Gu Jingzhan looked at the Si family, then at the people from Zhao Village. It seemed he had grown accustomed to the life of fleeing famine with them. Yet, the ache in his heart urged him to leave. After hearing him out, Si Boyan told him to go back and called Si Beixing and Si Beishu over. Neither of them agreed with Gu Jingzhan’s plan; in such chaotic and dangerous times, going off alone to find his fourth brother was nothing short of a death sentence. In the end, it was Si Beixing who intended to persuade him otherwise, while asking his father to keep the matter quiet for now. Otherwise, if he didn't leave, he would be too embarrassed to stay any longer. Si Boyan nodded; Gu Jingzhan had contributed a great deal to their journey, and he would feel uneasy letting him go off alone.
Elsewhere, the village elders held bowls of hot porridge, eating roasted bear meat as they watched the scene in silence, tears dripping onto the ground. In the past, such days were beyond their wildest imagination. Every day was a grueling trek, yet life seemed to be getting easier. For them, eating tofu even once in a year had been a rarity; now, they had meat most of the time—a standard of living that even an emperor might find comparable to their own. As for the village children, they were truly blessed. Many had become orphans, yet they had gained the care of a big, extended family.
That night, everyone was busy and excited, not drifting off to sleep until late. Since a torrential rainstorm wa…
Chapter 165