"Lan Yue, hurry and go see the young man, don't say anything out of line." Madam Sun's maiden name was Lan Yue, and she was the second daughter of the Zhennan General's family.
Knowing that Qin San Niang also intended to help her family, the old lady was grateful, but there were some things she couldn't say aloud, so she could only nod in acknowledgment. If her family were to be reinstated in the future, she would repay the kindness shown to her today, but she didn't know the family's name or where they were going.
Thinking this, she walked up to Qin San Niang. It was still dark; she wondered how long the rain would continue.
"Madam, may I ask your name? Look at this weather, I wonder when it will clear up. Where are you planning to go?"
The old lady glanced at the sky, a faint sorrow in her eyes. She wondered if her son's health could hold up. Would his leg ailment flare up in this weather? After years of fighting, he had come to this end; how tragic and lamentable.
"Madam, my surname is Qin, my given name is Jiangqiu, and I am the third child in my family. We are planning to head south, probably to the Jiangzhou or Lin'an area. We will go wherever we can find food. You are a man of great experience and knowledge, so I wonder if you could offer some advice?"
Qin San Niang sincerely asked for advice, as she was an outsider and had no idea which area in the south was good or how it was good.
This woman is no ordinary person. The old lady lowered her head and looked at the ground, pondering for a moment.
"Then why not go to Lin'an? Lin'an Prefecture is a good place, a land of outstanding people and abundant resources. Oh, and the land is also very fertile. The governor of Lin'an is also a good man; we've known each other for a long time. He might even recognize my jade pendant."
If Qin San Niang still couldn't understand what the old lady meant, then she must be a pig brain.
He hurriedly cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Hearing you say that, I also think that Lin'an Prefecture is a rare and wonderful place. For us farmers, fertile land is the most important thing!"
Both Lin Changfeng and the old lady said that Lin'an Prefecture is a good place, so it would be a waste not to go! We must go and see it!
Thinking of her young master's frail and sickly appearance, Qin San Niang took out three large bags of milk powder from her space and handed them to her. This is milk powder, and the baby will surely be better after drinking it. Look at your own children, they often drink a bowl of it, and their physique has gradually improved, hasn't it?
"What is this?" The old lady looked at the several large lumps of white powder. Forgive her for thinking she was knowledgeable just now, but she really couldn't recognize what it was.
"Milk powder, well, how should I put it, it's just dried cow's milk or goat's milk that's been crushed to become milk powder. It's easy to carry, and it can help children grow stronger and keep them full! Don't throw away this oil paper package. It's good, but it's easy for it to get damp and clump together."
Qin San Niang patted the milk powder in her hand and explained that this stuff is meant to be mixed with water before drinking.
It's made from milk? That's really something! She'd drunk milk-based buttermilk before, and the imperial physician had said it was good for her health.
The two chatted for a few more minutes before parting ways, while the bailiff who had been eavesdropping nearby had long since fallen into a deep sleep. Before drifting off, he wondered what his boss was so worried about. They were just women without a man's protection; what trouble could they possibly cause? See? They didn't say anything! At most, this woman gave that old man some powder, probably for a baby to drink. They're not babies; they wouldn't drink that stuff!
Gu Qingshan slept soundly despite being watched all night. He figured he might as well let those bastards keep watch. He'd already seen through Qin Sanniang's little tricks; she'd even turned slightly to block the head constable's view...
These sons of bitches, instead of fighting the Hu people and the Qiang people, they just fight amongst themselves!
To everyone's surprise, the rain, which was expected to stop by dawn, began to intensify, showing no signs of stopping!
Fortunately, the temple was built on a slightly higher earthen slope, so it didn't accumulate water, otherwise it would have been even more annoying!
At first, the constables leisurely waited for the weather to improve, but by noon the rain was still only a moderate amount. Thinking that this might delay their journey, they grew impatient. However, there was no other way. Forcing their way forward was unsafe, and besides, these women all seemed frail; what if they all fell ill and died? Who would be responsible then?!
To put it bluntly, they were just ordinary servants, their lives cheap and worthless, while these women, even though they were now down on their luck, all came from wealthy and powerful families. If they knew that the cause of their deaths was their insistence on traveling in the rain, then what awaited them would definitely not be a good thing.
"Boss, Ah Huang's injury isn't serious, it's just that he has a headache and is lying down right now! It's not a good time for us to travel. If the rain doesn't stop today, shall we stay here?"
The speaker was a young constable who looked extremely plain, with regular but unremarkable features. He was poking at the fire in front of him and asked the question as if he didn't care.
"Don't try to fool me, kid. Don't think I don't know what you're up to." The head constable grinned crookedly. "Even though the Sima family mansion has been raided, that girl is still the apple of their eye. Why are you doing this?"
This young man has been eyeing the sixth young lady of the Sima family for a long time. He wasn't supposed to be the one delivering prisoners this time, but he managed to get a change of assignment from his superior, so he must have put in a lot of effort. The sixth young lady of the Sima family is indeed exceptionally beautiful, but this young man is also a womanizer!
"Boss, look at this, I was just asking..."
The young constable looked a little nervous. He threw down the fire poker in his hand and said seriously, but he was interrupted before he could finish speaking.
The head constable leaned forward and said, "Zhang Wu, I've practically watched you grow up. To be honest, if this matter could be handled, your brother would definitely do it for you. But the sixth young lady of the Sima family is out of the question. The higher-ups have given instructions. Do you think no one's been watching us all this way? It's all fate. We're just lowly people; we're lucky to even be alive. Think about it, those young ladies and wives have enjoyed themselves for at least several decades. What about us? Hey, listen to your brother, don't meddle in other people's business!"
The young constable forced a smile and nodded, "Brother Xing, I know, but we all need to think about it. Let me figure it out."
"Hey, that's right. When we get there, I'll take you to the city. What kind of women don't you see there? You just haven't seen any..."
The head constable, known as Brother Xing, gazed into the distance, his thoughts drifting far away. It had been so long since he'd seen his beloved; he wondered if she had grown even more beautiful. Did she miss him every night? He certainly did!
The young constable nodded with a smile, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Mother, why is it so dark? Is it still not dawn?"
Ah Nan, still half asleep, rubbed her eyes with both hands. Why was the sky still so gloomy?
"Oh dear, my little darling, stop bothering your mother. She didn't sleep well last night and is catching up on sleep." Liu pulled her granddaughter into her arms and put her padded jacket on her, as it would be troublesome if she caught a cold.
Wu hurriedly urged the second child to put on his padded jacket. As for the eldest child, he no longer needed to be urged; he got up early and dressed and washed his face on his own, and helped with cooking.
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