An old man was sitting peacefully and resting next to a somewhat old carriage that still retained its ancient charm.
His eyes were slightly narrowed, as if he was resting, or as if he was immersed in his own thoughts.
However, the noisy conversations coming from Sujia Village not far away eventually broke the tranquility.
The old man sighed softly and slowly opened his eyes, his eyes showing a trace of vicissitudes and indifference of having experienced the vicissitudes of life.
He cleared his throat and couldn't help but explain to them: "This Xixia County used to allow refugees to enter."
The old man paused, frowning slightly, a solemn expression on his face. He continued, "Everything has changed since the incident in Guangshun County. The magistrate of Xixia County issued a strict order, and from then on, no more refugees were allowed to enter. Not only that, he also posted many yamen runners to guard the city gates, and any refugees he saw lingering here were immediately driven away."
When everyone heard the old man mention Guangshun County, they couldn't help but think of the bandits they had encountered before in the barren mountain.
They were truly a group of unscrupulous guys, each holding a sharp blade, with ferocity and greed in their eyes, as if they would not be afraid of anything they set their sights on. Who wouldn't be afraid when seeing them?
Recalling the situation at that time, everyone is still frightened.
Fortunately, they were lucky. After a fierce fight, they finally worked together to defeat the gang of bandits.
Otherwise, they will surely end up in a miserable situation.
The village chief listened carefully to the old man's description of the various situations in Xixia County. Seeing that the old man spoke clearly and logically, he felt more respect for the old man.
Look at the old man's clothes again. Although he doesn't look very conspicuous, just an ordinary plain robe, somehow, he exudes an aura that is difficult to ignore. It is definitely not something that ordinary people can possess.
The village chief bowed respectfully to the old man, his face full of gratitude. He bowed deeply and said sincerely, "Thank you very much. If you hadn't cleared up our confusion, we would still be confused. You really helped us a lot. Thank you so much!"
The old man waved his hand and said kindly, "You're welcome. I just got here a little earlier than you and just found out what happened. I happened to see you all looking so worried, so I figured since I know all this, I might as well tell you. That way, you won't be like headless flies, anxious and confused."
As he spoke, the old man slowly leaned against the quaint carriage, his back slightly leaning back, his posture very leisurely.
He stretched out his hand and gently stroked the sparse but neatly groomed beard on his chin, his eyes revealing a calmness that comes from having experienced the vicissitudes of life.
When the villagers heard that they could not enter the city, expressions of frustration and helplessness appeared on their faces.
The village chief's gaze subconsciously turned to the five girls who were rescued. He couldn't help but frowned slightly, feeling a little at a loss.
He originally thought that if he could enter the city smoothly, he could find a safe place in the city to accommodate these girls.
But now they can’t get into the city gate, and it’s the wilderness outside. What should these girls do?
Do I have to continue traveling with them?
The village chief stood among the crowd, looking at the closed gate of Xixia County, full of anxiety and helplessness.
He frowned and paced back and forth for a few times. Then, as if he suddenly remembered something, he searched the crowd and finally his eyes fell on Su Wencheng.
The village chief hurried over to Su Wencheng and asked with a hint of anticipation, "Wencheng, you love studying geography. Do you know where the nearest city to Xixia County is and how far away it is?"
Su Wencheng smiled wryly, apologetically, upon hearing the village chief's question. He then slowly shook his head and said, "Village chief, I'm truly sorry, I don't know. I bought the local gazetteer cheaply, so some pages are missing. It just so happens that it lacks information about Xixia County and its surroundings, so I can't tell you where the nearest city is or how far it is."
Having said that, Su Wencheng sighed softly, with a look of helplessness and regret in his eyes.
He looked down at the somewhat worn geography book in his hand. A complete geography book would cost dozens of taels of silver, which he could not afford at all.
So I was able to buy this cheap book at that time. Although it was a little damaged, I could use it as a makeshift.
After hearing what Su Wencheng said, the hint of expectation on the village chief's face disappeared instantly, replaced by deeper helplessness.
He shook his head slowly and sighed inwardly.
Suddenly, his eyes fell on the old man next to the carriage again.
The village chief had an idea and without caring about anything else, he hurriedly walked towards the direction where the old man was.
After a few steps, he arrived in front of the old man.
Just as he was about to step forward to ask, he was suddenly stopped by the servant beside him.
The servant had a serious expression and a look of vigilance in his eyes, as if he were some dangerous person.
Seeing this, the village chief was a little suspicious, but when he saw the servants around the old man acting like this and then looked at the old man's calm and composed appearance, he became more and more convinced that this old man was no ordinary person.
He hurriedly stopped, his face filled with respect. He then bowed deeply and said humbly, "Sir, I am the village chief of Sujia Village. We, the whole village, have fled here, hoping to restock our supplies in the city. However, the city gates are now closed, and it seems we can't get in."
As the village chief spoke, the worry on his face deepened. He raised his head slightly, looked at the old man with a hint of hope, and then asked, "Do you know where the nearest city is? How far is it from here? I hope you can give me some advice."
The old man narrowed his eyes slightly, a casual smile on his face. He raised his hand and pointed in a direction, saying, "The city closest to Xixia County is Ganquan Prefecture. It only takes five days to reach Ganquan Prefecture from here."
When the village chief heard this, his face, which was originally full of disappointment because he could not enter Xixia County, suddenly became happy.
It’s only a five-day schedule, not too far away.
The village chief bowed deeply to the old man with gratitude on his face, and said sincerely, "Sir, thank you so much for your guidance! I won't disturb you from resting here. I wish you a safe journey!"
After saying this, the village chief stood up straight, his eyes full of respect for the old man.
He took a deep breath, tried to look calmer, and then quickly returned to where the villagers gathered.
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