Yu Yangyang and Bai Lan each ate a pear, and the oppressive heat seemed to disappear completely.
When they were getting ready to rest, Yu Yangyang took the opportunity to feel Bai Lan’s pulse. Aside from the deficiencies in her internal organs caused by malnutrition and overwork, there were no serious problems.
Yu Yangyang withdrew her hand and closed her eyes in relief.
These weren’t major problems. As long as Bai Lan ate properly and slowly regained her strength, she would be fine.
Yu Yangyang vaguely thought that the chicken in her space could probably be “accidentally discovered” soon.
Suddenly, dense footsteps and screams rang out nearby. The sounds of panic, the clatter of iron-clad horses, and the thunderous pounding of hooves mixed with the chaotic cries of people, rushing toward them from a distance.
Yu Yangyang’s sleep quality had never been good. Almost instantly, her heart tightened and she opened her eyes.
The other members of the Yu family also woke one after another.
Yu Yan walked in with a grim expression. Without waiting for anyone to ask, he quickly said,
“Pack everything. We need to leave immediately.”
It was bandits.
With the great drought spreading across the land, refugees were everywhere, and naturally, large numbers of wandering bandits had appeared as well.
The Yu family hurriedly packed their belongings. Fortunately, they normally kept their things organized and within easy reach, so they quickly gathered everything and prepared to leave.
The official road was filled with refugees being driven away, and judging from the sound of the horses, the riders seemed to be heading in their direction.
Someone suddenly shouted,
“Bandits are coming!”
The stone forest where the Yu family had been resting instantly descended into chaos.
People scrambled to pack their belongings and flee, pushing and shoving one another.
Yu Yangyang keenly noticed something.
The person who had shouted had a strong, steady voice. He sounded far too energetic for an ordinary exhausted refugee.
Before Yu Yangyang could think about it further, Bai Lan grabbed her hand.
“Yang’er, stay close to us!”
Because they had gained two additional bags of grain and had been forced to leave in such a hurry, they had no time to carry Yu Yangyang.
Yu Yangyang nodded. Her usually soft and obedient little face tightened slightly.
“I know, Mother.”
This era seemed to be even more chaotic than she had imagined.
Inside the Gu family’s tent, Yan Gui appeared.
“Master, it seems that a group of bandits is causing trouble outside.”
When Yan Gui sensed that something was wrong, he had already gone to investigate.
There were quite a few of them. They were well equipped and well trained, and clearly did not resemble ordinary wandering bandits.
“We don’t have many men with us this time because we’re returning to the capital discreetly. If we fight them head-on, our chances of winning aren’t great.”
“Please leave with me immediately, Master.”
The man’s appearance was breathtakingly handsome. His black hair was tied up with a hairpin, and his brows were slightly furrowed, a murderous glint flashing through his eyes.
Bandits?
He curled his lips contemptuously.
He knew exactly what these people were really after.
His brows lifted slightly, and his cold voice remained utterly calm.
“Yan Gui, after recuperating for half a year, have you also lost your brains?”
Yan Gui’s heart jolted.
As though he had suddenly realized something, he looked up sharply.
“Master, you mean… they’re people sent from the capital?”
The man’s pale, slender fingers tapped lightly against the tabletop.
Yan Gui lowered his head even further.
“Please leave with me immediately, Master.”
The man did not move.
Instead, his handsome features carried a trace of cruelty and ruthlessness.
“You stay behind.”
He spoke coldly.
“If some people don’t want to keep their heads, then let them leave them here.”
…
Although bandits were causing chaos, there were still countless refugees around. Hiding among the crowd would make it easy to slip away.
The Yu family carefully moved toward the official road.
Just as they were about to reach it, Yu Yangyang couldn’t help looking back.
The bandits riding horses held torches, illuminating the darkness.
The man at the front wore a blue robe. His hair was tied behind his head, and his face was concealed beneath a ferocious ghost mask.
He pulled on the reins and spoke in an even voice.
“This is our only chance.”
“Alive or dead, we must find him.”
“We must cut off Pei Yin’s head!”
With that, the man tugged on the reins.
The horse raised its hooves, and with a high neigh, the mounted bandits charged straight into the mass of refugees.
The horses trampled over the people without the slightest hesitation.
The riders on horseback were frighteningly excited, as though the people beneath their hooves weren’t human beings at all, but merely cabbages.
The already terrified crowd became even more frantic.
People fled blindly in every direction, and the mass of refugees descended into complete chaos.
Yu Yangyang was violently shoved from the side.
Pain shot through her, and cold sweat instantly appeared on her forehead.
By the time she regained her balance, the members of the Yu family who had been beside her were gone.
The Yu family had been separated by the crowd.
There were too many people.
It was hot, filthy, and suffocating.
Yu Yangyang felt as though there wasn’t enough air.
She gasped for breath.
Then she heard a familiar cry nearby.
She pushed her way through the crowd and immediately grabbed Yu Lan, who was crying in panic.
She pulled his head into her arms.
“Don’t cry, Lan’er.”
Yu Lan clung tightly to Yu Yangyang’s arm.
He had just witnessed people being trampled to death with his own eyes, while the family members he depended on had been scattered.
At that moment, Yu Lan was completely helpless and terrified.
How could he still remember that Yu Yangyang was the hateful older sister who used to steal his food, make him sick, and get him scolded by their parents?
Right now, in his eyes, Yu Yangyang was the only person he could depend on.
They couldn’t continue along the official road.
There were simply too many people, and the crowd was moving at a snail’s pace.
Yu Yangyang tightly held Yu Lan’s hand and struggled to move diagonally across the mass of people.
After walking for quite some time, they finally reached the edge of the official road.
Yu Yangyang immediately pulled Yu Lan into the dense forest beside the road.
The low bushes had been stripped nearly bare of leaves, leaving only a few tall trees that had barely managed to retain some foliage.
Yu Lan didn’t ask where Yu Yangyang was taking him.
He simply obediently followed her.
As they hurried forward, Yu Yangyang could still hear the chaos in the distance.
The sky was lit by flames.
The neighing of horses and the clash of blades echoed through the night.
A battle had broken out.
Yu Yangyang thought about it for a moment and quickly guessed that it was probably the group that had arrived at their campsite that evening.
She had noticed them at the time.
They had not only brought tents, but also carriages and numerous servants dressed as attendants.
However, none of that had anything to do with Yu Yangyang.
She simply led Yu Lan onward, walking as quickly as they could until they were far away from the sounds of chaos.
By then, the sky had already begun to lighten.
Yu Yangyang’s vision kept going black.
She was certain that if she hadn’t drunk two bottles of spiritual spring water the previous night, she would have collapsed by now.
She spotted several enormous rocks beneath a slope nearby and decided to stop there with Yu Lan to rest.
Yu Yangyang leaned against a rock.
Her lips were pale and cracked.
Yu Lan pressed himself tightly against her side, clinging to her arm. He was equally exhausted.
He looked frightened.
“Big Sister, what are we going to do now?”
The little boy finally burst into tears.
“Big Sister, I want Father and Mother. And my brothers…”
Yu Yangyang gently rubbed his head.
“Don’t worry, Lan’er. We’ll find Father and Mother.”
Looking at the pitiful, exhausted child, Yu Yangyang thought for a moment.
In the end, she secretly took a piece of chocolate from her system space.
“Open your mouth.”
Yu Lan obediently opened his mouth.
Something was immediately placed inside.
A sweet, rich flavor spread across his tongue.
The delicate chocolate slowly melted in his mouth, smooth and creamy.
Yu Lan had never tasted anything like it before.
The amazement lingered on his face.
He looked at Yu Yangyang with bright, sparkling eyes.
“Big Sister, what did you give me?”
Yu Yangyang lowered her voice.
“It’s a secret. Lan’er, you can’t tell anyone, okay?”