The boy and girl behind them saw this and quickly went over to help the woman up. The four of them soon broke away from the group and sat behind a large rock, barely blocking the glare of the sun.
The boy plopped down on the ground, panting heavily. The two little girls also collapsed to the ground, and the woman was exhausted.
No one expected that this summer in Qi would be so hot and dry; if this continues, it will surely cause a drought!
Peony raised her head and looked at Ah Gou with concern.
"Let's rest here today. You're still injured, so it's not good for you to move around too much."
Fortunately, the area was surrounded by large rocks, so there didn't seem to be any wolves or tigers around.
A moment later, she took out a hard, dry flatbread, broke it into four pieces, and gave them to the group, who then swallowed it dry.
Looking at the three little ones looking so pitiful, Peony's eyes were filled with complicated emotions. If you asked her if she regretted it, she didn't know! Ever since she was used and abandoned by her young mistress, she had followed Qin Qing on many journeys, arriving in the Qi Kingdom, a place she had never set foot in before, and had suffered a lot.
Now, she has fallen to such a state, something she has never experienced before!
Her thoughts drifted away, and she suddenly found herself back in what was once a life of luxury…
Just then, a tug came from her sleeve, and Peony looked down at the little girl beside her.
Mu Yue handed over the pancake, her big, dark eyes looking at Shao Yao with a pleading expression. Her skin, which had darkened considerably, still made her look adorable.
"Auntie, Yueyue can't eat that much, give it to Auntie!"
Upon hearing this, Peony's heart skipped a beat. She shifted her gaze to the large pancake, which was only the size of a palm. How could a four or five-year-old girl not finish it? She figured the person was just worried she might faint from hunger…
Mu Xing, standing to the side, also handed over a pancake, her eyes filled with some hesitation. Her beautiful face was covered in dust, making her look disheveled and pitiful, yet her tone remained arrogant!
"Xingxing is full, this is for Auntie!"
Overwhelmed by a flood of emotions, she wanted to cry, but her body was extremely dehydrated and she couldn't shed a tear. Her heart ached, and looking at the sensible yet pitiful little girl beside her, she reached out and patted her head.
"Sweethearts, Auntie isn't hungry, you all go ahead and eat!"
Seeing this, Ah Gou became anxious and tried to offer his own food, but Shao Yao refused him directly, chuckling softly.
"Silly children, your aunt will be alright. Your aunt promised your grandmother that she would bring you safely to the capital of Qi!"
Hearing this, the little ones breathed a sigh of relief. How could they not be worried? They suddenly had an aunt, their grandmother was not around, and their mother had not been found yet. If their aunt also left, they would become orphans again. Orphans in a foreign land, the consequences of which are unimaginable!
On the other side, Qin Qing had no idea that her beloved granddaughter was suffering terribly. Ever since she overheard Liu Qing's conversation with that person that night, she had been on guard but hadn't noticed anything unusual.
Just when she wondered if she had misheard, the appearance of a group of bandits finally confirmed her suspicions.
"Hey! Sir, I knew my eyelids had been twitching all day! Turns out, a big deal has come in! Haha!"
Upon hearing the noise, Qin Qing and the others' expressions changed, and they quickly looked outside. They saw seven or eight men who looked like bandits riding horses, arrogantly and greedily blocking their group...
Everyone's faces were grim as they warily stared at the newcomer. Liu Qing, however, seemed to have taken some kind of 'stimulant,' his brow furrowed, and with a determined and unyielding expression, he shouted sharply.
"Who are you? Do you know this is an official road? According to the laws of Qi, your crime deserves death!"
His words were forceful and imposing, so much so that Liu Piaorou couldn't help but look over, murmuring with a proud yet infatuated gaze.
"Brother Qing..."
Qin Qing rolled her eyes. "I'm calling him my sweetheart! This kind of terrible acting can only fool an innocent girl like Liu Piaorou!"
The bandit leader was taken aback upon hearing this, then his expression became even more arrogant and disdainful.
"Qi law? Haha! On my turf, I am the law! Brothers, let's go!"
After saying that, the bandits behind him leaped up, showing no panic in the face of a group that outnumbered them. On the contrary, Qin Qing and her group panicked, and a group of people screamed and ran away, and the scene immediately turned into chaos!
Upon seeing this scene, Liu Qing's expression changed. This was not what they had agreed upon! Looking at Liu Piaorou, who was in a panic on the carriage, he gritted his teeth and had no choice but to grit his teeth and continue acting.
The next second, Liu Qing on horseback shouted.
"Rou'er, don't be afraid! I, Liu Qing, will protect you!"
These words moved Liu Piaorou once again, and she looked at Liu Qing with deep affection...
But Liu Qing quickly pulled his horse away from them, his eyes constantly gesturing to the bandit leader, his gaze clearly carrying a hint of warning.
The bandit leader realized that he seemed to have deviated from the plan and quickly looked surprised.
"Liu Qing? You're Liu Qing, the Grand Tutor's godson? So, the one in the carriage isn't the Grand Tutor's only daughter, Liu Piaorou, is she? Haha! Brothers, let's capture Liu Piaorou and make her my wife. I'll reward you handsomely when we get back!"
After saying that, all the bandits pretended to be excited and shouted loudly, which made Qin Qing feel embarrassed!
So she climbed out of the carriage, grabbed the reins, and shouted to the crowd.
"Don't panic, we outnumber them! Abandoning our master and running away will only lead to disaster for everyone!"
Upon hearing this, the servants, who were in a state of chaos, changed their expressions and quickly picked up their weapons, looking at the bandits.
Seeing this, Qin Qing smiled and shouted at Liu Qing again.
"Young master, what are you standing there for? Didn't you hear him say he wanted to take the young lady as his wife? Stop them, this old woman will take the young lady away right now!"
With that, she yanked the rope sharply and shouted.
"drive!"
Upon receiving the instruction, the horse neighed and galloped off...
Everything happened so suddenly that Liu Qing and the kidnappers were stunned. Qin Qing turned her head slightly, noticed the shock on their faces, and smiled at Liu Piaorou.
"Oh dear! Miss, the young master seems to be paralyzed with fear. He's not moving at all, and even the kidnappers aren't moving!"
Liu Piaorou was taken aback by Qin Qing's sudden reaction, and after regaining her senses, she realized that leaving was the best option.
Hearing Qin Qing say that, she stuck her head out and saw Liu Qing and the kidnapper standing there, looking strangely awkward! But she couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong, so she could only shout at Liu Qing.
"Brother Qing, don't worry about me, I'll be waiting for you up ahead."
Hearing this, Qin Qing couldn't help but chuckle. He hadn't expected Liu Piaorou to be such a helpful ally! Haha! With Liu Qing's frail body, how could he withstand the bandits' beating? But since she was someone he had arranged, he figured nothing would happen to her.
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