Chapter 109
Chapter 109
When Xiao Che returned to the western side courtyard, Jin Bao was still asleep and seemed to be talking in her dreams.
He touched the heated brick bed and found it warm, then felt Jin Bao’s back and discovered a light sheen of sweat.
Afraid she might catch a chill after sweating, Xiao Che quickly picked her up and removed the fur coat she wore outside.
Once the heated bed warmed the room, the temperature rose rapidly. Ye Qi had never cared for a child before. He had merely stood guard beside Jin Bao without removing any of her clothes.
Xiao Che stripped off her outer garments and left her sleeping in only a padded jacket and pants.
Jin Bao rolled over. Her little face was rosy, and her tiny mouth smacked from time to time, blowing several bubbles as she sank into an even deeper sleep.
Watching from the side, Ye Qi rubbed his nose and stepped forward.
“Valley Master, I never realized you knew how to care for a child. This subordinate is truly foolish.”
Xiao Che tucked the blanket securely around Jin Bao and straightened.
“It’s all right. You have no children, so it’s only natural that you wouldn’t know how to care for one. There’s no need to blame yourself.”
“Valley Master, the Young Miss has eaten the same meat as us for the past few days. Her digestion is delicate. Should this subordinate go to the kitchen and ask the cook to prepare something easier for her to digest?”
Xiao Che had been thinking the same thing. They had brought their own dry rations, so if they wanted the cook to prepare something extra, they would naturally have to offer him an additional benefit.
“Jin Bao is still asleep, so there’s no rush. Sit down first. I have something to tell you.”
Xiao Che shared some of the information he had gathered in the main hall.
“Valley Master, if the realm is already in chaos, then this is our opportunity.
“Once we seize the Northern Frontier, we will no longer need to hide deep in the mountains. If the realm ultimately falls into Prince Cheng’s hands, he will never spare the Young Miss or you.”
Of course Xiao Che intended to fight Prince Cheng. He would never allow the man to sit on the throne, if for no other reason than the blood feud between them over his father’s murder.
“We cannot rush this. We must proceed gradually. Right now, we have no money, no people, and no grain. Taking the Northern Frontier would be nothing but a fool’s dream. Our most urgent need is manpower and food.”
Ye Qi’s eyes brightened. “Valley Master, didn’t they say the Northern Frontier suffered a snow disaster this year?
“There must be many homeless refugees. If we spread word, they will surely come seek shelter with us. As long as we obtain grain, we can make this work.”
Xiao Che sighed. “Everything would be simple if we had grain. Food is scarce everywhere now. Even the imperial court can’t pay its soldiers. For the moment, we can only conserve our strength and proceed carefully.”
By the time Xiao Che finished speaking, a plan had already formed in his mind.
“Ye Qi, find a way to contact the Eldest Young Master and tell him to join us as soon as possible. We will shelter in the valley for the next few months and mine the ore!”
Ye Qi nodded and left the room.
Xiao Che gave Ye Ba silver and dry rations, then sent him to find a cook in the kitchen and ask the man to prepare some porridge.
The moment Ye Ba left, Jin Bao began mumbling in her sleep again. This time, her voice was louder.
“Beans… Baby loves eating them. Nom, nom…”
…
“Go away! Don’t eat Baby. Baby doesn’t taste good. Baby’s stinky. Waaah…”
Xiao Che realized something was wrong. Jin Bao kicked her little hands and feet wildly and whimpered in her sleep, crystal tears spilling from the corners of her eyes.
He hurriedly picked her up.
“Good daughter, are you having a nightmare?”
Perhaps the sound of Xiao Che’s voice made Jin Bao feel safe. The little girl found a comfortable position in his arms and continued sleeping soundly.
Xiao Che chuckled helplessly and gently wiped away her tears. Once she slept deeply again, he laid her back down.
An hour later, Ye Ba returned carrying a large coarse porcelain bowl and a small stove. He had shamelessly pestered the old man in the kitchen into lending it to him and paid an extra five wen for the privilege.
“Valley Master, the porridge is ready. This subordinate also obtained a stove. We can keep it warm until the Young Miss wakes and is ready to eat.”
Xiao Che nodded. “All right. Set it down for now.”
Xiao Che told everyone to rest well. They would continue toward Jinshi Town early the next morning.
But they had slept for less than four hours when Ye Qi knocked on the door.
“Valley Master, something’s wrong. Trouble seems to have broken out outside.”
Xiao Che jerked upright. He felt Jin Bao and confirmed that she was still asleep before throwing on his clothes and climbing off the brick bed.
“What happened? Come in and tell me.”
Xiao Che glanced outside. No one else occupied the western side courtyard except his group, and all the Shadow Guards were now stationed throughout it.
Ye Qi entered and shut the door.
“Valley Master, when this subordinate relieved Ye Ba just now, I discovered a large crowd of refugees outside.
“It was too dark to see exactly how many there were.
“But they clashed with a group of government troops at the inn’s entrance, and now the two sides are fighting.”
“Government troops? Why would they be here? I remember there weren’t any when we checked in.”
Xiao Che frowned.
Ye Qi shook his head. “This subordinate doesn’t know either, but I heard the conflict was over food.
“The government troops have grain, and judging from their numbers, they are no match for the refugees.”
When Ye Qi came in to report, he had seen the refugees force the government troops to retreat into the inn.
Xiao Che hurriedly tried to wake Jin Bao.
“Jin Bao, wake up. Hurry.”
But Jin Bao was sleeping deeply. Xiao Che shook her for a long time before she finally woke.
Jin Bao rubbed her drowsy eyes in confusion. She opened her little mouth, yawned, and sat up on the brick bed.
“Daddy, Baby’s tummy is so hungry.”
Jin Bao had spent her entire dream searching for food. She had finally found a huge chicken drumstick, only to be woken before she could take a bite.
Ye Qi hurriedly brought over the large porcelain bowl from the little stove. The porridge inside was still warm.
“Come, Daddy had some porridge made for you. Try it and see if it tastes good.
“After you finish, we’ll get you dressed. It isn’t safe here anymore, so we may have to leave ahead of schedule.”
Using a small wooden spoon, Xiao Che carefully fed Jin Bao the entire large bowl of porridge.
Only after Jin Bao burped did he set the bowl down and begin dressing her.
“Daddy, are bad people fight-fighting?”
After Xiao Che finished dressing Jin Bao, he picked her up and secured her against his chest once more.
“That’s right. People are fighting, so we need to leave quickly.”
Xiao Che wrapped Jin Bao completely against his chest to ensure she would not grow cold, then left the room.
But the group had barely emerged from the western side courtyard and had not yet boarded their sleds when the sounds of killing rapidly drew closer.
“We can’t leave. Get back inside!”
Xiao Che immediately turned and headed back into the room.
The Shadow Guards also split into three groups. Ye Qi and several men stayed close to protect Xiao Che and Jin Bao. Ye Ba led another group in guarding the entrance to the western side courtyard, while the remaining men spread throughout the courtyard to prevent an encirclement.
The moment Xiao Che entered the room, the sounds of fighting erupted at the courtyard entrance.
Ye Ba and his men formed a line to prevent anyone from entering.
The people outside were the traveling merchants and armed escorts from the main hall.
Protecting their possessions, they had retreated toward the rear courtyard alongside the government troops.
The charging refugees formed a black tide like a swarm of locusts. In a matter of moments, they had nearly surrounded the soldiers and merchants.
Even Ye Ba was stunned. He immediately led his men back to defend the entrance to Xiao Che’s room.
“Ye Ba, what’s happening outside?”
“Seventh Brother, it’s bad. There are too many refugees, at least several thousand. What should we do?
“They’re about to break in. These people have gone mad and are robbing everyone they see.”
Ye Ba had just witnessed a merchant stripped bare in the blink of an eye. His body was torn apart in an instant, spilling his organs across the ground.
The scene was horrifyingly bloody!