Chapter 185 - Pre-Escape Meeting (1/2)

“You’ve got me wrong. I just want to know when you will leave. Perhaps we can go together so that we can look after each other.”

Quick-wittedly, Liu Qianqian said, “I remember you also have a big family. Your uncles are robust office attendants and your aunts are healthy peasants. You will be safer with them. As you know, we are not as strong as your relatives, so we can only set off early to avoid accidents.”

Ye Xiaoxian gave her a wry smile. “I have only Mrs. Li and Baofeng now. My other relatives have refused to go with us, no matter how much we’ve persuaded them.”

“What? They don’t want to go? It’s too dangerous here! My dad said that money and houses are the least of our concerns at this critical moment. Staying alive is the top priority. We plan to go to our distant relatives for shelter.”

Ye Xiaoxian said, “It’s so good to have distant relatives. I believe you will be safe there. So where are they?”

“Beihui. It’s somewhere to the north of the Changjiang River, near the capital,” said Liu Qianqian.

Ye Xiaoxian did not know where to go. Their safety could be better guaranteed if they went north to the capital. The west could also provide them with good shelter, but they might starve to death there.

Noticing her friend’s worry, Liu Qianqian clapped her chest and said, “You can join us if there are only three of you. The Liu family and the Jia family have a dozen people. We can form a small group together.”

Ye Xiaoxian smiled and asked, “Do your words count? Don’t you need to ask your father’s opinion?”

“Of course not. You’re my friend and you helped me find my soulmate. My father likes you very much. Don’t worry. Let’s go tomorrow morning. Oh yes, do you have any carriages or carts? Have you prepared enough food? The stores elsewhere may have also closed.”

Ye Xiaoxian replied, “I’ve bought two carriages, and both of them are laden with food.”

“Excellent!” Liu Qianqian placed a hand on her shoulder and said, “You’re so efficient! It’s settled then. Let’s meet tomorrow morning.”

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Ye Xiaoxian felt somewhat relieved knowing that they could go with the Liu family.

Having gone back home, Baofeng said that his school would close the following day. His teachers encouraged the students to escape because the county would be bathed in blood once it was captured. Besides, the imperial court didn’t pay much attention to Hongyan, whose disturbances had never made notable waves. However, the refugees from Hexin county showed the severity of the war this time. His teachers also speculated that Hongyan must have colluded with a Daqi traitor or have allied themselves with Beiqing. Otherwise, this insignificant country would not have been so reckless.

Hearing this, Ye Xiaoxian and Li Hongmei became more resolute to leave. They then began packing up their luggage. They didn’t take many clothes because they wouldn’t have time to bathe on the journey. Underwear was necessary though, and as for jewels, only a few small pieces were selected. Some of the jewels were gifts from Xiao Baoshan, but they were neither light nor valuable, so Ye Xiaoxian left them in the lockers.

Xiao Baofeng wanted to take some books, but Ye Xiaoxian stopped him because they were too heavy. She didn’t want the horses to die halfway of exhaustion due to carrying so much for so long. In the end, they put in a carriage a pot, bowls, chopsticks, money, rice, bacon, and noodles. Anything beyond these things would be left home as, after all, this was an escape and not a tour.

It was dark when they had everything ready. Li Hongmei had heated some water for them to have a good bath because they would not have the chance for a long time.

Baofeng suggested they could bathe in rivers, but was immediately refuted by Ye Xiaoxian.

She said with a smile, “It’ll get cooler as we go north. The water is also cold, so we’d better not bathe. If we get sick, the journey will be much tougher for us.”

After she had said that, they felt a wave of sadness and fell into silence.

…

As they were going to their respective rooms, there was a heavy banging at the door. “Sister Li!” “Hongmei!” “Little Ye!” There was a hubbub of voices.

Their relatives had come. Li Hongmei opened the door only to see all her relatives, including Old Man Xiao. Xiao Tieshu and Xiao Tongshu were pulling two carts laden with food and the others were all carrying heavy bags.

“Ah! You…” Li Hongmei was surprised. “You’ve decided to come with us?”