No one in the Su Family spoke, yet the atmosphere was exceptionally heavy, with suspicion brewing in everyone’s hearts.
Would they even survive the journey to Shachang?
Su Qingyu was the first to stand up. “We can’t just sit here waiting to die. I’ll go look for food and water.”
Su Qinghuai also rose. “I’ll go with Second Brother.”
Even Su Yi stood up. “I’ll go with Second Uncle and Third Uncle.”
Su Qinghe spoke up as well. “None of you should go. I’ll go! As the eldest son and oldest brother, it’s my duty to care for our parents and look after my younger siblings.”
At this moment, Su Yanxi interjected, “Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, Yi’er—please sit down.
None of you can go. You’re the male members of the family. If the guards return and find you missing, they’ll suspect you’re trying to escape.
I have some knowledge of herbal medicine. I’ll go search for water and food, and I can also see if I can find some medicinal herbs along the way.
Father and this little girl can’t go without medicine in their condition.”
Su Yanxi’s gaze fell upon Su Anzhi and the little girl lying on the ground, both looking equally pale.
She needed to act alone to conveniently retrieve items from her Space in a plausible manner.
However, her suggestion was immediately met with strong opposition from the entire Su Family.
“Little Sister, your older brothers still have hands and feet capable of working. This family doesn’t need you to carry the burden yet!” Su Qinghe, usually gentle, now spoke with unusual sternness in his expression.
“Eldest Brother is right. Little Sister, you should stay here properly, keep Mother and Father company, and leave the rest to your brothers.” Su Qingyu patted his chest as he spoke.
Su Qinghuai also looked grim. “Little Sister, no matter how useless your brothers might be, we would never let you take risks to find food while we cower behind.”
Su Yanxi felt somewhat helpless.
Yet warmth blossomed in her heart.
In her previous life, before leading the Shen Family back to their hometown during their escape, she had made extensive preparations.
To ensure supplies for her family during the turbulent journey, she had hired merchant caravans and armed escorts to transport daily necessities.
But under those desperate circumstances, everyone had been driven mad by hunger. While the escorts could handle ordinary refugees well enough, they were no match for the horse bandits.
Within days of setting out, all the goods transported by the escorts were plundered by the bandits.
The family fell into dire straits.
The Shen Family all blamed her for the foolish idea of returning to their hometown, believing that if she hadn’t insisted on their return at that time, they could have lived comfortably in the capital with their grain stores, silver, properties, and shops.
They completely ignored how the capital had been overrun by multiple factions at the time, becoming a chaotic battleground.
Not just ordinary merchants and commoners, but even nobles and aristocrats couldn’t guarantee their safety from day to day.
The Shen Family believed all their suffering was her fault, so naturally, tasks like fetching water and finding food all fell on her shoulders.
No one worried about her safety.
They would only demand supplies from her as if it were their right, acting as though she owed them everything.
After a moment of silence, Su Yanxi said, “How about this—Mother will stay here to watch Father and the children.
I’ll go search with my three brothers. Many hands make light work. I don’t think the guards would want us to starve to death on the journey anyway.”
Her decisive words brooked no argument.
Still, the three Su brothers hesitated.
Su Yanxi stood up directly. “Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, stop overthinking it.
These legs belong to me. Unless you tie me up, I’ll go whether you allow it or not.”
During the past few days spent with Su Yanxi, the three brothers of the Su Family had come to realize that this younger sister had a mind of her own.
The three of them no longer argued against her.
Before Su Qinghe departed, he patted Su Yi’s little head, “Yi’er, Father, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, and Aunt are all going together to search for water and food.
Yi’er is the only young man left in our family now.
You must take good care of Grandfather, Grandmother, and your younger sisters, understand?”
Su Yi nodded solemnly like a little adult, “Don’t worry, Father. Yi’er understands.”
Xuan’er and Rui’er had also transformed considerably over these past few days.
From initially secretly wiping tears because they missed their mother, to now not only having stopped crying but also sensibly helping care for the little girl Su Yanxi had bought.
Now seeing that Father, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, and Aunt were going out to search for food and water, the two sisters came running over on their little feet, eagerly holding each person’s hand and urging them to be careful.
In their childish voices they said: “Father, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, if you can’t find food, come back quickly. Xuan’er and Rui’er aren’t hungry.
Don’t… don’t get eaten by others…”
As they spoke, both little girls’ eyes reddened.
Clearly, the scene of exchanging children to eat had left a profound shadow in their young hearts.
Finally, the sisters came before Su Yanxi.
The two little girls still looked somewhat timid when gazing at Su Yanxi.
After exchanging glances with each other, they finally mustered the courage to step forward, each taking one of Su Yanxi’s hands.
The two little girls lifted their faces, their large watery eyes looking at Su Xi, “Aunt, you must come back safely too.
Don’t… don’t get… eaten…”
Their voices grew choked toward the end of their plea.
Su Yanxi patted the little girls’ heads, “Xuan’er, Rui’er, don’t worry. Aunt will definitely return safely and won’t get eaten.”
Su Yi then obediently came to take his two younger sisters’ hands, not letting them further delay the adults from their tasks.
The four siblings set out together to search for water sources and food.
Seeing them leave, the Shen Family side also grew restless.
They had no food left either.
The black steamed buns issued by the government officers were as hard as stones – even when chewed thoroughly, swallowing them scraped their throats painfully.
They truly didn’t want to eat them anymore.
Yang Shi immediately glared at Li Wanzhi and Chen Lan, “What are you two standing there for?
Don’t you know to hurry and follow to look for food? Do you want to starve the men and your in-laws?”
Li Wanzhi timidly rose quickly, “Mother, I… I’ll go look right away.”
Though unwilling, Chen Lan also stood up.
As they were leaving, Yang Shi specifically instructed, “You two better be clever about this! Don’t come back empty-handed while others return with full bowls!”
The implication was clear – she wanted them to follow the Su Family and mooch.
Li Wanzhi’s face paled.
In these circumstances, food was already scarce. If others could find some, that was their capability.
But if they followed to snatch from others, that would be utterly disgraceful.
Yet she didn’t dare to refute Yang Shi.
Plus, Chen Lan had already started following the Su siblings’ footsteps, so she could only grit her teeth and follow.
The four Su siblings hadn’t gone far when they encountered four government officers carrying a wild boar, with the injured Du Qiang and Sun Hao supporting each other as they walked toward the graveyard.
Su Yanxi’s gaze swept over Du Qiang and Sun Hao.
Sun Hao was wounded on the arm, and it didn’t seem serious.
But Du Qiang…
He was injured in the abdomen. Although he had torn cloth from his clothing and tightly wrapped the wound, dark red blood had already soaked through the bandage.
Clearly, he was seriously injured.
A dark glint flashed in Su Yanxi’s eyes. It was good that Du Qiang was wounded.
His injuries meant her efforts in luring out that wild boar hadn’t been in vain.