Lin Zhiyue had no idea what explanation her father gave everyone, but after a while she saw him walking back toward her.
“How did it go, Dad?”
“Come with me.”
Lin Yan led his daughter farther away until they reached a secluded corner. After cautiously checking the surroundings, he lowered his voice.
“Daughter, go in. Dad will wait here.”
Lin Zhiyue immediately entered the space and dashed straight for the bathroom in her apartment.
First things first—she desperately needed to use the toilet. She had been holding it in forever.
Afterward, she brushed her teeth and glanced into the mirror.
Her face was still smeared dark and dirty.
Better not wash it.
And she definitely could not wash her hair either. Shampoo smelled fragrant, and people would notice.
In the end, she simply stripped down and rinsed herself quickly with cold water, scrubbing away the sweat and grime.
She could not use body wash or soap either.
Tonight she would be sleeping beside Grandma. The scent would definitely be noticed.
Even with such a basic wash, she already felt far more refreshed.
Carrying a basin of water, Lin Zhiyue exited the space.
“Dad, you should wipe yourself down too.”
After speaking, she turned and walked a short distance away to give him privacy.
Soft splashing sounds soon followed.
Lin Yan gently wrung out the towel inside the basin.
The towel was wonderfully soft, and the icy water soothed his overheated hands.
He let out a comfortable sigh.
Not long later, father and daughter returned to the roadside.
Old Master Lin and the others had already fallen asleep.
“Brother Lin, you’re back?”
Pei Guang was still awake and greeted them upon seeing Lin Yan return.
“Mhm. Go sleep peacefully. I’ll keep watch.”
After speaking, Lin Yan lifted Lin Zhiyue onto the carriage.
Carefully stepping over Madam Li, Lin Zhiyue crawled inside.
Old Madam Lin and Lin Zhixing had already sunk into deep sleep.
After so many days of fleeing, constantly anxious and exhausted, tonight was the first time they could finally rest properly.
Both slept so soundly that even Lin Zhiyue climbing in failed to wake them.
The night passed safely.
Early the next morning, when Lin Zhiyue awoke, many families nearby had already begun cooking breakfast.
Her aunt, Madam Li, was also up, busy boiling something nearby.
Curious, Lin Zhiyue walked over to look.
Inside the clay pot was half a pot of water, and Madam Li was tearing pieces of flatbread into it while stirring continuously.
The water had come from the hot-water bag Lin Yan provided.
Originally Madam Li had been reluctant to waste water on cooking, but Lin Yan insisted.
Besides, the dry vegetable flatbread was simply too hard to swallow without softening it first.
Lin Zhiyue accepted a bowl of the softened bread soup and took a sip.
Honestly, it was not as terrible as expected.
A little bitter perhaps, but still enough to fill the stomach.
Without hesitation, Pei Guang also grabbed a bowl and drank it down.
Each member of the family received one bowl, and that counted as breakfast.
After eating, everyone packed their belongings.
Anything that could fit into the carriage was stuffed inside, occupying most of the available space.
Then the group drove the carriage toward the city gates.
Pei Guang stepped forward and knocked on the smaller side gate.
Though called a “small gate,” it was still large enough for carts and wagons to pass through.
It was simply much smaller than the main city gate.
A voice immediately sounded from inside.
“Who is it?”
Though the gates remained closed, guards were always stationed there.
“It’s me, Pei Guang.”
Apparently the guards on duty had already received prior instructions.
Without asking further questions, they immediately opened the gate.
Not far away, refugees who noticed the side gate opening suddenly surged toward it.
“Hurry and enter,” the guard urged the Lin family.
Once everyone had passed through, he immediately shouted toward the crowd behind them:
“Disperse! Don’t crowd over here! It’s not time yet—you people enter this afternoon!”
“Then why can they enter now?” a large man shouted angrily.
“They’re locals from town. What, are you one too?”
The man eyed the guard suspiciously.
Though doubtful, he still did not dare argue further.
Forget it.
They had already reached the front of the line anyway.
Waiting another two or three hours was better than causing trouble.
As soon as the Lin family entered the city, a man who looked like the shift leader approached them.
“Once inside the city, you are forbidden from causing trouble. You must leave before the Hour of the Dog.”
Though his tone was unpleasant, he did not deliberately make things difficult for them.
Yiyang City was not large.
Most wealthier residents had already fled.
Lin Zhiyue looked down the sparse street before them.
Only a few scattered shops remained open.
There were barely any pedestrians.
The entire city looked bleak and lifeless.
After asking Pei Guang for directions, Lin Zhiyue guided the carriage into an alleyway near what was roughly the city center.
“Uncle, you go with Big Brother. Dad and I will go together. Let’s split up and search separately for places selling grain.”
“Pei Guang, stay here and protect Grandpa and Grandma while waiting for us.”
As she spoke, she reached into her robes—
Actually retrieving a one-hundred-tael banknote from the space—and handed it to Lin Dian.
Inside the city was much safer than outside, so Pei Guang had no objections and readily agreed.
“This… your uncle still has some money on him.”
Lin Dian looked embarrassed about accepting money from his little niece.
“Just take it, Uncle. It’s all for buying things for the family anyway. Besides, in times like these, grain prices must’ve increased several times over. We don’t even know if there’s any available. Buy whatever seems useful. And if you can’t find grain, then purchase other necessities instead.”
“Dad, the little money you have won’t buy much at all.”
Before Lin Dian could respond, Lin Zhishu stepped forward, took the banknote directly from Lin Zhiyue’s hand, and nodded.
“Alright. We’ll handle it.”
Watching the four adults split up and leave the alley in opposite directions, Lin Zhili pouted unhappily.
He wanted to go too.
Suddenly remembering something, he turned toward Pei Guang.
“Brother Pei, Yueyue said your martial arts are amazing?”
“Of course they are,” Pei Guang replied proudly without the slightest humility.
“Otherwise my young master wouldn’t have left me here to protect all of you.”
“Then can you teach me martial arts?”
Lin Zhili stared at him with sparkling eyes.
Pei Guang sized the boy up from head to toe.
“Well, that depends on whether you have talent.”
“Me too! I want to learn as well!”
Lin Zhixing quickly squeezed forward too.
Yesterday, being unable to break free from that old hag’s grip had left her utterly furious.
If she knew martial arts, she would have slapped that old woman hard across both cheeks until they swelled up.
How dare she slap her?
Yesterday Yueyue had even used an egg to roll over the swelling to reduce it, and the entire family had been heartbroken seeing her injured face.
Meanwhile, Lin Zhiyue and her father entered a medicine shop.
Inside sat only an elderly physician carefully weighing herbs on a tiny scale, squinting intently at the balance rod.
Without even lifting his head, he asked,
“What illness?”
“Sir, we’d like some medicinal powder for swelling, stopping bleeding, and repelling snakes, rats, insects, and flies.”
After considering briefly, Lin Zhiyue answered.
With spiritual spring water available to restore physical energy, they could save considerably on medicine.
Hearing the voice, the old physician finally looked up in surprise.
The speaker was actually a little girl, while the adult beside her looked perfectly accustomed to it.
“Twenty taels,” the old man said.
“The powders are sold out. I’ll need to grind them fresh. Can you wait?”
Lin Yan jumped in shock.
“So expensive?”
“Yes, we’ll take them. We’ll come back later to pick them up.”
Before her father could protest further, Lin Zhiyue interrupted and quickly pulled him outside.
“Dad, right now the most expensive things are grain and medicine. Look around—how many shops are still open? And besides this one, are there any other medicine shops left?”
Lin Yan looked around the nearly deserted street.
Most shops were shuttered tight.
Only this single medicine shop remained open.
Not even one grain shop could be found.
“Twenty taels… that’s enough to build a decent house back in the village,” Lin Yan muttered emotionally.
“It can’t be helped. It’s better to keep medicine on hand. The fewer hardships we suffer along the road, the better. Health matters most.”
Father and daughter continued walking past several more shops.
None carried the things they truly needed.