“Of course, I know that we could go back, but this road takes 18 or 19 turns. We traveled for several days when we came here, I don’t know how many wrongs turned we took. But you, are you still planning to let me return the same way? Haven’t we suffered enough? The dry foods will be finished tomorrow, what are you planning to do with it?”
“General, this is a mountain. We can hunt or gather mountain goods. We can certainly eat.”
“Alright, that’s what you said, I’ll leave it to you tomorrow to hunt and find mountain goods. If you don’t get enough, I will kill you.”
“Yes, yes, this subordinate understands!”
A group of people continued their journey. At night, the captured villagers couldn’t stand the hunger anymore. Some people directly passed out. The general was so angry that he threw the soldier who led the wrong way.
“What I want is to capture hostages that can be exchanged for the captives, not dead bodies. If they are all starved to death, what’s the use of them?”
At this time, another small soldier stepped forward and said an idea: “General, how about this? These people are mountain villagers. They know how to find food in the mountain. Let our brothers watch over them while they look for food. What do you think?”
The General waved his hand: “Just do it, go.”
Bai Zhi and a group of men were taken away again. They were taken out to look for mountain goods and hunt wild animals.
Perhaps, the appearance of a large group of people scared the wild beasts away, so even a single rabbit cannot be seen.
Hu Changlin pointed his finger to a specific ground and said, “Isn’t that sweet potato?”
Bai Zhi came forward to look. Right, it was really sweet potatoes. It was the wild sweet potatoes that Hu Feng had dug from the mountains before.
A soldier came forward and also looked at it. He asked them to dig it out, and soon, a lot of sweet potatoes appeared. As long as they dig it all out, it can serve at least two meals.
The soldier asked Hu Changlin: “How do you eat this stuff?”
Bai Zhi butted in and said: “This can be eaten by roasting in the fire or eaten by peeling the skin and adding it to the porridge. The porridge will become delicious, fragrant, and creamy.”
The soldier was originally hungry, so when he heard of it, he said: “Hurry up and dig it all, then bring it back.”
Since the villagers were captured, they never give them even a bite of rice. Naturally, the Xiye soldiers don’t want to give them their remaining grains. They will let them roast the sweet potatoes they dug and eat it.
As long as Bai Zhi gets the chance to cook this sweet potato porridge, she will find an opportunity to administer medicine.
After returning with the sweet potatoes, the General frowned at the huge pile of black things and asked: “What is this stuff? Can it be eaten?”
The soldier busily replied: “These villagers said that they could eat these sweet potatoes. Either by roasting or adding it to the porridge. General, we have some grains left, why not let them cook porridge for us?”
The General nodded his head: “Alright, let them do it, hurry up.” He didn’t eat at noon, now he was so hungry.
The soldier went to the huddling women and asked who could cook sweet potato porridge. Bai Zhi rushed over and said: “I can cook, I can cook, I will cook.”
The soldier looked at Bai Zhi suspiciously. All the villagers they caught hated them. Unless they were forced by a knife, who would take the initiative to work?
Bai Zhi scratched her head and said: “Sir, I haven’t eaten in two days. If I cook, can you reward me with a bowl?”
The soldier suddenly realized that it was to eat a bowl.
“You cook first, I will give you a bowl if there’s more.”
Bai Zhi thanked the soldier to show her gratitude. From time to time, she rubbed her stomach to make herself look hungry.