Madam Mu Er quickly pulled open the curtain, "Zi'ang, take off your raincoat quickly."
Mu Wanqing's list of supplies included five sets of raincoats, which were tied to the roof of the carriage as they were not needed for the time being.
Mu Ziang stood up quickly and took out a few straw raincoats.
Straw raincoat, bamboo hat and wooden clogs are three essential items for rainy days.
The father and his two sons had just dressed and put a layer of oilcloth on the mule when the sky darkened. A flash of lightning struck, and in an instant, raindrops as big as beans began to fall.
Master Mu hurriedly held the mule to prevent it from getting scared and running around.
He and his two sons protected the carriage, "Madam, you and your daughter sit quietly in the carriage, nothing will happen."
The rain was getting heavier, like a rain curtain hanging in the sky. The cold wind and raindrops rushed straight to the face, making people shiver.
There was a layer of tarpaulin on the roof of the mule cart, and the windows and curtains were reinforced with another layer of tarpaulin, so no matter how fierce the wind and rain were, nothing could get into the carriage.
The car was as warm as spring. The small red clay stove was purring as ginger tea was brewing. Mu Wanqing and her daughter huddled in the warm quilt, feeling very comfortable.
Mu Wanqing leaned over the car window and looked outside. Looking at her father and brother standing in the wind and rain to guard her, her heart was filled with warmth.
Although the long road of exile is extremely difficult, it is great to have family members supporting each other.
They had made all the necessary preparations early on, so everything was in good order and under control.
But others were not so lucky, and the team was in chaos.
In the storm, everyone was running around like flies.
Most people didn't prepare rain gear, and there were no cars to take shelter from the rain. This was a barren wilderness with no village or shop in sight.
For a moment, screams and cries were heard everywhere.
The officers were prepared and put on straw raincoats to maintain order.
They formed a circle with carriages and ordered everyone to stay inside and not run around.
If you dare to escape, you will be killed without mercy.
The exiled prisoners were whipped several times, and the pain made them sober up. They could only squat on the ground with their heads in their hands, letting the heavy rain pour down on them. Soon they became soaked like drowned rats, shivering from the cold rain.
The Mu family's main branch was also caught off guard by the sudden heavy rain. Only ten sets of raincoats were prepared, which was not enough for each person.
The only thing to be thankful for was that Old Lady Mu had previously complained that the donkey cart was open-topped and the autumn sun was very strong, so she asked her descendants to use four bamboo poles to prop up a piece of oilcloth to make a canopy.
Uncle Mu was the head of the family. He immediately distributed raincoats to the men in the family and also gave one to the old lady. The women holding young children were arranged to take shelter under the canopy, while the men sat in a circle outside holding a few bamboo poles to provide protection.
But, those concubines were miserable, they got nothing, their positions were limited, and they could only stand helplessly in the rain.
People were standing close to each other, and Old Lady Mu was surrounded in the middle, but she still felt cold. There was a chill in her bones that made her feel uncomfortable.
The wind and rain were so strong that everyone’s faces were wet. They couldn’t open their eyes and were shivering from the cold. They could only huddle together for warmth.
For a moment, the rain formed a line, and it felt like there was a hole in the sky.
In the violent storm, the bamboo poles were toppling over and over, and the straw was swaying, which was really terrifying.
The old lady clutched her collar tightly, looked up at the tent, and frowned, "Boss, the rain is too heavy, the tent seems to be unable to hold up."
Uncle Mu's eyes were full of worry and annoyance. He didn't expect the storm to come so suddenly and be so severe.
If I had known this would happen, I would have tried my best to get a carriage.
Who would have thought that what he envied most now were those who owned horse-drawn and mule-drawn carriages.
But he was the backbone of everyone and could not show any fear. "Mom, don't worry, this rainstorm is only for a while and will stop soon."
Old Mrs. Mu looked at the blue cloth mule cart not far away, her eyes full of longing.
Sitting in the carriage is the most comfortable thing at times like this, if... a thought flashed through her mind.
"Big brother, go talk to the second brother and ask him to sell the mule cart to us. We will pay double the price."
With her previous temper, she would just grab whatever she wanted, but Mu Wanqing was too barbaric and she thought she could not beat him.
Master Mu, whose lips were purple from the cold, brightened up. He also wanted to ride the mule cart. "Yes, yes, yes, we'll pay. If double is not okay, then triple."
The corner of Grandpa Mu's mouth twitched, "Will he sell it at this time? Will Mu Wanqing agree?"
Everyone was silent.
They finally understood that Mu Wanqing was the one who made the decisions in the second house.
Old Mrs. Mu felt that if this continued, she would catch a cold and get sick.
The older you get, the more you fear death.
"You go, no matter what means you use, you must get the second brother's consent. As for Mu Wanqing, she is just a junior, there is no need to talk to her."
Uncle Mu couldn't help but smile bitterly. No need to talk? Could he still drag the person out of the car?
But his mother wouldn't listen.
However, he also wanted the mule cart, and he wanted to give it a try even if there was a glimmer of hope.
He stood up, put on his hat, and then walked into the violent storm.
The big raindrops hit his face painfully. Uncle Mu covered his face with his hands and walked towards the mule cart with one step deep and one step shallow. Wherever he passed, he saw his tribesmen struggling in the storm.
These tribesmen have ordinary family backgrounds, and their relatives and friends are not rich either. All they sent were food and clothing. They are extremely poor, so how can they afford to buy raincoats?
By the time Uncle Mu reached the mule cart where the second family was staying, his hands and feet were already soaked, and the cold was rising from the soles of his feet.
"Second brother, I... want to buy your car. Please name a price."
Master Mu wiped the rain off his face with his hand and asked curiously, "Brother, are you confused?"
A mule cart is so precious. It is a must-have tool for home travel. It is not afraid of strong winds, heavy rain or heavy snow. Well, that’s what my daughter said.
Uncle Mu was very depressed. He pulled himself together and said, "I'll pay three times the price. You can use the money to buy three mule carts. Three mule carts, one for each of my two nephews. If you miss this opportunity, you won't be able to find this store again..."
Master Mu was not really stupid, so he asked, "Brother, why don't you buy three cars yourself?"
Uncle Mu: ...
What should I do if I can’t fool people? I feel so tired.
He had no choice but to take a step back and said, "Then let the mother and the children get in the car to avoid the rain. They are all freezing."
Master Mu still refused, "Our carriage is narrow and can only accommodate two people."
Uncle Mu spoke without hesitation, "Then let Wanqing and her daughter come down. They are healthy and eat well. Mother can't stand it anymore..."
Here it comes again. I have become accustomed to asking others to sacrifice with a clear conscience, and it will be exposed if I am not careful.
Master Mu laughed angrily. He let my wife and daughter suffer in the rain, and gave the carriage to them? Why? "I can only lend you two raincoats."
Thanks to Mu Wanqing's habit of buying five of everything, they still had two empty raincoats.
Uncle Mu looked at him disappointedly, "Second brother, how can you be so cold-blooded and not help someone who is dying?"
A figure came running towards me in the rain. Upon closer inspection, it was Aunt Six. She was wearing a straw raincoat, her hair was disheveled, and she looked very disheveled.
She choked up as soon as she opened her mouth. "Brother Zhongping, can my little girl get in your car? She has had diarrhea these past two days. If she gets caught in the rain again..."
She gave birth to four sons, but only had this sweet and soft little granddaughter, whom she loved very much.
Children aged three or four are most likely to die.
The curtain was opened, and Mu Wanqing stretched out a pair of hands, "Give me the child."
Aunt Liu didn't expect her to be so easy to talk to. She burst into tears of gratitude with red eyes.
She lifted the straw raincoat, revealing the child's pale face.
The child was well protected and his clothes were dry.
Mu Wanqing took the child and touched the child's forehead. It was not hot.
I touched my hands and feet again, they were cold. I couldn't go on like this.
Xiao Ya remembers her, the aunt who gave her delicious meat buns. She likes this aunt very much.
He smiled sweetly at her and called out in a baby voice, "Auntie."
Mu Wanqing's heart softened by her smile, and she tucked the child into bed, "Auntie will pour you some ginger tea, and your stomachache will go away after you drink it."
"Ahhhh." A terrified scream came from not far away.
Uncle Mu turned his head suddenly, and the bamboo pole finally broke under the weight. The tent was instantly blown away by the strong wind. The women and children of the main house were exposed to the heavy rain, and were instantly soaked, like drowned dogs.
The crying of children and the screaming of women made the whole place a chaotic mess.
Uncle Mu couldn't help but get anxious, and grabbed Uncle Mu's arm, "Second brother, please help me, since we have the same father."
"this……"
A hand stretched out from the carriage, "Lend these two raincoats to Mu Jinyao and Mu Rongxue."
The two men had no raincoats and were exposed to the storm without any shelter, shivering with cold.
"Send here all the children under six years old."
In the next generation of the Mu family, the two sons of the eldest wife got married and had four children, while the others were still unmarried.
She was referring to the four children.
No matter what, the grievances of the previous generation have nothing to do with the children.
She had done her best.
Uncle Mu's eyes lit up, "Third girl, you are a good girl. We were wrong before. Can you lend us this car temporarily?"
He was pushing his luck further. Mu Wanqing sneered, "Uncle Mu, do you think I'm a fool who would sacrifice myself for others just because I was fooled by someone? You don't think that I'll forget the past grudges just because I'm willing to be kind to a few children? I remember everything you did to me."
"That's all in the past. How can a family hold a grudge?" Grandpa Mu wanted to persuade her, "Third girl, your grandmother is old and confused. Just treat her as a patient..."
Mu Wanqing had seen through this person long ago. He was extremely thick-skinned and was generous to others all day long. To put it bluntly, he was a hypocrite.
"My grandmother is dead, and as for this man, we broke off all ties when he tried to sell me to the jailer in prison."
At this point, Uncle Mu couldn't continue, "Second brother, you are the head of the family, you tell me."
Master Mu looked at the heavy rain, then looked at his eldest son who was crying miserably, and was speechless.
Instead of wasting time, you might as well go back and take charge of the overall situation.
"The mule cart is not mine. I have no say in it."
Uncle Mu was dumbfounded. Who owns the mule cart? He couldn't understand it at all. "You are the elder. Everything in the second house belongs to you, including your children."
"Whoever is more powerful in our family has the final say." Master Mu didn't buy it. "You can see that Qing'er is a hundred times more powerful than me."
Uncle Mu was so angry that he almost vomited blood. How could there be such a shameless person in the world?
Aren’t you afraid of being embarrassed if you tell others about it?
Master Mu didn't care. He had no opinion of his own and had been locked up in the mansion for years so he didn't have much experience.
Mu Wanqing has a strong personality and is extremely smart. With her around, he doesn't have to use his brain for anything.
Listen to your daughter, eat delicious food and drink spicy drinks, and good things will happen to you.
Uncle Mu was so angry at the father and daughter that he laughed, but he could do nothing about it.
He is the patriarch of the Mu clan, but he is also the sinner of the family, and all the clan members implicated by him do not submit to him.
His prestige has been completely destroyed and he no longer has the final say he once had.
He could only go back dejectedly with the two raincoats.
Mu Jinyao's clothes were soaked, revealing her exquisite curves. Her lips were white from the cold. She was stunned. "She specifically designated us?"
"yes."
The two cousins looked at each other with complicated expressions.
Mu Wanqing really interpreted the four words "clearly distinguish between gratitude and grudges" to the extreme.
It also created a rift in the hearts of the Mu family, and everyone started to think about it.
At this moment, Mu Wanqing looked at the fugitives lying in the heavy rain, pursed her lips slightly, and a hint of eagerness flashed in her eyes.
The moment she had been waiting for finally arrived!
The worst time often contains a glimmer of hope.
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