Qiao Xin always keeps her word. After seeing the guests off, she waited for Qiao Yunxin and his brother to quickly finish their breakfast and feed the horses before setting off immediately. The journey was obviously much faster.
When passing by the villages and towns ahead, they no longer let people get off the car to rest, but sent two people in to replenish their food and fodder, and then left immediately. After some consideration, the Fan family finally chose to follow Qiao Xin and his group.
Whenever Qiao Xin made a move, they would send people to follow suit. The journey was relatively safe, and by the third day, when they were still more than 600 miles away from Weizhoufu, white needles began to fall from the sky, the temperature dropped sharply, and winter arrived overnight. The people who had been traveling continuously finally couldn't hold on any longer, and some people in the team began to fall ill.
Fan Boqing brought three or five tribesmen to discuss with Qiao Xin about the next steps. Their attitude was obviously much better than before.
"There is a big town not far ahead. Would you consider staying there for the night?"
Qiao Xin's face was not very good, and she didn't waste time talking to them. She directly refused and said, "No, change horses and go directly!"
Everyone present was in disbelief. They hadn't rested for four or five days and were exhausted. Many of them were just holding on. Most people felt that there was no need to rush any further.
One complained, "There are already several elderly people and children on the bus who are sick. If we don't rest, it's not certain whether they can return alive!"
That one also said: "You can change horses, but people have to take a break!"
There was inevitably some complaints in the words, but the Qiao family and the Fan Boqing brothers were the only ones who did not refute.
Qiao Xin calmed down her irritable mood and explained patiently, "I didn't force you to come with me. But my family must go."
Fan Boqing knew that Qiao Xin was not the kind of arrogant person, so he humbled himself and humbly asked, "Auntie, please tell me why it's so urgent. It's just a light snow now."
Qiao Xin reached out to take the needle-like snow particles, feeling the damp and cold air, and said: "When white snowflakes fall in winter, it means that there will be even bigger snowstorms waiting for us. Sleet, freezing rain, extreme cold, icy roads, and heavy snow blocking the roads may all happen at the same time. If we are trapped on the road.
By then, the land will be covered in white, with no birds flying in the mountains and no people on the paths. If we are delayed on the road, no one will respond. By then, it won’t be a question of whether we will get sick or not, but we will most likely freeze to death outside.”
Qiao Xin added: "It's already this time, you guys should not still stick to the rules, you can cooperate with several families, the old and the children together, the young people take turns driving the car, and rest on the car, there is always a way to overcome difficulties, it depends on whether you value the rules or your life.·15··"
Fan Boqing recalled that Qiao Xin had told him a few days ago that something strange had happened in the sky. When he went back to tell his tribe, everyone except his father and brother thought Qiao Xin was talking nonsense. In the end, it was only at his father's insistence that everyone followed him.
As expected, the temperature suddenly changed today and it started snowing, and those who were making sarcastic remarks finally quieted down. Now Qiao Xin said that there would be an even bigger disaster to come, so Fan Boqing had to take it seriously again.
After thanking Qiao Xin, Fan Boqing immediately convened an emergency meeting of the tribe and told Qiao Xin his judgment. Some tribe members wanted to refute, but Fan Boqing said, "We don't force everyone to go together. No one will attack us on the road ahead. If you want to rest, I will help you find an inn to settle down at the next place and leave you enough supplies. Our family must leave with them."
As soon as these words came out, those people shut up.
Fan Boqing didn't want to waste his words on persuading someone who couldn't be persuaded. Ever since he submitted the petition on behalf of his father, no more inexplicable people had appeared along the way, trying to take the lives of their people from time to time. It was estimated that the other party had secretly known their choice.
Those who originally held opposing opinions did not dare to confront him now, fearing that Fan Boqing would really leave them alone. Fan Huairen was a scholar, caring for the tribe members, with a relatively gentle attitude, and could patiently listen to their demands. However, the next tribe leader, Fan Boqing, turned from a scholar to a warrior, acting vigorously and decisively.
When they were in exile, such clan leaders had preserved their strength to a great extent, but now that they were returning to their ancestral home, those stubborn old men might not obey them and would make trouble even if they were unreasonable. However, Fan Boqing did not accept their tricks, which made some people in the clan fear and hate him.
"It's better to believe it than not. Everyone should be alert. There's only this last stretch of the journey left. We can get through it if we endure it. If we really encounter a snowstorm, I'm afraid we old bones won't be able to survive it." Fan Huairen took the initiative to smooth things over for his son and calmed him down.
After everyone left, Fan Huairen said to his eldest son, "You, please control your temper. Weizhou is not like the border. You should be more restrained."
Fan Boqing didn't say anything, but his tightly pursed lips showed his master's displeasure.
"Hmph, some people want to die, how can you blame your elder brother for not stopping them?" Fan Jihuai stood up for his elder brother.
During the journey, the two brothers had to take care of food and drink, and they had to be on guard against the enemy from time to time. It was tiring enough, but some people just didn't know what was good for them. He was already very angry. If he were to say, some people were still protected too well.
Fan Boqing didn't care about the tribe's troubles at all. He told Qiao Xin's family about his own plans, "Father, her words have come true once. I can't help but take it seriously this time. Just based on the old lady's ability, this family is worth making friends with."
"When we get to Weizhou Prefecture, we will take good care of him. Observe him more. If he has good character, I will take him in as my apprentice."
"You said it was Qiao Yunqing, father, do you think he is good?"
"Well, it's rare for a man to be so smart, but when I get along with him, it's not like we're elders or juniors, but rather like colleagues. I can't see through this man, so let's wait and see.
The Qiao family was unaware of the conversation between the Fan family and their son. Qiao Xin did as she said, changing horses and carriages without stopping for a moment.
Finally, when they were fifty miles away from Weizhou Prefecture, the ground entered a quick-freeze mode, all kinds of things fell from the sky, and the road became slippery and hard.
Half of the elderly and children on the bus fell ill, but fortunately, the water-injected special medicine provided by Qiao Xin allowed them to hold on until now.
However, the last section of the journey was still extremely difficult, with people and horses falling down from time to time, and food being consumed at a visible rate. If Qiao Xin had not purchased a large amount of food in the early stage, they would have run out of food and ammunition long ago.
Finally, when it was dark, they saw the walls of Weizhou, and everyone cried with excitement.
Fan Huairen supported the old servant who had come to greet him in the snow and walked slowly into the city along the official road. Looking at the familiar city walls and the grass and trees not far away, he was so excited that he burst into tears: "Finally, I have arrived. I never thought that I would be able to return to my hometown one day!"
Qiao Xin couldn't stand this slowness, so she rubbed her frozen fingers, raised the reins, and called out to Fan Huairen, who was still crying, "Grandpa, take your time. We'll go into the city and stay overnight first."
Fan Huairen: “…”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
No comments yet.