RWNEFE -Chapter 109 The Destination of the Women of Liu-Zhao Village

In this world, the weak are accustomed to attaching themselves to the strong in order to survive. Liu Tao was very smart—otherwise, she would not have been chosen by the women of Liu-Zhao Village as their leader.

She had observed them all along the way and felt that Shen Lanxi was different from others. If someone else had rescued them, that person would surely have put on the airs of a benefactor—openly exploiting them, treating them like slaves.

They wouldn’t have been allowed to eat their fill, much less be paid. They would have been beaten and scolded at the slightest provocation, and might even have suffered worse atrocities!

After experiencing the tragedy of Liu-Zhao Village, she no longer foolishly believed that there was such a thing as justice or heavenly fairness in this world. She believed only in what she could see and what she could hold in her own hands.

Shen Lanxi looked at the women of Liu-Zhao Village—confusion and fear had already faded from their eyes—and spoke:

“Do you know who we are?”

Liu Tao didn’t hide anything. They had already found out long ago.

“You are exiled convicts heading to Dongchuan.”

Shen Lanxi fixed her gaze on Liu Tao, a faint pressure in her eyes.

“You know that, and you’re still willing to follow us? Do you know what kind of place Dongchuan is?”

Liu Tao’s gaze was resolute, her answer immediate, as if she had pondered this question countless times in her mind.

“I know. I’ve heard people say that winters there are very long. After autumn, it starts snowing, and the entire winter is buried under heavy snow. The snow piles up taller than a person. If you accidentally step into a low-lying area, you can be buried alive!”

Shen Lanxi asked again, “You know that, and you’re still willing to follow us?”

Liu Tao answered just as firmly as before, without the slightest hesitation.

“Yes. Following you, we finally get to live like human beings!”

This was an answer the women of Liu-Zhao Village had come up with together after many days of discussion.

An answer everyone agreed on.

Shen Lanxi withdrew her gaze and looked at Liu Tao.

“Then you’d better be prepared.”

It took Liu Tao a beat to realize what she meant. Joy and relief instantly spread across her face.

They had been afraid the young master wouldn’t agree, and had worried for days, barely able to sleep!

“Thank you for taking us in, my lord! From now on, we’ll listen to you in everything. Whatever you tell us to do, we’ll do it. If we ever harbor a second thought, may we all die miserable deaths!”

Though Liu Tao was an illiterate farm woman, she knew how to repay kindness and what loyalty meant. The young master had saved them—so they would repay her with their lives.

Shen Lanxi sensed her urgent desire to give back and smiled, nodding.

“Work well. I won’t treat you unfairly in the future.”

It was as if Liu Tao had received a solemn promise—she was so excited that she seemed reborn with new vitality.

Wei Dongzhu glanced in one direction for the third time. Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air behind him. It was as if he had eyes on the back of his head—he turned, dodged, and kicked back in one smooth motion.

Shen Yuanjing thought he had caught Master Hu off guard and could pull off a sneak attack. Instead, he fell flat on his face.

Laughter erupted from his younger siblings, and Shen Yuanjing’s face flushed red with embarrassment.

“What’s so funny? At least I can exchange a few moves with Master Hu! You guys can’t even last a single move!”

The once-laughing Shen Yuanjun and the others were instantly deflated, their shoulders drooping.

“We’re all practicing martial arts—why are we so much worse? That’s not fair!” Shen Yuanjun stomped his foot in frustration.

Shen Yuanjing climbed up from the ground. He had been annoyed at being laughed at, but seeing his younger brother stamping his foot in anger, he suddenly found it funny. He couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.

“Yuanjun, the way you stomp just now looked exactly like Yuantang—so funny I’m dying!”

When Shen Yuanjun heard his brother mocking him for looking like a girl, he immediately flew into a rage. Like a little bull, he charged at his brother, and the two started wrestling together.

Wei Dongzhu watched the person leap onto the ship. Bathed in the golden sunlight, she seemed to glow at that moment.

Unconsciously, he held his breath. His heart pounded wildly, and even the noisy shouts of the young men wrestling nearby faded from his ears.

His gaze seemed frozen at that instant, unable to tear itself away from her.

Suddenly, a discordant figure intruded upon the beautiful scene.

Liu Yanhui walked over, carrying a basket.

Wei Dongzhu cast him a dark look, his hand unconsciously lifting to touch the mask on his face.

A flash of awkwardness passed through his eyes.

“General, it’s time to apply medicine. You should go get treated,” a soldier of the Wei Army reminded him.

Wei Dongzhu glanced once more in their direction, then finally withdrew his gaze and returned to the cabin.

“My lord, among the convicts there’s someone who knows how to make fish cakes. These fish cakes are baked and keep very well—even if stored for an entire summer, they won’t spoil. I tasted them, and the flavor is decent, so I brought some for you to try!”

Shen Lanxi lifted the cover and took a look. They resembled scorched rice—dried fish cakes after dehydration.

She tasted one. It was savory and slightly sweet.

“Saves on salt,” she commented.

Fish cakes themselves weren’t anything rare. The reason Liu Yanhui showed them to Shen Lanxi was to tell her that he had found a way to conserve sea salt.

“You really are wise and farsighted, my lord. You guessed my intention at a glance!”

“Our ships carry plenty of grain. Although we brought quite a lot of sea salt, most of it is used for pickling and cooking. I was thinking—sea fish are naturally salty, so we don’t need to add salt. And eating too many pickled foods makes people thirsty, which means more water consumption. If we replace salted fish with fish cakes, we can save both salt and water!”

It was killing two birds with one stone.

With the sea at their back, salt wasn’t the real worry—water was.

If they couldn’t dock, their only source of water would be rainfall.

Shen Lanxi praised Liu Yanhui without restraint:

“Putting you in charge of the accounts was absolutely the right decision!”

Once again, Liu Yanhui’s abilities were affirmed. In his heart, he felt like a thousand-mile horse that had finally met a discerning patron.

“The shipmaster says the wind has been favorable these past two days. This wind pattern will likely last more than seven days. We won’t need to exert much effort—after one more day, we’ll be out of the Tianjin fief!”

Everything was going smoothly. Shen Lanxi’s chest surged like the vast sea itself—magnificent waves, heroic ambition!

“Good. Once we leave the Tianjin fief, everyone will be rewarded!”

“Yes!” Liu Yanhui replied respectfully and withdrew.

Sure enough, the weather over the following days was just as the shipmaster had said. One day later, they left the Tianjin fief. Half a day after that, she received a message delivered by a flying hawk.

“Chunxue, call Liu Yanhui and the others over. We’re holding a meeting!”

As Chunxue left, she thought to herself: Miss is smiling so happily—it must be good news!

“One piece of good news, and another piece of news that I’m not sure is good or bad. Which would you like to hear first?” Even so, Shen Lanxi’s tone was light.

From her expression alone, those seated below could tell she was in an excellent mood.

Liu Yanhui glanced at Wei Dongzhu and Liu Laohu. One was half-mute and usually didn’t speak. The other… was probably just awkward and didn’t know what to say.

So the task of cooperating with their lord fell to him.

“Let’s hear the good news first. But judging by your expression, my lord, even the news that might be good or bad probably isn’t bad for us.”

Shen Lanxi curled her lips into a smile.

“Liu Cheng’en personally led troops and wiped out the pirates of the Jiaozhou Archipelago!”