Chapter 93
With Wei Mingsu as her cover, Lu Huaying felt that she would soon be able to reach Xizhou smoothly and meet her second brother.
Just as she was pondering how to repay Wei Mingsu, several more heavy snowfalls struck beyond the Great Wall, freezing livestock and people to death in the bitter cold. Soon after the disaster, famine struck within the Great Wall as well, causing widespread suffering and skyrocketing grain prices. That same month, a rare solar eclipse occurred, causing widespread unrest.
While the world was gripped by unease over the solar eclipse, news arrived from the border that the Turks were invading and the Western Liang were also launching a major invasion. They captured several important towns and advanced rapidly, reaching Dunhuang. The Empress Dowager hastily dispatched two armies, each led by a prime minister and a general, to conquer the Western Liang and the Turks.
The situation at the front is not optimistic. Rumors are rampant, morale is wavering, and merchants are hoarding grain to make huge profits, driving up prices.
To avoid being captured by the Lu family, Lu Huaying wanted to bypass Guazhou, unaware that the war had already spread to Dunhuang. That day, she and Wei Mingsu were walking on the official road when suddenly a large, dark crowd surged towards them. They were all dressed as ordinary people, and everyone looked anxious. Seeing them heading west, they shook their heads and urged them to go back quickly.
Several officials, dissatisfied with the Empress Dowager's autocratic rule, claimed that the solar eclipse was a warning from heaven to the Empress Dowager. They rallied righteous men across the land, including the deposed Seven Princes, to overthrow the Empress Dowager, and at the same time recruited soldiers and launched a rebellion.
The situation is now in chaos. The army that was going to conquer Xiliang and the Turks has not yet set off, but the Turks are coming to rob people and grain. Another rebellion has broken out, and the people are forced to leave their homes and flee with their families.
With war raging at the front, Lu Huaying and Wei Mingsu had no choice but to change their plans.
From west to north, the situation became increasingly chaotic, with more and more people fleeing along the main road, and the disorderly crowds brought new chaos.
The red spots on Lu Huaying's body and face gradually faded. The situation was too chaotic, so she changed into even more tattered clothes. After wearing them for a while, the spots stopped appearing on her body. She slowly got used to eating food mixed with tree bark and grass roots—if she didn't eat, she would starve. Although she had brought a lot of gold ingots, the money could no longer buy food.
Cries echoed through the fleeing crowds, and people often collapsed by the roadside, frozen or starving.
As Lu Huaying walked, her pace slowed down, and Wei Mingsu, who was beside her, immediately stopped and asked her if she was too tired.
She glanced at the person lying on the roadside, knowing that once they fell, they might never be able to stand up again, and shook her head.
Wei Mingsu handed her the water bag and told her to drink some water before she left.
Lu Huaying took a sip of water and her gaze fell on Wei Mingsu.
He carried most of the luggage and also took care of her. Whenever he found food on the road, he would give it to her first, and he would also save clean water for her to drink.
They hadn't been able to buy food for three days, but she wasn't starving. She didn't know where Wei Mingsu had found food.
Lu Huaying didn't want to be a burden to Wei Mingsu, but she still caught a cold.
Feeling guilty, she mumbled to Wei Mingsu, who was taking care of her, "Wooden head...it's all my fault...if you had gone with Su Niang and the others...you wouldn't have encountered this rebellion...do you regret it..."
Wei Mingsu fed her water and said, "Luckily, I didn't go with them."
She looked at him.
Wei Mingsu lowered his head and wiped her face clean: "Then you'll be all alone."
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