As evening approached, the corpses that had been beheaded and displayed under the city gate were tossed into the mass grave nearby, and even the bloodstains had been washed away by soldiers fetching water from the river.
Everyone looked at one another, wondering who might have money to enter the city.
Just as the crowd assumed that the listless wretches around them couldn't possibly have any money left, a few figures stood up sneakily from the pile, hunched over and scurrying rapidly toward the city gate.
There were actually people who still had money!
At once, a group of people stood up, formed a small squad, and began to scavenge the lone refugees around them.
As long as the group was smaller or looked weaker than them, they spared no one.
Ironically, they actually managed to find money.
This seemed to be a signal; people went mad, joining the scavenging squads themselves for the sake of entering the city.
The first ones they targeted were the people they were closest to in their daily lives.
This scene frightened Xu Yue, who hurriedly checked the people around her.
Wang Dayou and his wife held their child, looking at that group with anxiety and fear, silently gripping the sharp stones in their hands.
Wang Dahai shielded his son behind him, also clutching a wood-chopping knife, ready to fight those madmen to the death.
Seeing that everyone around her had this reaction, Xu Yue breathed a sigh of relief.
At least they hadn't been ungrateful enough to turn their blades against those who had shown them kindness. The taro and water her father and mother had given away had not been in vain.
As for Qiu-shi, she had already left under the cover of the dim night, carrying her dead child. She hadn't said a word to anyone before leaving, and it was unknown if she would ever return.
The atmosphere under the city wall was tense; everyone was wary of one another, yet couldn't help but want to throw caution to the wind and take advantage of the chaos to do something.
"Once they're done looting, why don't we..." Xu Da made a throat-slitting gesture, looking excitedly at Wang-shi, Wang Dahai, and Wang Dayou.
"The soldiers aren't doing anything anyway, just watching the show. It's a golden opportunity; if we miss it, it's gone," he muttered to himself.
Wang Dahai and Wang Dayou looked at him hesitantly, thinking that this might not be a good idea, and besides, the other side had strength in numbers; they could easily end up losing everything.
Of course, they didn't doubt Brother Xu's strength in the slightest.
It was just that Brother Xu’s word alone wasn't enough; they had to see what the woman of his house thought.
Wang-shi ignored Xu Da entirely, only instructing Xu Dalang to protect his two younger sisters.
Soon, the scavenging squad finished looting the refugees in front and headed toward them.
Wang-shi took a deep breath, ready to strike and ensure the opponents could never get back up. Her knuckles cracked as she clenched them, and she kicked her legs and stretched her muscles. She pulled her homemade bow to its full draw, nocked an arrow, and reached her peak combat state.
Without Wang-shi saying a word, Xu Da and the others knew a fierce battle was imminent and stepped forward.
The three brothers had already reached a tacit understanding when they were fighting for water earlier; there was no need for words, a single glance was enough to know what to do.
Everything was ready, just waiting for that gang to come knocking.
However, when that group reached their vicinity, they glanced at them from ten meters away and walked off.
Walked off?
!!!
The three arrows nocked on Wang-shi’s string trembled, nearly firing off directly!
Fortunately, the arrows hadn't been released yet.
But this feeling—where you have made full preparations, yet the enemy is so cowardly they detour rather than face you head-on—was even more uncomfortable than losing a battle.
It was damn frustrating!
Xu Da, angry, picked up a stone and threw it provocatively into the middle of the group. With a "thud," it hit someone's instep.
The man let out a howl and turned his head, furious, about to curse, but when he saw it was Xu Da, he immediately shut his mouth. He even wore a look of terror, hopping away as if fleeing to catch up with the main group ahead and continue scavenging other families.
Xu Da stared, dumbfounded. He had provoked them that much, and they could still endure it?
Wang Dayou looked at the man's retreating back, thoughtful, then suddenly slapped his thigh and shouted excitedly
"I remember now! That kid tried to snatch our water earlier and we beat him off. Brother Xu, you even slit the throats of his two brothers right in front of him..."
As he reached the end, Wang Dayou's conscience wouldn't allow him to recount someone else's death with such excitement, and his voice trailed off.
But the reason for the other side's cowardice had finally been found.
Wang-shi aimed her arrow at Xu Da, giving him a sinister, mock-aim, before lowering her bow with a cold face.
Xu Da looked up at the sky, speechless. So, it was his fault?
...
Late at night, in front of the campfire, Xu Da poked at the roasted taro by the fire and looked at Wang Dayou and Wang Dahai with a serious expression.
"Honestly, do you guys still have money?"
Wang Dayou and Wang Dahai looked up "whoosh." Wang Dahai said cautiously: "Some, but not enough."
Xu Da looked at Wang Dayou, who remained silent, neither saying he had it nor that he didn't.
But if he didn't say he didn't have it, then he had it.
As for how much, Xu Da glanced at the layers upon layers of Wang Dayou's belt and guessed it wouldn't be too little.
Noticing Xu Da's gaze, Wang Dayou simply laid his cards on the table. "Brother Xu, to be honest, I want to follow you."
Having walked this far, he had seen it clearly: this Xu family, as long as they had a chance, would definitely soar in the future.
With the world in such chaos, who wasn't gambling? He couldn't help but think more for his family; if there was an opportunity, he had to grab it even at the risk of danger.
Moreover, the Xu family was kind-hearted but not blindly submissive; they acted when they needed to and were loyal to others.
Of the four classes—scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—the status of an artisan wasn't even as good as a farmer like Wang Dahai. He didn't ask for much; if he could secure a few acres of fertile land and have a happy life with his wife and children in the future, that would be enough.
If it didn't work out, could things be any worse than they were right now?
Wang Youliang was having a nightmare, calling out for his father. Wang Dahai had to go soothe the child first, temporarily leaving the fireside.
Wang Dayou took the opportunity to ask in a low voice: "Brother Xu, what are your thoughts? Are we entering the city or not? If we are, I can lend you the money first, only asking that after you enter the city, you don't forget those outside."
Hearing this from Wang Dayou, Xu Da felt a small, pleasant surprise, but he didn't mention the loan, instead sharing his family's plan.
"Our family's idea is to first find a way to get one person into the city, and then find a way to fish the people outside in."
"Once we're in the city, there will always be a way," Xu Da affirmed.
As long as they encountered someone with money, even if it were just a young child, they could think of a way to get more.
Wang Dayou thought for a moment and decided to go along, but he had to ask Wang-shi to help look after his wife and child.
The reason Xu Da wanted to coax these two brothers was that he lacked manpower.
Now that Wang Dayou had taken the initiative to join his camp, that was, of course, for the best. The two brothers exchanged a look and decided to try it tomorrow morning.
Wang Dahai, having finished soothing his child, returned and asked: "What are you two talking about?"
Xu Da concealed the fact that Wang Dayou was going to lend him money and told him that the two of them were preparing to go into the city to take a look.
Upon hearing this, Wang Dahai immediately expressed that he would go too, with the same request: as long as someone helped look after his child, it would be fine.
Xu Da nodded; that was no problem at all.
(End of chapter)