Although it looked close, the village was three li away. Normally, a person could walk it in a quarter of an hour, but with Yu Rong supporting Gu Qingtong’s weight and resting when she couldn’t walk, the three-li distance took an hour.
Arriving in the village of just over ten households, they searched several homes but found no one.
Yu Rong was shocked: “Where are the people?”
“Probably gone to the city. With two countries at war, border villagers are most likely to suffer. Going to the city with military protection is best.”
Yu Rong accepted Gu Qingtong’s explanation, nodded, and chose a clean house, pushing the door open: “Sister, let’s rest here temporarily.”
Okay.” Gu Qingtong sat in the room, looking around.
It was still clean, with chickens and ducks in the courtyard that showed no reaction to strangers entering. Only a large yellow dog barked briefly before being scared away by Yu Rong.
Yu Rong glanced at the supplies and rice in the house and prepared to cook.
Shortly after, Gu Qingtong heard what seemed like horse hooves and a metallic clashing sound from outside the village: “Not good, someone has been drawn by the cooking smoke. Rong’er, we need to hide quickly.”
Yu Rong had also heard the unusual sounds outside. Since Gu Qingtong couldn’t move quickly and couldn’t escape, she could only gather firewood behind the stove, help Gu Qingtong sit down, and then cover her with a pile of firewood as tall as a person. She then jumped out of the courtyard, leaving a trail of footprints on the small path behind, and then hid in a nearby water pond.
Gu Qingtong heard someone enter the house, and when they found no one, they left the courtyard and headed in the direction Yu Rong had escaped. She knew Yu Rong was skilled and agile, and escaping these people would not be a problem, so she relaxed.
But suddenly, she heard someone moving the firewood in front of her: Could she have been discovered?
53 Musician
“Yun Zhi, what are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
Although the villagers have left, there are enough supplies, and many good things they didn’t have time to take have been taken.
“
“Yes.”
