FBC – Chapter 156 Delivering Provisions

October 20th.

Several merchant caravans of the Jiangling Pei family set out for various destinations as usual.

One of them carried fifty carts loaded with tightly wrapped supplies and headed straight toward the Southern Frontier.

The rest of the caravans followed afterward via alternate routes, creating a diversion to mislead any prying eyes.

Gu Hua and Dong Hua, who had arrived in Jiangling the day before, were dressed in men’s clothing and quietly rode in one of the carts, making their way to Juzhou.

Juzhou bordered the Kingdom of Dali and was over a thousand li away.

Leading this merchant convoy was the Pei family’s second-in-command—Pei Yi’s second uncle, Pei Jinglei.

He was the primary figure responsible for the Pei family’s external trade, managing their various security escorts and supply stations across regions.

To avoid suspicion and undue attention, they deliberately took a roundabout route, first traveling by water, then switching to land.

The grand convoy of fifty carts was heavily loaded. In order to save time, they traveled almost day and night without rest. The men had no time to bathe or shave, and within ten days, all of them were scruffy and bearded.

The weather was also gradually turning cold.

Pei Jinglei, being experienced, said this year would be a harsh winter. The further they went into the Southern Frontier, the more desolate it became, and the poorer the people were.

Still ten days away from Juzhou, Gu Hua saw many people in tattered clothes, entire families fleeing with what little they had.

Some were so starved they were skin and bones. Especially heartbreaking were the women dragging several crying, hungry children behind them.

Gu Hua had never witnessed such misery. When beggars approached her, she couldn’t bear it and gave them some of her rations.

But once she started, it was as if the refugees had caught the scent—they swarmed toward her madly. Some even reached out to grab her hand.

Gu Hua turned pale with fright. The guards drew their swords and drove the people away.

Pei Jinglei told her these were refugees displaced by the war in the Southern Frontier.

He warned her not to give them any more—not because they couldn’t spare it, but because they feared the fifty carts of provisions might be looted.

They quickly diverted their route to avoid the refugees.

Dong Hua sat squeezed next to Gu Hua, her face pale at the memory of how Gu Hua had nearly been dragged off the cart.

“I didn’t expect there to be so many refugees. It was like a swarm of locusts sweeping through.”

Gu Hua had calmed a bit. “Yes, I didn’t expect this either. Giving them a little food here and there won’t save them. Only ending the war can let them return to their homes and live in peace.”

Dong Hua nodded. “My family used to be poor too. During a famine, we couldn’t find even a scrap of food. I went hungry for three days and nights. Back then, I would devour tree bark if I saw it.”

Gu Hua gently patted her head with concern. “I told you not to come with me.”

Dong Hua’s eyes widened. “How could I not come? All these rough men—wouldn’t it be better for me to accompany you?”

Gu Hua pulled her into a hug. “Yes, of course. Without you, I’d be bored to death on this trip.”

She hadn’t wanted to bring anyone, but Old Madam couldn’t cover for her alone. The key people in the Duke Manor all knew.

Everyone was worried. Zhou Zhilan even wanted to accompany Gu Hua herself.

But Zhou Zhilan’s absence from the Duke Manor would’ve been too conspicuous—people like Chiyan were already under surveillance.

The military provisions were too important—there could be no mistakes. In the end, they decided Dong Hua would go alone with Gu Hua.

To outsiders, the Duke Manor spread the news that Gu Hua had fallen ill. With all the current commotion, Mu An couldn’t leave either, and the manor’s gates were closed. No one suspected anything.

The closer they got to Juzhou, the more displaced refugees they encountered due to the war.

Sometimes, Gu Hua saw dying children lying in the dirt. She couldn’t be as indifferent as Pei Jinglei and would quietly instruct Dong Hua to give them some food.

After seeing so much, Gu Hua began to feel hatred toward the people who caused the war.

She thought of her Brother Ji, realizing that he was one of the culprits—maybe even the instigator. Her heart grew heavier.

Yaoyao had said that Brother Ji did all this because of her.

But what had she done to cause someone to change so completely?

Could it really be because of her that a once-bright and promising young man had become a butcher?

Would he betray the nation and aid the enemy all for personal vengeance?

Gu Hua doubted his motives.

War didn’t just hurt the innocent—it devastated lives, all because of struggles for power and land. Why did the people have to be the ones to suffer?

They already had nothing. And now, even their homes were being destroyed.

Common folk didn’t care about kings or countries. They just wanted to live.

Just like herself. In both her past and present lives, she had simply been trying to survive.

Gu Hua sighed.

In just one month, she had seen more suffering than in both her lives combined.

“Brother Ji… I hope you’ll turn back before it’s too late.”

She used to think she had suffered, thought her death had been tragic.

But compared to these starving, dying people, her own hardship seemed like nothing.

Along the way, she heard many refugees praising the Mu family army.

If it weren’t for their desperate battles, the people might not have survived at all.

They said that whenever they encountered Mu family troops, the soldiers would give them all the food they had, even their winter clothes.

The troops protected their land and their people with their lives—and still gave the people their grain and winter coats.

Gu Hua’s eyes welled up at the thought. Tears rolled down uncontrollably.

At that moment, she understood more deeply why Mu Junyan fought to protect the country.

So many of the Mu family troops had died in battle. Of the legitimate sons, only Mu Junyan remained. Yet he still risked his life, leaving behind his mother to go to the Southern Frontier.

To end war with war, to stop killing with killing—this wasn’t what Mu Junyan wanted.

But when enemies invaded, when the country was in chaos and the people were grieving, he could only draw his sword and face the enemy.

Although Chiyan wasn’t by her side, he had given her a Mu army command whistle. Carrier pigeons would bring her messages.

To avoid distracting Mu Junyan, those in the Duke Manor had been strictly forbidden from informing him of her mission.

The carrier pigeon assigned to Gu Hua would fly from Bianjing.

Gu Hua received news that although Pei Yi had reported the matter to the court in time, just as they suspected, the Jiang and Yuan factions claimed there was insufficient evidence and accused him of fabricating rumors to stir trouble.

Fortunately, righteous officials insisted on sending troops to protect the provisions.

Still, the delay was too long. The government grain had indeed been robbed.

By this point, Gu Hua had already been traveling for twenty days. She was deeply relieved that she had stuck to her plan—otherwise, the Mu army would be facing a winter with dangerously low supplies.

As they neared Juzhou, they received word that Mu Junyan was currently stationed at the Luodian border town, on the edge of Juzhou.

The Luodian military camp was the Mu army’s main command base.

Chiyan had learned that while the Mu army’s battles had been hard-fought, most of the smaller nations in the enemy coalition had already withdrawn. Only the Dali army remained.

Luodian was just one hundred li away from Dali’s main force base in Shicheng County.

Moreover, a temporary truce was currently in effect.

Mu Junyan had retreated to the Luodian military camp for the time being.

The Mu army always maintained strict discipline. No women were allowed in the camp, except for registered camp courtesans. Any unauthorized female found entering would be whipped thirty times.

Gu Hua was aware of this.

She had no intention of violating camp rules. She just wanted to deliver the provisions safely—and hopefully, to see Mu Junyan once in Juzhou.

She wasn’t even sure why. She just wanted to see him and say… “I’m sorry.”

Because of her Brother Ji, Mu Junyan had been placed in greater danger, and the Mu army had faced more obstacles.

The closer they got to Juzhou, the more nervous Gu Hua felt.

“Miss, we’ve reached the border of Juzhou—cough cough cough.”

Outside the carriage, Pei Jinglei pointed to the city wall in the distance.

Gu Hua quickly lifted the window curtain and saw the hazy grey walls ahead. Her heart surged with emotion.

“Are we going straight into the city?”

“Yes, let’s go in first. Although the grain we’re carrying isn’t official military supply, it’s safest to deliver it directly to the Duke’s camp. Besides, we still have four more caravans following behind. It’s best to hear what the Duke has to say before we do anything further. Don’t you agree?”

Gu Hua nodded. “I was thinking the same thing. We don’t know the full situation. If anything goes wrong in Juzhou, it’ll be a huge problem.”