After crossing, I was forced to hold on to my thighs and build a kingdom

Qingying was stunned, as if she had not expected that her master would go to see the young boy in person.

Su Cheng'an asked, "How far is this place from the temple?"

"Less than three miles."

Thinking of the chaotic scene in the temple, Qingying couldn't help but whisper, "That place is messy and dirty. Master, why bother to step on such a lowly ground and cause trouble? If you have mercy, I will give more silver to those children."

"I have my own plan! You just lead the way." Although Su Cheng'an's voice was low, it carried an attitude that left no room for doubt.

Seeing that his master had made up his mind, Qingying stopped talking, turned around quickly and walked out the door.

Su Chengan bowed slightly to the middle-aged man and said, "I'll be back soon, please make yourself at your leisure."

After saying that, he stood up, shook off his clothes, and strode out the door.

But then I heard footsteps behind me, and the middle-aged man was already catching up with me with his robe in hand.

He spoke hurriedly, "Little brother, I'm sorry for being so abrupt. Could you please come with me? I'm also very concerned about the child's condition."

Su Cheng'an raised his eyebrows, curled the corners of his lips slightly, and then nodded: "In that case, let's go together!"

The three of them walked quickly all the way, and finally saw the dilapidated temple a quarter of an hour later.

As I walked a little closer, I could hear the crying of children mixed with the voices of adults, which was noisy and shrill. I thought that the temple must be in chaos and disorder.

Qingying turned around and looked at Su Cheng'an hesitantly, but saw that he had a serious expression and walked forward without hesitation.

The middle-aged man behind him quickly glanced at Qingying, and then quickly followed Su Chengan.

A strong smell mixed with various body odors and sweat hit him in the face. Su Cheng'an frowned imperceptibly and then stepped in.

The three fairly spacious rooms were now packed with children of all sizes.

There was only a small path on the rough ground that was barely wide enough for people to pass through, and the rest of the ground was covered with thin straw.

Some of the younger children were already sprawled out on the straw, asleep, while the remaining children, six or seven years old and older, who had not yet fallen asleep, stared at the newcomer with wide eyes, wary and timid.

Su Cheng'an looked around but didn't see the young boy from the evening.

"Master, there!"

The green shadow behind him pointed towards the easternmost corner, motioning him to go over.

Su Cheng'an stepped over and saw several women squatting on the ground, surrounding another woman and tidying up.

The woman's face was covered, and two small bodies were kneeling at her feet. The backs of the slightly larger ones were faintly visible with a few red and swollen bruises from being beaten with sticks. They were the little boy who was beaten that night.

A child nearby noticed the arrival of Su Chengan and the other two and called out to the woman closest to them in a low voice. The woman stopped what she was doing and looked up at Su Chengan at the door, her eyes filled with dead silence.

"What's the matter, sir?" she asked with a numb look on her face.

The little boy on the ground heard the sound and turned to look at the door.

When he saw the face of the person clearly, the young boy's red and swollen eyes suddenly brightened. He stood up and walked to Su Cheng'an and knelt down again.

"My dear, you are kind-hearted. I am willing to serve you like a slave. I only ask that you give my little sister a chance to live."

"elder brother!"

A clear children's voice rang out, and a little girl of four or five years old got up from the ground.

She timidly tugged at the edge of the boy's clothes, her voice filled with tears, so low that it could barely be heard, "Mother doesn't want Cai'er anymore, and brother can't and doesn't want Cai'er either. Cai'er doesn't want to be separated from brother!"

The young boy quickly covered his sister's mouth and whispered, "Don't talk nonsense, or you'll displease the noble man."

He turned around again and continued to beg: "My dear, I am already ten years old this year and will grow up soon. As long as you can give me a bite to eat, I will do anything!"

With his physique and bones, he definitely doesn't look ten years old. It's obvious that he deliberately overstated his age so that Su Cheng'an would accept him.

The children around all looked over. Although they did not beg like the little boy, their eyes were filled with strong expectations.

Su Cheng'an said to the young boy on the ground in a gentle voice: "Okay, I promise you, you get up first!"

"Hey, hey, thank you very much, thank you very much."

The young boy wiped his tear-stained face vigorously, then turned around and pulled the little girl behind him, "Little sister, kowtow to the noble!"

After saying that, without waiting for the little girl to react, he grabbed her head and pressed her to the ground without mercy.

"Stop knocking!"

Su Chengan's face flashed with pity, and he quickly stopped the boy's behavior, "Since I promised you, you must obey me, and don't make your sister kowtow."

"Okay, I'll listen to you, sir." The young boy pulled his sister up with tears on his face, and raised the corners of his lips high.

Several women who were helping to tidy up also turned their eyes to Su Cheng'an and the other two. When they saw the green figure at the back, one of the women's eyes suddenly widened.

She remembered this man. It was he who had kindly sent Aze back and brought them a bag of life-saving steamed buns.

She was greatly shocked and immediately crawled on her knees a few steps and kowtowed to Su Cheng'an.

"I, Yu, beg you to spare my life and take my child with you!"

As soon as these words fell, someone else kowtowed and begged, "Sir, please give my child a chance to live!"

Even the slightly older children stood up and kowtowed, shouting, "I can work now. Please give me some food!"

For a moment, the whole room was filled with pleading and the sound of "dong dong dong" kowtow. The scene was weird and miserable.

The middle-aged man turned his head away reluctantly, his fists clenched tightly in his sleeves.

What crime did the women and children commit to deserve such a disaster?

In this vast universe, there is no corner where he can settle down and make a living.

If the world is like this, what is the use of the court?

Su Cheng'an closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he felt clear-headed.

He turned to the woman surnamed Yu and asked gently, "Sister-in-law, I've observed that besides the six or seven women here, the rest are children. There isn't a single adult man. May I ask what's going on?"

Perhaps these words brought out Yu's pain, and the woman in her thirties suddenly had tears in her eyes.

After a while, she calmed down and slowly told the whole story.

Speaking of which, we have to mention the battle last year when Chen Tianyao led the Northwest Army and was defeated in Lingyun City.

Because the commander did not make plans and responded poorly, the battle suffered heavy losses. In addition to allowing the Western Rong people to occupy Fuyun City, the Northwest Army also lost a lot of soldiers.

There were hundreds of people in this room, big and small, all of whom were the families of the soldiers who died in the battle.

Their men had died, and they had lost the protection of the Northwest Army. How could they dare to stay in Fuyun City, which was controlled by the Xirong people?

In desperation, in order to survive, a group of women had to rush south with their children.

Unfortunately, the prophecy that “a hemp rope breaks at its thinnest part, and misfortune strikes upon the unfortunate” just happened to come true!

Even in such suffering, God did not favor these poor women and children.

When they were about to leave the city, they happened to meet the little prince of Xirong, Garsu, who was leading a hunting team out of the city with great enthusiasm.

Those brutal bandits immediately picked up their bows and arrows and launched a brutal hunt on this group of poor people.

Looking at the women and children running all over the ground, listening to their terrified and shrill cries, the bandits shouted excitedly, and kept playing until they lost interest, then they put away their bows and arrows and returned to the city.

Because the children were small, many of them managed to survive, but unfortunately, 80% of the adults died.

By the time they set out again, there were less than twenty people left with their mother.

As they journeyed south, they encountered famine, disease, and hunger. As of yesterday, there were still eight mothers left.

After Azenniang died of illness today, only seven mothers were left in the team of a hundred people!

If we don't find a solution and continue like this, everyone will die sooner or later.

This was also the reason why Yu knelt down and cried. It would be fine if the adults died, but these children were so young. They couldn't just watch them die, right?

"Evil bandits! Foolish court!"

The middle-aged man shouted angrily, his gentle face twisted instantly, and he gritted his teeth, obviously he was extremely angry.

Su Cheng'an also clenched his fists and his face was as cold as ice.

After a while, he asked the women, led by Yu, "I want to go to the northern border. Are you willing to follow me?"

"Now that the emperor is in a coma, the court is busy appointing a crown prince and doesn't care about the lives of the people. Although the northern border is bitterly cold, the King of Dingbei is kind and loving to his people. I heard that the people there can live and work in peace and contentment."

Tears welled up in Yu's eyes. "That's the place we dream of. Unfortunately, we, a group of women and children, are too sick and weak to walk any further. If you could take us to the northern border, we would be extremely grateful."

Hearing what Yu said, Su Cheng'an nodded.

He stood up and went out, motioning Qingying to follow him. He found a secluded place and ordered, "Go call some brothers and buy some more steamed buns for them."

After a pause, he turned his gaze towards the house. "Send a few more people to bury the woman properly. Take them all away from here before dawn and reunite in Baoying City."

Qingying nodded, and he turned and went into the dilapidated temple to tell everyone the news. A moment later, loud cheers erupted from inside.