Looking at the mess in the yard, Zhen Wanwan frowned deeply.
"Why did they start fighting?"
Hearing the commotion, Ah Yue, who was fighting, went berserk and kicked the person entangled in front of her away.
The person opposite was prepared and was more skilled than Ah Yue, so she was not injured.
Seeing that A-Yue had stopped, he also stopped moving.
Only then did Zhen Wanwan see the faces of the people fighting with A Yue.
Her memory returned to a few days before Zhu Yuan left, when he summoned the secret guards he had assigned to her and asked her to recognize their faces.
The man before them was one of the bodyguards.
When the guard saw Zhen Wanwan looking at him, he stepped forward and prepared to kneel down and pay his respects to her.
A Yue was worried that he would do something bad, so she stood in front of Zhen Wanwan to protect her.
Zhen Wanwan felt a warmth in her heart and gently patted A Yue's shoulder.
"It's alright, this person is one of ours."
Ah Yue made way after hearing this, but her gaze remained unfriendly as she stared at the guard.
The guards didn't even glance at her, immediately kneeling down to pay their respects: "Madam! Our master has ordered us to protect you!"
Zhen Wanwan raised an eyebrow slightly, her expression remaining unchanged as she said, "I know, of course you'll follow me if I leave you."
She was still very afraid of dying, if it weren't for the fact that she had someone backing her up and a small pistol in her hand.
She wasn't that bold to walk right under the noses of the Northern Hu people.
She had heard the village women and wives recount those people's actions countless times.
She felt disgusted by such an inhumane people.
The guard paused, a hint of struggle in his eyes, before finally speaking, "Madam, the master has further instructions..."
Zhen Wanwan was taken aback. Seeing the guard's hesitant expression, she knew something was wrong.
"Tell me! I won't blame you."
"The master instructed us to stop you if you wanted to leave Anqing Prefecture."
As she expected, Zhu Yuan was good to her in every way and complied with all her requests, except for the slightest danger she might be in.
Not to mention that the Northern Hu people not far outside the city are watching this place. Letting her go out so openly is extremely dangerous!
However, this time the situation was different; she wasn't doing it out of curiosity.
"Since my husband has given you to me, you must listen to me! I say I want to leave the city, so just follow behind me and protect me. Don't worry, I won't do anything dangerous."
"As for my husband, I will explain!"
Zhen Wanwan said firmly, showing no sign that they could refuse.
The guard lowered his head even further. Although he didn't say anything to express his loyalty, his silent stance behind Zhen Wanwan showed that he was on her side.
Just like everyone else thought, the master should also listen to the mistress!
Seeing that it was getting late, Zhen Wanwan took the luggage that Zhen Fugui had hurriedly prepared and quietly slipped out of the city with A Yue and the others.
Not long after she left, Zhang Qiaozui arrived at the door with fresh goods she had collected from various places.
But he was told at the door that Zhen Wanwan had left. He slapped his thigh in frustration and said, "I'm too late!"
Meizi Village, Zhen Family Courtyard.
After Wang Fu returned, he told his family about what had happened to Grandpa Zhen.
Grandma Li was so frightened that her legs went weak and she fainted.
Now she is awake, staring helplessly at the ceiling.
Wang Cuihua, holding a bowl, comforted her, "Mother, please have a bowl of porridge first. Don't go hungry."
Although the room was a bit dark, Wang Cuihua's slightly red eyes and swollen eyes showed that she had cried countless times in private.
Da Ni held Er Ni's hand, tears welling up in her eyes, which she quickly wiped away, afraid that her grandmother would be upset if she saw them.
Old Mrs. Li weakly pushed away the porridge that Wang Cuihua offered: "Have your father and eldest brother returned?"
Wang Cuihua pursed her lips, unable to speak, because not only did Grandpa Zhen and Zhen Fugui not return home, but even her mother-in-law's little sister-in-law had not come back.
If my mother-in-law knew this, she'd probably faint again.
"Mother, not yet! Father and the others should be on their way back already! I think they'll all come back together once my sister-in-law finds them."
Wang Fu said that Zhen Wanwan would personally go to the prefectural city to find Grandpa Zhen and Zhen Fugui.
With Yue by her side, and the Zhou brothers, Dongzi, and the family guards all going with her, there shouldn't be any danger for my sister-in-law.
Grandma Li sighed. She had just heard Wang Fu say that when they arrived, they only saw bloodstains on the ground and no one.
Overwhelmed by anger, he fainted.
But there's still no news from the old man and the eldest son, so she can't collapse.
Thinking of this, Old Lady Li took the porridge that Wang Cuihua handed her and forced herself to swallow it.
Wang Cuihua was overjoyed that her mother-in-law was alright; otherwise, she would have been all alone and wouldn't have had any ideas.
Even as night was about to fall, there was still no sign of anyone.
Grandma Li couldn't wait any longer, so she took Wang Cuihua with her to pick up Guabao and Tianbao.
With their daughter not around, their two grandchildren pouted sadly, refusing to be held.
Grandma Li was so worried that tears streamed down her face. She couldn't control her emotions and started crying while holding Tianbao.
"Waaaah... My poor sweetie, I wonder how your grandpa and uncle are doing..."
Because Zhu Yuan was a son-in-law, Guai Bao and Tian Bao, like Gou Dan and the others, called Grandpa Zhen and Grandma Li "Grandpa and Grandma".
The crying was contagious, and everyone present was in low spirits.
After an incense stick had burned for a while, someone came to tell Old Lady Li that Grandpa Zhen and Zhen Fugui had returned.
Old Lady Li and Granny Zhang each carried a child and got into the carriage to go back.
They came on foot, but now they are going back to Meizi Village by horse-drawn carriage because Guaibao and Tianbao are still young and it is windy at night.
The four horse-drawn carriages were very careful, avoiding the uneven and low-lying areas on the road, and safely delivered the group to Zhen's doorstep.
Before she even got off the carriage, Old Lady Li heard Zhen's loud voice.
Hearing his strong voice, Grandma Li and Wang Cuihua exchanged a glance and both breathed a sigh of relief.
After getting off the carriage, they saw the Zhen family father and son standing safely in front of them.
Everyone's eyes reddened.
"Waaah... Old men, are you alright?"
Grandma Li tried to hold back, but she couldn't help herself and asked in a trembling voice with tears in her eyes.
Looking at his wife, who looked frightened and sad, Grandpa Zhen felt a pang of sadness in his heart.
"It's alright! That blood isn't ours."
Grandma Li looked the Zhen family father and son up and down, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that there were no knife wounds and no blood.
Sweetie's eyes darted around, wondering where her dear mother was.
Where is her mother, who is so old?
Sweetie looked in the direction of Grandpa Zhen and called out, "Grandpa! Mom! Mom!"
It's a shame that she only has a few baby teeth now and can barely utter a few words.
Although the little boy didn't shout, his small face was full of anxiety, and his little brows were furrowed deeply.
Only after Tianbao called out did Grandma Li realize that her precious daughter was not there.
"Wanwan? Wanwan?"
Grandma Li hurriedly called out to the kitchen and the outhouse several times, but no one answered.
She then turned her gaze to the Zhen family father and son, interrogating them, "Where's Wanwan? Didn't she say she was going to find you? Why haven't we seen her?"
At this moment, Old Lady Li's heart began to pound again.
It's all her fault for focusing all her attention on Grandpa Zhen and Boss Zhen.
I didn't even realize my daughter was missing.
Grandpa Zhen wiped away non-existent cold sweat from his forehead and nervously rubbed his hands together.
"Ah! Wanwan... She has some business to attend to in the prefectural city. She asked us to come back and tell you that she will stay there to take care of things and will come back after she finishes her business."
The fact that Zhen Wanwan left Anqing Prefecture must not be known to anyone, not even Old Lady Li.
Firstly, for her safety, and secondly, to prevent Old Lady Li from worrying and becoming ill from exhaustion.
Grandma Li frowned, staring intently at Grandpa Zhen. Seeing that he showed no sign of distress, she said with annoyance, "Why did this child suddenly stop coming back?"
"We're all grown up now, but our little ones are still so young. How can we not worry about them?"
When Grandma Li learned that her daughter was alright, she looked at her two pitiful grandchildren and couldn't help but mutter to herself.
Grandpa Zhen swallowed hard and said calmly, "The affairs of the prefecture are very busy and urgent right now. You should go to your daughter's house in the next two days and help take care of the two children."
Grandma Li nodded and called Da Ni and Er Ni to join her.
Da Ni is a young lady and can help take care of her younger siblings.
Erni is still young and has always slept with her, so naturally she needs to be taken care of.
The boys and Yuan Huizhou had been living and eating in the county for the past month because they needed to prepare for their exams.
Therefore, only Grandpa Zhen and his eldest son and his wife remained at home.
Wang Cuihua cooked them some simple noodles, and after they finished eating, they washed up and went to bed.
However, the Zhen family father and son, who knew the truth, couldn't sleep at night, constantly thinking about Zhen Wanwan's matter.
Zhen Wanwan, who was being thought about by several people, was having a really tough time.
The night sky is sparsely lit by stars, and the moonlight illuminates the path ahead.
She held onto A-Yue's arm and rubbed her sore bottom.
This horse was really not easy to ride; it bounced her so much her butt hurt terribly.
And the skin around the groin area is probably chafed raw.
A-Yue looked at Zhen Wanwan with concern and said, "My lady, are you alright? Or should I carry you on my back?"
They cannot rest tonight; they must take advantage of the darkness to conceal their tracks.
Moreover, the parchment must be delivered to Zhuyuan as soon as possible.
Zhen Wanwan gritted her teeth and refused A Yue's invitation.
In the past, fleeing famine required walking, which was exhausting. Now, riding a horse, aside from a few chafed skin, is perfectly acceptable.
"Let's go! We must find our husbands by the day after tomorrow!"
Looking at the red dot on the all-purpose explorer, Zhen Wanwan realized that he still had a long way to go.
She glanced at the relaxed-looking group and felt a pang of envy.
She felt like she was going to fall apart after just a few hours of riding on horseback.
Don't these people get tired?
Despite her thoughts, Zhen Wanwan didn't have much time to dwell on it. They rested, drank some water, and then mounted their horses and set off.
Soon, the group disappeared from sight.
The moonlight in summer is always exceptionally bright, and the nights are not so hot. A gentle breeze blows, and Zhen Wanwan's mind becomes a bit clearer.
When she was tired while traveling, she would take out a coffee or some other beverage and have a few sips.
Before dawn, they unexpectedly ran farther than originally planned.
At this rate, they should arrive early tomorrow morning.
As dawn broke, pedestrians began to appear on the streets.
They didn't stop; the morning sun wasn't hot, and they needed to keep going.
It was almost noon, and everyone was feeling drowsy. Zhen Wanwan and the others slowed down, found a place to rest, and sat down to relax.
This also solved the lunch problem easily.
Zhen Wanwan took out a lot of food to fill their stomachs and gave it to A Yue and several guards.
She forced the guards to be summoned, since they were human and their physical strength was greatly depleted from traveling day and night.
Having a means of transportation can also lighten their burden.
None of the people present were talkative; they quietly enjoyed the food and drinks that Zhen Wanwan had given them.
They licked the crumbs of food off their hands.
Ah Yue patted her bulging belly contentedly, which made Zhen Wanwan laugh out loud.
"Ah Yue, if you like it, I'll send you several big boxes when we get back, so you can eat it until you're sick of it!"
Ah Yue smiled shyly. This stuff is so delicious, how could it possibly be greasy?
Even if she ate it every day, she could eat it for the rest of her life!!!
After they had rested, Zhen Wanwan gave everyone some heatstroke medicine to prevent them from running around in the high temperatures and getting heatstroke.
As for their horses, Zhen Wanwan also redeemed special heatstroke medicine and food for the horses from Tmall Genie.
Their mental state was even better than that of the riders!
With the Zhen family's worries on their minds and Zhen Wanwan's countless curses in her heart, they finally arrived at their destination.
However, they did not rush in, but instead stopped their horses on the mountaintop.
Looking down from above, you can see the entire landscape below.
What's strange is how quiet it is here!
This silence is so profound, it's like there's no human presence at all!
Zhen Wanwan's alarm bells went off, and she quickly called out to A Yue and the others, "I feel like something's not right here!"
A Yue's expression changed, and she instantly appeared beside Zhen Wanwan, looking around warily, while the guards surrounded them.
"Madam! There's someone here!"
As the guard spoke, and seemingly to confirm his words, the birds and beasts around them suddenly took flight.
Several people suddenly appeared from the jungle, and at the same time, Zhen Wanwan was so shocked that she lost her footing.
This feels like an earthquake?
Before she could even think of finding an open space to escape, the thing that caused the tremor came into their view.
"Black Bear is coming!! Run!"
Someone in the crowd who had just been chased by the bear shouted, and the crowd dispersed.
Only Zhen Wanwan and her group remained.
Seeing this, the bear assumed that Zhen Wanwan and the others were accomplices of those people and prepared to slap them to death.
The person closest to the bear was Zhen Wanwan.
Fearing that Zhen Wanwan might get hurt, A Yue shouted at the bear in an attempt to attract its attention and lure it away from Zhen Wanwan.
Clearly, A-Yue's original intention was good, but the bear had already been blinded by the bloodlust of the previous people.
Like a mad dog, it doesn't distinguish between people; it bites whoever it hurts.
In an effort to protect Zhen Wanwan, some of the bodyguards were sent flying several meters, while others coughed up blood on the spot.
Zhen Wanwan felt a little scared looking at the ferocious bear in front of her. She quietly took out her small pistol, preparing to kill it with one shot.
However, Ah Yue and the bodyguards stood in front of her to protect her, preventing her from finding an opportunity.
She had never used this small pistol before, and she was afraid that she might accidentally hurt her own people instead.
So she shouted at A-Yue and the others, "A-Yue, get away from her! I have a way to deal with her!"
Although A-Yue was very worried about Zhen Wanwan's safety, she still chose to obey and silently made way for Zhen Wanwan to face the bear.
Seeing this, the guards followed Ah Yue's example, but their eyes remained fixed on the bear and Zhen Wanwan.
If they find that the bear is about to hurt Zhen Wanwan, they should rush to her aid even if it means sacrificing themselves.
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