Wang Fengqin said with a gloomy look in her eyes, "You all want us to wait here to die. So what if my daughter causes trouble?"
She had worked hard and dutifully in the Jiang family for so long, doing the most work every day but receiving the least food. Now, even her in-laws, who were fleeing for their lives, were unwilling to take them with them. Her heart had long since died, and she no longer cared about disciplining them.
Old Jiang was furious at these words and was thinking about what to do when he heard Wu Pozi's even more miserable screams.
"Ah, old man, what are you waiting for? Do you really want me to die? You heartless bastard! If I really go to the underworld, I'll drag you down with me first."
Old Man Jiang was so angry that his face turned dark. Seeing that blood was seeping from Granny Wu's neck, he realized that the eldest son's family was serious and didn't intend to interfere anymore. So he said, "Go, unload half of the grain."
Li was so surprised that her eyes widened. Before she could say anything more, Old Man Jiang roared, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and unload the grain! I really want to see your mother-in-law die here. Go now!"
Despite her reluctance, Li could only call her husband to help unload the grain.
After dawdling for almost a quarter of an hour, half of the grain was finally unloaded from the cart.
Jiang Yimian asked Xiao Ye to check it out and, after confirming that it was grain, said, "You all go out now and take that cart with you. I'll throw the people out for you later."
Li was still somewhat dissatisfied, but Old Man Jiang said sternly, "Hurry up and push the cart. If you keep dawdling, you really won't be able to catch up with the village chief and the others."
Li and Jiang Erzhuang then pushed the cart out of the yard.
Seeing that Old Man Shen had also left the courtyard, Jiang Yimian, supporting her already exhausted hands, led Granny Wu out of the house.
As soon as they reached the courtyard gate, Jiang Yimian quickly threw the person out, closed the gate behind her, and collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.
Granny Wu was thrown out, and after finally regaining her footing, she angrily cursed into the courtyard: "Jiang Yimian, you slut, you son of a bitch, how dare you threaten your grandmother! You can just wait to die in the village! Bah! A house full of worthless good-for-nothings!"
Still not satisfied with their cursing, they kicked the Jiang family's door a few more times. It was only when Old Man Jiang said they couldn't make it that they hurriedly left.
As the sounds outside the courtyard gradually faded away, Xiao Ye, with red eyes, squatted down beside Jiang Yimian and asked in a sob-filled voice, "Sister, are you alright?"
Jiang Yimian shook her head, feeling that her body was pitifully weak. She had almost collapsed from exhaustion just from holding someone hostage. She used to be someone who could carry an adult for half an hour without even panting.
Heaven has truly been "kind" to her, not only transporting her back to before the famine, but also denying her even a healthy body.
Just then, a weak female voice sounded from inside the room, "Yimian, Xiaoye, how are you? Are you alright?"
Jiang Yimian quickly stood up from the ground and followed Xiao Ye into the house.
Wang Fengqin's already pale face turned even paler from the crying and screaming earlier, and she looked extremely weak.
Jiang Yimian quickly stepped forward to help the woman up, forcing a smile as she said, "Mother, we're fine. It's you, though; you're still recovering. Let me help you to bed."
With her husband and son disappearing one after another, the burden of the family fell on this woman who was only in her early thirties. She was busy in the fields all day long, and she also had to take care of her parents-in-law and children. In addition, she was so heartbroken that her health collapsed.
He looks ten years older now, and his once jet-black hair has turned gray.
Jiang Yimian felt a little sad. She took the opportunity to check the other person's pulse and breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that he was just too weak and overworked and there was nothing seriously wrong.
Ono rushed over to help when he saw this, and even the frightened Xiao Nuan'er ran over crying.
Wang Fengqin saw that her three children's eyes were even redder, and tears streamed down her face as soon as she lay half-reclined on the bed. "It's all my fault, I'm useless. I let you all wait to die with me here. I'm sorry to you, I'm even more sorry to Jiang Lang, and I'm sorry to your eldest brother. Waaah, cough cough cough."
If she had been more determined and hadn't gotten sick, she might have been able to leave with the second wife.
One cough after another, as if he were coughing up his lungs, was heartbreaking to hear.
Jiang Yimian got up, poured a glass of water, handed it to Wang Fengqin, and patted her back.
Ono, who was standing to the side, wiped away her tears and said with a smile, "Mom, it's okay. Who said we're just waiting to die here? It might be even more dangerous on the way to escape the famine. We'll just hide in the village. Maybe we'll get through it. There are definitely more people in the village who haven't left."
He refused to believe that he could really die in the village.
Little Nuan'er quickly suppressed her tears and said, "Yes, yes, Third Brother is right. Mother, Mother, don't cry. We won't die."
The little guy's skinny face was a mix of crying and laughing, which looked somewhat comical, but no one could laugh at that moment.
Wang Fengqin knew these words were meant to comfort her, and not wanting the children to be sad with her, she simply wiped away her tears and forced a smile, "Yes, Xiao Nuan'er and Xiao Ye are right. We won't wait here to die. Once Mother is feeling better, I'll take you away."
She would do anything to protect her three children.
Seeing that their mother had stopped crying, the two little ones smiled.
After talking for a while, Wang Fengqin was so tired that she fell asleep.
Jiang Yimian then began to think about her future plans.
If the fighting outside is not serious, just minor skirmishes, or if the imperial court has already brought the rebels under control, it would indeed be safer for them to hide in the village.
But if the war becomes severe, the battlefield will expand sooner or later, and they will be left to die if they stay here.
She needs to find out some information; she can't just sit and wait to die.
Thinking it over, she quickly got up and carried the grain from the yard into the house. She then told Ono to close the door tightly and not to open it to anyone. She then left the Jiang family alone.
There were hardly any people left in the village. The once bustling banyan tree was deserted, and the gates of every house were wide open, revealing a mess inside, as if it had been ransacked.
Jiang Yimian sighed and headed straight for the town.
Almost everyone in the village has left, so even if she wanted to ask for information, she probably wouldn't get any results.
*
After walking for most of the day, we finally arrived at the nearest town – Qinghe Town.
Qinghe Town is not large, but it is not small either. It has all kinds of teahouses and taverns, and even an academy, but these are things that only wealthy people can afford.
The children in the village looked forward to market days the most, as they could come to town to see all sorts of new and interesting things.
Today, Qinghe Town is deserted. The shops and restaurants on the once bustling streets are all closed, presumably because they have been abandoned.
You might occasionally encounter a few people, but they're always in a hurry, carrying large bags and small packages, clearly intending to leave as well.
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