Chapter 2 On the Second Carriage
On the second carriage, the Cheng family patriarch was also chewing his dry biscuit with effort, his teeth aching, his mouth dry and flavorless. This kind of biscuit was only for sustenance, far from being delicious. And yet, he was eating dry rations bought by his own legitimate son. Cheng Hao was resourceful, having mixed in a few better biscuits for this carriage. He was afraid that if a few people saw him hoarding them, he wouldn't be able to refuse. He feared it would reach his cheap father's ears, making him appear as an unfilial son who ate alone. In such a situation, there would be no explaining it away. Of course, the better ones were kept by the masters. The other servants were fortunate to have even plain dough biscuits, and they dared not complain. In this era, not starving to death was enough; who would dare be picky? The masters naturally ate better than them, so they buried their heads and diligently gnawed on their plain biscuits, their stomachs rumbling. When one is starving, anything tastes good, incredibly good! The servants did not complain.
Seeing that the old wet nurse was also chewing, and noticing her poor teeth and her loyalty, Madam Cheng called out, "Granny Qiu, you eat this too." She also took out her last good piece of dry ration and offered it. The old wet nurse shook her head, her voice trembling, "It's not right, it's not right. How can this old servant deserve this? This lowly servant is not fit to eat this; you, master and madam, should eat it." She said this with great resolve.
The Cheng family patriarch couldn't help but nod in satisfaction, praising her as a model among family servants. Then, he let out a deep sigh, his face etched with fatigue and unease. "We just managed to establish ourselves, to build a home, and in the blink of an eye, it's all falling apart again!" The Cheng family patriarch leaned against the carriage wall, slumped, his heart filled with reluctance. He thought of how much money he had spent to build that new house. If only he had known. He wouldn't have spent so much money. It would have been better to keep it for himself! The Cheng family patriarch was filled with regret, shaking his head repeatedly and slapping his thigh! "Oh, my!" he cried out ceaselessly.
The old wet nurse moved her lips, wanting to advise, "It's good enough to stay alive," but in the end, she didn't dare to say it. She merely lowered her eyes and continued to grind the dry ration. At least if she soaked it in hot water, she could eat it, and not truly starve to death.
Jiang Xiyue's mouth felt even more bitter. She was also eating dry rations that were easier to chew, but she found them hard to swallow. Life was truly harsh. Seeing her once majestic uncle-in-law in such a dejected state chilled her. She had originally thought she would have a good life by relying on her aunt. Little did she know. Before they had even lived in prosperity for a few years, it had all vanished like a dream. How could she not regret it? Jiang Xiyue ate her dry ration in small bites, her beautiful eyes noticing her aunt coaxing her uncle-in-law, their loving affection making her envious.
She unconsciously thought of Cheng Hao, her almost-fiancé. His careful tenderness towards Su Miaomiao yesterday flashed through her mind, how he thought of her in every way. Especially how his eyes, which were usually a little cold, had softened considerably, surprising her. He actually had such a side to him. The more Jiang Xiyue thought about it, the more she felt she had been at a disadvantage. She couldn't help but bite her lip, her brow furrowed with regret. In this world, if she had an ideal husband who protected her everywhere, then, she thought, life wouldn't feel so difficult.
Alas. Emotions churned in her eyes. She truly wished she could go back in time. She would definitely choose to marry him! But there was no "if." A jolt threw her out of her daydream. She instinctively grabbed the handle beside her. Outside, a series of exclamations could be heard.
The carriage stopped. The Cheng family patriarch and Madam Cheng were both startled. They became flustered and immediately asked what was happening outside. How could they stop midway through their journey? Granny Qiu also carefully knelt up, holding the carriage wall. She lifted the heavy wind curtain, intending to go outside. "Don't be afraid, master and madam. This old servant will go and see." She thought perhaps a branch was blocking the way again. Madam Cheng saw her wet nurse about to go out and immediately cried out, "Ah, Granny!" her face filled with anxiety, but she could only watch her disappear outside.
Soon after, she saw Granny Qiu freeze at the front driver's seat. After a moment, she covered her mouth and began to vomit on the side, a heaving, retching spectacle that was terrifying. Besides the smell of vomit, there was a faint scent of blood wafting in the air. The Cheng family patriarch and Madam Cheng dared not go out. Let alone go out, they even dared not lift the carriage window curtains. Jiang Xiyue was the same.
Finally, after the Cheng family patriarch had shielded his trembling wife in his arms, he summoned his courage and roared a couple of times. The guards outside then reported with quivering voices, "Mas-master, this Hengshan River… it's the Hengshan River stained with blood…" Even though they were guards kept by the family, they were all young men hired in recent years and had never seen such a major event, let alone such a scene.
Upon hearing this, the Cheng family patriarch's eyes widened, and he gasped, "What?" Immediately after, his throat felt as if it were choked, and he could no longer utter a single word. The Hengshan River was the mountain range that lay between the city and the countryside, and the moat was fed by its water. The mountain paths offered a view of the great river below. In the past, many nearby farmers relied on the mountain and the river for a living, frequently fishing for goods in the river to sell in the city. The riverside was quite prosperous. During festivals and holidays, people from the city would go there to participate in temple fairs, light lanterns, and release river lanterns, the bustling crowds making it very lively. And now they were being told that the Hengshan River was stained with blood?
The Cheng family patriarch's hand trembled. He closed his eyes, mustered his strength, and then lifted the window curtain to look outside the carriage. He was facing the foot of the mountain, and his eyes were filled with red. There were dense black dots in the river… one could imagine what they were. He was even more speechless, his hands trembling, his face twitching. He was utterly terrified. After a long while, he gasped, drawing in a breath. No wonder everyone outside was stunned. They had lost half their souls.
On the other side, Cheng Kaichun's wife let out a scream, crying and calling for her parents. Such a scene, was the rumor of the massacre true? Were her relatives still alive? What if the village was slaughtered? But it was only one cry, and then it was gone. She had likely been silenced. Everyone seemed to have been scared silly and remained frozen there for a moment.
Cheng Hao got out of the carriage to take a look. Su Miaomiao had not stayed in the carriage as he told her to. Both of them were stunned by the scene, a chill spreading from the bottom of their hearts. Originally, after rushing to escape the city and arriving at the ruined temple, everyone had calmed down and felt a sense of relaxation. But this scene made them all understand again that this was no game, they were fleeing for their lives.
Cheng Hao was not here to look at this horrific scene. He was carefully observing the black dots, especially those on the riverbank, because there were people moving. Their attire and appearance were flamboyant, thus they were naturally conspicuous. And that group of people seemed to be looking this way as well. This realization made his heart tighten severely. "Don't just stand there blankly! Hurry up and move on! Otherwise, that will be our fate!" Cheng Hao whispered fiercely, finally jolting everyone back to their senses.