Saving System: Calm Down, My Fleeing Host!-Chapter 140: The Flight from Famine Begins

During this period, Cheng Xiaoxiao distributed those dozens of weapons to everyone. All villagers who had originally participated in resisting the bandits received suitable weapons.

Since the decision to leave together was made, naturally, the overall strength should be as strong as possible.

Otherwise, if the bandits and robbers came, she couldn’t possibly handle it alone.

On the third day, just as dawn was breaking, everyone had already packed their belongings and prepared to set out.

After all, everyone was leaving together, and no one was left behind, whether it was a fear of being expelled from the tribe or fear of Cheng Xiaoxiao’s prophetic dream.

In any case, no one caused any trouble.

Each family wished they could carry all their possessions, but unfortunately, there were limited donkey carts and flat carts, so many things couldn’t be loaded. Families argued over what to take and what to leave behind, causing quite a commotion.

Cheng Xiaoxiao and Cheng Beiniu formulated several evacuation plans, not sticking to a single route. In case of any incident along the way, they had countermeasures.

If accidentally separated during the journey, they had agreed on when and where to regroup, warning the villagers that if they didn’t arrive on time, they must proceed independently to the final destination.

Their optimal route was through Yin County to Lijiang County. Lijiang County was backed by the East Canal, from which they could take a water route westward to Liao City, bypassing King Yu’s attack route, then head north through Yuan Yang City, over Daxing Mountain, then east to Dayi State, skirting northeast along Weilin Canyon until they reached Yu County.

There, adjacent to the northernmost part of Yu King’s territory, lay the vast expanse between the endless Yin Mountain Range and the grasslands—a vast area where they might find a place to settle.

The journey was a bit long, but to escape the double-sided siege of Great Xia and King Yu, the farther the better.

Cheng Xiaoxiao could only reluctantly accept this plan.

After all, Uncle Beiniu had been to that place and knew a thing or two; otherwise, setting out blindly would leave them without a clue of where to go.

Watching her family pile big and small bags, packing heaps of items, each box and basket was filled to the brim.

Cheng Xiaoxiao was speechless, with no room left to step.

Why pack so thoroughly?

Anyway, she’ll have to come back to store them in the warehouse later.

The items in her village could not be left for outsiders, such as the millstones, stone grinders, threshing buckets, plows, seed drills, windmills, drying rakes—all tools the villagers relied on for their meals—which they couldn’t take, but she could!

They would depend on these tools to eat in the future. What if they couldn’t buy any in the north?

Cheng Xiaoxiao considered thoroughly that there actually weren’t any for sale in the north, but she overlooked one important issue: there’s nowhere to grow rice.

Having grown accustomed to eating northeastern rice in her past life, she hadn’t thought that this North was not that North.

Currently, her family had a horse-drawn carriage and two ox carts, which Leng Qi had brought back that day.

Over the past three days, the villagers had torn down the bridge and temporarily patched it up to barely allow wheelbarrows through, and they would only assemble the wagon frame after crossing the bridge.

Besides their family, in the village, there were donkey carts for Cheng Dali, the village chief, the Clan Leader, Third Uncle, and Seventh Uncle, and Cheng Meng’s household had ox carts. Other ten or so families could only push wheelbarrows, while three or four relatively poor families didn’t even have wheelbarrows.

Cheng Xiaoxiao’s family lent their wheelbarrow to Cheng Sicheng.

An ox cart was given to Grandpa Hu and Tong Yan for their own arrangements, another ox cart loaded with grain and essentials for daily life, naturally driven by Qi Fei.

Additionally, there were Cheng Beiniu and his son, along with Doctor Huang, traveling light.

While they were assembling the wagon frames, Cheng Xiaoxiao used the excuse of having stomach troubles and returned to the village to gather those items.

After the horse-drawn carriage was assembled, Cheng Xiaoxiao had her aunt carrying Baby Hundred, her injured older cousin, Brother Jia, and Brother Ran ride in the carriage while she sat on the carriage rail with Erya, one on each side.

These positions weren’t fixed, as they had to change shifts every hour.

Everyone took turns, ensuring there was time to rest, avoiding excessive fatigue.

The route they were taking was two miles away from the town, at a junction, turning southwest directly towards Yin County.

As they were preparing to turn at the fork, they heard shouts of killing, screams, and the clash of swords from the town, frightening the villagers, leading them to speculate whether Great Xia had really invaded!

Leng Qi gave Cheng Xiaoxiao a look signifying departure and left.

The villagers quickened their pace, traversing the mountain path for over an hour, until they stopped to rest with the sun high overhead.

Leng Qi, who went to investigate, returned confirming that the town was full of Great Xia cavalry, around a hundred horsemen, likely from the Vanguard Camp, killing on sight—even bandits weren’t spared.

Leng Qi quietly informed Cheng Xiaoxiao that the cavalry was presumably searching for the Young Master, the person Yang Hu had killed. Upon learning their target was dead, they massacred everyone.

Cheng Xiaoxiao contemplated, realizing that they had invisibly aided King Qi, thwarting the enemy’s sinister plans.

People were filled with unease yet once again grateful they heeded Cheng Xiaoxiao’s words and avoided calamity—otherwise, only a dead end awaited them.

Those towering Great Xia cavalry, ruthless enough to kill even bandits, were simply too ruthless.

Now, their position wasn’t too far from the town; it wouldn’t take long for others on horseback to catch up.

They hurriedly drank the porridge from their bowls, not bothering about unfinished cakes stuffed in their mouths, quickly tidying cooking utensils, packing swiftly, and resuming their journey.

With a dread of Great Xia’s cavalry, as if tirelessly mechanical, they stepped forward, following the team.

Their clothes soaked and dried repeatedly, drenched in sweat and weariness, not daring to stop, they could only grit their teeth and persist, pushing their bodies to the limits.

"Dogwa, Dogwa, what’s wrong?" Lotus Flower let go of the carrying pole, frantically hugging her unconscious son.

Er Mazi, pushing his injured father on a wheelbarrow, heard his wife’s shouting behind him, quickly set down the cart, and urgently called, "Doctor Huang, Doctor Huang, quickly come look at my Dogwa."

The team had to stop.

At that time, the sun was setting, and the evening glow shimmered on the horizon.

Feeling like they’ve traveled so far, surely they won’t be caught!

Such thoughts persisted, and almost instantly, most people collapsed by the roadside in disarray.

Muttering: I’m too exhausted to move, so wearing out! Where’s the water! I’m going to die of thirst!

The grown men were as tired as dogs, let alone the elderly and children, who were dizzy with blurred vision, gasping heavily, feeling miserable.

Cheng Xiaoxiao quickly called everyone to get up and move; having traveled such a distance, they couldn’t lie down immediately. But many really couldn’t get up.

Despite shouting several times, few stood up.

Only those closely related to Cheng Xiaoxiao’s family barely stood up, leaning against the framework.

However, as soon as Dongfang Xu stepped forward, everyone scrambled to get up in fear.

The fear instilled by Coach Dongfang quickly churned in their hearts.