Beneath the bright sunlight.
A tall, sturdy man stood under a large tree.
The sun blazed fiercely overhead, and these men had loosened their clothing, revealing strong, well‑built chests and arms.
Unlike the refugees, who were thin and gaunt from hunger and hardship, this group of men were all powerfully built, with fierce and intimidating expressions written clearly across their faces.
Their eyes met Shen Ying’s, and the look in their eyes was filled with nothing but contempt. Some who were bolder even curled their fingers in a crude, beckoning gesture.
“Well, well, this young lady is quite a sight, with curves in all the right places.”
The man spoke with vulgar, lewd words, and his gaze was even more offensive and shameless.
Wei Jinhu flew into a rage instantly. He rolled up his sleeves and prepared to charge forward. “Damn you all! How dare you insult and provoke my sister! I’ll kill every last one of you here today!”
He was just about to rush out when Shen Ying reached out and grabbed hold of his sleeve, stopping him in his tracks.
“There is no need to pay them any attention.”
“But they just—”
“There is no need to pay them any attention,” Shen Ying repeated, speaking slowly and clearly, emphasizing every word.
She turned her gaze back toward the group outside, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
Though her face was clearly showing a smile, her beautiful eyes held a glint of bloodthirsty intent, and the depth of her gaze was cold and sharp enough to cut through bone.
Even Wei Jinhu, who had already taken human lives himself, could not help but shiver uncontrollably when he saw that expression. “Sister Ying.”
Shen Ying withdrew her gaze, and the smile on her lips softened into something gentle and warm. “What is it?”
“Nothing at all. Let’s go ahead and finish registering our accommodation. It’s just that—”
Why was the name written on the travel document not Shen Ying, but the name of another woman entirely?
The question was right on the tip of his tongue, but when he met Shen Ying’s eyes, which held a smile that was both warm and unsettling, he immediately closed his mouth and said nothing more.
Seeing that he had kept his doubts to himself, Shen Ying paid the required fee and spoke to the innkeeper. “Arrange rooms for us that are situated toward the side of the building. Two rooms will be sufficient.”
“There’s no need for that. I’ll just take this young boy and sleep in the stable shed. I’m a grown man, and it’s no hardship to get through one night there.”
“You talk too much,” Shen Ying said simply.
She paid the money and followed the waiter up the stairs.
The two rooms were located right next to each other.
Shen Ying stepped inside, inspected the room, and nodded her head in approval when she found it reasonably clean and tidy. She tossed two copper coins to the waiter as a tip.
The waiter was overjoyed with the gesture. “Please rest well, honored guest. If you need anything at all, just let me know and I will attend to it immediately.”
Shen Ying placed the little prince carefully onto the bed, stretched her body to relax her muscles, and then turned to look at the two children, whose clothes and faces were covered in dirt and grime.
“Tell me, what are your names?”
In her rush to help them and escape danger, she had completely forgotten to ask for their names until now.
The two children standing in the middle of the room froze in surprise for a brief moment. The very next second, they both dropped to their knees with a heavy thud.
“Mistress, please, we beg you—please do not send us away or drive us out. My name is Chunya, and my younger brother is called Tudou. There is so much work we can do, and we will do anything you ask of us. We can help look after the baby, we can wash clothes, cook meals, work in the fields—anything at all…”
Listening to the young girl’s words, Shen Ying fell into deep thought.
These two children looked small and thin, but she had not expected that the girl was already thirteen years old, while the boy was seven.
Children of this age were certainly capable of helping with many different tasks, but surviving a journey filled with danger and hardship required far more than just doing simple chores. They also needed to learn how to protect themselves, how to fight if necessary, and have the courage to act decisively when lives were at stake.
She raised her head and looked directly at Wei Jinhu. “Now that we are traveling together, we must agree to three basic rules. No one, not even you, is allowed to disobey or go against my orders and instructions.”
Wei Jinhu nodded his head vigorously in agreement, while the two children nodded so quickly and eagerly that their heads bobbed up and down like pestles pounding grain.
Seeing that they all accepted her words without objection, Shen Ying cleared her throat and continued. “The world has fallen into chaos and disorder. If we do not gain the ability to defend ourselves, we will end up completely helpless and at the mercy of others, left to be harmed or killed whenever someone chooses.”
Wei Jinhu had firsthand experience of how true this was. He flexed his muscles proudly and said, “You are absolutely right there. With this strong body and these muscles of mine, I can certainly protect all of you. But the only thing we lack is proper weapons.”
For many years, the imperial court had been engaged in constant wars and military campaigns, so the production and distribution of iron goods were strictly controlled and regulated.
Apart from high‑ranking officials and members of wealthy and powerful families, ordinary common people found it extremely difficult to obtain sharp, effective weapons.
However, Shen Ying had already found a way to solve this problem. “Leave this matter to me. For now, everyone should go and get some rest. Chunya, I have some spare clothes here that you can change into. As for you, Tudou, go with him to the shops and buy two sets of clothing for yourself. But remember—make sure you choose clothes that look worn and shabby.”
When everyone else on the road was dressed in tattered, old garments, anyone who appeared well‑dressed and clean would immediately stand out and draw attention. That would be like openly inviting thieves and robbers to attack and steal from them.
She tossed a small piece of broken silver over to him.
Wei Jinhu caught it with trembling hands, and his whole body shook slightly in surprise. “Is this really for me?”
“It is not a gift for you personally. It is money for you to go and buy food, clothing, and other daily necessities that you both need.”
Looking at the ragged, torn clothes they were wearing, Shen Ying felt a twinge of sadness and pity in her heart.
Though her own clothes also appeared worn and old from the outside, this was only a disguise. The clothing she wore underneath was clean and fresh, as she had grown accustomed to cleanliness during her many years living within the imperial palace and could not tolerate people who were overly unkempt or dirty.
After sending the others away to attend to their tasks, Shen Ying unwrapped the blanket around the little prince and changed his diaper. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that Chunya was watching carefully and studying what she was doing, and she nodded her head in satisfaction.
Just as she was finishing wrapping the blanket securely around the little prince, Chunya stepped forward with determination and spoke up. “Mistress, please let me do this work. I have looked after younger children before, and I know exactly how to do these things properly.”
Shen Ying said nothing in reply but simply stepped aside to let her take over.
At first, Chunya’s movements were a little clumsy and unskilled, but she quickly grew familiar with the process. Before long, she had wrapped the little prince up tightly and securely, and the result was far neater and better done than what Shen Ying herself had managed.
Shen Ying nodded her head in approval. “Very good. You are a clever and capable young girl.”
Without thinking, she reached out and gently patted the top of the girl’s head.
Chunya’s face instantly turned bright red, burning with embarrassment and shyness.
“You really are such a sweet, lovely child. Go ahead and pick out a set of clothes to change into. If any part of it does not fit you properly, just ask the waiter for a needle and thread so you can make the necessary adjustments. You do know how to do that, don’t you?”
“Yes, I know how to do that. My grandmother taught me how to sew and alter clothes. Back in our village, people did not care much about how fashionable or fine their clothes looked, and we always had to repair and adjust our garments over and over again until they could no longer be worn.”
To prove that her words were true, Chunya found the oldest and most worn piece of clothing in Shen Ying’s bundle, then turned and asked the waiter for a needle and thread. In less than a quarter of an hour, she had already finished altering the garment.
The stitches were neat and closely spaced, and the clothes had been adjusted perfectly to fit well.
Shen Ying began to realize more and more that this young girl was truly a hidden treasure—she was brave enough to take action and capable of getting things done, and most importantly, she worked quickly and efficiently.
Night fell over the town.
Shen Ying did not take the children downstairs to eat in the main dining hall. Instead, she asked the waiter to bring their meal up to their rooms.
After many days of traveling and hardship, everyone was finally able to sit properly at a table and enjoy a good meal. Shen Ying was generous and did not hold back, ordering several dishes made with meat.
The rich, savory aroma of the food drifted through the air and filled the whole room.
Wei Jinhu kept swallowing repeatedly as he looked at the food, yet he did not dare to pick up his chopsticks and start eating.
As for the two children, their eyes turned red with longing and hunger.
Shen Ying knew full well how difficult life had been for them all. She picked up her chopsticks, took pieces of meat from the dishes, and placed them in each of their bowls. “From this day forward, we will share both life and death together, helping and supporting one another through everything. So eat as much as you can. You two are still growing, and you need plenty of good food to help you grow tall and strong, and to give you the energy to do all the work that lies ahead.”
Looking at the bowls filled generously with food, tears began to roll down the children’s cheeks and fall onto the table.
Wei Jinhu rubbed his hands together excitedly. “Now, now, you two—please stop crying and eat quickly, or else the food will go cold before you’ve even had a bite.”
He could not even remember the last time he had been able to eat meat to his heart’s content.
He picked up his chopsticks and began to eat ravenously, swallowing mouthfuls of food one after another.
Soon, no one spoke any longer, and all that could be heard was the sound of them eating heartily and enjoying their meal.
There were four meat dishes on the table in total, yet in the blink of an eye, every single dish had been completely finished and cleared of all food.
Even the remaining gravy and juices left at the bottom of the plates were soaked up entirely by Wei Jinhu, who used two steamed buns to wipe every last drop away.
Shen Ying could only watch in silence, unsure of what to say.
The plates that had held the food were now wiped so clean and shiny that anyone seeing them would have thought they had just been carefully washed and scrubbed.
When she saw Wei Jinhu lean forward and prepare to use his tongue to lick the plates clean as well, she finally lost all composure and could no longer hold back her reaction.