HLnovel Chapter 117 When it’s over, brush off your clothes and go away, hiding your merits and fame
Chapter 117 When it’s over, brush off your clothes and go away, hiding your merits and fame
"Climb the mountain, immediately!"
These words struck like a heavy hammer blow to the hearts of all the prisoners.
Everyone looked at each other, truly unable to move their legs.
Walking on the muddy ground after the rain was extremely difficult, and they still chose to walk on the mountain path. Was the God of Longevity hanging himself because he was tired of living?
The sky was overcast, and the visibility was so low that climbing the mountain was risky. If you encountered a pack of wolves, where would you run? If a few more wild animals came, no one would escape. You'd be handing over your head to the King of Hell. How stupid would you be?
Lord Zhu knew that everyone was reluctant to climb the mountain, but in his opinion, this mountain was one that had to be climbed.
He gave the order: the whip was cracked and raised high; anyone who didn't move or showed any emotion would be whipped.
The yamen runners' whips cracked in the air. The prisoners, unwilling to be whipped for no reason, silently and slowly made their way up the mountain despite their inner resistance.
The Wen family, as usual, took the lead.
Wen Qilin led the way, while the Wen brothers, Wen Chengjian and Wen Qilin, pushed the cart behind them to bring up the rear.
Wenwen and Wen Yuanqian stood in the middle, protecting the elderly, women, and children in the family.
The higher we climbed, the more we felt like we were entering a deep mountain forest. The light in the mountains grew dimmer and dimmer, and with the heavy rain of the previous night, the air was thick with moisture, making it impossible to see what was under our feet.
Everyone stumbled forward, relying solely on their courage in the dark. Countless people tripped over branches or stones in the darkness, and countless others cursed Lord Zhu in their hearts.
This group of people can only follow the people in front of them and keep going up, and up.
Wenwen followed her family's footsteps, walking slowly, one step at a time.
From the moment she started climbing the mountain, she used her spiritual power to probe the path ahead, but unfortunately her skill was too shallow, and the range she could explore was very limited.
Not only her, but several members of the Wen family who had successfully guided their Qi also consciously used their spiritual power according to the methods in the book, but unfortunately the results were not very ideal.
However, Wen Yuanqian's senses were extremely keen.
He used his spiritual energy to detect that the moisture in the air was accumulating more and more, as if it were approaching saturation.
Based on his experience, he judged that a heavy rain was imminent.
Out of kindness, the old man reminded the accompanying constable, "Sir, the heavy rain is coming soon, please be prepared."
Whether others believed it or not, the Wen family members tightened their raincoats upon hearing this.
The Wen family members also had an oilcloth raincoat underneath their straw raincoats, which Wenwen had her talented women in the family make overnight. Each member of the Wen family had one.
When the messenger's words reached the back of the line, those families with rain gear immediately put it on, while those without could only leave it to fate.
Before long, without wind or thunder, dense raindrops pierced through the leaves overhead and pattered down on everyone's heads and bodies, soaking them completely in no time.
"Alas, the heavy rain has indeed come!"
The heavy rain arrived as expected, accompanied by a sudden gust of wind. Caught off guard, a prisoner was blown into a tree trunk by the wind, letting out a painful groan in the darkness, along with a few curses.
In the chaos, Wenwen discovered a cave within the range of her spiritual energy detection and quietly alerted Wen Qilin.
"Father, there's a cave over there. Let's go there and take shelter from the rain!"
At her prompting, Wen Qilin peered into the distance through the thick rain, seemingly unsure whether the dark opening in the distance was indeed a cave.
He made up his mind and reported directly to the constable beside him.
"Sir, look, isn't that dark opening up a cave?"
Upon hearing this, the constables were overjoyed and hurried over.
After a while, the voice of a yamen runner came from ahead, "Come quickly, come quickly, there is a cave here."
Wen Qilin and his daughter Wen Wen looked at each other and smiled knowingly.
What a nonchalant air of "leaving without a trace of fame or merit after accomplishing one's task."
The Wen family rushed to the cave first, but did not go in. Instead, they leaned the cart against a large rock on one side.
The other families behind the Wen family didn't care about that. Seeing that the Wen family hadn't gone in, they swarmed into the cave and took up the best positions at the very back.
The prisoners arrived one after another, and only after everyone had entered the cave did the Wen family step into the cave entrance.
As soon as they approached the cave entrance, a strong musty smell hit them, and Wen Lanmin couldn't help but feel a strong odor.
"Ugh, vomit..."
Fortunately, it was raining heavily outside, and the filth was washed away in an instant.
The cave was small, barely able to hold a hundred or so people, but this group, including the yamen runners and soldiers, numbered a full three hundred. Even if a third of them had been lost on the way, the cave still wouldn't be able to hold everyone.
Can't you see? Everyone is standing in the cave right now, packed together, there's no room to turn around!
This is often when the highest-ranking official displays his authority.
Lord Zhu gave an order: "Those with carts, find a way to build houses outside; those without carts, live in caves; if there's not enough room, share a tent and squeeze in."
Regardless of what others thought, the Wen family liked this order very much.
After discussing it, the family braved the rain and went to where the cart was placed to start building the house.
The materials were the same as before: planks, branches, and leaves. They hastily built a frame that could shield people from the rain.
The Wen family's location was near a large rock not far from the cave, with many other rocks and piles of stones nearby.
Therefore, the families who built their houses also chose to live near the pile of stones, a few meters away from the Wen family.
When it's pouring rain, it's difficult for people to see each other clearly.
Even with previous experience, building a house in the rain is still extremely difficult.
By the time these families had finished building their houses, the aroma of food was already wafting from the caves.
The bailiffs shouted at the cave entrance: "Each of you will get a coarse pancake today. Eat your breakfast and rest. We'll set off again at dawn tomorrow. Don't dawdle."
After receiving their own coarse bread, they each returned to their own homes and went back to their own mothers.
The entire Wen family went into the dilapidated house they had built themselves.
Yes, a treehouse so dilapidated that even people with good taste wouldn't want to go near it.
However, only the Wen family knew that the inside of the house was completely different from the outside.
This treehouse is larger than the previous one and is divided into several smaller compartments.
Each compartment has its own tent, so the entire Wen family can stay inside tonight, unlike before when some people had to sleep in the open.
Once the curtains were drawn, the strong winds and heavy rains outside were blocked, as well as the view of outsiders.
After bringing back the coarse cakes, the women of the Wen family looked at their stored grain and discussed preparing some simple dishes.
Soon, a choking plume of smoke rose from the corner of the room.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
"Hey, what's going on?"
"Sigh, this branch won't light; it's too damp."
Wenwen!
Can you light it? ignition?
She knows how to do this, and she's actually finding it a bit boring!
"Let me go!"