Chapter 6: There is Room For the Poor Daughter
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Chapter 6: Rescuing People
“Daohua , are you okay? I'll be right here keeping an eye on you.”
After getting off the cart, Daohua pulled Yan Wentao into the woods by the roadside.
“Shh!”
Daohua crouched down and made a gesture for silence, signaling Yan Wentao not to speak, pointing ahead at the roadside.
“What’s going on?”
Yan Wentao instinctively lowered his voice.
“Do you see that cart? Doesn’t it look like the one at the ruined temple? Let’s go take a look.”
Without thinking, Yan Wentao shook his head directly. “No way! Daohua , listen to Third Brother. Once you’re done here, we need to hurry back. Grandmother is still waiting for us; we can’t let her worry. Other matters are beyond our control.”
He was no longer a child and had heard enough about the dangers of the world.
Even at the ruined temple, not even the capable people from the escort agency intervened much. It was best if they avoided this trouble.
Daohua fell silent.
Logically, she shouldn’t meddle in other people’s business.
But when she thought of the children in the cart possibly being sold off by traffickers, her heart ached.
“Third Brother, let’s just sneak over to take a look. I noticed carefully earlier that the two strong men from yesterday are not around; only that woman is guarding the cart. I can handle her.”
“You?” Yan Wentao looked at the petite Daohua with skepticism.
Daohua straightened her back. “You know how strong I am!”
Yan Wentao retorted, “What strength is that? You’re just a little stronger than an average girl. I could easily pin you down with one hand.”
“Come on, Third Brother, don’t say that right now. Opportunities are fleeting. If those two big guys come back, we really won’t be able to do anything. Just think about it— the kids in the cart are around the same age as me and Wen Hui. Can you bear to see them sold off?”
Ultimately, being kind-hearted, Yan Wentao scratched his head in frustration and finally relented, “Fine, let’s go take a look. If we can help, we will; if not, we’ll leave immediately.”
Daohua nodded vigorously. “I know, I promise.”
It seemed that heaven was aiding them. Just as they crept towards the cart, it surprisingly moved into the woods by itself.
Then, the cart began to shake violently.
Before long, two boys, around ten years old and with their hands bound behind their backs, jumped out of the cart and stumbled deeper into the woods.
“Damn little brats, how dare you sneak attack me! If I catch you, I’ll tear your skin off!”
A sturdy woman jumped down after them, quickly pursuing.
Seeing this scene, Daohua 's eyes lit up. With a whoosh, she stood up and sprinted toward the cart.
Yan Wentao couldn’t stop her in time and had no choice but to run after her.
“Bang!”
Daohua opened the cart and saw seven or eight children tied up in the cramped compartment, staring at them in terror.
“Third Brother, hurry, untie them!”
Daohua quickly pulled out a dagger tied to her calf, jumped onto the cart, and started cutting the ropes binding the children.
Yan Wentao was momentarily stunned when he saw Daohua pull out the dagger. “Daohua , why are you carrying a dagger?”
Without looking back, Daohua replied, “When you’re out, you should prepare a weapon for self-defense! Third Brother, don’t talk; we need to move quickly. That woman is coming back!” She then turned to the children in the cart. “Do you remember where your homes are?”
The children first nodded, then shook their heads.
Seeing this, Daohua felt a bit overwhelmed.
The older ones were in their teens, and the younger ones were only seven or eight.
After thinking for a moment, Daohua quickly took off her pouch and handed each child a silver coin. “Once you get off the cart, run to a crowded place. If you see the county town, go in and find the authorities to help send you back home. Just make sure not to get caught again.”
At this point, Yan Wentao had already untied all the children. “Daohua , we need to go!” He said, pulling Daohua down from the cart.
“We can only help you up to this point. You all need to run quickly!” After saying that to the children, without waiting for any reaction, Yan Wentao dragged Daohua away.
“Third Brother, slow down a bit!”
As Daohua was being pulled along, she looked back.
Seeing those children running away cleverly, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Life in ancient times was different from modern times; she didn’t know if they had really helped.
She could only pray that they would return to their parents.
Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed from the woods not far away.
Yan Wentao paused, pulled by Daohua . “Third Brother, there are still two left.”
“Forget about them! Didn’t you see that woman is chasing them?” Yan Wentao insisted on dragging Daohua away.
“Third Brother, let’s go take a look! Maybe we can help somehow.”
“You!”
Unable to shake Daohua off, Yan Wentao had no choice but to brace himself and lead her toward the sound.
Soon, behind a thicket, the two saw three people entangled together.
The strong woman was sitting on top of one boy, tightly grasping his neck.
Struggling to breathe, the boy’s eyes bulged, his face turning red, and veins were popping.
Another boy lay on the ground, wrapping his legs tightly around the woman’s neck.
The three were in a chaotic entanglement.
Without saying a word, Daohua picked up a basketball-sized stone from the ground and threw it at the woman’s head.
By the time Yan Wentao reacted, the woman was already down, her head bloodied as she collapsed to the ground.
Blood gushed from her head, the bright red color momentarily stunned Daohua , but she quickly ran over, pushed the woman away, and freed the boy trapped beneath her.
“Third Brother, don’t just stand there! Hurry and save him!”
Yan Wentao regained his senses and rushed to help the other boy. Just as he helped him up, he heard Daohua ’s scream.
“Oh no, you’re injured!”
Daohua stared at the boy’s stomach, soaked in blood.
The boy was extremely weak. “You all need to leave quickly. Those two big men are coming back!”
Daohua glanced at the other boy and then at Yan Wentao, unsure of what to do.
If they left this boy, he would surely die.
At this moment, a voice called out from the roadside.
The other boy’s expression changed drastically. “They’re back! Thank you for saving us! You all need to leave quickly. I’ll help him into the woods to hide.” Saying that, he went to help the injured boy.
Seeing the boy’s frail limbs, Daohua stepped back. “Third Brother, carry him. We’re going back.”
Yan Wentao looked at Daohua , gritted his teeth, bent down, and carried the injured boy on his back, quickly running toward their cart.
Daohua supported the other boy and hurried to follow.
(End of this chapter)
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