"Oh, then the Wen family can only blame their bad luck," the King Yu's mouth split into a grin that reached his ears.
He pondered it over and over. If this matter wasn't the work of ghosts and spirits, the most likely culprit was Lu Ye. Only Lu Ye possessed such elusive martial arts and could pull off such an impeccable feat.
Thinking this way, Lu Ye wasn't as detestable as he seemed.
At this moment, Lu Ye, who had just exited the territory of Tashajun Commandery, sneezed several times.
He felt it must be the King Yu, that drama queen, bad-mouthing him behind his back. Otherwise, given his exceptionally strong physique, he simply couldn't catch a cold.
Tashajun Commandery was already one of the poorer commanderies in the border province. He hadn't expected the other commanderies in the border province to be even poorer. Endless yellow sand, dry and desolate, countless villages were dilapidated and abandoned, almost devoid of human habitation.
Most of the people they encountered along the way were gaunt refugees. It looked like they would starve to death or die of thirst before long.
Many people already had livid spots and black tumors on their bodies. Bai Sheng realized these were symptoms of long-term consumption of human flesh, and if it continued like this, it was only a matter of time before plagues and viruses would break out.
Seeing such sights from inside the carriage, everyone felt a deep sense of gloom.
The four little ones also smiled much less. Especially the fourth one, Jin Yi, whose tender little face showed a hint of melancholy.
Bai Sheng guessed that her fourth child likely possessed an extraordinary sense of perception, capable of keenly sensing the emotions and auras of those around him.
"My little darling," Bai Sheng picked him up and kissed his little face repeatedly. Only then did he let out a "ga" and laugh.
Seeing Bai Sheng kiss the fourth child, the other three little ones immediately extended their rosy, lotus-like arms towards her, "aah-aah"-ing. Bai Sheng had no choice but to pick each of them up, call them her little darlings, and kiss them repeatedly.
As they reached the border between the border province and Changzhou Province, the refugees gradually became more numerous. Although Changzhou Province was also a desert, the situation was slightly better than in the border province.
Upon arriving at the first market town in Changzhou Province, everyone stopped the carriage to rest and to purchase supplies.
Lu Ye and Bai Sheng led the horses and the carriage into the town to "buy" water, while Yang Ming and Wei Han were responsible for guarding the remaining carriages.
The others got out of the carriages to stretch their legs.
Bai Sheng and Lu Ye's carriage carried a large ceramic vat. Every time they reached a market town or city, they were the ones responsible for going out to "buy water."
Lu Tong wanted to help drive the carriage, but Lu Ye refused.
Lu Tong was very sensible and didn't insist on following. The masters needed their private time, for kissing or hugging little ones, you know, he understood. He wasn't like Lu Tie, that blockhead.
After returning from "buying" water, the group planned to continue their journey. Lingering in poor market towns was even more dangerous. The passing refugees looked at them like starving wolves looking at prey.
Lu Yun and the five children stood by the carriage stretching their arms and legs. At this moment, two barefoot children in ragged clothes walked over.
The elder was a girl, about five or six years old, so thin that her bones seemed to pierce through her dry, papery skin. She held a child of about two or three years old, whose gender was indistinguishable. However, it felt as if a gentle poke could break through the child.
The girl knelt before Lu Yun and the five children, her voice weak as she pleaded, "Kind older siblings, please... give... my sister and me some food. We... haven't eaten for days."
Tian Ya looked at their pitiable state and his eyes immediately welled up, for he had once been like them, so hungry that his vision blurred and he couldn't even stand.
He felt his small backpack, which contained the dry rations their adoptive mother had distributed to them: two sweet steamed buns.
Lu Yu and Tie Zhu were also patting their backpacks. Tian Dou had a look of struggle on his face.
"Wait!" Lu Yun reached out to stop them. "Sister-in-law instructed that we shouldn't be overly kind on the road, lest we invite trouble."
Lu Yu looked around and whispered, "But they are so pitiful, and there's no one else here. Second Brother, how about I give them my steamed buns?"
The little girl couldn't help but lick her dry, cracked lips upon hearing the word "steamed buns."
Tian Ya also whispered, "Let's give it to them secretly."
Lu Yun's heart was struggling intensely. He glanced around, gritted his teeth, and said to the little girl, "Take the steamed buns and leave quickly. Don't say we gave them to you!"
The little girl nodded.
Lu Yu and Tian Ya were the quickest to give their steamed buns.
The little girl devoured a large bite of the steamed bun and then, dragging her sister with all her might, ran back as fast as she could.
"They actually kept their promise," Lu Yun nodded.
However, shortly after, a crowd of people who looked like refugees suddenly rushed out from the direction the little girl had disappeared, swarming towards them.
"This is bad!"
Lu Yun and the five children were instantly shocked and immediately jumped onto the carriage.
The crowd lunged forward, shaking their carriage, and even grabbed the horses' tails.
"Good children! Be kind, give us some food!"
"Good deeds are rewarded! My whole family hasn't eaten for days!"
"Children, give me one steamed bun, just one, one is enough!"
"Children, save my life!"
...
Lu Yun angrily said to Lu Yu and Tian Ya, "I told you not to give it, but you insisted!"
Lu Yu and Tian Ya looked panicked and guilty.
Seeing this, others in the market town also ran over from all directions, a dark mass surrounding the four carriages, reaching out for food.
The two carrier pigeons hanging in front of Bai Sheng's carriage were almost pulled away, cage and all, but thankfully, Lu Tong, with his quick reflexes, held the pigeon cage in his arms.
Lu Ye and Bai Sheng had just gotten into the carriage and hadn't figured out what was happening before they were surrounded by the crowd.
The wet nurse and the maids in the carriage screamed in fright. Lu Huo wielded a stick, hitting the hands desperately trying to pull the carriage.
Wei Han drew his saber, glaring menacingly at the crowd, but they weren't afraid of him. They called him "kind young master" and continued to reach out to him for food.
Yang Ming and Lu Yun shouted, "Everyone, get away! We have no food! If you don't leave, we won't be polite anymore!"
Their voices were drowned out by the multitude of shouts.
The crowd showed no intention of retreating, and the carriages were almost being pulled apart.
Lu Yu and Tian Ya felt immense self-reproach. They shouldn't have trusted that deceitful girl!
What could they do? These were all unarmed famished refugees, and they were only asking for food. They couldn't possibly kill them all.
"My dear," Lu Ye said, "do you still have the knockout drugs? Sprinkle some."
Bai Sheng thought for a moment. "No, if we use the knockout drugs, these people won't wake up for a while, and they might be dragged away and eaten by others." She had seen people who had eaten many corpses along the way.
"I'll go down and drive them away!" Lu Ye said, about to move, but Bai Sheng held him back.
"You can't go down. Many of these people have festering sores, and they might be carrying infectious diseases. I'll let Lightning come out."
With a thought from Bai Sheng, Lightning appeared on the carriage, almost pushing Lu Ye off.
"Lightning, don't hurt anyone, just scare them away," Bai Sheng instructed Lightning.