"My lady, something has happened," Aunt Fang panted. "Do you remember that small hillside where we first met?"
"Yes, what about it?"
"It's been leveled! Now there's a huge pit there! After we left, there were only some signs of disarray and fighting. But now, there's nothing. Not even a ghost can be found. When I think about the terrifying sounds from midnight last night, I feel something is not right, so I've come to you for confirmation."
Song Qingchao's originally relaxed expression turned tense.
She immediately took Aunt Fang's hand and walked back, inquiring about the specific situation as they went.
Although flustered, Aunt Fang calmly recounted the details.
"There are only the stumps of chopped trees, and wood chips deposited on the accumulated snow. Even more bizarre are the disordered footprints."
Song Qingchao frowned, leaning on Aunt Fang as she was helped into the carriage.
This was the same carriage Bai Youan had used for deliveries that morning, which he had also left behind.
Song Qingchao, Aunt Fang, and Ying Zhong sat inside the carriage.
Outside, Zhou Si was driving, while Zhou Wu and Zhou Liu scouted ahead, one after the other, to guard against any potential dangers.
"But why would you go to that place?" Song Qingchao asked from inside the carriage.
"It's like this, I ordered some blood sausage to be made, thinking of preparing an authentic kill-pig dish. Before, the servants and Old Yu had a large vat of pickled vegetables in their residence, and I also wanted to move all the belongings here. So, I rushed back with the ox cart."
Song Qingchao nodded and didn't ask further.
Aunt Fang's explanation was reasonable.
She had been injured earlier and hadn't considered some matters properly.
She rubbed her temples, deciding to assess the situation there before making any plans.
However, Ying Zhong, sitting beside her, was becoming restless.
He reasonably suspected that his master had done this, but he had no proof. In any case, it was good to go and see.
His master had instructed him to speak less before leaving. If he spoke too much, he might be sent back for retraining.
He would never return to that wretched place!
Not speaking, not speaking, he was mute!
The atmosphere in the carriage was heavy. Song Qingchao was also wondering if she had overlooked something.
But suddenly, Zhou Si, who was driving, spoke in a low voice.
"Someone ahead."
Zhou Si's serious demeanor made the already tense Song Qingchao even more cautious.
But Ying Zhong and Aunt Fang were even more cautious, so much so that Song Qingchao looked at the two people blocking her path with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
"You don't need to worry about me. Four, Five, and Six are outside. It's fine."
"No, I brought my lady out. We absolutely cannot let anything happen to you again," Aunt Fang said with a look of resolute determination.
Ying Zhong also quickly nodded, "Master's instructions, even if I die, I cannot let Sister Chao's hair be harmed!"
The atmosphere was instantly amplified to its peak by these two.
Song Qingchao truly couldn't bear this "loyalty."
Although she was injured now, she could still fight two people at once.
However, not knowing the situation outside, her intuition told her it wouldn't be anything too serious.
"Don't be so nervous, let me see the situation outside."
The carriage had stopped. Zhou Si didn't dare to push forward, but they could still see the "huge pit" that Aunt Fang had described as ravaged through the window.
Zhou Wu and Zhou Liu had also returned and gathered. Zhou Wu leaned close to the carriage, "My lady, there are about twenty people ahead. Zhou Liu and I are fine, there's no need to worry."
Song Qingchao nodded, "Hold off for now. I think they might have something to say."
As soon as she spoke, perhaps the people ambushing ahead realized that Song Qingchao and her group had discovered them, so they stopped hiding and walked out one by one.
But to their surprise, they were not carrying any weapons.
Judging by their appearance, they didn't seem to intend to fight, which made Song Qingchao, who had some expectations, confused.
Logically, this kind of scenario should have involved robbery and murder.
After all, in such a barren place, surviving was truly difficult.
And not only did they have meat to eat, but they also shared it with others, and they traveled by carriage.
Song Qingchao sighed inwardly. Was her wealth too ostentatious?
Ah well, it was bound to happen sooner or later.
She was used to it.
Zhou Wu and Zhou Liu guarded the sides of the carriage, while Zhou Si was the first to speak.
"May I ask what you brothers are doing blocking the road? We mean no offense, please let us pass?"
The people on the other side looked at each other, and finally, one person mustered the courage to speak, "May I ask if the person inside the carriage is Miss Song?"
At this, the three of them, Zhou Si, Wu, and Liu, immediately drew their swords in alert, startling the speaker who quickly retreated.
"Aren't we brothers? We have no other intentions," the retreating person explained repeatedly. "We mean no harm, it's just that our leader wishes to see Miss Song. Please, would you accommodate us?"
Zhou Si didn't know what to do but still stepped back uncertainly to ask Song Qingchao for her opinion.
"I will see them."
This was Song Qingchao's answer.
No matter how she looked at it, the fact that these people knew her surname meant that the boss they mentioned was likely someone she knew.
Song Qingchao signaled Ying Zhong and Aunt Fang to be at ease, then, holding up her skirt, she got out of the carriage.
If she wasn't mistaken, she had already guessed who wanted to see her.
She hadn't been able to see clearly inside the carriage earlier. Stepping out, Song Qingchao was once again stunned by the sight before her.
Had this place truly not been robbed?