Inside the carriage, Mrs. Li wept uncontrollably.
She explained that Old Li was discovered yesterday during a patrol by the soldiers. Their mule cart was too large to hide and was found, so Old Li was taken away. Before he left, Old Li had shouted towards the mountains, "Make sure to take good care of the child."
Mrs. Li, who had intended to die with him, suddenly lost her courage. She still had two children to look after.
However, after walking with her children for a day and a night, she was utterly exhausted. She carried one child and had the other on her back. Along the way, she encountered people robbing others for food, but being a widow with children, she was too weak and dared not steal from others. She ate tree bark, sucking out the sap to quench her thirst, but her mouth was already raw.
Just as she was about to collapse from exhaustion, she saw an empty carriage on the deserted mountain path. She knew it must belong to a wealthy family. So, she placed her children inside to sleep and leaned against the carriage wheel, ready to explain and apologize immediately if the owners returned.
Hearing this, Meng Shaode and Cai Lihua exchanged glances.
Ajiu was the one who dared to speak, "Aunt Li, this isn't someone else's carriage, it's ours."
"Yours?" Mrs. Li's swollen eyes widened in surprise, a hint of panic in her voice.
"Yes, Aunt Li. We're heading to Nanming City. Where are you going?" Ajiu asked. Meng Shaode sighed deeply and got out of the carriage with his wife.
They had inspected the carriage; it was spacious and even had a soft bed. Even traveling through the night, one could rest on the bed. However, with so many people, and now Mrs. Li and her three children added, it was simply too crowded.
"I also want to go to Nanming City. I heard it rained there last year, so there's at least some food. Once I settle the children, I'll go back to find Old Li," Mrs. Li said, secretly wiping away tears. Everyone knew that being conscripted meant an uncertain fate on the battlefield. Only King Qiming's city, with its strong military, could guarantee no casualties among his soldiers. But did King Qiming possess such power?
Ajiu remained silent, as Mrs. Li had no idea of the cruel reality. She recalled what she had heard after being sold to the Li family in her past life. Even King Qiming's own sons were eventually sent to the battlefield. How could he leave any hope for the common folk conscripted as laborers?
The army collapsed like a mountain. For Ajiu, Nanming City was merely a temporary refuge, not a place to live long-term.
"By the way, have you encountered my elder brother, Meng Nanxing, on the road?" The couple hadn't felt much affection for their son, especially after his disrespectful words. Cai Lihua also had few memories of him and didn't feel particularly fond of him. However, having witnessed so much sorrow and joy on their journey, Ajiu was his family, after all. She remembered her brother had headed south.
Mrs. Li wiped the tears from her face and recalled, "A few days ago, before your Uncle Li was taken away, I met him. But he was with our village's main group then."
"And then?" Meng Shaode finally stepped forward to interject.
"Then we encountered the displaced army conscripting people, and we were scattered immediately."
Ajiu fell silent at this. She silently prayed that her elder brother wouldn't be captured.
"Don't be sad, Ajiu. Xu Nanxing has already rejoined our village's main group. Your carriage is fast; perhaps you can catch up with the group and find out," Mrs. Li comforted her.
"Mmm," Ajiu pursed her lips and nodded. Although her brother had never been particularly close to her, in these turbulent times, they were family, after all.
"Let's set off," Meng Shaode had discussed with his wife outside. If they could catch up with the main group, they might find out their son's whereabouts. As for Mrs. Li, they were from the same village, so bringing her along was fine. The elderly, weak, sick, and orphaned mothers and children would ride in the carriage, while the young and strong would walk. The main reason was that they were precisely at the location Meng Shaode had mentioned earlier, where Mount Qiming met Nanming City. Precisely because it was a border area, disconnected from both sides, there were many bandits.