"What? Plague!"
Zhao Ruoxia's voice was the loudest, and her lips began to tremble. She was still laughing at Aunt Jiang in her heart for losing her mind, but now she moved faster than anyone else. She picked up her luggage and was about to run, but Lin Laoer stopped her.
"Don't be anxious yet, let everyone discuss it before we discuss it!"
The men of the Lin family all had sad faces. If the plague was really raging, they would not be able to enter Fuhai City.
The road leading to the city gate was filled with victims of the disaster. If one of them was infected with the disease, it would only be a matter of time before the disease spread.
Even if the whole family was safe and did not come into contact with any of the victims, the officers and soldiers guarding the city would never let them in when they arrived at the city gate.
Mrs. Zhang tugged at the hem of Boss Lin's clothes: "We are so healthy, why can't those who are not infected with the disease not be allowed to enter the city?"
Boss Lin patted the back of his wife's hand comfortingly and nodded helplessly.
"Those who are infected may not show any abnormalities for the first one or two days. People who have been in contact with them during this period and the utensils they have used may carry the virus. It is an official order not to allow infected people to enter the city!"
Lin Laosan looked solemn as he recalled an old news from many years ago.
"Legend has it that when the powerful General Zhenguo was defending the border against the barbarians, the enemy deliberately released several prisoners infected with the disease. In just five days, countless soldiers in the city were infected with the disease, and one corpse after another was buried together. , all the clothes and utensils used by the sick people were burned, the fireworks in the city stretched for miles, and the cries were loud.
At this moment, the barbarians led their troops to storm the city gate. If it had not been for the famous doctors who had been handed down by the general Zhenguo to assist him and curb his illness, there would have been countless casualties in that battle.
Later, although the barbarians were expelled from the country, the soldiers who died due to the epidemic in the city became an indelible scar in the hearts of the generals. The imperial court issued additional laws and regulations for this purpose. Whenever an epidemic was found in a certain place, the people inside and outside the city were under control, and no one was allowed to leave the city. , no entry is allowed outside the city. "
After everyone heard this, they all sighed.
Even the strongest soldiers could not survive three days. One can imagine the horror of the plague.
Xiangyun saw that the Lin family frowned and stopped talking, and also pouted obediently without making a sound.
She had just observed the people on both sides of the road, and felt that they did not seem to be suffering from the plague, but more like they had eaten something unclean, had collective food poisoning, were exhausted from diarrhea, and lacked food and clothing, which made them so weak.
But after all, it was just a quick glance, and she didn't dare to make a conclusion about the specific situation.
"Let's check the situation first. If it is an epidemic, the court will not let it go."
As a former doctor, Mrs. Lin's first reaction when encountering a patient was to check on her condition, but now she is half crippled on a wooden board and even walking has become a problem.
I want my children and grandchildren to go and inquire about it, but since no one in the family is interested in asking, it would be in vain.
Old Mrs. Lin looked at the sickly refugees gathered together under the big tree in the distance, and she seemed helpless even when she sighed.
As night fell, while there was still a glimmer of light in the sky, the Lin family worked together to set up the stove.
Xiangyun poured tap water into the earthen jars as usual. Zhang and Zheng felt the familiar weight in their palms and were no longer surprised. Along the way, the water in several earthen jars never stopped, and they also From being surprised at the beginning, to becoming accustomed to it now.
The two sisters-in-law cooperated very well without being ostentatious. Whether it was a gift from God or the good luck brought by Abao, it was always a good thing and they had no reason to refuse it.
Besides, they both agreed that the water in the earthen pot was sweeter, and they discussed it privately. It seemed that the water and even the fish soup cooked out of it had a different kind of deliciousness.
Xiangyun's eyes were closed tightly, but his little ears were erect and he could hear clearly. His little mouth was bulging and sucking his fist, and his two wing-like eyelashes were flickering proudly.
That's because she put wolfberry and astragalus in the fish soup. Xiang's product must be a great tonic!
At first, she was worried that the Lin family would notice her little tricks, but after half a month, no one noticed. This was all thanks to Zhao Ruoxia, because the last two mouthfuls of fish soup went into her stomach every time.
The simple pots and stoves were set up, and everyone was busy with the plague in their minds, looking wilted.
Even the boys, who were always noisy, sat obediently. Except for the occasional "click" from the firewood pile, the team of more than a dozen people made no noise at all.
Zheng's quick hands and feet finished the dinner quickly. When they were preparing to eat, everyone found that Aunt Jiang was missing.
"Mom said she had a stomachache, so it's convenient to go. Auntie, your family will eat first, so you don't have to wait for us."
Zhao Ruoxia muttered twice, probably because she thought Aunt Jiang was troublesome. Just when she was about to pick up the bowl and chopsticks to eat, she was ordered by Mrs. Lin.
"Second daughter-in-law, before it gets dark, go and help me wash the mattress."
"What?" Zhao Ruoxia jumped up from the stone bench as if she had a hornet's nest in her butt. Perhaps she felt that her reaction was too great, so she discussed in a low voice, "Mom, I've been traveling all day and I'm very hungry. I'll go after dinner. Is it possible? There is a moon at night, you can see it."
"No! Go now!"
Zhao Ruoxia had no choice. In the Lin family, Mrs. Lin's words were God's word and no one could disobey her. She could only angrily hold the mat and go to the stream. Her eyes were glued to the pot as she walked, and she wished she could take it away with her.
Old Mrs. Lin raised her eyelids, she couldn't do anything, she couldn't eat anything, she was eating more and doing less, and she only deserved to eat at the end!
Since her mother-in-law was not there, Fengxian did not dare to eat first like Lin Yongchang. After milking, she sat down next to Zheng and watched her feed Ah Bao.
The little person is a whole circle bigger than when they first met. He is so cute as he shakes his head. Every time he looks at her, he smiles at her.
Mrs. Zheng pitied her for losing her husband and then her child. She wanted to say a few words of comfort but didn't know where to start.
"What are your plans for the future?"
Fengxian's eyes dimmed, as if someone had suddenly taken away his energy: "What else can a person like me do to live day by day?"
In the past few days, Ms. Zheng observed that she always stayed alone, didn't talk and didn't like to move around. She often looked into the distance and was distracted. She was alone, like a puppet on strings, which made people feel distressed.
"Actually, the laws in our dynasty are not that strict. It is very common for widows to remarry. You... you should discuss it with your aunt and ask her to let you go home."
Fengxian's eyes were red, and she gently stroked the downy hair that had just grown on the top of Xiangyun's head. Thinking of her daughter whose life or death was uncertain, she burst into tears for a while.
"They won't let me go! Sister-in-law, my child is not dead, he was sold by them...for half a bag of white flour!"
"What!"
Mrs. Zheng was horrified and never thought that selling her children and daughters would happen to her relatives.
"My uncle and aunt have gone too far! My son died only a short time ago, and he can even sell his only granddaughter for food. Is this something a human being can do?"
Seeing her voice getting louder and louder, Fengxian panicked and covered her mouth, begging humbly.
"Please sister-in-law, please don't tell anyone. My mother-in-law will beat me to death if she finds out! She didn't like the girl in the first place. At that time, the whole family had not had rice for several days, and I had no milk to feed her. If she followed me... the child would also starve to death." My life, wuwuwu..."
Fengxian lowered her voice and cried bitterly. She suppressed the grievances she felt along the way and released them as if she had found an outlet. She was crying not only for her own life, but also for the life-threatening world.
No mother would be willing to sell her newborn daughter. If Aunt Jiang hadn't forced her to do so, Fengxian would have chosen to stay with her child for fear of starving to death.
At this moment, Mrs. Zheng's dislike for Aunt Jiang reached its peak. She was usually docile and could only curse her even if she racked her brains.
"Old thief!"
Before the Lin family had finished dinner, Zhao Ruoxia ran back in panic, shouting as she ran.
"Mom, Erlang, something big happened in our family!"
