For the first time in a long while, everyone enjoyed a good night’s sleep.
By the end of the Hour of the Rabbit, dawn had just begun to break.
The pursuers were too relentless, so Jiang Kun decided they would not hurry onward for now. Instead, they would stay hidden here for two days.
If the soldiers failed to find them, they would assume the family had already changed direction.
Resting awhile at the edge of the dense forest was not a bad idea either.
After Jiang Fengyu chopped down several dead trees, the two sisters-in-law carried the blankets outside to air them in the sun.
Jiang Chengyu and the youngest brother, Little Sixth, led the two horses away to search for water nearby. Jiang Qingshu prepared breakfast while Jiang Luoyou helped beside her.
To prevent cooking smoke from exposing their location, Jiang Fengyu built a downward smoke vent beside the stove.
After spending time together, Linbao had grown close with his cousins.
At that moment, the four boys ran off into the forest to find Jiang Chengyu, who had gone to water the horses.
The endless drought had withered all moisture-loving plants. The rivers had long since dried up, leaving only cracked mud along the riverbeds.
The boys failed to find Jiang Chengyu and changed direction to continue searching.
As they passed through a rocky grove, strange noises faintly emerged from a pile of dry grass.
The children immediately became alert.
What was that sound?
Four-year-old Linbao was the youngest among them, yet also the bravest.
Seeing his older cousins hesitate, he gathered his courage and walked toward the strange noise.
“Linbao, don’t go…”
Just as Jiang Qingshu finished preparing breakfast and noticed the children were gone, she was about to search for them when she saw them running back excitedly.
“Mother, look!”
The adults all turned toward Linbao’s voice—and were stunned.
He was holding a tiger cub.
That’s right. Linbao had brought back an injured baby tiger.
“Mother, can I raise it? It doesn’t have a mother anymore… it’s so pitiful…”
Linbao gazed at Jiang Qingshu with pleading eyes, hoping for her approval.
Jiang Qingshu bent down curiously and examined the little tiger struggling in Linbao’s arms. It was clearly terrified of people.
Looking at Linbao’s hopeful expression, she simply could not bring herself to refuse. Instead, she turned to Jiang Kun behind her.
Jiang Kun walked over with his broad frame and inspected the cub.
It appeared to have only recently been weaned.
Its left foreleg was obviously broken, and two ribs in its chest were injured as well. Even if they raised it, it probably would not survive.
Clearly, something had happened to the mother tiger, leaving the cub injured and unprotected.
“Grandpa, can I keep it?” Linbao looked up hopefully.
“Little rascal, do you know what this is? It’s a tiger. Tigers eat people,” Jiang Kun deliberately tried scaring him.
“I won’t let it bite anyone,” Linbao insisted stubbornly.
Jiang Kun thought to himself that the thing likely wouldn’t survive anyway. If the child wanted to keep it, so be it.
The other children instantly looked at Linbao with envy.
“So lucky. If I’d known, I would’ve picked it up first…”
“Mother, what should I feed it?” Linbao followed Jiang Qingshu around like a little tail.
Jiang Qingshu turned and gave him a gentle smile.
She thought that letting the child raise a pet might actually help teach him responsibility.
By the time the tiger grew up, they would probably already have reached the northern territories. At that point, it could even guard the household courtyard.
“Eat first. Give it to Mother, and I’ll bandage its wounds.”
So while the family ate breakfast, Jiang Qingshu secretly took out spiritual spring water from her space.
By the time Linbao finished a bowl of rice and came over, the little tiger was greedily lapping up water.
After drinking, the cub flopped onto a rock to bask in the sunlight, occasionally letting out tiny catlike sounds.
“Won’t bringing that thing along make us too conspicuous?” Sun Yuluo worried aloud.
“Don’t worry. It’ll probably stop breathing by tomorrow morning…”
Meanwhile, Jiang Chengyu searched everywhere but found neither water nor edible grass for the horses.
He could not help worrying about their water supply during the journey ahead.
Horses could not survive long without food, nor could they continue carrying supplies.
“Third Brother, hurry and eat. We saved your portion,” Jiang Qingshu said as she took the reins from him.
Jiang Chengyu sighed worriedly.
“If we can’t find food soon, we probably won’t be able to keep the horses alive.”
Jiang Qingshu’s beautiful eyes gleamed.
“I’ve already prepared food for them.”
As she spoke, she turned and walked into the cave, then carried out a huge pile of fresh carrots.
Jiang Chengyu stared in shock.
There had to be over ten jin of carrots there…
Exactly where had they come from?
“Since my master arranged horses for us, naturally he’ll also provide feed regularly. There’s no need to worry.”
“Your master…”
“Oh, right. I found a water source in a crack along the cliff earlier. I already filled the water bags and even gathered extra for the horses. I’ll take them over to drink now.”
Jiang Chengyu smacked his forehead.
How had he forgotten to search for natural springs in shaded rock crevices?
“Little Sister, you’re so smart!”
With the problem solved, he could finally eat in peace.
Jiang Qingshu knew it was time to replenish their water supply openly.
Although she had secretly been refilling the water bags all along, if they continued having endless water without explanation, it would eventually become suspicious.
That was why she deliberately claimed to have discovered a water source.
After nightfall, everyone except Jiang Fengyu, who stood guard nearby, had fallen asleep.
Jiang Qingshu darted silently toward a large rock.
From her space, she took out milk and poured it into a water pouch for the tiger cub.
Then she prepared food for the family’s next day.
Most importantly, she retrieved her three brothers’ weapons.
After seeing two of her brothers rescue the refugees barehanded yesterday, she had decided it was time to return their weapons.
The next morning, before Jiang Kun even opened his eyes, he heard the excited laughter of children.
Rising to look, he saw the grandchildren gathered around the tiger cub, running circles around it excitedly.
He stared blankly at the cub wobbling around energetically.
Where had yesterday’s sickly appearance gone?
How was it still alive?
Jiang Kun was dumbfounded.
Then he turned and saw Jiang Chengyu happily swinging his Dragon Roar Soul-Piercing Spear around, looking as though he had reunited with a beloved bride.
Wait.
Where had that weapon come from?
Just as Jiang Kun stood there in shock, Jiang Fengyu sheathed his massive saber and strode over.
“Father, this morning we found our weapons beside those rocks over there.”
“What?” Jiang Kun frowned in surprise.
After calming himself, he immediately called Jiang Qingshu over.
Jiang Qingshu knew that the supplies from the General’s Manor stored in her space would gradually need to be brought out eventually.
Sooner or later, the family would notice.
“I’m guessing these weapons were recovered by my master from the thieves who looted our manor that day.”
Jiang Kun stroked his beard thoughtfully.
“Now that you mention it… that does sound possible.”
“Besides the weapons and food, I also found this.”
Jiang Fengyu handed Jiang Kun something resembling a card.
Jiang Kun squinted and examined it carefully.
“Could this be some kind of secret signal left by your mysterious master?” he asked seriously.
A signal?
Jiang Qingshu frowned delicately.
She had not left any signal at all.
Then she looked closer at the card’s appearance—
Wait… was that a clothing tag?
She quickly stepped forward to look.
“Women’s pure cotton brassiere. Special price: 19.9 yuan…”
Her face instantly turned scarlet.
It must have accidentally come out of her space in the rush last night.
Fortunately…
These ancient people couldn’t read it anyway.