Chapter 11: My Toes Hurt, I Want A Hug
The person who went to inquire for news returned very quickly.
“General, the people here are very vigilant. It was difficult to find someone bold and hateful of bandits willing to come,”
It was a very thin young man.
He was originally suspicious of the person who brought him here, but upon seeing the army of the Tianqi Dynasty, he immediately knelt before Xie Chong with red eyes.
“Lord, please save my father and elder brother.”
Xie Chong: “Get up, and tell me what happened.”
After the young man’s tearful recounting, it turned out that bandits were rampant here, and any merchant caravan that passed through was basically robbed. Only merchant caravans formed by the three local clans were not robbed.
As a result, the land resources and commercial resources here were basically controlled by those three clans.
Not only that, but starting from two years ago, the bandits suddenly began to arrest people in large numbers, and the labor force from surrounding villages was basically captured and never returned.
“My father and elder brother were both captured. My mother died long ago, and my grandparents also died of grief over my elder brother and father being captured. Now, only my sister and I are left at home. We have no land, so we can only go into the mountains to find some wild fruits to eat.”
The young man looked about eleven or twelve years old, but was sallow and emaciated, wearing clothes that barely covered him, so thin that his bones were visible.
Even these soldiers could not bear to watch.
“Didn’t the government here do anything?”
The young man’s eyes showed a wolf cub-like fierceness: “They are in cahoots!”
He wiped his tears fiercely: “I saw it with my own eyes. The bandit who captured my father before entered and exited the county office without being arrested.”
“Many people reported it, but they never caught anyone.”
Xie Chong detested collusion between officials and bandits the most.
Having grown up from the grassroots himself, he could somewhat understand the suffering of the common people.
“Do you know where the bandits are located?”
The young man shook his head: “I don’t know, but I know someone who does.”
The person the young man spoke of was a hunter who had lost an arm.
He was brought by the young man.
The hunter’s eyes were somewhat numb, his beard was thick, and although he was tall, he was also thin.
While Xie Chong was talking to the hunter, Qin Wanwan quietly went to the young man and his sister.
That’s right, the young man had brought his sister this time because he was worried about leaving her alone at home.
The little girl was five years old, but was about the same height as the three-year-old Qin Wanwan. She was sallow and emaciated, severely malnourished.
She was also very timid and had been hiding behind her brother since they arrived, not saying a word.
Qin Wanwan tugged at her hand.
The little girl immediately flinched in fright.
The young man also turned his head to look. Seeing that it was a child, he relaxed a bit.
He envied Qin Wanwan, who was so fair and tender. If only his sister could grow this plump.
Qin Wanwan took out a steamed bun and handed it to them.
“Eat.”
The two looked at the steamed bun with shining eyes, but held back their craving and did not take it.
These were noble children; they could not accept it.
However, their stomachs rumbled honestly.
Qin Wanwan put them in their hands.
“Eat this, and your stomach won’t rumble anymore.”
The young man glanced at Xie Chong and the others.
The adults were discussing how to suppress the bandits and did not notice them.
The young man shook his head at Qin Wanwan: “We can’t eat this.”
Qin Wanwan puffed out her cheeks and gestured for the young man to squat down a bit.
The young man obediently lowered his head, and the next moment, a steamed bun was stuffed into his mouth.
The young man: …
“Eat.”
Then she gave it to the little girl.
With it stuffed into their mouths, they had no choice but to eat.
The aroma of the steamed buns rushed into their noses. The two children, who hadn’t eaten normal food in a long time, could no longer control their instincts and wolfed it down.
As they ate, they started to cry.
Qin Wanwan then ran to her father, took his water pouch from his waist, wrinkled her little brows, and walked towards the two children with her two chubby hands, her overly delicate little face set.
She was extremely cute.
Xie Chong only glanced at her and didn’t pay further attention.
“Drink water.”
She poured water for them with two ceramic bowls.
“And this.”
She ran again to get two pieces of pastries her daddy had bought for her, and then carried a large steamed bun, running over.
“Eat, and your belly will be full.”
The young man quickly said: “That’s enough, that’s enough, we’re full.”
Qin Wanwan didn’t believe him; it was so little. Even she, so small, had to eat a lot.
So she touched the little girl’s belly and pouted.
“It’s flat, liar.”
Both of them were fed thanks to Qin Wanwan’s efforts.
On the other side, Xie Chong had also finished discussing the battle plan and was preparing to lead his men.
The young man also wanted to go: “I want to go save my father and elder brother.”
“Wait here, don’t cause trouble.”
Qin Wanwan also wanted to go. She hugged her daddy’s leg and looked at him eagerly.
Then Xie Chong unceremoniously pulled her away.
“You’re not allowed to go.”
Qin Wanwan, with a little temper, turned her face: “Bad daddy!”
This time, more people were going to suppress the bandits, because there was more than one bandit lair on this mountain.
And their numbers were even larger than before.
Xie Chong led the prepared soldiers away, leaving the rest to stay put.
Qin Wanwan was not lacking in people to look after her.
Everyone tried their best to amuse her, even asking her to call them “Daddy.”
“Little Wanwan, call me Daddy, and I’ll give you this grass-woven grasshopper to play with.”
Many people tried to coax Qin Wanwan into calling them Daddy.
After all, the little girl was delicate and beautiful, a soft little thing, and very well-behaved. Even some men with a preference for sons liked her.
Unfortunately, Qin Wanwan wasn’t stupid.
She didn’t fall for it at all.
“No, Wanwan’s daddy is the Great General.”
“Tsk tsk, the General is truly fortunate to have gained such a good-looking child for free.”
Qin Wanwan was very proud. The uncles said it right; having her daddy was indeed very fortunate.
It was too boring here, so Qin Wanwan wanted to go into the forest to find something to eat.
As long as she didn’t wander too far, Xie Chong’s confidant, along with a few skilled individuals, followed her.
Qin Wanwan also brought the brother and sister along.
The siblings were surnamed Li. Since they were older than her, Qin Wanwan directly called them brother and sister.
Although there were villages around this forest, because it was adjacent to the bandit lair, ordinary people dared not come here.
Qin Wanwan got tired as she walked and couldn’t walk anymore. Her spoiled, soft face turned red, and she turned her head, opening her arms to be carried.
“Wanwan is tired, her feet hurt, carry me.”
She said her laziness and desire to be carried with righteous indignation.
Several people rushed forward to carry her.
“Me, me, I’m strong.”
“Get lost, how much strength does it take to carry a child?”
Finally, the highest-ranking officer, the Colonel, who was Xie Chong’s confidant, pushed everyone aside and picked up the round, plump milk ball.
Small, soft, and fragrant, Colonel Lin, holding Qin Wanwan, was somewhat envious of the General.
He had only been married for a short time and didn’t have children yet.
If he were to have children with his wife, it would be best to have a daughter like Wanwan, who was beautiful, soft, and called Daddy.
“Wanwan, there are apples over there, apples!”
Keke flew over.
The Li siblings’ eyes widened as they looked at the bird that spoke so fluently.
“Brother, the little bird is talking!”
