落尘小说网

第 46 章（第1页）

Suyuanbeganwiththepeoplenosoldierwouldthinktoask，thechildren。Theygatheredintheopenspacebesidethewellthatafternoon，somecurious，someshy，andsomemoreiedinthedriedfruitAyaohadbroughtthaninanythingSuyuanhadtosay。

Suyuansatonalowwoodenstoolsoshewouldnottoweroverthem。

“Ifyouseesomeoneyoudontknow，”shesaid，“whatdoyoudo?”

Alittleboyraisedhishand。

“Runaway?”

“Good。”

Anotherchildshouted，“Tellyourmother!”

“Alsogood。”

Agirlsittingatthefrontfrowned。“Whatiftheyaskuswherethesoldiersare?”

Suyuansmiledslightly。

“Thenyoudontanswer。”

Thechildrennoddedseriously。

“Youdontfollowstrangers，dontshowthemwherepeoplekeepfood，donttellthemwhichroadthesoldiersuseandmakesureyoudonttrytobebrave。”

Shepaused。“Ifsomethingfeelswrong，findan□□youtrustahem。”

Thechildrenseemedtouand。Suyuanwasntteagthemtofightbutteagthemtonotice。Shedidthesamewiththebeggarswhostayedaroundthemarketandroadsideinns。Atfirst，somevillagersquestionedherdecision。“Theyrebeggars，”onemansaid。“Whatcouldtheypossiblydo?”

Suyuanlookedathim。

“Theyseeeverything。”

Thebeggarsknewwhichmertsarrivedearly。Whichtravellersstayedht。Whichstrangerscamealone。Whichcartspassedthroughthemarketandwhiesstoppedinplacestheyshouldnt。Theywereinvisibletomostpeoplebutthatmadethemuseful。Suyuanapproachedthemwithouttreatingthemlikesoldiersorservants。“Idontwantyoutofrontanyone，”shetoldthem。“Ifyounotieonesuspicious，remembertheirappearandwheretheywent。Thehevillagewatch。”

Iurn，sheaskedXieZhengtoeheyreceivedfoodfromthevillagestores。Itwasntalargerewardbutitmeanttheyhadareasontocarewhetherthevillageremainedsafe。Bytheendoftheweek，Suyuanhadalsobegunspeakingtothevillagers，shegatheredthemherepairedwellandexplaihenewarras。Therewouldbewatatnightandthefoodwouldbedividedbetweenseveralsteplaces。

Childrenwouldhavedesignatedplacestogatheriftherewastroubleandeveryhouseholdwouldknowwhichroadledtowardthesoldiers。Thensuddenly，oneelderlyfarmerraisedhishand。“Butwhatiftheyeagain?”Thevillagersbecamequiet，Suyuanlookedaroundattheirworriedfaces。

Sheuoodthequestion，theywereaskingwhethertheywouldsurvive。“Youmaynotbeabletostopeverything，”shesaidholy。Nobodyspoke。“Butyoudonthavetosithereandwaitforsomethingterribletohappeher。”Shepoiowardthewatchtowerbeingrepairedattheedgeofthevillage。

“Youseeearlier。”

Thentowardtheroad。

“Youreportearlier。”

Thentowardthegrainstores。

“Youprepareearlier。”

Hervoiceremainedcalm。

“Thatisnothelplessness。”

Thevillagersslowlybegantonod。

XieZhenghadbeenstandingattheedgeofthecrowd，listening。Afterwards，whenthevillagersbegaurninghome，hewalkedover。“Yougavethemhopewithoutpromisingthatnothingbadwouldhappen。”Suyuanlookedatthepeoplereturningtotheirhouses。“Promisesdontkeeppeoplesafe。”Shepulledhercloaktighteraroundherselfastheeveningwindgrewcolder。“Knowingwhattododoes。”XieZhenglookedtowardthevillage。Siheattacksthisisthefirsttime，thepeoplenolongerlookedasthoughtheyweresimplywaitingforthedisaster。

Theywerepreparingforthebettertomorroerhapsthatwasthestrodefenseofall。