"Beijiao?" Jiang Yushu's heart suddenly sank. She hurriedly asked, "The enemy launched a surprise attack. Our Dagan soldiers must have fought back, but I wonder how the fight went?"
The girl curled her lips, full of complaints, and said disdainfully, "If the Dagan soldiers were capable, Yongzhou wouldn't have been lost, and hundreds of thousands of people wouldn't have been slaughtered innocently! Alas, who dares to count on the soldiers now? We can only hope that they fight for their dignity and defend Xicang. What we fear most is being left homeless."
Jiang Yushu was apprehensive and asked, "That sounds scary. Little girl, where do you live? Could it be that the Beijiao troops have already invaded Xicang?"
The girl scowled and replied helplessly, "We live in Heqin, in Liujia Village, on the banks of the Mu River, across from Yongzhou. The Northern Tribes have taken over Yongzhou, but they're still not satisfied, and they frequently raid Xicang. Those beasts are greedy and shameless, committing murder and arson. Our village is unlucky. We live so close, so to save our lives, we have no choice but to flee and seek refuge with relatives to escape the chaos of war."
"I see." Jiang Yushu looked serious.
The girl glanced around the Guo family and asked curiously, "What about you guys? Where are you going?"
Jiang Yushu sighed, "Unfortunately, I'm going to Xicang." As soon as she finished speaking, the elder on the other side called out:
"Er Ni'er, my family is fleeing, do you think we're going out to play? Hurry and follow us!"
"Oh, here they come!" The girl smiled and trotted off to catch up with her relatives.
Guo Hongxuan leaned in and listened for a while, his eyes wide with shock. He sighed, "I never thought Xicang would be so chaotic! People are fleeing, and we're rushing forward. We're simply courting death."
"Don't panic, fourth brother. Come, let's talk while we walk." Jiang Yushu calmed herself down and said soothingly, "Since ancient times, every inch of territory has been fought for. If a border city is lost, the court will never give up. His Majesty is furious and has severely punished the corruption case and ordered us to be exiled to the army and cultivate the land. I believe he has already dispatched troops to aid Xicang."
"Really?"
Jiang Yushu answered firmly: "Of course!"
Even the most powerful ruler had responsibilities. If the emperor had ignored the fall of Yongzhou, he would have been condemned as a "tyrant" by public opinion at best, or even condemned to abdication and the destruction of the country at worst.
Therefore, the emperor must take charge.
But I wonder if the Gan Kingdom can defeat the Beijiao?
As night fell, the group arrived at the post station.
Jiang Yushu was exhausted. Dragging her aching legs, she hurried to the cart and asked, "Are they feeling better?"
"This..." Fang Sheng frowned, repeatedly checking the two victims' breathing and pulses. After a moment, he shook his head and solemnly declared, "The venom was so strong, they couldn't hold on and are dead."
ah?
Everyone was shocked, feeling both pity and fear.
Zhang Feng examined them and pursed his lips. His subordinates then reached out to feel the pulse of the deceased and reported loudly, "Sir, they are indeed dead!"
"Ask them thoroughly, cross out the names, and indicate the cause of death." Zhang Feng had seen many prisoners die during exile, and he remained unmoved. He ordered, "It's hot, quickly ask the post station to help bury the bodies to prevent the stench and spread of plague."
"yes!"
Two lives, just gone like that? Jiang Yushu was dejected, speechless for a long time.
"Let's go." Guo Honglei felt bad. "Let's learn from this past and warn the others to be on guard against snakes, insects, and wild animals!"
at night
The old girls were leaning against the wall or using their bags as pillows, chatting in groups of three or five in low voices; the men continued to practice martial arts with Guo Honglei. After practicing diligently for more than a month, their boxing and kicking skills had improved, and even their stances could be performed quite well.
"The further north we go, the more desolate it becomes. How can we cultivate the land in such a chaotic situation?" Cuimei worriedly asked as she packed her bags, "Once we reach Xicang, I wonder where the government will assign us? Will we all stay together, or will we be separated? I don't want to be separated from you, girl, even if I die."
Jiang Yushu spread out the white paper and advised sternly, "You do it again! You're so young, yet you keep talking about death and life all the time. You're not even afraid of death, so why are you afraid of being separated from me?"
"I'm a house-born servant. I've been serving you since I was ten, swearing to do so for the rest of my life." Cuimei, devoted and devoted, regretted, "Unexpectedly, when you attempted suicide by hanging, no one noticed. By the time the old lady allowed me to continue serving you, you had already suffered. Under the torture, you were like a completely different person. This is all my fault for being careless and inadequate!"
A changed person?
Yes, the core was indeed replaced.
Jiang Yushu paused with her pen, her heart pounding like a drum. She stared at the maidservant and whispered, "I was confused for a moment and committed suicide. It has nothing to do with you."
Cuimei's eyes filled with tears as she said joyfully, "Thank goodness you figured it out in time! In fact, the son-in-law treats you very well, and he is a handsome man, no less handsome than Master Pei—" The candlelight suddenly flickered, and she fell silent, looked up, jumped up, and said respectfully, "Second Master."
"Hmm." Guo Honglei's expression remained normal, and he didn't hear the maid's chatter clearly.
Cuimei shrank her neck, as if she had been pardoned. She quickly picked up her bag and tactfully stepped aside to sort it out.
Jiang Yushu calmed down and said, "Are you done? Sit down."
Guo Honglei sat cross-legged, flipping through the manuscript on the table, and said slowly: "When I went to the postmaster to arrange tea, I met my uncle's people."
"Oh?" Jiang Yushu was stunned and asked subconsciously: "Is it good news? Or bad news?"
"Bad news." Guo Honglei glanced at his mother, sister-in-law, and younger brother and whispered, "It's said that Xicang and Beixie are currently engaged in frequent battles, and the outcome is currently unclear. However, with the loss of Yongzhou and the successive casualties among our generals, our morale is low, and some are even deserting the battlefield."
"Deserter? Shouldn't he be executed for his crime?"
Guo Honglei nodded. "Deserting in the face of battle is undoubtedly punishable by death. The imperial court will pursue him. I won't tell anyone else about this, to avoid causing panic."
"Indeed, those who are ignorant are not afraid." Jiang Yushu picked up her pen and dipped it in ink, then said calmly, "The imperial decree cannot be disobeyed. Let alone the chaos of war, even if it rains knives ahead, we cannot stop."
Guo Honglei smiled and said seriously, "You are so brave, young lady."
"Thank you for your compliment, sir." Jiang Yushu waved her hand modestly.
The next moment, the two looked at each other and sighed at the same time.
A few days later, at noon
The official road was winding and rugged in the deep mountains and dense forests, and the group was busy hurrying on their way.
It was a hot summer day and Jiang Yushu felt extremely hot. Her face flushed red. She stopped, took off her water bag, and drank some water.
Unexpectedly, just after she drank two sips, she saw a group of strong men with knives rushing out from the dense forest. They all looked ferocious and fierce, and the leader shouted loudly:
"Don't move!"
"Anyone who dares to move is seeking death!"
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