Before the house is confiscated, the enemy's warehouse is emptied and exiled

Yun Yi was a little panicked by this sudden situation and didn't know how to deal with Shen Qingge for a moment.

He was stunned for a while, then hesitantly said: "Um...ah...that's not...no!"

Seeing that Shen Qingge had no ill intentions, he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his expression very embarrassed.

Looking at Yun Yi's dumbfounded look, Shen Qingge almost laughed out loud. It seemed that this kid was really scared.

However, seeing that the officials were about to take everyone to find water, time was running out, so Shen Qingge decided not to beat around the bush and instead stated his purpose directly.

She went straight to the point and said, "When I say I'm grateful for your care, sir, I'm actually thanking the Fifth Prince for his care for our Shen family along the way. Today, sir, you've seen that the officials are about to lead their men to the dense forest twenty miles to the west to search for water.

If everything goes well, the round trip will take at least half a day; if we are unlucky and encounter some setbacks, we may not be able to return until tomorrow."

Yun Yi listened to her quietly, nodding in agreement from time to time.

"It's not a big deal for me to go alone! But I can't rest easy knowing that there are nine women and children left behind. So, I beg you, sir, to lend a hand and take care of the Shen family, young and old, to prevent them from falling into the hands of evildoers. Of course, your efforts will not be in vain!"

Before she finished speaking, Shen Qingge quickly handed a heavy, bulging water bag to Yun Yi. The bag was filled with spiritual spring water. Then, she continued:

"This is my reward! It contains the detoxifying herb Snow Ganoderma! This herb is extremely rare and has extraordinary efficacy. This water is warm in nature and sweet in taste. Although it cannot completely eliminate the poison in the prince's body, it can effectively suppress the spread of the poison, and the effect is excellent!

If Your Majesty trusts me, drink it without worry; if Your Majesty does not trust me, just throw it away!"

After saying these words, Shen Qingge gave Yun Yi a smile full of gratitude.

Then, before Yun Yi could respond, she turned around and left without looking back. Yun Yi was left standing there alone, looking at her back as she walked away, looking disheveled.

When Shen Qingge came out of the grove, he saw that the officers had drawn men from each household and lined up to prepare to set off.

Seeing her return, her eldest sister-in-law Wang Lan hurried forward and said in a deep voice, "Little sister, I'll go. You take care of the most family members all day long, it's really hard. How about you rest here today?"

At this moment, the officer beside him shouted sternly, "Shen family, who among you is going to find water? Hurry up and don't delay!"

"I go!"

Shen Qingge broke free from her sister-in-law's tightly grasped hand, bowed to the officer, and then turned to her sister-in-law and said, "Sister-in-law, please stay here and look after the family. The mountain road is rugged and full of dangers. If you go, I will be even more worried!"

After saying that, she handed the remaining half bag of water in her arms to her sister-in-law and then left with the team.

This time, except for Shen Qingge, a woman, all the others who went into the mountains to look for water were men. They quickened their pace just to let the whole family have some water to drink as soon as possible.

Therefore, the group walked very fast, and in less than an hour, they had traveled more than ten miles.

However, although they walked very fast, it did not affect their ability to observe their surroundings while walking. If they found a water source in advance, they could return earlier.

They first followed the official road westward, the dust filling the air and cracking the earth. The trees and weeds along the roadside were as moribund as ever, devoid of life.

Everyone shook their heads and continued to move forward. After walking another three or five miles, they left the official road and came to a loess slope.

Looking around, this loess slope is not too high, it stretches and twists, with peaks and gullies, but there are only a few green plants.

The ground here was even more cracked, piece by piece, as if completely severed. Leaning down to peer into the depths of the cracks, it was pitch black, as if it could swallow you up in the next moment.

"Everyone watch your step. If you fall in there, no one will collect your body!" Ma Si shouted.

Everyone was shocked when they heard this and moved forward cautiously.

While crossing this loess slope, they also encountered a low-lying area.

Everyone excitedly approached, only to find a long-dried riverbed, riddled with potholes, gravel, rocks, and gullies. There were also numerous animal carcasses lying along the riverbed, and a pungent, putrid stench could be smelled from afar.

Everyone shook their heads in disappointment and continued to move forward without stopping.

Finally, after more than an hour, they arrived at the dense forest marked on the map. The convicts were very excited and could not wait to enter the dense forest.

Only Shen Qingge stood there, motionless, quietly looking at the dense forest in front of him, feeling strange in his heart.

This dense forest is vast and boundless. At a glance, you can see endless green peaks and the vast sea. The trees are towering into the clouds, lush and verdant, with branches and leaves luxuriant.

It was midday, the sun blazing brightly in the sky, yet the dense forest was filled with a gloomy atmosphere. It was completely silent, with no sign of birds or animals. The entire forest was shrouded in a hazy mist, appearing mysterious and eerie.

The sight before her made her feel alarmed, and she quickly warned everyone, "Everyone, be careful! Don't rush into this place. In my opinion, this dense forest may hold hidden secrets!"

"Hmph! What's wrong with that? You stinky woman, stop talking nonsense here! Look at the foggy forest and the green trees. Doesn't that mean there is plenty of water?" Ma Si roared viciously, glaring at Shen Qingge.

However, when Ma Si met Shen Qingge's icy, piercing gaze, he couldn't help but feel a little timid. He suddenly felt a little insecure, and quickly coughed twice to cover up his guilt, then closed his mouth, not daring to say another word.

Seeing this, Wu Sheng, the third son of the Wu family, immediately jumped out to support him, shouting, "Your Excellency is absolutely right! What's wrong with you, a daughter of the Shen family? If you don't need water at home, then leave immediately. Why stop everyone from finding a water source?"

As he spoke, he waved his fists, as if trying to show off his power.

Seeing that he was like a mad dog, Shen Qingge didn't bother to pay attention to him, but silently watched the reactions of the officers.

These officers looked obviously timid and did not dare to step forward.

She understood instantly that these officers knew there was something wrong and just wanted to take two people down with them!

Sure enough, she heard Ma Si say, "You, from the Wu family, go inside and take a look at the situation!"

Wu Sheng, who thought he had won over the officials, would not miss this opportunity. Without saying a word, he went into the woods.