon a severely injured, nearly frozen person in the mountains? This rescue dyed him for seven or eight days. He figured that if Old Gu Six and his daughter were in danger, they would have long since perished, so going to find them now would be pointless. Then, remembering the fact that he probably couldn''t beat Old Gu Six in a fight anyway, he felt slightly more at ease. He first brought the rescued person back to the vige. After ensuring they were okay, he set out again with dry provisions. Old Gu Six''s home was hard to find. He got lost in the mountains, and when he finally reached the seaside, he searched along the coastline for days but found nothing, as if it had vanished. Three days after Wan Ke left, the man he had rescued was found by his subordinates. "This subordinate arrivedte. Please punish me, Master." The man''s face was pale, his breath weak. He waved his hand dismissively and said softly, "It''s fine. You''re forgiven. These mountains are all connected; it''s impressive that you managed to find me at all." After a pause, he continued, "Have you found out what happened?" The subordinate, still kneeling on one knee, looked up at his unfortunate master. On the subordinate''s face, which rarely showed any emotion, the man saw an expression that was difficult to describe. Chapter 84 "There are rumors outside that the Second Prince and Fifth Prince were swapped. The one who died back then was actually the Second Prince, not the Fifth Prince. The Fifth Prince was exiled with the Sheng Family''s military power, and now everyone in the world is looking for you, Master." If his body had allowed it, the young man would have jumped up and cursed loudly. What nonsense was this? Whose excrement had blinded their eyes? He was three years older than the Fifth Prince - how could they all be so uniformly blind? Second Prince Ji Xianjun touched his face and asked his subordinate, "Do I look very young?" The subordinate: He didn''t know how to answer that. "It''s fine, I forgive you." "Yes, Master. You actually look a few years older than others your age." Ji Xianjun thought: You could have lied to me a little. Knowing he had be a burden, Ji Xianjun feared he would bring trouble to the vigers and wanted to leave quickly. He asked his subordinate for some silver to leave for Wan Ke''s family, then had the subordinate take him away immediately. Meanwhile, Wan Ke, who was still outside looking for Old Gu Six, was in despair. Wolves were actually robbing him? Yes, you heard that right - four wolves were robbing him. "Awoo," they howled. Leave your prey and you can go. Wan Ke saw they weren''t hurting him, so he gave them his catch. But to his surprise, they just kept following him after that. Every time he caught something, they woulde up and demand it, snatching it if he refused. The silver wolf family was overjoyed. They had found an idiot today and didn''t have to hunt for themselves. And so a strange scene unfolded in the forest - a human hunting in front, with four wolves following to rob him. "Stop following me, I''m not hunting anymore!" Wan Ke left at the fastest speed of his life. He wanted to go home; the outside world was a bit scary. The silver wolves returned with their prey. Old Gu Six noticed something different about today''s catch. So he asked, "Did you encounter humans?" The silver wolf looked at the sky, looked at the ground, anywhere but at Old Gu Six. Old Gu Six didn''t dwell on the question. He processed all the prey, took his share as payment, and went back to his house. He certainly didn''t know that the pheasant he ate today was hunted by Wan Ke. Winter passed and spring came, but the silver wolf family still hadn''t nned to return to the mountains. "The ground has thawed. When do you n to leave?" Chang''an poked the silver wolf with a tree branch. After the thaw, she and Old Six Father were very busy and didn''t have time to help the four of them process their prey. The silver wolf let out an "Awoo~" and turned around, presenting its backside to Chang''an, refusing tomunicate. Alright then! These four hadtched onto their family. "Since you don''t want to leave, why don''t you lead us into the mountains to find fruit trees?" Old Gu Six kicked the silver wolf''s bottom lightly and picked up a hoe, gesturing for it to lead the way. Two humans and four wolves entered the mountains together. They walked deep into the mountains, encountering some newly sprouted wild fruit trees along the way, but none were what they were looking for. The silver wolf didn''t know what kind of fruit tree Chang''an wanted. Seeing she hadn''t found anything satisfactory, it patiently continued to lead them. After wandering in the mountains for two days, they finally found a peach tree in a mountain stream. As for what kind of peaches it would produce, Chang''an didn''t know. She directly collected the tree along with its soil into her space. "Father, shall we look around to see if there are any others?" "Sure, let''s see if we can find any hazelnut trees." Hazelnuts could also be used as food. Old Gu Six was always thinking about stockpiling food. As they searched, Old Gu Six hunted along the way, replenishing the meat supply in Chang''an''s space. After wandering in the mountains for seven or eight days, they found three peach trees, two plum trees, no hazelnut trees, but they did find two wild chestnut trees. However, these were all found deep in the mountains. Feeling they had found enough, Chang''an asked the silver wolf to lead them back. They nted the fruit trees on the side of the house facing the sea. When warm spring came, they would bloom and then bear fruit. Of course, this was all Chang''an''s imagination. She didn''t know if the newly transnted trees would actually bloom and bear fruit. Chang''an started seedlings for cotton seeds and sweet potatoes in her space first. The sweet potatoes were the kind they had found in the mountains before. Chang''an had nted honey sweet potatoes in her space; they didn''t bear fruit, but the leaves could be used as a dish. Potatoes also needed to sprout first. When it was time to nt, they would cut them ording to where the sprouts were, coat them with wood ash, and nt them in the ground. Chang''an gave the wheat seeds to Old Six Father; she had never nted wheat and didn''t know much about it. The father and daughter pair began living a life of working from sunrise to sunset. Sometimes they would also make time to go to the seaside, not because Chang''an particrly wanted to eat seafood, but because she enjoyed the process of gathering it. This was one of their few entertainment activities. When they got tired of farming, they would go work on the boat as a form of rest. They first nted wheat, then transnted cotton from the space. After nting vegetables, they started nting sweet potatoes. By the time they finished a round of nting, the father and daughter were both wondering if they really had to nt all thisnd. After resting for two days, they were back to bouncing around, focusing on building the boat. Chang''an had a bold idea: since they were building quite arge boat, why not add an entertainment project? Go out to sea to see foreigners? Their life was stable, and they even had time to ponder about going out to sea. The world outside the mountains had be a chaotic mess, with big fish eating small fish every day. For themon people, it meant life-threatening incidents every day. If those in power cared about the people, the people in that area would live more peacefully. If they encountered rulers who didn''t see the people as human, then the people would be ythings for those in power. The people suffered unbearably. More and more people became disced, and the evils of the world were disyed in full. The strong were the butchers, the weak were the meat. Many people fled deep into the mountains, feeling thatpared to the people now, even the fierce beasts of the deep mountains seemed gentle and kind. They used to fear the mountains, but now the mountains had be theirst refuge. What had the outside world be? Chang''an didn''t know. She could guess though. It was probably nothing but smoke and fire everywhere, and the small neighboring countries would also jump out to pick up the pieces at this time. Who knows, maybe as they picked, they might even be great powers? Chang''an was now only interested in her own little plot ofnd. She inspected her fields and felt somewhat insecure. "Father, shall we also fence in thend where we nted crops?" Old Gu Six also looked around and felt his daughter''s words made sense. He had worked so hard to farm thisnd; what if animalsing down from the mountains ruined it? The next day, the father and daughter pair began cutting trees, driving stakes, and building fences. The silver wolf family saw that they were too busy to pay attention to them again, so they were very understanding and didn''t go bother them. Every day, they took the wife and brother-inw to the seaside. Having seen Chang''an bring back seafood, they imitated her. Then, while picking up crabs, the silver wolf got its mouth mped by pincers. It jumped around on the beach with a crab dangling from its mouth, howling "Awoo awoo", while its wife and brother-inw sat side by side watching the performance. Now that''s a loving wife. When Chang''an had fenced in two-thirds of the area, their little valley weed a family. Chapter 85 "Old Gu Six, I''ve finally found you!" Wan Ke arrived at Chang''an''s doorstep with his family and luggage in tow. As luck would have it, Chang''an wasn''t home. She and the Silver Wolf family of four had gone into the mountains to look for rotting wood that could grow wood ear mushrooms. She had plenty of food in her space, but wascking only wood ear mushrooms. Old Gu Six put down what he was working on and asked in confusion, "Why have you alle here?" "It''s a long story," Wan Ke sighed. "Then make it short," Old Gu Six said, opening the courtyard gate where bamboo chairs and tables were set up. The Wan family instinctively sat down in the courtyard to rest, not following him into the house. Old Gu Six brought out a kettle and poured each of them a bowl of water. "Well,st time I saved someone, it caused some trouble. When the vigers fled, we all got separated," Wan Ke exined, his face turning grim with guilt as he spoke of it. If he hadn''t brought that person back, the vigers living in the mountains wouldn''t have faced mortal danger. "Aren''t you afraid of bringing trouble to me?" Old Gu Six asked coldly, his tone icy. The Wan family were good people, and he owed them a debt of gratitude, but that wasn''t reason enough for them to bring him trouble. The entire fishing vige had been ruined because of Wan Ke. What made him think it would be safe toe here? What made him think that just because they knew each other and shared a meal once, he would be willing to put himself and his daughter in danger? Wan Ke''s face paled. He hadn''t thought it through that far, only assuming that since Old Gu Six was skilled in martial arts, he wouldn''t fear those people. But he hadn''t considered that Old Gu Six had an eleven-year-old daughter who, in others'' eyes, was a defenseless child. "I-I''m sorry, we''ll leave right away," Wan Ke stammered. Madam Wan sighed softly. She had told them not toe find Old Gu, not to bring trouble to others, but her son just wouldn''t listen. She stood up and sincerely apologized to Old Gu Six, "We''re truly sorry, Old Gu. We didn''t think this through." Old Gu Six''s expression softened a bit as he looked at Madam Wan. He shook his head and said, "Madam, I should be the one apologizing. As you can see, there''s no ce to amodate you here. More importantly, I have a daughter at home. If it were just me, it wouldn''t matter." Then he added, "In these times, it''s dangerous to do good deeds. One misstep and you might bring about mortal danger." He directed these words at Wan Ke. Old Gu Six didn''t know exactly what had happened, but he guessed that Wan Ke had saved someone he shouldn''t have, bringing disaster upon himself and the vigers. He could repay the Wan family''s kindness, but only to a certain extent. Such a debt didn''t require him to put himself in danger to repay it. More importantly, he feared that if Wan Ke settled down here and encountered someone who needed help or saving, he wouldn''t be able to control his kind heart again. That would lead to endless trouble and disputes. Old Gu Six went inside and brought out half a bag of rice, about thirty jin in weight. "Even if you settled here, it wouldn''t be safe. Why don''t you travel further away? Perhaps if you go far enough, those people won''t be able to find you." Wan Ke epted the rice. They were indeed short on food, and if they were to travel elsewhere, this would be life-saving provisions, so he didn''t refuse. The Wan family bid farewell to Old Gu Six and left with Wan Ke. His brothers and sisters-inw hadn''t said a word, looking somewhat weary. Seeing them leave, Old Gu Six immediately went out to erase any traces of the Wan family''s visit and departure. Thinking that even the mountains weren''t safe now, he hurriedly went into the mountains to find Chang''an. In the mountains, four wolves and one human wandered about, stopping here and there, searching everywhere. However, they couldn''t find what they were looking for. Perhaps it wasn''t the right season. "Since we can''t find it, let''s go back," Chang''an suggested. But Silver Wolf didn''t listen to Chang''an. Instead, it led her to another ce where there was a wild fruit tree, its branches heavy with unripe fruit. Chang''an stepped forward to take a closer look and realized they were wild pears. "It''s past the season for nting fruit trees now. Let''se back when the fruit is ripe to pick them, and then transnt the tree next spring," she said. Her space wasn''t big enough to amodate such arge fruit tree, so they had to leave it for now. "Awoo," Silver Wolf howled, as if it understood. Then it carried Chang''an out of the mountains on its back. When Chang''an returned home, she found that Old Six Dad wasn''t there. She didn''t know where he had gone. Thinking of his unreliable sense of direction, Chang''an patted Silver Wolf''s head and said, "Go see where my dad is. Bring him back. He''s your worker. If you lose him, who''s going to help you clean your prey?" Silver Wolf darted out in a sh, heading straight for the mountains to find Old Six. Chang''an continued working on the fence that Old Six Dad hadn''t finished. By the time thest ray of sunlight disappeared over the sea, neither Old Six Dad nor Silver Wolf had returned. Thinking they might have been dyed by hunting in the mountains, she went to the vegetable garden and picked two cucumbers, nning to make a cold cucumber sd for dinner. When thest bit of light faded from the sea, Old Six Dad and Silver Wolf still hadn''t returned. Chang''an put the prepared food into her space and then ran to the courtyard gate to wait. After waiting for about two hours with no sign of them, Chang''an asked Little White, Silver Wolf''s wife who was squatting beside her, "Little White, do you think your husband might have gotten lost in the mountains too?" Little White impatiently pawed the ground twice, then darted out in a sh. She was going to find her unreliable husband. Chang''an waited for a long time but still didn''t see Old Six Dad return. Instead, she was greeted by a group of uninvited guests. A group of people dressed in ck with ck face coverings, only their eyes visible, approached. Seeing the strangersing, Big White, Silver Wolf''s brother-inw, and his wife stood in front of Chang''an to shield her. They bared their teeth, warning the intruders not toe closer. Big White raised his head and let out a long howl, "Awoo!" His wife, Big Gray, also howled, "Awoo!" The ck-d men at the front suddenly changed their expressions. Of course, Chang''an couldn''t see their faces, but she could hear the panic in their voices. "This is bad, boss. Those two wolves are calling for their pack." "Stop talking and grab that little girl quickly!" Two of the ck-d men rushed towards Chang''an, reaching out to grab her. Chang''an used her qinggong to quickly retreat, narrowly avoiding their grasp. Big White and Big Gray leaped up and pounced on the two men. The wolves that had been summoned arrived at this moment, arge pack with glowing green eyes staring at the humans. Big White howled again, "Awoo!" The wolf pack moved at the sound. The group of ck-d men, seeing that there were far too many wolves, realized that no matter how skilled they were, they couldn''t possibly fight off so many wolves. As Chang''an saw them trying to escape, she unleashed lightning to intercept them, striking the group half-dead. The wolf pack, fearing the lightning, all retreated far away, not daring to approach. When Old Gu Six returned with Silver Wolf and his wife, they saw wolves all over the hills and ck-d men at the doorstep, smoking and twitching from the lightning strikes. In the courtyardy two more men, their limbs twisted, their state between life and death unclear. Old Gu Six was shocked and immediately ran forward to check if his daughter was injured. "Daughter, what happened?" "I don''t know. These people came and tried to grab me. It''s like they have some kind of brain disease," Chang''an said. She kicked hard at the nearest person who had been struck crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Then she pointed at the two lying in the courtyard and said, "These two can still talk. We can interrogate them." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!