CHAPTER 880: CHAPTER 344: SCREW YOUR TRAGIC BEAUTY (PART 14)_2

When he saw his mother’s figure, his whole little face lit up, and he shot out like a cannonball, directly into Ms. Hetian’s arms.

"...Xiao Bao, rest assured, your mother will never leave you alone again!"

Ms. Hetian would never allow anyone to harm this child, including herself, He Erniu!

"..." He Xiaobao said nothing, just buried his head forcefully in Ms. Hetian’s embrace, feeling the warmth that belonged solely to his mother.

After sending off Han Dongdong, Ms. Hetian and her son began their cavernous life in the forest!

Every morning, Ms. Hetian would take her son to practice horse stance and martial arts on the slope at the entrance of the cave.

Seeing that his mother knew martial arts, He Xiaobao was not too surprised.

His own father knew it too, and it was said that the He Family even had martial arts scholars among their ancestors, family-inherited martial arts.

His mother had innate divine strength, and usually suppressed her talent to avoid attracting attention.

Perhaps, besides divine strength, his mother also had a talent for martial arts, maybe she inadvertently saw the He family boxing manual when his father practiced martial arts at home, and that’s how she learned.

It’s not strange that He Xiaobao hypothesized; when a person’s talent is too extraordinary, people around tend to see her as a "genius."

And geniuses, no matter how astonishing their deeds, seem quite normal!

Moreover, regardless of why his mother knew martial arts, she was one who cherished, loved, and protected him as her own flesh and blood.

He Xiaobao only needed to focus on learning well from his mother, so that when he grew up, he could, in turn, protect her.

As for other matters, he didn’t need to dwell too much.

Therefore, He Xiaobao practiced diligently; he was naturally smart and willing to endure hardships, while Ms. Hetian continuously supplemented his nutrition and adjusted his body.

In just two months, He Xiaobao recovered physically and his martial arts were practiced with considerable form.

After morning practice, Ms. Hetian would take He Xiaobao into the forest to teach him how to hunt, identify herbs, and predict weather changes according to clouds and wind directions.

He Xiaobao absorbed knowledge like a sponge, eager to learn.

This forest was like a natural classroom and treasure trove.

Not only did He Xiaobao gain a lot of valuable practical knowledge, but it also provided ample resources for Ms. Hetian and her son.

However, as summer approached without any rainfall, the forest seemed to lose all vitality.

Many animals in the woods, driven by their instincts, began to escape deeper into the forest.

By the time autumn approached, the traps set by Ms. Hetian in the forest couldn’t even catch the most common wild rabbits or pheasants.

And the stream where Ms. Hetian frequently fetched water began to run dry, signaling that the drought had become very severe.

The outside world must be in chaos!

Don’t count on the court for disaster relief.

Hmph, the fact that the Emperor could favor a twisted, perverted cannibal demon is enough to prove that the ruler on the Dragon Throne is not a wise emperor either.

Recalling the eunuch who collected young boys under the pretext of restoring himself to manhood during the year of disaster, and who nearly caused the death of He Xiaobao, Ms. Hetian couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.

In this period, while mother and son were recuperating in the forest and gathering resources, they were not completely isolated from the world.

Every once in a while, Ms. Hetian would go to the nearby County.

Firstly, to buy essential items like salt and cloth, and secondly, to gather information.

Thus, she figured out the geography, learned the location of the Capital City, and became well-acquainted with the external situation.

They were in a country called Dayan.

The Dayan Dynasty had been established for over a hundred years, and the current emperor was the seventh in line.

Feudal Dynasty prosperity and decline followed a pattern; typically, by this time, land consolidation was severe and the common people’s lives were miserable.

Once hit by droughts or floods, it could trigger large-scale unrest.

If there was a wise emperor, or capable ministers who could turn the tide, the situation might stabilize, paving the way for a "prosperous mid-century."

However, unfortunately, the current emperor was not one to galvanize revival but was instead a foolish ruler who favored eunuchs.

In fact, disasters had been rampant across the country since the year before.

There were natural disasters, but man-made disasters were more prevalent.

The court sold offices and imposed various exorbitant taxes, making it impossible for the common people to survive.

For example, the river embankment repair project that happened nearby last year wasn’t genuinely about repairing the embankment; it was a guise orchestrated by a group of corrupt officials to amass wealth.