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Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Save the Person! The Water is Rising!
Zhan Lan’s carriage procession, three vehicles strong, arrived at Xiaohe Village.
A small river flowed through the village, while the vegetable gardens by the road were planted with vegetables that did not look very robust, yet they had been almost entirely picked clean.
Before they even reached the village entrance, Zhan Lan’s carriage was surrounded by refugees.
Zhan Lan lifted the carriage curtain, revealing a gaunt face before her.
A frail woman who had just given birth stretched out her emaciated hand weakly towards Zhan Lan.
The child in her arms also had a sallow complexion, with dirty cheeks that should have been chubby and rosy, looking more like a little old man.
Zhan Lan frowned; this was the false prosperity of Nanjin.
The refugees fled all the way to Ding’an City, simply seeking food to eat, but upon arrival in the imperial capital, they found that no one cared for them.
Emperor Xuanwu was a devout follower of Taoism, governing by non-action, believing in predestined fate for all.
In his view, the presence of refugees was also due to their own sins, that the heavens were making them suffer as a means to atone for their past wrongdoings!
Nanjin was plagued by domestic troubles along with foreign threats.
It was evident that the Si Family dynasty’s days were numbered.
It just required someone to push things along; in her previous life, she had turned the tide and solved Nanjin’s external threats.
However, domestic turmoil was ultimately the root cause that would lead them to inevitable ruin.
Whether it was Emperor Xuanwu or Si Jun, they were entirely unaware that the royal family was gradually losing the hearts of the people.
"Lady, please be kind, spare us some food!" an elderly man, skinny enough to be just skin and bones, pleaded with hollow eyes.
"Lady, we haven’t had a full meal in many days!"
"Please show us mercy!"
The refugees’ pleading voices were incessant.
Zhan Lan looked at them, her heart souring.
They were the most ordinary of citizens.
The prosperous Ding’an City was unwilling to accept them.
But Xiaohe Village, which was already a poor village, was willing to take them in.
Zhan Lan stepped out of the carriage, and Liu Xi, worried, followed suit.
As soon as Zhan Lan descended, she was immediately surrounded by refugees.
She spoke warmly: "Fellow villagers, please calm down. I have brought two carriages filled with flour and rice; there’s enough for everyone!"
The refugees bowed deeply, some kowtowing and others offering their gratitude.
"Thank you, lady!"
"Xiao Bao, you’ll have food soon!"
"Xiao Ya, don’t crowd, the lady already said everyone will get something!"
While helping the kneeling people to their feet, Zhan Lan said: "Everyone, please get up. I am from the General Mansion, and we will come to check on everyone regularly!"
"Thank goodness! The lady is truly a living Bodhisattva!"
"Thank you so much, lady, you’ve saved our lives!"
Once again, the refugees knelt down, tears streaming down their faces, weeping inconsolably.
"Unload the carriages and distribute the grain!" Zhan Lan ordered those driving the carriages.
In an instant, the entrance to Xiaohe Village was crowded with villagers.
An old man with grizzled hair, shaking with age, using a cane for support, bowed to Zhan Lan: "I am the village head of Xiaohe Village; thank you from the General Mansion!"
Zhan Lan smiled and asked: "Elder, how many people are in your village now?"
"Our village originally only had a few dozen of the old, weak, and ill, but now with so many refugees, there are over two hundred people!" The village head smiled, his face crinkling with wrinkles.
Zhan Lan nodded; the people of Xiaohe Village were kind-hearted.
"Elder, these two carriages of flour and rice will probably only last a few days. I will come again."
The old village head’s eyes reddened, and he was about to kneel to kowtow to Zhan Lan, his tears freely flowing as he said: "Miss, you’ve saved Xiaohe Village!"
"Elder, please stand up!" Zhan Lan quickly went to support the old man.
Zhan Lan saw children dressed in tattered clothes hiding in the corner, stealing glances at her. She beckoned to Liu Xi: "Liu Xi, distribute the Pine Nut Sugar to the children from the carriage!"
"Yes, Miss!"
Liu Xi, carrying a cloth bag, handed out the Pine Nut Sugar one by one to the children.
After casting two shy glances at Zhan Lan, the children ran off.
Zhan Lan’s gaze fell on the faces of the villagers; she looked them over one by one but did not find the person she was looking for.
She recalled the events of her past life; by rights, he should have come to Xiaohe Village.
But why was the person not there?
Zhan Lan did not see the person she wanted to meet and left Xiaohe Village after unloading the rice and flour.
Upon her return to the General Mansion, in the evening, Liu Xi rushed in anxiously, "Miss, something terrible has happened!"
Zhan Lan had a bad feeling.
Panting, Liu Xi said, "Miss, there’s a fight in Xiaohe Village!"
Zhan Lan abruptly stood up, walked out of the courtyard, mounted her horse, and told Liu Xi, "You don’t need to follow me, don’t worry about me, I’ll be back soon!"
With that, she rode off.
When Zhan Lan arrived at Xiaohe Village, a thatched hut at the entrance was on fire.
"Save people! Water is coming!"
"Water is coming!"
The refugees were busily carrying water to put out the fire, and a few elders were being carried out of the burning house, coughing nonstop.
A few arsonists, holding torches and knives, were laughing maniacally, one man was beaten to the ground, spitting blood.
Several older people and children were also kicked to the ground, choking and trembling.
Two decent-looking young women were being dragged towards a carriage by several masked men.
"Help! Save me!"
In the morning, Xiaohe Village was peaceful, but seeing the scene before her, Zhan Lan’s anger rose instantly.
She rode over and shouted loudly, "Stop!"
"You all take the children away!" Zhan Lan’s gaze turned towards the direction of the children.
What followed would leave the children with nightmares and shadows.
Seeing the children being taken away by adults, Zhan Lan looked at the masked men, unable to suppress the murderous intent surrounding her.
A bald man with white eyes looked up at Zhan Lan.
The woman in front of him, riding on a tall horse, looked at him with wintry, murderous eyes.
The bald man stepped on the fingers of the man lying on the ground a few times, leering, "Brothers, we’ve got a beauty here!"
"Capture her; she can fetch a good price!"
The man’s voice made Zhan Lan feel nauseated.
Zhan Lan’s eyes turned to the man lying on the ground.
His slender fingers were being stepped on, and he was just enduring it, without so much as moving, let alone resisting.
Zhan Lan drew her Soft Sword with an icy expression, pointing it at the bald man, "None of you are leaving alive today!"
"Ha ha ha... Hear that? We’re being challenged by a woman!"
"Ha ha, boss, why not just deal with her right now, so she can’t even walk away!"
"Click, click, click; we haven’t had our way with such a beauty yet. Tonight, she’s not walking away, not walking away!"
The people behind the bald man laughed heartily, their gazes lecherous.
"Such a lot of talk!"
Zhan Lan’s voice had turned extremely cold!
The thatched house at the village entrance had been burned to the ground.
Amidst billowing smoke, Zhan Lan rode in, sword in hand.
A masked man looked at Zhan Lan with disdain, a sneer on his face—just a woman, what was there to be afraid of?
This was a good opportunity to show off in front of the boss.
So, he took his sword, and with his muscular arm, swung it at Zhan Lan.
Bang!
At the moment of the weapon collision, the weapon in the masked man’s hand fell to the ground.
The next second, a round head rolled to the corner; the man’s eyes were wide open, filled with disbelief at his own death.
Blood dripped from Zhan Lan’s Soft Sword in the firelight as she pointed the sword tip at the bald man’s head, "Next, you!"
The bald man looked at his subordinate’s decapitated body, sending chills down his spine.
Was this woman’s swordsmanship so formidable?
Although it was a Soft Sword, it had reached the level of cutting through iron as if it were mud.
Moreover, looking at her expression, there was not a trace of fear, as if killing for her was as simple as chopping vegetables.
The bald man said to the two behind him, "Together! Kill her!"
