Transmigrated Into an Ancient Famine Novel as a Scumbag Alpha (ABO, GL) - Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Ye Qing and Jiang Jinhuang made several trips to move all their things. Jiang Jinhuang carried the little one out of the temple door finally. Ye Qing checked the temple again thoroughly to ensure nothing was left behind.

Ye Qing met Song Zhao’s pitiful gaze. “I’ll help you up,” she said.

Ye Qing walked over to Song Zhao. Song Zhao’s injuries hadn’t healed fully. Ye Qing planned to let her lie in the cart for now until she recovered.

Song Zhao let Ye Qing help her up, feeling dazed. She looked at Ye Qing with disbelief. “Master, can I come with you?” she asked.

Ye Qing smiled at her. “What? Don’t you want to follow us?” she asked.

Song Zhao shook her head quickly. “No, I want to. Thank you, Master,” she said.

Song Zhao’s eyes reddened slightly. She had worried secretly since yesterday when her Master started packing. She feared they wouldn’t take her along. She knew her Master saved her life and cared for her many days. She was already grateful and didn’t dare hope for more. Now her Master was truly taking her along. Song Zhao couldn’t hold back, and tears fell.

Ye Qing saw her cry and chuckled softly. “Such a grown person, and you’re still crying?” she asked.

Song Zhao wiped her tears casually and denied it. “I’m not crying. I’m happy,” she said.

“Good. I’ll help you up. Don’t strain your back. Lean on me,” Ye Qing said. She helped Song Zhao stand carefully.

Song Zhao obeyed and walked out of the temple with Ye Qing’s support. She saw their cart and horses outside.

“You’ll lie in the cart to heal these days. Yangyang will stay with you,” Ye Qing said. She prepared to help Song Zhao onto the cart.

Song Zhao felt overwhelmed and declined quickly. “How can that work? Master, you’re taking me along. I’m already happy. How can I lie in the cart?” she asked.

“Listen to me. When you’re healed, there’ll be work for you,” Ye Qing said. She helped Song Zhao onto the cart firmly.

The cart had a blanket spread out, with another on top. Ye Qing made Song Zhao lie down obediently. She lifted the little one inside and instructed, “Yangyang, stay with your Sister Song in the cart. Call me if you need anything. I’ll be at the door.”

“Okay,” the little one said. She lay beside Song Zhao obediently and gave her a big smile.

Song Zhao smiled back at the little one. She liked this little one quite a bit.

Ye Qing and Jiang Jinhuang sat on either side of the cart. Ye Qing held the whip and reins and drove the cart slowly.

They hadn’t left the wilderness yet. Ye Qing drove the cart slowly. Most of the snow had melted by now. The two horses pulled the four of them effortlessly.

Behind Ye Qing’s group, the older man led his family, following closely with their donkey cart. The older man’s wife and young son sat in the donkey cart. The older man, Zhou Shilong, and Zhou Erqing walked, with Zhou Shilong pulling the cart.

They followed Ye Qing’s group tightly, not daring to fall behind.

They traveled along the wilderness road for nearly half an hour. Ye Qing’s group finally reached the main road. Many refugees still walked south on the main road.

People noticed Ye Qing’s group with a cart pulled by two horses. They cast curious glances at them frequently.

They saw a donkey cart following Ye Qing’s cart. Many assumed the donkey cart belonged to the same family. The group seemed large, so most people dismissed any ideas of trouble.

Refugees on the main road trudged forward like walking corpses. Some collapsed and didn’t rise, a common sight.

Due to the bandit stronghold and heavy snow, Ye Qing’s group had been delayed several days. At noon, they stopped briefly to rest. They ate some dried meat to curb hunger quickly.

The older man’s family followed closely, not daring to pause for a moment.

As the sun set, Ye Qing got off the cart. She led the two horses toward a grove by the main road. Many people were already heading into the grove to find a place to rest. Ye Qing stopped the cart by a large tree.

Ye Qing lifted the cart’s curtain and picked up the little one. “Yangyang, we’re here. Get off,” she said.

“Okay,” the little one said. She pinched her empty stomach and whined to Ye Qing, “Sister Ye, I’m hungry.”

Ye Qing smiled at her. “Good. Dinner will be ready soon. Wait patiently,” she said.

Ye Qing set the little one on the ground. She helped Song Zhao out of the cart. Jiang Jinhuang had swept the area clean with a broom. She laid out Song Zhao’s bedding. Ye Qing helped Song Zhao lie down to rest. Then, Ye Qing unhitched the cart, letting the horses rest.

Jiang Jinhuang lit a fire nearby. Soon, their area glowed brightly.

The older man’s group lit a fire too. They settled next to Ye Qing’s group.

With nine people between the two groups, those eyeing Ye Qing’s horses hesitated to act rashly.

Ye Qing and Jiang Jinhuang started cooking. Cooking dough in the wild was hard. Jiang Jinhuang cooked thick porridge. Ye Qing took out horse meat and cabbage. They hadn’t finished the horse meat from before.

Soon, a savory aroma spread from their area. Nearby refugees glanced over frequently, but none dared approach.

Zhou Shilong smelled the meaty aroma from Ye Qing’s side. He sniffed and whispered, “Father, what are they eating? It smells so good.”

“Shh, eat your own food. Can you meddle in our benefactor’s affairs? Besides, cooking meat among these refugees—think an ordinary person could do that?” the older man scolded quietly.

“You’re right,” Zhou Shilong said. He thought if they cooked meat among refugees, it’d be stolen instantly. Only their benefactor, bold and skilled, feared no common refugees.

Everyone slept eventually. Ye Qing sat and kept watch quietly. The surroundings stayed calm.

Nearby, a few men had eyed Ye Qing’s two horses for a while.

“Brother Li, that female Qianyuan has two horses. She’s a fat sheep. We’ve eaten roots and bark for five or six days. We’ll starve soon. Let’s act quickly,” one man said.

The man called Brother Li looked at Ye Qing’s group. “But they’re struggling too, with a child. Without the cart, they might not survive,” he said.

“I don’t care. I’d rather die full than starve. If I can eat meat, I’d die happy now,” another man said.

“But they have many people. Surviving with two horses means that female Qianyuan isn’t simple,” Brother Li said quietly.

“Li, we’re stealing horses, not fighting. Don’t worry. We’ll coordinate and succeed,” another man said.

Brother Li nodded reluctantly. He had eaten snow-boiled roots for days. He couldn’t endure it anymore and ignored others’ fates.

Ye Qing kept watch until midnight. She felt sleepy and carried her sword. She walked around the fire to stay alert.

The men watching Ye Qing’s group saw her vigilance. They didn’t dare act immediately. When Ye Qing woke Jiang Jinhuang to take over, they grew restless again.

Two of the men sneaked behind to steal the horses. The other two appeared quietly.

Jiang Jinhuang heard footsteps. She shook Ye Qing awake quickly.

Ye Qing had just fallen asleep. She felt Jiang Jinhuang’s nudge and stood up instantly. She grabbed her sword immediately.

Ye Qing didn’t look at the two men ahead first. She checked the horses instead. She heard footsteps near them as expected.

Ye Qing ran toward the horses with her sword. She saw two shadows lunge at her in the dark. She dodged and kicked one down. She swung her sword and forced the other back.

The fallen man stumbled away. Ye Qing didn’t chase him, mindful of the two men ahead. She held her sword in her left hand. She reached behind with her right and grabbed her crossbow. She aimed at the two men in the distance.

Their fight woke the sleeping refugees nearby. Song Zhao woke and tried to help Ye Qing instantly. Jiang Jinhuang pushed her back down.

“You’re still injured. Don’t be reckless,” Jiang Jinhuang said.

Song Zhao saw Jiang Jinhuang stop her. She felt anxious urgently.

The older man’s family woke too. He kicked Zhou Shilong. “Hurry, it’s our chance to shine. Grab the kitchen knife and help our benefactor,” he said.

“Okay,” Zhou Shilong said. He didn’t put on his outer robe. He wore his inner cotton clothes, grabbed a kitchen knife, and rushed to Ye Qing’s side.

The older man followed with a stick. He didn’t fear the two men ahead. He bowed to them. “Sirs, we’re all refugees on this famine escape. Why trouble each other? Go rest early to avoid disturbing everyone,” he said.

“Honestly, we’re honest farmers for generations. If we weren’t starving, we wouldn’t do this. Who wants to be a bandit for no reason?” one man said.

“That’s true. But our boss isn’t having it easy, with family and a child. It’s tough. Brothers, let’s both step back. Leave now, and we’ll pretend nothing happened,” the older man said, smiling.

The two men saw Ye Qing’s crossbow. They felt intimidated. They hadn’t acted yet, so they gave up reluctantly.

The two men who sneaked to steal horses returned to Brother Li. The four stood at a distance, eyeing Ye Qing’s group.

Brother Li saw Ye Qing’s group had many people and weapons. He abandoned his plan to rob them.

He thought and knelt before Ye Qing. “Miss, please have mercy. You have two horses and many servants. You surely have food. Please spare us some. We’ve eaten roots and bark for five or six days. We’ll die if this continues. Please pity us,” he begged.

His three companions knelt too. They cried pitifully, as if they hadn’t planned to steal horses.

Ye Qing didn’t soften. Even if their words were true, they had bad intentions toward her horses. If a fight broke out, they wouldn’t spare her.

Nearby refugees woke to watch the commotion. Some lit torches to see better.

Ye Qing aimed her crossbow at the men. She frowned and stepped forward. She pulled the trigger. An arrow shot into the ground near the men.

Ye Qing spoke coldly. “I don’t care why you tried to steal my horses. Thieves are thieves. You have no excuse. As for food, I won’t give you any. My family scrimps and saves. Why should I give precious food to you for free? I’m ordinary, not a saint,” she said.

Ye Qing paused and raised her crossbow. “I’ll count to three. Leave, or I’ll act,” she said.

Brother Li thought a female Qianyuan wouldn’t be so bold. With so many refugees around, he doubted Ye Qing would kill.

He believed women, even female Qianyuan, were soft-hearted. If he and his brothers persisted, she’d give something.

Thinking this, Brother Li cried loudly. “Miss, please have mercy. Pity us,” he begged.

“Yes, miss, we don’t even have strength to dig roots at night. We eat clay,” another said.

“You have two horses. Keep one for travel and share the other for everyone to eat. Right, folks?” another said.

The watching refugees gathered closer. Many eyed Ye Qing’s group greedily. Some started agreeing.

“Yeah, you have two horses. What’s wrong with killing one for us?” one said.

“Exactly. I smelled meat when you ate. You must have plenty. Don’t be stingy. Share with us,” another said.

“You eat meat while we can’t get coarse grains. Be kind and kill a horse,” another said.

“Kill the horse, kill the horse, kill the horse…” they chanted.

“We want meat! We want meat! Eat meat…” they shouted.

Ye Qing’s lips curved slightly. These people were generous with others’ things. No wonder pitiful people often had hateful traits.

Jiang Jinhuang saw the situation worsen. She looked at Ye Qing anxiously. The four men weren’t a threat, but if the refugees rushed them, they couldn’t hold out.

Ye Qing shouted loudly, “Jinhuang, cover your eyes.”

Jiang Jinhuang realized something instantly. She crouched and covered the little one’s eyes quickly.

As Ye Qing’s words fell, she fired her crossbow repeatedly. Arrows shot toward the four men swiftly.

The four men assumed Ye Qing wouldn’t act. They didn’t stand. They didn’t expect her to shoot without warning.

“Ah,” one screamed.

“You, how could you…” another gasped.

“My arm, spare me, spare me!” another cried.

Screams rang out continuously. Ye Qing pulled the trigger repeatedly. She stopped only when all four men fell. Her expression remained unchanged throughout.

She kept her crossbow raised. She looked at the watching crowd. She asked calmly, “Who among you joined the shouting?”

Her words rippled through the crowd like a stone in a calm lake. Refugees scattered frantically. Some fled without their clothes or belongings, fearing Ye Qing would shoot them if displeased.

Soon, the twenty or thirty onlookers vanished. Some were so scared they extinguished their shelter fires, afraid Ye Qing would target them.

Ye Qing’s area became completely quiet. She frowned slightly. Did having good things mean others must covet them? She didn’t understand truly.

The older man was terrified too. He knew Ye Qing was skilled but didn’t expect her bow-like weapon could kill. He felt he made the right choice. Though he didn’t help, he and his son showed their presence to their benefactor.

The older man turned to Ye Qing and bowed. “Benefactor, you’re so impressive. You drove off those refugees and broadened my horizons,” he said.

Ye Qing glanced at him and Zhou Shilong. She nodded faintly. They were clever. Though they didn’t help, they had the heart.

Ye Qing asked, “What’s your name?”

“This old man is Zhou Mancang. A country name, nothing fancy. Please don’t laugh, Benefactor,” Zhou Mancang said, smiling.

Ye Qing nodded at him. “Good. Go with your son and retrieve my arrows. They’re valuable and can’t be discarded,” she said.

Zhou Mancang’s face lit up. He bowed to Ye Qing quickly. He saw his son standing like a post. He kicked him, annoyed, and scolded quietly, “Didn’t you hear our benefactor? Thank her quickly.”

Zhou Shilong felt confused after the kick. Didn’t their benefactor ask them to pull arrows from corpses? Why was his father so happy? He didn’t understand.

To avoid another kick, Zhou Shilong bowed to Ye Qing politely.

Ye Qing nodded at them. The old man was worldly, but he came to help earlier, showing a decent nature. She didn’t mind them following. They could help with small tasks.

Zhou Mancang led Zhou Shilong to the four bodies. Honestly, they’d seen many bodies since meeting Ye Qing.

Zhou Mancang dared move bodies but feared pulling arrows from them. He ordered Zhou Shilong, “You do it, you dimwit. Our benefactor’s using us, meaning she acknowledges us. She treats us like her own, at least.”

“So that’s it,” Zhou Shilong said. No wonder his father was happy.

Zhou Shilong hesitated to pull the arrows. He looked at his father again.

Zhou Mancang kicked him twice, angry. “Useless fool. How will you protect your mother and sister like this? Look at our benefactor—she kills without blinking. Look at you, struggling to kill a chicken,” he scolded.

Zhou Shilong felt worthless from his father’s scolding. But he thought his father was right.

Last time in the temple, he couldn’t hold his knife steady against those men. His family nearly died. He needed to toughen up.

Thinking this, Zhou Shilong grabbed an arrow. He used all his strength to pull it out. He shouted, “Ah!” to muster courage.

Finally, Zhou Shilong retrieved all six arrows Ye Qing shot.

Zhou Mancang took the arrows carefully. He pulled a rag from his robe. He wiped each arrow clean meticulously, as if they were treasures.

Zhou Mancang finished and presented the arrows to Ye Qing respectfully. “Benefactor, your six arrows, all here,” he said, smiling.

Ye Qing nodded and took the arrows. “Good work,” she said.

“No trouble, no trouble. Serving you is our honor. Rest now, Benefactor. Don’t worry about the bodies. Shilong and I will drag them far away,” Zhou Mancang said quickly.

Ye Qing nodded at him again.

After Zhou Mancang left, Jiang Jinhuang sighed. “Go sleep. This journey’s never peaceful. Trouble comes every few days,” she said.

“No choice. An innocent man’s treasure brings guilt. I’m sleeping,” Ye Qing said. She lay down with the little one.

Jiang Jinhuang frowned at Ye Qing. Ye Qing was once a barely literate thug. How did she say such scholarly words?

Jiang Jinhuang relaxed soon. Ye Qing could produce a cart from nowhere. A few fancy words weren’t surprising.

Jiang Jinhuang sighed. She felt she accepted Ye Qing too easily. If Ye Qing produced something bizarre now, she’d probably find it normal.

Ye Qing lay down with the little one. The little one looked at Ye Qing and mumbled, “Bad people are annoying. I’m still sleepy.”

Ye Qing comforted her softly. “No bad people will come. Sleep well this time. No one will disturb you,” she said.

“Okay,” the little one said. She nodded and closed her eyes.

Zhou Mancang and Zhou Shilong moved the four bodies. They sweated heavily. When they returned, Ye Qing was asleep. They didn’t approach her.

Zhou Mancang bowed to Jiang Jinhuang from afar. He smiled at her and took his son back.

Song Zhao couldn’t sleep. She looked at the father and son glumly. She felt they stole her tasks. If she weren’t injured, she’d have rushed to help her Master. Now, her Master used them instead.

Song Zhao felt sour inside. She vowed to heal quickly and be lively soon to help her Master.

Jiang Jinhuang saw Song Zhao staring blankly. She laughed. “Why aren’t you sleeping?” she asked.

“Can’t sleep. I need to heal fast, or those two will take all my work,” Song Zhao said glumly.

Jiang Jinhuang laughed, amused. Was Song Zhao jealous over tasks? She found her quite interesting.