The daily struggles of divorced women in ancient times

Xia Mianwan and his group did not go down immediately after arriving at Dahuang Village. Looking from afar on the mountain, even though it was spring, Dahuang Village looked bleak and desolate, with no one living there. The greenery and vitality of spring were instantly hidden in this desolation.

The three of them waited for a while, and seeing that there was nothing unusual, they went down the mountain and walked towards the dilapidated house.

When they arrived at the dilapidated house, it looked like no one had ever lived there. Xiaowu followed the agreement and typed a series of numbers into the broken wooden board on the floor.

After a long while, a layer of wooden boards and a layer of stone slabs on the ground were removed, and Sun Bo walked out of the tunnel.

The three men were very happy to see Sun Bo. They had been staying in the mountains for a long time and hadn't met anyone other than themselves for a long time.

Uncle Sun looks good and seems to be doing well.

"Uncle Sun, long time no see!" Xia Mianwan greeted with a smile.

"Haha, long time no see, come on, let's go downstairs, it's not convenient up there." Sun Bo smiled and called Xia Mianwan to go to the tunnel.

The past six months were all thanks to the food sent by Xia Mianwan, which allowed them to survive safely until today. Sun Bo was even more grateful to Xia Mianwan.

When they arrived at the authentic stone house, Aunt Sun smiled and poured tea for Xia Mianwan and the other two.

"It's great that you're here. I've been thinking that you should come down for a while." Aunt Sun was a straightforward person. She spoke and acted straightforwardly.

Xia Mianwan took the tea bowl with a smile, "Yes, how are you these days, Auntie?"

Aunt Sun smiled and nodded, "We are in this tunnel every day. Maybe because it is a tunnel, the temperature is not bad. After I relaxed my mindset, I didn't get sick again."

"Can you handle the food and drink?" Xia Mianwan asked.

The smile on Aunt Sun's face became even bigger. "We can handle it. Didn't you teach my husband and grandson how to hunt and identify wild vegetables when you left? This winter, my husband and my grandson dug a lot of traps in the mountains, and they were able to bring back some prey every few days. We still have a lot of food left from the last time Xiaowu sent us!"

Xia Mianwan smiled and chatted with Aunt Sun about family matters for a while. After Ah Xing and Ah Hao came to greet each other, everyone started to talk about the current situation.

"Uncle Sun, do you know any news from the other end of the tunnel?" Xia Mianwan asked.

Sun Bo said seriously, "Yes, there have been some busy movements at the other end of the tunnel throughout the winter. The loudest noise was five days ago. Because it's the beginning of the new year, I thought you should go down the mountain, so Ah Xing, Ah Hao and I would take turns staying at the other end of the tunnel to ensure that there are people guarding there every day. Six days ago, when Ah Xing was guarding at the other end of the tunnel, he seemed to feel something was wrong. After he told me, the two of us stayed there to listen for the noise. The footsteps at the other end... sounded like an army was coming. Then the footsteps and the sound of hard objects colliding continued all night, and then the noise subsided."

"Are the footsteps in unison?" Xia Mianwan couldn't help but ask.

Sun Bo recalled it carefully, then nodded heavily, "Very neat."

Xia Mianwan thought for a moment and said, "If they are in good order, they are most likely regular troops. The newly formed rebel army does not have that much training time. Even if they have strict military discipline, their footsteps cannot be very even. As for the sound of hard objects colliding, it is most likely swords, spears, and halberds."

Xia Mianwan's judgment was exactly what Zhou Chengze was thinking: "I think Sister Xia is right. From this point of view, Yanzhou City is likely to have been pacified?"

When everyone heard this, they were shocked. Yanzhou City was pacified... Is this possible?

For a moment, everyone was silent. Everyone present had their lives greatly changed by the war. So was the war really over? Or was it just a short-term occupation by a vassal king during the war?

No one dares to guarantee it, and no one can guarantee it.

"Sister Xia, shall we go up and take a look?" After a while, Xiao Wu looked at Xia Mianwan and asked softly.

Xia Mianwan thought for a moment and nodded, "But we are outside. As long as no one comes from Dahuang Village, we won't be able to get any news. Given the current situation, it's worth a gamble. If the rebellion is really suppressed, we can return to Yanzhou City and live there soon."

Zhou Chengze asked worriedly, "What if the war is not over yet and the world is not stable?"

Zhou Chengze's problem was exactly what everyone was worried about. What would they do if they went there excitedly but ended up seeing the place still in ruins?

Xia Mianwan smiled and said to Zhou Chengze jokingly, "Brother Zhou, why are you afraid to face it now?"

When Zhou Chengze saw Xia Mianwan's smiling eyes, he knew that he had misjudged it again and felt a little embarrassed.

Xia Mianwan restrained his smile and said, "If the rebellion is not over, and the world is not settled, we should also be aware of it. If the overlord of this side really has the potential to be the holy ruler of the world, we should enter the city earlier. Although we have to take a gamble, we can also seize the initiative. What's wrong with that?"

Xia Mianwan didn't smile when she said this, but the determination revealed in her eyes went straight to everyone's heart.

Ah Xing looked at Xia Mianwan and seemed to be infected, with the youthful spirit filling his heart.

Xia Mianwan then said, "Besides, we have this tunnel. If the situation is not right, we can just run away. We will not be willing to go up and take a look."

"That's right, I'll listen to Sister Xia." Xiao Wu nodded.

Sun Bo suddenly said, "I admire the wisdom hidden in Mian Wan's heart."

Xia Mianwan smiled and said, "Uncle Sun, you are too kind. When the nest is overturned, all the eggs will be broken. It is impossible to go against the trend. I am just going with the flow."

Zhou Chengze said with some shame: "I have read so many books of sages, but I am always hesitant about this matter."

"Chengze, why are you studying?" Xia Mianwan asked.

"I..." Zhou Chengze was speechless for a moment.

Xia Mianwan smiled and said, "The reason why people study is just for themselves and the world. This is a very long road, why should we be obsessed with the length of time? What we learn from books is always shallow, isn't it?"

Zhou Chengze suddenly realized something, and bowed to Xia Mianwan earnestly, saying, "Sister Xia, your words are like enlightenment to me, and they have opened my eyes."

"It's not that serious. Well, let's get back to the point. Since we have decided to go to the city, we must make the necessary preparations. Ah Xing, Uncle Sun, do you two know the route of the entire garden?"

Sun Bo thought for a moment and said, "Ah Xing only knows the routes of his own courtyard and the main courtyard. I know more."

"That's good. Xiaowu, Chengze, and Sun Bo, I will go together and bring self-defense items. Ah Xing will stay here. We will have people who will come to look for us regularly. If someone comes to look for us, Ah Xing will have an idea." Xia Mianwan said.

Although Ah Xing also wanted to follow the others to take a look, he knew that they had to leave no one behind. After all, Aunt Sun and Ah Hao were women, and if something happened here, they might not be able to cope with it physically, so he nodded obediently.

After deciding on the general plan, several people prepared to head to the other end of the tunnel. It would take most of the day to walk from Dahuang Village to Yanzhou City.