Jiang Tou'er shielded his eyes with his hand, glancing at the faint sun in the east and the lingering unpleasant expressions on the faces of the Meng clan members. Growing impatient, he shouted loudly, "Alright, everyone come back. It's time to set off."
Though the Meng clan members were reluctant to leave the taste of wolfberries behind, they dejectedly trudged back to the official road, casting glances at the bare trees they had stripped.
Qi He returned with Yu'er and the Meng siblings, pouting. They hadn't managed to snatch any of the wolfberries from the ravenous Meng clan members. Qi Ren had even been knocked down by one, but the little fellow was strong and didn't cry.
Seeing that the children were unharmed, Meng Qingping smiled at them and then led the way, urging the children to continue their journey.
The mountain path grew narrower as they walked, only wide enough for a single cart. Meng Qingping held Yu'er's hand firmly and repeatedly cautioned the other children to be extra careful and watch their footing.
The children obediently agreed. Even the usually boisterous Qi He followed Grandpa Meng obediently, not looking left or right.
Indeed, with the wolfberries to fill their stomachs, the Meng clan members walked noticeably faster than before, not needing the guards to crack their whips.
However, their eyes darted in all directions, like acrobats practicing their act. Instead of looking forward, their eyes simultaneously scanned the sides of the mountain path. Whenever they spotted edible wild vegetables or fruits, they would invariably rush over to pick them and quickly stuff them into their mouths.
The escorting guards didn't interfere much with their ravenous eating, turning a blind eye as long as there were no signs of escape.
Yesterday, Jiang Tou'er had privately reminded them that even if these prisoners had committed heinous crimes, they had already been punished by the Emperor and were now submitting to the law. He had urged them not to let anyone starve to death while in their custody, for they were still human lives with families and descendants, and to avoid causing further suffering.
The guards felt Jiang Tou'er's words were reasonable, and today they showed a little more leniency towards the Meng clan members.
Fu Xin'ci, unaware of the change in the guards' attitude, continuously surveyed the surrounding terrain, looking for any opportunities to procure some food for her grandfather and Yu'er.
However, as they ventured further into the mountains, she discovered that the mountains were not high, but the forest was incredibly dense, blocking out the sunlight.
The Meng clan members secretly rejoiced. It was good to be in the mountains; the sun seemed to be perpetually hiding behind clouds.
Jiang Tou'er, knowledgeable and experienced, had some understanding of the daily weather.
At this moment, he habitually looked up at the sky. His sparse, comma-shaped eyebrows gradually furrowed.
"Boss, what's wrong?" The dark-faced burly man, despite his rough appearance, had a more sensitive mind than others. Seeing Jiang Tou'er's troubled expression, he asked.
"Zhuzi, look at the sky. Doesn't it feel like it's going to rain?"
"Rain is good! We've been out for over a month and haven't seen a single drop." Wang Zhuzi knew about the annual drought in the north, but he hadn't expected the current drought to be so severe. He heard that it hadn't rained since spring, and the ground was parched. So, when Jiang Tou'er mentioned rain, he was naturally happy.
Others nearby heard this and also showed joy, hoping for a timely rain.
"Good for what? Look where we are. If it really rains and we get stuck in these mountains, we'll be wolf fodder by nightfall."
Hearing Jiang Tou'er mention being fed to wolves, those walking nearby shivered. The journey of exile was miserable, but being eaten by wolves was far worse – a death without even a whole body.
The thought of potentially becoming a meal for hungry wolves made some timid women unable to suppress their fear, and they began to weep quietly in despair.
The men of the Meng clan had little patience to begin with. If not for the fear of the guards' whips, they would have already erupted in anger.
Seeing a woman crying, they could no longer hold back. Especially her husband, who immediately began to curse loudly.
"You jinx, all you do is cry. You're making me miserable with your wailing."
The man's angry scolding seemed to awaken the woman. She wiped her tear-reddened eyes and stopped crying. A trace of hatred gradually surfaced on her dull, numb face, and then mocking words burst forth, "How ridiculous. A complete piece of useless mud, yet you still think you're a dignified lord of the Duke's mansion, living a life of debauchery every day?"
"You!" Hearing the woman's words, the man clenched his fists. If not for Jiang Tou'er's watchful eyes, his fist would have already landed on her.
The woman, however, didn't engage in a verbal sparring match. As if having made up her mind, she nudged a frightened seven or eight-year-old boy beside her and whispered, "Luo'er, go find your second grand-uncle ahead."
"Mother," the young boy named Luo'er looked at his mother in surprise.
"Good Luo'er, listen to your mother. Only by going to your second grand-uncle will you have a chance to live, and we will be able to reach Liaodong alive."
"Mother, Luo'er doesn't want to leave you." The young boy grabbed his mother's sleeve, reluctant to let go.
"Good boy, Luo'er isn't leaving Mother. Mother can see Luo'er, and Luo'er can see Mother when he looks back."
"Mother," the young boy still didn't want to leave.
"Good Luo'er, hurry, you must listen to your second grand-uncle." Fearing the guards wouldn't let the child go, the woman urged him more urgently.
The young boy named Luo'er, being rushed by his mother, finally began to think. He was not young, and before the Duke's mansion fell, he had already been studying in the clan school.
"Mother, when Luo'er thinks of his unreliable father, he worries about Mother's situation."
"Luo'er, listen to your mother and go to your second grand-uncle quickly." Fearing her son would be stubborn, the woman kept giving him meaningful glances.
The boy finally understood his mother's kind intentions and began to walk forward, looking back at his mother step by step.
A young woman nearby was inspired by this woman. She crouched down, smoothed her daughter's bangs, and whispered, "Ke'er, hurry and go with your Luo'er brother to find your second grand-uncle."
"Mother," the little girl said timidly. She looked about five or six years old. Her originally plump little body had become thin and gaunt due to frequent hunger on the journey of exile.
"Ke'er, hurry and chase after your Luo'er brother..." The young woman, afraid her daughter would be too late to catch up with their second grand-uncle, couldn't hide the anxiety on her face. However, she tried to speak in words her daughter could understand.
"Mother," the little girl was very perceptive and tried hard to decipher her mother's words. The hardships of the exile journey had made her understand human suffering at a young age. Although she didn't want to be separated from her mother, she understood what her mother said. Only by following her second grand-uncle could she survive, and if she lived, her mother would live.