Chapter Two, the Eighteenth Year of the Kaihuang Era (Part One)

The chubby old man with a white beard unconsciously revealed a hint of warmth in his eyes

He first saluted Renji, then waved his hand towards the rear convoy. Four or five servants in black robes immediately followed him towards the hiding place of Li Jianguo. At the same time, Renji also turned around and commanded, causing the cavalry to quickly disperse into two groups. Some began to scout the surrounding area, while others dismounted and surrounded the carriage, keeping watch in all directions

After Li Jianguo opened his eyes, a wave of hunger suddenly surged over him

If I am rescued, what if Yan Hu returns? Wouldn't that mean I would be lost?

At this thought, Li Jianguo mustered all his strength and let out a sharp cry resembling that of a newborn baby

On one hand, Li Jianguo hoped that Yan Hu could escape and return quickly; on the other hand, he was suffering from hunger and cold, wishing for someone to pass by so he could at least seek a means of subsistence. In short, whether to wait or not to wait left him feeling very conflicted.

At the end of the broad road, a convoy appeared. At the front were dozens of armored warriors clearing the way, followed by seven or eight horse-drawn carriages, and at the rear trailed a group of servants in black clothing, coming in a grand procession. Li Jianguo could not see the scene outside, but upon hearing the sound of the wheels and hooves, he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. Are there passersby? It certainly sounds like there are quite a few.

But if no help is sought, who knows when Yan Hu will return. One should not wait for his return only to find oneself frozen to death along with the *illustrations*.

The sound of hooves passed by the boulder, gradually fading away

It seems like a martial arts drama

Xu Ma quickly responded, straightened her collar, and picked up Li Jianguo

He immediately stopped crying and widened his eyes to look outside. The vines were pushed aside, and a plump old man appeared in his line of sight. He reached out and picked up Li Jianguo, looking at him with surprise, then turned his head and shouted: "Master, there is a baby here... Tsk tsk tsk, look at how this poor little thing has been frozen. I wonder why your heartless parents abandoned you here... Don’t cry, don’t cry, it seems you must be hungry!"

It turned out that the little girl had not been asleep, staring with a pair of bright, shiny eyes at Li Jianguo in Xu Ma's arms. For some reason, Li Jianguo felt that there was a strange glimmer in the girl's eyes—was it hatred? Or affection? ... It was hard to tell ... . ... Very complex, yet also very pitiable, causing Li Jianguo's heart to skip a beat.

Should one shout for help

From the titles, he can roughly discern the relationships among these individuals

But now it is already night, and it seems to be at least around 8 or 9 o'clock. Yan Hu has not returned yet, and it is likely that he is in grave danger. Well, even if he manages to escape Ning Changzhen's pursuit, if he does not come back soon, I will be in danger myself. I need to think of a way with *Tu* *Shu*, as I am now just a small infant, utterly powerless. What should I do?

Let's go!

Li Jianguo felt a bit scared, yet he was helpless.

Shi An nodded and instructed the servant to stop by the last horse-drawn carriage while holding Li Jianguo. He called out to a woman who appeared to be around thirty years old. The woman had a rather delicate appearance, with a plain face and her hair styled in a bun. She wore a short blue top, with the hem of her skirt reaching up to her chest, and an outer garment that was a half-shoulder vest. At first glance, Li Jianguo felt she looked very familiar.

The body, in a state of understanding, quickly lost consciousness

Embracing his plump old man, who seemed to be a steward, while the middle-aged man around thirty seemed to be a young master

Strangely transformed into a baby, and strangely pursued... Li Jianguo felt a bit worried about whether Yan Hu could escape Ning Chang's pursuit. Although he did not understand much, he could tell that when Yan Hu parted from him, he was severely injured.

Ning Changzhen

After Li Jianguo cried out twice, he heard some commotion outside

Li Jianguo felt puzzled

Finally saved

He tilted his ear to listen, then turned the horse's head, following the source of the crying sound. A dozen warriors immediately followed him, and as they passed by a magnificent carriage, they noticed the curtain of the carriage move. Soon after, an elderly voice came from inside, "Renji and Tushu, why have you stopped?"

As soon as the words fell, the curtain of the carriage was drawn aside

A night breeze stirred the vines, seeping into the crevices of the boulders, causing Li Jianguo great discomfort. Nevertheless, living is the most important thing!

In the car, besides Xu's mother, there was also a little girl, approximately five or six years old, with her hair styled in two crow buns.

Mother Xu nodded and got into the car holding Li Jianguo

I wonder if anyone will pass by at this late hour

Xu Ma picked up Li Jianguo, opened her blouse, and fed him. Li Jianguo felt quite embarrassed, but he was truly hungry, so he didn't think too much about it and drank his fill of milk... Just as she finished feeding him, someone outside the car called out: "Xu Ma, Xu Ma, has the baby finished drinking? The old steward wants you to take the baby over; he is waiting for it."

It seemed that Yan Hu placed him here just after noon

Night falls, and the night breeze carries a hint of chill

I do not know what kind of family this is after all

But unable to articulate anything, he curled up in the corner of the carriage and fell asleep

Duo Duo, stay quietly in the car and do not cause any trouble... Mother will take him over and come back soon, so go to sleep quickly

Se'an, you go take a look... Renji, you immediately send someone to disperse and investigate the surroundings to see if there are any suspicious areas

Old steward, this child is smiling at you

Beside the little girl, a baby is sound asleep

The wind is not fierce, yet it is somewhat biting. Li Jianguo is unclear about what era this is, nor could he possibly know what season it is. Lying in the crevice of a giant rock, although sheltered from the cold wind by the vines, he was still awakened by the chill. After all, he is still an infant; no matter how good his physical condition, he cannot fully withstand it. The phrase 'suffering from hunger and cold' is perfectly applicable here.

The gap is not large, and it is even impossible to turn over

An elderly man with a pale face and no beard, dressed in a white robe and wearing a half-sleeved cape, walked out.

The servant curled his lip and said, "How would I know... Xu Ma, hurry up and nurse him, the old steward is still waiting."

Suddenly, a series of sounds from wheels and the clattering of hooves came from beside me

The little girl glanced at Li Jianguo, seemingly quite dissatisfied

Although Li Jianguo was unclear about who these people were, he felt a sense of joy akin to having escaped death, and could not help but chuckle.

In this desolate wilderness, where does the sound of weeping come from? Shian, can you hear it?

From the carriage, an aged yet somewhat effeminate and sharp voice emerged: "My lord, the old servant has also heard it."

Seeing Xu Ma get into the car, the little girl couldn't help but ask, "Mother, who is he?"

Father, the child seems to have just heard the sound of crying

Xu Ma, the old steward asks you to feed this child until he is full

Whenever he thinks about the kinds of experiences he has encountered, Li Jianguo's mind becomes muddled again

The servant behind Shi An could not help but whisper softly

Xu Ma took Li Jianguo over and, after a surprised glance, said, "This child is so adorable; how could his parents not want him?"

This seems to be a remote place, where, in the stillness of the night, the howls of wolves can be heard echoing from the distant mountains

What a strange name it is

Because the woman's attire closely resembles the traditional clothing of the Korean ethnic group

Stop the car

Ren Ji stepped forward and inquired softly. He glanced at Li Jianguo and then said quietly: "This child seems to be hungry; perhaps we should let Xu Ma feed him some milk first... Your father is in the car waiting for you; it seems he has something to discuss with you."

A silence enveloped the carriage

If life itself is lost, then even if Yan Hu returns, what use would it be

If this leads to losing contact with Yan Hu, wouldn't even the knowledge of one's own origins be lost?

Is this the child, Butler Zheng?

Li Jianguo only knows that his uncle is named Yan Hu and that his father's surname is Li

Li Jianguo hesitated

In the cavalry, a knight shouted loudly

It is merely the young master's address to the butler, yet it is filled with great respect

I do not know which heartless parents abandoned him by the roadside. The old steward asked me to feed him with milk... Duoduo, you should sleep first

The moonlight, like a wash, spills in through the gaps of the vines