CHAPTER 240: CHAPTER 240: NO BRAINS

Qiuxue is very young, only four years old, and two steamed buns are definitely too much for her, especially since these black bread steamed buns are large and not very tasty.

Dongxue took advantage of the moment when her parents turned around to pack things, and put the leftover buns from herself and her sister into the bundle.

By the time Manbo finished packing and turned around to ask his daughters for the buns, Dongxue had already taken her sister and boarded Yu Xiaolian’s carriage.

Although Dongxue was young, she knew how to assess situations; she understood who her father feared now. Her father was afraid of Aunt Yu, so as long as she stayed near Aunt Yu all the way, her father wouldn’t dare approach them.

With two more buffalo carts, everyone could find a seat by squeezing in, and their pace was faster than before.

Su Jingchen’s carriage was still leading, but now, apart from Yu Xiaolian and Dongxue and her sister, there was no one else inside.

Su Jingchen arranged for everyone else to sit in other carriages so that Yu Xiaolian could lie down comfortably in the carriage.

The buffalo carts, being open flat wooden carts, allowed many people to sit on each, and although cramped, they managed to fit.

Today, Yu Xiaolian wasn’t sleepy; she took out the snacks she had prepared from her bundle.

Yu Xiaolian smiled and handed them to Dongxue, but Dongxue refused to eat.

Dongxue waved her hands repeatedly, refusing to take them, "Aunt, no need, we didn’t eat the buns this morning, they’re still in the bundle, I’m not hungry at all."

She was very grateful just to be allowed to stay in Aunt Yu’s carriage; how could she eat those exquisite and beautiful snacks?

The so-called exquisite and beautiful snacks Dongxue referred to were actually egg yolk pies and grape-flavored crispy rolls.

Yu Xiaolian decided to threaten them, "Take them, be good kids. If you don’t listen, I won’t let you sit in the lead carriage."

Anxiously, Dongxue took the egg yolk pie and divided it with Qiuxue, "Qiuer, thank you, Aunt."

"Thank you, Aunt." Qiuxue said in a childish voice.

Yu Xiaolian pinched Qiuxue’s little face with a smile, "No need to thank me!"

These two children were so skinny, it broke her heart.

It pained her to see they couldn’t eat well and also distressed her that they had such parents.

Manbo was unfeeling, a foolishly filial old fool; his wife was too honest, a person of no words.

But Dongxue had a cleverness about her; Yu Xiaolian was proud of her.

"Eat up!" Yu Xiaolian pushed the snacks laid on the bundle cover closer to the sisters, "Take whatever you want."

After saying this, Yu Xiaolian lifted the curtain of the carriage and asked Su Jingchen, "Do you want anything to eat?"

Su Jingchen replied, "Candy, give me one of those candies from yesterday, peach-flavored."

Yu Xiaolian handed Su Jingchen a handful of candies. To make it easier for her to eat them on the road, she had rewrapped all those peach-flavored candies in oil paper ahead of time.

Su Jingchen unwrapped one piece of candy, put it in his mouth, and pocketed the rest.

If the carriage were just the two of them, he would have had Yu Xiaolian continue telling him about things happening over there, but he couldn’t; there were other people in the carriage.

Despite being anxious to know, he had to hold back.

After walking for most of the day, Su Jingchen said to Yu Xiaolian, "Check the map, how far is the next water source?"

Yu Xiaolian was lying flat in the carriage; it was noon, and she felt sleepy again.

Upon hearing Su Jingchen, she lifted the curtain to look out, "It’ll take another hour to reach."

About another hour’s travel, there’s a village up ahead with an old well in the center, and she had walked the route twice, knowing the way even without a map.

An hour would be perfect for a nap, so Yu Xiaolian lay back down.

When Su Jingchen led the carriage into the village to get water for the horses, they were stopped by the villagers.

"No water fetching allowed!"

"Yes, if you want to use our village’s water, you must pay Silver Coin; no payment means you can’t use it for free."

Yu Xiaolian hopped off the carriage, "Uncle, I passed by the village not long ago, and there was no water fetching restriction back then?"

The leading middle-aged man holding a carrying pole scowled and gestured at them, "We didn’t understand before. Now someone from our village who returned from the Northern Land says water there can sell for high prices.

Our village is between Zicheng and Lai City; the surrounding areas have no water sources, only our village does, so our water is precious, and we also need to sell it."

Yu Xiaolian frowned and asked, "How much do you want for the water?"

The middle-aged man bluntly replied, "Five coins for a bucket."

He was very straightforward, and it seemed this price had already been agreed by the villagers.

"Old brother, we have many people and animals, all needing water; could you lower the price for us?" Sun Daji’s wife stepped forward with a smile, trying to be friendly.

The man hesitated and glanced at the person next to him, who nudged him with an arm, "We’ve finally encountered a wealthy convoy; shouldn’t we take advantage of the situation to buy food for our families?"

The man glanced at Yu Xiaolian’s carriages, hardened his heart, "You aren’t refugees, you’re wealthy people. What’s to negotiate?

You have to pay if you want water."

Five coins per bucket was not expensive; their family’s food had gone to pay taxes, once in autumn and again recently, leaving them nearly unable to survive.

Su Jingchen asked Yu Xiaolian, "How far is the next water source?"

Yu Xiaolian replied, "Let’s buy water here!"

Though there was a town ahead, it would take two more hours to reach it. The people had water from their containers, but the horses and cows couldn’t go without.

Yu Xiaolian took out a piece of corner silver and handed it to the leading man.

Turning to the Sun Family, she said, "Go get water."

As the Sun Family went to fetch water, Yu Xiaolian asked the man who had returned from the Northern Land? How long had he been back?

Holding the corner silver tightly, the man was somewhat agitated, "The returning person is a trader from our village who just arrived home a few days ago.

Don’t blame him for suggesting selling water; blame it on the tough circumstances, with the court increasing taxes year after year, leaving us farmers with no way to survive.

Once you leave, we’ll use this corner silver to buy some food in town and distribute it among us, hoping we can make it to the fall harvest!"

Over there, the Sun Family watered the horses and cows, filled their water bags to the brim, and sat resting by the old well.

They wanted to take out food to cook, but given the man said they were out of grain, who dared risk bringing out food?

Wouldn’t it be courting trouble, risking theft?

Sun Wuye considered carefully and discreetly held onto the sack of rice, whispering, "Let’s not cook yet."

Sun Dalin’s wife was puzzled, "Father, we have water, and we’ve paid; if not now, when will we cook?"

Sun Wuye glared at his eldest daughter-in-law, "Think first; we fill the basins and barrels with water, then cook after leaving the village."