Chapter 138: Cunning Plan

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Yuan Hongjun used his outstanding acting skills and medical skills to successfully join a small group of refugees and become a small leader.

Beside a birch tree, the sallow and thin young man, Gui Yuzhou, approached Yuan Hongjun and asked softly, “Little Brother, since you know medicine, how did you end up as a refugee?”

Yuan Hongjun was wearing ragged clothes. He opened his innocent eyes and waved his hand like an old man. “My medical skills can’t fill my stomach in times of drought.”

The others listened and felt that Yuan Hongjun was right. Even if the emperor came, he would be helpless against the drought.

Gui Yuzhou asked again, “Little Brother, what about your family?”

Yuan Hongjun’s eyes turned red. “They got lost and separated from me. I don’t know where they are now. Perhaps they are no longer alive.”

When the people in the small group heard this, they couldn’t help but sympathize with Yuan Hongjun. Of course, Yuan Hongjun was only saying this to gain sympathy and he had clearly achieved his goal.

Gui Yuzhou said, “It’s fine. We can take care of each other in the future. When this matter is over, if you’re still alive, we’ll help you find your family.”

Yuan Hongjun put on a grateful expression. “Thank you. I’m really lucky to have met you.”

The people regarded Yuan Hongjun more as one of them.

Yuan Hongjun glanced at everyone. A glint flashed across his clear eyes. “I also have some questions to ask you.”

Gui Yuzhou said without hesitation, “Little Brother, just ask. We’ll tell you everything we know.”

Yuan Hongjun waved at Gui Yuzhou. Gui Yuzhou leaned closer before Yuan Hongjun asked, “I want to ask why you’re here.”

Gui Yuzhou answered truthfully. Clearly, this was not a secret. “Someone told us that we could find a water source in this direction, so we followed.”

“Find a water source?” Yuan Hongjun thought to himself, At this speed, they would reach the capital in ten days. Are they going to the capital to find water?

Yuan Hongjun had a bad feeling. He couldn’t explain why, but he felt that something was wrong. “Have you found a water source?”

“We encountered a small river, but the water in the river had already been drained by us.” Gui Yuzhou had been bitten by a snake and almost died. It was Yuan Hongjun who saved him, so he trusted Yuan Hongjun very much and told him everything he knew.

Yuan Hongjun thought for a moment and asked, “Then do you know where we will end up if we go in this direction?”

Gui Yuzhou shook his head. “I don’t know, but we don’t care where we go. As long as we find water and can stay alive, nothing else matters.”

The rest of the people in the group nodded in agreement.

In the face of disaster, survival was really an extravagant hope, but as long as one was willing to work hard, there would still be a chance of survival.

Yuan Hongjun was a benevolent doctor. When he saw the miserable state of the refugees, he was very sympathetic. “Who told you that you could find a water source?”

Gui Yuzhou said, “I don’t know who it is, but this news has already spread among the refugees.”

Yuan Hongjun patted Gui Yuzhou’s shoulder and encouraged, “We will definitely find a water source.”

Gui Yuzhou nodded. “Yes.”

It was noon and the sun was blazing. Everyone tacitly agreed not to travel. Yuan Hongjun sat at the side and leaned against the birch tree behind him, thinking about what Gui Yuzhou had said just now.

Someone told them that they could find water in the direction of the capital. Who was this person? What was his motive?

In a certain cave.

Wan Zhilin slapped his subordinate’s face hard, causing blood to flow from his nose. “You bunch of useless trash, you went through so much to get a pile of sand and stones for me?”

At this moment, there were many carts carrying sacks in the cave. The sacks on the carts were all cut open, revealing brown sand and stones.

The assassins lowered their heads and did not dare to speak. How would they know that Tang Jinghong was so cunning as to use sand and stones to fool them?

The subordinate endured the pain and knelt on one knee. “I didn’t do my job well. I deserve to die. Master, please punish me!”

Wan Zhilin felt a deep sense of defeat. During this period of time, he had either been tricked by Tang Jinghong or taught a lesson by Chu Qingzhi. “Go and find out where the real food is. Burn it directly when you find it!”

The subordinate replied, “Yes, Master.”

Then, he asked, “Master, what about the refugees outside the cave?”

Wan Zhilin said ruthlessly, “Kill them all!”

The subordinate lowered his head. “Yes.”

Wan Zhilin’s heart was filled with anger. He flicked his sleeves heavily, walked out of the cave, and left.

The subordinates led a group of assassins out of the cave and killed all the refugees waiting outside.

More than 30 refugees were killed like dirt, and blood flowed all over the ground.

Then, the few of them mounted their horses and left.

Half a day later, Shen Yufeng found this cave. Looking at the corpses all over the ground, he felt a little uncomfortable, but he didn’t pity them. “It’s better to behave yourself. Otherwise, you don’t know when you’ll end up under the executioner’s blade.”

He waved at the soldiers behind him. “Check the surroundings.”

“Yes.”

The soldiers dispersed. Some went to the surroundings, while others followed Shen Yufeng into the cave.

After entering the cave, Shen Yufeng was stunned. “This, who can tell me what’s going on? Why are the grains all sand and stones?”

The soldier beside him was also shocked. “No wonder the general only looked anxious but didn’t come with us. It seemed that he planned this.”

Shen Yufeng suddenly knelt on the ground. “General, thank you for your foresight. Otherwise, 1 would have become a great sinner.”

As he shouted, he suddenly saw something white. He quickly walked over to take a look.

The white thing was a jade pendant. He picked it up and wiped it twice with his thumb.

“Looking at the quality of this jade pendant, it’s worth at least a thousand taels. The people who robbed the grains definitely won’t wear such an expensive jade pendant. It’s very likely that it belongs to the mastermind.”

Shen Yufeng carefully put away the jade pendant and continued to search in the cave.

After searching for about ten minutes, they really did not find anything. Shen Yufeng brought the soldiers and moved the corpses of the refugees into the cave, burying them with the sand and stones.

In the end, they were still pitiful people. If not for this natural disaster, these people would not have died in the middle of nowhere.

After burying the corpse, Shen Yufeng brought the soldiers back to look for Tang Jinghong.

Outside Xu City.

Chu Qingzhi brought some herbs to the tent and used her spiritual power to crush them into powder.

“Jinghong, come in.” She wasn’t deliberately avoiding Tang Jinghong, but she needed someone to guard the tent, so Tang Jinghong was outside.

Tang Jinghong entered. “Qingzhi, is it ready?”

Chu Qingzhi said, “Jinghong, give the powder to the soldiers and spread it evenly across a large area. Dig a pit and place the powder in it. It’s about time.”

Tang Jinghong nodded. “Okay..”