On this day, three groups of hungry people behind the motorcade were driven away, and there were more than a dozen girls in the motorcade.
Zhao Xiyan told the little maid Marigold Primrose: "I have Hosta and Begonia waiting for me. You two go to the carriage behind and take care of a few of them each so that they can be fed."
Jinzhan is thirteen years old this year, and Yingcao is only twelve years old. These two little maids are slaves born in the Zhao family, and have never seen such suffering in the world.
The two got into the carriage and looked at the girls who were so thin that they had only a handful of bones left. They cried for a while.
The younger girls were ignorant and would cry along with them. The oldest one was already ten years old and was equally skinny, but she was much more sensible than the other children. She knelt down and kowtowed without saying a word.
Jinzhan wiped his eyes: "Get up quickly. It's our lady who saved you. From now on, you will also be the maids of the Zhao family. If nothing else, at least you can have a full meal."
The ten-year-old girl's eyes shone with water as she kowtowed three more times: "Please take me to my two sisters to kowtow to the lady to thank you."
Primrose was soft-hearted and nodded in agreement. She took the girl to see her master.
The girl, covered in dirt, knelt down outside the carriage and kowtowed three times: "From now on, my life belongs to the lady. I will do whatever the lady asks me to do."
Zhao Xiyan felt pity in her heart and got off the carriage: "Get up, I have something to ask you."
The girl stood up with red eyes.
"What's your name? How old are you?"
"My name is Erniu, I'm ten years old this year. I have a sister above me who moved to the next village ten days ago and was eaten. My mother was also sold."
"My father said that I can replace someone else and fill the bellies of the people in the village. Both my father and my brother will survive."
Zhao Xiyan felt sour in her heart that it was hard to describe.
Hosta and Begonia's eyes were red.
Erniu also cried, and knelt down again and kowtowed vigorously: "Thank you, Miss, for saving me. I wanted to save my father and brother, but I also want to live."
Zhao Xiyan's eyes flashed with water, and she said softly: "Follow me as your master from now on, and at least I can ensure that you have enough food and clothing. Stop kneeling, go back, eat something, drink some water, and have a good sleep."
Erniu went back crying.
Zhao Xiyan stood there for a moment, then turned around and returned to the carriage.
…
In the next two days, seven or eight more girls were added to the convoy.
When Meng Yushi stopped seeing the hungry people before releasing grain, he would always take a look first. If there were only adult men and no women or children in a group of hungry people, they would be driven away immediately.
"These hungry people have no choice but to do so at first. Once they eat people, their character will change and they will no longer be taboo about eating people. Nine out of ten of these hungry people will become bandits."
In the carriage, Zhao Xiyan and Xu Jing sat opposite each other and spoke softly.
Xu Jing has been in a bad mood these days, and he spoke in a somewhat irritable tone: "What is the use of such a court?"
Zhao Xiyan sighed and whispered: "This is often the case in the last years of dynasty changes. There are many records in history books."
Xu Jing pulled a handful of hair in frustration: "I have read these books. However, they were far away from me before. Now they are suddenly alive in front of me... I feel very angry."
The indescribable anger was gathering and surging in his chest, but he couldn't find an outlet.
Zhao Xiyan reached out and gently held Xu Jing's hand.
Xu Jing took a deep breath and calmed down: "Well, we can save as many as we can along the way! When we get to the capital, let these girls live in the Beihai Palace."
All vassal kings have palaces in the capital. King Beihai has always been in the vassal area, and the palace in the capital has retained capable stewards.
Zhao Xiyan said: "If you want to go to the palace to study in the future, how can you take care of them? I will take care of them!"
Xu Jing couldn't help but mutter: "You really don't live in Beihai Palace?"
Zhao Xiyan glared at him: "We haven't gotten married yet. If I live in the Beihai Palace now, it would be a joke. My father sent someone to send a letter to the uncle in the lobby, so I will live in the Zhao Palace."
Uncle Zhao Yuanren, who was the minister of the Ministry of Industry, naturally had a residence in the capital. In those days, most of the money for buying a house was money from the family. When people from the Zhao family came to Beijing to take exams and attend business, they all lived in the Zhao Mansion.
Zhao Yuanming thought carefully and wrote to Zhao Yuanren on the day Zhao Xiyan decided to follow Xu Jing to Beijing.
"I feel uncomfortable when I think of being separated from you." Xu Jing was very coquettish in private, holding Zhao Xiyan's hand with his backhand and shaking it: "Sister Yue Ya'er, how are you going to comfort me?"
Zhao Xiyan's pretty face blushed slightly, and she quickly came over and kissed Xu Jing's face.
During the journey, we were the most intimate we could get. Outside the carriage there were maids, a coachman, and a bunch of soldiers with keen ears and eyes. If any news really got out, I would be so embarrassed.
Xu Jing's mood suddenly improved, and he was about to continue teasing when an annoying voice suddenly sounded outside the carriage: "Stop the carriage, I have something urgent to discuss with the prince."
Yes, the ghost is worried that Meng Yushi is here again.
He must have been asked to give money to buy grain again. No matter how rich he is, he can't help but plunder wool like this!
Xu Jing rolled his eyes obscenely, raised the car curtain, and naturally said in a less than pleasant tone: "What advice does Meng Yushi have?"
Meng Yushi was so anxious that he didn't care that he was being ridiculed and said hurriedly: "Your Majesty, the people who scouted the road ahead came back to report that there were dozens of corpses beside the official road five miles away with bright blood stains. They had obviously encountered bandits.
"
These bandits are so bold that they rush to the official road and kill people!
Xu Jing's brows moved and his expression darkened.
Zhao Xiyan was also shocked, and immediately whispered: "Our group is really eye-catching, I'm afraid we have been targeted."
Xu Jing sneered: "I was feeling sulky, and they came just in time."
Censor Meng obviously didn't have that much trust in the arrogant and boastful Crown Prince of Beihai. He frowned and reminded: "Although the Crown Prince has five hundred personal soldiers, he cannot be ignored. These bandits are very ruthless, so be more careful."
Xu Jing snorted from his nose and opened his mouth to give an order: "I have given the order for the carriages carrying gold, silver, rice and grain to go first. All the soldiers should come over."
…
The sky is getting dark.
In the dense forest beside the official road ten miles away, there was a vague figure hidden.
On a large tree eight or nine meters high, with lush branches and leaves, a thin and short man squatted among the branches, trying his best to look out.
Suddenly, the man whistled.
Immediately there was a whistle on another tree.
"Boss, the fat sheep is here."
Tens of meters away in the dense forest, a middle-aged man laughed ferociously: "God, this thief, makes it impossible for us to survive. We have to kill and rob, so that we can live a good life."
"Brothers, we have been watching this group of fat sheep for several days. We distribute food to the refugees every day. There are dozens of carriages. Moreover, there are women in the convoy."
Suddenly there was a burst of excited laughter.
The middle-aged man is not afraid of alerting others. Bandits don’t need any sophisticated strategies. They just rush forward together to kill and rob: “Come with me!”
Book lovers, don’t forget to vote monthly after reading this~(*╯3╰)
