“We were sold by our families when we were young and followed our troupe leader to perform songs and dances everywhere.”
"Our class master is kind. There are barbarians outside, so he brought us here to hide."
The two little girls were perhaps too young and timid to understand what was being said, which made everyone feel even more sorry for them.
Jiayi and Liu Yang also shared some of the pickled vegetables they had brought from home with them.
Ye Shan and Li Laosi exchanged a few words and, while fetching water, explored the surrounding area. They found no signs of outsiders and became less wary of the women.
The two little girls, having eaten and drunk their fill, blushed and thanked the vendors. Then they ran back hand in hand, making everyone laugh.
Jiayi sat down next to his uncle and said casually, "Uncle, these people are so pitiful."
Liu Yang echoed, "Yes, I wonder how they survived being chased by the barbarians?"
Li Laosi swallowed a mouthful of dry biscuit, glanced at them helplessly, and asked, "They're pitiful? What's so pitiful about them? They were sold as children and never had enough to eat, so they're pitiful? There are at least 80,000, if not 100,000, people like that in Tianwu."
Jiayi and Liu Yang frowned, both somewhat unhappy, feeling that their uncle lacked compassion.
The other soldiers also lowered their heads, pretending to be busy, clearly disagreeing with Li Laosi's words.
They all came from humble backgrounds; after all, their families were wealthy, and they couldn't be allowed to risk their lives in the army.
Therefore, I feel more empathy for the little girl who has also suffered a tragic fate.
Li Laosi ignored all of that, picked up a tree branch and tapped the two boys, asking them a question.
"When you were talking to those two young girls, did you tell them that your family fled famine from the north to the south, that you lived in Suijintan, a place with hot springs and valleys where you made a fortune every day, that you had melon fields and that the emperor had bestowed a name upon you so that demand couldn't keep up with supply? You even told them how many people were in your family, didn't you?"
Jiayi and Liu Yang were stunned, feeling inexplicably guilty. "We were just gossiping, there's nothing wrong with saying that, right?"
"Hmph," Li Laosi sneered, "Yes, there's nothing you can't say. But after all you've said, what about those two young girls? Where did they say they came from? What do they do? How did a group of women end up stranded in the deep mountains and forests? How many of them are there, and where are they planning to go?"
Jiayi and Liu Yang were speechless, but finally understood.
They had just been thoroughly exposed, and they didn't even know who the other person was.
Li Laosi knocked them on the head and cursed, "Idiots, one day you'll be sold out and you'll still be helping them count the money."
Jiayi and Liu Yang lowered their heads, their faces flushed.
The soldiers listening nearby didn't dare to look up; they had said quite a bit themselves.
Although nothing major happened, the fact that they were guarding the dock and under the command of the Marquis of Xinting was something others heard...
Jiayi and Liu Yang, fearing they had caused a major disaster, tugged at Li Laosi's sleeve and asked, "Uncle, what should we do? If they find out our secrets, will we be in danger?"
"No!" Li Laosi slapped them away, but didn't try to scare them anymore.
He said truthfully, "They are a group of women, and they are probably more afraid and wary of us. Even if they know these things, it won't be of any harm to us. But you must remember this in the future, and don't let your guard down just because you see that others are pitiful."
"Yes, Uncle, we know we were wrong, and we will definitely not do it again."
Jiayi and Liu Yang finally calmed down, and the slightest restlessness in the soldiers' hearts was also suppressed.
That night, the camp was unusually quiet, with people taking turns keeping watch and sleeping in an orderly manner.
In a distant cave, more than twenty women had gathered, all young and beautiful. Occasionally, two of them appeared to be over thirty, yet they too possessed graceful figures and a unique charm.
They surrounded the most beautiful woman, who was also their troupe leader, and whispered, "Troup leader, these people seem alright; at least they're polite. Should we go down the mountain with them?"
The beautiful female protagonist nodded and replied, "We've waited three months for this opportunity, so we have to try no matter what. Besides, these people are under the command of Marquis Xinting. Marquis Xinting was previously the Earl of Xinting in the capital. He wasn't well-known, but he was a true member of the royal family. Now he's in charge of the Jiangnan port. If we can get to know him and gain his favor, we won't have to worry about finding a place to stay in Jiangnan."
The women cheered, and the two girls who had gone to gather information earlier chattered excitedly, one of them saying...
"Master, that Broken Gold Beach has hot springs and estates; it seems quite wealthy and close to the capital. I've heard it's all owned by the Marquis of Xinting. If you could win the Marquis's favor, would you let him give us this place to stay?"
Another chimed in, "Yes, I heard that this estate grows cold melons, and it was even named by the Emperor. The hot spring valley is also incredibly lucrative. Those two silly boys both said it sounds very good. If we can secure it, we won't have to travel around anymore."
The women listened with excitement, bombarding the women with questions, "Is Broken Gold Beach big? Does it have a lot of farmland?"
"What kind of person is Marquis Xinting? Is he very fierce?"
"Oh my, the troupe leader is so beautiful, even the most heroic man would fall at her feet."
"Yeah, how about the troupe leader lets me manage the hot spring valley? I want to soak in the hot springs every day. These past few months have been too tough."
The beautiful woman frowned, waved her hand to signal everyone to shut up, and then whispered a final instruction.
"Let's follow these people out first. Once we reach the Jiangnan region, we can make further plans later. I've only heard that the Earl of Xinting is aloof, doesn't like to talk, and has no wives or concubines. But I haven't met him, so I don't know the specifics."
"Oh dear, no matter what his temperament is, he's a soldier after all, and he must have been celibate for a long time. When he sees the troupe leader, he'll definitely kneel down at her feet. If the troupe leader doesn't mind, I can test him out for you first."
A charming woman curled the ends of her hair, and as she laughed and talked, her fair neck and chest trembled slightly, exuding an irresistible allure that made her companions blush.
The beautiful woman glanced at her but didn't refute her. She simply said, "On the way, gather as much information as possible. The more we know, the better it will be for us."
"I know, troupe leader, just you wait and see." The woman smiled smugly, "Men are all the same."
The next morning, Li Laosi and the others got up early. They still didn't touch the rice that the women brought, but instead boiled water to warm their stomachs.
Li Laosi and Ye Shan discussed that they must get the book today, and then they need to go outside the mountains to investigate the movements of the barbarians. They can't delay any longer, as their families are still worried about them.
At that moment, four or five women came down from the cave, carrying several packages.
The woman in the lead was stunningly beautiful, but after Li Laosi's warning last night, everyone was quite indifferent, and even a little more wary.
A hint of surprise flashed in the woman's eyes, but she bowed properly, her posture graceful, without the slightest trace of frivolity or frivolity.
"My brave warriors, I apologize for keeping you waiting."
"You're too kind, young lady," Li Laosi and the others returned the greeting and invited them to sit on the large rock.
The woman spoke first with a smile, "My lords, my name is Hua Ruyue. I previously led a group of sisters to form a song and dance troupe, traveling around to make a living. The relocation of the capital was too sudden. We were in the north at the time, so we were inevitably a little late."
We were chased by barbarians all the way to this area, and had no choice but to enter the mountains. Luckily, we found shelter in this valley. We must thank everyone for leaving behind so many things; they were a great help to us.
As she spoke, she led several women to stand up and bow solemnly.
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