"What shall we do now?"
Meng Shaode muttered to himself after a long pause.
The situation was too sudden. He didn't know how to explain it to Brother Wu, and if the carriage couldn't be used, how could they leave Old Wu's family here?
A Jiu also knew her father was worried.
Cai Lihua, however, grumbled, "Isn't this simple? We just won't leave for now."
"Jiu'er, come, let Mom show you how to turn watermelons into dry rations."
She beckoned A Jiu to admire her knife skills.
Meng Shaode, lost in thought, left the kitchen and saw Wu Dalei plucking eagle feathers.
"Brother Meng, I saw you use pheasant feathers for your feathered arrows. Do you think eagle feathers would work?"
Wu Dalei grinned broadly.
Meng Shaode couldn't smile. "Eagle feathers aren't very good."
"Brother Meng? Are you... troubled by something?" Wu Dalei noticed that Brother Meng seemed lost and dazed, as if he had lost his soul.
This question stumped Meng Shaode. How should he explain?
"Ahem." Meng Shaode cleared his throat and squatted down, idly pulling at an eagle feather.
"Brother Wu, there's something I feel I should tell you. The carriage situation is probably a no-go."
"Ah?" Wu Dalei's smile vanished. He stared blankly at Brother Meng.
"Wh-why?"
He knew the carriage was a luxury for him, but having a hope and then seeing it dashed left him feeling rather upset.
Meng Shaode didn't hide anything and explained the situation.
"That child doesn't seem like it. He's always smiling, and yesterday he was even playing with my child."
As soon as Wu Dalei said this, Meng Shaode waved his hand wearily.
"You can't judge a book by its cover. If they are truly colluding with bandits, aren't we walking right into a trap? No one wants to leap into a fire pit."
Wu Dalei sighed deeply.
Suddenly, he looked up and said with a dry smile, "Brother Meng, you've done your best to consider my situation. Let's proceed as I originally suggested. Then you..."
Wu Dalei paused, then gritted his teeth and said, "Your family should leave now. I'm fortunate to have met an upright person like you, Brother."
"Actually, it's not necessarily impossible to leave together," A Jiu emerged from the kitchen.
It was difficult for her father to be so loyal. In the past, he wouldn't have cared about others' lives.
"Do you have a good idea?" Meng Shaode and Wu Dalei's eyes lit up.
"We can just delay our departure. Even if he waits, he can't wait indefinitely if he doesn't hear from us. As for bringing Aunt Wu and Grandma Wu afterward, that's manageable."
A Jiu smiled confidently.
"Huh, that makes sense." Meng Shaode's eyes brightened, and he chuckled heartily.
"My daughter's mind is so sharp."
Wu Dalei beamed.
"Actually, it was Mom who reminded me," A Jiu mused. If they traveled non-stop, they could cross the three mountains in at most a day.
With such a short route, they wouldn't easily give up and choose a detour.
Therefore, coupled with Cai Lihua's desire to stay a few days to turn watermelons and peaches into dry rations, they could perfectly avoid the carriage that Tuoba Yan had arranged with the bandits.
"But the most important thing is that we can't stay here anymore. We need to move somewhere else. If that second-in-command brings people back, we won't be as lucky as last time."
Wu Dalei added.
"Uncle Wu is right."
A Jiu agreed.
"By the way, Brother, when we went up the mountain last night, didn't we find a cave? A pretty big one," Meng Shaode recalled.
"You mean the cave full of snake skins?" Wu Dalei's eyes widened.
He and his brother hadn't dared to enter the cave. They had only found many snake skins at the entrance. Some were weathered, but the largest ones were as thick as a bowl.
Who would dare to enter that cave?