Master Zhao Jiu’s thin lips pressed tightly together, his face showing a hint of coldness.

Damn it all…

He cursed inwardly.

It was just a moment of kindness to escort this woman to her relatives, yet who would have thought it would turn into such a situation!

Should he just leave her in Li Family Hollow?

He noticed a flash of regret in Seventh Master’s eyes.

Since the Li Family Hollow could organize its clan members to resist refugees, it was a large clan with many male descendants. Although Seventh Master held a high position and was respected by the others, judging by his age and the way he rushed over at the first sign of commotion… he wasn’t the clan leader. Nowadays, grain meant life. One more person to feed meant one more burden, and an increased risk of starvation due to food shortages. Even if he were the clan leader, which he wasn’t, he couldn’t rashly take in strangers and share the clan’s food.

Most likely, the Seventh Master’s offer to keep Fu Tingyun in Li Family Hollow was just a moment of pity, a spur of impulse!

What would happen to Fu Tingyun then?

She would probably be married off to some Li clan member, and that would be that!

Moreover, there was still the matter in Huayin.

No one knew what the Fu family would plan next.

If things were exposed, no one knew how the Li family would treat Fu Tingyun.

He was extremely frustrated.

Fu Tingyun’s face gradually crumbled.

He… he simply didn’t want to respond!

Realizing this, tears uncontrollably welled up in her eyes again.

What was she to him?

They were just chance acquaintances. He was merely fulfilling her mother’s request to escort her to Weinan!

Now that she couldn’t stay with her relatives, she couldn’t rely on him just because he was an honorable man who had taken good care of her along the way, could she?

Besides, he needed to reach Xi’an Prefecture before the Mid-Autumn Festival!

At this moment, she should gracefully offer him silver as thanks and bid him farewell with a smile.

But at the thought of being all alone, remembering the amazed and greedy gaze of that ruffian in the parrot-green silk robe, the ferocious faces of the refugees who tried to rob them, and the woman who died under the big tree wearing only an undergarment, she felt afraid… Whether it was thanking him or saying goodbye, she couldn’t bring herself to do it, couldn’t say the words.

Fu Tingyun felt the wetness on her face and couldn’t help feeling ashamed and guilty.

She was so useless!

What was she doing, crying in front of him like this? He must think she was acting delicate to evoke his sympathy…

She turned her face away, forcefully wiping the tears, but they seemed to have a will of their own, flowing endlessly.

A man with a mole between his eyebrows, standing beside Seventh Master, glanced at Fu Tingyun, who looked like a pear blossom in the rain, then at Seventh Master’s sympathetic expression. His face turned slightly cold as he said, “Seventh Uncle, with food rations tight in the village, this matter should probably be discussed with the clan elders first!” His voice was neither high nor low, just audible to everyone present.

The people of Li Family Hollow remained silent, but their faces showed agreement.

Seventh Master knew that if he couldn’t give the clan members a reasonable explanation now, he would likely be accused of coveting beauty. He thought for a moment and said in the man’s ear, “A few days ago, refugees from Anhua County surrounded the village. Several of my nephews were badly injured. The village is currently short of manpower. Since those refugees burned down Master Xie’s house in Fengyuan, they might come to our Li Family Hollow next. These two men were able to escort their young lady safely from Pingliang, so they must have some real skills. If they stay in our Li Family Hollow, surely they won’t eat for free!”

His voice was also neither high nor low, just enough for everyone present to hear.

The man frowned slightly, evidently feeling that although Seventh Master’s reasoning was far-fetched, it wasn’t entirely without merit—in these troubled times, anyone who could fight refugees was valuable.

The others, seeing that the man with the mole didn’t say anything further, also remained silent.

Fu Tingyun felt even more distressed.

Did she expect Master Zhao Jiu to stay here and risk his life for the Li clan just so she could have food to eat?

“Master Jiu!” she forced a smile, “Please take me to Weinan! Find me a place to stay at an inn, and help me find someone to send a letter home… If you have other matters to attend to, please go ahead. My situation can’t be resolved in a day or two.”

At the thought of being alone from now on, she felt both frightened and helpless, both sad and confused.

Because this involved privacy, her voice was soft and quick. Seventh Master and the others were too far away to hear what she said to Master Zhao Jiu, but he heard every word.

His stern face took on a bluish tinge.

If she had simply willfully demanded that he take her back to Huayin, or tearfully begged for his help, he might have hardened his heart and taken her to Lintong, then found a friend to send her back to Huayin and hand her over to her mother. After that, how her mother would arrange for her and what would become of her would no longer be his concern.

But instead, she stood before him with swollen red eyes, clearly full of trepidation, yet forcing herself to say proper and gracious things… A delicate vulnerability mixed with stubbornness, a stubbornness tinged with melancholy… making it impossible to harden one’s heart.

Enough! Enough!

Since he had brought her here, he couldn’t just abandon her.

That would not be the action of a true gentleman.

Even if he were to entrust her to a friend, he would first need to find someone to send a message to her mother, then wait for her mother’s people to come and get her… If she stayed with him, he would also need to find someone to send a message to her mother, then wait for her mother’s people to come and get her… Rather than trouble others, he might as well keep her with him, sparing himself the obligation of owing a friend a favor.

Master Zhao Jiu’s face was as cold as frost.

“Seventh Master, thank you for your kindness!” he bowed to Seventh Master, “Since Master Xie’s family has met with disaster, we will go to Xi’an Prefecture instead—our mistress has a cousin who married into a family in Xi’an Prefecture, although we haven’t had much contact with them in recent years… But given the circumstances, we have no choice but to trouble them!”

Fu Tingyun looked at Master Zhao Jiu in shock.

He said he would go to Xi’an Prefecture to seek relatives… She had no relatives in Xi’an Prefecture… It was clearly where he was to meet his companions… He was going to take her along…

She was suddenly immersed in inexplicable joy, something bubbling up inside her that made her eyes fill with tears again.

Seventh Master was somewhat surprised. Thinking of Fu Tingyun’s earlier whispered conversation with Master Zhao Jiu, he assumed it was her suggestion and didn’t question it. But the fact that they would rather seek refuge with Master Xie than with that distant cousin they hadn’t seen in years suggested the two families weren’t close. Since the Fu young lady had made up her mind, he couldn’t insist on her staying.

Just as he was about to say some polite words, Master Zhao Jiu continued, “Seventh Master’s generosity will be remembered by our young lady. But there is one more thing. Since you were neighbors with Master Xie and did business together, I ask for your help!”

Seventh Master considered Master Zhao Jiu a man of loyalty and integrity. Seeing him speak in a neither servile nor arrogant manner, he felt a sense of respect.

He straightened his expression and said, “Speak.”

Master Zhao Jiu said, “Previously, we thought we would have support once we reached Weinan, so we only prepared enough water and food for about ten days. Now that we need to go to Xi’an Prefecture…” He paused, then said, “I ask Seventh Master to help us in this urgent situation.” As he spoke, he took out three small gold ingots from his sleeve: “We need fifty steamed buns and ten water pouches. Please ask around to see who has extra food and water.”

Gold ingots were commonly called “large yellow fish” or “small yellow fish.” A large yellow fish was usually ten taels, while a small yellow fish was usually one tael. Three small yellow fish meant three taels of gold. One tael of gold could typically be exchanged for ten taels of silver, and one tael of silver could be exchanged for a thousand copper coins. In peaceful times, two copper coins could buy a steamed bun… Even now, in Weinan city, five hundred copper coins could buy a steamed bun.

Fu Tingyun’s eyes widened.

This wasn’t hers… How did he have such things?

The people around the Seventh Master’s eyes brightened considerably compared to before.

Seventh Master secretly praised Master Zhao Jiu for knowing how to handle matters.

This way, he could also explain things to the clan.

He said generously, “Let me first ask if the clan has any extra food!” He did not take the small gold ingots.

Master Zhao Jiu was merely making a statement to prevent the people of Li Family Hollow from treating them as penniless refugees. If they couldn’t procure food for their journey to Xi’an Prefecture, they would starve on the way.

He again solemnly thanked the Seventh Master and proposed resting in Li Family Hollow for two days before continuing their journey.

Seventh Master had someone lead them to a secluded side room next to the clan ancestral hall, while he accompanied the arriving Eleventh Aunt into a small courtyard a short distance away.

Fu Tingyun and A-Sen looked at the room, which, though somewhat old, was kept neat and clean with everything in order. They felt as if they had ascended to heaven, like they were in a paradise, and both showed expressions of joy.

Master Zhao Jiu smiled, telling A-Sen to tidy up the small cart and instructing Fu Tingyun to rest for a while. Then he left without further explanation.

In the quiet room, only the sounds of A-Sen organizing the small cart could be heard.

Fu Tingyun remembered her deceased uncle and aunt… her smile gradually faded as she covered her mouth and sobbed softly.

A woman’s loud voice came from outside: “Is this where Master Xie’s relatives are staying?”

Fu Tingyun quickly wiped her tears and forced a smile as she walked out: “Yes, it is!” She saw two sturdy women carrying water buckets standing at the door.

Master Zhao Jiu had bought water!

Fu Tingyun hurriedly opened the door and welcomed the two women in: “Thank you for your trouble, sisters!”

“No trouble, no trouble!” the two women said with smiles, carrying their water buckets into the side room. “My husband is the fourth in his family, and hers is the sixth. Young lady, if you need more water, just send someone to call us, and we’ll fetch more.” As they spoke, they secretly glanced at Fu Tingyun, as if finding her strange.

A-Sen, hearing the commotion, had already run over. Seeing the four full buckets of water, he happily rushed over and hugged one of the wooden buckets: “So much water! How will we ever drink it all!” His expression was one of pure bliss.

The two women first showed surprised expressions, then chuckled: “Young man, this isn’t for drinking. Your steward bought this for your young lady to bathe with.”

Fu Tingyun and A-Sen were both stunned for a moment. A-Sen anxiously asked, “How, how, how much did this cost?”

The women’s faces reddened slightly as they said, “One small gold ingot per bucket!”

Fu Tingyun’s legs weakened, and she sat down on the Kang bed.