"Brother Qingshan, where are you planning to go?" Qin Sanniang asked directly. There might be a fork in the road if they went further ahead. If Gu Qingshan was planning to go south with them, they could keep each other company and look after one another.
She was skilled in medicine, had money and supplies, and Gu Qingshan? He was a skilled hunter, quite capable in combat, and only had a daughter with him, so there would be fewer troubles. For both of them, it was a worthwhile deal!
Gu Qingshan was startled and quickly began to think. This Qin Sanniang was clearly not a simple peasant woman. If he followed her, there would naturally be many benefits, at least his Azhi would be taken care of. However, if she noticed anything amiss, it seemed that there would be a lot of trouble.
However, choosing the lesser of two evils, Gu Qingshan frowned and made a decision.
"Madam, it's just me and Azhi left at home, relying on each other for survival. We really can't go on living, so we thought of heading south to beg for food. As for where to go, we haven't decided yet. We'll just wait until we get to the south."
"We're also heading south, possibly to Jiangzhou, Jiangnan, or Lin'an. We'll just have to see which place has the best way to resettle refugees. If you're willing, we can travel together, so you'll have company. I really admire your skills. As you can see, we're a widow and her son, and not having a grown man always brings a lot of unnecessary trouble. But I won't treat you badly. At least I have enough medicine on me to handle even a common cold."
Qin Sanniang coaxed her gently, as if discussing a trivial matter, which truly was a trivial matter to her. Regardless of whether Gu Qingshan agreed or not, she would suffer no loss. As for whether there was an adult male present, she didn't care much. However, having a cover would indeed save her a lot of unnecessary trouble. With Gu Qingshan, a powerful figure who was not to be trifled with, she would feel particularly safe.
Similarly, Gu Qingshan was also pondering. Initially, he also thought this group consisted of the elderly, weak, women, and children, posing no threat whatsoever, which was why he dared to bring Azhi behind them to rest and continue their journey. However, after a few days of contact, he keenly realized that the leader of this group was Qin Sanniang, and this woman was definitely not simple. Although she seemed to possess no trace of internal energy, Gu Qingshan was certain that Qin Sanniang was not afraid of bandits or thugs at all.
Having figured this out, Gu Qingshan quickly cupped his hands and said, "That's wonderful. We'll have to trouble Madam Qin and the others to take care of Azhi along the way." The change in address from "Madam" to "Madam Qin" felt natural and added a touch of intimacy.
Liu and Wu Chunhua didn't notice the hidden meaning in the two men's words. They were already feeling incredibly sorry for the father and daughter after hearing about their pitiful background. What kind of world is this? They were half pitying others and half lamenting their own situation.
“Ah Zhi’s father, then you can rest assured and come with us. If you find any good places to go in the south, feel free to go. We can look after each other along the way. At least your old auntie can cook some porridge for Ah Zhi. Look how thin this child has become!”
Speaking of which, Azhi is two years older than Anan. Anan is six years old by the traditional Chinese age reckoning, while Azhi is already eight years old. They should be about the same age as Xiao Er, but they look about the same age as Anan.
Gu Qingshan looked at his daughter with a guilty conscience. During the years he was in the army, Azhi and her mother and grandmother had been bullied. Their family was originally tenant farmers and did not have much food. The grandfather, granddaughter, mother and daughter were often hungry. If he had not returned by chance, he would never have imagined that his wife and daughter were living such a life!
Recalling the past, Gu Qingshan's aura suddenly turned icy, until his daughter placed her little hand in his palm and he suddenly relaxed, forcing out what he thought was a gentle smile on his face.
Others might not have noticed, but Qin San Niang did. It seemed the Gu family father and daughter were no ordinary people; they must at least have some secrets they weren't telling others. However, she had no intention of prying into other people's privacy right now. Everyone has secrets, and she had hers too!
That night, Qin San Niang, as a business partner, had Da Wa'er deliver two large sheets of oiled paper cloth to Gu Qingshan and his daughter. These were bought in Luzhou City. The black rainproof cloth they used at home wasn't given to Gu Qingshan yet; they could do that later.
"Uncle, Mom asked me to give this to you. Use the wood to prop it up; you can make a tent, and it'll keep out the wind at night." Since their conversation that afternoon, Da Wa wasn't afraid of the scarred uncle at all. He even thought the scar looked imposing, a mark of a man. Look at that, this is what teenage boys are like!
"Thank you, Da Wa. I'll be done in a bit."
Gu Qingshan accepted the oiled paper cloth, thinking that he was already indebted to this person, but he wouldn't mind if it were just him. He often slept in the open during marches, and only officers with official ranks could stay in tents; soldiers like him were definitely not qualified.
Gu Qingshan felt it was absolutely necessary for his daughter, a young woman, to have a place to shelter from the wind and rain, as she was already suffering enough from the elements.
As for the favors he owes, he can repay them slowly.
Although Qin San Niangzi was a formidable woman, he believed he could also be of some help. The further south they went, the more rugged and treacherous the terrain became. He had traveled this road before and was familiar with it.
But it's too early to say these things now; there's no need to frighten the women and children.
Thinking about the future, Gu Qingshan sometimes doubted whether joining Qin Sanniang's family was the right decision. He knew he wasn't a heartless person, and even now, if his eldest son were in danger, he couldn't bear to abandon him. So, would it be easier for him to travel alone with his daughter?
Forget it, I won't think about it anymore. Meeting is fate, and all the killing I've done is just to accumulate some good fortune for my daughter.
Gu Qingshan was quick and efficient. He chopped down a few small trees by the mountainside and set up the tent in no time.
Ah Zhi praised her father, saying she liked Ah Nan's family; they were all good people. She also thought Grandma Liu's rice porridge smelled delicious, and Aunt San's beggar's chicken looked tempting. Of course, her father's cooking was also good, but it was still a tiny bit inferior to theirs…
Gu Qingshan affectionately patted his daughter's head. If Azhi liked it, that was fine. After all, she was his only remaining family member.
When Qin San Niang saw that Gu Qingshan had set up the tent in no time, she was furious. It had taken her and Fatty so long to set it up!
The eldest child was very envious and wished he could be as strong and powerful as Uncle Gu so that he could help his mother and grandmother with a lot of work.
The wind howled, and the night passed uneventfully. With Gu Qingshan's help, Qin Sanniang finally got a good night's sleep.
Gu Qingshan volunteered to take on the night watch, since he was a light sleeper and usually had to protect his daughter. However, Liu was still a little embarrassed, so Qin Sanniang thought for a moment and suggested that they divide the work, for example, if Gu Qingshan would take the second half of the night watch, she and Pangya would take the first half.
As for Wu Chunhua, she also asked to keep watch, saying that she was feeling much better now and was no longer dizzy. That would be fine, so they could take turns and everyone could get a good night's sleep the next day.
Long-term poor sleep leads to poor blood circulation and premature aging. She thought to herself that her face already looked old enough, and if she didn't sleep well, wouldn't she age prematurely?! Even the thought of this possibility made Qin San Niang depressed.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com