Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 217 Arrive
Upon hearing this, the people of Chenyao Village cautiously peeked out to see what was happening.

They saw a group of people coming from the west, quickly drawing their bows and shooting arrows, and then engaging in battle with the soldiers who had surrounded them.

“Wang Shitian is ordered to investigate the case. Put down your weapon and await your punishment.”

Someone shouted.

Upon hearing this, the soldiers brought by the observer instinctively paused. Zheng Ming, who was commanding from behind, frowned. Before he came, Prefect Liu had already told him that the people in Daming Prefecture might be from the Wang family.

Sure enough, he bumped into it.

If he stops now, he'll only be caught. Zheng Ming gritted his teeth secretly; he couldn't let himself be taken down like this. Whoever got arrested now might become the scapegoat.

All the blame would be piled on his head. Whether he did it or not, he would have to bear the responsibility. Whether it was Prefect Liu or Magistrate Hu, they would find ways to coerce him into taking all the blame.

But if he doesn't stop, things will escalate. If anything happens to the angel, the Liu family will be implicated no matter what. They can only try to find a way for everyone to survive.

Having figured this out, Inspector Zheng Ming instructed, "The government office has not received any official documents from the court and has no idea that any imperial envoy has come to Daming Prefecture. Someone must be impersonating someone else."

"Take down those people."

Zheng Ming regained control of the situation, and the two forces began to clash.

Zheng Ming initially thought it wouldn't be difficult to suppress the opposing team, but after a while, he realized that there weren't many people on the other side. However, after the angel Wang came from the west, he seized the advantageous high ground before they could react and attacked them from above.

This group of people was different from the villagers of Chenyao Village; their arrows made it easier for them to control the situation.

Soldiers were hit by arrows one after another, and Zheng Ming had no choice but to order them to retreat to the side for the time being.

"Take everyone and head south first," Wang Yan ordered. Sang Dian and the others immediately stepped forward to help the villagers, especially the injured ones.

Xie Yuyan and Madam Zheng also quickly stepped forward.

Seeing the woman lying on the ground, wounded by an arrow, Zheng was at a loss. Xie Yuyan squatted down to check the woman's breathing, and fearing she might be wrong, she touched the woman's neck. Then she shook her head at Zheng: "She's gone."

One of the arrows struck him in the chest, and he died instantly.

Zheng felt a lump in her throat. There was a ten-year-old daughter under the woman, and the child was lying on top of the woman, crying out, trying to get a response from her.

But the woman could never hear these things again.

Xie Yuyan wiped the blood off the woman's face and straightened her clothes.

"Let's place the body here first, and then we'll find it and take it back once we're free."

A woman's passing is considered complete when she is buried in her husband's ancestral graveyard. But now they can't take her body with them. Everything must be decided immediately, or more people will die here.

Zheng nodded and called over several villagers to move the body.

Xie Yuyan then went to check on the other injured people, and fortunately, none of them were in immediate danger of losing their lives.

Upon learning that Daming Prefecture had left Chenyao Village, they traveled day and night to catch up, and fortunately, they made it in time.

If it had been any later, all the villagers of Chenyao Village would have perished here. The government officials and soldiers just now showed no mercy; they clearly intended to kill them.

Everyone knew there was no way to escape the danger, so no one dared to waste any time and followed Wang Yan's instructions to head south.

“The imperial court has brought a large number of troops, coming from all directions into the mountains,” Wang Yan told the villagers. “It won’t be easy to escape from here.”

The villagers knew, but the feeling of fleeing now was different from before.

With Wang Tianshi accompanying them this time, and... Chen Rong leading the people to reunite with the villagers, even if it's dangerous now, as long as their families are together, they are not afraid of anything.

After this experience, Chen Rong no longer harbored any wariness towards Wang Yan and Xie Yuyan, only feeling immense gratitude. He truly hadn't expected that Wang Tianshi, upon seeing the government troops at the foot of the mountain, would still lead them in pursuit without hesitation, all to save the villagers of Chenyao Village. Chen Rong secretly resolved that, based on this alone, he would agree to anything Wang Tianshi and Madam Xie asked of him without hesitation.

The group resumed their hurried march through the mountains. As darkness fell, Wang Yan received news: "Another troop of soldiers is approaching from the south."

In other words, they were completely besieged.

On the way here with his men, Wang Yan told them to leave Daming Prefecture and seek help.

Compared to the people under Prefect Liu, Wang Yan had far fewer people he could mobilize in Daming Prefecture. Otherwise, Wang Yan wouldn't have needed to act this way; he could have simply suppressed the rebellion.

In addition, some people are heading to the capital. The eunuch brought evidence and Wang Yan's secret memorial to the capital. After the emperor reads it, he will surely send reinforcements. As long as Wang Yan can wait for the reinforcements to arrive, the situation in Daming Prefecture will be settled.

Unfortunately, the people he had planted in the Salt and Iron Bureau beforehand took ironware made from coke to the capital; otherwise, Wang Yan would have had more troops to mobilize.

So... although we're not at a point where we have no other options yet, we still need to wait.

Those who besieged them clearly anticipated this; their intention was to kill them to silence them and cover up the evidence beforehand.

"Don't go any further," Wang Yan said. "Let's rest up ahead for a bit."

If they continue like this, not only will they not be able to escape their predicament, but the injured women will also be unable to hold on.

Xie Yuyan took out medicine to bandage the women's wounds, while Wang Yan went to survey the terrain.

Xie Yuyan wasn't very knowledgeable in medicine, but she had studied medical principles while studying and often heard her father mention traditional Chinese medicine at the Taoist temple. When there were no doctors available, she could handle some acute illnesses.

After treating all the wounds, Xie Yuyan looked at Wang Yan.

Wang Yan was trying to find a way out of the predicament, but having the entire village with him made him feel constrained.

"Madam, have some water." Chen Rong handed over the water pouch.

Xie Yuyan took a couple of sips to moisten his throat before asking Chen Rong, "The torches you used last night had a layer of black oil on them."

Chen Rong nodded: "That's what we bought at the market. It's called kerosene. It burns for a long time, and we use it to light lamps."

Xie Yuyan asked, "Which market did you buy it at? Have you seen anyone selling it recently?"

“There are a few outsiders selling things in the grass market outside the north city of Guan County. I saw them a few days ago.”

Xie Yuyan nodded.

A moment later, Wang Yan came over, and Chen Rong, understanding, quickly led his men away, leaving Wang Yan and Xie Yuyan to talk.

Xie Yuyan said, "We can't go far with the villagers of Chenyao Village."

Wang Yan nodded.

It's difficult for everyone to escape together.

"Instead of waiting like this, it would be better to let some people leave first," Xie Yuyan guessed that Wang Yan would make this arrangement.

Wang Yan indeed said, "Tonight I will lead men to lure away the troops that are surrounding us. You and the villagers who are still able to travel should go around to the northeast."

With Wang Yan drawing their attention, it would be easier for them to escape.

However... if Wang Yan and his group try to hold off those people, they will face even greater dangers.

Xie Yuyan didn't hesitate: "Okay."