Chapter 784: Cruel

Translator: Atlas Studios    Editor: Atlas Studios

Yu Youyao did not wait for her to finish speaking. She supported her weak body and got up from the bed. Chun Xiao was shocked and quickly went over to help her.

At this moment, Madam w.a.n.g brought a bowl of Rogue rice porridge into the house. She quickly placed the small bowl on the table and came to the bed. “What’s wrong? Hurry up and lie back down…”

Yu Youyao grabbed her Eldest Aunt’s hand. “It’s impossible for the Jiazhou Residence to let us off easily. They will definitely join forces with the large and small docks near Quanzhou and force us back to Quanzhou in the name of investigating the bandits. The Xie Residence is a huge taxpayer of the Great Zhou Dynasty and is controlled by the government. There will definitely be portraits of the Xie Residence left in the large and small government offices. Once we go ash.o.r.e, we might be exposed.”

Madam w.a.n.g looked at her pale face and her eyes welled up with tears. “Don’t worry. The Old Master and the others have already discussed it. When we left Quanzhou, we made two preparations and arranged for fake ident.i.ty doc.u.ments. We’ll rest outside the city for a day or two and not enter the city.”

Yu Youyao shook her head with a pale face. “We won’t go ash.o.r.e. After sending someone ash.o.r.e to buy supplies, we’ll leave the Jin County pier immediately.”

Madam w.a.n.g stroked her hair with heartache and coaxed her gently, “Your fever has been low. In winter, the wind on the sea is strong and it’s wet. The ship isn’t as comfortable as usual and isn’t suitable for recuperation. If we cross the Jin County pier, it will take at least ten days to reach the next pier.”

Yu Youyao suddenly closed her eyes.

In the end, it was still for her.

It was like this in the nightmare.

It was still the same in reality.

Yu Youyao hated herself for being disappointing. Her eyes turned red. “Eldest Aunt, the pier in Jin County is very close to the capital. If anything happens, we won’t even have a chance to escape. I don’t want you to take the risk for me.”

Madam w.a.n.g was still a little hesitant.

Yu Youyao held her Eldest Aunt’s hand tightly. Her heart, which had been uneasy because of the nightmare, calmed down bit by bit. “These past few days, I’ve had nightmares every day. I kept dreaming that the Xie family hadn’t escaped, which was why I was shocked. That’s why my fever didn’t subside. I’ll only be completely at ease when I reach the next pier and it’s close to the North.”

Madam w.a.n.g also knew that Little Youyao had often cried in her sleep these past few days, shouting, “Hurry up and escape. Don’t worry about me. I’m sorry…”

Her expression gradually turned solemn. “Lie back down first. I’ll discuss it with your grandmother.”

The Xie Residence used the excuse of purchasing for the You army to negotiate with the soldiers. It was not a problem to stop at the dock for a while and rely on a boat to go ash.o.r.e. It was very risky.

She did not dare to delay and quickly looked for Old Madam Xie to mention this.

Old Madam Xie’s heart ached for her granddaughter. If Little Yao’er was really worried about the Xie Residence and had endless nightmares, stopping the boat and docking would only increase her uneasiness and fear.

For a moment, she did not know what to do.

In the end, it was Old Master Xie who settled the matter. “Yin San, go ash.o.r.e and buy some fresh fruits, vegetables, and some appetizing snacks to replenish some fresh supplies. We’ll set sail later.”

With the token of the Yue Fei’s Residence, the dock did not investigate them strictly. The customs clearance doc.u.ment had already been handed over to the soldiers at the dock. As long as the people from the Xie Residence did not show their faces, there would not be a big problem.

If their ident.i.ty was exposed, they could also immediately sail away.

Yu Youyao was finally a little relieved. After eating a bowl of Rogue rice porridge and being coaxed by Nanny Xu to eat a bowl of bird’s nest porridge, she felt a little stronger.

It was rare for them to reach the sh.o.r.e. Fresh water could be replenished on the sh.o.r.e. Nanny Xu made a medicinal bath and let Yu Youyao take a bath.

After washing away her fatigue, Yu Youyao felt much better.

“It’s not good for your health to be cooped up in the boat all the time.” Nanny Xu helped her change into a jacket dress with a fur collar and a snow fox fur cloak to wrap her up tightly.

Although the dock in Jin County was close to the sea, the climate was not as warm as in Quanzhou.

As soon as she left the ship’s hold, the salty sea breeze blew into her neck with a bone-chilling cold. Yu Youyao shuddered and couldn’t help but shrink her neck, hugging the hand warmer tightly.

Yu Youyao looked at the dock and her eyes couldn’t help but pause.

On the dock, there were many refugees in hunched clothes begging from pa.s.sers-by. A young master dressed as a scholar seemed to be unable to bear it and gave up a small ingot of silver.

“Young Master, please…”

All the nearby refugees pounced over crazily and fought for it.

The young master was shocked and shouted in fear, “Don’t come over, don’t come over. Help…”

And yet!

It was as if the refugees did not hear him at all. More and more people rushed over, pushed down the young master, and tugged at his clothes.

When the soldiers at the dock heard the commotion, they drew their knives and rushed over. They shouted angrily, “What are you doing? What are you doing? You’re not allowed to rob in broad daylight. Is there any law? Move aside…”

The refugees pushed one another, and screams and curses mixed together.

“All of you, stop.” The soldiers finally couldn’t take it anymore and pulled out their knives.

Blood splattered everywhere, and the gathered refugees screamed and fled in all directions. However, the young master lay on the ground with his eyes wide open, already dead.

Yu Youyao’s eyes were filled with tears and she was trembling.

She wholeheartedly believed that by donating to the Imperial Court and helping the refugees, she could save everyone and save them from the famine.

However, the scene in front of her cruelly told her how naive she was.

If it was already like this at the dock in Jin County, who knew how many places the same scene was cruelly playing out at?

Poverty did not make people crazy. Only famine did.

These refugees were the most pitiful and innocent citizens, but they were also starving beasts. Once someone showed weakness, they would swarm forward.

As long as they targeted someone, there was no way out.

Yu Youyao looked at the corpses on the dock in a daze. Some had been hacked to death, and there was the corpse of the young master. This was probably the truest and cruelest side of the world.

It was far more terrifying than the b.l.o.o.d.y battle in front of her.

Chun Xiao felt a little uneasy. “Young Miss.”

“I’m fine. Let’s go in!” Yu Youyao tried her best to control her softened heart.

She kept telling herself in her heart, “This is the way of the world. Yu Youyao, you can save them for a while, but you won’t be able to save them for a lifetime. Do you see the refugees who were slashed to death at the dock? The Xie Residence is still running for their lives. Your so-called kindness might harm the Xie Residence or even those refugees.”

At this moment, Song Mingzhao, who was about to go to Dehua to take office, rushed to the dock in Jin City by land from the capital. He seemed to sense something and glanced at a large ship parked in front of the dock.

However, he only saw the back of a person that was covered in snow fox fur. It lowered in front of him and disappeared into the ship’s hold.

He couldn’t help but take a few more glances.

The accompanying soldier hurriedly said, “That’s a merchant ship sent by King Yue Fei to Fujian to buy military supplies. There are many areas in the North that have suffered from drought. King Yue Fei was n.o.ble and used military supplies to help the people.”