RWNEFE -Chapter 68 Give Me a Long Stick—Some Face!

“Fill the water, quickly! Once it’s full, we leave immediately!”

With the water problem solved, the refugees here faced another serious issue: no food.

Although they had sent Liu Laohu and his men away from the carriage carrying the grain, horse meat still counted as food. They had driven ten carriages over—that meant ten horses.

To the refugees, that was a glaring, tangible source of sustenance.

Sure enough, before long, some noticed that these were all frail women and children and thought to make a move!

Shen Lanxi stepped in front of a wooden post as thick as a water barrel. With a flick of her long stick, the post flew over a person’s height.

The next second came a whistling sound, followed by the crackling noise of wood being smashed.

The thick post was split into three pieces in a single blow, flying in three directions.

Bam! Bam! Two pieces hit the ground with solid thuds.

The third flew straight into Moon Lake, creating a splash over two meters high from the sheer impact.

Everyone trying to start trouble got soaked like drenched chickens!

“Give me the long stick in my hands—some face!”

“We are here only to fetch water. Once we’re done, we leave immediately. We don’t bother anyone!”

No one responded. Silence hung in the air.

After a few seconds, the drenched troublemakers slunk away, one by one.

After that, fetching water went smoothly. Even when Shen Lanxi stepped away briefly, no one dared approach the women collecting water.

Shen Lanxi noticed that most of the refugees drank untreated water and had poor hygiene. Some poured dirty water back into Moon Lake, and many washed or cleaned clothes directly in the lake.

Although flowing water can naturally purify itself, the growing number of exiles would overwhelm it. If the drought wasn’t addressed soon, Moon Lake would eventually turn into a filthy swamp.

And the worst part? A plague could easily break out.

“Tell everyone: no one drinks the water until it’s boiled!”

Chunxue and Qiushuang quickly went to relay the warning.

Once the water was secured, the group pressed on toward Yicheng, brushing past the refugees from the previous convoy.

“So much water!”

“Where’s Young Master Liu? Hurry, let him be the first to drink!”

Young Master Liu? He and the refugees were already at the foot of Yicheng!

“Should we enter the city?” Liu Laohu asked, lacking confidence.

Shen Lanxi had obtained the household registrations and handed them over to Liu Yanhui, who carefully matched each person’s age and gender before distributing them.

Liu Laohu quietly received the documents from the officers and hid the original registrations.

When Liu Yanhui handed them to the Wei family soldiers, he paused for a moment before approaching.

“Do you have your registrations?”

Wei soldiers: “We lost them while fleeing.”

Liu Yanhui distributed the household registrations to them.

“Half of you enter the city to buy supplies, half stay behind. After one hour, swap so the others can go in.”

“Understood!”

Liu Yanhui pulled Liu Laohu aside and gave him the money for city purchases. Some of it was a “tip,” framed as procurement funds—everyone understood the unspoken arrangement.

Liu Laohu, along with half the officers and a third of the well-behaved exiles, entered the city.

“Brother Wu, when they return, they won’t stop us from going in, right?” Shen Yuanruan asked teasingly.

Wu Youliang lounged against the wheel, eyes wandering slyly over the women, finally settling on Shen Yuanruan.

“I don’t think so. We’re not in a rush now. If they don’t keep their word, who would trust them next time?”

Shen Yuanruan: “Not necessarily. Even if they break their promise, there’s nothing we can do—they are officers!”

Wu Youliang found that reasonable and quickly got up.

“I’ll go ask!”

Shen Yuanruan followed: “Brother Wu, I’ll go with you!”

The old matriarch of the Shen family watched Shen Yuanruan fawn over Wu Youliang and was livid.

“Third son, doesn’t your daughter have any shame? Hurry and teach her a lesson! She’s embarrassing the Shen family!”

Shen Congli looked helpless: “Mother, at this point, our lives are at risk—who’s thinking about shame?”

The matriarch slammed her fist at her son in frustration.

“Don’t think I’m too old or blind to see you sneaking things from her. I’m not dead yet! That vile thing—never let her enter the Shen family again!”

“You all listen too: if anyone else acts like her, don’t call yourself a Shen, I won’t let you disgrace the family!”

Shen Congyi: “Mother, don’t let one shameless person make you angry. Let’s just see how much money we have and what we can buy in the city.”

Shen Conglian: “Our branch has nothing. We spent everything buying water before!”

“Our branch too…”

Shen Congyi: “Don’t look at me—we have no money either! Mother, Yuanjing and Lanxi are close—they must have money.”

…

Shen Yuanjing and the others had already tried four times to curry favor with the Wei soldiers—each time rejected.

Now, although they entered the city with Liu Laohu, they had almost no money left.

They had already spent most of their coins buying cakes, dried meat, and sugar water from their eldest sister.

“How much money do you have?” Shen Yuanjing asked his younger siblings.

Shen Yuanjun: “I have four coins.”

“I have a silver hairpin.”

“I have a silver ring.”

…

Shen Yuanjing: “I have an idea. I want to buy Master Hu and the others some special gifts.”

“Brother, what special gifts?”

“I haven’t thought that far yet.”

“Even if you have, we don’t have enough money. One bun costs eighty coins!”

“….”

Liu Yanhui had checked the price of water—it was as expensive as meat! He also checked grain prices, which had surpassed meat. Later, he spent some time at a teahouse gathering information.

When Liu Laohu was nearly done shopping, he called for Liu Yanhui.

Liu Yanhui, feeling the sting in his wallet, bought some buns and water, and hurried out of the city.

When the second group entered the city, Shen Lanxi returned.

Liu Yanhui reported the news he had gathered to Shen Lanxi.

“Over a month ago, the consort suffered a miscarriage with heavy bleeding. Luckily, the people from Medicine King Valley arrived in time and saved her life. But a few days later, grief and depression caused her to refuse food and water, and she passed away.”

Xiaoxue had already brought Shen Lanxi this news, even more detailed than Liu Yanhui had gathered.

“Last time in An Town, the Medicine King Valley people left in a hurry—likely summoned to the imperial palace!”

Shen Lanxi nodded: “Continue.”

“The Southern Prince was ordered to lead an expedition northwest. His rank was repeatedly reduced, and now he serves as a middle-ranking general in the Northern Expeditionary Army, responsible for transporting grain.”

Shen Lanxi’s lips curved: “From a first-rank general down to a fifth-rank middle general. His demotion speed outpaced his promotions. Truly the fastest in Great Zhou!”