Love Lock

Chapter 188 is a fat sheep!
The situation was brought under control only after the freshmen and sophomores took the stun guns hanging from their waists and knocked down several young beggars who were leading the push.

The beggars, seeing the young beggars suddenly fall to the ground and the black stick that the big man and the second man could knock over with a single blow, were so frightened that they all retreated and dared not go forward again.

"Anyone who dares to push forward again will suffer the consequences!" the freshman shouted sternly.

The beggars retreated like a flock of startled sheep, staring in horror at the few people convulsing on the ground.

Taking advantage of the situation, Han Lei raised the megaphone: "Listen up! From today until Cangzhou, I will be distributing food to everyone every day. But you must line up to receive it. Anyone who dares to snatch it..." She pointed to the people on the ground, "...can forget about getting another bite of food!"

"Really, is there food every day?" a gaunt old man asked in a trembling voice.

"I promise!" Han Lei nodded solemnly, "Not only will there be food, but we will also arrange work for everyone when we get to Cangzhou. Once everyone has work to do, we won't go hungry or cold anymore."

Following Han Lei's words, the line quickly formed in an orderly fashion.

When the first beggar accepted the boxed meal, his eyes widened in disbelief, and he suddenly knelt down.

"My God! White rice! It's actually white rice. And meat too!" Turbid tears rolled down his dirty cheeks.

"This...this must be food for gods!"

An old woman held a lunchbox, her hands trembling uncontrollably.

The senior students were busy distributing steamed buns to the children when a little girl timidly asked, "Brother Guard, will we really be able to eat this every day from now on?"

"Of course." The senior patted her head. "After you get to Cangzhou, you'll be able to live in a house that doesn't leak through the rain, all through your own hard work."

Wow! That's great!

The child cheered, which prompted the other beggars to cheer as well.

As the sun sets, the long-lost aroma of food wafts along the official road.

The beggars, some squatting and some sitting, carefully ate what was perhaps the most sumptuous meal of their lives.

Han Lei looked at this scene, and a relieved smile appeared on her tired face.

There were large numbers of beggars gathered there to receive food, and many people who had been displaced by the torrential rain also flocked over from the roadside.

As the number of people grew, Han Lei realized that although these people were all from Jingzhou, the torrential rain had left them homeless and destitute. She felt she had to offer them assistance, regardless of where they came from.

Han Lei simply sent the first and second-year students back the way they came to spread the word in the villages of Jingzhou, telling the people who had lost their homes that if they were willing to settle in Cangzhou, Cangzhou would definitely welcome them warmly.

As soon as she put her idea into practice, the system's notification sounded in her mind, indicating that tens of thousands of taels of gold had been deposited into her account.

Han Lei finally understood that the system was actually an account, and as long as she did good deeds, the system would provide her with financial support.

Because they had to take care of thousands of beggars and disaster victims, Han Lei and the third and fourth-year students walked and stopped frequently, and it took two days for the road ahead to gradually dry.

The massive crowd didn't reach Mianning County in Jingzhou until the third day.

As dusk settled, the shadows of the trees along the official road stretched long.

Han Lei stood in front of the city gate of Mianning County, looking at the long, winding queue behind her, and couldn't help but sigh softly.

Thousands of ragged beggars and refugees sat or lay down, their weary faces filled with confusion about the unknown future.

"Girl, are we really going into the city tonight?" The senior wiped the sweat from his forehead, the veins on his thick arms bulging. "With so many people, I'm afraid the city won't be able to accommodate them all."

Han Lei gathered her wind-blown hair, a hint of determination appearing on her sweet face.

"The weather is hot, and there is no water source outside the city. The elderly and children can't stand it, so we must go into the city to rest for the night."

"it is good."

In his senior year, he agreed and led the beggars and disaster victims into the city one after another.

Since Han Lei had Eleven of the Jingzhou Big Character Team gather many beggars and military dependents in Mianning County and send them to Cangzhou, there have been no beggars in Mianning County for a long time.

Today, a large number of beggars and refugees suddenly poured in, which frightened the soldiers guarding the city so much that they quickly reported to the county magistrate, who immediately came out to investigate.

A group of constables escorted a middle-aged man in official robes as they hurried towards them. The man appeared to be in his early forties, with a fair complexion and small, shrewd eyes.

"How dare you! Who are you people? Where did you come from?" the magistrate shouted sternly, his voice carrying a hint of bravado but a hint of cowardice.

The constables behind him gripped their fire-and-water sticks tightly, watching the group of ragged refugees warily.

Han Lei straightened her conspicuous sportswear, which stood out in this era, and stepped forward slowly, giving a graceful curtsy.

"Han Lei, a commoner, greets Your Excellency, the County Magistrate."

Her voice was clear and melodious, and her demeanor was poised and graceful, a stark contrast to the disheveled vagrants around her.

The magistrate narrowed his eyes and looked the strangely dressed but extraordinary young woman up and down.

"Who are you? Did you bring all of this?" The magistrate pointed at the dark mass of people, his voice unconsciously lowering.

Han Lei smiled slightly, her smile sweet and approachable.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, these are the poor people of Jingzhou who lost their homes due to the torrential rain. I was entrusted by the Cangzhou government to lead them to reclaim wasteland for farming. We were passing through your county and only wish to stay for one night."

"Cangzhou?" The county magistrate frowned. "Do you have any travel documents?"

The third-year student next to her felt a pang of anxiety, but Han Lei remained calm. "Reporting to you, sir, we originally had the travel documents, but they were lost in the torrential rain and flood."

The magistrate's gaze lingered on Han Lei for a long while before he finally said, "Even so, with so many people flooding into the city, how can I guarantee its safety? What if someone takes the opportunity to cause trouble..."

"Your Excellency is wise." Han Lei's voice was soft but firm. "These people are all honest and hardworking farmers. If it weren't for the natural disaster, why would they leave their homes? I am willing to guarantee with my life that they will never cause trouble in the city."

The magistrate stroked his beard, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes.

Just then, a thin figure emerged from the crowd and knelt down in front of the magistrate with a thud.

"Your Honor!" It was an old woman with gray hair, her withered hands tightly gripping the magistrate's robe.

"My son died in the flood, and my daughter-in-law took my grandson with this young woman to Cangzhou to make a living. Please, Your Honor, have mercy and let us into the city for a drink of water!"

The old woman wept bitterly, which caused many of the surrounding refugees to sob as well. The magistrate's expression changed slightly, and he subconsciously took a half step back, afraid that these dirty refugees would touch his official robes.

Seeing this, Han Lei quickly stepped forward to help the old woman up, and at the same time subtly approached the magistrate, whispering, "Sir, may I speak with you in private?"

She led the magistrate to a large tree to the side, and took out two heavy gold ingots from her bosom, which shimmered alluringly in the setting sun.

"My lord, this is just a small token of our appreciation." Han Lei slipped the gold ingot into the magistrate's sleeve. "We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning and won't delay your official duties."

The magistrate weighed the gold ingots in his sleeve, a glint of greed flashing in his eyes.

He feigned reluctance, saying, "How can this be? As an official responsible for the people's welfare, it is my duty to be considerate of their plight..."

"Your Excellency is as incorruptible as water, and I admire you greatly." Han Lei smiled, but a hint of mockery flashed in her eyes. "However, Your Excellency, it is getting late, and these refugees do need to rest. Please do me the favor."

The magistrate pretended to decline again, but in the end he still accepted the gold ingot.

He cleared his throat and said loudly, "Since the young lady has given such a guarantee, I will make an exception this time. But remember, you must leave the city first thing tomorrow morning, without delay!"

"Thank you for your kindness, sir!" Han Lei bowed deeply, her voice clear and resonant, so that all the refugees around her could hear her clearly.

A cheer erupted from the crowd.

The old woman was about to kneel down and kowtow again when Han Lei stopped her, saying, "Grandma, there's no need for that. Take your grandson and rest by the roadside."

The magistrate stroked his beard with satisfaction and turned to leave with his yamen runners.

Before leaving, he gave Han Lei a meaningful look: "Young lady, you are very generous, you must be of extraordinary background. May I ask who your father is...?" Han Lei first winked at the third and fourth-year students, signaling them to arrange for the refugees to rest in an orderly manner.

Then he curtsied to the magistrate and replied, "My father is not worth mentioning. However, you must know my uncle."

The magistrate raised an eyebrow: "Oh? Your uncle is..."

“My uncle is Luo Hai, the magistrate of Qingshui County in Cangzhou,” Han Lei said sweetly.

"Oh!"

The magistrate suddenly realized what was happening.

He also knew that Cangzhou was a barren land, full of wasteland. The magistrates of all the counties in Cangzhou mobilized the people to reclaim wasteland and cultivate the land, but the results were not good.

Unexpectedly, Luo Hai, the magistrate of Qingshui County, was quite resourceful and knew how to attract these refugees to Cangzhou to reclaim wasteland.

The magistrate nodded and said, "No wonder you wanted to take them to Cangzhou, it was Magistrate Luo's idea. Then it's alright, you two can rest now, just tell them not to cause any trouble."

Han Lei readily agreed, "Yes, yes. Thank you, Magistrate."

The magistrate said nothing more and left with his yamen runners.

However, none of them noticed that in the shadows around the corner ahead, a weasel-faced man was staring intently at Han Lei.

"Brother Feng, did you see that? That young lady just threw out two gold ingots; she's a fat sheep!"

A thug with a pointed face and monkey-like features whispered in the man's ear.

The man called Feng San licked his chapped lips, his eyes gleaming with greed: "Go tell the brothers, we have a fat sheep coming tonight."

Feng San was a notorious local thug in Mianning County, who frequented gambling dens and brothels every day and was surrounded by a group of petty thugs.

He had lost money at the gambling den that day and was furious when he walked to the street corner and saw Han Lei slipping gold ingots to the magistrate.

Meanwhile, Han Lei was busy arranging for the refugees to settle in open spaces in the city.

She directed the third and fourth-year students to distribute steamed buns and water, while she checked on the elderly and children one by one.

"Girl, sit down and rest too!" Da San leaned over, his dark face full of worry. "We should be alright tonight, right? I have a feeling that the magistrate has ill intentions."

Han Lei took out a bottle of mineral water from her spatial storage, took a sip, and whispered, "He took the money, so he shouldn't make things difficult for us. But..."

Her gaze swept across the dark street corners. "This city is probably not safe. The three of us will take turns keeping watch tonight and make sure everyone is safe."

The senior student leaned over and said in a gruff voice, "Don't worry, young lady, with us here, no one will dare to lay a finger on these villagers!"

Han Lei looked at the disaster victims and beggars lying haphazardly on the side of the street and couldn't help but sigh.

There were only a few hundred beggars from the capital, but they had taken in nearly two thousand disaster victims along the way.

Perhaps it was because she had never seen so many homeless people in her comfortable modern life that she couldn't bear to see human suffering here.

So many people were crammed into the streets, lying on the ground. Han Lei felt heartbroken just looking at them.

As night fell, scattered lights appeared on the streets of Mianning County.

The refugees huddled together in small groups, sharing the steamed buns and bottled water provided by Han Lei.

Over the past two days, they had become accustomed to seeing Han Lei take out food and water from the carriage. At first, some people were surprised and wondered how such a small carriage could hold so much food.

But faced with hunger and exhaustion, those speculations were utterly insignificant. Everyone wished that the food and water in the wagons were inexhaustible.

After a long day of travel, everyone was exhausted.

The children slept soundly in their mothers' arms, occasionally letting out a few restless murmurs in their sleep. The adults, after a quick meal, also lay down on the floor and drifted off to sleep.

Han Lei leaned against an old locust tree, gazing at the starry sky, her thoughts racing.

She recalled her experiences after transmigrating to this strange world, the people whose families were torn apart by natural disasters, and the barren land in Cangzhou waiting to be cultivated...

Suddenly, she remembered the ring-shaped jade pendant hanging around her neck.

This is the only thing she has that is related to Zhao Zun right now. She... misses Zhao Zun.

"Girl, you should go back to the carriage and rest. I'll keep watch for the first half of the night." Da San walked over carrying a bundle of hay, his voice very soft.

Han Lei shook her head: "I'm not sleepy. You go and take care of those weak families on the east side; they need you more."

As the two were talking in hushed tones, several pairs of eyes were watching the makeshift camp intently from an alley not far away.

Feng San licked the short knife in his hand and grinned maliciously at the seven or eight thugs behind him: "Later tonight, we'll go and meet that rich and powerful woman."

"Fine, hehehe."

"Great."

The thugs grinned maliciously.

The night is as dark as ink, so thick that it cannot be dissolved.

The refugees lay sprawled on the makeshift camp, their snores rising and falling. Occasionally, someone would turn over, their clothes rustling softly before being blown away by the night wind.

The shadows of the trees in the distance swayed like lurking wild beasts, watching over this weary camp.

Feng San squatted in the shadows deep in the alley, his rough thumb repeatedly rubbing the back of the short knife.

The blade gleamed coldly in the moonlight, reflecting the hideous scar on his face.

“Wait another half an hour,” he said in a low voice, a sound like sandpaper scraping against his throat, “and then we’ll go over once that big guy is a bit further away.”

Behind him, seven or eight thugs exchanged greedy glances.

One of the skinny thugs, who looked like a bamboo pole, rubbed his hands together and asked, "Third Brother, how much silver do you think that woman has?"

"Nonsense!" Feng San spat. "Didn't you see it during the day? She casually handed over two large gold ingots. Such a fat sheep is a once-in-a-lifetime find!"

As the moonlight gradually sank in the west, the temporary camp fell into a deeper silence.

The tall, imposing figure of the third-year student patrolled back and forth in the distance, his stun gun slung over his shoulder as he vigilantly scanned his surroundings.

Feng San squinted as he watched Da San finally walk to the other end of the camp, his figure obscured by the trees.

"Now!" Feng San waved his hand, and seven or eight dark figures, like jackals stalking the night, crept along the wall toward the carriage.

They moved nimbly, skillfully avoiding the legs and feet of the disaster victims stretched out haphazardly on the ground, and slowly approached the carriage.

Upon reaching the carriage, one of the thugs stayed outside as lookout, while the others dispersed around. Feng San, however, lifted the carriage curtain alone.

The carriage was pitch black, with a faint scent of jasmine mixed with a woman's unique fragrance wafting through the air.

Feng San squinted, and by the moonlight filtering through the curtains, he could vaguely make out a figure lying on the soft couch at the far end of the carriage. The even, long breathing was particularly clear in the quiet carriage.

A sinister smile curled at the corner of Feng San's mouth.

He hunched over, like a cat pouncing on its prey, and moved forward cautiously.

The boots made no sound as they stepped on the thickly carpeted carriage floor.

He slowly raised the dagger in his hand, aiming it at the figure's throat.

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