Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan didn't wake up until nearly noon. After freshening up in the space, they laid out a full table of dishes and ate lunch directly.
As she served Xi Weilan some food, she said, "Lan'er, after we eat and rest a bit, I'll teach you how to read. Once it's cooler outside, we'll ride Tafeng and set off."
Xi Weilan smiled and nodded obediently. "Okay, big sister."
Thinking about the situation in Bozhou City, Xi Qingyue decided not to take the cart for now. The two of them would ride the mule for a stretch of the road. Just outside Bozhou City, there shouldn't be too many refugees, so they could move faster without the cart drawing too much attention.
When they were on the official road riding the mule, the refugees they saw were few—mostly people who had passed through Bozhou City today to stock up on water and food before leaving.
Xi Qingyue wasn’t surprised at all. The refugees from last night had fled as far as they could after leaving the city in a hurry. Those passing through Bozhou today wouldn't be many, and most wouldn't reach the city gates until near dusk.
The two rode Tafeng swiftly along the official road. Since Xi Weilan was small, she still sat in front, as Xi Qingyue worried she might fall off if seated behind.
They wore large sun hats that blocked the sunlight above, casting shade beyond the brims. Tafeng moved far faster than any horse.
A few scattered refugees on the road stared curiously at the two children riding a mule as they sped past. Their faces showed surprise.
"Big sister, what if the city ahead is the same as Bozhou?" Xi Weilan couldn't help asking out of curiosity.
Xi Qingyue's expression didn't change. "Anyone who tries to rob us, we kill them. No matter who they are."
She didn't care what status those people had. If they dared to make a move against them, they had to be ready to die.
An hour later, Xi Qingyue slowed Tafeng down.
After riding the mule for so long, Xi Weilan's little bottom was sore, but she was sensible enough not to complain.
Xi Qingyue glanced at the refugees on the road. Their numbers had noticeably increased, most having merged onto the official road from mountain paths and side crossings.
Their mule trailed at the end of a group. The group was a small team—probably people from a village traveling together. Perhaps the village was small, or maybe they'd lost people along the way. Altogether, there were only a few dozen. The two of them simply stayed behind them.
Xi Qingyue took out her water pouch from her waist, opened it, and handed it to Xi Weilan. "Lan'er, have some water."
Feeling a bit thirsty, Xi Weilan took the pouch and drank.
Some refugees saw her drinking and couldn't help licking their dry, cracked lips. They'd come out of the mountains without passing any towns or finding water sources. Their own pouches had long run dry.
Seeing someone drinking, they barely stopped themselves from snatching the pouch away, but reason held them back.
After Xi Weilan finished drinking, she handed it back. Xi Qingyue also took a few sips, instantly feeling refreshed. The water in the pouch was all spiritual spring water.
Two children riding a mule struck others as particularly odd, but the smarter ones recognized they shouldn't be messed with. Only those overly confident and arrogant would treat them like ordinary kids.
Some even assumed they were part of the villagers ahead, and thus didn't dare provoke them casually. This made their journey smooth.
Seeing no one caused trouble, Xi Qingyue was satisfied—but she noticed a problem.
In the past, the refugees on the road would find a place to rest before dark; almost no one traveled at night. But now, even at sunset, people were still on the move—could it be that everyone intended to walk through the night?
Seeing this, Xi Qingyue wasted no time choosing a small path and steering Tafeng down it.
The sultry weather showed no sign of letting up even as night fell; not a trace of cool breeze stirred. Fortunately, her abilities kept her from being utterly miserable in the heat.
"Lan'er, we'll rest soon. No more traveling tonight."
"Sister, are we skipping the little cart tonight?" Xi Weilan’s tone carried a hint of regret.
Xi Qingyue chuckled. "No cart tonight. Let's stop first to eat, then rest after. We'll start early tomorrow."
They picked up the pace, searching for a secluded spot to pull over.
A quarter of an hour later, they unexpectedly spotted a small village up ahead.
"Sister, there's a village over there. Should we go check it out?"
Xi Qingyue frowned slightly. She saw no smoke rising from cooking fires, and it was far too quiet. She shook her head. "No, let's not. We'll hide behind that thatched cottage to block the view from those behind us, then go into the space to eat."
She couldn't be bothered to waste time wandering through the village. They just needed something to shield them from the refugees following along the road.
As their mule slipped behind the thatched cottage, a group of refugees on the small path behind quickened their pace forward.
These people had been tailing the two of them, but they had fallen behind since they couldn't keep up with Tafeng's speed on foot.
"Hurry, they've disappeared!" a gaunt-faced man urged anxiously. He couldn't bear to lose the prey they had in sight.
The burly leader at the front muttered impatiently, "What are you, an idiot? There's a village ahead. Where else would they rest? It's a small place; we'll find them soon enough once we look around."
The others chimed in agreement. "Exactly, they've gone into the village. Catching two kids will be a piece of cake."
Despite their casual tone, the group quickened their steps toward the village.
Many other refugees had also spotted the village and were now rushing toward it.
"This place is empty—everyone must have fled the famine. Check everywhere for anything left behind!"
A delighted shout rang out from one refugee, and smiles spread across the others.
The burly leader ordered his men to split up: two to search for Xi Qingyue and the others, while the rest combed the village for food and water.
Meanwhile, the very people they sought were inside their hidden space, greedily devouring chicken legs. Xi Weilan’s mouth and face were smeared with grease.
"Sister, did everyone in this village leave like in our village?"
"Mm, probably. With the drought over the past two years, many have fled. Our village was relatively fortunate. Others left early because they feared war. Most villages are heading south."
As she answered Xi Weilan’s question, her mind churned. After passing Bozhou, the refugees no longer rested properly at night. One by one, they pressed on in the darkness—likely frightened by what happened in Bozhou, desperate to reach the south sooner.
She sighed inwardly. If more people started traveling at night from now on, it wouldn’t be so convenient for her.
At night, no one would make way for her. How could she keep speeding along?
The thought drove Xi Qingyue to eat two extra bowls of rice in frustration.
In the village, the burly men and their group were initially disappointed that they couldn't find the sisters Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan, but after discovering food and water in the houses, they became ecstatic one by one. All the refugees grew excited—they had finally found food and water.
"This is mine, I found it first," an old man said, clutching a bag of grain tightly in his arms.
A middle-aged man snatched the bag away and kicked the old man aside. "Get lost. Whoever gets it, owns it."
The refugees began fighting over the food that belonged to the same household, and within moments, blood was spilled.
