The weak scholar in the end of ancient times

Chapter 22 Can We Go Together?
After leaving the post station, they walked along the route planned by Wen Gu for a day and were forced to stop again.

It is going to rain.

The Taoist priest would look at the weather and speculate that it would rain soon. They would either speed up and rush to the next destination, or stay where they were and wait for the rain to pass before choosing the right time to set off again.

Although Xiao Liu is not as accurate as the Taoist priest, he used to go hunting in the mountains frequently and has experience in observing celestial phenomena, so he can give a rough judgment.

Every time their team faced the question of what to do or what not to do, they would review their past experiences before making a decision.

This time, Xiao Liu also made the same prediction as the Taoist priest based on the astronomical phenomena. Let’s review it first.

Wen Gu looked at the map in his hand and said, "Then let's wait for the rain to pass."

They are now in a teahouse at the foot of a mountain.

It is just a simple two-story wooden building. There used to be some wooden stalls around it, but now they are all abandoned. Only this teahouse is slightly stagnant.

Wen Gu looked out the window at the hillside outside.

According to County Magistrate Zhou, this place is also a tourist attraction.

This mountain is not very high. A long time ago, a famous person from other places came here and planted a field of crabapple flowers. Every year when the flowers bloom, the literati and poets of this county will gather together to climb the mountain and appreciate the flowers, and the wealthy families nearby also like to hold banquets there.

Standing here you can see the pavilions on the mountain.

It seems that the foot of the mountain is just a service point, and there should be more complete facilities on the mountain. Unfortunately, it is not convenient to see it in its current state.

Wen Gu thought to himself that when the troubled times were over, he would definitely come here to check in if he had the chance.

Perhaps the mountain still preserves inscriptions by visiting literati or inscriptions on stone tablets.

Thinking of this, Wen Gu wrote it down in another notebook.

The teahouse is much smaller than the post station and has not been taken care of for a long time. The second floor is even more dilapidated. If it rains, you definitely can't stay on the second floor.

I found some firewood around and piled it in a corner so that I would be able to find dry firewood when it rained.

Move the tea stove to a room where it is not exposed to rain.

Before, they used the stream water flowing down from the nearby mountains, and used the tea stove and teapot here to boil several pots of water for cleaning and drinking.

This time, the donkey could not be brought indoors, so they used a few pieces of coarse cloth, bamboo poles, hemp ropes, and stones found in the teahouse to build a temporary awning in the leeward side of the teahouse.

The wind outside began to pick up, tearing off the remaining dead leaves on the branches.

The doors and windows of the teahouse were closed, and Wen Gu and the others could hear the whistling wind and the dead branches and leaves blowing outside.

The sky gradually darkened and the raindrops fell.

Ma Tuaner rests upstairs. The second floor is not suitable for living, but it is still suitable for a falcon to rest there, and it can also keep watch of the surroundings from a high place.

At this moment, two calls suddenly came from the second floor, alerting them that unidentified people were approaching.

Not a monster, but a human.

However, with Ma Tuaner's intelligence, he is unable to convey accurate information.

Providing early warning is good enough.

Be on guard, you will soon hear the sound of hooves hitting the road outside.

Looking outside through the gap in the teahouse's wooden walls.

A mule cart was approaching rapidly.

The driver was wearing a straw raincoat, a bamboo hat, and holding a big knife in his hand.

"Huh? That knife looks familiar!" Xiao Liu said.

Taoist Priest Qingyi raised his eyebrows and glanced at Wen Gu.

Sure enough, this dog scholar didn't look surprised, and the corners of his mouth were raised.

I had only seen this knife the day before. It belonged to the county lieutenant named Zhou.

But soon, the corners of Wen Gu's mouth that were raised flattened again, and he looked at the carriage of the mule cart.

It seems a bit too light.

Earlier at the post station, I'd heard County Lieutenant Zhou talk about his family affairs. There should be more than three adults left alive, plus children and the necessary supplies...

There's no way it could be this light.

No one else was seen behind the mule cart, and Ma Tuaner upstairs did not give any more reminders.

While thinking, Wen Gu said to Tietou, "Open the door."

At this time, the mule cart had already arrived at the door of the teahouse.

County Lieutenant Zhou, who was driving, jumped out of the car, lifted his hat slightly, revealing his gloomy eyes.

He held a knife in his hand and looked vigilantly at the donkey cart under the cloth tent in front of him.

The donkey cart is a familiar one, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the people inside are the same.

At this time, the door of the teahouse opened.

Seeing Wen Gu and the others, County Captain Zhou was obviously relieved.

"meet again."

"Come in and take shelter from the rain first." Wen Gu said in a gentle tone.

County Magistrate Zhou didn't waste any time and said, "Thank you!"

However, he did not go into the house immediately. Instead, he pulled the mule cart under the eaves, opened the door of the carriage, held up an oil-paper umbrella to block the wind and rain, and then said to the people inside: "Come in quickly."

There was a smell of alcohol between the actions.

Apparently, along the way, they used the smell of alcohol to ward off evil spirits.

At this time, one adult and two children came out of the mule cart.

three children.

The older one looked about twelve or thirteen, and the two younger ones were only about five or six. They were all very thin, with deep fear in their eyes, as if they had suffered a great shock.

Apart from these three children, there was no one else.

County Lieutenant Zhou pulled the mule cart to the temporary awning, adjusted it, and reinforced it. All the while, he kept an eye on the three children in the house.

After finishing the work outside, he took off his raincoat and threw it outside before entering the house.

On the way, the raincoat was stained with rain and mud.

The last time they met at the post station, he heard Wen Gu talk about the important points to pay attention to, and combined with his own experience, he decided that just in case, this raincoat could no longer be worn.

County Magistrate Zhou introduced to Wen Gu and the others that the eldest of the three children was his nephew, that is, his wife's nephew.

The two younger ones are his son and daughter.

And then there was nothing else. His eyes were bloodshot, as if he was squeezing out heavy emotions and hadn't had a break.

Wen Gu didn't ask any more questions, but just said, "Come quickly, drink some hot water to warm yourself up."

He took out a coarse porcelain cup he had found in the teahouse and poured hot water into it.

Wen Gu said, "I have already washed it with hot water."

County Captain Zhou thanked him and took it and gave it to the three children.

After drinking the hot water, County Lieutenant Zhou's tense nerves finally relaxed a little.

He rushed home immediately after leaving the post station, thinking that he had to bring some food back, so he stopped by a village he passed by on the way.

The villagers didn't see it, but they saw the bandits who had sneaked in here.

He killed the bandits and stole their mule carts and supplies.

But when he returned home, the only ones left alive were the three children hiding in the cellar.

Afterwards, he took his three children, had them rub their bodies with wine so that they would smell like wine, and drove the mule cart back to the post station, intending to load a few more jars of wine.

It was also at the post station that he saw the written reminders and pictures left by Wen Gu.

The hesitant thoughts in my heart finally became firm.

He did not stay in the post station for long. Relying on his familiarity with the terrain and the traces of wheel tracks and movements on the ground, he drove to catch up.

Until now, we finally met in a teahouse.

After a bowl of hot water calmed him down, County Magistrate Zhou simply told Wen Gu and the others that his family had encountered misfortune and only these three children were left.

Two very short sentences, each word filled with hatred.

After a pause, he said to Wen Gu with a serious expression, "I also want to take them north to seek refuge. I wonder... if I can go with you?"

Although he had just been betrayed by his best brother and was unwilling to trust anyone else, at this time, could he alone protect the three younger generations?

This is his last relative in this world.

He always thought that if he had a learned person around him, or someone with secret skills like the Taoist priest, his relatives left at home would not be forced into a desperate situation.

Now there are only him and his three children left. They cannot survive this disaster by themselves and just stay in their own little place.

There were several jars of wine on the mule cart. They could rub some wine on their bodies with a cloth every day to ward off evil spirits, but the wine would eventually run out.

The food will eventually run out, and the wood will eventually run out.

He had to find a way to survive for himself and his last three relatives.

Of course he knew that among the readers of the same books of sages, some were treacherous, sinister and vicious, but there were also those who were kind and righteous.

If I have to make a choice, this scholar in front of me, whom I have only met once, who can leave written and pictorial instructions for later generations at the post station, is more trustworthy.

There was also the smoking vine ball that was hit. The Taoist priest must have some secret skills as well.

Moreover, from the previous conversation at the post station, we learned that Wen Gu, this scholar, not only has extensive knowledge, but also has connections in the north.

After analyzing the pros and cons, he finally made this decision. He was just worried that Wen Gu and the others would think that the three children were a burden.

He stared at Wen Gu.

The good thing is, Wen Gu immediately said, "Of course, there's strength in numbers! We have four more helpers!"

Four boosters...

County Magistrate Zhou repeated these four words in his mind.

I'm afraid that if it were anyone else, no one would think of it as four helpers.

Only this overly kind-hearted scholar would feel this way.

County Captain Zhou looked at the Taoist priest next to him again.

The Taoist priest didn't say anything, and it was unclear whether he agreed or disagreed.

As for the other two, Tietou looked indifferent, and Xiao Liu, who was holding the bow, couldn't help but take another look at the three children, but did not raise any objection.

County Captain Zhou looked at Wen Gu again.

Wen Gu nodded slightly, signaling County Magistrate Zhou to rest assured.

County Magistrate Zhou bowed and said nothing more.

I couldn't help but think: the leader of this fleeing team is actually Wen Gu, a weak scholar!
But, is it too kind?

How did he survive?

luck?

Or, is there an escape route within the book?
Or maybe, there is another side to this person that is unknown to the public?
No matter what, he brought his family to join this refugee group. If they encountered evildoers, if this scholar really couldn't bear to kill them, then he would solve the problem in secret. In this world, some people are like evil spirits, they must be killed completely!

Taoist Qingyi glanced over there and shook his head imperceptibly.

Alas, dog scholar!
hypocritical!

How hypocritical!

I don’t know how many more people will fall into the trap of the dog scholar in the future.

At this time, Wen Gu was concerned about the injury of County Magistrate Zhou.

"It's okay. It's been four or five days and he's much better now," said County Lieutenant Zhou.

Although the other party said so, Wen Gu still asked the Taoist priest to give him two pills, and signaled to the Taoist priest: We are family now, you can be more generous!

The Taoist priest poured out two pills from the medicine bottle. Wen Gu said that these were pills made by the Taoist priest using herbs and plants, which could be useful for healing internal injuries. He did not urge County Lieutenant Zhou to take them immediately.

The other party has just joined and is still a little cautious.

Don't be in a hurry. You will become familiar with each other naturally after spending more time together.

As for the three children brought by County Lieutenant Zhou, the older one could actually be considered half a laborer. Even though he ate a lot, County Lieutenant Zhou joined with supplies! They were all in the mule cart!

And in the eyes of some people in troubled times, two young children are indeed a burden.

But, why should people join your team if they have no burden?
Although this place is poor and remote, he is still a county lieutenant after all. He has fighting skills and is familiar with the local area. He can find other survivors and form a team of his own.

When it comes to raising children, some people see them as a burden, while others see them as a weakness.

It’s good to have someone who cares!
If there is no one who cares about him, no one knows what he will become when he goes crazy.

The rain stopped at midnight, but the next day was cloudy and the ground was still wet, so they had to wait another day before setting off.

In his spare time, County Captain Zhou chatted with Xiao Liu and learned from Xiao Liu what Wen Gu said at the post station that day.

The doubts he had in his heart about Wen Gu faded a lot.

My decision was not wrong!!
County Magistrate Zhou didn't tell Wen Gu and the others much about his family affairs. He would only take out a whetstone and sharpen his knife when the children were resting.

He would always think back to—

When I got home, I opened the door and saw those figures hanging on the beams.

There were evil purple-brown spots on the hanging arm, and several suicide notes were left on the table next to it.

Because they didn't see him come back, none of the other people who went out came back.

Generally, in such cases, the default setting cannot be restored.

So the adults hiding in the cellar went out together to find firewood and food.

What little food they found was left to the three children, as the adults who were away were all possessed by evil spirits.

County Captain Zhou couldn't sleep at all that night. As soon as he closed his eyes, the tragic scene he saw when he opened the door appeared in his mind.

I couldn't help but think over and over again, if those "good" brothers had brought the food back in time, at least one or two more people could have been saved...

When leaving home, County Magistrate Zhou specially brought a whetstone from home.

Now that I have some free time, I might as well sharpen my knife.

He stared at the blade, watching it grow sharp.

bass--

bass--

Each sound was terrifying.

……

On a farm on the border between Tang County and another county.

The original residents are no longer here, and the only people living here now are a small group of people who are temporarily taking shelter from the rain.

A young man in his twenties was lying on a simple wooden bed with a sickly red face.

He caught a cold.

"Sanlang, take your medicine."

The young woman came over with the medicine.

The young man drank the medicine in the bowl.

They had finally found this in the town just ahead. The medicinal material was precious, so they were reluctant to use it at this time, and the medicinal flavor was a bit weak.

When I was sick, I couldn't help but think of many past events, and also thought of County Lieutenant Zhou who was abandoned by them.

In the past, they regarded County Magistrate Zhou as their eldest brother. This eldest brother was indeed loyal and capable.

Now, abandoning my elder brother is also forced by survival.

County Lieutenant Zhou was injured at the time and his movements were hindered, so they needed someone to cover their retreat.

We have also discussed the plan of leaving the town in private. Now that things have developed to this point, we will just go with the flow.

They hesitated. County Magistrate Zhou's military might could indeed provide an extra layer of security for everyone, but the eldest brother's family was also a burden.

I just care too much about my wife and children!

Brother, this is a chaotic world!

If it’s gone, just find someone else to regenerate it!
This county lieutenant still holds on to the old ideas. He always says he is doing his duty and meddling in everything.

There is no one in the county government office!

Who can control you?!

Together, we're the bosses of this land! Once we find supplies and a safe place, we can claim our territory and rule the land!
Why do we always have to restrict everyone and not allow this or that?

Look, the big brother who was once so majestic has now been abandoned by his brothers, right?
After abandoning County Magistrate Zhou, they did not return. The town was already dangerous and there was no food.

We also have to consider the county lieutenant.

If the eldest brother can't come back, there is no need to worry. If he can come back, he will definitely kill everyone and they will have to escape.

This county lieutenant is really nice to you, but he is really ruthless when he hits you!

When a man who can become a county lieutenant becomes hard-hearted, he will not listen to your pleas.

The sick young man thought so, and suddenly his heart skipped a beat.

If these brothers can abandon their injured eldest brother, what about him who is sick?
At this time, another brother came in through the door, saw his worry, and comforted him:
"Don't worry, I'll keep all the precious herbs I found for you. We're going to rest here anyway, and it's raining outside, so we don't plan to leave for the next two days."

It rarely rains here for a long time at this time of year. This rain came a little too suddenly, but judging by the weather, it would be sunny for a few days after the rain.

The rain will stop today, but we have to wait until the road is dry before we can set off.

The young man on the hospital bed thought so. He would have to wait at least another day or two.

So I closed my eyes with peace of mind. When you are sick, you just need to sleep more, and you will be fine after a good sleep.

He didn't see that the young woman holding the medicine bowl exchanged silent glances with the young man at the door.

When the person on the hospital bed opened his eyes again, he did not feel better, but weaker.

My throat was dry and I felt weak all over. I wanted to call out, but for a long time I couldn't make a sound.

At this time he felt something was wrong.

It was too quiet around. His wife, who was supposed to be guarding the bed, was nowhere to be seen, and his good brothers didn't seem to be around either.

Turn your head and look at the ground.

The peels of wild fruits picked from the mountains are still here.

Just judging by how dry the peel is, it might have been nearly two days!
At this moment, he just felt confused.

Bad feeling.

Under the sudden strong emotional impact, I felt my eyes go dark.

He paused, then looked inside the house.

The baggage is gone.

His face was full of disbelief and he wanted to go out to confirm, but unfortunately he didn't have the strength and rolled off the bed.

He crawled over bit by bit until he reached the nearest window, used all his strength to hold on to the chair, stood up, opened the window and looked outside.

The wooden cart was gone, and the yard outside was empty, without even a grain of rice left.

He laughed hoarsely.

As expected, we came here together... "good" brothers!!!
I was so weak that I couldn't even laugh.

Those people did stay for two days because of the rain, but at the same time, the "precious" medicine also allowed them to sleep for two days, which was enough time for them to make a unanimous decision to leave after the rain stopped.

Even if there were people who were originally on his side, there were still people who betrayed him, and then were forced by the situation to go with the flow again and abandon him as a patient.

Retribution!
His eyes were dull and he stared outside numbly.

I don’t know how long it took, but the midday sun was a little slanted.

But the temperature at this time has risen to a warm temperature due to the sunshine in the morning and noon.

A figure swiftly climbed over the courtyard wall and looked into the house.

Under the young man's frightened gaze, the evil creature outside broke in through the door.

The young man looked terrified. He rolled and crawled from the window to hide in the corner, holding his head, not daring to look, and trembling all over.

The evil creature that broke in through the door roared like a wild beast in the mountains, and its claws with mutated nails scratched a mark on the wooden wall.

Then he retreated as if unwilling to give up, smelled the remaining smell in the room, and ran out following the smell.

The dilapidated farmhouse became quiet again.

The young man huddled in the corner just showed a little smile of surviving a disaster, but suddenly froze and his face turned pale.

When an evil creature is right before your eyes but doesn't see you as its prey, the most likely scenario is:

You have been possessed, and to a certain degree.

He had been in a coma for two days, hadn't eaten a single grain of rice, and had caught a cold, feeling weak and powerless. He rolled out of bed and it took him a while to crawl to the window.

But just now, he inexplicably gained strength and quickly ran from the window to the corner of the wall.

why?
Because he's turning into a monster!
There were already large and obvious evil spots on his exposed hands, but he could not see anything abnormal on his hands.

There was a moment of self-awareness, and according to his previous decision, he would have committed suicide to avoid going to hell after death. But at this moment, he suddenly felt cowardly.

Fear, hatred, and an increasingly strong feeling—

It’s great to be in this state of recovery and feeling strong all over.

Hungry, bloodthirsty.

The expression on his face was desperate, crazy, hesitant and distorted.

As time passed, the tangled, contradictory, and various expressions full of rich human emotions on his face were gradually replaced by calmness and indifference.

The heart rate is decreasing at a specific rate, and the pupils are expanding and contracting accordingly, so that the area covered by the evil spots is getting larger.

After an unknown amount of time, a wild animal-like grunt began to come from his throat.

　Tsk, how many chapters are owed?
　　
　
(End of this chapter)