My domineering ex-husband is living off his wife in ancient times.

Chapter 31 The Refugees in the Mountain Valley

Cheng Ruoan looked over at the sound and saw that the tea stall owner was already carrying a large broom, waving it around in the dark bushes next to him to drive something away.

The light was too dim, and the people he was chasing ran too fast, so Cheng Ruoan couldn't see who they were.

Judging from the noise, there must be several of them.

Cheng Ruoan had a vague feeling that something was wrong, so she quickly told Lin to stop what she was doing and to take good care of the children.

Lin was quick and efficient at her work, and she usually did whatever her family told her to do.

But her two sisters-in-law never let her do any childcare.

Because both Xia and Li thought she was incapable of bearing a son, and she usually kept quiet, they were always afraid that she would be jealous and do something to their two families' precious sons.

Previously in the village, the Lin family was not allowed to approach Da Niu, Da Hu, Er Shuan, and Er Zhu even temporarily.

Hearing what the female bodhisattva—no, her third sister-in-law—said with some difficulty, "Can I ignore those older ones? I'm afraid of their mother…"

Cheng Ruoan choked up.

She knew the nature of the two bullies in this family, Xia and Li, so she nodded.

"Then go find your mother-in-law and take good care of all the little ones."

Just then, the tea stall owner returned. He put the broom back in its place, muttering curses under his breath.

"These refugees in the mountain valleys are probably going to become outlaws, and they're becoming more and more reckless in their actions."

"What mountain refugees?" Cheng Ruoan's ears perked up, and he grabbed a handful of candies from his pocket—actually from the table in his spatial dimension—and gave them to the tea stall owner.

It's a standard opening gesture to thank him for helping to get rid of the person, and also to prepare to gossip together.

The tea stall owner knew she was generous, so he didn't refuse and accepted her strange-looking candies, wrapping them in oil paper and eating them.

A rich, milky aroma filled his mouth, and he was completely captivated. He ate a piece, then wrapped it up and tucked it into his arms.

I'm going to bring this home so my children and grandchildren can try it.

Cheng Ruoan thought it was normal.

Let alone people in ancient times who lacked resources, even modern people have few who can resist the charm of White Rabbit Creamy Candy.

The tea stall owner pointed behind the teahouse in the direction the people had just fled: "Go up that small hill, walk about seven or eight miles into the wild woods, and you'll see a dry stream. Follow that stream further in, and you'll reach that mountain hollow."

There used to be bandits in that mountain valley, but the soldiers from Huilan County went to suppress them twice and never saw them again.

Last year, there was a severe drought in Hanzhong, and many refugees came to the area. However, Huilan City was closed, so all the thousands of refugees hid in the mountain valleys.

You're right not to stay overnight in our village. Our village is extremely xenophobic and never lets outsiders in. Besides... in short, it's better to spend the night in this desolate wilderness.

After all, out here, all you need to watch out for are those refugees who come to steal children.

Cheng Ruoan: ?

Is there something fishy going on in the village?

Unable to contain her gossip, she handed the tea stall owner two small bread rolls: "My eldest sister runs a food business. These are her newly developed desserts, milk soft bread rolls. Please try them and give me your feedback."

Asking for opinions is a pretense; empty platitudes are the truth.

The tea stall owner's eyes lit up, and he readily accepted it.

Cheng Ruoan: "You just said that your village is extremely xenophobic. What's that all about? Boss, can you tell me more about it?"

Just then, the tea stall owner drove up in her mule cart. "Madam Cheng, if you've finished using that stove, just put it under that big tree for me."

"it is good."

Cheng Ruoan looked at her cart, where the tables, chairs, benches, pots and pans for the tea stall were neatly arranged.

The tea stall was mobile; the couple owned a mule cart. They would take the stove, tables, chairs, and benches with them when they closed the stall and bring them back when they set up again.

When the family decided to set up a shed in the wild, Cheng Ruoan gave the tea stall owner fifty coins, saying that he would borrow their stove to boil water after they closed up shop.

The couple who ran the tea stall didn't leave.

"Old Qian, what are you and Madam Cheng talking about?"

"It's nothing. I was just reminding her to be careful of the refugees in the mountain valley. Those people are getting to the point of being extremely vicious."

Upon hearing this, the proprietress nodded in agreement: "That's right. Before, when they came down the mountain to find food and supplies, they knew to avoid people. Now, they just lurk in the shadows and keep an eye on those who are alone."

Who knows what happened to those lone people after they passed our tea stall?

"Alas, it's all the fault of this world, forcing people to leave their homes and become refugees."

After saying that, she remembered that Cheng Ruoan and his group were also fleeing from disaster, and felt that she had spoken out of turn. She smiled at Cheng Ruoan apologetically.

Cheng Ruoan didn't feel offended.

They were completely different from those who fled hastily without travel permits. They set off with complete paperwork, and once they reached their destination on the travel permit, they could settle down. Even if they couldn't settle down for a long time, the government couldn't expel them. This was a matter between the officials at the place of departure and the place of receipt, and it couldn't involve ordinary people.

At least not openly.

Once the landlady arrived, Boss Qian stopped talking to Cheng Ruoan about village matters. Cheng Ruoan just secretly remembered it in her heart and went back to Huangshui Village outside Lan County.

Based on her years of experience reading novels, she thought that such an extremely xenophobic village might be quietly making a fortune.

There might be a coal mine or a silver mine in the mountains behind the village.

Even though they won't go, I'll still write it down.

The reason why ancient times were so difficult was because of the lack of information. Since they were fleeing and had to travel a long way, they were able to collect information, and no matter what it was, they would write it down first.

After the tea stall couple left with their mule cart, Cheng Ruoan went to tell Si Shaoheng about the refugees in the mountain valley.

Si Shaoheng and the others were busy setting up the tent, which was separated from the area where the children had just played by a large space, so they didn't notice what had happened to Cheng Ruoan.

Cheng Ruoan: "Although the tea stall owner has already yelled at the child and driven away, I think we should arrange to keep watch tonight and leave as soon as it gets light, in case someone really comes to snatch the child."

Si Shaoheng nodded: "That's the only way. We can't move now. According to what Boss Qian said, we absolutely cannot go to Huangshui Village. We'll be on high alert, even if it's just for one night."

The sheds will be set up soon, and we won't have to assign sheds to different households anymore.

The children and women slept in the large shed in the middle, while the men slept in the sheds on either side. This way, even if the night watchmen didn't notice anyone sneaking in, the men would act as a line of defense.

Cheng Ruoan nodded, "Okay, let Si Xin and Niannian sleep between me and my mother tonight. You can arrange for your brother-in-law to keep watch during the second half of the night. He's good at hunting and has better skills."

People are most likely to relax and doze off in the middle of the night, so you can't be careless.

To Cheng Ruoan's surprise, something happened before midnight.

At the end of Hai hour (9-11 PM), a gust of wind carrying a strange smell blew into several thatched huts, and everyone slept even more soundly.

Xia Shoucai, who was on night watch, suddenly went black and collapsed.

Si Dalang also felt weak all over, and his eyelids grew heavier and heavier. He saw several figures carrying the child away from their thatched hut...

Before he collapsed, he managed to shout, "Wake up, everyone... Someone... Someone is trying to take my child..."