Daily life of farming and supporting a family on the ancient Loess Plateau

Chapter 589 A Turbulent Night

Meanwhile, filled with guilt and sorrow, the two children, Zhao Yuanbao and Zhao Chunni, crawled forward, groping their way through the dark cave. They didn't know how much time had passed before they finally felt a faint breeze.

The two pushed hard toward the direction the wind was coming in, finally managing to move the large clod of earth blocking the cave entrance. After they climbed out, they discovered that the exit was actually halfway up the old cliff, with a rather steep ground surrounded by weeds and dead branches.

The ravine was pitch black, making it impossible to see east, west, north, or south. The only sounds were the rustling of leaves in the wind and the distant howls of wolves. Zhao Yuanbao and Zhao Chunni trembled with fear, clutching each other's hands tightly.

"Uncle, where are we going now? It's too dark, what if we fall down?"

Zhao Yuanbao didn't know where to go either. His father told them to hide in the ditch for a day or two, but the ditch was deserted and the nights were really scary!

"Uncle, why don't we climb up that tree over there and hide? If we're stuck here, and the bandits find us through the hole, then... then... wouldn't my grandpa and grandma have just been buying us time for nothing..."

"Hmm... Let's hide for now. I'll take you to find Sister Yongling when it's light! This ditch is really too scary!"

The two children groped their way to a shorter tree, ignoring the scratches from the branches, and climbed up the tree in a few quick movements, only then feeling a little more at ease.

At this time, Zhao the rich man's estate was in complete disarray.

Grain, clothing, gold and silver jewelry—everything of value was looted. Hu Bingwei sliced ​​off pieces of flesh from Zhao the rich man and his wife, leaving only two mangled skeletons.

Those bandits were like demons crawling out of hell, wantonly reaping the lives in this courtyard. The cries of women, the roars of men, and the savage laughter of bandits mingled together, making the whole village seem to have fallen into hell.

"Tell everyone to finish this quickly! The magistrate here is not someone to mess with, hurry up and get to Bacunyuan!" Ma Bufang, on horseback, coldly surveyed the chaos before him, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth. After a moment, he spoke to Hu Bingwei in a hoarse and ruthless voice.

"Yes!" Hu Bingwei nodded respectfully, then shouted loudly into the courtyard, "Brothers, hurry up and cut off the heads, make sure it's clean, don't leave a single survivor! After you're done, don't set it on fire, just leave!"

Upon hearing this, the bandits in the courtyard went even more frenzied, and the sounds of slaughter rose and fell. Gradually, the struggles and shouts in the courtyard ceased, and everything became quiet, except for the blood flowing everywhere, which soaked the entire courtyard and stained the night red.

"Giddy up!" In the thick darkness of the night, Hu Bingwei and the bandits rode their horses at breakneck speed toward Bacunyuan.

In the cave dwelling of the family closest to Zhao the Rich Manor, an old woman nudged the old man beside her and said, "Father, can you hear what's that noise? It sounds like someone is crying and shouting."

The old man rolled over, groggily saying, "Your hearing isn't good, what can you possibly hear? I'm afraid it's some young man beating his wife!"

The old woman lay down, listened quietly for a while, and said, "Why does it sound like it's coming from the direction of Zhao the Rich Man's estate?"

The old man rolled over again, and said impatiently, "Master Zhao's estate is over there, eighty acres away from our cave dwellings. You can be sure he'll be a servant there!"

On this uneasy night, there were still figures moving about on the road at the entrance of Zhao Family Village.

"Dad, have you tried it? The wind blowing this night feels eerie, and it even smells like blood!" Ji Bawa's wife nervously tugged at Ji Bawa's sleeve, asking with some fear.

Ji Bawa tugged at the bundle on his back and said, "It's really strange. It's so dark today, I can't see a single star! The wind blowing here is so cold, it doesn't feel like June at all, it's so gloomy!"

“Zhao Family Village is just ahead, and we’ll be at Aunt’s house soon. Let’s hurry up and go! We finally managed to get our hands on these loom blueprints. Aunt said anyone else will pay fifty taels!” Ji Bawa’s wife urged.

"Yes, with these fifty taels in hand, we can build a big brick house with a courtyard, just like Brother Manchuan and the others!" Ji Bawa said happily.

The two had only taken a few steps when they heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats coming from afar.

Ji Bawa's wife immediately stopped and asked, "Father, listen, is that the sound of horses galloping? What's that in the middle of the night? Is there going to be a war?"

"It sounds like it!" Bawa stopped and listened intently. After a moment, he shouted, "Oh no! It looks like bandits are coming! Run!"

But in their haste, before they had even run half a mile, Ma Chenfang and Hu Bingwei's men had already reached them.

"Who's there? Is this Ada?" Hu Bingwei called out.

Although it was pitch black, Ji Bawa still saw the gleaming blade of the man on horseback. Trembling, he forced himself to remain calm and said, "Fellow villager, fellow villager, I'm not from Zhao Family Village, I'm from Niu Family Village. I'm here to visit relatives, I don't know anything, I didn't see anything!"

"Where is Niujiazhuang? Do you know anyone surnamed Ji?" Hu Bingwei asked with interest as he pulled the knife he had drawn back.

"Oh dear, my house is right next to the Ji family's house in Niujiazhuang!" Ji Bawa said, trembling.

Hu Bingwei licked his back teeth and said, "The Ji family! So, what's your relationship with Ji Yongling?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Bawa exchanged a glance with his wife and said, trembling, "I am her uncle, her own uncle!"

"Take him away!" Ma Chenfang said coldly, then cracked her whip and rode off first.

"what--"

In the blink of an eye, before Ji Bawa and his wife could react, they were thrown onto the horse and sped away amidst rolling clouds of yellow dust.