Wei Dongling looked around and softly asked, "Where is this?" The light was dim, the air smelled unpleasant, and it was damp, cold, and gloomy. The cold wind blowing against her made her bones ache.
Cui Huan pulled Wei Dongling's clothes tighter and replied in a low voice, "Those Xiliang scoundrels are searching every household in the stockade. I was afraid someone would inform on us, so I didn't dare to bother the locals. I had no choice but to take you to hide in a local farmer's sheepfold."
No wonder it smelled so foul! Wei Dongling was almost dizzy from the stench.
Cui Huan took out a hard, dry bun that still carried her body heat from her bosom. She broke it into pieces and stuffed them bit by bit into Wei Dongling's mouth. Sighing, she said, "That scoundrel Zhao Chuanyi didn't die. He ordered the city gates to be closed. People can only enter but not leave. Now there's a city - wide manhunt for the two of us! We're trapped here. You need to force yourself to eat something to save your strength."
Hearing that Zhao Chuanyi was still alive, Wei Dongling felt her heart sink. After a moment of silence, she quickly took big bites of the bun. Cui Huan was right. She needed to save her strength and then figure out a way to break through the siege.
Wei Dongling ate too quickly and accidentally choked, with tears welling up in her eyes. She pounded her chest to catch her breath. When she looked up, she saw a little lamb beside her looking at her with big, misty eyes, tilting its head.
Wei Dongling's heart melted at the cute appearance of the little lamb. She reached out to touch it, and the lamb wasn't even afraid of people. It bleated at her. Wei Dongling laughed and offered the broken bun to it. The little thing wasn't shy at all and ate the bun right from her hand. Its soft tongue tickled the palm of Wei Dongling's hand, making her can't help but smile with her eyebrows bent.
Soon, Wei Dongling found out why the little lamb wasn't afraid of people. The sheepfold was drafty everywhere. For two consecutive nights, she and Cui Huan had huddled among the sheep for warmth. Naturally, the little thing wasn't afraid of her.
During the day, when the owner occasionally came out to feed the sheep, Cui Huan would quickly take Wei Dongling and hide in the haystack. It was so dim that the old woman feeding the sheep didn't notice that there were people hiding there. She just wondered why some buns had inexplicably gone missing recently.
After eating some buns, Wei Dongling felt dizzy. She curled up in the corner and didn't want to move. Cui Huan reached out to touch her forehead and found it alarmingly hot! She sighed silently in her heart. Miss Wei couldn't hold on for long in this state. She needed to go out and find a pharmacy to buy some medicinal materials to treat her.
Cui Huan hid Wei Dongling in the haystack, gave her a few soft instructions, and then climbed over the wall and left.
Wei Dongling fell into a daze and fell asleep. A figure kept hovering in her mind and wouldn't go away.
In her heart, she missed him desperately, but what could she do? That day in the snow, he rushed forward to save her. God knew how much strength it took for her to control herself and force herself to push him away. At that time, Yu Zixi's voice was hoarse, and his departing back was staggering. He must have been reluctant, right?
But what could she do? He already had Qi Jinxuan now. Even if she liked him so much, what could she do? Other than forcing herself to let go, what else could she do?
Wei Dongling curled up and sobbed softly. A clear tear rolled down the corner of her eye.
There were many Xiliang soldiers patrolling everywhere in the stockade. There were two portraits posted on the prominent notices on the walls. The people in the portraits were exactly Wei Dongling and Cui Huan. Many on - lookers were pointing at the portraits on the wall and discussing animatedly. Jingzhe and Cheng Hao stopped to take a look, exchanged a glance, and then quietly left.
Cui Huan casually coiled up her hair and wore a tattered hat as she quickly made her way through the bustling market.
When she came back again, she brought back some honeyed pills made by a pharmacist and some food. Seeing that Wei Dongling was awake, Cui Huan went over to feed her the medicine and whispered to her, "I heard that the city gate was opened today, but there are many guards at the gate. I don't know if we can sneak out of the city."
First, she had to help Miss Wei get better soon, and then figure out a way to disguise themselves and leave the city. If they really showed their true colors and there was a conflict, they could just fight their way out. She had already made up her mind. Even if it meant risking their lives, she had to protect Miss Wei and get her back safely so that she could reunite with Brother Lang and the others.
After taking the medicine, Wei Dongling forced herself to eat some nang and then leaned against Cui Huan in a daze and fell asleep.
She didn't know if Grandpa Su was okay. She had to leave this place alive! Zhao Chuanyi dared to threaten Grandpa Su's life. She must kill him no matter what!
Just as Wei Dongling was thinking wildly, she suddenly heard a rush of footsteps outside. Cui Huan's face changed. She quickly hid Wei Dongling and then slipped away quietly to check the situation.
A group of Xiliang soldiers swaggered into the farmer's house. They held up a portrait and asked the old woman if she had seen two such women. The old woman squinted and looked at it for a long time, then shook her head, indicating that she hadn't seen them.
The Xiliang soldier nodded and said, "Then let's just do a routine search!" Then, without waiting for the old woman's resistance, he directly sent people into the house to search.
The old woman stamped her feet anxiously but couldn't do anything to them.
Cui Huan was faintly worried. The sheepfold they were in wasn't very big. If those Xiliang soldiers came to search, the two of them would definitely be discovered. Cui Huan hoped that they would just ignore the sheepfold and leave quickly after searching the house.
However, the more you feared something, the more likely it would happen. Just as the Xiliang soldiers were about to withdraw after searching the house, the leading soldier glanced at the dilapidated sheepfold and coldly said, "General Zhao has ordered that every place must be carefully checked. We mustn't let any enemy spies slip through the net!"
Hearing this, the several soldiers beside him immediately came to search the sheepfold. Seeing five or six people walking step by step through the snow, Cui Huan's heart was in her throat. She lay still on the spot, gripping the dagger in her hand tightly, planning to kill them one by one at the risk of her life when they came in.
The soldier walking in the front didn't notice any danger at all. He took one step, then another, walking into the sheepfold through the thick snow. Cui Huan stared intently at the man's feet on the ground. Just as she was about to rush forward, a big snowball suddenly came flying from the opposite side and hit the soldier hard on the back of his head.
The soldier was hit squarely by the great impact and almost fell down because of the unstable footing. He steadied himself and roared back angrily, "Who is it?"
The whole group stopped in their tracks and turned around in unison. They saw a man sitting on the high wall opposite. The man grinned at them mockingly and said, "Yo? You Xiliang soldiers are wearing dog - skin coats and coming out to bully the common people?"
Cui Huan squinted her eyes and looked out through the gap. The person sitting on the high wall was actually Cheng Hao! Cui Huan was overjoyed. She didn't expect Cheng Hao to follow them and attract the attention of all the Xiliang soldiers in time!
Hearing this, the group of Xiliang soldiers flew into a rage and roared in a chorus, "Who the hell are you?"
"Come down if you have the guts, you brat!"
Cheng Hao sneered coldly and said, "I just can't stand you lackeys bullying the common people. Do you think I would take you guys seriously?"