The gradually warming weather is actually very friendly to the refugees. Although most people who are not resistant to cold cannot reach the end of this long-distance migration, the remaining people don’t know how long they can endure. The warm sunshine can save them more energy and give them more hope.
Lin Hai, disguised as an attendant, arrived at the refugee settlement in the north of Zhaoyang amid the guards' fear.
When the morning sun shines through the clouds onto the earth, the clouds in the sky gradually become hazy. As the heat of the sun gradually transmits to every object on the earth, the refugees who wake up feel grateful that they have survived the day.
Of course, those who have not woken up have no right to lament about life.
Thanks to Shi Zhen'er's unusually generous budget for accommodating refugees, of course this was not just because of Shi Zhen'er's compassion, but also because the cost of glass beads used for bribery was pitifully low. The working group members actually fed the Chen Dynasty soldiers who maintained order here, so the Chen Dynasty soldiers who had finished breakfast burped and cleared the people out of each shack one by one.
They were trying to determine whether the person in the shack was still alive. If dead, the leading soldier would wave his hand and a few refugees would follow to throw the dead person out of the settlement. Generally, they would bury him. It was said that this was done to reduce the possibility of plague.
This is all the governance behavior demonstrated by the Chen Dynasty court in this settlement of its own people.
Liu Sanwa, clutching a bundle of dry firewood he had finally gathered, limped back to the settlement. The bare hills surrounding the settlement told him there was practically nothing burnable here. The endless stream of refugees, like waves, had chopped down everything burnable near the settlement that winter, including themselves.
These dry firewoods were not for burning. He knew very well that people from Qinghe County were receiving refugees outside the camp. It was said that they were being sent to Qinghe County to work. As for where this Qinghe County, which he had never heard of, was, he didn't care at all. As long as the officials there still needed people to work, he, Liu Sanwa, the last male in the Liu family, would definitely survive.
Liu Sanwa had learned some arithmetic, and he found that the number of people picked up by the people in Qinghe County every day was fixed, and they picked people up strictly according to the principle of first come first served. In other words, it would take three days for it to be his turn. He wanted to reinforce his shack within these three days. Not to mention that the shack was leaky, but the previous owner had added too much soil and moss to the top of the shack to keep it warm in winter, causing the sticks supporting the entire shack to be about to collapse. Liu Sanwa thought about it over and over again, ate the last half of the moldy rice ball, gathered the last bit of strength in his body, and found a few wooden sticks that were not much thicker than his little finger. He had just tried his best, and if he couldn't strengthen the shack even then, being hit to death by the top of the shack in his sleep would not be a bad thing.
He had a clear plan: once the reinforcement was complete, he would starve in the shack for three days, determined to hold out until the people from Qinghe County took him away. When he arrived, he saw that anyone who was taken away would be given a rice ball, which would allow him to walk to the next destination. He didn't know where that was, but he knew no one would use a precious rice ball to trick him, so he only needed to hold out for three days.
Lin Hai, who was strolling around the settlement, saw this person, which surprised him a little. After all, this person was the only one among all the refugees who still had plans to do things. The others either lay on the ground basking in the sun and trying to save energy, or died directly due to exhaustion of energy.
Lin Hai was observing Liu Sanwa from a distance, and of course, Liu Sanwa also noticed this young man who looked like he had never been hungry. Liu Sanwa didn't care why he was looking at him. In this day and age, anyone who looked like they had never been hungry and could afford to wear clothes without even a patch was someone he, Liu Sanwa, could never afford to offend.
Let him look at it all he wants, it won't make him lose a piece of meat. Liu Sanwa thought so, and glanced at his shriveled belly. Well, even if he really had to lose a piece of meat, he probably wouldn't be able to give it up.
Liu Sanwa, the figure before Lin Hai, was actually quite young. The refugees' living conditions were exceptionally harsh, so many appeared older than they actually were. Lin Hai concluded that this man was no more than seventeen or eighteen, barely old enough to be considered an adult according to Chen Dynasty law. Of course, his youth and good physique were Liu Sanwa's greatest strengths and the reasons he had made it this far.
Judging from his age, Liu Sanwa should have avoided conscription in the last war and spent a relatively happy time at home. At least he was fat before, which can be seen from the drooping skin on his belly. So Liu Sanwa is not short, but his weak limbs, rough black face and completely indifferent eyes to the surroundings can reveal what he has experienced recently.
Lin Hai walked over and squatted at the door of the shack. Looking at Liu Sanwa, who had finished his work and half of his body was exposed outside the shack to bask in the sun, he said, "Shall we talk?"
Liu Sanwa did not respond, but gathered all his strength and moved his body half way out of the shack so that more of his body could be exposed to the sun and reduce his energy consumption.
Lin Hai pulled out a cold steamed bun from his pocket. It was his breakfast this morning, and he put it away before finishing it. He said to Liu Sanwa, "If you can talk, this is yours. It's a bun, freshly made this morning. It's cold, but there's meat inside."
After hearing these words, Lin Hai felt that the man in front of him suddenly came alive. It was as if a force burst out from his bones and then squeezed into Liu Sanwa's vocal cords and right hand. He raised his right hand and said with all his strength: "Give me food first."
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