Now, the members of the Han family looked at Lin Yueru with newfound respect.
Old Madame Han in particular, sitting on the handcart, looked Lin Yueru up and down several times.
Lin Yueru smiled and said, “Mother, could it be there’s a flower on my face?”
Old Madame Han burst out laughing. “Our Ru is a flower herself! Why would she need one on her face?”
Han Yanqing’s eyes sparkled as well. “Wife is amazing! Wife chased Second Sister-in-law away!”
Lin Yueru gave a gentle smile. Seeing that everyone was covertly glancing at her, she simply explained with open frankness.
“Mother, I didn’t mean to thrust myself forward. But back when the two families were arguing, quite a few passersby were watching like hungry wolves. I was worried that if we kept causing a scene, others would take advantage of us.”
Old Madame Han gave a thumbs-up. “Thorough! Our Ru is thinking more and more brilliantly these days! Even this old woman feels inferior to you!”
Even though it was all plain fact, hearing it from Lin Yueru’s mouth had a far better effect than hearing it from anyone else!
Lin Yueru smiled. “I learned it all from Mother.”
Hearing this, Old Madame Han felt even warmer inside.
Their Han family had truly picked up a priceless treasure!
Leading their horse, the Han family walked much faster than the others.
Only after covering twenty to thirty li in one stretch did Old Madame Han order everyone to take a rest.
The water in the rivers and creeks was growing scarcer, so the first thing everyone did upon stopping was to refill their waterskins.
After Han Laoda brought back water, he passed the waterskin around as usual, letting everyone take a few sips.
Lin Yueru was the first to take it. Seizing a moment when no one was looking, she swapped in water from the Space. After taking a small sip, she handed it to the next person.
Along the road, she had secretly moistened her throat from time to time, so she was never truly thirsty.
When Old Madame Han took it and had a taste, she smacked her lips. “Laoda, where did you draw this water? Why does it taste so sweet?”
Han Laoda was taken aback. “Just from the river over there. There wasn’t much water left in the river, and when I tasted it just now, there was no flavor at all…”
Lin Yueru stifled a chuckle, not the least bit afraid that anyone would suspect her.
Who could have guessed that Zhao Shuangtao would speak up carelessly, “Maybe it’s because Younger Sister-in-law drank from it! Yueru is blessed with good fortune now—anything touched by her is bound to turn out better!”
The smile on Lin Yueru’s face froze. “…”
Even that works?
Beaming, Old Madame Han actually bought into it. “Maybe that’s really it!”
Lin Yueru shrank her neck in silence, not daring to say a word.
For lunch, they used the water from the Space to cook. Even the wild vegetable porridge, which had always been bland, tasted faintly sweet to everyone!
What was more peculiar was that while half a bowl of food usually only served to pad their stomachs, this time they were actually full!
None of them had experienced this feeling of satiety in a very long time. After eating and drinking their fill, they sat on the ground, one by one rubbing their bellies.
Seeing more and more people catching up from behind, Old Madame Han furrowed her brows and began hollering, “Move out, move out!”
Practiced and swift, everyone packed up their belongings and set off. The pot was hauled away before the people behind could even catch a whiff of the food!
Yet while the people were full, the horse was still starving!
Without Lin Yueru retrieving grass from the Space, Han Yanqing paced anxiously in circles with his hands behind his back, unable to find much edible fodder.
Han Yanqing was so worried that he was in no mood to joke with her. Still, Lin Yueru did not soften her heart; she had done this deliberately.
Right now, everyone still had rations, so they would not make a move on them.
But later on, when people were starved out of their minds, that might not be the case!
When that time came, parading around with a horse would make them the very first target!
She just had not expected that day to arrive so quickly!
Just as dusk was falling, Old Madame Han began arranging to find a place to rest for the night.
They never traveled by night. First, there was no rush; second, traveling in the dark made it far too easy for accidents to happen!
Han Laoda and the others finally managed to find a sheltered spot. Just as the family led the horse toward it, seven or eight men suddenly closed in from all sides!
Every one of these men carried a wood-chopping knife or a wooden club. They encircled the family, watching them like hungry wolves. Clearly, they had come prepared!
Old Madame Han’s heart tightened. She swiftly pulled Sanbao and Lin Yueru behind her while shouting orders.
“Grab your weapons and put the children in the center! We can take a loss, but the children cannot be harmed!”
Han Yanqing also drew his short sword from his chest, shielding Lin Yueru firmly behind him.
The three brothers stood in a triangle, enclosing the women and children in the middle.
Sweat slicked An Jun and An Xing’s palms, yet they were still scheming to take up weapons and help out.
After all, with three against eight, the outcome seemed far too obvious!
Lin Yueru remained calm and collected. While keeping a watchful eye on Sanbao and Old Madame Han, she rapidly searched the Space for anything she could use.
When she rummaged through the bamboo tower, she wished she could smack herself hard on the forehead!
When they fought the mountain bandits last time, how had she forgotten her poison needles!
Fortunately, it was not too late to remember now! She readied the poison needles from the Space, only waiting for the fight to break out before driving them straight into the vital points of those men!
Old Madame Han still wanted to negotiate with them. “Brothers, our family is just fleeing famine. Robbing us won’t do you much good, and blood will have to be shed on both sides. Why don’t we talk this through…”
“Who’d believe you don’t have anything on you!”
The refugee opposite sneered, clearly not believing a word.
“It’d be a ghost of a wonder if you had nothing on you! We’re all fleeing famine—how come your family has a horse? If you can get your hands on such a fine horse, how could you be short on money and grain in your carts?!”
The refugees had no intention of negotiating with the Han family.
As long as they beat them half to death or killed them outright, the Han family’s horse, money, and grain would all belong to them!
Seeing their attitude, Old Madame Han’s heart sank halfway into ice!
This time, they were truly done for!
“Brothers, get them!”
With an order from the man in the center, the refugees raised their respective weapons and charged forward with loud shouts. The Han brothers also raised their blades, fully braced for the clash!
Those leading the charge rushed forward most fiercely. Seeing they were only two paces away from the Han family, their eyes rolled back into their heads without any warning!
Suddenly, they collapsed to the ground in unison, as if someone had hit an acupoint on each of them!
This sudden fall not only terrified those behind them, but even Han Laoda and Han Er’er were left dumbfounded.
Heaven as their witness, they hadn’t done a single thing!
One of the braver men in the back plucked up his courage, stepped forward to shake the men on the ground, and checked their breathing.
Then, with a terrified howl, he took off running. “They’re dead! They’re dead! No breath left! It’s a ghost—”
With his flight, the remaining men fell into utter chaos, scattering in all directions!
Facing the bodies strewn across the ground, the Han family did not know whether to grieve or rejoice.
This… this was truly bizarre!
Seeing that everyone was still in a daze, Lin Yueru softly reminded them.
“Mother, we’d better leave this place as soon as possible. If those men gather again and come back to trouble us, it won’t be easy to handle…”
Old Madame Han snapped back to her senses, swallowed hard, and hurriedly barked out orders.
“Go, go! Keep moving forward quickly, we won’t rest here!”