The further west Yan Wan and her group traveled, the deeper the awe they felt. It was a vast, boundless yellow world. Under the scorching sun, the ground seemed to be baked, with waves of heat rolling in. The wind was the only melody here, sometimes as gentle as silk, sometimes as violent as a beast, whipping up clouds of yellow sand that made it hard to open one's eyes.
Here, vegetation is sparse, with only a few tenacious plants surviving in the cracks. They are short but resilient, silently proclaiming the tenacity of life. Occasionally, you will see some animals traversing the desert, either searching for water or migrating for survival.
The distant hills, like solitary guardians, stand silently, witnessing the vicissitudes of the desert. The sky here also appears exceptionally high and clear, a pristine blue, with a few white clouds occasionally drifting by, making it seem even more desolate and magnificent.
The homeless lay helplessly by the roadside, their eyes filled with numbness, pain, and despair. The further west they went, the more powerless Yan Wan and Ji Mohan felt. They couldn't bear to look at the adults and children who were so thin they were just skeletons, and could only turn their heads away.
"How much longer until we get there?" Yan Wan asked, licking her dry, cracked lips. The disaster in the Northwest was far more severe than she had imagined. She wondered how Jing Xi was doing.
"We'll be in Yunzhou in another half month." As Ji Mohan spoke, he uncorked the kettle and handed it to Yan Wan, gesturing for her to drink some water to soothe her throat.
The Mongols must already be aware of this severe disaster. We need to speed things up. Hopefully, the Mongols will be slow to react, otherwise now is the best time to attack the Yin Kingdom.
"Yan Wan, we need to speed things up and head to the Northwest. Can your body handle it?" Ji Mohan asked worriedly.
Yan Wan looked at Ji Mohan firmly and said, "I can do it. Don't worry about me. I understand your concerns."
Ji Mohan nodded slowly and gently hugged Yan Wan. He felt he owed her far too much, more than he could ever repay in this lifetime.
——
"I'm going out this afternoon," Jing Xi said as she ate breakfast with Jiang Bai at the inn.
"I'll go with you," Jiang Bai said hastily, putting down his chopsticks. In these chaotic times, he was really worried about letting Jing Xi go out alone.
"No need. Just stay at the inn. Once the news comes that the Crown Prince isn't giving out free porridge, send people to spread the word that we can also use work-for-relief programs here. People will get food if they work. Try to get as many people as possible to come here," Jing Xi instructed. In the afternoon, she wanted to go up the mountain to see if there was any water. If things continued like this, without water, no one could hold out for long.
"Jingxi, then you should take a few more people with you. It's very dangerous outside, and I don't feel comfortable letting you go alone," Jiang Bai said with a worried expression.
Jing Xi initially wanted to refuse outright, but seeing the worry in Jiang Bai's eyes, she said softly, "Jiang Bai, don't you know my skills? Ordinary refugees can't hurt me."
Jiang Bai said softly, "Jing Xi, I know you are very capable, but I'm just afraid you'll get hurt."
Seeing Jiang Bai's sincere expression, Jing Xi could only nod helplessly. Jiang Bai quickly piled several side dishes into Jing Xi's bowl, as long as she agreed; it was really unsafe for a woman to go out alone.
After finishing her meal, Jing Xi packed her things, slung a small bag over her shoulder, and left the inn, heading towards the back mountain. Unexpectedly, she was immediately spotted as soon as she stepped out. Jing Xi curled her lips into a cold smile and said, "There really are some people who aren't afraid of death."
After Jing Xi entered the mountains, she deliberately wandered further and further away from the mountains. The three refugees following behind her became even more excited. It seemed that they were going to have a feast today. The three of them revealed lewd smiles, and Jing Xi also revealed an excited smile. She rubbed her wrists and twisted her neck. It had been a long time since she had exercised.
As they entered the dense forest, the three men flanked Jing Xi from the side. The leader grinned wickedly and said, "Hey, little beauty, what are you doing coming in alone? Want your brother to keep you company?" The other two laughed and looked at Jing Xi with lustful eyes.
Jing Xi gave a kind smile and asked, "How are you going to keep me company? One by one, or all three of you at once?"
The three exchanged a glance and slowly approached Jing Xi from the side, their meaning clear: all three of them were going to attack together.
Jing Xi threw her bag on the ground and walked over with great interest. In less than fifteen minutes, the three of them lay on the ground, grimacing and crying, "Grandma, spare us! We were just bewitched. We'll never do it again. Please, let us go!"
Jing Xi asked listlessly, "What? You're giving up already? Why don't you try to resist a little longer?"
This is really boring. She thought that at least three grown men would give her some practice, but she didn't expect these three to be so weak.
"No, no, Grandma, we won't dare to do it again, and we won't dare to resist anymore, sob sob sob."
"Yes, yes, we won't resist anymore, please let us go."
The three grown men pleaded spinelessly. Jing Xi shook her head speechlessly and said, "Get lost. Go to Fulai Inn and find a guy named Jiang Bai. Tell him you volunteered to help Jing Xi fix the road."
The three of them gave each other a miserable look, their eyes darting around, and nodded hurriedly in agreement, preparing to run away. As for that lousy road, let whoever wants to fix it fix it; the three of them wouldn't. After they ran away, that shrew would definitely not be able to find them.
"If you dare to run, don't blame me for finding you and killing you, understand? You can try to see if I can find you. The next time we meet, it will be your death day!" Jing Xi's chilling voice came from behind.
The three men froze instantly, their legs spinning. They were doomed; this female demon would definitely not let them go. The three men nodded dejectedly and said, "Okay, okay, don't worry, heroine, we will definitely do as you say."
Damn it, one wrong step and you'll regret it forever!
Jing Xi gave them a cold glance, and the three of them fled desperately. Jing Xi picked up the package from the ground and said calmly, "Your Highness has watched the show for so long, aren't you going to show your appreciation? Even watching monkeys costs money, does Your Highness intend to get something for free?"
The prince and Ye Xiao emerged from behind a tree. Ye Xiao spoke first: "You barbaric woman, although your words are rough but your reasoning is sound, they're just too crude."
Jing Xi rolled her eyes and said, "Two thieves have the nerve to talk about others? If I were secretly watching someone, I would be so ashamed I would die."
"You woman," Ye Xiao said indignantly, but was interrupted by the Crown Prince raising his hand. Ji Mosheng said gently, "Miss Jing is truly a woman who is no less capable than any man. She has both courage and strength."
Jing Xi had no interest in listening to his flattery and turned to leave, but Ye Xiao spoke up, "Why are you acting like this? His Highness is speaking to you."
Jingxi laughed and said, "What? You've fallen for me? Former fiancé, what should I do? I'm not going to be someone else's concubine."
Ye Xiao's words caught in his throat and he couldn't speak. He did seem like a young boy trying to attract her attention. Realizing this, Ye Xiao gave Jing Xi a complicated look and then fell silent.
Jing Xi grinned at him smugly, "Little brat, you think you can compete with me with this level of skill?"
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