Seeing his composed demeanor, Qin Sanniang couldn't help but curse inwardly, "What an old fox! No, a young fox!" Then she thought that although this fox He seemed eccentric, he was usually right about the truth, so she didn't dare to be presumptuous. She could only feign surprise and ask,
"Brother He can actually read faces?"
Upon hearing this, He Yingyuan was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter. To be reborn is practically prophetic, isn't it? And it's not uncommon to say she can read faces.
"Madam Qin is too kind. I have studied physiognomy for a few years. Let me tell you a story about my little confidant. Master Huiyuan was born into a wealthy and powerful family and should have had a smooth life. However, his parents were not well-connected, and after the family fell into decline, he was forced to live among commoners. He has suffered a lot and endured many hardships. But a phoenix is a phoenix after all, and he will eventually return to his rightful place!"
"What if the phoenix didn't want to fly to the branch in the first place?" Hearing him say this, and considering the Sima family's experience, it did make some sense. The old Qin San Niang would naturally not believe in fate, but having experienced time travel and rebirth, what was there left for her not to believe?!
Sima Yao and Zhang Wu clearly had some feelings for each other; someone with her experience couldn't be unaware of that. Her question was probably just out of a sense of indignation on Zhang Wu's behalf! He was a decent young man! Loyal and righteous!
He Yingyuan gave Qin Sanniang a deep look and said slowly, "Alas, the matter of time is predetermined!"
This sigh, whether lamenting others or regretting his own fate, was something he couldn't quite fathom.
"My fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens! I don't believe anything is unchangeable; how can anything in this world be predicted?"
Hearing her say that, He Yingyuan felt as if he had been struck by lightning!
"What a profound statement! My fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens! I have learned a great deal!" He Yingyuan bowed respectfully, his heart surging with emotion. Yes, since Heaven had given him a second chance at life, with memories of his past life, its purpose was to allow him to make up for his regrets and fulfill his wishes. Therefore, he should let go of the emotions of his past life and live this life to the fullest!
Listening to the two seemingly communicating in sign language, Gu Qingshan was somewhat frustrated. He truly couldn't understand a word! Weren't they just discussing their future paths? How did they suddenly start talking about heavenly secrets?!
Fortunately, Qin San Niang quickly steered the conversation back on track and began talking about the Dingyuan Pass.
Gu Qingshan wiped away non-existent sweat. He used to think that Madam Qin had an imposing aura that made her hesitant to act rashly, which he assumed was due to her high martial arts skills. However, after He Xiucai arrived, he realized that this aura had little to do with martial arts prowess. He was often attracted by He Xiucai's extensive knowledge and composure, but more often he felt a sense of awe. As for why he felt this way, Gu Qingshan couldn't explain it.
"Brother He, do you think this snow will get heavier and heavier? At our speed, it will take at least three days to reach Dingyuan." Gu Qingshan had mentioned before that the distance to Dingyuan Pass was more than 100 li, and they were currently traveling more than 40 li per day, which is why Qin Sanniang said that.
"I'm afraid that won't work. Heading south would require crossing two mountains, which would significantly reduce our speed." This was also what Gu Qingshan was worried about. Crossing mountains and ridges would take the most time, meaning it would take at least seven days to reach Dingyuan.
So that's how it is! If that's the case, it's really troublesome. If the snow falls heavily, it might trap them in the mountains.
"The road ahead is difficult. We must walk as much as possible each day and reach Dingyuan Pass within seven days," He Yingyuan declared decisively. If they couldn't get out within seven days, they would likely be trapped in the mountains for at least ten days to half a month. Aside from the delays, he knew that Dingyuan would soon be besieged by enemy forces, and all the refugees would be captured. The men would be conscripted, and the women would be enslaved or forced into prostitution. Even if Qin Sanniang and Gu Qingshan were highly skilled in martial arts, he couldn't risk his wife and children. They were enemy troops, riding fine horses and wielding long halberds—who could truly hold off the enemy single-handedly?! Even if such a capable person existed, they would be worn down by a war of attrition!
“Brother He is right, we must speed up our journey. During the day, we should try not to rest except for meals, and only stop to rest at night,” Qin Sanniang said in a deep voice. Being trapped in the mountains wasn't a problem because she wasn't worried about food and clothing, as she had plenty of supplies. However, she was afraid of wild animals or other dangers. In winter, even wild animals wouldn't have anything to eat, which was no joke. Traveling through the night would be ideal, but it couldn't be done unless absolutely necessary. First, traveling at night was unsafe, especially on mountain paths. Second, even if people could endure it, the livestock needed rest, so it wasn't worth it.
Seeing their solemn expressions, Liu and the other women also sensed something, especially as the sky grew increasingly gloomy.
After eating, no one dared to rest and they quickly set off, hoping to find a suitable place to rest if it snowed during the night.
People gradually appeared on the official road. A caravan was moving in the distance, and there were also groups of refugees. These refugees were probably all from the same village. They had traveled such a long distance to show their unity. However, it was estimated that many people had lost their way along the way, and only twenty or thirty households remained here. In contrast, Lu Family Village had as many as sixty households!
Among the ragged refugees, there was an elderly woman nearing fifty, her back hunched. If you looked closely, you could see that her usually calm eyes now held a glint of shrewdness, mixed with shock, doubt, and indignation.
"Erlang, Erlang's wife, look, isn't that... the eldest son's?!" The old woman sitting on the cart said cautiously, her voice hoarse like a broken bellows.
Hearing her mother-in-law's/aunt's question, the woman and man beside the cart barely managed to lift their heads to look into the distance. They were almost out of food, having not eaten their fill for days, and didn't even have the strength to lift their heads. If it weren't for the jarring phrase "eldest daughter's son," Wang Chenshi wouldn't have paid any attention.
If Qin San Niang took a closer look, she would recognize that this woman was the original owner's stepmother and second younger brother's wife.
Chen felt utterly disgusted with her sister-in-law.
The seeds of this trouble were sown even before Chen married into the family. Initially, the matchmaker in Shili Town introduced her to Wang Dalang, who was not only good-looking but also a skilled craftsman, adept at hunting and farming. Moreover, he was extremely quick-witted and was the object of affection for many girls in the surrounding villages.
But Wang Dalang didn't like her. Instead, he chose the girl from the Qin family in the next village. What was so good about the Qin family?! They were all fatherless! How could they compare to her family's conditions? Her father was a famous pig butcher, and she was their only precious daughter!
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