Chapter 177

Chapter 177

As dawn broke faintly, the surrounding refugees were snoring loudly. The group from Wansha Village pushed their belongings, heading back in the direction they had come, opposite to the townsfolk who'd rushed to the city overnight.

After walking about two miles, a fork in the road appeared ahead.

They stopped, some standing, some crouching, pulling out baked flatbread from their pockets to nibble on, their eyes fixed on the city gates, not daring to look away for a moment.

They didn't wait long. Just as the gray sky began to lift, the horizon brightened suddenly, and a familiar figure came into view.

Sun Silang was driving a donkey cart. Spotting them from afar, he flicked his whip. The donkey, feeling the sting, sped up and reached them in no time.

Ma Erniang pushed aside the curtain and poked her head out, her eyes landing right on the basket next to Aunt Ma. It was piled high, a load that could break a strong man's back, sitting next to her almost up to her chest!

No wonder she had looked so exhausted—her back seemed to have hunched a little the day before. She hadn't realized she'd been carrying such a heavy load!

She gritted her teeth, her cheeks twitching from the strain. Her eyes moved over her nieces, and this time she didn't lose her temper at her brother-in-law.

Before, she hadn't known how they'd gotten by on the road; she just thought her brother-in-law was useless, making her sister go through hell. But now, seeing even the youngest niece pushing a cart laden with household goods, while her sister had the easiest load—even with all her gripes, she couldn't bring herself to yell anymore.

Her nose stung a little. Looking at the honest faces of that family, she swallowed the lump in her throat, glared at them in fake annoyance, and said, "What are you staring at me for? Why don't you help Auntie into the wagon?" She didn't say "pick her up," she said "help her in," knowing her aunt was stubborn and wouldn't be seen as weaker than any man. Now that she was paralyzed and couldn't move, she must be hurting inside.

She didn't want to treat her like an invalid.

Seeing everyone standing there frozen, she glared at her dumbstruck nephew, then softened her face as she turned to Zhu Ermei. Poor thing, so young and already pushing her grandma through the famine. She'd originally resented how big-boned she was, but now she felt a bit relieved—thank God, at least they all took after their dad, or her sister might not have made it this far.

Ma Erniang climbed down from the donkey cart and helped her husband lift the paralyzed Old Zhu into the cart. At least there was a canopy to keep the sun off her, so the old lady would be more comfortable.

"Erniang." Old Zhu's eyes were wet as she held her hand. "You've grown up, girl."

"Even grown up, I'm still the Erniang you raised from a kid." Ma Erniang took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears. "I had to shuffle things around in the cart last night, so it might not be comfy to lie down. Bear with it for now, Auntie. We'll be home soon."

"Good, good." Old Zhu nodded with effort.

Zhu Sanhua quickly moved her mom's basket onto the cart, tying it tight with rope. She'd clearly seen the look in her aunt's eyes that could eat her dad alive—she felt bad for her mom.

After getting Old Zhu settled, when Ma Erniang climbed down from the cart, Zhu Laicai immediately pulled the young couple aside and talked fast, summing up everything that happened after they left, including how to talk to the villagers, what to say, every detail, holding nothing back.

Ma Erniang heard her brother-in-law had set up a fake kinship and had everything sorted. She nodded in approval. "That's right. That way, when we get to the village, if you act distant and not close, the villagers aren't stupid—they'll see right through it."

"That's exactly what I was thinking." Zhu Laicai rubbed his hands, turned to Sun Silang, and explained, "Silang, I hope you won't mention this to your family. I feel bad toward both sets of in-laws. They've been running around, putting in a good word for us, and now I have to keep something this big from them. It's weighing on me."

But he had to keep it a secret. The fewer people who knew, the better. Especially the two sets of in-laws—compared to outsiders, their own clan was more important. If he told them the truth, they might constantly be anxious, feeling guilty for keeping it from the village while also needing to stay wary of these outsiders. Life would be uncomfortable for everyone.

Worse still, they might not be able to keep their mouths shut. Silang had several older brothers after all.

After much thought, Zhu Laicai decided to keep it from them. He just felt bad about it, since they had gone out of their way to help.

Sun Silang patted his brother-in-law on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Brother-in-law trusts them, Erniang trusts brother-in-law, and I trust Erniang."

He added, "As long as we don't do anything to betray the village, it doesn't matter if we keep it a secret. There's no need to explain everything; we're not prisoners."

Zhu Laicai was deeply moved. He patted his brother-in-law's arm firmly, all words unspoken—he would remember this debt.

After the briefing, Ma Erniang and her husband knew what to say when they got back.

Without further chitchat, while the sun hadn't fully risen, they hurried on their way.

...

Qushan County was close to the city, earning it the nickname "Little City." Liuhe Village lay on the road from Qushan County to the city, not too far away. That was part of why Ma Erniang and her husband had readily agreed to this.

If the city could no longer contain the refugees, Qushan County would be the first hit, and Liuhe Village would be among the most desirable spots.

The distance wasn't great. By donkey cart, traveling without breaks, leaving the city at dawn, they could arrive around sunset.

Ma Erniang was considerate. About every hour, she would stop and ask Old Man Zhao if he wanted to rest. She now addressed everyone along with Aunt Ma, treating them like relatives since they had become fictive kin.

"No rest. Let's push on. We don't want to spend the night on the road—it's unsafe." Old Man Zhao waved his hand. They had passed many refugees along the way, all heading toward the city.

Then he turned and encouraged the group: "Hold on, everyone. It's just one day's journey. Don't stop, no matter how tired. There'll be plenty of time to rest later."

"Erniang, we can keep up. Just go at your own pace." Zhao Shanao was too exhausted to even speak. He used all his strength to call out to Ma Erniang leading ahead, "Go as you need. Don't worry about us. We've been walking for months—we're used to it! We can keep up!"

"Alright!" Ma Erniang replied heartily.

After that, they didn't stop. When hungry, they pulled out baked flatbread and chewed a few bites, then kept moving.

It was truly tiring, but Zhao Shanao was right: after months of walking, they were used to the feeling of their legs nearly giving out.

And this time was different from before. There was a goal, like going to the market in town. The anticipation of carrying a basket full of salt and vinegar home in the afternoon completely outweighed the physical exhaustion.

No one spoke; there was no chatting. The vast crowd only had heads bent, trudging forward.

After entering Qushan County, the lead donkey cart steered familiar roads toward Liuhe Village.

The main road was wide and smooth, packed solid. The farm fields alongside were dotted with straw bundles; some had their rice stubble removed, others still had roots embedded in the soil.

Unlike the sandy, dry fields of Wansha Village, the villages under Qushan County all had neat rows of fertile fields. Even a seasoned farmer knew without bending down to grab a handful that these were rich fields—one after another, the ridges between them straight, not winding.

In their own village, because of its remote location and poor land, sometimes it took several patches to make up one mu. They planted any little nook that could get water to grow crops, never letting good land go to waste.

But such fields were hard to work—tiny, some tucked away, making plowing, transplanting, and harvesting inconvenient and time-consuming.

Still, at least they could harvest some grain, and no one complained. The most abundant resource for country farmers was time and energy.

But nothing withstands comparison. Seeing these wide, straight, fertile fields, everyone's eyes lit up with envy. They didn't dare imagine—if they had such good fields, their whole family would probably be so overjoyed they'd sleep in the fields for three to five nights before coming to their senses.

The donkey cart crossed a stone bridge over a shallow stream, the sound of flowing water like heavenly music to their ears.

The river was wide and deep, though it had dried up now, exposing rocks. Standing on the bridge, they could imagine the rushing torrents in better times—a river so different from the one outside their village that it was like heaven and earth.

With fertile fields and ample water, even a farmer there would live a more comfortable life than many townsfolk in Tongjiang Town.

After a day's travel, the sun gradually sank below the horizon. In the distance, two mountains—one large, one small—came into view.

Everyone sighed with relief, knowing Liuhe Village was near.

The donkey cart followed the river downstream. The distant mountains grew closer, and the village nestled between the hills and river appeared.

The cart ahead stopped. Ma Erniang jumped out, looking a bit tired after a full day of bumpy ride.

As they approached, she said softly, "Uncle Zhao, we're here."

Old Man Zhao was drenched in sweat. Behind him straggled several families; farther back, more people were still on the road, half-walking, half-resting, unable to move another step.

"Erniang, I'll trouble you and your husband with this." Old Man Zhao looked down at his daughter, who had climbed out of the cart and was walking toward him. He wiped his sweaty hands on his trousers and gently touched her head. "If the world is unstable and we can find a place to settle, I, Old Man Zhao, will not let outsiders stir up trouble arbitrarily."

He meant what he said, and he could back it up.

Ma Erniang smiled and nodded. Now she fully understood why her brother-in-law had said this group was capable—when speaking with intelligent people, there was no need to even start a topic; they would say the promises you wanted to hear.

She was still uneasy, wanting a commitment, because it concerned their family’s future. If they truly caused unrest in the village, she couldn’t bear the blame, nor the consequences.

Her son Xu Geer had some talent for studying. If he was to take the imperial examinations in the future, they had to maintain good relations with the clan.

Even if not for her son, she had married into the Sun family for years, and her in-laws treated her well. The clansmen didn’t bully her for being a bride from afar. She couldn’t do anything to wrong the village.

“Uncle, through my brother-in-law, our families are now relatives. You are an elder. Please don’t blame Erniang for being hesitant and indecisive—it’s just that this is the way the world is, so I can’t help but be more cautious.” She looked down at the little girl looking up at her. Those bright, clear eyes were pure. Though her face was smudged with ash, a person’s spirit could be seen in their eyes.

In this harsh world, raising a child like this showed, from a small glimpse, that this family was likely good-natured.

She, Ma Erniang, was willing to take this gamble.

“Don’t say such things about blame. If we’re relatives, then don’t say such words.” Old Man Zhao looked back, seeing Zhu Laicai slowly approaching with a cart, his breath uneven. The Zhu siblings were even farther behind. “I understand your worries, Erniang. As I said, put your heart at ease. You called me ‘Uncle,’ and I accepted. So rest assured—I won’t do anything to make things difficult for you, nor let you regret calling me that.”

Words were empty; only time could prove them.

Ma Erniang’s caution actually relieved him. Caution was good—it showed she was smart. If she had believed everything blindly, he would have been worried instead. Was there a trap in the village? Or were these Liuhe villagers all fools?

That would be a headache.

“Laicai, hurry up! Erniang has been waiting for you all this time.” He yelled at Zhu Laicai. For a butcher, this stamina was worse than his grandson’s. “It’s getting late. Once you’re in, go straight into the village. We’ll rest here.”

“I’m about dead tired.” Zhu Laicai groaned as he walked over, pushing the cart aside, then turned to call his lagging children. “Da Wazi, Erhua, Sanhua, Sihua, hurry up! We’re waiting for you!”

When the children finally dragged their weary legs over, Zhu Laicai left the cart to the brothers Da Zhuang to watch. He glanced at Old Man Zhao, who nodded. Then he nodded back and followed the donkey cart into the village.

The rest sat down on the ground, panting, watching them leave with anxious hearts.

“Dad, will this work?” Zhao Dashan wiped the sweat pouring down his forehead, looking at the river and mountains. This was truly a good place.

“Since we’re here, what does it matter if it works or not?” At least Fengchuan Prefecture wasn’t driving out refugees. Staying in the prefectural city was one thing; staying in Qushan County was another. Along the way, they had seen many wandering refugees. The locals kept their distance but weren’t hostile—they didn’t raise hoes to drive them away.

Maybe it was because the refugees dared not cause trouble. The army stationed in the prefecture city wasn’t to be messed with. Erniang said there were troops in every county—Hebe County had them, and so did Qushan County.

As long as there wasn’t a large-scale uprising of hundreds or thousands of refugees, the locals weren’t that scared. They ate well, drank well, and hadn’t fled—they were in much better shape than these skinny refugees. In a fight, it wasn’t clear who would lose.

Their own village had lost out because it was too remote. Otherwise, why hadn’t those bandits gone to Yujiawan to rob grain and people? That place was richer. It was because those villages were close together. If one was attacked, they could quickly call people from the next. Against several villages, even the fiercest bandits—unless they were suicidal—couldn’t win. One bite from each person could eat them alive.

Once the sun went down, darkness fell quickly.

They sat by the river, resting and enjoying the breeze, while the village was in an uproar.

Sun Silang and his wife had returned to the village, bringing along her sister’s family who had fled from disaster.

This had been communicated to the village earlier, and everyone had agreed—nothing unusual. But still, they were outsiders fleeing from Qingzhou Prefecture, so the villagers were curious. It was dinner time, and when they heard the news, everyone came out with their bowls.

They saw the family. The whole lot was brought into the main hall by the Sun family. Good heavens, even through the yard wall, you could see how filthy they were. They stank so much that eating wasn’t enjoyable anymore.

But curiosity won out—no one left; they crowded into the yard.

Word was that Sun Erniang’s brother-in-law was a butcher. He sure looked like one—short and stocky. His children, sitting obediently beside him, were about the same build. Their village had no butcher, so if this man had the skill, they could hire him to slaughter pigs during New Year.

What were they talking about? The crowd couldn’t hear clearly—there were too many people, three layers inside and out. Everyone talking at once drowned out the voices in the main hall.

Guests had arrived, but the Sun family didn’t serve dinner first—they sent someone to call the village chief.

“Silang, how is Xu Geer doing at his studies in the prefectural city? When will he take the xiucai exam?”

“Ah, our Xu Geer is truly talented! Silang, let him become a juren official, so we can show off to other villages!”

“Haha, that’s right! Silang, listen to your uncle—we have to support Xu Geer. I’ve saved a lot of eggs. You two take them back for Xu Geer to nourish himself. Studying is hard work, no easier than farming.”

The yard was packed. Everyone was talking, all concerned about the Sun family’s young scholar studying in the prefectural city.

Sun Silang stood under the eaves, happily chatting with the villagers. He hadn’t seen them in a long time, and everyone seemed kind.

“Yes, inside that’s my brother-in-law’s family.”

“I found them outside the city yesterday. They’ve really suffered. It’s still best in our Fengchuan Prefecture.”

“It’s chaotic—you don’t know unless you’ve been to the prefectural city. The city walls are now crowded with refugees. It’s scary. But the military lords keep order, so no major trouble.”

“Xu Geer is doing well. He’s going to take the xiucai exam. Studying means exams—how can he not take them? Oh, you ask me? I don’t understand the imperial examination system very well. Yes, yes, after passing the Tongsheng exam, he can take the xiucai exam.”

“We won’t stay long. Xu Geer is still in the prefectural city, entrusted to a neighbor. They’re classmates, so we can rest assured.”

“There is something…”

Sun Silang’s mouth went dry. He spotted the village chief from afar, called out to Erniang, and went to greet him.

“Second Great Uncle.”

The old man called Second Great Uncle came over, waving a palm-leaf fan, followed by several other elders of the clan. As soon as they heard the young couple had returned, they put down their bowls and came.

Of course, it wasn’t out of concern for them—they wanted to ask about Sun Xuyang studying in the prefectural city.

But today, the Sun family’s only scholar was clearly not the center of the conversation.

In the main hall, Sun Xuyang’s parents, who already knew why the young couple had returned, were speechless. Especially when their daughter-in-law said the family was now just outside the village…

“Second Uncle, everyone, come in and sit.” Old Man Sun stood up to pull out benches.

“Stop fussing. We’ll find seats ourselves.” Village Chief Sun waved his fan, pulled up a stool, and sat down. First, he looked at the strangers in the hall, then asked about the situation outside, then inquired about Sun Xuyang. Finally, he said, “They’re here, so let them settle in the village. You two should go back to the prefectural city soon. Xuyang needs you. The world outside is chaotic. Don’t come back for trivial matters—wait until this disaster is over.”

“Second Great Uncle, we came back this time to discuss something with the village.” Sun Silang looked at the elders—the ones who made big decisions for the clan.

“Is Xuyang due for another tuition payment?” Village Chief Sun slapped his thigh, squashing a mosquito. Thinking about it, he frowned. The tutors in the prefectural city were good, but expensive—ordinary families couldn’t afford it. Twenty taels of silver a year, plus gifts for every festival—it cost money everywhere. No family could bear that without some savings.

The Sun family had once been well-off, but that was generations ago. Now they were ordinary farming families, at best a few more acres than others.

Supporting a scholar was still too hard.

But no matter how hard, since Xuyang had talent, they had to grit their teeth and keep supporting him. Once he passed, even if he only became a xiucai, he could become a village teacher, never worrying about food or clothing, and earning respect.

And if he was lucky enough to become a juren, then the family would truly rise in status.

Then their Liuhe Village would also benefit.

“No.” Sun Silang shook his head. “Second Great Uncle, elders, fellow villagers—the outside world is already in chaos. Traveling alone, a family might not even make it out of their own county. My brother-in-law fled with his villagers. The rest are now just outside the village.”

“…”

Someone’s bowl fell to the ground. After a dead silence, the yard erupted.

“What?! Silang, what did you say?!”

“There’s a group of refugees right outside our village?!”

“Are you kidding?!”

Heavenly Lord! Refugees that eat people—now right outside their village?!