Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Chapter 158. Is This Country Still Stable?
Chapter 158: Chapter 158. Is This Country Still Stable?
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Wan Yulin’s face turned gloomy after hearing that. ‘Little brat, you’re still wet behind the ears, and you’ve already learned how to buy people’s hearts?’
“General, the An family is constantly taking action. Now, they’re even bribing the People’s hearts to make those people support them for unknown reasons. It’s obvious that they’re ambitious.”
Lu Yue reminded Wan Yulin worriedly. Although the people were just ants, the thousand-mile river was destroyed by an ant’s nest. If the An family’s prestige among the people surpassed the Wan family Army, the Emperor would have an excuse to promote the An family and suppress the Wan family.”
“It seems that the Emperor is too free. Doesn’t the An family want to make a name for themselves? Let’s see how he calms the lake water in great Xia.”
Wan Yulin sneered contemptuously, disdaining the An family.
He wanted to see if this country would remain stable without the Wan family Army’s protection.
Ji Shuisheng didn’t know about the conflicts in court, but he could imagine them.
…..
The Wan family was used to tricking the Emperor and commanding the vassals. The Emperor would not allow others to sleep soundly before he lay on his bed. If the An family wanted to replace him, there would be a struggle. The more intense the fight, the better. Only when the lake was muddy would he have a chance to take revenge.
After An Guangxing left, Ji Shuisheng packed his men up and continued their journey. They had only covered a quarter of the distance and were still thousands of mountains and rivers away from the Jingshi Dao.
Qiu Yongkang had only sold stewed beef to An Guangxing. He didn’t sell any sauced beef and could bring it along for the journey. He had steamed three pots of dry food and distributed them to each person. He had prepared enough water and didn’t rest to cook during the journey.
Before they left, Aunt Qiu kept looking at the official road, hoping that her daughter would change her mind and quickly return to the team.
A woman couldn’t survive in the chaos of war. She was highly anxious, but she had no way to find Qiu Yue.
Su Qing sat in the carriage, eating sauced beef and steamed buns. Xiaoying felt for the old bull and could not bear to eat his meat, so she ate the steamed buns.
Old master Chu’s mantou was all made of refined white flour and fragrant even when eaten dry.
Su Qing did not force Xiaoying to eat meat. After she was full, she began to check the cow tendons. The tendons of a cow could be used to make eight crossbows. There were only seven or eight girls in Peach Blossom Cove, just enough.
“Sister, what are you doing?”
After Xiaoying finished her mantou, she went to check on her godmother. She was only relieved when she saw that her godmother’s breathing had stabilized. She sat down and asked Su Qing when she saw her sitting on the cow tendon.
“Make crossbows. In the future, all of you must learn how to use crossbows. I won’t always be by your side, so you must learn to protect yourself.”
Su Qing looked at Xiaoying with a severe expression. This journey had been filled with danger. It was better to rely on one’s ability to protect oneself than on others.
She decided to train all the girls. Crossbows were the best self-defense weapon, which could kill the enemy at close range.
With Xiaoying’s background, she was destined not to be an ordinary person. Not only did she have to teach her how to use a crossbow, but she also had to let her learn the ability to kill with one strike.
“Alright, I’ll learn.”
Ji Xiaoying nodded her head vigorously. She wanted to be as capable as her sister.
Su Qing, the crossbow, Xiaoying, was helping by the side, handing over whatever was needed.
When Madam Li woke up from her coma, Su Qing had finished making two crossbows and was preparing to make the third one.
“Godmother, you’re awake.”
Ji Xiaoying saw that her godmother had woken up and happily helped her. Madam Li did not expect to be able to survive, and her eyes were still in a daze. She only knew that she was not dead after seeing Ji Xiaoying.
“She’s awake. She’s still alive.”
Madam Li smiled with tears in her eyes. It was great that she could live to see her son get married.
“Second brother, godmother is awake.”
Ji Xiaoying shouted happily towards the outside of the carriage. Zhong Yong was sitting on the shaft in front. He was too tall, and his legs were too long, so his legs dragged on the ground when he sat on the shaft. However, he wanted to protect his mother and would not sit in the carriage at the back, no matter what.
Hearing that his mother had woken up, Zhong Yong cried at the top of his lungs as he crawled into the carriage. He knelt on the ground and leaned against the carriage’s roof, tears streaming down his face.
“Mother, I thought I would never see you again.”
“Yong’er, mother still wants to see you get married. Your father has arranged a good marriage for you. Mother wants to see your wife enter the family.
Madam Li held her son’s face in her hands with tears streaming down her face. This was the first time she had mentioned Zhong Yong’s marriage. Su Qing raised his head and glanced at Madam Li.
“Mother, I’m not looking for a wife. I need to be filial to you.”
Zhong Yong shook his head and said in a silly voice.
“Silly child, how can you not find a wife? You still have to carry on the family line!”
Madam Li laughed and cried as she looked kindly at Zhong Yong. Her silly son, if he didn’t have a fever while running away, Yong’er would be as wise as brother Feng.
“Godmother, you’re arranging an engagement for second brother?” Ji Xiaoying asked consort Li curiously.
“Yes, it’s a pre-pregnancy marriage.”
Consort Li smiled and nodded. She raised her sleeve and wiped her tears.
“Then do you know where that girl is?”
Ji Xiaoying wanted to see what her future second sister-in-law looked like. Gentle? Don’t be as stubborn as sister Qiu Yue.
“I… I… I’m not sure.”
Madam Li looked at Ji Xiaoying and said hesitantly, her gaze complicated.
“You’re not sure? Do you not know where she is?”
Ji Xiaoying felt that her godmother’s words were very strange.
“You’re not sure?”
Madam Li looked at Ji Xiaoying kindly, her smile as warm as the sun in winter, shining into one’s heart.
“That means you’ve found her? Where is she? I want to see my future second sister-in-law.”
Ji Xiaoying’s eyes lit up as she asked Madam Li excitedly.
“Let’s wait for a while. The time isn’t right.”
Madam Li shook her head, refusing to satisfy Ji Xiaoying’s curiosity.
Four days later, the team arrived at Fu County. The city’s name was not bad, and Fu County sounded very rich, but they found it in ruins when they arrived. There were still wisps of smoke, the flags on the city walls had been cut off, and there were still corpses at the city gate that had not been collected in time.
The bodies looked like they had been hacked to death by knives and axes. Soldiers were guarding the city, ordinary people, and refugees.
“What’s going on?”
They were alarmed when Ji Shuisheng and Qiu Yongkang saw the situation in Fu County. They originally wanted to buy food in Fu County but did not dare to enter the city in this situation.
“I’ll go and ask.”
Qiu Yongkang wanted to go over and ask but was stopped by Ji Shuisheng.”Don’t go. You’ll be treated as a spy again.”
Qiu Yongkang stopped in his tracks. Fu County gate was shut tight, and the guards stood on the city gate tower, looking down vigilantly.
Especially their team, which was being watched by the soldiers guarding the city.
“Let’s go,” he said.
Ji Shuisheng pulled Qiu Yongkang back into the team. Old master Qiu asked hurriedly, “What’s going on?”
“We don’t know yet. Let’s leave this place quickly.”
Qiu Yongkang shook his head, and old master Qiu said worriedly,
“There’s no more food. Getting from Fu County to the next city will take a few days. What are we going to eat for the next few days? ”
Ji Shuisheng consoled old master Qiu,
“We had nothing when we first came out to escape. If we could survive then, we can survive now.”
“Let’s continue our journey.”
Ji Shuisheng shouted to everyone and was prepared to leave. Before he could go, he saw a team rushing in their direction..