Su Lang’s face was gloomy, anger flitted through his eyes, while Hong Fei looked utterly confused.
Liang Zhichen got down from the carriage, and Su Lang’s demeanor softened a bit. Then, in a hoarse voice, he asked, "These people—" he looked towards Hong Fei and the others, "are they soldiers?"
Even though Hong Fei and her compatriots had already taken off their armor and donned cotton clothes, Su Lang would never mistake their aura. These people were soldiers, indeed soldiers!
It seemed as if some unpleasant memories were stirred, and his delicate, child-like face twisted with pain.
A pause gripped Liang Zhichen’s heart, and he suddenly became unsure. Was it really a good decision to stay temporarily in Anyang Village?
At that moment, the others in Anyang Village were also alarmed.
"Big Boss!" Some called out to Su Lang, others shouted for the Master, but upon seeing Hong Fei and her group, whether they were at work or carrying buckets to fetch water, everyone, without exception, grabbed any weapon within reach and glared angrily!
"Zhi Chen?" Dong Huiying poked her head out from the carriage.
"It’s nothing," he turned his head to reassure her, but when he looked at Su Lang again, his brows were slightly furrowed. "It seems we are not welcome here?"
Pain covered Su Lang’s face. He wanted to defend himself, but someone shouted, "Dayuan lackeys, stay away from us!"
"Back in the day, Big Boss led us to escape from the Xinsan Army. I thought this nightmare was finally over, but now we encounter Dayuan lackeys again!"
"Lackeys, isn’t it enough how much you’ve harmed us?!"
Su Lang’s face twisted, and he turned back to yell, "Shut up, all of you!"
Suddenly, the scene fell silent.
Then, Su Lang looked towards Liang Zhichen, forcing a stiff smile onto his face: "Master, the houses have all been prepared. I’ll take you there right now..." He was about to turn away but—"Wait a moment!"
Su Lang was stopped by Liang Zhichen’s call, his expression somewhat uneasy, "Master?"
Liang Zhichen’s smile failed to reach his eyes, "No need, we’ve come a long way, and since we’re unwelcome here, naturally, there’s no reason for us to insist on staying."
Liang Zhichen returned to the carriage and said to Haoming, who was driving, "Lao Si, let’s go, we’ll head for Balibao to the east."
Su Lang did not want the Master to leave. He wanted to stop the caravan, but it seemed he remembered something, and he halted his steps forcefully.
He could only watch as the Master’s entourage slowly moved further away.
Dayuan, female soldiers, Xinsan Army...
Su Lang, in agony, clutched his head, emitting a roar like that of a trapped beast.
Why, after all this time, were those humiliations of the past still refusing to let go of him?
Su Lang screamed heartrendingly.
"My wife, it was my lack of consideration."
As the carriage traveled eastward, Liang Zhichen’s face was filled with regret; he hadn’t expected such a turn of events.
Dong Huiying comforted him, motioning for him not to worry, but Liang Zhichen appeared deeply troubled.
Two days later, the caravan arrived at Balibao, a remote small town with a sparse population. The buildings in town were mostly dilapidated and decaying, presenting a scene of desolation. However, according to the locals of Balibao, the place had been prosperous decades ago but had later become an omen of misfortune due to a plague. Many of the original residents had moved away, and over time, the place had fallen into neglect.
When the caravan arrived in Balibao, it was precisely noon, and the group stayed in a humble inn. Liang Zhichen went out for a while, and when he came back, he brought with him a deed to a house and a deed to a plot of land.