CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 44: SO WHAT IF HE’S PROTECTING US?

Ruan Mian shook her head: "In our current situation, nowhere is safer than under our own watchful eyes. We have so many people who can take turns looking after each other, and there’s no worry about food and clothing."

"Although the road ahead is long, it’s not as tough as we imagined, is it?"

Little Rui Ge’er’er, with his bright round eyes, quickly chimed in, hugging Ruan Mian with his small arms.

"I don’t want to be separated from Auntie. Auntie is amazing! I still want to be with Dad and Grandfather and Grandmother!"

"Good child." Mrs. Zhang smiled, her gaze full of kindness as she embraced the child lovingly.

After traveling for several hours, it started to snow again ahead.

Moreover, the road became increasingly rugged, causing the carriage to start jolting.

Everyone was so hungry that they couldn’t bear it, so they got off the carriage to rest for a while and ate some dried food.

Ruan Mian instructed Cui Zhu to go get some charcoal to replenish the small stoves for everyone. When they reached the mountain road ahead, the temperature would surely drop, and the fur blankets should also be wrapped up.

Soon after, a government officer came by, saying they needed to unload the carriage, as the mountain road ahead was difficult to navigate.

Ruan Mian looked ahead, a bit puzzled: "Lord, I saw on the map at the post station that we could take the main road to Jixian County. The heavy snow hasn’t blocked the road yet; why take the small path?"

The officer pointed at the Armored Soldiers: "The Master said this is the shortcut. We’ve already delayed too much time; taking the main road might take several more days! While the snow isn’t heavy, we should reach Jixian County territory as soon as possible."

"I’ve heard that the weather in Jixian County is not very good. If we take the main road, it will surely delay our journey!"

The Armored Soldier was the guide sent from the post station.

Just as Ruan Mian looked at him, she noticed that Aunt Chen from Uncle’s Mansion was chatting with him. After exchanging a few words, she ran back to Li Ming, shyly handing him the dried food in her hand.

No one else paid much attention, but Ruan Mian noticed it.

The original book didn’t describe Li Ming’s character much; at most, he appeared a few times during his brother’s rebellion as cannon fodder later on.

Ruan Mian remained vigilant, pondering for a moment, as if she guessed that the appearance of that Armored Soldier here wasn’t that simple. However, they might just want to ambush them halfway like some Cheng Yaojin.

It’s nothing serious, just an opportunity to see what tricks they’re up to.

Meanwhile, Ruan Jiao passed by a tree, carrying some dried food.

She saw Qi Nanfeng with lips turning purple from the cold. After thinking for a moment, she placed the broken pottery jar she had picked up into his hands.

This pottery jar, with charcoal inside, was distributed by Ruan Mian to the people from Uncle’s Mansion earlier; she snatched it from a servant girl.

Qi Nanfeng was slightly surprised, and upon seeing it was Ruan Jiao, he was a bit taken aback.

Ruan Jiao revealed a sweet smile, softly saying: "Mr. Qi, you can use it to warm up. The road ahead is still long, don’t freeze."

Qi Nanfeng’s heart was moved, stopping her: "You... are you my sister-in-law?"

Previously, Lady Xianfei originally intended for the third young lady of the Ruan Mansion to marry him, but upon inquiring, it turned out that the third young lady was not favored in the Ruan Mansion, and marrying her would be of no help!

So it was changed to the second young lady.

Unexpectedly, this third young lady was such a considerate person, much better than that venomous woman Ruan Mian.

In such circumstances, she was still willing to give him some warmth, which moved Qi Nanfeng’s heart, holding the pottery jar tightly, he sincerely thanked her.

After watching Ruan Jiao quickly leave, his heart felt like a small stone was cast into it, creating ripples...

When they set out again, everyone got off to walk.

Entering the valley, snow was everywhere, and the cold wind pierced to the bone.

Fortunately, with family supporting each other, with thick clothing and stoves, they were not left to freeze or starve.

They continued until dusk, arriving at a marshland, only to suddenly find a camp ahead.

Torchlights were set up all around.

Amid their confusion, dozens of armored warriors suddenly rushed out of the camp, surrounding them.

"Gentlemen, we are ordered to escort exiles to Wuheng for reform, all with the necessary documents, hoping you allow us passage."

The leading officer shakily took out a document, secretly cursing; he had escorted so many groups, yet never had so much trouble with any as this one.

If it wasn’t bandits, it was beggars, and now even these soldiers appear!

They were just plain unlucky.

But before the document could be handed over, the leader of the armored soldiers yelled angrily: "Seize all the women and take them to the tent! Men, throw them into the latrine!"

Everyone was shocked, shivering in fright.

No one knew what they were about to face, and Mrs. Zhang, frightened, held Ruan Mian and Ruan Qing close, trying her best to keep them from being seen.

She knew those soldiers had ill intentions; the reason they wanted to seize the women was obvious!

At this moment, the soldiers, outnumbering them, had thrown the group into chaos, while Ruan Mian watched them with a calm expression.

Until someone pulled them up.

One of them caught sight of Ruan Mian and Ruan Qing’s good looks and immediately sneered, gripping her chin.

"Such a beauty, take her away!"

"Sister! Sister! I want to stay with you!" Ruan Qing struggled to get to Ruan Mian’s side, and Cui Zhu did the same.

More women at the back screamed for help, but in this vast valley, who would come to their rescue?

Cui Zhu, all the way, was terrified, exclaiming: "Miss, these people... might be even worse than bandits!"

They had real swords and spears, each one more brutish than the other.

Ruan Mian remembered what Guard Liu had said earlier.

He mentioned that the frontier was at war, and there were deserters in Jixian City; this valley is on the border of Jixian and Hui City. These people are probably the deserters driven to desperation without food, fleeing all around?

"Sister, I don’t want anything to happen to you..."

Ruan Qing, experiencing such a situation again, couldn’t help but be afraid; the last time being captured by bandits and taken to a mountain cave, she fainted right away from fear.

Ruan Mian gently comforted: "Don’t worry, I’m here."

Her gaze was as steadfast as a rock, watching those tents along the way, noticing through lifted flaps that there were quite a few good things inside.

It seemed like supplies looted from Jixian City.

Until they were taken into a large tent, where dozens of women were thrown to the ground together.

After a while, someone picked out the female family members of Uncle’s Mansion, untied their ropes, and let them go.

That included Ruan Jiao.

Amid everyone’s confusion, Aunt Chen followed behind Li Ming, swaggering into the tent.

Aunt Chen’s sharp voice penetrated the eardrums in an instant.

"You finally got what you deserved!" She came up to Ruan Mian with a smug expression, pinching her chin.

"Weren’t you very capable? How did you end up like this now? If it weren’t for you, the entire Uncle’s Mansion wouldn’t have ended up in this situation."

"Look at you, eating and drinking along the way, thinking you can do whatever you please with the Prime Minister’s protection, right?"

"So what if he backs you? The Emperor is far away from here, he can’t reach out this far! But our little uncle is different."