Chapter 24: My Husband is Dead

Tian Mi spent two hours carefully mapping out the county office. She didn’t just find the carpenter’s workshop and take all the tools; she also found the agricultural tools room, which had various farming implements, including a plow. This was incredibly valuable to her. Then, she found the grain warehouse, which stored all the daily supplies for the county. Since the county had many soldiers to feed, the granary was full. Tian Mi chuckled to herself and thought, No need to be polite.

The storage room was filled with all the necessities—though everything was of ordinary quality, it was exactly what she needed. There was also a weapons storage room, but it was clearly not a large warehouse. The county had limited resources, and the more expensive items had obviously been taken by Bai Dongyuan. However, there was still quite a lot for her to take, and it made her feel excited, especially when she discovered a large axe in the weapons room. Tian Mi tested its weight—it was still light, but it was already more than enough for her.

She took everything without hesitation. This is more than enough! Satisfied, she left the county office and made her way toward the city gates. It was already midnight, and the gates were open, not for the common people, but for soldiers traveling to and from the city to repair the city walls.

Tian Mi, seeing that the soldiers guarding the gates were dozing off, quickly slipped through the gates using her space ability, vanishing in a flash. She couldn’t afford to stay in the city the next day; it was too dangerous.

The tension in Qinghe County was palpable. Once they discovered the county office had been robbed, they would likely beat anyone, even a dog or a cat, who was caught. It would be even worse for her, a full-grown woman.

She moved quickly, and the next day, when she passed by a familiar location where she had met Zuo Zhengfeng, she slipped into her space and took a rest. She slept soundly until daybreak, only to be woken by the noise outside. She saw many officers and soldiers riding horses, and some soldiers were running along the roads, searching for traces of cart wheels.

“My lord, there’s nothing. We haven’t found anything along this road,” one of the soldiers reported.

The officer, his brows furrowed, was clearly upset. He looked like he could crush a fly with his glare and instructed, “Don’t leave any small roads or mountain paths unchecked. Go and ask the gatekeepers if they’ve reported their results yet.”

The group then moved on to investigate other routes.

“Hehehe! Looks like the county office is in chaos!” Tian Mi chuckled to herself.

She left her space and emerged from a patch of withered grass, then made her way down the main road towards the city. Zuo Zhengfeng’s head popped out from the grass, and he greeted her, “Miss, you’ve finally come!”

Tian Mi ran over and said, “Yes! It wasn’t easy to get some rest.” She then took the envelope from Manager Feng from her satchel and handed it to him.

Zuo Zhengfeng took the envelope, his thoughts racing. The county was in an uproar as the soldiers were busy arresting people. How was this plump young lady going to handle this?

He asked, “The city gates have been closed since early morning. Have you heard any news?”

Tian Mi yawned deliberately and replied, “Money!”

Without missing a beat, Zuo Zhengfeng handed her five taels of silver. Tian Mi took the money and prepared to leave.

(Note: In this part of the chapter, Tian Mi successfully loots the county office, gathering valuable tools and resources. There’s a strong sense of danger as the authorities scramble to investigate the robbery. Zuo Zhengfeng’s interactions with Tian Mi show a blend of concern and curiosity about her actions, all while Tian Mi remains cool and focused on her goals.)

Zuo Zhengfeng grabbed her and said, “Miss, you still haven’t told me yet?”

Tian Mi smiled and asked, “Do you want to know?”

Zuo Zhengfeng nodded eagerly.

“Hehehe,” Tian Mi chuckled and said, “If you want to know, it’ll cost you more!”

Zuo Zhengfeng, helpless, handed her another five taels of silver.

“Alright, tell me,” he said.

Tian Mi happily pocketed the silver and said, “Yesterday, there was chaos at the East City barracks, many were injured or killed. Last night, the county office was robbed too.”

Zuo Zhengfeng, hearing this, asked, “So how did you get out?”

Tian Mi replied, “I left the county office before it was robbed. I was tired and slept in a patch of grass until now. Earning this small amount of silver from you wasn’t easy either.”

With that, Tian Mi waved her hand and said, “Let’s go. I’m heading home.”

Zuo Zhengfeng didn’t stop her and quickly left as well.

As they neared the valley, Tian Mi pulled out a few large bags from her space, filled them with the things she needed, and tied them up. She then used a long stick to carry them away.

Children who were busy picking up stones in the area saw Tian Mi and cheered happily, “The mighty lady is here! The mighty lady is here!”

Tian Mi was stunned. When did I get this nickname?

The ground at the valley entrance was all cleared, and markings had been drawn for the wall repair project.

(Note: In this scene, Tian Mi continues to collect resources and deals with Zuo Zhengfeng’s curiosity in a lighthearted manner. Her new “nickname” adds a bit of humor, and the preparations for the wall repair further emphasize her growing involvement in the local community.)

Tian Mi’s grandmother hurried out, saying, “Oh dear! If you don’t come back soon, your father will be sent out to find you.”

Tian Mi smiled and said, “The road was long, I got delayed!”

Soon, Tian Dabiao, along with Uncle Liu, Uncle Cui, and Xu Ershu, came out to meet her. They quickly took the items from her.

Uncle Liu asked, “Mi’er, did you run into any danger on the way? What’s the situation like in the county town now?”

Tian Mi chuckled and replied, “There’s hardly anyone left, everyone is busy repairing the city walls. It’s not very safe right now.”

They unpacked the tools, and Tian Mi’s favorite large axe was among them. Looking at all the items, Xu Ershu asked, “Mi’er, could all this have been bought with that little bit of silver?”

Tian Mi replied, “The soldiers in the county secretly sold these things. The prices weren’t high. My mother used to give me silver to buy things too. I need that big axe for myself.”

Her grandmother, exasperated, scolded, “Oh, you silly girl! You should save your money for yourself. You never know when you might need it.”

With the tools collected, there were also two plows. Now that the house at the valley entrance was repaired, it would be easier to clear the land.

The other women from Fengqi Village were still out gathering, and Tian Dabiao led the livestock out to help with carrying things. This would speed up their work considerably.

Tian Dabiao distributed the tools to everyone, which lifted their spirits. The fact that they were able to get iron tools at this time was impressive!

There was also a bag of salt and fabric that Tian Mi gave to Xu Ershu to deliver to Fengqi Village.

Tian Mi said, “Don’t worry, I told the soldier to send me any extra grain or fabric. I’ll be able to get it.”

Her grandmother shot her a skeptical look, “Where are you getting the money for this?”

Tian Mi smiled, “Grandmother, I’ve been making medicine. People in the city need it, and I can trade it with them for high prices.”

Her grandmother didn’t believe it. She knew her granddaughter had strength, but making medicine seemed like an exaggeration. However, after seeing her skill in stitching up Huai’an’s wound, she was starting to doubt herself.

Could it be that this girl had more talent than she thought? Maybe she was indeed capable of more than just physical work.

Later, her grandmother pulled her inside for lunch, serving a bowl of meat porridge and steamed buns.

They were eating a lot of meat lately, as it gave them strength for their work.

Her grandmother looked at Tian Mi, her expression puzzled. “Mi’er, you’ve lost so much weight, but your belly hasn’t shrunk!”

Tian Mi realized her grandmother was referring to her pregnancy, but it was hard to hide. She sighed and said, “Grandmother, on the way when we were fleeing, my father arranged for me to marry someone, but he ran off. I’m pregnant.”

Her grandmother’s eyes went wide, and she rushed to support her. “Which scoundrel took advantage of my daughter and then ran away? When I see him, I’ll break his legs! You’ve been through so much, my dear!”

Tian Mi felt a little guilty. It was her who had taken advantage and then run away, but there was no choice. She had to protect herself.

Tian Mi smiled and said, “Grandmother, it’s fine. I’ll just consider him dead. I can take care of myself and the baby.”

Her grandmother, deciding the matter was settled, said, “Well, let’s just say your husband died while fleeing. It’s not uncommon for people to die during such journeys. It’s not a big deal.”

Tian Mi secretly chuckled to herself.

Meanwhile, Bai Muchengg had been sneezing repeatedly. His army was on the move, and the two generals under the King of Qi, who had been easily defeated by him, had been replaced with soldiers who had not fought in years. Bai Muchengg considered the strategy behind the defense of Shengrong City and its surrounding counties. Despite the easy victory over the generals, the city and the surrounding area were still hard to capture due to their strong defenses.

He was planning carefully when he suddenly sneezed again. It must be someone plotting against me.

A cold light flashed in his eyes as he thought to himself, It must be the King of Qi and his son plotting something.

He studied the terrain map, focusing on possible locations where a trap might be set. After a moment of contemplation, a smile crept onto his face as he thought, If you dare come here and play your tricks, I’ll help you!