Chapter 38 - 39: Where is Seventh?

Chapter 38: Chapter 39: Where is Seventh?

Ancient Wen Heng handed the binoculars back to Jin Qianqian. "It looks like there really is water in the city. Some of the courtyards even have flowers and plants."

Ancient Wen Heng couldn’t stomach the sight. These people would rather water their flowers and plants than spare a drop for the refugees.

"How can they do this?" Jin Qianqian had also seen inside the city walls. The residents there were laughing and playing, a completely different world from the one outside.

"We have to find a way to leave," Ancient Wen Heng decided. ’This place is going to descend into chaos sooner or later.’

Jin Qianqian looked lost. "But where can we go? There’s no way to turn back, and the path forward is blocked. It feels like we’re being trapped here to die."

All this time, the so-called court hadn’t sent a single bit of aid. The local officials were just hoarding what little resources they have, looking out only for themselves.

Meanwhile, the common folk at the very bottom were left to struggle and suffer. ’Can the authorities not see this, or can they not hear our cries?’

Ancient Wen Heng took the binoculars back, not forgetting to reassure himself. "Don’t panic. Since there’s water in the city, there must be an aquifer nearby. We’ll find a way out."

He carefully scanned every inch of the landscape. After examining several mountains, he finally spotted a patch of green on a distant peak.

He pointed it out to Jin Qianqian. "Look over there. Where there’s green, there’s water. This might be our last hope."

Jin Qianqian said, "But the others won’t go with us."

This was their biggest problem. The group had been aimless when they first headed south; it would be even harder to convince them to cross mountains now.

"Things are different now," Ancient Wen Heng said. "They’ll agree."

Jin Qianqian gazed at the starkly different worlds inside and outside the city walls, standing in silence.

&

"Another day is almost over, and it doesn’t look like they’ve found any water," Li Chuntong fumed. "And now there are so many people around. It’s going to be difficult to make a move."

At this, he pointed at a few of his subordinates and cursed, "What kind of job are you doing gathering intelligence? You haven’t even figured out the situation here. Do you want everyone to know that I, Li Chuntong, go around burning, killing, and looting?"

The men he yelled at thought, ’...’ ’So if they don’t know, it means it’s not happening?’

Li Chuntong then turned on Lan Yongnan. "And what’s the deal with you? It’s been this long and there’s still no news. Is this ’miracle’ of yours going to happen or not? Or have you just been playing us for fools?"

Lan Yongnan scrambled to his feet, waving his hands frantically. "I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare! I swear I’m not lying. You’ve seen them, haven’t you? Those barrels piled on the ox carts, none of us has ever seen anything like them."

"You can’t smash them, you can’t knock them open. They must be gifts from the gods!"

"Don’t tell me the gods know we’re planning to move against them?" Li Chuntong asked pensively, stroking his chin.

"..."

No one answered, not that Li Chuntong cared. He clapped his hands together. "Everyone, get ready. We’re making our move soon."

"Whether it’s their water or their food, we’re taking it all."

"Boss, it’s not even dark yet. Is that a good idea?"

"What’s not to like? Everyone here is scattered and disorganized. The government officials are all hiding in the city. This is a lawless land." Li Chuntong stroked his chin, even wondering to himself, ’Should I use this opportunity to recruit more men?’

With that thought, he beckoned to Skinny, who was standing nearby. "Go and find out if there are any other powerful groups of refugees around here. If so, tell them to lay low and stay out of our business."

Skinny nodded and vanished into the crowd in the blink of an eye.

Across Bainiao, the refugees sat huddled in small groups, gnawing on dry rations. Even though it was just a mix of wild vegetable roots, it was enough to draw frequent, envious glances from the refugees who had arrived earlier.

Especially when they picked up their bamboo flasks for a small sip of water, some onlookers’ eyes turned red with envy.

Gu Yuanmu keenly sensed the stares from all around. He quickly called Wang Caiyue and the children into the center of their group, then beckoned his other brothers over. "We’re drawing too much attention. From now on, our family needs to stick together."

"Where’s Seventh?" Gu Yuanjin immediately noticed someone was missing, but everyone just shook their heads.

Gu Yuanlei, however, shot Li Cuicui a resentful look. "You should ask Mom," he sneered. "They just dumped their bags on her, and the happy couple took off to who-knows-where."

"What the hell is Seventh thinking?" Gu Yuanjin clenched his fists. "How could he just leave by himself? What if something happens to him? Youngest Brother, if you knew, why didn’t you stop him?"

"Stop him?" Gu Yuanlei scoffed. "He has his own two feet, doesn’t he? Am I supposed to tie him up? Besides, Mom didn’t say anything, so why should I stick my nose in it?"

"I’m getting to the point where I’ll never be able to find a wife, but have any of you dear brothers or sisters-in-law bothered to ask about that?"

"You—" Gu Yuanjin was so angry he was speechless. He could only turn to Li Cuicui and ask worriedly, "Mom, which way did Seventh and his wife go? Did they say when they’d be back?"

Li Cuicui shook her head. "I thought they were going to look for food, so I didn’t ask."

The brothers fell silent. Aside from the rice bran he’d bought earlier, none of them had seen Seventh purchase any other food.

Gu Yuanjin glanced at his own wife and sons sitting nearby, then gritted his teeth. "I’ll give Seventh a couple of pounds of dark flour later. We all need to get through this rough patch first."

Gu Yuanmu shook off Wang Caiyue, who was tugging at his sleeve. "I’ll give him a couple of pounds, too. We brothers need to look out for each other."

When it was the third brother’s turn, his wife, Li Xiaohua, spoke up with a smile before he could. "We’re not as well-off as Eldest Brother and Second Brother. We can give Seventh one pound, and even that is a stretch for us."

"..."

Gu Dashishi interjected, "Weren’t we talking about sticking together? How did this turn into a discussion about Seventh? Eldest Son, you still haven’t said what’s going on."

’That boy, Seventh,’ Gu Dashishi thought, ’only ever has eyes for his mother. I don’t know how many times he’s snuck her extra water behind my back these past few days. I raised that son for nothing. My youngest is still the most filial; he always thinks of me first whenever he finds food.’

Gu Yuanjin’s expression grew serious. "Look around us. Hasn’t the crowd gotten a lot bigger? I suspect these people have ulterior motives."

Gu Yuanlei let out a dry laugh. "Eldest Brother, when did you become so timid? The Prefecture City has closed its gates, so everyone is crowded here. Of course there are more people."

"Besides, we’re surrounded by people. Even if someone had ill intentions, they wouldn’t dare try anything right now."

Gu Yuanjin insisted, "But my gut is telling me something’s wrong, and it’s never mistaken. Back when I hunted in the mountains, I relied on this instinct to save my own skin more than once. Look closely at their eyes. They’re like wild beasts that have spotted their prey—glinting with malice."