Transmigrated Into an Ancient Famine Novel as a Scumbag Alpha (ABO, GL) - Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Taking advantage of being alone, Ye Qing quickly stored four horses in her space. She kept one sturdy horse to pull the cart.

As she led the horse back, she heard chaotic footsteps. Holding the reins in her left hand and her long knife in her right, she cautiously moved forward.

After a few dozen steps, she saw figures in the distance. Recognizing Jiang Jinhuang and Yangyang, Ye Qing relaxed slightly and hurried toward them with the horse.

“Why did you come here?”

Jiang Jinhuang’s face and neck were sweaty, partly from carrying the little one, partly from fear that Ye Qing had abandoned them.

Seeing Ye Qing, she rushed over with Yangyang, staring at her intently. After a moment, she softened her voice, “Good thing you didn’t leave.”

Ye Qing guessed her thoughts and smiled at Jiang Jinhuang and Yangyang. “Don’t worry, I won’t leave you two. Our stuff is still on the cart. We need to get back.”

Relieved to find Ye Qing, Jiang Jinhuang nodded, her back soaked with sweat.

Noticing her pale face, Ye Qing tossed her knife to the ground and took Yangyang from Jiang Jinhuang’s arms, setting her down. “Yangyang, I’ll help your sister onto the horse. Wait here, okay?”

“Okay,” Yangyang obeyed, standing still.

Ye Qing looked at Jiang Jinhuang, reaching out. “Come on, I’ll help you up.”

“I don’t know how to ride,” Jiang Jinhuang, a refined lady, admitted nervously, having never ridden a horse.

“It’s fine. I’ll lead the horse. Just hold Yangyang, and we’ll move faster.”

Hearing this, Jiang Jinhuang placed her right hand in Ye Qing’s palm.

“Put your foot in the stirrup. I’ll lift you up,” Ye Qing said, pointing to the stirrup.

“Okay,” Jiang Jinhuang gripped the saddle, stepping into the stirrup and reaching up. Ye Qing supported her waist, helping her onto the horse.

The horse was calm, barely moving as Jiang Jinhuang settled.

“Just keep your feet in the stirrups. I’ll get Yangyang,” Ye Qing said.

Jiang Jinhuang nodded, amazed at herself. She’d been frantic seeing Ye Qing lead the horse into the woods. Finding her eased her heart, bringing unexpected relief.

She frowned slightly. Though reluctant to admit it, she felt safe with Ye Qing. But how could she grow dependent on Ye Qing so quickly, after how Ye Qing treated them before? Jiang Jinhuang chalked it up to the chaotic escape and Ye Qing’s reliability.

Lost in thought, she glanced at Ye Qing.

Ye Qing looked at Yangyang, still standing. Bending down, she scooped her up. “Let’s go, Yangyang. We’re riding!”

“Yay! Horse!” Yangyang, never having ridden, was thrilled, her little legs swinging excitedly.

Ye Qing placed Yangyang in front of Jiang Jinhuang on the saddle for easy holding.

“Sit tight. We need to move.”

“Okay, Sister Ye, riding is fun!” Yangyang grinned sweetly.

Kids’ moods shifted fast. Moments ago scared, now she was delighted to ride.

Ye Qing chuckled, looking at Jiang Jinhuang, who was staring off. “Jinhuang, hold Yangyang. We’re going.”

Jiang Jinhuang snapped back, securing Yangyang, and nodded. “Okay, let’s go.”

“Right,” Ye Qing picked up her knife, holding the reins in one hand and the blade in the other, heading out of the woods.

Her knife was bloodstained, with several nicks. It was a consumable item. Ye Qing planned to check if the soldiers’ better knives were still there. Earlier, with everyone watching, she couldn’t act. Now, she wasn’t sure if the knives remained.

Thinking this, she quickened her pace.

Yangyang, riding for the first time, was amazed, pointing at the horse. “Sis, it’s moving! The horse is moving!”

Jiang Jinhuang patted her head. “Yes, it’s moving. Sit still.”

“Okay,” Yangyang obeyed, her big eyes darting around excitedly.

Ye Qing led the horse out of the woods, checking their cart was untouched. She glanced at the soldiers’ bodies.

Some refugees had fled, likely taking the stolen grain.

Remembering something, Ye Qing scanned around, spotting two bodies. The woman she saved, Tingfang, lay by her husband, a thin cut on her neck, a bloodied knife beside her.

Ye Qing sighed, feeling the woman’s death was a pity but understanding her choice.

Fleeing south with her husband, disaster struck. Her husband was killed by bandits, and she nearly faced humiliation. Without him, she lost the will to live and took her own life.

Ye Qing could help once, but not always. Protecting Jiang Jinhuang and Yangyang was already taxing; she couldn’t guard someone powerless.

Her rule was to protect herself first, helping others only when feasible.

She looked away, leading the horse to the cart. Clapping to Yangyang, she said, “Yangyang, come down. You and your sister wait a bit.”

“Okay,” Yangyang, still thrilled from riding, agreed.

She opened her arms, waiting for Ye Qing to lift her.

Ye Qing grabbed Yangyang’s waist, lifting her down easily.

Setting her down, Ye Qing reached for Jiang Jinhuang. “I’ll help you down.”

Jiang Jinhuang nodded, gripping the saddle, swinging her right leg over. The horse was tall, her foot dangling. Suddenly, she felt light as Ye Qing lifted her, setting her down steadily.

Jiang Jinhuang felt uneasy but knew now wasn’t the time for propriety. Ye Qing meant well.

After settling them, Ye Qing tied the horse’s reins to the cart’s handle, then said quickly to Jiang Jinhuang, “I’m checking back there. This knife’s got nicks. I’ll see if the soldiers’ knives are usable. You two wait here.”

Jiang Jinhuang found the words odd but nodded without comment.

Ye Qing headed back with her knife. Passing refugees avoided her, fearing she’d turn on them.

Ye Qing wouldn’t. She hurried to the soldiers’ bodies. Three knives remained; Tingfang had taken one, now by her body. The last was lost in the fight.

Ye Qing discarded her damaged knife, inspecting the four. Two had dulled edges; she didn’t want them. With many knives in hand, she stored one good one in her space during the chaos, discarded the two bad ones, and kept one good knife.

She squatted, searching the soldiers’ bodies. Free supplies shouldn’t go to waste.

She found money pouches on each, tucking them into her clothes without checking. She also found two sheathed daggers, some dried beef jerky, and a small bag of dry rations.

To confirm the jerky was beef, Ye Qing had the system scan it. Assured it was edible, she kept it.

Finished, Ye Qing stood, dusted herself off, and returned to Jiang Jinhuang and Yangyang.

Seeing Ye Qing with new items, Jiang Jinhuang pursed her lips but said nothing.

Ye Qing was open. “They’re dead. Their stuff would’ve been taken by others. I grabbed it. Let’s put it on the cart.”

She wrapped the items in cloth and placed them on the cart.

Looking at the horse, Ye Qing realized it needed ropes to pull the cart properly. Their single-wheeled cart required someone to steady it.

Sighing, Ye Qing saw a new problem. With a horse, their single-wheeled cart needed replacing with a two-wheeled one for stability.

For now, they’d make do. She’d think of solutions tonight.

Ye Qing acted, taking ropes from the cart, tying them to the saddle and the cart.

“Jinhuang, hold the cart’s back. I’ll see if the horse can pull it,” Ye Qing said.

“Okay,” Jiang Jinhuang looked at Yangyang. “Yangyang, stay here. We’ll be quick.”

“Mm-hm,” Yangyang nodded obediently.

Ye Qing led the horse forward. The cart moved, but with one wheel, Jiang Jinhuang had to steady it, which was tiring.

Ye Qing stopped the horse, looking at Jiang Jinhuang and Yangyang. “No choice. It’s a single-wheeled cart. We’ll manage for now. I’ll think of something later.”

Jiang Jinhuang nodded. “Okay, how do we proceed?”

Ye Qing thought. “You lead the horse. I’ll steady the cart.”

“What about Yangyang?” Jiang Jinhuang asked.

“We’ll rearrange the cart to make space for Yangyang,” Ye Qing said, folding blankets into neat squares, placing them around the cart’s edges, leaving a small space for Yangyang.

Yangyang sat inside, surrounded by soft blankets, safe and cozy like a simple soft bed.

Ye Qing worked as she planned, securing the blankets with ropes, then placing Yangyang inside.

Yangyang, never having sat like this, was half-covered by blankets, snug and comfortable. She grinned at Ye Qing. “So comfy, Sister Ye!”

Ye Qing smiled. “Comfy’s good. Sit tight. We’re leaving.”

“Mm-hm,” Yangyang leaned back contentedly, making Ye Qing a bit jealous.

Jiang Jinhuang called out nervously, “Ye Qing.”

“Hm? What’s up?” Ye Qing looked over.

“I don’t know how to lead a horse,” Jiang Jinhuang admitted, wary of the tall horse.

Ye Qing walked over, smiling. “This horse is tame. It’s simple. Hold the reins to control its speed. Easy. Let’s try.”

Jiang Jinhuang nodded skeptically. “Okay.”

Nervously, she took the reins, leading the horse. It followed obediently.

Ye Qing steadied the cart, preventing it from tipping.

Jiang Jinhuang glanced back. Ye Qing smiled. “Good job. Keep going along the road.”

“Okay,” Jiang Jinhuang nodded.

With the horse, the three continued south. Ye Qing saved energy, steadying the cart easily, conserving strength.

Leading the horse was easier than Jiang Jinhuang expected.

As they walked, she noticed something odd. Ye Qing had taken five horses into the woods, but only one was with her when they found her. Where were the other four?

In her earlier panic, chasing with Yangyang, she’d overlooked this. Now, it felt wrong.

Ye Qing seemed bold yet careful, reliable despite being quiet. Losing four horses made no sense. Jiang Jinhuang held her doubts for now.

They’d started late, and dealing with the bandits wasted time, so they didn’t stop at noon. By mid-afternoon (2 p.m.), Ye Qing called from behind, “Let’s stop to rest, then continue.”

Jiang Jinhuang halted the horse. Ye Qing lifted Yangyang from the cart, who had napped comfortably in the blankets.

“Let’s eat something, then go,” Ye Qing said, ruffling Yangyang’s head.

“Okay,” Yangyang nodded obediently.

Jiang Jinhuang approached, noticing bl00d on Ye Qing’s dress and a tear in her jacket. Frowning, she asked, “Are you hurt?”

Ye Qing touched her back. “No, a dagger cut the jacket, not me. Don’t worry.”

Jiang Jinhuang glanced at her, muttering, “I’m not worried.”

She wasn’t, but with their fates tied, Ye Qing’s safety mattered. Jiang Jinhuang had to care.

She added, “Don’t do dangerous things. There’s too much injustice on this road. You can’t fix it all.”

Ye Qing nodded with a smile. “I know. I weighed the risks before saving her. We needed a horse. Pushing the cart was too tiring.”

As she spoke, Ye Qing took out the rations and beef jerky from the soldiers.

She split a large flatbread into three, spreading out the jerky. “No camp for lunch. We’ll eat this and cook properly tonight.”

“Okay,” Jiang Jinhuang nodded, eyeing the jerky hesitantly. “You sure it’s safe?”

Understanding her concern, Ye Qing nodded, took a piece, and bit into it. The jerky, marinated and dried, tasted good.

Swallowing, Ye Qing said, “Eat it. It’s beef jerky. Tastes nice.”

Seeing Ye Qing eat heartily, Jiang Jinhuang’s doubts faded. She gave Yangyang a piece.

Hungry, Yangyang held a flatbread in one hand, jerky in the other, eating eagerly.

Ye Qing ate too. The flatbread was hard, unappetizing, but in these times, filling the stomach was enough.

Jiang Jinhuang, a refined lady, struggled with the tough flatbread, choking it down with water. As Ye Qing said, the jerky was easier to eat.

Eating by the road with a horse was conspicuous, but nearby refugees, aware of Ye Qing’s skills, didn’t dare approach.

Finishing her flatbread, Ye Qing gulped spiritual spring water to soothe her throat. Seeing Yangyang struggle, she crouched. “Yangyang, want some water?”

“Yes!” Yangyang, finding the flatbread dry, leaned toward Ye Qing.

Ye Qing carefully fed her water. Yangyang drank several gulps, then ate her flatbread and jerky.

After their modest lunch, Ye Qing lifted Yangyang back onto the cart. Jiang Jinhuang led the horse, Ye Qing steadied the cart, and they headed south.

After an hour and a half, the sky darkened. Passing a lake, they stopped by a large tree.

Ye Qing set up a shelter for the night and started preparing dinner.

Jiang Jinhuang gathered branches to start a fire. Ye Qing checked her space. The cabbage wasn’t ready, but the fish in the pond had grown to three or four pounds.

With the lake nearby, Ye Qing could claim she caught fish. Smiling, she pretended to scoop rice from a bag on the cart, then took the gourd and clay pot to Jiang Jinhuang, who had the fire going.

“Here’s tonight’s rice. We’ll steam it. For dishes, I’ll try my luck at the lake. You two wait here. I’ll be back,” Ye Qing said.

Jiang Jinhuang eyed the dark lake, uneasy.

As Ye Qing stood, Jiang Jinhuang grabbed her sleeve. “Forget it. Rice is enough. We have jerky from lunch. Don’t fish. It’s too dark and dangerous.”

Ye Qing looked at Jiang Jinhuang’s hand, her lips curving. “I’ll be careful. You and Yangyang wait. Shout if anything happens.”

Jiang Jinhuang pursed her lips, annoyed that Ye Qing could smile. She let go, saying softly, “Be careful.”

“Okay,” Ye Qing smiled, then turned to Yangyang. “Yangyang, I’ll catch big fish for you.”

“Yay! I love fish! Sister Ye is awesome!” Yangyang remembered eating soft, delicious fish and fish soup with rice at home. She loved it.

Seeing her excitement, Ye Qing winked. “Wait for the fish. I’ll be back.”

“Okay, Sister Ye, go for it! I’ll wait!” Yangyang said excitedly, glancing at her sister, who seemed less thrilled.

Jiang Jinhuang shook her head helplessly as Yangyang bounced on the blanket. Her sister and Ye Qing were amusing—one dared to promise, the other believed. The lake was too dark to see fish. How could Ye Qing catch any? Only a child would believe her.

“Sis, Sister Ye’s getting big fish. Why aren’t you happy?” Yangyang snuggled, rubbing Jiang Jinhuang’s arm.

Jiang Jinhuang sighed. “Can she just say she’ll catch fish and do it? You believe her that easily?”

Yangyang nodded seriously. “Yep! Sister Ye’s been honest these days. She’ll catch big fish!”

Jiang Jinhuang sighed, nodding absently to appease her sister. She didn’t want to ruin Yangyang’s excitement. Rice was enough to avoid hunger.

Yangyang, seeing her sister agree, grew more convinced Ye Qing would succeed. She hugged her blanket, watching eagerly for Ye Qing’s return.

Jiang Jinhuang shook her head, amused. Her sister wouldn’t get those fish.

She didn’t expect Ye Qing to succeed either, only hoping she wouldn’t get hurt. In the wild, illness or injury would be trouble.

Ye Qing, meanwhile, walked to a short tree, cutting a long branch and sharpening one end to pretend she’d spear fish.

At the lake, she saw refugees trying their luck. The weather was mild, the lake unfrozen. Some brought tools, others lit torches for light.

Ye Qing doubted they’d catch anything. Without her space’s fish, she wouldn’t bother with such futile effort.