Ahead lay a stretch of woodland. Scattered throughout were blackened, swollen corpses. Dark fluids had seeped into the earth, while swarms of flies, mosquitoes, and writhing maggots covered the ground.
In an age where human life was worth less than grass, only those with strength could hope to survive a little longer.
“Master, they’re catching up!”
Looking at the pairs of fierce, ghost-like eyes closing in behind them, Mu An felt the hairs on his body stand on end.
In previous years, whenever people from Mu Family Village traveled to the county town to sell grain or purchase supplies, they always journeyed together.
Yet never before had they encountered so many starving refugees and bandits as they had this year.
The reason was simple. The war in the north had grown increasingly intense, and combined with widespread famine, countless people had already starved to death. In some places, people had even begun eating one another.
Meanwhile, Heishan County was located in the central region of Great Zhou and remained relatively peaceful, attracting waves of refugees fleeing disaster.
On their way to the county town, Qin Ming and his apprentice had seen countless trees along the roadside stripped completely bare of bark.
If the fighting in the north worsened, situations like this would only become more common.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Without a word, Qin Ming drew his bow, nocked three arrows, and spun around.
Three arrows flew one after another toward the pursuers.
The moment they saw him shoot, several of the bandits behind them immediately slowed down.
Some of the starving refugees, however, continued chasing desperately.
“Throw down a sack of grain!”
“Alright!”
Mu An answered and grabbed his knife. With a slash, he cut open a sack of grain and shoved it off the cart.
“Waaah!”
The refugees instantly rushed toward the scattered grain.
Some scooped it up by the handful and stuffed it directly into their mouths. The rice was uncooked, yet they chewed with loud crunching sounds.
Others fought viciously over it, pulling and tearing at one another. Clubs and stones swung through the air as cries of pain and furious roars echoed throughout the forest.
The sight made Mu An’s scalp tingle.
He repeatedly cracked his whip, urging the horse forward, and soon they widened the distance between themselves and the crowd.
The two traveled several more miles through the forest. Only after confirming that no one remained behind them did they finally relax.
“When I used to come to town with my father, we never saw this many refugees. There are dead people everywhere in the woods. It’s terrifying.”
Even now, Mu An still felt shaken.
“Life is only going to get harder for ordinary people from here on out…”
Qin Ming frowned slightly.
Ever since arriving in this chaotic world, all he had wanted was to make money, build a comfortable life, and live happily with his beautiful young wife.
But now, it seemed that the entire Great Zhou Empire was teetering on the brink of collapse. The people were already suffering beyond measure.
Fortunately, he possessed exceptional martial skills and could still make a living through hunting.
“Master, we’re almost at your village. I’ll help deliver the grain.”
“Don’t go into the village. Leave two sacks for me, and take the rest back with you.”
As he spoke, Qin Ming lifted two sacks of grain from the cart and secured them onto his horse.
“This…”
“You villagers gave me plenty of food and wine while I stayed there. Consider this grain my way of repaying everyone.”
“But this is too much. There are still several sacks left.”
“I’ve got silver. Do you really think I’ll go hungry?”
Qin Ming patted the silver hidden in his clothes and laughed.
The truth was that he didn’t want a grain-laden cart entering the village.
In these times of scarcity, having too much food could easily invite disaster.
“I suppose that’s true. Master is practically a man sent from heaven. Then I’ll thank you on behalf of everyone.”
“No need for that.”
“Master, I’ll come early tomorrow and head into the mountains with you.”
“Sounds good.”
After saying goodbye, Qin Ming turned his horse and rode back home.
…
“Qin Ming, where did you get all that grain?”
The moment he entered the village, several villagers noticed the sacks on his horse and asked with obvious envy.
“I hunted a blue sheep last night and traded it for grain in town.”
Qin Ming casually made up an excuse.
Although he had already fallen out with the village head’s family, he still maintained a fairly good relationship with the other villagers of Qin Family Village.
The original Qin Ming had been an excellent hunter who often brought back impressive game. Every so often, he would share some of it with his fellow villagers.
It was precisely because of his generosity and kindness that he had eventually managed to marry such a beautiful wife as Fan Niang.
“Husband, you’re back!”
Hearing the sound of hoofbeats, Fan Niang hurried out of the house.
Her delicate face immediately lit up with joy.
Being the wife of a hunter was never easy.
Every time Qin Ming entered the mountains, she worried endlessly, afraid he might encounter a dangerous beast and never return.
This time had been especially difficult.
Qin Ming had been gone for an entire day and night.
Although he had warned her beforehand, Fan Niang had still spent the entire night unable to sleep.
Even now, there were faint dark circles beneath her eyes.
“So much grain…”
Her eyes widened in surprise as she watched her husband carry two large sacks of white rice from the horse.
“Let’s talk inside.”
“Okay.”
The young couple entered the house together.
After pouring the grain into their rice jar, Qin Ming grabbed a water ladle and drank several large gulps.
“Husband, this grain will last us for months.”
Fan Niang reached into the rice jar. Looking at the gleaming white rice, her face overflowed with happiness.
“And there’s also this silver. Keep it safe.”
As he spoke, Qin Ming placed another pouch on the table.
“This is… Wow! So much silver! We’re rich!”
When she opened the pouch and saw the shining silver inside, her eyes immediately sparkled like stars.
For ordinary families, possessing even a few taels of silver was already considered fortunate.
More than six hundred taels?
That was an unimaginable fortune to Fan Niang.
In an instant, all of her previous anxiety and exhaustion vanished.
Her pretty face was filled with excitement.
“Husband, where did you get so much silver?”
“This time, when I entered the mountains, I ran into a bear…”
“A bear!?”
“That’s right, a black bear.”
Qin Ming then recounted everything that had happened over the past two days from beginning to end.
“…Don’t tell anyone about this. If someone asks where the rice came from, just say I hunted a blue sheep and traded it for grain in the county town.”
“Don’t worry, Husband. I won’t tell a soul.”
Children from poor families grew up quickly.
Though still young, Fan Niang had already seen plenty of life’s hardships and the coldness of human nature.
Her father knew only how to bury himself in classical books and had never possessed any talent for earning money.
As a result, Fan Niang had endured countless hardships growing up.
After her mother passed away, it was her needlework and sewing skills that had kept the family afloat.
At that moment, she walked over to a corner of the room and removed a loose blue brick from the wall.
To Qin Ming’s surprise, she then pulled out a clay jar hidden underneath.
Seeing this, he couldn’t help laughing.
Apparently, while he had been away during the day, the girl had deliberately dug a small hiding place to store their valuables.
The image of this little money lover crouching there, carefully digging a hole and hiding silver, made the corners of his mouth curl upward.
“Husband, wait a moment. I’ll go start the fire and make dinner.”
After safely putting away the silver, Fan Niang dusted off her hands and happily left the room to prepare a meal.