Fortune smiled upon them.
They were still together.
Su Miaomiao understood how good Cheng Hao was to her; she just wanted a definite answer.
Since he was so good to her, why didn't he admit it sooner? She wouldn't have been so anxious.
After exchanging their innermost feelings, their affection for each other became clearer. They truly loved each other.
Nestled in Cheng Hao's arms, Su Miaomiao was quick to notice his reaction. She tightened her embrace and deliberately leaned close to his ear, whispering, "Cheng Hao, are you thinking about doing it?"
His words were sometimes so direct, leaving her unable to resist.
Cheng Hao's ears immediately turned bright red. He pushed her face away slightly and said, "Shut up."
Was he that much of a beast?
Being moved was inevitable.
But his reason was still intact.
A certain sweet bun was plotting something wicked.
Su Miaomiao chuckled silently. She hadn't seen him so shy in a long time.
However, she also stopped herself in time. Teasing him further would be unwise.
In the main hall.
The Cheng family occupied the left side, while the other travelers took the right.
Servants and maids bustled about, starting fires, fetching well water, boiling water, and cooking.
The masters were already resting, waiting for their meal.
Madam Cheng was curled up asleep, and Jiang Xiyue also lay down to rest. The carriage jolted, making it impossible to sleep soundly, and her back ached.
To avoid suspicion, a curtain was drawn to give the women more space.
The two concubines were also resting with their children.
By the fire.
Master Cheng and the clan elders were laughing loudly, relieving their stress. Fortunately, they had escaped the city.
"This King Cheng is sadistic, and his soldiers are brutal. The people in the city are likely doomed. We shouldn't linger here. Once the rain stops, we should hurry on our way," said Cheng Fengtai, a relatively close relative of Master Cheng.
Their grandfather was brothers.
Master Cheng had to call Cheng Fengtai his cousin. The future path depended on their efforts, which was why he addressed him so familiarly as "Big Brother."
"Then, according to Big Brother's suggestion, where should we go next?"
Master Cheng greatly respected Cheng Fengtai's opinion, appearing to be ready to follow his arrangements.
After all, he had lived a life of luxury and idleness in the city for years and knew very little about the outside world.
Cheng Fengtai poked the fire with a small twig, pondered for a moment, and said, "There are three possible routes. The first is to continue on the main road. The road is easier to travel, but the main road is known to be safe. Since everyone knows it's safe, many people will be traveling on it. If we get stuck like at the city gate, it will cause delays. If enemy soldiers catch up, it won't be a joke. King Cheng and his men love to chase and slaughter. Moreover, if an accident happens ahead and people panic, it might not be a good thing. The danger is too great."
Master Cheng was alarmed and said in a deep voice, "Big Brother's analysis is sound. What about the other two roads?"
Before Cheng Fengtai could speak, a man nearby, not a close relative but of the same surname and clan, spoke up, "I know about the other two. One is a former abandoned official road. Due to the terrain, it couldn't be widened for two carriages to pass side by side, so it was abandoned after reaching Gaojiazhuang. The other is towards Lizhou, which is mostly a waterway with many bridges. However, most of them are wooden bridges, and I fear they might not withstand our carriages."
The man speaking was around the same age as Master Cheng. Although they shared the same surname, their blood relation had to be traced back several generations.
Therefore, they were not very close.
However, in these troubled times, sharing the same surname was a significant source of unity.
Cheng Fengtai was not annoyed by being interrupted, but simply added, "We don't have boats for the waterway, and crossing wooden bridges with our convoy also has risks. But there are fewer people there. The old official road is barely passable, but if we encounter another caravan head-on, it will depend on who backs down. If we retreat, it will cause delays. If we don't, it will cause more trouble. The villages in these remote areas are also uncivilized, and being robbed would be difficult."
Master Cheng looked troubled and said, "Each of the three places has its pros and cons. What should we choose?"
At this, everyone fell silent. Cheng Fengtai and Cheng Kaichun were both distressed. Both were married men, and their wives and children sat behind them with worried expressions.
Suddenly.
A thin voice broke the silence.
"If... if none of the three roads work, can we go to my mother's village, Qingping Village, to hide? It's not too far from here, only about two or three li away. It's very secluded, with few people, and it's very safe. During previous times of war, our village closed its entrance, and no one could get in. Our house there is quite spacious..."
Xishi, Cheng Kaichun's wife, holding her three-year-old twins, spoke timidly. Feeling her husband's glare, she immediately stopped speaking, but her eyes welled up with tears. It was understandable; while men could heartlessly abandon their kin, she could not.
During an escape for survival, she wouldn't have said anything. She had to endure the heartache. Now that they didn't know where to go, what was wrong with suggesting it? She simply didn't want to be separated from her loved ones.
In times of war.
If they were separated, they might never see each other again.
They were her dearest kin...
But at such a time, how could one casually offer suggestions? The people making decisions faced immense risks.
If the decision turned out to be right, everyone would be delighted. But if it was wrong, wouldn't they be resented? If everyone hated them, how could they survive?
Cheng Kaichun quickly and nervously interjected, "A woman's opinion should not be taken seriously, not seriously at all..."
As he spoke, he glared fiercely at Xishi, his eyes filled with a visible and frightening ferocity. Xishi immediately lowered her head in fear and dared not speak, hugging her children tightly while trembling. However, she felt a sense of liberation, at least she had spoken her mind.
Seeing this, Cheng Fengtai quickly advised, "Brother Kaichun, there's no need for such a reaction. I think Sister-in-law's suggestion is feasible. In such a situation where we are at a loss, having another idea is good."
Master Cheng also smiled and smoothed things over, saying, "Yes, Brother Kaichun, there's no need to get so worked up. Aren't we discussing it? Naturally, everyone is discussing it together."
Whether it was feasible or not was another matter.
Cheng Kaichun merely nodded with a stiff smile, but he remained displeased. His sidelong glances were filled with malice, almost as if they could turn into knives to stab Xishi.
Xishi's heart had turned to ice. She could almost guess her fate.
She simply remained silent.
Those in charge were indecisive, and the other servants were also anxious and uneasy.
Only Su Miaomiao was not afraid at all. For her, as long as Cheng Cheng was by her side, it was the safest and most secure place in the world. His embrace was her strongest fortress, so she still had the mood to observe the conflict between Cheng Kaichun and his wife.
"Hiss... that abusive man's eyes are too terrifying... I'm afraid I might impulsively beat him up if I saw something unjust..."
Su Miaomiao had just whispered this when Cheng Cheng, who was holding her, patted her on the bottom.