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Wei Yunlan didn’t make a fuss about the pain.
She had endured far worse pain in her previous life. Just the last cup of poison she had drunk, which tore through her insides, was a hundred times worse than this minor flesh wound!
But in the years she had spent as a ghost wandering around the Marquis of Jinyang’s Residence, she sometimes thought back and realized that even being able to feel pain was a good thing. At least, as long as she felt pain, she was still a living person.
“Miss, it will leave a scar…”
Tingxue’s brows were furrowed. Their delicate young mistress had never had a single mark on her body since childhood.
“It’s okay, it’ll be fine with ointment.” Wei Yunlan took the box containing the ointment from Tingxue’s hand. “I can do it myself. You two are tired from the day — go ahead and lie down and rest.”
The two maids couldn’t argue with their young mistress, so they put down the ointment and handkerchief and lay down on the kang.
Wei Yunlan dipped her fingertip in the ointment and applied it to the wound, not uttering a single sound throughout the process, not even pausing in her movements when she touched the wound.
Seventh Lady Yu watched silently, feeling a sense of admiration. After all, the noble ladies from wealthy families were different from those who had trained in martial arts since childhood. It was truly remarkable that Wei Yunlan could bear the pain without complaining or crying out.
“I’ll slow down tomorrow when we set off.”
“It’s fine, I can handle it.” Wei Yunlan shook her head. “We only have one more day left. Let’s hurry to Suijiang and join Father and Mother. There will be plenty of time to rest later.”
Seventh Lady Yu didn’t try to persuade her anymore.
If she were in Wei Yunlan’s position, she wouldn’t have the heart to rest either. Although, she didn’t have any family left.
Wei Yunlan finished applying the ointment, and the two maids on the kang were already fast asleep.
She pulled her clothes together and soon drifted off to sleep as well.
Meanwhile, a mule cart that had been parked by the roadside for nearly two hours, more than a hundred li away, was once again heading northwest.
This wasn’t an official road, but a mountain path. Following this path, they would cross the mountain range ahead, then travel fifty li northwest to enter the territory of Suizhou.
The mule cart had only traveled for a quarter of an hour when it suddenly slowed down.
Suihe, who was driving, turned back and reported to those inside the carriage, “Madam, there’s a group of refugees ahead.”
The road wasn’t wide, with rugged rocks on both sides, making it unsuitable for mule carts. There was no way to detour, and they would inevitably encounter the refugees head-on if they continued forward.
Madam Gao lifted the curtain and looked ahead. The group of refugees must have escaped from Suizhou, as there were about fifty or sixty people. There were only a dozen or so adult men, and most of them were women, children, and elderly people. Several women had children in their arms.
Madam Gao’s worried heart eased slightly, but she didn’t relax completely. “Go as fast as you can. Don’t stop when you pass them. If anyone tries to stop the cart, just act without asking me.”
“Yes, Madam!” Suihe agreed, tightening the reins.
The mule, which had been ambling lazily, suddenly began to run, its speed nearly doubled.
Inside the carriage, Cheng Yue’e held Little Jiarong in her arms and lifted the curtain beside her, looking out anxiously.
Before she could see clearly what was outside, Madam Gao quickly lowered the curtain she had just lifted. “Don’t peek.”
Those in the carriage were only women and children.
If they were exposed to the refugees, they would be like fat meat thrown into a pack of wolves — destined to be devoured!
“Don’t talk from now on,” Madam Gao whispered.
Cheng Yue’e hugged the swaddled baby tighter, and Jiayan, who was leaning against her knees, nodded vigorously.
The mule cart was less than a li away from the refugees.
It only took a moment for it to reach them.
The refugees were in rags. They must have fled in a hurry, as they carried few belongings. Several of them were injured, and the crude bandages on their wounds were stained with blood.
Seeing the mule cart in front of them, many of the refugees’ eyes lit up with hope.
When they realized that the only person driving was a slender woman, that glimmer in their eyes intensified tenfold.
“Miss!”
“Please, have mercy, give us something to eat!”
“We haven’t eaten in a day. Please, have mercy…”
The women and elderly people in the group kept pleading with the mule cart, and the children beside them cried out, their cries tugging at the heartstrings.
But Suihe, who was driving, remained expressionless, her face impassive as she gripped the reins, not sparing a single glance at the refugees beside her.
Seeing this, the refugees shouted even louder.
The dozen or so adult men in the group kept begging, “Miss, please give us something to eat,” while also moving closer to the mule cart from both sides.
Seeing that the mule cart showed no signs of stopping, they exchanged glances and simultaneously reached out towards Suihe.
The tall man in the lead had just grabbed Suihe’s arm when she countered, twisting his arm behind his back and flinging him through the air, landing him on the other side.
The refugees who hadn’t yet acted were stunned.
No wonder this mule cart dared to travel alone. The woman driving it had such incredible strength!
Seizing the opportunity while the refugees were distracted, Suihe pulled on the reins and charged forward with the mule cart.
The women who had been blocking the mule cart, trying to stop it with their bodies, feared being trampled and quickly dodged to the side, allowing the mule cart to pass.
Worried that the refugees might come after them, they continued forward for several miles before slowing down.
Cheng Yue’e let out a breath and patted her chest in relief. “That was scary.”
She clearly heard one of the men beside the cart say, “There’s only one cart, and there are so many of us. Let’s just take it.”
It was no exaggeration to say that if they had dared to stop even for a moment, they would have been robbed by the refugees.
They might have only lost their possessions if they were lucky, but if they were unlucky, they might not even have survived.
“Mother was right to be cautious.” If it had been up to her, she might not have been able to resist showing compassion for those women with children in their arms.
“Things are different now than they were in the Capital. We need to protect ourselves first, and then we can afford to be compassionate towards others.” Madam Gao, too, felt sympathy for the women and children who had been affected by the disaster, but she knew that showing compassion to others at this time would be cruel to herself.
Only by hardening her heart could she survive in this world.
“Today, we’re fortunate to have Suihe.”
Remembering that her daughter have sent Suihe to protect them, Madam Gao worriedly murmured, “I wonder how Lan’er and the others are doing now?”
“……”
Wei Yunlan slept soundly that night. As the rooster crowed, she opened her eyes and smelled a faint sweet aroma of rice in the room.
Ningshuang brought her a bowl of porridge. “I traded two sweet potatoes with Old Uncle Xue for this. It’s sweet potato porridge — very delicious. Miss, please try it.”
The porridge was sweet and smooth. The morning light streamed into the room, adding warmth to her body and stomach.
Just then, hurried shouts from the village broke the morning peace.
A villager could be heard shouting, “The officials are here!”