"drive!"

Ye Liang alone is enough to eliminate the spirit crab blocking the way.

The junior sister could now happily drive the carriage and continue her journey.

"keep going!"

The junior sister was overjoyed to be able to drive the carriage back, and cheerfully shouted as she continued forward, making sure all the other carriages followed hers, as that would be absolutely safe.

The merchant carriages behind them followed the junior sister's caravan with peace of mind, continuing their journey towards Xiaodukou Village.

"How comfortable!"

Driving their horse-drawn carriages laden with supplies, following the caravan from Bixianmen ahead, these merchants felt quite at ease.

As I walked along, I saw that the spirit crabs that used to run rampant and block my way were now all wiped out. It felt so satisfying.

It was like a great revenge being taken.

Ultimately, these crabs caused immense suffering to the people of Xiaodukou Village, leading to the destruction of their homes and the loss of a place for trade. Naturally, they deeply resented these magical crabs.

Seeing them all dead, belly up, fills me with immense joy.

With such a large convoy traveling, there would definitely be spirit crabs coming to harass them from all sides, but Ye Liang alone is still enough to protect the entire convoy's progress.

This display of strength truly impressed these merchants and travelers.

Upon arriving at Xiaodukou Village, the gate was tightly closed.

Presumably to protect the village from crab damage, Xiaodukou Village cut down trees and used the tree stumps to build a fence around the village.

However, at this moment, the village gates were tightly shut.

There was no one there.

The village, which should have been a large area, was eerily silent and deathly still.

"Could it be that everyone in Xiaodukou Village is dead?"

Because the gate was not open, the village was deathly silent, without a sound. Merchants who had been unable to come here for trade for a long time couldn't help but wonder if the people in this small ferry village had all been killed by the spirit crab.

"Ye Liang, will they be alright?" The junior sister was kind-hearted. After hearing these people's discussion, she also began to worry. Had all these villagers really been killed by the crabs?

Ye Liang comforted his junior sister, saying, "It shouldn't be. I just peeked through the crack in the door, and I don't think I saw any spirit crabs in the village. Anyway, I'll go open the door and let everyone in."

With that, Ye Liang used his movement technique to ride the wind, leaping over the tree stumps in the village, going inside, unlocking the bolted door, and opening the village gate.

Then, turning to his junior sister who was still worried about the villagers' safety, he said, "The door is bolted shut, so there must still be people in the village. Don't worry, junior sister. Let's go into the village."

"Hmm." With Ye Liang's words, the junior sister felt much relieved. Then, somewhat happily, she gently drove the carriage and became the first to enter the village.

Behind them, Second Senior Sister's carriage followed closely.

Following closely behind was the caravan of the Hu merchants, which entered the village.

Ye Liang stood by the roadside, watching the convoy behind him enter the village one after another. He then instructed the last person entering the village to close the village gate properly so that he could feel at ease. He then told the person to hurry up and catch up with his junior sister to clear the way ahead.

After walking along an empty road at the village entrance, crossing a small bridge, and continuing forward, you will finally enter the village.

The village remained deathly silent.

However, the creaking sound of the carriage wheels attracted some people to come out of their homes and look at Ye Liang's caravan in surprise.

These people looked hungry, and their clothes were tattered. The children's clothes were patched so many times that it was impossible to tell how many times they had been patched.

They looked so pitiful, like starving people, which immediately made people feel sorry for them.

At that moment, you'll understand why the whole village is so deathly silent.

Because of hunger, no one had the strength to speak loudly.

The entire village would then become deathly silent, as if no one were there at all.

"Ye Liang, they're so pitiful," the junior sister said, feeling sorry for them.

She has a kind heart.

The second senior sister and the eldest senior sister are also kind-hearted.

Second Senior Sister had already driven her carriage over and walked alongside Ye Liang's carriage. She discussed with Ye Liang, "Junior Brother, in a little while, Junior Sister Shiwen and I will buy some food and clothing from the merchants and give some to the people here."

Ye Liang immediately nodded, took out a large wad of silver, gave it to Wei Wenshi, and said, "Second Senior Sister and Junior Sister Wenshi can handle these matters themselves. There's no need to consult me. I believe Second Senior Sister will be able to do these things well."

"Thank you, junior brother." Ye Liang's trust in her made the second senior sister very happy.

After driving the carriage for some distance into the village, Ye Liang stopped the carriage, got off, and asked someone for advice.

"Sir, may I ask if the village chief is home? Could you please inform him that we have arrived and request to see him?"

The old man sitting at the crossroads told Ye Liang weakly, "The village chief is long gone. His sons all died in the lake, just like him. Now, most of the villagers are just women and children. There aren't many men left. If you want to find the village chief, you can't. But we all listen to the village chief's wife now. If you want to see the village chief, I'll have someone go and call him for you."

As he spoke, the old man weakly beckoned to a child in the house behind him, patted his head and said, "Kid, go to the village chief's house and call the village chief's wife over. Tell her that someone has come from outside."

"Yes, Grandpa." The child was a little thin and his eyes showed some fear of Ye Liang and the other outsiders, but he was still very obedient to the old man and was willing to run errands to call the village chief's wife for Ye Liang.

"Wait a minute, child." Ye Liang took out a piece of flatbread and gave it to the child, then instructed him, "Eat it on the way, eat slowly, and don't rush to call the village chief's wife. Just call her slowly. We'll wait here."

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