However, Zhen's second son, who often strolled around the streets and had a bunch of friends who had traveled all over the country, knew that this path was not easy to navigate.
Therefore, as soon as Grandpa Zhen finished speaking, he immediately shook his head and said with a look of disapproval, "Father, I remember that to get to Leling Prefecture from here, you have to pass through a large forest, and I heard that there are a lot of bandits there."
Grandpa Zhen frowned and explained dryly, "We won't take the main road; we'll go directly through the small path by the cliff."
Hearing this, Old Lady Li became even more worried. When she was a child, her father had told her that the road on the cliff was specially built around the mountain during the war in the previous dynasty so that reinforcements could arrive as soon as possible. She had heard that it was narrow and high.
After all these years, this road is probably buried by tree branches!
As for why Old Lady Li knew all this, it was because her father had been forced to work on road construction!
So when she heard about Grandpa Zhen's decision, she was the first to jump out and object.
"You know, why don't these镖局 (escort agencies) take the proper official road? Why do they have to go this long way around? Is that mountain path even suitable for ordinary people? Those cliffs are so high, and there are lots of snakes and insects!"
Grandpa Zhen angrily rebuked Grandma Li, warning her unhappily, "What do you know! Do you know that if we hadn't taken the detour around the mountain, our whole family might have lost our lives!"
These words were indeed quite serious. Not only was Zhen Wanwan shocked, but the entire Zhen family quieted down. Even the usually noisiest twins sat quietly on the ground playing in the mud.
Zhen Wanwan pinched Da Ni's little face, but her heart was with Grandpa Zhen.
Old Mrs. Li asked in a trembling voice, "What do you mean by that?"
Grandpa Zhen sat dejectedly on the ground, his eyes filled with anxiety.
After being exposed to the sun for half a month, his face was dark and oily.
Just as everyone was starting to get impatient, Old Master Zhen finally spoke up: "The Prince of Yang has already captured Xinyang Prefecture!"
Ignoring the surprised reactions of the crowd, he continued, "Now Xinyang Prefecture is the territory of the Prince of Yang. Many villagers who did not escape were either kept as slaves or tortured and killed by the barbarians."
Grandpa Zhen couldn't bear to talk about the calamities the villagers had suffered.
Upon hearing this, Zhen Wanwan's heart pounded like thunder. This familiar recipe, this familiar taste!
Traitors! Japanese devils!
Zhen Wanwan felt a chill run down her neck instantly; she felt as if her blood was freezing.
No, we have to escape!
Run for your life!
The Zhen brothers sighed deeply, feeling somewhat fortunate that they had left Xinyang Prefecture early on; otherwise, their parents, wives, and children would likely have suffered the consequences.
Old Mrs. Li was unable to calm down for a long time; Li Family Village was finished!
She feared that her cousins, uncles, and aunts had already perished, yet at this moment, she felt eerily quiet.
It's probably like being heartbroken and devastated.
As Wang Cuihua walked away, she covered her face and wept, crying out loudly, "Father, Mother, your daughter is unfilial! I cannot care for you in your old age and see you off in your final days..."
As Xiao Hu and Da Ni grew older, they naturally thought of their loving grandparents and started crying along with their mother.
How could Zhen's family not be saddened?
The women burst into tears on the spot, and Zhen Wanwan's face was also covered in tears without her realizing it. Even Li Zhenzhen wiped the corners of her eyes.
The men of the Zhen family secretly wiped away their tears in the background; now they were the pillars of the family.
No matter what, I will protect my parents, wife, children, and sister even if it costs me my life.
Soon enough, the group had heard about it, and cries could be heard from time to time, which was heartbreaking.
War is truly cruel, whether in ancient or modern times. If she could, she would wish for world peace!
After calming herself down, Zhen Wanwan saw that many people had erected cenotaphs, with the names of their family members written on them by the only scholar in the group.
The scholar was also quite kind-hearted; he didn't charge the people for writing, but he asked them to take good care of his mother.
Zhen Wanwan knew the scholar's background. He was a filial son from the surrounding villages of Qingshi Town because his mother had ruined her eyesight by doing embroidery to support his studies in his early years.
Since then, he has given up his studies to take care of his mother and made a living by teaching at a private school in town.
Everyone in the village respected him, but no one was willing to marry into his family.
The main problem is that his family is too poor and has a lot of debt. Now he has to get medicine for his mother, so his poverty is well known. The scholar is 23 years old and still not married!
Some people advised him to marry into the family, but his mother cried and refused, so the matter was dropped.
Zhen Wanwan actually liked him quite a bit; he wasn't old-fashioned at all, he faced things calmly, and his emotions were stable.
Perhaps because she had been staring for too long, the scholar looked over at Zhen Wanwan. The two stared at each other for a long time before Zhen Wanwan realized that she had bothered him.
She then awkwardly lowered her head to apologize, but the other person just smiled gently and didn't seem angry.
Zhen Wanwan turned around somewhat guiltily. It was indeed inappropriate for a pregnant woman to stare at an unmarried man.
But everyone loves to look at handsome men, so it's not unreasonable for her to just look!
When they arrived at the Li family's territory, Zhen Wanwan saw Li Zhaodi staring at the scholar with a lovesick expression, her affection for him barely concealed.
Thinking about it carefully, Li Zhaodi is already fifteen years old, and will be sixteen this year. It's normal for a young girl to be in love, but isn't the age difference between her and the scholar a bit too big?
Who cares!
This had nothing to do with her. Shaking off her chaotic thoughts, Zhen Wanwan returned to her family's resting place.
They need to rest well tonight and conserve their energy, because tomorrow they will be traveling day and night to try to cross Luoyang Prefecture as soon as possible and avoid Prince Yang.
Knowing that they were about to embark on a long journey, Grandma Li generously prepared an extra meal for everyone. Before they even started eating, the Li family arrived.
When Li Zhenzhen saw Li Wangshi arriving with her family, she happily went to greet them: "Mother, what brings you here?"
Old Mrs. Li's face was ashen. She glared at Li Zhenzhen a few times, then said sarcastically, "Oh, which family is coming over while people are eating?"
Madam Li patted her daughter's shoulder reassuringly, then turned somewhat awkwardly to Old Madam Li and said, "Mother-in-law, I am..."
She seemed hesitant to speak, swallowing her words several times, but thinking of her youngest son, she finally said, "I wonder if you could lend me some grain..."
Upon hearing this, Zhen's family knew perfectly well that a few days ago they had heard that the Li family wanted to sell their fourth daughter for twenty catties of rice. They also heard that the groom's family had five or six brothers, and that the bride was to be shared by all the brothers.
Zhen Wanwan was completely stunned. How could a girl stand it if she really married him?
Upon learning that she was to be sold, Li Zhaodi cried out for help on the spot. How could she possibly be willing to be someone else's shared wife?
She already has someone she loves!
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