So it was.
Everyone could eat their fill for now.
By the time the Cai and Xi families finished preparing dinner, the sky was indeed completely dark.
Spending the night in the wild.
A bonfire was indispensable.
Having a brazier placed at intervals like this not only smoked out mosquitoes and insects but also scared away some wild beasts, truly a win-win solution.
And it also made things brighter.
Everyone wouldn't have to walk in the dark.
The entire caravan was quite bright, and everyone had no problem eating.
At night, it was still delicious stewed meat and soft flatbread. After the temperature dropped, eating such hot soup was an extremely happy thing.
Everyone couldn't help but sigh.
Although the Jin family's caravan didn't have fresh meat like them, they still had some grain, so they also boiled some noodle soup. As masters, some were picky, but as servants, they could at least eat their fill, and they were equally content.
Even those with diarrhea felt comfortable all over after eating hot food.
The people of Shan'ao Village also ate their own food, but due to the complexity of the number of people, they didn't intend to eat from a communal pot.
They each casually prepared something to eat, with only a few simple bonfires. There was a simple stove, belonging to Gao Dashan's family, with a large pot of hot water, which villagers could take as needed.
Those who used it also consciously added cold water and continued to boil it when they saw it was running low.
Clearly, the people of Shan'ao Village were not that harmonious, and they all had their own selfish motives, but it was normal. The Cheng and Jin families were considered family, and with so many households in Shan'ao Village, it was destined that they could not share resources.
Therefore, they all ate separately.
Only Gao Dashan had some leadership ability, and it was thanks to him that stability could be maintained.
Otherwise.
Shan'ao Village would have been the most chaotic, with the crying of children, the scolding of adults, and occasional arguments when villagers clashed. Although it was not as unrestrained as it used to be in the village, it was not peaceful either, and in the end, only Gao Dashan's wife had to come out to mediate.
Occasionally, people from the Cheng and Jin family caravans would look over curiously and hear a lot of gossip, but they didn't stare continuously, still focusing on their own affairs.
After eating their fill and drinking their fill.
Those who needed to sleep went to sleep first, as they had to travel in the morning. The drivers and guards naturally had to rest, leaving only a few people to guard the night, while others continued to chop wood until the late night when the required amount of wood was collected.
Everyone was exhausted.
They all went to rest.
Before dawn, the early sleepers needed to get up and work.
The materials used for building the temporary kitchen and other structures were being collected, all packed and loaded onto the supply vehicles behind, then covered with oilcloth and tied tightly with hemp ropes to prevent rain.
Other things too, pots, bowls, ladles, and wooden buckets used for daily life.
Checked and stored one by one.
Ji Bo confirmed that nothing was missing, then circled it on the inventory ledger.
Indicating that nothing was missing.
Cheng Hao and Su Miaomiao were also among the early sleepers, so they naturally had to get up early. First, they went to catch three rabbits, and also a bamboo rat.
As usual, they left two rabbits in the space, then carried one rabbit and the bamboo rat to Ji Bo, asking him to register them on the list to be eaten later.
Ji Bo was happy, and everyone else was naturally overjoyed. There was still meat to eat!
Then.
Cheng Hao went to help inspect the vehicles, while Su Miaomiao went to count the personnel, ensuring everyone was in the vehicle and no one had secretly gone to the outhouse.
After everything was confirmed to be correct, they helped others erect the wooden poles, pushing them one by one towards the other side, controlling them so they wouldn't deviate.
They landed steadily.
Then they were arranged neatly.
Some that were slightly uneven had to be manually straightened as much as possible.
Because the wooden poles had grooves cut on both sides, they were not afraid of them rolling.
After all the poles were arranged, it took about half an hour, and the sky was almost completely bright, with the sun in the distance seeming to be about to rise, showing a fish-belly white.
Below the great river, the river water was still surging, and the current was quite fast.
Therefore, there were no fish.
Otherwise.
They would have definitely gotten some as reserve supplies, wouldn't they? It was a pity.
After all the wooden poles were arranged, they formed a relatively wide wooden bridge.
To avoid danger, or exceeding the weight limit, the horse-drawn carriages had to be led across, and everyone had to get off the carriages and walk across by themselves, and they had to hold onto the hemp ropes as they walked, in case the wooden poles broke later, although the probability was very, very small.
They were all good quality wood, and freshly cut, thick and large, so it was unlikely. But it was just to make everyone feel more at ease.
But there were always some who were timid.
Looking at the surging river water below, their legs went weak, and no one dared to lead the way.
Everyone was silent for a few seconds.
Su Miaomiao let out a "tsk" sound, and she pulled Cheng Hao and walked over first.
Holding the bundle of hemp rope in her hand.
Cheng Hao was not worried about this problem, as the wood was very sturdy.
Ji Bo's suggestion of using hemp rope was also to appease the anxieties of some people.
As expected.
There was a domino effect.
Seeing that Su Miaomiao and Cheng Hao had successfully crossed in no time, everyone else also started to act. Farmers were not afraid of such a wide wooden bridge; in the countryside, a single log could serve as a bridge, and they could walk on it.
It was merely a reverence for the unfamiliar that made them afraid to take a step.
Now.
Since the young couple had crossed safely, everyone else was no longer afraid.
People crossed first.
In no time, everyone had crossed.
Only the vehicles were left.
A few brave and strong individuals were chosen to lead the horses across.
Li Datou and Cheng Dazhuang brothers, as well as Cheng Xiaoxi, volunteered.
Cheng Fengtai did not have the ability and had never driven a carriage, so he naturally did not dare to come forward. Cheng Kaichun had already shrunk back and reduced his presence, afraid of being asked.
Su Miaomiao and Cheng Hao also made a trip, and finally, everyone successfully crossed.
Everyone cheered.
And the others who were woken up also went back to their carriages to catch up on sleep.
Master Cheng had not slept well all night. First, there was the faint sound of logging, and then the commotion from the Shan'ao Village team. Newborn babies were the noisiest, and when they cried, it was incessant, making it impossible to have any peace.
He felt a headache.
Seeing that everyone had crossed safely, he casually said a few words to everyone, saying they had worked hard.
Then he told them to go to sleep.
Very perfunctory.
Everyone was already used to his indifference and had no objections, so they went to sleep.
Cheng Hao and Ji Bo thanked them for their hard work. Everyone responded with smiles, saying it was not hard work, as they truly understood them.
This time, everyone had an even deeper impression of the young couple, feeling that with this young couple around, things were much more reassuring.
The young master could manage affairs, and the young madam could hunt, understood medicinal properties, knew a lot, and treated people well, truly a most reliable presence.
They further praised that although the young madam was not gentle and demure like other young ladies of the past, she was very dependable, giving them a feeling that with her, they could have good food and drink, and felt she was very spirited and admirable.