Chapter 98 The Rainy Night

Xu Qingying glanced at Fang Ruyu, only to see Fang Ruyu sitting there in a daze, his face very pale, and an air of sadness all over him.

She seemed to have not yet recovered from the shock she had just experienced. She looked a little listless and her tears kept flowing. No matter how Fang Ningmo tried to comfort her, she just kept crying silently.

Xu Qingying ignored the thoughts of each team and waved her hand, "Captain Zhao, we're continuing to head towards Qianzhou. Everyone! Keep your weapons close to you, don't go alone, and report any refugees immediately!"

"Yes!" came the deafening response.

This time everyone finally realized how powerful the refugees were. Without waiting for Xu Qingying to say anything more, they returned to their respective positions according to the formation.

Xu Qingying was still frightened, so she privately asked Zhao Bantou whether they could bypass Jinzhou, where there were many refugees. Zhao Bantou studied the map for a while and said that if they wanted to bypass Jinzhou, the journey would take at least two months longer, and the detour would be through mountains and hills. Zhao Bantou and his men had never taken that road before, so it was probably very dangerous.

After some discussion, everyone decided to proceed along the existing route.

As we walked, the snow stopped for a few days and the weather had just warmed up a little, but when we reached a certain point, mountain rain started to fall again.

The group was unable to dodge and raindrops as big as beans poured down, cold and damp. They were walking on the mountain road and all their luggage was soaked.

Everyone was busy grabbing dry food and scrambling to move it into the carriage.

"Everyone says the weather in Qianzhou is unpredictable. Why is it snowing in front of Jinzhou and raining in the back before we even get there? Is this going to make us live?"

"Oh my god, we only have so little dry food left. What will we do if it gets wet?"

"The weather this year is so weird! How can it rain so heavily in winter? And it rains out of the blue. There's no village in front of us and no shop nearby. Where are we going to stay tonight?"

It’s true.

They were only halfway there. If they turned back, they would have to go dozens of kilometers to get back to the post station. They had been chased by refugees two days ago and had lost their way. They probably wouldn't be able to find the post station even if they turned back. Wouldn't that mean they would have to sleep in the wilderness in the middle of winter?

Xu Qingying was also anxious. Their three carriages, plus the supplies, could barely accommodate the women. But the men in the family naturally couldn't squeeze in. Fortunately, Miao quickly dug out the straw raincoat and oil-paper umbrella from the bottom of the box, which barely provided shelter from the wind and rain.

But others were not so lucky.

This is deep in the mountains, with no one around, and no one within a ten-mile radius. It is raining so heavily that there is nowhere to hide, and no one knows when the rain will stop. Staying where you are is not an option, but moving forward is equally dangerous.

What’s even more terrifying is that it’s getting dark.

The team was visibly getting anxious. Four or five people were already sitting under the Xu family's oil-paper umbrellas, and many others could only hide under the trees, but it was no use. The rain was pouring down, and the people under the trees were soaked.

"Miss Xu!" Zhao Bantou ran over in the rain, looking anxious. "This isn't a solution."

Xu Degui also said, "Team Leader, why don't we keep moving forward? If we just wait here, we don't know when the rain will stop."

Xu Huiming said, "Dad, the mountain road is very rugged and difficult to travel. Not only for people, but even for carriages, it's difficult to travel. It's getting dark now. What if someone falls down while traveling in the rain?"

Xu Qingying was also unsure, so she simply took a book and rolled it up like a megaphone and shouted, "Should we stay where we are or move forward? What do you think?"

Her voice was very faint amid the sound of the rain, but everyone still shouted in response: "Forward! My clothes are all wet, and I'm freezing. The child can't stand it!"

The people with carriages wanted to stop where they were. "How can we move forward in such heavy rain? What if we fall off the cliff?"

"It's neither going forward nor retreating, so Miss Xu, you decide!"

"Yes, Miss Xu, please decide. If you say go forward, then we will go forward!"

The last voice dominated the mainstream. Xu Qingying didn't expect that she was still quite prestigious. After finally being democratic for once, the final decision-making power returned to her hands.

Xu Qingying glanced at the scattered team and saw that most of them had nowhere to hide. They could only stand under the trees and use branches and leaves to shelter from the rain. She thought that this was not a solution. If they stayed here, they could only wait for God to come. It would be better to move forward and fight for their lives.

Xu Qingying called Zhao Bantou and the others, "Let's keep going, but don't go too far. Let's get out of this mountain first and see if there are any caves or houses along the way. If we stop here, we don't know when the rain will stop, and we won't be able to light the fire. Don't catch a cold, it would be fatal."

"Okay, then let's keep going. We'll at least find a place to take shelter from the rain. At least we can build a fire to keep everyone warm."

In this way, the entire army continued to advance in the rain.

All the carriages were empty, with as many people as possible sitting on them. When the carriages could no longer move, the young and strong women had to get off.

The group pulled and pushed. The ancient roads were not paved with cement, but were made of mud mixed with weeds and pebbles. It was very bumpy and slippery to walk on. They could only hold each other to avoid slipping and falling off the cliff. Before long, almost everyone in the team was soaked.

Xu Qingying simply got off the carriage to lighten the burden on the horses, otherwise it would be even more troublesome if the wheels got stuck in the mud!

Xu Degui and Xu Huiming hurriedly pushed her, "Why did you come down? Hurry up and get back up! The rain is very cold, and you're so weak, be careful not to catch a cold!"

Xu Qingying looked at the two father and son who were soaked like drowned rats and could only grit her teeth and say, "There's nothing we can do. The carriage is almost unable to move. There are old people and children in my carriage. It's not good to chase them off."

Miao opened the curtain and pulled Xu Qingying, "You come up, I'll go down. I'm stronger than you and can help push the carriage."

Xu Qingying refused, "Mom, don't move. At least you're dry. I'm already wet. Besides, I'm feeling much better now, so getting a little wet is nothing."

Xu Yinxi also jumped down, followed by several young girls. Although it was raining, there was no sadness on their faces. Instead, they smiled and said, "Miss Xu Liu, we are here to help too!"

"Good girl!" Xu Qingying praised her. "But you must protect yourself. Don't get hurt. Just hold on a little longer!"

"I see! There's a shed! It's a mile ahead!"

The person who went to explore the way finally brought back good news. Ming Xiaoshuang rode his horse, soaking wet, and ran straight to Xu Qingying. He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Girl, get on the horse. Let's ride together. I'll take you to shelter from the rain over there first."

Xu Qingying didn't mind the distinction between men and women. She didn't even think about these four words. She just reached out and grabbed Ming Xiaoshuang's hand, then jumped on the horse. "Dad, Mom, I'm going to go check out the situation first!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of horse hooves was heard, and the two men disappeared in the rain and fog.

Xu Degui and Miao looked at each other and saw a hint of astonishment in each other's eyes.

Xu Qingying...just rode away with a man?

"How can an unmarried girl be flirting with a man in broad daylight?" Xu Deyuan's eyes revealed a hint of resentment, as if he was extremely ashamed. "This really disgraces the Xu family's tradition."

Lian sneered, "Xu family tradition? You're still wearing the straw raincoat that Sixth Girl got in exchange for her marriage. What did you say when you were upset about her being rejected? You said you were of high moral character and would never use anything from the Zheng family, so why are you wearing it now and won't take it off?"

Xu Deyuan's old face flushed, and he said angrily, "You woman, you are so unreasonable and sharp-tongued. I won't talk to you! When we get to Qianzhou, you can expect to be divorced."

Lian no longer gave Xu Deyuan face and smiled brightly: "Xu Deyuan, you'd better remember what you said now. When we get to Qianzhou, whoever doesn't divorce is a grandson!"

"Divorce? You're dreaming! You've been married to my Xu family for over a decade and have no children. You should have been divorced long ago. Divorce? Dream on!"

Lian smiled nonchalantly, the raindrops falling on her face, making her eyes appear strangely bright. "Xu Deyuan, don't forget that Lord Wang, the Minister of Administration of Qianzhou, has a close relationship with my father. If you don't want your two sons to be forced to do labor service as soon as they arrive in Qianzhou, I advise you to be polite to me."

Xu Deyuan's face turned pale, he uttered an "Ah!", then pointed at her nose and cursed, "Lian Qiuzhi, you vicious woman! You're just a concubine's daughter. Even if you divorce me, can you really go back to Bianjing? Don't forget, even if we divorce, you're still a concubine! And so are your three daughters!"

"You're not as ruthless as me. You're willing to abandon even your own daughter." Lian Qiuzhi laughed so hard that her body shook. "So this is the advantage of marrying down. Even though I'm a lowly woman, I have a father who's a high-ranking official in the capital."

"My father-in-law won't agree. The Lian family won't allow a divorced woman to live in the family!"

Lian Qiuzhi was fearless. Ever since she realized that Xu Deyuan was a selfish, hypocritical and heartless villain, she no longer showed any emotional fluctuations when facing Xu Deyuan.

"If you don't divorce... you can just wait for your two beloved sons to do corvee labor every year."

"You, you, you... you vicious woman! You have such a vicious heart. You are their legal mother after all. They say even a tiger won't eat its own cubs. How could you harm your own children?"

"We're about to get a divorce, so what do I need a reputation for being virtuous? He's your son, not mine. I've been childless for more than ten years. During these ten years, just because I was childless, you forced me to take in my maidservant. Just because I was childless, I couldn't even hold my head up in my own home. Just because I was childless, I could only swallow my tears when my sisters laughed at me for being a hen that didn't lay eggs. Xu Deyuan, I've figured it out. It's not worth it to compromise so much for someone like you. If you're willing to get a divorce, I'll give you a way out for the sake of our more than ten years of marriage. If you're not willing, then I'll let you know what it means to be worse than death."

Xu Deyuan stood where he was, seemingly shocked by Lian Qiuzhi's aura.

His mind was numb, and it seemed that only at this moment did he begin to understand that Lian was really determined to divorce.

Xu Deyuan suddenly panicked.

No matter how much he hated the Lian family, no matter how much he disliked them, they still had Lord Lian's support. Even if they were exiled and became a slave, even if his father-in-law just wrote a letter or asked them to take care of them, the Xu family would still have a much better life.

But on the contrary...

Xu Deyuan shuddered. No, he absolutely could not divorce Lian!

When Xu Deyuan regained consciousness, Lian had already walked away. Looking at Lian's back, Xu Deyuan's dissatisfaction and resentment towards Xu Qingying reached its peak.

I don’t know what kind of magic potion Xu Qingying had poured into everyone, but everyone obeyed her orders.

Not to mention Lian, even the concubines gradually seemed to no longer take his words seriously.

If this continues, will he still have a place in the Xu family?

It's a pity that the relationship between Xu Qingying and the jailer is as sweet as honey now, otherwise he would definitely find a way to curb her arrogance and let her know who is the head of the Xu family!

Xu Qingying sat on the horse's back. The speed was not fast, but it could not withstand the bumpy mountain road.

Horse riding is something that must be learned, just like learning to drive a car in modern times.

Xu Qingying felt uncomfortable from the shaking, but fortunately she arrived at her destination after running for a while.

When Xu Qingying saw the shed, she couldn't help but feel disappointed. Although it was called a shed, it was only about ten square meters in size. There were some dry grass inside, and the ground was covered with cow dung, but no one knew where the cow had gone.

It looks like an abandoned cowshed.

The cowshed had not been repaired for a long time. The thatch on the roof had been blown away by the wind. Raindrops fell heavily, and the rainwater on the ground mixed with dry cow dung made it impossible to step on, let alone make a fire to cook.

Fortunately, since there is a cowshed, it must be not far from the farmers.

This is barely good news.

Xu Qingying made a quick decision: "The women and children should rest in the cowshed first. There's firewood here. Let's see if we can start a fire and make some ginger soup to ward off the cold. Leave all the umbrellas and raincoats to the young men. Have them work in pairs and search within a two-kilometer radius of the cowshed for any farmers."

The people behind arrived one after another and immediately followed Xu Qingying's arrangements. Miao and Lian organized the women and children in an orderly manner, and first sorted out the existing things in the carriage to see if they could start a fire.

Those who can change clothes should change clothes, and those who can dry themselves should dry themselves first. If you get wet in such cold rain and then catch a cold, it could be fatal!

The first people to arrive had already started shouting, "Miss Xu has made arrangements. Each family must provide one male. Families with more than ten people must provide two, and those with more than twenty must provide four. Families with only one male need not provide any. Go in groups of two and go look for farmers near the cowshed!"

Lian added, "Now, let's stop hiding. If you have ginger or medicine, bring it all out. If you can light a fire, let's boil the medicine in one pot and drink it all!"

"How can it be that easy? How can we burn all the firewood in the cowshed? It's been soaked in the rain, and it's all smoke!"

"There's some dry firewood in the cowshed. It's a little, but use it first. If all else fails, tear down the wall of the cowshed."

"And water? Where does it come from?"

"It's raining so hard, can we just use a basin to catch the rainwater?"

The women had already started talking busily.

The men were led by Xu Degui, who counted the men and divided them into about five or six groups.

According to the regulations, the Xu family should provide four children.

With Xu Dechi and Xu Huijia out of the first house, the remaining two naturally had to go to other houses. Originally, Xu Deyuan would not have been given a chance to do this, but Xu Dekai sprained his ankle while hiding from refugees a few days ago, and he had difficulty walking these days. Naturally, this tough job would have to fall on Xu Deyuan tonight.

Xu Deyuan didn't show it on his face, but he was unhappy inside.

In the past, why would he bother to take action for such trivial matters?

It's the same with my fourth brother. He never sprained his ankle earlier or later, but he got injured at this time.

In other words, he is now down and out and no one takes him seriously.

Xu Degui naturally saw Xu Deyuan's reluctance, but there was really nothing he could do, so he said, "Second brother, the road is slippery in the rain, and it's hard to see in the woods. You should follow me closely."

"I understand." No matter how reluctant Xu Deyuan was, he had no choice but to put on a straw raincoat and walked out alone.

Xu Degui had no choice but to take the raincoat from Miao and said to the mother and daughter, "Stay here and wait for my good news."

The several groups that were exploring the path left first.

Seeing that the cowshed could not accommodate so many people, Xu Qingying had to hide in the carriage first. She wanted to change her clothes, but was afraid that the rain would not stop and she would get wet again, so she had to give up.

Xu Qingying could only wipe her hair with a handkerchief. She searched the carriage over and over again and found that since they encountered the refugees last time, they had deviated from the route in a panic and had been wandering in the mountains and forests for more than ten days. The dry food was almost gone, and there were only a few pieces of clothes and some daily necessities left.

No, they must get into the city for supplies as soon as possible.

Otherwise, you might starve to death before you even leave the mountains.

Xu Qingying made up her mind and sorted out all the supplies again so that she would have a clear idea of ​​the remaining food in her hands.

After an unknown amount of time, the people in the cowshed shouted that it was time for ginger soup, and Xu Qingying got off the carriage.

It was really hard for the women to actually make a pot of ginger soup in such a remote and poor place with the help of rainwater and a little dry firewood.

Ginger was readily available. They picked up whatever they came across on the road, including wild vegetables, litsea cubeba, and wild fruits. They picked and took away everything they could recognize and name.

During the days of exile, walking in the deep mountains and old forests, I really had money but nowhere to spend it. I could only live off the land and the water.

Xu Qingying thought of the tens of thousands of taels of silver she had deposited in the bank and sighed. If she just died in the mountains, wouldn't it be a bargain for the owner of the bank?

no!

Xu Qingying immediately burst out with an infinite desire to survive!

You can't rob her of her money; she earned it through hard work.

Xu Qingying was forced by Miao to drink a large bowl of ginger soup. Xu Qingying hated the smell of ginger, but when she saw that her bowl was full of soup while others had only a shallow sip in their bowls, Xu Qingying had no choice but to drink it all in silence.

The ginger flavor is very light, but it is better than nothing and can provide some psychological comfort.

Fortunately, those who went out soon brought back good news. One group returned in the heavy rain, saying they had seen farmers about a kilometer northwest.

Now everyone sees hope. At least there is a place to shelter from the rain, right?

Xu Qingying said, "How about this, it's not a good idea for everyone to hide here. Those who want to leave can pack up and go find a farmer to stay with. Leave a few people here and wait for the rest of the group to arrive before going over."

Those whose husbands haven't returned home are unwilling to leave now, saying, "I'll wait until my husband comes back before I leave!"

"Those who are willing to wait can stay, and those who are willing to go can follow first."

Everyone discussed it. Those with elderly or children at home naturally wanted to rush over first, to see if there was hot water for the children to bathe or change into clean clothes. With clothes soaked by the cold rain, it would be surprising if the children didn't catch a cold. Those with money wanted to see a doctor.

So some people left, some stayed, and gradually more than half of the people left.

Miao and Lian came over and asked her, "Xiao Liu, where is our family?"

Grandma made the decision, "We'll go first. We don't know how many households there are in this village. If we go in with more than a hundred people, even the beds might be taken away if we're late. The young ones should go first, and only one or two men should stay here to wait for them."

Everyone thought it made sense. Since two people had already left the eldest wife's house, it would be inappropriate to keep anyone else. So the eldest aunt decided to leave first with her two cousins.

From the third house, Miao took Xu Meixiao and left first, while Xu Huiming and Xu Qingying stayed behind to wait.

Originally, Xu Huiming wanted Xu Qingying to leave, but Xu Qingying knew that although Xu Huiming was smart, he was weaker than her, and she was not at ease leaving him alone.

And for some reason, Xu Qingying always felt a little uneasy tonight, as if she had a vague feeling of unease.

She just hoped she was overthinking it.

But looking at the endless mountain rain, Xu Qingying's heart still couldn't calm down.

I just hope everything goes well tonight.

Therefore, she insisted on staying despite the opposition of Miao and Xu Huiming.

The two male children of the second house were young and useless, and they both wanted to go to the farmers as soon as possible. They pushed each other, saying that they were weak, or had sprained their ankle, or that their clothes were wet and needed to be changed quickly. In short, they kept blaming each other, and no one wanted to continue staying in the cowshed and suffering. They couldn't come to a conclusion for a long time.

Xu Qingying looked at him coldly, thinking that Xu Deyuan's popularity was really bad, even the people closest to her were alienated from him.

Finally, the two families discussed and Xu Yinxi stayed.

The reason is simple, she is the eldest daughter.

If Xu Yinxi stayed, then Lian would have to stay as well.

Lian really wanted to take Xu Yinxi away, but Xu Deyuan was still her biological father. If anyone saw this, they would definitely poke Xu Yinxi in the back and accuse her of being unfilial.

Lian hated Xu Deyuan even more, thinking he was a burden and wishing to divorce him immediately.

Lian pretended to be determined to divorce, but only she knew that she was just bluffing.

The three girls are all still unmarried, and with a divorced mother like her, their future marriages are bound to be bumpy.

If I get relief because of her short-term pleasure, what if I ruin the future of my three daughters?

If women in this world really don't get married, let alone how to support themselves, even the spit of the world can drown them.

Lian thought, I have endured it for so many years, why not endure it a little longer for the sake of the child?