When Xia Feng heard what Xiao Feng said and saw the emotions in his eyes, he secretly sighed that King Qi was still a romantic.
Xia Feng was used to the way his father looked at her mother, and he could tell what Xiao Feng meant by that look at a glance.
Xia Feng clasped his fists towards Wan Jinlan and said, "Princess, please forgive me for not being able to speak any more. Your Majesty, I will never forget your kindness. In the future, I will do my best to fulfill your wishes."
Wan Jinlan waved his hand, "Stop bowing to me all the time. You said you wanted to follow him, but let me ask you, if the two of us wanted to follow an elder, but we were worried that he might have second thoughts, what would you do?"
Xia Feng knew that this was a test for him from the two of them.
After thinking for a moment, he said, "If it were me, I wouldn't pin my hopes on others."
"The barbarians in the northwest are taking advantage of the civil unrest in Wei to harass the border. You two might as well take this opportunity to join the army."
Xia Feng's thoughts coincided with Xiao Feng's.
Wan Jinlan wanted to establish an armory after stabilizing her situation, but she was unfamiliar with the place and wanted to quickly gain a foothold in the northwest, so she wanted to seek help from others.
This other person is Lu Yan, the chief of a county in Chiwu Commandery.
Her father told her about Lu Yan on the day of exile. On the night Chuntao left the palace, she went to Lumingfang on her behalf, and after coming out, she told the Duke of Zhenguo about his name.
Lu Yan should be an old subordinate of the Empress Dowager, and Wan Jinlan was also very hesitant.
When the two of them looked at the map of Wei at night, they knew that Fangling was not a good place to go. It was so close to Kyoto and there was no room for development at all.
Xiao Feng chose to come to Liangzhou because he knew that the military and political situation in the border area of Liangzhou was not as strict as that in the Central Plains because of the tough folk customs, and there was an opportunity to take advantage of.
Wan Jinlan received a message from his father the next day and felt that Liangzhou might be a good place.
Since the Empress Dowager dared to give her the hairpin and expose the people in Lumingfang to her when she was at odds with the Emperor, it fully demonstrated the extent of the Empress Dowager's trust in the remaining people.
Wan Jinlan knew Xiao Feng's concerns. Jiang Huo's betrayal made him not trust anyone. Now that the two of them had just escaped from the predicament, there was really no need to use their own lives to test the loyalty of others.
She said, "After we take good care of the person, we will set off and choose a place."
Xia Feng saw Xiao Feng take out a map from his arms, then stood up and knelt down to finish what he had not said before.
"Since Xia Feng has decided to follow them, he must explain his situation. Although I am from the Qingzhou Xia family, I am from a side branch. My father was not valued by the family due to his frail health. Although I have some talent for studying, the jealousy of the eldest son and the eldest lady of the main family caused my right hand to be destroyed before I went to Beijing to take the imperial examination. After my father's death, my mother and I faced a difficult situation within the family. After the Qingzhou rebellion, my aunt even drove me out of the house."
Xiao Feng and Wan Jinlan both glanced at Xia Feng's right hand.
Xia Feng noticed the two people's gazes, pinched his wrist and said with a carefree smile: "Now my right hand can't lift heavy objects, and I don't have the same grace as before when I pick up a pen to write. But I still have my left hand, so it doesn't matter."
Both of them knew that Xia Feng explained his past so that they would know him better and have fewer worries in the future.
When Xia Feng knelt, many people who were huddled together outside the dilapidated temple and warming themselves by the fire under the covers of tattered willow catkins also saw it.
Li Dazhuang came over first and knelt beside Xia Feng, imitating him. "I can't read a few words, but I know that people should be grateful and repay kindness. I have eaten the food of the master, and I will belong to the master in the future. As long as the master doesn't despise me, I will always follow the master."
Li Dazhuang looked much better than when Wan Jinlan first met him. His thin cheeks had gained a lot of flesh. His face was dark, he had a pair of protruding ears, bright eyes, and he looked very honest.
Feng Guihua's two children, Xiaohua and Tieniu, gathered around, clenched their fists, and looked at Wan Jinlan, "We will follow our sister from now on."
There was comfort in Wan Jinlan's eyes. She liked these two children more than Xia Feng.
Li Dazhuang's statement inspired other refugees.
Some people may be truly grateful, while others may be following the crowd and fearing being abandoned if they do not express their opinions. However, it cannot be denied that during their exile, they were either expelled or surrounded and killed for fear of spreading the disease. Only here could they eat their fill, sleep well at night, drink medicine, and no longer be disturbed by the cold.
No one is born evil. They are all a group of pitiful people who are forced into a desperate situation.
In the firelight, Wan Jinlan looked at the faces of these people, and a warm feeling suddenly surged in his heart.
In the past, she was born into a noble family, had no worries about food and drink, and wore gorgeous clothes of silk and satin. She knew the suffering of the people in the southwest but did not care. After passing by, looking at the faces of these people in the firelight, she suddenly felt that she had saved these people for her own sake. Now, she has more identification with her behavior.
Seeing Wan Jinlan in a daze, Xiao Feng pinched her calloused fingers and said, "If you don't speak, I'm going to steal your limelight."
Wan Jinlan came back to his senses and glared at him, "You are a man, they would rather you come forward and express your position."
After what happened with Xia Feng, Xiao Feng didn't want to passively do something that would upset her, so he stood up and looked at everyone. "We are all suffering people. My help is limited. Once everyone is well, we must work together to find a place to live in the future. Song believes that none of you will die soon."
The refugees looked at this tall and strong middle-aged man with a deep, three-dimensional face and a resolute expression, with longing and expectation in their eyes.
Yes, Xiao Feng's face was still painted black. Wan Jinlan imitated Yin Wen's method and applied makeup to him every two days, making him look ten years older than his actual age. I don't know how Xia Feng recognized him.
As for herself, the red birthmark on her face was still there, and she dressed like a man, but as soon as she spoke, everyone knew she was a woman.
The refugees knew that the two were husband and wife and that all expenses were paid by them.
Wan Jinlan stood up and said, "Now that the border town is recruiting soldiers, following us two is not your only way out. If you want to leave, we will prepare dry food for you, and you don't have to feel any psychological burden. If you follow us in the future, you may also lose your life. Tomorrow morning, if you want to leave, find Li Dazhuang."
Everyone went back to rest by the fire. Wan Jinlan, Xiao Feng, Xia Feng and Li Dazhuang discussed the next course of action.
Li Dazhuang was illiterate and could not understand what was being said, but he listened attentively, trying to understand more.
While the four were discussing, they heard cries for help and howling from the village to the east, and the barking of dogs became more and more urgent.
Several people stood up, climbed to the top of the dilapidated temple and looked towards the village.
Li Dazhuang shouted to the people below: "Put out the fire, quickly, and don't make any noise. Adults, keep an eye on the children, and don't let them cry. If you want to live, don't make a sound."
Wan Jinlan took a look at Li Dazhuang and felt that this man had some abilities.
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