RWNEFE -Chapter 48 Is the Shen Family Finished?

Shen Yuanjing looked at his father in disappointment; the tall, imposing figure in his mind crumbled in an instant.

“Go then. Even if I go, the result will be the same. Even if they let us ride in the carriage, when I return, they’ll still say no.”

“It’s just a few steps! If we have to walk, everyone walks together!”

Once the first person got food successfully, there would be a second, then a third!

Liu Laohu saw the exiled group and the refugees closing in on each other and immediately decided to pick up the pace!

The carriage sped off, and the prisoners ran. The Shen family had thought trudging along eating hard, cold cornbread was their nightmare, but the truly terrifying nightmare was now chasing a moving carriage.

And that wasn’t all—the refugees behind were closing in. The Shen family were caught in the middle; if they didn’t run faster, they’d be overtaken. The consequences were unthinkable!

“Father! Mother! Run faster!”

“Brother! Sister! Run!”

“Auntie! Run!”

The refugees had far more endurance than the Shen family. Seeing the piles of grain on the carriage, they no longer cared and chased with all their strength.

In no time, they caught up to the Shen family!

“They’re all tender, juicy targets—my mouth’s watering!”

“Catch them! One leg per person! That’ll feed us for ten meals!”

“Don’t eat the young ladies yet. Keep them for last—play with them before killing!”

The horrifying, lewd words shattered any shred of reason left in the Shen family.

“Where’s Lanxi? Why isn’t she back yet?”

“That little bitch… she’s probably already dead at the hands of the refugees!”

“Let me go! Father, save me! Brother, save me…”

Shen Yuanyuan was grabbed by the refugees, screaming for help with all her heart.

The Shen family rushed to help, but cries for help erupted again.

Other female relatives were being captured too.

In an instant, the distinction between close and distant kin became painfully clear.

Each branch tried to save their own; no one could help Old Master Shen or Old Madam Shen. Both were knocked to the ground and beaten.

“First son, second son, third son, fourth son—save me and your father!”

Shen Congwen, busy rescuing his illegitimate daughter, heard his mother’s cries and turned to help—only to be knocked down by the refugees.

The Shen family wailed and lamented. It was over—they were finished!

Thunderous hoofbeats approached from afar, startling everyone into freezing.

From the other side, carriage sounds echoed as well. Liu Laohu had returned with reinforcements!

The horsemen and carriage stopped simultaneously. In that instant, they all brandished weapons.

“I am Qu Yanjing, son of the Cangzhou Inspector Qu family. Who are you?” Qu Yanling announced herself.

Upon hearing they were government officers, Liu Laohu immediately ordered his men to put away their weapons.

“We are officers escorting exiles, passing by when we happened upon refugees attacking!” Liu Laohu presented the official papers and officer badge.

Qu Yanling, pleased with Liu Laohu’s prudence, glanced at the papers and handed them back casually. Her eyes fell on the ten large carts full of supplies behind him, and a glint appeared in her eyes.

“Are you passing through Cangzhou on your way?”

Liu Laohu put the documents away: “Yes, passing through.”

Qu Yanling’s lips curved in a smile: “We’re distributing porridge to the refugees in Cangzhou. Officials like you entering the city don’t need to pay entry fees.”

Liu Laohu’s face brightened with relief, and he thanked her immediately.

Qu Yanling added: “I have urgent matters to return to the city. Once you reach Cangzhou, if anyone causes trouble, you may come to the Inspector’s office for me!”

Liu Laohu bowed: “Many thanks, sir!”

Qu Yanling’s smile vanished, a flicker of disdain in her eyes as she quickly rode off.

Seeing this, the refugees realized the situation and ran after the direction Qu Yanling had gone—they had just heard there was food in Cangzhou!

Liu Laohu glanced at the Shen family, survivors of the ordeal, and scolded coldly: “Get up! Stop lying on the ground pretending to be dead!”

The female relatives and a few men all wailed, but before long, Liu Laohu’s whip forced them to rise and follow behind the carriage like zombies.

Three carriages trailed far behind.

“Should we go help them? Won’t Master blame us?” Chunxue asked worriedly.

“Master said not to go unless someone’s life is at stake. You heard what the Old Madam and the other elders would do to our Master before—if it weren’t for her, they’d already be dead. Ungrateful as they are, I won’t risk myself to save them!” Qiushuang fumed at the thought.

Chunxue was angry too but feared something might happen and Master would blame them.

“Where is Master? Why hasn’t she caught up yet?”

“Missing me?”

Chunxue turned, stunned, to see Shen Lanxi riding alongside them.

They hadn’t heard his hooves approaching.

“Master! You’re here!” Chunxue almost cried.

Shen Lanxi tied his horse to the carriage and leapt onto it.

Along the way, she dealt with a few obstacles, causing some delay, but thankfully nothing serious happened.

“I haven’t rested. Now I’ll take a nap!”

Having spent the whole night collecting supplies and dealing with people, she hadn’t rested yet and needed time for her body.

Qiushuang and Chunxue fell silent immediately.

Not until dark did she wake fully.

With no one around and her Master returned, Nanny Li cheerfully baked two large meat-stuffed flatbreads and prepared several small dishes. Seeing Shen Lanxi awake, she set the table.

“Master, Liu Laohu and his men are not far ahead. No one else around,” Qiushuang reported.

Shen Lanxi sat on a stool and began eating the meat-filled bread.

“You all eat too!”

Qiushuang and the others sat around her with bowls, each taking turns reporting what had happened along the way.

Shen Lanxi ate heartily. When half full, she wiped his mouth and blew a long whistle.

Two seconds later, a shrill cry sounded. A white bird flashed its wings and appeared in front of them in the blink of an eye.

Chunxue and the others jumped, ready to protect Shen Lanxi.

“No worries. It’s trained by me!”

Their Master had a trained hawk? When did she get it? They had no idea.

The bird was massive, about half a meter tall, with a sharp hooked beak. Were it not for the white marking on its neck, it would be nearly invisible in the night.

“Xiaoxue, want some meat?” Shen Lanxi shook a piece of meat in the bowl, smiling.

Xiaoxue stared intently at Qiushuang and the others, wings raised, mouth half open, ready to attack at any moment.

Shen Lanxi sighed and walked farther away with the bowl.

“Eat slowly. I’ll go feed it a little farther away!”

Chunxue and the others didn’t dare move. Being watched by the hawk felt like a mouse under a cat’s gaze—they feared that moving would make the hawk swoop and peck their eyes out.

Their legs were weak; they physically couldn’t move.

After a dozen meters, Xiaoxue gradually lowered its wings, snapped its beak a couple of times, revealing its true gluttonous nature.

Shen Lanxi moved further away, confirmed no one was around, and pulled out six types of pet treats from her space, laying them out and unpacking each one.

“Let’s celebrate our reunion properly—a full Manchu-Han feast for you…”