Chapter 29
How Pathetic
Village Chief Zhao was worried that it would be inappropriate for them to kill so many people outside Beiyun City, so he whispered to Zhao Pengfei, “Ask them to hand over all their belongings before letting them go.”
Zhao Pengfei nodded. “Okay, Dad.”
He turned to Fourth Master, who was half-dead on the ground, and said, “You want to beg for mercy after robbing us? It’s not that easy!” He pretended to slash at Fourth Master’s head.
A cold light flashed, and Fourth Master hurriedly cried out, “Don’t, don’t, I’ll compensate you. Compensation!”
Zhao Pengfei’s knife stopped a centimeter away from the tip of his nose. He asked coldly, “How much compensation? It won’t be enough if you compensate alone.” He had been dealing with bandits for a long time and knew how to raise the price.
Fourth Master was so frightened that his forehead was covered in sweat. He hurriedly said, “Everyone will give compensation!”
He had no choice but to give it to him. His life was still in their hands.
In times of emergency, ordinary people would bring valuable things with them. This group of people was no exception.
Soon, Fourth Master and the others were all plundered by Zhao Pengfei.
There was really a lot. In total, it was almost 200 taels.
Zhao Pengfei released Fourth Master and the others as promised. He handed the silver to Village Chief Zhao and said excitedly, “Father, look, there’s so much silver!” Fourth Master probably regretted it a lot.
Village Chief Zhao took the silver and walked up to Bai Wutong. He asked in a negotiating tone, “Madam should also have a share of this silver. How about we use this silver to exchange for food when we enter the city tomorrow?” As long as Bai Wutong nodded in agreement, everyone would be in the same boat.
Bai Wutong really had to hand it to Village Chief Zhao. She smiled and said, “It’s up to you.”
Village Chief Zhao immediately smiled like a chrysanthemum blooming. Lin Yue was someone who could casually take out banknotes. Bai Wutong was his master, so how could she be short of money? This meant that she had acknowledged them and was willing to go with them.
Village Chief Zhao finally felt at ease and hurriedly said, “Then let’s buy more food. Madam, if you need anything, just tell me.”
It would take at least two months to reach Ling Kingdom. If they were delayed on the way, it might take months.
At that time, the weather had turned cold, and it was easy to catch a cold.
There were also quite a number of children and old people in the team. They were all vulnerable to infection.
Bai Wutong thought for a moment, wrote down the prescription with a charcoal pen, and handed it to Village Chief Zhao. “Apart from food, go and prepare more herbs. Buy some medicine for bruises and injuries.” Although she had no memories in this body, everything she knew was still there, such as reading, writing, playing the piano, and painting… She was really a lady from a wealthy family.
Village Chief Zhao had the same intention. When he saw the herbs written down by Bai Wutong, he immediately asked in surprise, “Madam, you know medicine?”
Bai Wutong nodded. “I know a little about it. But it can’t cure a serious illness.”
It was already very impressive to know a little. At the very least, she could help take a look if they had a headache or fever.
Village Chief Zhao looked at Bai Wutong as if he was looking at a piece of sparkling gold. Letting the villagers follow Bai Wutong was simply the wisest decision of his life.
At dawn, Village Chief Zhao brought his men to enter the city.
Bai Wutong wiped Chu Tianbao’s hands with a towel. Chu Tianbao stretched his face over. “I want it on my face too.”
Bai Wutong pinched his face hard. “Do you still want your face?”
Chu Tianbao hurriedly shouted, “Wife, let go. It hurts.”
Stinky was being carried by Lin Yue. When he saw Chu Tianbao being pinched, he danced and even giggled happily.
Chu Tianbao glared at him fiercely. Bai Wutong pinched him even harder. “Do you still want it?”
Chu Tianbao looked at her with watery eyes and said aggrievedly, “No, I’ll wash it myself.”
Snorting, Bai Wutong let go and wrung him a towel. “Wipe your neck while you’re at it.”
He had not showered for a few days. It was not good to let others see a layer of mud on him when he entered the city.
When Chu Tianbao was obediently wiping his neck, a skinny refugee suddenly appeared at his feet and shouted weakly, “Master, I met you guys again!”
“Master?” Chu Tianbao stopped holding the towel and looked at Bai Wutong with a puzzled expression.
Bai Wutong was also confused. How did she have another servant?
The refugee looked up. His face was so thin that only his eyes were left.
Bai Wutong was already used to it along the way. She was not frightened, but she really did not recognize who he was.
Seeing that Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao did not recognize him, he hurriedly said, “Master, since you gave me a bowl of water in Beiyun City, I’m already your servant.”
Bai Wutong stared at him, who looked like he was about to fall apart when the wind blew. She finally remembered that he was the young man who had sold himself for water for his grandmother.
Bai Wutong shook her head. “We’re not your masters. You don’t have to be concerned about that bowl of water.”
Huang Zhong shook his head firmly. “I can’t go back on my word. Since I’ve sold myself to my master, I should remember my identity.”
It was fake for him to sell himself like this. It was probably true that he wanted to freeload.
However, Bai Wutong was curious how he could recognize her and Chu Tianbao in such a disguise.
Afraid that he would starve to death after saying a few words, Bai Wutong got someone to give him a sweet potato. Huang Zhong thanked her gratefully with his eyes shining. He wolfed it down in a few bites.
Seeing that he was not full yet, Bai Wutong gave him another sweet potato and a bowl of water to prevent him from choking.
After eating two sweet potatoes and drinking a bowl of water, Huang Zhong could speak in a louder voice. “Thank you, Master.”
Bai Wutong said, “How did you recognize us?”
Huang Zhong smiled and said, “I’m born with a keen sense of smell and can distinguish the smell of a radius of several miles. I discovered my master from afar.” He had also relied on this ability to avoid many troubles and had even found some edible wild grass and insects to fill his stomach. That was how he had lasted until Beiyun City.
Bai Wutong was enlightened. She knew it. Her cooking skills in the past shouldn’t be so bad.
There was no time for to care for another idle person on the way to escape. Bai Wutong handed him a few more sweet potatoes. “Take them and leave. We don’t need you to sell yourself.”
Huang Zhong hurriedly shook his head and knelt on the ground to show his loyalty. “A gentleman never goes back on his word. Unless I have the ability to redeem myself one day, I will be Master’s servant for the rest of my life.”
Bai Wutong’s eyes turned cold. “I gave you a bowl of water out of goodwill, not for you to cling to me. Go away. Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Huang Zhong looked up and said excitedly, “Master! Let me do anything to repay you.”
Bai Wutong glanced at him. “You leaving this place now is the greatest repayment to me.” This person’s body was too weak. If he followed them, it was unknown who would be repaying whom.
Huang Zhong lowered his eyes and smiled bitterly. He was a scholar after all. Now that he had been reduced to a servant, there was still no one who wanted him. He could not enter the city and he could not find his uncle. He could guarantee that if he did not eat the sweet potatoes on the ground, they would be snatched away if he took a few steps away from here.
How sad.
How pathetic!
Sadness drowned him like thousands of sand. Huang Zhong bowed to Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao and turned around in a sorry state.
He did not take the few sweet potatoes.
Seeing that he had tactfully left, Bai Wutong heaved a sigh of relief. After taking a few steps, Huang Zhong collapsed with a bang.
“…” ???