The locusts were coming from the south to the north, so Anning and the others needed to head south and could set off now.
However, Anning did not rush everyone to hurry along the road.
Instead, they stayed in the small town for another two days before finally setting out.
During those two days, Xiao Yuan was busy making dicine pills, while Anning and Mrs. Hui were preparing dry food with the girls from Anning’s house.
Xiao Ling carefully gathered water.
anwhile, Xiao Jin trained the boys at ho, teaching them so self-defense moves.
These people were calmly preparing, unlike the atmosphere in the main house.
The main, second, and fifth branches always had their own plans, and they couldn’t endure any hardship, severely dragging down the rchant team’s progress.
The mbers of the rchant team were already quite dissatisfied with them.
To arrive within the designated schedule, the rchant team had intensified their journey in recent days, setting out before dawn and resting after dark, leaving the Xiao Family in constant complaint.
But the steward of the rchant team had already lost his temper, leaving them no choice but to endure.
That day, they set off again before dawn, and by noon, the heat was unbearable, leading everyone to drink water desperately.
By noon, they had nearly finished the water they brought along.
The steward suggested resting by the roadside for a while before continuing.
Then everyone got down from the wagons, either gnawing on their dry food or starting to cook als.
They had just cooked so vegetable soup to go with their dry food when suddenly the sky was enveloped in darkness.
"There are several patches of Wu Yun coming over there."
Soone laughed, pointing at the distance and joking: "It might rain soon."
The steward of the rchant team glanced twice, his face changing drastically: "Back to the wagons, quickly, back to the wagons, nobody is allowed to co out, it’s locusts..."
Before he could finish, many locusts had already fallen.
The steward could not care much, quickly diving into his own wagon.
The Xiao Family descended into chaos, nobody looking out for anyone else. The Old Master didn’t care about what happened to the Old Madam and imdiately climbed onto the wagon, while Xiao Jue didn’t bother with his wife and children, instead diving into the Old Master’s wagon, leaving cries and shouts from outside.
Those inside the wagons trembled with fear, while those left outside cried and scrambled to climb onto the wagons.
Finally, Xiao Jue, showing so filial piety, pulled the Old Madam onto a wagon, Mrs. Zhao was supported by Xiao Ming onto a wagon, and extended a hand to pull Xiao Hui up, ignoring the illegitimate Xiao En and Xiao Lian.
Once the locusts had passed, they got down from the wagons and found that the two old concubines with the Old Master had been bitten by the locusts, leaving their faces covered in blood, while Xiao Kai from the fifth branch was visibly terrified, crying incessantly.
The Old Master was irritated by the chaos, leaving Xiao Jue no option but to plead with the steward for so dicine.
Mrs. Zhao sat in the carriage, sulking with a stern face.
The thoughts of this family began to stir with complication.
They thought this was the biggest disaster they would encounter, not realizing what might follow.
They hadn’t considered if food prices would rise, if the water supply was a problem, or if there might be an outbreak of disease.
Xiao Yuan and his group stayed in town for another two days, preparing everything before setting off again.
Before departing, Xiao Yuan distributed dicine pills to everyone to eat, both adults and children, and also fed the pills to the six horses.
People feared disease, and so could horses; if the horses fell ill, their journey would surely be delayed or lead to trouble, which Xiao Yuan wished to avoid.
The group continued heading south, witnessing the world’s hardships intensifying as they progressed.
Along the roadside were hordes of people fleeing famine, filthy and emaciated, so reduced to skin and bones, with dull eyes devoid of spirit.
Regardless of whether they were n, won, or children, they moved forward in numbness, and occasionally soone would collapse, never to rise again.
People had little to eat, even less water, so thirsty they would drink only a sip, and in such hot weather, water evaporated quickly, soon feeling dry and parched again, with vision blurred, and collapsing, never to rise again.
Food and drink were challenging enough, not to ntion clothing.
Many people were scarcely clothed; under normal circumstances, genders maintained boundaries, but now, such considerations were forgotten.
Anning noticed many won along the way wearing shredded clothing, with nurous exposed areas, the n in their families indifferent to this.
So even traded their wives or daughters for a ager amount of food.
At tis, you might see n restraining won by the roadside, indifferent to the humiliation, giving the woman’s man a small bag of grain after such acts.
Whenever this happened, Anning would cover the girls’ eyes and ears, shielding them from witnessing such sordid events.
But the children were perceptive; no matter how much Anning guarded them, they understood.
They continued walking, the children’s hearts grew heavier, no longer with smiles, only worry etched on their faces.
Soon, they realized water had beco scarce as well.
Along the journey, all the rivers had dried up, water sources were impossible to find, and their daily water consumption dwindled.
Xiao Jin and Xiao Ling were anxious, their mouths blistering, throats hoarse and struggling to speak.
Xiao Yuan had no choice but to give them so dicine to alleviate their condition.
"Mother, will we die of thirst?"
Even the youngest, Xiao Yin, began to worry.
She refrained from drinking too much water, resolute in avoiding it unless unbearably parched, only sipping a tiny amount to moisten her throat when necessary.
An Xin watched these children suffer and felt it unbearable.
She had always adored little children; Anning’s house had incredibly well-behaved and sensible ones who were lovable, and she even liked the two children from the fourth branch.
"Ningning, I have all sorts of supplies."
An Xin offered Anning the golden finger from her stored space: "I’ve collected so many good things in this world while following you. Let give you so; I have space with a spiritual spring, a huge mall stocked with food and drinks, and..."
Anning refused.
"Though they must face hardships in life, hardship leads to growth, making them stronger. If you give the golden finger now, would I use it then? Occasionally summoning food and drink? An Xin, this is not the solution; it would lead to dependency and make them suspect , detrintal to their growth."
"But the small children are suffering too much."
An Xin showed reluctance.
"Such things are inevitable." Anning steeled herself in responding to An Xin, knowing what was best for the children, understanding that she couldn’t afford to be lenient now.
Moreover, Anning didn’t want to develop a dependency on the golden finger.
Her strength ca from within herself, not from the golden finger.
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