This meant that if they wanted to find Fang Laosan, they would have to go to the farthest reaches, perhaps even entering the territory of the Northern Nomads.
That would be disastrous.
The borders were the most turbulent parts of the entire Dayu Dynasty, especially the northern border. The Northern Nomads were vicious by nature. If they ran into them, it would mean certain death or injury.
And the closer they went to the border, the more likely they were to encounter Northern Nomads.
This could be seen from the increasing number of ruins and indistinguishable animal and human bones along the roadside. The northern border was truly not a benevolent place.
"Young Master, do we really need to deliver these things?" Wang Xiaosong asked apprehensively after seeing an obvious skull. "If it's really impossible, we can come back next time with Jiang San and Jiang Si."
That way, at least his own skull wouldn't be separated from the back of his head.
Zheng Ruqian sighed. "Even if we can't find Old Three, we still need to establish a foothold in the north."
They couldn't have made this difficult trip for nothing and go back with their tails between their legs.
"Alright, let's head for the villages, for wherever there are more people." Wang Xiaosong was nearly in tears. "These desolate snowy lands are truly frightening."
The two men pulled on their reins and hurried toward a village with rising cooking smoke.
They had thought staying where people were would ensure safety, but they couldn't have expected that places with smoke were the most dangerous.
In the first and second months after the new year, the Northern Nomads would have already eaten up their stored supplies and the new grain hadn't come in yet. The barren land and cold climate dictated that they couldn't eat their fill and that their children were destined to starve to death.
In order to survive and continue their lineage, they would ride their horses and wield their long knives to charge into courtyards where cooking smoke drifted from the chimneys.
This was the territory of the Dayu Dynasty. The plentiful grain from the south would be transported here every year and distributed to the equally hungry frontier residents.
There would be meat, vegetables, rice and noodles.
As long as they killed all the villagers, this grain would be theirs.
The bloodthirsty nature ingrained in their bones boiled to its peak in this moment.
They slaughtered all the men and children, seized all the rice, noodles, meat and vegetables, and abducted young women who could bear children.
In the flurry of slashes, the tranquil village vanished.
By the time Zheng Ruqian and Wang Xiaosong arrived, the massacre was nearly over. Their surroundings were silent, with only a faint bloody smell in the air, somewhat like when Auntie Zhang slaughtered chickens and ducks, but stronger.
"The chimney was smoking, so the meat should be cooked. Why does it smell like this?" Wang Xiaosong muttered.
Zheng Ruqian said nothing. His heart pounded erratically as if something disturbing was about to happen.
He quickly reined in the horse, intending to turn back, but it was too late.
A Northern Nomad covered in blood walked out of the village entrance, dragging a young woman by her long hair. She was probably dead from being dragged across the ground.
Seeing the two people in the carriage, the nomad gave a scornful laugh. "Seeking death by coming here."
After that, he threw aside the woman and leaped onto his horse.
"Go, go, go!" Zheng Ruqian frantically pulled on the reins. "Hurry, horse, hurry!"
In theory, a carriage couldn't outrun a horse, but at this moment, the old horse seemed to become spirited and wildly dashed off. The two men in the carriage bounced and shook violently, their faces ash white.
The Northern Nomad chased behind, whistling as if toying with livestock.
He knew that the two men in the carriage couldn't get away.
The goods in the carriage would also become spoils of war.
"Young Master, it's all my fault," Wang Xiaosong said despairingly. "If I had known, we would've continued through the forest instead of coming to this village. If we die, your sister will be heartbroken."
"The young miss still has other brothers, but my sister only has me. How will she survive if I'm gone?"
As he spoke, he broke down into loud sobs, not bothering to spit out the snow flying into his mouth.
His cries carried to the Northern Nomad behind, who suddenly burst into loud laughter, as if mocking the cowardice and incompetence of the people of Dayu, or ridiculing the two monkeys he was toying with.
He knew the two men in the carriage couldn't escape.
The goods in the carriage would also become spoils of war.
"Don't cry," Zheng Ruqian yelled. "You can't die. I can't die either."
Although the young miss had five brothers, each brother's love was different. Each brother had to cherish her and watch her grow up happily.
The second brother still hadn't bought her embroidered shoes decorated with Eastern pearls or established transportation routes throughout the entire Dayu Dynasty, much less earned enough money to his satisfaction.
How could he die?
He must not die.
Yet he was going to die after all.
The Northern Nomad behind seemed to have tired of the game. He sped up to catch up to them and slashed his knife at Zheng Ruqian's neck.
In the blink of an eye, the second young master Zheng's skull would be buried deep in the northern border's snowy ground, becoming yet another resentful ghost who died unjustly among countless others.
But just at that critical moment...
Wang Xiaosong suddenly hugged Zheng Ruqian tightly as he yelled out his last words. "Young Master, if you live, treat my sister well and find her a good husband."
While some people merely existed in this world, others could create greater value and more benefits.
Without a doubt, Zheng Ruqian was the latter, while Wang Xiaosong believed he was the former.
If they both died, so be it, but if only one could live, Wang Xiaosong hoped it would be the Young Master.
"Xiaosong..." Zheng Ruqian was stunned.
Not many in this world would sacrifice themselves for another. It was normal for a brother to sacrifice himself for a sister, but Wang Xiaosong was merely an employee under contract as the boss, a worker under the young master.
He had never seen a worker willing to die for the young master. If by some fluke they managed to escape, he would definitely have to raise Wang Xiaosong's wages.
As these random thoughts flashed through Zheng Ruqian's mind, for the first time he felt time pass agonizingly slowly.
The slashing knife, Wang Xiaosong's tears, Jiang Sheng's reddened eyes, and his brothers' silent expressions all flashed swiftly through his mind.
When he came back to his senses, the blade had already reached Wang Xiaosong's neck.
From the force and angle of the slash, it seemed the Northern Nomad intended to sever both heads in one strike.
Wang Xiaosong had miscalculated. He would perish in vain when maybe he could have held out until rescue arrived if he had simply dodged.
This was Zheng Ruqian's last thought before he lost consciousness.
