This is the middle of the Wei hour, the time when the sun is at its strongest.

Jiang Wanwan drove the oxcart and turned her head to look at the motionless sack.

Could Qi Zhao be dead?

Well, considering the time, she's been delayed quite a bit. It would be terrible if Qi Zhao died from blood loss.

Thinking of this, Jiang Wanwan lashed the cow's rump with a whip. The cow, whipped, quickened its pace.

Soon, Jiang Wanwan returned to the village entrance.

Fortunately, no one was at the village entrance, otherwise she would have had to find another way to cover up for Qi Zhao.

She successfully drove the oxcart back to her doorstep, raised her hand and knocked, "Grandpa, Grandma, it's me."

Jiang Wanwan called out softly, worried that her shouts would attract the attention of the villagers.

Grandma Jiang, who was squeezing mosquito coils in the yard, suddenly heard her beloved granddaughter's voice. She quickly put down what she was doing and strode to the gate to open it.

Behind her followed a group of Lao Jiang's family members.

"Ah, my granddaughter, you're back! How did it go? How did the locust-for-grain deal go?" Grandma Jiang asked anxiously.

"Yes, how is it going? The villagers are very anxious; they've sent people over a dozen times a day to inquire about it," Zhu asked expectantly.

The Jiang family members stared wide-eyed at Jiang Wanwan.

"It's done, it's done. The rice we got in exchange is on the oxcart," Jiang Wanwan said with a smile.

"That's wonderful, the village is saved." Grandma Jiang's smile was radiant as she affectionately took Jiang Wanwan's hand and praised her, "My eldest granddaughter is so capable, she actually accomplished something so impossible! Humph, she'll make those who doubted her pay a good slap in the face in a moment."

As she spoke, Old Lady Jiang quickly jumped onto the oxcart. She patted one of the sacks on the cart and asked in confusion, "Huh, why does this rice feel so hard? It doesn't feel like rice, it feels more like pig feed."

As soon as he finished speaking, several painful coughs came from the sack.

"Cough cough~~"

Grandma Jiang was startled and took several steps back.

"What, what is this thing?" Old Mrs. Jiang asked, pointing at the sack with trembling hands.

Why did I hear a man coughing?

Ah! Could it be that the young man her eldest granddaughter has her eye on, and she knocked him unconscious and brought him home?

Hearing the sound, Jiang Wanwan turned around and was so frightened that her eyes widened. She ran over and said, "Grandma, this is not the time to talk. I'll explain to everyone later."

She called Jiang Jiang over, "Brother, could you please help me carry this sack to my room?"

People from the village have already rushed to their house, presumably because they know she has returned and are coming to find out what's going on.

Jiang Jiang stared blankly at his family.

Jiang Wanwan was very anxious. If she didn't quickly carry Qi Zhao into the yard and hide him, it would be too late.

She couldn't help but urge, "Big brother, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and help me!"

"Oh, oh, okay." Jiang Jiang quickly replied, walked a few steps to the oxcart, took a deep breath, and hoisted the sack containing Qi Zhao onto his shoulder, striding into the yard.

When Grandma Jiang saw the blood on the cart, she opened her mouth, but then closed it tightly again.

That granddaughter is so violent! Look, she even injured that young man!

Ignoring the subtle glances from her family, Jiang Wanwan quickly climbed onto the oxcart and dragged the basket and the cages containing chickens and ducks to the blood-stained area to cover them up so that the villagers wouldn't notice anything amiss.