Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Even Pain Doesn’t Teach You a Lesson

After finishing their business, that group of riders left.

They rode off in the direction that everyone had come from.

As the sound of hooves faded into the distance, the crowd breathed a sigh of relief and then burst into cheers.

“Great, we’ve arrived in Tabei Prefecture!”

“Hahaha, finally this life of fleeing like refugees is coming to an end!”

Everyone was so excited that they were jumping around.

The eyes of the elders turned red, and the women’s tears began to fall.

Though on this journey no one went hungry or thirsty, and we even gained something, yet everyone still longed to settle down.

After a while, everyone’s emotions finally started to calm down.

But no one felt sleepy, even the children who were nodding off didn’t want to lie down, and instead nestled in their mothers’ arms, yawning and trying hard to keep their sticky eyelids open to listen to the adults speak.

Someone remarked, “Could the group that just passed be people of the Northern Garrison General?”

“Possibly! It’s said that although Tabei Prefecture is the northernmost prefecture of our court, because of the Beijing Defense Army guarding it, those barbarians from outside can’t get in.”

“People say the safest places under the heavens, apart from the Capital City, are where the Northern Garrison General is stationed. We’re going to the territory governed by the Northern Garrison General, looks like we might be able to live peaceful lives from now on.”

Mentioning the Capital City, someone suddenly weakly brought up: “I wonder where the village chief and the others are now, did they really go to the Capital City?”

The voice wasn’t loud, but it was heard by everyone present.

The lively discussion atmosphere suddenly turned quiet.

After a long silence, Qi Zheng broke it: “Alright, it’s getting late, everyone sleep! We’ll set off early in the morning to find a town, so we can settle down sooner.”

No one opposed, and they all got up to return to their respective resting places to lay down and rest.

But, there was less happiness in everyone’s hearts, and more concern for those who had parted.

No matter what, they had lived in the same village for decades. Previously they had been busy with the journey, always worried about what lay ahead, so no one brought up those people, nor did they deliberately think about them.

Now that they’ve seen the road ahead, as their mood relaxed, they naturally thought of those people.

Yi Meng lay on the grass mat, with her husband and daughter lying on either side.

Watching the stars spread across the sky, Yi Meng suddenly felt a bit ethereal.

She’s been in this era for almost ten years, hasn’t she?

Sometimes when she thinks back, there’s a certain feeling as if everything from the past life was nothing more than a dream she once had.

Now, going to a new place to start again, she had an indescribable feeling.

It’s as if those years in Yongping Village would also become a dream.

One wonders if someday in the future, everything starts anew again, if that happens…

“Mommy, eat meat…”

Qi Manman murmured in her sleep, instantly breaking Yi Meng’s drifting thoughts.

Seeing her little daughter sleeping soundly in her arms, Yi Meng only felt her heart melt.

No wonder mother-in-law always wanted a granddaughter, girl babies are indeed more cherished.

She gently kissed her daughter’s forehead, tucked the blanket in, and finally closed her eyes and surrendered to sleep.

No fear even if everything starts anew; she has a family now, a husband and children. This kind of life, even if starting over and harder, is not frightening.

…

At dawn, when the sky was just lightening, everyone woke up one after another.

They’ll be able to settle today, and everyone was as if filled with adrenaline.

The children were still asleep and there was no rush to wake them, directly arranging them in the carriage, with Mrs. Qi on the carriage to care for the little ones.

After casually eating something, everyone drove the carts toward the town.

Close to noon, they finally saw the town.

This was the first time they’d seen a town since leaving Yongping Village, and everyone’s faces flushed with excitement.

The towering and majestic city walls looked much more imposing than the county town before, giving a sense of safety.

Outside the city gate, there was a long queue, with people driving ox carts, and others pushing carts, but most had a basket on their back or were carrying a bundle.

Unlike Qi Quanjin’s group, there was no team with as many as five carriages.

As they got closer, everyone unconsciously began to feel anxious.

The line was very long, but they could still see the armored soldiers at the city gate carefully checking the belongings everyone was bringing along.

“I wonder if we’ll be stopped for bringing so much. What will we do if they make us give up some?”

Mrs. Zhou Sr. was sitting on the edge of a carriage board and looked concerned as she gazed into the distance.

The others felt the same way.

There wasn’t anything very valuable in the carriage, but whether it was chestnuts or jerky, they were things that could fill the belly.

In their minds as ordinary people, food was more important than silver.

Yi Meng, sitting with Mrs. Zhou Sr. on a carriage, smiled and said after hearing her: “Even if some are taken, it’s fine. It’s better than wandering outside, isn’t it, Auntie?”

“Right! Mrs. Qi, you’re absolutely right!”

Mrs. Zhou Sr.’s face instantly stopped being long.

What’s more important than living a peaceful life?

If there’s less to eat, then we’ll just go outside and find more!

They had come to understand that as long as they were alive and diligent, they wouldn’t starve.

They had arrived late and were at the back of the line.

At a glance, the queue was at least two hundred meters long, and at the current pace, it might not be their turn by nightfall.

Qi Ercai approached Qi Zheng: “Dad, I’ll go ahead and scout. If it’s not our turn today, we must quickly find a place to spend the night.”

Qi Zheng had no objections, and the other three old men in the carriage nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Upon hearing, Qi Quanli hurriedly shouted: “Second brother, I’ll go with you!”

“Get up for nothing, just drive the cart properly!”

Qi Zheng slapped his younger son’s back: “You’re everywhere!”

Qi Quanli grinned from being hit: “Dad, if you don’t let me, then don’t. Why hit me? It’s really painful.”

“You don’t seem to learn from pain!”

Qi Zheng didn’t know what to say to this younger son.

Every day, while everyone was so tired they didn’t want to speak, he was as if he couldn’t survive without speaking.

Qi Ercai couldn’t help but laugh seeing his younger brother get hit, but still helped to cajole: “Dad, if I don’t come back in time for something, having the young brat relay a message would work.”

Upon hearing this, Qi Quanli, who had been listless, suddenly perked up.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep