RWNEFE -Chapter 67 Crisis Averted!

The four village chiefs weren’t all fools. They immediately questioned the families of the missing people, and after learning what had happened, they erupted in anger.

“Did I not tell you that the guards they brought along were all fighters?”

“Did I not tell you not to provoke them?”

“Why didn’t you listen?”

“Since you didn’t listen, don’t come crying to me if something happens!”

Villagers protested: “Chief, why protect outsiders instead of our own people? We chose you to be the village chief, not to favor outsiders!”

“Exactly, chief! We’re running low on food and water—what’s wrong with borrowing a little from them?”

“Who told them to be so stingy? We protected them all the way, and they only gave us a tiny bit of food.”

“Chief, they have carriages with plenty of food and water. There are many of us, maybe we could…”

The village chief couldn’t take it anymore. He shouted angrily: “Shut up! Do any of you have brains?”

“The refugees ahead have been eyeing us the entire way—have you forgotten?”

“If we try to attack those outsiders now, we’ll lose many people, and the refugees in front will surely swarm and finish us off.”

The villagers who had been so confident earlier went silent.

The chief said: “I doubt it was them. If it really was, and our people went to steal their food, why didn’t they make a fuss?”

“Chief, then where did the people from our village go?”

The chief’s face darkened. He thought for a moment: “We’ll reach Moon Lake in a day. Let our villagers stay alert, keep distance from the outsiders, and don’t provoke them anymore!”

He really shouldn’t have been greedy for a few bags of grain and let these outsiders tag along behind them. Now it was too late to change anything.

“Chief, I have an idea. What if we join forces with the refugees ahead and…”

~

Liu Yanhui went to the four village chiefs carrying four water bags.

Under normal circumstances, offering a water bag as a gift would only earn ridicule. But now, these four water bags were a sincere and valuable present.

“Chiefs, we’ll reach Moon Lake in a day. I have a map of the area near Yicheng!” Liu Yanhui presented the map he had drawn himself.

“This is Moon Lake, and this is Yicheng. It’s only half a day’s ride between them. Moon Lake is one of the most famous lakes in the Great Zhou. Even in a severe drought, people here can safely survive the year!”

The four village chiefs’ eyes fixed on the map. They had only heard of such maps but never seen one—they thought only the imperial court possessed them.

This well-dressed young master’s family must be highly influential and favored.

Liu Yanhui began painting a big picture for them: “The farmland near Moon Lake will be highly sought after, but you saved my life, so I will ensure my sister and brother-in-law repay you properly. I’m the youngest in my family. My sister and brother-in-law have been married for many years without children. I’m like their child. Saving me is like saving their child!”

The four chiefs, who had been discussing joining forces with the refugees ahead to seize Liu Yanhui’s group, realized now that such a plan would be very unwise.

Though Liu Yanhui’s group had carriages and food, divided among all villagers, it would only last a few meals.

But Liu Yanhui was offering them long-term stability and prosperity—any fool would know which option to choose!

One chief immediately flattered him: “Young master, thank you. When we reach there, we’ll be outsiders. If we compete with the locals for land, we won’t stand a chance!”

Once one spoke, the others quickly agreed.

“Yes, yes, it doesn’t matter if it’s farther from Moon Lake, as long as the farmland can be irrigated!”

Liu Yanhui immediately began helping them select land a bit farther from Moon Lake.

The selection took most of the day.

Soon, the exile convoy resumed its journey. At night, nothing was visible, but by morning, the greenery was clear in every direction.

Trees, grass—where would water be far?

All the refugees focused on water; with water, no one cared about seizing others’ supplies.

Only now did Liu Yanhui finally breathe a sigh of relief.

“Master, the crisis has been averted!”

Chunxue, following Shen Lanxi’s orders, handed Liu Yanhui a pack of food and a water bag.

“This is for you, from Master!”

Liu Yanhui, holding the items, felt an unprecedented surge of emotion. He hurriedly hid them and brought them to his mother and sister.

Seeing hope, the refugees pressed onward under the sun, walking toward ever greener pastures. Many, exhausted from hunger and thirst, cried as they walked.

“There’s water! We’ll never go hungry or thirsty again…”

The refugees ahead didn’t stop either. From side paths, they even saw other exiles rushing toward Moon Lake for water.

Normally, exiles would fight over such resources. Now, they all smiled, even greeting each other.

“We’re almost at Moon Lake!”

“With all this greenery, there must be endless water!”

The refugees moved together, laughing, heading toward Moon Lake.

Shen Lanxi quietly ordered to slow down and separate from the exile group.

Liu Laohu didn’t dare bother Shen Lanxi anymore. He quietly asked Liu Yanhui: “Mr. Liu, aren’t we going to Moon Lake?”

Liu Yanhui, calm and composed, replied: “We are, but not in the obvious way. If those exiles let my ‘brother-in-law’ divide the land, wouldn’t we be exposed?”

“Of course we’d be exposed! That fake brother-in-law of yours—he’d give it away!” Liu Laohu said bluntly.

Liu Yanhui clenched his jaw, unwilling to argue further.

Shen Lanxi: “One team will fetch water at Moon Lake, another will head toward Yicheng to resupply!”

Liu Laohu: “Who goes to Moon Lake? We’ve already been seen by those exiles!”

Not all of them had been seen!

Liu Yanhui and Wei Dongzhu looked at Shen Lanxi in surprise and alarm.

Had she already planned the escape route in advance?

Shen Lanxi: “I’ll go with the women from Liu Zhao Village to fetch water. We’ll meet the others outside Yicheng.”

Liu Yanhui and Wei Dongzhu: “Good!”

Liu Laohu looked around, confused—what kind of riddle was this?

Shen Lanxi fed the remaining water to the horses, then, with Chunxue, Qiushuang, Nanny Li, and the women from Liu Zhao Village, bypassed the refugees and rode swiftly toward Moon Lake.

The closer they got to the lake, the more humid the air became, the greener the vegetation, and naturally, the more exiles they encountered.

The refugees who had arrived earlier were already camped around Moon Lake.

Their calm expressions showed they had been there for a long time.

“Master, look! So much water!”

Shen Lanxi pulled back the carriage curtain, stood on the board, and let the humid air wash over her face, unable to suppress her first genuine smile since heading north.