After resting by the river for a day, replenishing some food, water, and wild vegetables.
The three teams set off again.
They had originally planned to rest for only half a day and continue for some distance in the afternoon.
But considering they hadn't recovered yet.
Setting off rashly again would only tire the horses and mules further.
The people also hadn't fully recovered.
And couldn't endure the bumpy ride.
Even if the road was quite smooth, it wouldn't feel the same as on flat ground.
Finally, after a comfortable day of rest, everyone set off again with renewed vigor.
The people from Shan'ao Village were all in the carts, incredibly excited. Recalling the previous two days of walking, it was unbearable for anyone!
Traveling by cart was so much better!
Everyone was jubilant, feeling fortunate to have encountered the Cheng and Jin families!
On the Cheng family's convoy, except for the second cart, everyone else had also recovered and was in good spirits, feeling stronger inwardly after this experience! They wouldn't panic so much if they encountered such situations again!
The convoy was grand, making quite a stir, scaring away other small animals on the road.
These were mostly squirrels and birds.
Everyone had stored the wolf meat using their own methods. They weren't lacking meat in the short term, but it clearly wouldn't be enough for an entire winter.
They still needed to store more.
This time, they had also replenished some firewood, though not as much as before.
But there was enough for two to three days.
Cheng Kai Chun and Cheng Feng Tai were also quite frightened by the wolves this time, but at least their spirits weren't broken. However, they didn't dare to show their faces and certainly not go ahead to hunt wolves.
They were like invisible people, trying their best to minimize their presence throughout the journey.
The Cheng family head was ill,
and they hadn't been summoned to discuss matters. The two of them stayed in the carts.
But Cai Shi and Xi Shi were only focused on their work, either sewing or weaving straw shoes. They said these would be worn over cloth shoes to prevent wear and tear, and in winter, when the roads were slippery, wearing straw shoes would also provide better grip.
Cheng Kai Chun and Cheng Feng Tai couldn't find anyone to chat with and felt bored. Therefore, after setting off again, these two decided to share a cart.
Meanwhile, Cai Shi and Xi Shi, along with the children, squeezed into another cart to join the excitement.
Although the two men couldn't fully trust each other, they could still chat to pass the time, and people naturally tended to stick together.
Originally.
Cheng Feng Tai also used to do work, but working was tiring. After resting for a while, he felt that resting was not bad, and he did less and less work afterwards.
Not following the convoy's movements naturally created some distance.
Cheng Da Zhuang and his brother could originally exchange a few words with Cheng Feng Tai, but they had met very infrequently recently, so they naturally had nothing to talk about.
They were now discussing how to process the wolf pelts, and they were sitting cross-legged in the carts, slowly working on them.
Even in the carts, everyone didn't stop being busy; they were all in a hurry.
They had to store more things and make more preparations before the severe winter arrived.
But no one expected.
The weather to turn cold so quickly!
In just two or three days, the temperature had dropped all the way to the frost season.
It was Su Miao Miao who suddenly noticed that frost had formed on the small horizontal beam of the cart window.
"Heavens, no wonder it's been getting colder these past few days. Did it just skip autumn and enter winter? This is too exaggerated, what kind of place is this?"
Su Miao Miao sat up straight and then leaned forward to examine the outside of the window.
Cheng Hao pulled her back and closed the window most of the way. "You know it's cold yet you stick your head out? Are you trying to freeze to death? Leave a gap for ventilation."
Su Miao Miao then leaned into his embrace. "With you here, how could I freeze to death? I just wanted to see the frost's density. Is this really genuine?"
It had truly entered winter.
This could be considered a strange tale.
Cheng Hao casually replied, "We've had frost in June, so what's this?"
Su Miao Miao clicked her tongue in amazement.
But she also understood.
Humans were pitifully small in the face of nature; they could only try their best to survive.
"If it gets any colder, the roads will be really difficult to travel on. If the ground freezes over, it will be very dangerous. The sections we've been traveling on these past few days are uphill."
Su Miao Miao said this, also considering whether to find a place to winter early. After all, traveling on the road involved all sorts of accidents, and storing supplies wasn't convenient. Relying solely on horse carts couldn't withstand the harsh winter.
If there was heavy snow.
Temperatures below zero.
Let alone humans, the horses would freeze or get sick. How could they travel?
They would also need to find a place that could shelter them from wind and snow.
Cheng Hao looked at the map he had pieced together and then used a red pen to circle the closest temple to them: "Wugu Temple."
"If you've decided to stop traveling for the winter, then this temple is a good option. The terrain is good, the place is large, easy to defend, and has many escape routes. It's indeed good, but whether it's already occupied is another matter."
Su Miao Miao agreed. "If it's really suitable, let's decide early. We can stock up on more supplies before the snow. With this kind of weather, it's bound to snow eventually. If it freezes over completely, we'll starve. Since the location is good, let's stop if we can?"
Moreover, their current road was on the mountainside. One side no longer had forests but a high cliff. If they accidentally stepped on ice, the entire cart could fall down the mountain, which was a very significant risk.
Cheng Hao also understood the seriousness of the matter. He tapped the circled temple with a solemn expression and said, "Alright, we've traveled quite far. Let's head to Wugu Temple first. If we can occupy it, we will. We might not find such a suitable location later, to avoid being trapped on the road by a blizzard."
Some things require foresight, otherwise, when trouble strikes, it will be too late.
When it was time to rest at night.
Cheng Hao shared this idea. After experiencing so much.
He had clearly become the backbone of the convoy.
The Cheng family head's illness was indeed bad luck, and coupled with the changing weather, he felt increasingly tired and increasingly unwilling to manage affairs.
He was in denial.
As for Cheng Hao's words.
Everyone listened. After hearing him analyze the pros and cons,
they all felt it made sense!
The weather was getting increasingly harsh. If they waited until a blizzard hit, it would truly be too late. If there was no other option, they had to prioritize survival.
Therefore, they all agreed to find a place to winter first.
The Jin family's convoy and the people from Shan'ao Village followed the Cheng family's lead. Whatever they decided would be their decision, so they felt no objections. Thus, it was settled.
Everyone headed towards Wugu Temple, driving cautiously along the way.
The weather changed from one day to the next, and then from half a day to the next.
By the time they arrived at Wugu Temple, it had already begun to rain and snow.
Who would have thought?
Just a few days ago, it was sunny at noon, and they would sweat while working?
Now, everyone's faces were red from the cold, and even thick clothes didn't offer much protection!
The wolf meat had long since been air-dried to an extreme, and now it had successfully frozen solid.
Rock hard!