"I... I actually wanted to report you two and have the soldiers arrest you!" Qian Mancang said, clutching his neck.
Yun Sanman had almost broken his neck, and the pain was searing.
Hearing this, Yun Erman was furious. "You scoundrel! We have no quarrel with you, why would you report us?"
No wonder he had so kindly offered to help them escape; it turned out he wanted to frame them...
Qian Mancang mumbled, "Because, because One-Eyed promised me that if I could catch the deserters, he would let me go home. So, I deliberately let you escape!"
Yun Sanman punched him in the eye upon hearing this. "Shameless wretch, you actually believe what that One-Eyed said? How could he let you go home after finally capturing strong laborers? Is your head filled with dung?"
Qian Mancang cried out in pain from the beating and suddenly shouted loudly, "Help! Quickly, someone, they're trying to escape..."
The drunken soldiers heard the commotion and turned to look in their direction.
Seeing this, Yun Sanman had an idea. He grabbed Yun Erman and ran towards the courtyard, shouting as he ran, "Help! Someone is escaping! Quickly go catch him, he's right outside the courtyard!"
Qian Mancang: "???"
What was going on?
After all the scheming, how did he end up falling into his own trap?
Yun Sanman's shout woke up almost all the soldiers...
Even One-Eyed climbed out of bed, threw on a sheepskin cloak, and ran outside.
The soldiers lit torches and rushed outside the courtyard, surrounding Qian Mancang, who was lying on the ground.
Yun Sanman and Yun Erman, however, looked innocent, maintaining their posture as informants.
"Sir, you see for yourself, if I hadn't discovered that scoundrel in time, he would have escaped..." Yun Sanman said with a smile, approaching One-Eyed without blushing.
When One-Eyed heard someone was trying to escape, he angrily drew his saber and pushed through the crowd. "Damn it, didn't I say that anyone who dares to escape will have their legs broken and be thrown into the mountains to feed the wolves?"
When he recognized Qian Mancang's face, he was slightly stunned. "Why, it's you, kid?"
Earlier that day, he had called Qian Mancang over and told him to keep an eye on the laborers and report anyone who tried to escape...
One-Eyed had also promised him that if he could catch two deserters, he would let Qian Mancang go home.
He never expected this simple-minded fellow to actually believe him.
"Wuwuwu, Sir, they framed me! I'm innocent!" Qian Mancang cried, tears streaming down his face.
He truly had grievances he couldn't express and suffering he couldn't speak of...
How could he have imagined that the brothers were so quick-witted, their minds turning so fast?
One-Eyed snorted and glared at Qian Mancang. "Clearly, you ran outside the courtyard trying to slip away, and you still have the nerve to say they were trying to escape. I despise people like you who pretend to obey but disobey in secret..."
The facts were obvious to everyone.
If Yun Erman and Yun Sanman had wanted to escape, why would they have shouted and woken up the soldiers? They could have just slipped away.
This proved that Qian Mancang was lying.
"Sir, kill him! People like him would sell out their teammates even on the front lines!"
"Exactly, he's a rotten fish that makes our camp stink. What a shameless face, still babbling when he's about to die..."
"Yes, just kill him with one blow. Look at his thin arms and legs, he's just fodder for the enemy on the battlefield!"
"......"
Qian Mancang's actions had angered everyone, making One-Eyed feel that he couldn't back down without punishing him.
However, the army was in need of manpower, and losing even one laborer meant losing strength.
After thinking for a moment, One-Eyed ordered his subordinates, "Break one of his legs, then have him feed the horses. If he dares to escape again, he will be killed without mercy!"
If he didn't make an example of him, how could the other soldiers be convinced?
Soon, pig-like screams echoed through the night. Qian Mancang's leg was broken, and he could no longer run even if he wanted to...
"Thank you both!" One-Eyed said with a smile to Yun Erman and Yun Sanman. "Our army needs people like you who are both clever and resourceful. Work hard from now on, and I won't mistreat you!"
Yun Sanman: "......"
Forget it, working with you is worse than going back to the village to herd sheep.
If he raised sheep for three years and took good care of them, those few sheep might become a flock.
If he followed One-Eyed as a soldier for three years, let alone sheep, they wouldn't even get a fart...
After dealing with the matter, One-Eyed went back to sleep.
Because Yun Erman and Yun Sanman had reported successfully, One-Eyed let them sleep in the storehouse, which had walls and windows and was much warmer than the stable.
"Third brother, you're so quick-witted! If we hadn't acted before him, we would have been finished..." Yun Erman brought a pile of dry grass and scattered it on Yun Sanman.
Yun Sanman smiled and said, "Didn't Mom and Dad say that when you're out, you have to be vigilant, or you'll be tricked to death!"
It was only two months until the New Year, but he and his second brother were traveling north, getting farther and farther away from home.
Every time he thought of this, Yun Sanman felt a pang of sadness...
"Third brother, what do you think we should do about this? Are we really going to fight in the northern frontier?" Yun Erman was at a loss.
Mentioning his uncle to One-Eyed now was useless. In this environment, they had to rely on themselves for everything.
Yun Sanman sighed and closed his eyes. "Let's take it one step at a time. If we try to escape, we'll end up like Qian Mancang..."
What if both brothers were crippled? Who would help with the farm work in the future!
The winter nights were long, and it was already five or six in the morning, but it was still not light.
One-Eyed had his subordinates give each of the laborers a steamed bun. After a simple meal, they continued on their journey.
Meanwhile, in the capital, inside an inn.
Du Tieshan was sleeping soundly with Xiao Xitian in her arms...
Yesterday, the two of them had gone to the palace gate, only to find it tightly shut with only a few guards standing outside.
They had wanted to inquire, but the guards were like wooden figures, not saying a word.
Xiao Xitian took out her jade pendant, but the guards didn't even look at it, just stood there stiffly on the ground.
Helpless, Du Tieshan had taken Xiao Xitian to an inn to stay...
"Mmm! Sister Shanshan, it's hot!" Xiao Xitian squirmed in Du Tieshan's arms, her small face covered in sweat.
Du Tieshan woke up and pinched her little nose. "This inn doesn't have a heated kang or walls, just a charcoal basin. Sister was afraid you'd be cold in the middle of the night, so I lit another charcoal basin!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Xitian smiled and sat up. "Sister Shanshan is so kind!"
Liu Cuirong wouldn't have taken such good care of her...
Just then, footsteps could be heard from outside the room.