Chapter 008: Leaving Home in Turbulent Times
However, upon closer inspection, many of those who were either sitting or standing, with pale faces and expressions of panic, were clearly families with their children in tow, some even carrying blankets and holding onto their belongings.
My silver needle!" As if startled by jade, she exclaimed and hurriedly crouched down to pick up the silver needle
"Indeed, the situation is turbulent; what is there to discuss? It is best to return home quickly." Someone echoed in agreement.
Go! A group of people, with a loud shout, stirred up a cloud of dust as they swiftly passed through the city gate, racing towards the direction of Suzhou
Take away
The clothes are ready, but where can I exchange them
"How is it? Does the young lady have relatives in the city?" The woman sympathetically held her hand and lifted her garment to wipe away her tears
With a tug and a pull, there was a sharp "hiss" as the newly purchased long gown was torn. From her arms fell a delicate iron box, which clattered to the ground, revealing dozens of glimmering silver needles.
"Do you want it or not? If not, I will close the door." The shopkeeper's expression was one of impatience
As she held the garment in her hands, a strong odor of body odor assaulted her senses, nearly making her gag
The horse snorted, anxiously pacing in circles in place
Absolutely not! Upon hearing that she was going to Suzhou, the originally indifferent bystanders gathered around, chattering and advising: "We barely escaped from there; as a young lady, why would you go at this time? Isn't that courting death?"
A hint of red appeared on her jade-like face, and she quietly glanced with the corner of her eye. Where her gaze fell, there were indeed many twinkling eyes. The timid ones, upon seeing her look over, quickly turned their heads to feign interest elsewhere, while the bolder ones actually smiled at her.
She turned around intending to confront the shopkeeper, but with a loud bang, the shop door had already been closed
Hurry, there is a ready-to-wear shop just around the corner, and I must go to search for my family as well
She hesitated for a moment and hurried inside: "Shopkeeper, give me a set of slightly used shirts." After a pause, she added in a low voice, "Make it for men." By the time she finished these four words, her face was already as red as that of Guan Gong.
The officer's gaze shifted from the silver needle to the terrified figure of Ruyu. He bent down and extended a long whip to lift Ruyu's chin, asking, "Are you a doctor?"
With a shout, the man immediately tightened the saddle, and the galloping horses abruptly reared up on their front hooves, coming to a sudden stop
Reluctantly, like a precious jade, he had no choice but to take out fifty wen from his pocket and hand it over
"The young lady is so beautiful; perhaps it would be better to change into men's clothing." The woman pulled Ruyu out of the crowd and advised softly, "With the chaos in the streets, just in case... sigh! It is better to be cautious."
Refugee? A word quickly flashed through Yu's mind.
As Yu leaned against the woman's guidance, she quickly found a ready-to-wear shop. The store was not large, and at this moment, half of the door panel was closed, indicating that it was about to close.
As Ru Yu stepped out of the narrow alley and had just turned a corner, she heard a shout. Wanting to dodge, it was already too late; the long whip of that person had already come down without any courtesy.
No matter how you look at it, they do not resemble beggars
"You still don't know? Suzhou City has fallen!" Perhaps it had been too long since anyone had cared, and the woman's tears instantly flowed out, covering her lips as she cried out in the street: "I was planning to take a boat from here to my uncle's house to hide for a while, but who would have thought I got separated in the crowd, and my family is nowhere to be found. Oh my God! Isn't this going to cost me my life..."
Indeed, I see that not only should we avoid Suzhou, but we should also leave Changping as soon as possible
"It is!" The men behind him shouted in unison, and immediately a long whip flew over, wrapping around the jade-like figure and pulling her onto the horse's back
She could only admit her misfortune and retreated to the street holding her clothes
Forget it, at this moment, who cares about so much? Fortunately, the clothes are long enough to barely cover her feet; if one does not pay close attention, it is not noticeable.
The imposing aura compelled passersby to evade.
The whinnying of the horses, accompanied by the rapid sound of hoofbeats, echoed as several yellow-coated horses galloped down the street, kicking up dust. At the forefront, a man dressed as an officer shouted repeatedly, "Make way, make way!"
After all, it is a young lady's family, and the social standing is shallow
Suzhou is located south of Shaxi River, north of Lishui, and west of Dongqin, making it a strategic location that has been fiercely contested by military leaders throughout history. This area has flourished over the ages, attracting merchants from far and wide, with daily traffic through the city gates exceeding millions by both land and water routes
Holding the man's clothing is already shameful enough, and if she were to be asked to argue with others in the street, she would rather die than do it
Feeling conflicted, Yu wandered around Changping Town for quite some time before finally finding a well-ventilated restroom. Noticing that no one was around, she suppressed her embarrassment and, with a pounding heart, hurriedly took off her outer skirt and changed into the newly purchased blouse, only to realize that she was still wearing a pair of embroidered shoes.
What?
Reluctantly glancing at the dress thrown in the corner, she let out a soft sigh and walked out, turning back three times.
After witnessing her father endure humiliation to repay the bride price he owed her that night, Ru Yu, in deep pain and reflection, resolved not to remain despondent any longer. She left a letter behind and quietly departed from home. Initially, she intended to go to Suzhou to seek refuge with her aunt, planning to use her medical knowledge to work as a doctor in her uncle's clinic, earn some money, and repay the debts as soon as possible, thus freeing herself from the daily torment of being pressured into marriage by Liu.
The shopkeeper glanced at her, stood up, and threw a coarse brown long shirt onto the counter, saying淡淡地道: "Fifty wen"
The city of Suzhou has fallen? A bolt from the blue, causing Ruyue's face to turn pale in an instant
"... ..." blushed like jade and replied hesitantly
How is the family of that concubine doing
Where should a solitary woman go?
Fifty? Like jade was taken aback; this could buy a brand new set of clothes in Langli.
Upon arriving in Changping, she was astonished to find that the small town of Changping was already crowded with ragged beggars on the streets and alleys
I, I want to go to Suzhou..." Ru Yu said with a bewildered expression, murmuring softly.
She came out in a hurry, and usually does not resemble a refined person, as she tends to keep some money to herself. Therefore, she did not bring much money with her. Now, having encountered difficulties in seeking help from relatives, she does not know when she will find work, so she must be frugal with her spending
Thank you for the reminder, Aunt. As if jade, my heart tightened, and the nightmare reappeared in my mind, causing me to shiver involuntarily.
Ah... in the astonished exclamations of the passersby, Ru Yu instinctively leaned back, as the barbs on the Seven Star Whip had already caught her clothing
"Auntie, is something wrong?" Ruyu asked, holding onto a middle-aged woman whose face was pale and whose eyes were vacant.
Changping, in the west is the residual range of the Xuefeng Mountains, while the east consists of plains. The Lishui River flows through the city, serving as an important gateway to Suzhou.
The inn has long been overcrowded, and now the streets are so congested that not a drop of water could pass through