Chapter 25: Danger and Response

On the outskirts of Kuang City, ignoring his exhaustion, Fu Zihou hurriedly pushed the wheelbarrow forward at a rapid pace.

Fortunately, the surrounding areas of Kuang City were generally desolate, with little in the way of trees to hinder their path.

This was not because the court had ordered trees to be cut down, but rather because, in this era, timber itself was a necessity for the common people.

Of the essentials—firewood, rice, oil, and salt—firewood came first!

That was why, in places closer to the city, not a single tree could be seen, and why so many people eked out a living gathering firewood for the wealthy households.

“Hou’er, could it be that you’re worrying too much? Why don’t we rest for a bit?”

The old man, struggling for breath as he was supported by Fu Zihou’s mother and his cousin-sister-in-law Tai, addressed Fu Zihou.

Seeing this, Fu Zihou quickly turned around to look toward Kuang City.

“That’s right, Hou’er. At this pace, Grandpa just can’t keep up!” his mother, Lady Tao, panted heavily.

Fu Zihou noticed that his aunt Lady Zhang was also waving her hand, indicating she couldn’t go any further. He was about to speak, but suddenly, he saw movement atop the city walls of Kuang City—silhouettes pacing back and forth, as if something had happened.

Old Liu, who had been watching Fu Zihou closely, noticed his sudden change of expression and looked toward the city as well, sensing the unusual commotion.

“This is bad!” Fu Zihou exclaimed in horror, recalling the sight of refugees resorting to cannibalism a few years ago. Glancing at the city walls, he quickly turned to his family.

“Cousin, carry Grandpa on your back and go!” Fu Zihou said urgently to his cousin Fu Zhi. At this point, all their luggage on the wheelbarrow would have to be abandoned—their lives were more important.

“Alright!” Fu Zhi, seeing the state of Kuang City and hearing Fu Zihou’s words, quickly snapped back to his senses and nodded.

It wasn’t just Fu Zhi; Grandpa, Lady Zhang, Lady Tao, and Tai all noticed the disturbance as well. The thought of being caught outside the city in such chaos and the likely consequences if they were to encounter rebel mobs filled everyone with panic. Gritting their teeth through their exhaustion, they helped Fu Zhi lift Grandpa and began to run eastward.

Fu Zihou was about to follow when his gaze fell on the abandoned wheelbarrow. He hurried over, grabbed the two swords—one for himself, one for his cousin—and quickly caught up with the others.

But they hadn’t gone far before Fu Zihou, glancing behind as he ran, saw dense crowds appearing outside Kuang City, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Soon, as the figures encircled the city, Fu Zihou’s heart sank into despair. Among them, there were at least dozens of men on horseback.

Looking at his family fleeing ahead and then back at the rebels closing in around Kuang City, Fu Zihou knew running was futile. He forced himself to calm down.

He understood that most rebel armies were little more than rabble—refugees with no discipline, leaving a trail of plunder and slaughter in their wake.

If the Fu family were caught, there would be no hope of survival.

Even with swords at their side, neither he, his cousin, nor Old Liu could hope to outrun the rebels in the open fields, especially with Grandpa on Fu Zhi’s back and the women and elderly slowing them down, not to mention the rebels’ horses.

He had to find a way—a sliver of hope—to protect his mother and the others.

“Zihou, run!” his mother’s voice cried out.

Lady Tao, always at the front helping Grandpa, suddenly saw Tai looking back in shock. When she turned and saw her son standing still, her face changed drastically as she shouted for him to run.

But Fu Zihou, hearing his mother’s call, stood his ground. He looked at his cousin carrying Grandpa, his mother, Old Liu, and the rest.

He knew they could not outrun mounted rebels.

Looking back, he saw that several of the rebels had already spotted them and were galloping their way.

“Mother, there’s no point in running,” Fu Zihou said, addressing the family as they stopped, as if making a decision. He turned to face the oncoming rebels.

Old Liu and Fu Zhi exchanged glances; seeing the women and elderly, they too returned to Fu Zihou’s side.

With the help of their wives and mother, Fu Zhi set Grandpa down and took the sword from Fu Zihou, while Old Liu drew his own. The two men stood at Fu Zihou’s sides, shielding Grandpa and the women behind them.

Before long, several mounted men surrounded them. Fu Zihou saw his aunt, mother, and cousin-sister-in-law’s terrified faces and stepped forward.

As the riders surrounded them, Fu Zhi and Old Liu drew their swords, taking defensive stances, each considering whether they might be able to kill a rider and escape on horseback.

But with women and the elderly in tow, neither of them had any real hope. Perhaps, if Fu Zihou abandoned the others, with his superior skills he might stand a chance.

But they knew Fu Zihou would never abandon his family—he would rather die than flee alone.

“That woman’s a fine catch! I want her!”

“I’ll take that one! Don’t you dare fight me for her!”

Hearing the crude laughter and shouts of the riders behind him, Fu Zihou did not draw his sword. Instead, he bowed politely to the horsemen.

“May I ask who you are? Might you allow me to meet your commander?” he asked, his tone calm despite the peril they faced, his heart pounding.

“You think you can just meet him because you ask?” the leader sneered at the young man, amused by his audacity.

Even as he spoke, his eyes fell on the young woman among them—her beauty apparent even in terror. The man’s lips curled into a smile as he licked them.

He was about to order his men to kill the two young men and the elders and seize the women, but was taken aback by the youth’s composure.

“Sir, I implore you—please send word to your commander! We are old acquaintances from Tun County. If he hears, he will surely meet with us!” Fu Zihou said, steady and respectful despite the man’s continued sneers.

“Old acquaintances from Tun County? Do you take me for a fool? If you were from there, why would you be here, and why would you run when you saw us? Ha ha ha!”

The man burst out laughing, and his companions joined in.

Grandpa’s face was pale with fear; Lady Tao, Lady Zhang, and Tai were equally terrified, chilled to the bone by the men’s laughter.

“It is in our nature to flee chaos and seek safety—what is there to mock? We are but a family of the old and weak, with nowhere to go. If not for an old acquaintance, why would we beg for an audience? Without such a connection, we would not escape, even with wings,” Fu Zihou replied, ignoring their ridicule. He removed his sword from his belt and presented it with both hands to the horseman.

He meant that it was only natural to flee from danger, and if they had not been desperate, they would not have sought an audience—if they were not truly connected to the commander, they would have no chance of escape.

The horseman had been ready to mock him further, but when he saw the sword, he frowned.

The scabbard was not something an ordinary family could possess. And though the others were terrified, this youth, despite his age, remained calm.

After a moment’s thought, the man gestured for an underling to take the sword.

A few moments later, the sword was brought to him. He slowly drew it, his eyes flashing with surprise at the blade. He glanced at the youth, pondered for a moment, then sheathed the sword.

“Go, ask the commander!” he ordered one of his men. After all, with horses, a short errand would take little time. If the youth was lying, he’d have him torn apart.

“Yes!”

A man took the sword and galloped toward the rebel army encamped outside Kuang City.

The Fu family exchanged uneasy glances.

None of them understood—wasn’t that sword bought by Fu Rui and given to Fu Zihou? Yet Fu Zihou seemed to know something about its origins, and more strangely, he claimed they were acquaintances from Tun County.

When had the Fu family ever been to Tun County?

“Boy, if you’re lying to me, do you know what fate awaits you?” the horseman asked, suspicious of deception, yet hesitant because of the sword and the youth’s bearing.

Though others might not know, he was aware that many commanders in the army were from Tun County.

Tun County and Huaiyang County were far apart—how could this youth mention it so specifically?

“A thousand cuts, nothing less,” Fu Zihou replied with a smile, his gaze meeting the horseman’s.

If he had been uneasy before, the man’s reaction and threats now gave Fu Zihou some comfort—at least his gamble might be right.

The rest was up to fate.