Though they had lost a strong horse, over a hundred catties of grain had been added to the cart.
Pulling the handcart was far more exhausting for Han Laoda now, yet he worked with even greater vigor!
No one could take turns resting on the cart anymore, and their traveling speed slowed noticeably.
The further they went, the harder it became to find water.
Fortunately, they had Lin Yueru. Whenever she noticed the water running low, she would secretly add some into the canteens, so the family never went thirsty.
Instead, everyone found it quite miraculous.
Before, half a day of walking would leave them aching all over, yet now, how could they walk an entire day without feeling fatigued?
The spiritual water’s effect in relieving exhaustion was plainly evident; the only pity was that she had not yet noticed any changes in Han Yanqing.
After walking like this for another two days, they gradually caught up with another group of people fleeing famine.
Zhao Shuangtao inquired around and found that this group was also heading to Danyang!
The Han family was overjoyed; traveling behind this group would provide an extra layer of safety.
“Yanqing, come drink some water.”
Ever since the horse was gone, Han Yanqing had been in low spirits the past two days, lacking enthusiasm for anything.
From time to time, Lin Yueru had to perform little tricks to coax and amuse him, as if dealing with a child.
“Wife, I don’t want to drink.”
“Then look, what’s this?”
Lin Yueru pushed up the tip of her nose with her finger, making a pig face.
Han Yanqing chuckled. “A pig! My wife is a little piglet!”
Lin Yueru smiled. “Come, drink your water.”
He stopped resisting, took the canteen, and gulped it down with large swallows.
Just as Lin Yueru reached out to take the canteen back, he suddenly froze.
“Wife, there are horses behind us again! Could it be our horse?!” Han Yanqing’s eyes lit up.
Lin Yueru didn’t have the heart to tell him that their horse had long vanished into the distance with its new owners. “Maybe. We’ll see in a moment.”
Seeing his excited expression, she added, “Even if it isn’t, you’re not allowed to be upset.”
“Yanqing knows!”
Han Yanqing craned his neck and gazed into the distance for a good while before a party of riders finally drew near.
With just a single glance, his expression changed.
“Wife! It’s not our horse! It’s them… it’s bandits!”
The Han family’s faces all drained of color in an instant!
Old Madame Han gripped the handcart tightly. “Han Si, did you see clearly?!”
In fact, she didn’t need Han Yanqing to answer; she could already vaguely make out the figures approaching!
The clothes they wore, the gear they carried, and the weapons in their hands—weren’t they identical to those bandits from that day?!
Liu Qiumei and Zhao Shuangtao both panicked, hurriedly pulling their children close, but there was nowhere to hide!
“Don’t panic!”
Seeing the Han family’s little group fall into disorder, Old Madame Han snapped in a low, stern voice.
“The bandits haven’t even reached us yet, so what are you panicking for? Besides, they might not even be after us. What is there to fear?”
Han Er’er chimed in with a whisper, “Mother is right! And if they really came to settle scores with us, we’ll kill one if one comes, and slaughter a pair if two show up!”
Old Madame Han glared at him. “Behave yourself! Don’t let one stroke of luck make you arrogant and reckless!”
Han Er’er touched his head in shame, not daring to speak another word.
Ever since killing that mountain bandit, he had indeed become much more impetuous.
Guided intentionally by Lin Yueru, the Han family gradually drifted toward the edge of the crowd, keeping their heads low and trying their best to remain inconspicuous.
Astride their horses, the band of mountain bandits rode aggressively before the crowd of refugees, flaunting their might.
Lin Yueru noticed that the people around them were also glaring at the bandits with gnashed teeth, guessing that these people had likely been plundered by bandits before as well.
Upon reaching the crowd, the bandits reined in their horses.
They did not dismount, merely circling around the refugees from front to back on horseback.
They seemed to be searching for someone, but their manner was also utterly humiliating!
An old man could no longer hold his temper and reprimanded them first: “You already took everything there was to take last time! What are you back for?!”
The leader was a man with a scarred face. He sneered mockingly, “Old bastard, does this grandfather of yours need to report to you about what I do? You’ve lived all these years and still don’t know a damn thing!”
“You—you! Shameless scoundrel!”
The old man flushed with rage, pointing a trembling finger at him, unable to speak another word.
The young man beside the old man looked grim as well. Fearing the elder might come to harm, he hastily stepped forward to support him and pull him back.
Seeing this, the bandits grew even more arrogant, leisurely trotting their horses back and forth before the crowd.
Scarface raised his voice and demanded, “Listen up, all of you! Have you seen a family with a horse? About a dozen people, with only an old woman and no old man.”
Lin Yueru’s heart tightened, and she couldn’t help rolling her eyes inwardly.
They really were looking for them.
Only, how had the bandits narrowed it down to them?
Fortunately, by the time they fell in behind this group of refugees, the horse had already been sold, so no one in the crowd spoke up to answer.
Feeling humiliated by the silence, Scarface lashed his whip against a nearby tree. “I’m fucking asking you! Have you seen them or not?!”
“Take a look for yourself. These are just refugees who’ve had their grain plundered by you lot. Who could possibly have a horse?” the young man beside the elderly gentleman said coldly.
This left Scarface in an even more awkward spot.
“Big Brother, look.”
Just as he was about to vent his anger on the young man, someone beside him suddenly called out.
The man discreetly pointed toward the Han family.
“An old woman, two small toddlers, two half-grown boys, and a pretty young wife… Doesn’t that match what those people described?”
Scarface squinted his eyes. It really did seem quite similar!
Looking more closely, his gaze locked onto Lin Yueru, completely unable to pull away…
Setting aside whether they were the ones, this young wife truly looked like a celestial maiden!
If he took her back up the mountain for some fun, how intoxicating would that be…
Just thinking about it made Scarface break into a lecherous grin.
He rode his horse straight toward Lin Yueru. “Little lady, have you seen men like us before?”
Lin Yueru knew there was no point in hiding now.
She lifted her head, a trace of mockery in her smile. “Of course I have. Weren’t you the ones who robbed our grain a few days ago?”
Scarface froze for a moment, then the corners of his mouth curved even wider.
This seemingly gentle and docile young wife was actually a little spitfire!
How thrilling!
The lackey beside him reminded him, “Big Brother, shouldn’t we interrogate them first?”
Scarface shot him a glare, only then restraining himself a bit.
“A few of our brothers met their s a couple of days ago. We tracked down the trail and asked around, and someone said you killed them and stole the horse. You’re the ones who did it, aren’t you?”
Han Laoda shook his head calmly. “We’ve been in a rush to travel and haven’t paid attention to anyone. Besides, my brothers and I are honest farmers; we wouldn’t know how to kill someone.”
“Bah!”
Scarface spat. “One look at you and I know you’re no good! Brothers, smash their cart! I want to see what they’re hiding!”
Following his order, two lackeys behind him immediately stepped forward to take action.
As for Scarface himself, his entire attention was fixed on Lin Yueru. Leaning down from his horse, he reached out to touch her face.
“Get away! Don’t touch my wife!”
Han Yanqing clenched his fist and struck Scarface hard in the shoulder.
The blow nearly knocked him clean off his horse!
Scarface instantly flew into a rage. “Damn it, it’s her blessing that I’m willing to touch her! You ungrateful bastard!”