Chapter 103

The group traveled for over half a month, and Ren Qiu became integrated with them, diligently contributing along the way. He observed the carefree nature of the two young masters, who seemed more like adventurers exploring mountains and rivers than individuals visiting relatives.

Despite his curiosity, he refrained from questioning, following his mother’s advice to focus on his own responsibilities.

With no weather forecast, the initially sunny weather turned dark and cloudy unexpectedly within half a day. Ren Qiu, glancing at the ominous black clouds, touched the cow’s smooth skin. “Brother, we need to move faster, or all of us will suffer.”

Addressing the people inside, he warned, “Young Masters, heavy rain is imminent today. We must find a cave for shelter quickly.”

Liao Tingyu, noticing the situation, suggested, “It might take some time. Can you see if there’s a cave?”

“I’m not familiar with the area. We can only try our luck. If there are no hunter’s hut nearby, we may have to dig one ourselves,” Ren Qiu replied.

Considering the dark clouds above, Liao Tingyu proposed, “Let’s not rush for now. It’s better to find a suitable location.”

Stepping out and standing on the bullock cart’s extension, he scanned the distance. Huang Zilan peeked out to observe, noting a yellowish area. “Could that be shelter from the rain?” he asked.

“No, it’s soil. It will collapse when it rains. We can’t go there,” Liao Tingyu clarified.

As they continued towards their destination, there was no sign of a suitable rain shelter. Luckily, the sky remained overcast with occasional gusts of wind. Liao Tingyu hoped the rain wouldn’t let up.

Hope emerged when they were still a couple of kilometers away from the nearest town, but then the rain began pouring down.

“How disrespectful of the heavens. It was fine just now, and suddenly heavy rain. What bad luck, and we’re still in the wilderness,” Liao Tingyu remarked, touching a handful of rainwater, which Ren Qiu promptly handed him under the hat.

Despite the downpour, they were fortunate to discover a cave while walking. However, the two people got soaked in the rain.

Wiping away the rain from his eyes, Liao Tingyu directed Ren Qiu to the cave. “Hurry, there’s a cave there. Let’s seek shelter.”

Huang Zilan anxiously kept an eye on the roof of the cart, concerned about potential leaks. Clutching the purchased herbs to his chest, they finally arrived at their destination, and Ren Qiu parked the bullock cart and set it up. Liao Tingyu promptly jumped down.

“Zilan, we’re here; come down quickly,” he called out.

Huang Zilan leaped out of the cart with bags of various sizes, and Liao Tingyu hurriedly helped pick them up. Ren Qiu, well-versed in jungle survival, returned with firewood.

Liao Tingyu had already shed his wet clothes and wrung them out. Though the cave offered shelter, the rain had seeped into the oxcart, making some of its contents damp, despite Huang Zilan’s efforts.

Furthermore, the ignition device was soaked and rendered useless. The wind outside the cave sent shivers down his spine.

Observing Liao Tingyu, Huang Zilan felt compassion. “These clothes are dry. Please put them on quickly, and I’ll wipe your hair.”

Shivering, Liao Tingyu forced himself to change into the dry clothes. Fortunately, his foresight in storing a quilt, food, and medicinal materials proved beneficial, preventing them from becoming desperate refugees enduring hunger and cold.

Ren Qiu lit a fire with a stone. Seeing this, Huang Zilan hid behind Liao Tingyu, who hugged him to shield his view.

“Xiao Qiu, change your clothes first. Don’t catch a cold. After changing, take some medicine.” Liao Tingyu instructed.

“I understand, young master,” Ren Qiu replied, taking his dry clothes and heading inside the cave. Huang Zilan only took action when he was out of sight.

Haunted by thoughts of ghosts and the unknown, the eerie weather outside intensified Liao Tingyu’s anxiety.

Liao Tingyu thought about it and got more scared, he wrapped himself tightly in the quilt and hugged his wife. In the warmth embrace shared by the two, he found a comfort and ease.

.

The sound of iron hoofs echoed, resembling the atmosphere of a detective scene with thunder and lightning.

Startled, he clung tighter to his wife, holding his breath, fixating on the medicine, and silently praying. The sudden arrival of the sound heightened the tension.

“General, there’s a cave here. Why don’t we go in and hide?” A young soldier observed the cave where Liao Tingyu sought refuge.

Spotting Liao Tingyu, he remarked, “Ah, why are there three people?”

Xiao Jiang complained, “Hey, couldn’t you make some noise?”

Liao Tingyu’s heart skipped a beat in the sudden encounter.

In the dim light, Liao Tingyu could clearly see the armored figure before him. He scrutinized the young soldier by the firelight, then relaxed after confirming he was alive.

“You scared us first, you know? Scaring people can frighten them to death. How did you miss the big ox cart over there?” Liao Tingyu retorted.

“I didn’t see it. So, what! The sound of our horse running outside was so loud; couldn’t you hear it?” The young soldier, surprised that someone dared to confront him, refused to back down.

“This is a cave, not your home. Besides, you must be scared, right? You haven’t heard such loud noises here. Oh, you’re so old and still afraid of these things! Are you ashamed?” the young soldier taunted, eyeing Liao Tingyu’s posture.

Xiao Qiu hesitated to speak, intimidated by the man’s equipment.

The young soldier continued with mischievous thoughts, “Do you know what kind of mountain this is? In the past, the previous dynasty encircled and suppressed thousands of bandits. The blood dyed this mountain red, and they say you always hear screams at night!”

Though Liao Tingyu knew this was a fabricated ghost story, the eerie atmosphere gave him goosebumps. “I see you’re still here telling ghost stories. I guess you haven’t been wet enough. Why not go outside and take a shower?”

“Why haven’t you lit a fire after being in here for so long? You move inside; there are a lot of people here,” the young soldier noted, realizing there was no fire. He hurried inside, startling some people and looking slightly disheartened.

Observing the depth and cleanliness of the cave, the young soldier suggested, “General, this cave is quite deep and relatively clean inside. Why don’t we rest here? Those three probably stayed there because of the rain.”

“Okay, let’s rest here.”

The group entered the cave. Liao Tingyu counted about a dozen people, all of standard weight, even the young man being larger than him. Their weapons gleamed with sophistication, suggesting they were likely from an army.

Educated for over ten years, Liao Tingyu admired soldiers the most. He greeted them warmly and welcomed them inside.

One middle-aged man stood up, saying, “General, I’ll go outside to collect some firewood and light the fire. It’s very cold today.”@@novelbin@@

“Okay, you guys can go together and get more. Brother over there, want to join? It’ll be warmer if we sit together.”

“No, I won’t disturb you,” Liao Tingyu declined. There was no need for people to be huddled inside the cave.

In the dim light, Liao Tingyu peered into the innermost part of the cave, seeing only vague figures. The group finished handling firewood, and one person vigorously ignited the fire with two stones. Illuminated by the firelight, Liao Tingyu could see the faces of these people clearly.

The youngest was the man who spoke to him, the oldest appeared to be in his 30s, and in the middle was a 20-year-old man with noticeably different attire likely the general they mentioned.

These people maintained disciplined seating, with several individuals forming a protective barrier around the middle where the general sat. Noticing Liao Tingyu and the others, the soldiers observed their appearances.

Liao Tingyu, being the best dressed, caught the attention of a young man who approached him curiously, touching his clothes.

“Are you a scholar?” the young man asked.

“What’s so surprising about scholars?”

“Of course, I’m surprised. What are you doing? I’ve heard that scholars are very smart, but I don’t think so. You don’t have a big head either!” the young man commented disapprovingly.

“This ‘big head’ is here to shield against the wind and cold. Do you want some medicine?” Liao Tingyu replied with a smile.

“You have to drink medicine just for being exposed to this little rain. You are too fragile!” the young soldier expressed with disgust.

“This is called prevention, something that may not make sense to you. Who is the general, and how did he end up here?” Liao Tingyu inquired, turning to the leader.

“I’m from the border. My surname is Zhao. What’s your name?” the general replied, looking at Liao Tingyu’s delicate features, which lacked the aloofness often associated with scholars. There was no shame in letting individuals like them in.

“I think you’re on a study tour, judging by your outfit. Are they your escorts?” the general asked.

“Yes, Sir, I’m doing study tours. My name is Liao Tingyu. I came here for a study tour, inspired by my teacher’s advice. The scenery is beautiful, with magnificent mountains and rivers. This is my brother, and he’s the bodyguard I hired. General, do you know what the frontier is like?” Liao Tingyu acknowledged that someone had correctly guessed his identity, considering his clothes displayed clear signs of being a scholar.

Hence, among the various items, Huang Zilan prioritized rescuing these garments.