Chapter 25 All Gathered Here
The returning officials did not rest for too long. After quickly eating a hot meal, they hurried to pack their luggage.
Although the trip was unexpectedly smooth, the harvest was not much. Apart from some food for the horses, there were a dozen jars of liquor.
It is called a mountain stronghold, but in fact it is just a few horse bandits roaming around the northern border. No one knows how they escaped to this place and made a living by robbing and looting merchants.
However, the situation in Yuzhou was chaotic. The rich people stayed in the city and did not come out. Most of the people walking in the wilderness were disaster victims.
These bandits also live a very difficult life.
After counting the spoils, Lao Zhang's face was heavy. After thinking it over again and again, he couldn't help but remind Commander Wei.
"Do we really want to take these people with us?"
The bandit suppression campaign took eight days. As September arrived, winter was approaching. For everyone, the later they arrived in Chiling, the more trouble they would have.
There is no time to lose.
This village is mostly populated by the elderly, the weak, women, and children, making it difficult to walk. Food and fodder are currently in short supply. The supplies looted from the mountain stronghold can only feed a hundred people for half a month. If we bring another hundred or so mouths...
I’m afraid the post station won’t dare to open the door when they see them!
Lao Zhang couldn't imagine how this journey would go on.
"Those grains and fodder were taken from the people. If we plunder them and abandon the people, what difference would we make from bandits?"
Furthermore.
Chiling Pass has never been too crowded.
It’s easy to get rid of Lao Zhang, but the worry in Wei Da’s heart is not easy to erase.
The next day.
Everyone gathered at the village entrance.
The Shen family's cart was submerged among the wooden wheelbarrows and was finally no longer so conspicuous.
"I would like to ask you to lend us your horses. This way we won't have to slow down our journey, and it will also save us some energy so we can gather some herbs along the way."
In response to the villagers' request, Wei Da silently glanced at the wooden wheelbarrow.
Someone beside him immediately said respectfully, "Please rest assured, sir. I have raised horses before and will definitely take good care of them. Even if they are hungry, I will not let them get thin."
Hearing this, Wei Da raised his eyebrows in slight surprise.
Ten wooden-wheeled carts appeared overnight, and now someone who knows how to raise horses has appeared. Could it be that all the capable refugees in the world have gathered here?
He couldn't help but look for a figure through the crowd.
The two men who had the courage to come and borrow horses just now, after getting approval, the first thing they did when they returned was to happily harness the horses to the Shen family's cart.
The cart had obviously been modified and was now perfectly usable.
After all the herbs were used up, the Shen family's cart had a lot more space. Now, two adults and four children could all sit in it without feeling crowded.
The eldest daughter of the Shen family sat on the edge, swinging her feet in a good mood.
A ridiculous idea suddenly flashed through Wei Da's mind.
It was as if everything she had experienced in the past few days was because she was tired, so she wanted to find a way to take a break.
This is simply... impressive.
He shook his head, jumped on his horse, suppressed his fear, and shouted, "Move on!"
The group walked from sunrise to sunset.
They only rested for half an hour at noon every day, and no longer insisted on staying in the inn. They would stay wherever they went before dark.
We traveled like this for several days.
Lao Zhang was surprised to find that the speed was even faster than before!
The old and weak villagers had carriages to ride in, while the strong men could walk as much as they could. Only when they were really tired did they take turns to rest for a while.
Apart from the fact that the ration bags were delivered faster, there was almost no impact.
"What do you think you're trying to achieve? With your perseverance, even if you have to go south to beg for food or go outside the capital, it's still better than following me."
Traveling is the most boring and tiring thing, so some people start to lose control of their mouths.
But on one side were prisoners in handcuffs and shackles who had to walk by themselves, while on the other side were innocent civilians who could ride in carriages.
It is obvious who will get the benefit.
"I am sixty-nine years old this year. I have lived to this age thanks to one person. I don't mind my own business! Even the imperial court can't control where we refugees run to! Who do you think you are?"
"Don't try to persuade me anymore! I don't believe anyone else's words. I only believe the eldest daughter of the Shen family! She said there's land to farm there, so of course it's true!"
Not to mention the prisoners, even the police were puzzled.
Lin'an City is located on the edge of the south of the Yangtze River. How could she, a little girl who had never traveled far, make people so confident?
But there are people who know it very well and actually say this.
"It's not that we want to meddle in other people's business, but the steamed bread you eat should be shared with us!"
The food and fodder previously seized from the mountain stronghold had long been used up, and the rations prepared by the post station were calculated per person.
Although the common people who followed him had committed some faults to some extent and asked to be exiled, their requests were not counted until they were sent to the government office and convicted.
Two steamed buns were not enough to fill their stomachs, and now it has become just one. Naturally, the prisoners will be dissatisfied!
This is not.
They were so tired that they could only breathe out but not in, but that didn't stop them from arguing!
If time goes on, trouble will arise sooner or later.
After receiving Wei Da's instructions, Lao Zhang came to Chen Chunxing angrily and said, "You tricked me into coming here, and you have to solve this problem too."
Chen Chunxing, who had just been lying down in the sun for a while, sat up speechlessly. She pointed to the side and said, "Uncle Zhang, please look, what is that?"
Old Zhang frowned: "It's just a forest, what could it be?"
Chen Chunxing counted his fingers exaggeratedly, "There's so much to eat. Tree bark, grass roots, wild fruits, things that swim in the water, things that walk on the land, what can't be eaten?"
"you mean?"
"If you're not planning on convicting them, why bother feeding them? Just treat them as refugees. Are there refugees in this world who would starve themselves to death?"
Chen Chunxing glanced ahead and chuckled awkwardly.
"I thought Lord Wei was soft-hearted and couldn't bear to see others suffer, so he just bit the bullet and became the scapegoat..."
Old Zhang interrupted by coughing a few times, glanced behind him, and quickly frowned.
"What nonsense are you talking about! Our Commander Wei is wise and powerful... Be careful, next time he goes to fight bandits, he'll take you there to show you what soft-heartedness is."
Chen Chunxing shrank his neck and nodded in agreement.
This guy is really capable of doing this!
After watching Lao Zhang leave, Chen Chunxing soon saw a few men walking out of the team and going into the woods with happy faces.
Officials left marks along the way.
When a large group is on the road, their pace is naturally slower than that of an individual, so there is no need to worry about losing them.
Chen Chunxing stretched comfortably and said to Yang Yi, "Next time we set up camp, let's go hunting."
She has long wanted to improve the food.
Now that someone has set a precedent, relying on the relationship between my family and Uncle Zhang, it won’t be a problem if I just polish it a little bit.
"Have you been planning this for a long time?"
The Shen family had long been accustomed to all of Shen Chunxing's strange behaviors. When they heard someone asking about it, they all looked towards the source of the voice.
Seeing that it was Ah Si, a useless person, he calmly withdrew his gaze.
Shen Mingqiu picked up the willow branch used to drive away mosquitoes and waved it around.
"Can you please go further away? There's a carriage over there. Why do you have to follow me?"
Seeing that the willow branch was about to poke his nostrils, Ah Si reluctantly moved aside.
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