Upon hearing this, the bearded man stopped dwelling on the matter.
Instead, he laughed and said, "Then my senior brother and I will observe the changes in the world together!"
Jie Xuzi stroked his beard, "How good! How good!"
The next day, when Jiang Yu and the others woke up, the wind and snow had stopped, and the outside world was covered in a blanket of white snow, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Qi Nuan sat on her horse, while Jiang Yu led the horse and walked together with Big Beard and the others on the snow, their steps uneven.
Qi Nuan had many winter clothes in her space, which could keep her warm, but when the wind blew, Qi Nuan felt the cold and biting chill of the wind. She wondered how many refugees would lose their lives this winter.
Several people, burdened with worries, walked on through the wind and snow.
When poor, one should cultivate one's own virtue; when successful, one should benefit all under heaven.
Now, perhaps all they can do in this chaotic world is to protect themselves.
For more than ten days, they only rested briefly at night and spent the rest of the time traveling. Being far away from the crowds and with less conflict, coupled with the existence of space, their speed was still very fast.
Looking at the two large characters "Shangjun" on the city gate.
Qi Nuan sighed with relief; they had finally arrived.
The city gate was open, but no one was going in or out; there were two soldiers guarding each side.
There were some refugees outside the city, but not many. When they saw Qi Nuan and the others, they only glanced at them a few times before looking away.
Jiang Yu stepped forward to negotiate with the soldiers, and soon returned.
"Let's go into town."
Jiang Yu said something to the bearded man and the others, then took the horse by the hand and Qi Nuan by the hand, and walked into the city.
The city was not bustling; rather, it was rather quiet and deserted, with only a few pedestrians and vendors on the streets.
"I don't know if Jiang Ming and the others are in Shangjun. Should we go find them first?" Qi Nuan asked Jiang Yu.
Jiang Yu looked at Qi Nuan and said, "No rush, let's find a place to settle down first."
When Jiang Yu entered the city, he had already seen the marks left by Jiang Ming and his group on the city wall.
The group found an inn and settled in.
That evening, while having dinner in the lobby, Jiang Yu inquired about the situation in the city from the waiter.
The waiter smiled and said, "Sir, if you want to ask about things in this city, then you've come to the right person. I know about everything that's happening here, big and small."
“In recent months, more and more refugees have been coming from all over the country. To be honest, our harvest in Shangjun this year is not good, but we can barely make ends meet.”
"You see there are few refugees outside; that's because there are people in the city who are taking them in."
“Our lord has taken some in as well; being slaves is better than starving to death.”
Upon hearing the words "Prefect," Jiang Yu's eyes darkened slightly, and his voice became somewhat hoarse as he asked, "May I ask which lord is the Prefect of this prefecture?"
The waiter said, "It is indeed Song Jingning, Lord Song."
His tone was filled with undisguised pride, but it turned somber as he turned away.
"Now that the Prefect's health is deteriorating, let's hope that Heaven will have mercy."
Jiang Yu was startled. "What's wrong with the Prefect?"
The waiter looked at Jiang Yu and said, "Lord Jiang, your body was injured after fighting on the battlefield, and you're also busy with official duties and stressed every day..."
Seeing how much Jiang Yu cared about this Lord Song, Qi Nuan couldn't help but wonder if Jiang Yu knew him.
Shangjun has a rather unique geographical environment.
Shangjun is backed by the Rouran people. Like the Xianbei and Xiongnu, the Rouran are nomadic people who rely on herding for a living. When resources are scarce and supplies are insufficient, they will harass the Great Zhou from time to time to plunder supplies.
The governor of Shangjun was not only the governor of the prefecture, but also a general who defended against foreign enemies.
Being both literate and skilled in martial arts is essential, and Song Jingning was such a talent. He was capable of securing the country with martial prowess and governing the nation with literary talent, earning him the deep respect and love of the people of Shangjun.
Nighttime, the prefectural governor's mansion.
"Are you Fourth Sister's child?"
Jiang Yu bowed and said, "Is that right?"
The middle-aged man sitting at the desk looked at the jade pendant in his hand and then at Jiang Yu, his face showing a mixture of bewilderment and disbelief.
"Cough...cough cough..."
The middle-aged man coughed up a mouthful of blood. Upon seeing this, Jiang Yu said, "The dead are gone, but the living must go on! I hope you will take care of yourself."
"It's nothing, just an old wound."
The middle-aged man waved his hand, holding the jade pendant in his hand, and fell into deep thought.
The middle-aged man was none other than Song Jingning, the prefect of Shangjun. His face was pale, but his handsome appearance was still undeniable.
He closed his eyes, concealing the sorrow in his heart.
"What do you want from me now?"
Jiang Yu sighed inwardly, thinking, "As expected of the Prefect of Shangjun, he composed himself so quickly."
I just wonder how much she holds in his heart?
Jiang Yu said solemnly, "I only ask that in this chaotic world I can protect my loved ones and bring them peace and joy."
Upon hearing this, Song Jingning opened her eyes to look at him, a hint of pain flashing in her eyes, and sighed:
"In times of chaos, even in times of prosperity, things are difficult; how easy can it be in times of chaos?"
“I am all alone, without children, and I lack someone to take care of me in my final days. I wonder if you would be willing to be that person.”
"That is what you wish for, I dare not ask you."
Song Jingning smiled and said, "That's good. I will announce your identity to everyone in three days. Be prepared."
Jiang Yu nodded.
After Jiang Yu left, Song Jingning looked at the jade pendant in his hand, his eyes bloodshot, his lips slightly moving, and a tear dripped onto the jade pendant along with his pale face.
He rubbed the "Ning" character on the jade pendant, his heart filled with grief.
Fourth sister, it is because your eldest brother failed to protect you. Now that you have entrusted him to me, I will treat him as my own son.
"cough……"
Now, I realize I won't live much longer. On the road to the underworld, please wait for me, Fourth Sister, in the next life...
"My lord, it's late, you should get some rest!"
Song Jingning looked at the worried Uncle Wang beside him and smiled, "I am fine. I never thought I would receive news of my fourth sister before I die. I am very happy."
The old man standing nearby didn't say anything, but went forward to help him.
He and Uncle Wang walked along the long corridor, their figures very lonely, for there were no stars tonight.
“Uncle Wang, from now on, please treat him as my and Fourth Sister’s biological child, just like you would treat me.”
Wang Bo's eyes stung with tears. He said, "Sir, don't worry, this old servant will. You and Fourth Miss were both raised by this old servant, and I will take care of her child."
Jiang Yu returned to the inn, her feelings somewhat complicated.
"Ayu? What's wrong?"
Jiang Yu hugged Qi Nuan and said, "We went to see an old friend of my mother's..."
Qi Nuan knew that Jiang Yu had a difficult childhood with her mother, and she also knew that Jiang Yu was not in a good mood. Therefore, she did not interrupt and just listened to what Jiang Yu had to say.
"She was a beautiful woman, and a pitiful one. She thought of him constantly before she died. I never cared who I was..."
"I care!"
Jiang Yu patted her head and said, "What do you care about?"
"I care that you are Jiang Yu, as long as you are Jiang Yu, that's enough."
Jiang Yu smiled and continued, "He's a good person. I'll take care of him. Consider it the only thing I'll do for him."
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