Crystalline water droplets hung from the surrounding shrubbery. Every now and then, as one looked up, dry, fallen leaves would cling to one's clothes. No sooner had one patch of leaves been swept away than another arrived to take its place. Occasionally, a water droplet would plummet from mid-air and land on one's forehead—cold and chilling, often making one shiver with a start.
Breakfast today was simple. The potherb dough-drop soup had been set over the fire since the previous night. Because people were keeping watch in shifts, the fire had not gone out, and everyone enjoyed a hot bowl of soup upon waking. It felt as if their entire insides had been instantly soothed.
After the meal, Zhao Ba and Si Boyan began to take roll call. Once they were certain everything was in order, Si Boyan began ushering everyone to pack up and prepare to continue the mountain trek. Thanks to the sleds, the past few days had been much easier for everyone. Later, Moyuan had even fashioned several more, allowing the smaller children to ride on them while the men of the village pulled the ropes.
Chapter 172