Chapter 133: A Step Short of Success

peror, hearing this, remembered the jade melon that quenched thirst and relieved summer heat, and suddenly felt a craving. He ordered, "Then bring her in! It's too hot outside. Concubine Kangle is you.../>

Everyone jumped in surprise and turned to look back, then their faces all changed.

"Oh, the barbarians are here, run, run!"

"Mother, *sniffle*, I'm afraid!"

"Father, Father!"

The team, which had been high-spirited just moments ago, was suddenly thrown into chaos. Women pulled their children, men carried the elderly, and in the rush, they didn't even bother with their luggage.

Li Lao Si lifted the luggage off the back of the big green mule with one hand and carried it directly into his mother's arms. Jia An and Jia Xi ran too far away to come back in time.

He then put Mrs. Cui and the two little children on the mule's back, and after a heavy slap, Daqing galloped away.

Li Laotai's face was pale, she struggled to support Madam Cui with one hand while reaching behind her back and unfurling the carrying basket, cradling her granddaughter in her arms.

Whether it was arrows or swords, they all had to land on her first.

Tao Hongying flung her legs and ran forward, grabbing Jiaxi and Jianan, gritting her teeth and continuing to run madly.

"When there's joy in the family, run home to the dock. Don't look back!"

Zhao Yuru helped the village head prop up his frail daughter-in-law, Qiong's mother. Qiong held a baby in one hand and dashed after the big gray mule. Li La'er and Li Lao'san, along with Wen Hai, pulled on Zhao Shu's several people.

Jia Ren was actually going to get the package for books, and he got slapped on the head by Mr. Wen, "Don't you want to live anymore, run!"

Li Lao Si grabbed Zhang Shen Yi who was sitting on the sled and threw him onto Jia Yi's back, "Run!"

Having said that, he clutched the axe and ran backwards against the crowd.

It is obvious that he was not at ease and could not leave Liu Biaotou alone to confront the barbarians.

"Oh, the fourth child! The fourth child!"

When the Li family saw this, they wanted to stop him but couldn't. They could only cry and run forward even more desperately.

Jiayin had been soundly asleep on grandma's back when she was suddenly scooped into her arms and dashed about. Listening to the cries around her, she even thought she was having a nightmare.

"Milk, milk!" She wanted to get up and see what was going on, but the old woman wouldn't allow her to peek.

"Run, run, to the dock for help! Ohhh, to the dock, hurry to the dock!"

Though only a few miles away, the distance to escape felt further than the dozens of mountains everyone else had crossed.

The child lost his shoes, the elderly person stumbled and fell, and the woman's cries shook the heavens.

But none of these could stop the mounted barbarians, who, like seeing prey, urged their steeds even faster, waving their long swords and howling as they charged. Some even bent their bows and shot arrows!

Thirty savage men, thirty horses, like wild beasts surging out of the prehistoric era, came charging in with billowing smoke and dust, terrifying to the extreme.

Liu Biaotou and Li Laosi, raising their long knives in their hands, gritted their teeth and charged headfirst.

Facing a matchup heavily skewed against them, two to thirty, they nevertheless charged forward with courage.

Because, behind them, there are their wives, children, and families! There are relatives who depend on each other!

Everyone can be afraid, except for them!

"Damn beast, come at me! I'll fight to the death! Killing one is worth it, killing two is a double win!"

Kill, kill! Go past, stepping on this old man's body!"

The barbarians were taken aback by this suicidal charge, but instead of fear, they burst into a hideous laughter.

They pressed forward with increasing speed, raising their scimitars high and bringing them down with savage force.

But Li Laosi and Liu Biaotou refused to wait. They both lunged forward, their long swords slashing through the air.

The two leading horses, charging headlong, couldn't dodge and had their front legs chopped off directly, crashing to the ground with a thud.

The horses behind it were unable to dodge in time, crashing into each other one after another and falling into a heap.

Li Laosì and Liu Biāotóu flipped over and jumped up, starting to reap heads with their knives.

Everything happened as quickly as lightning. In the blink of an eye, several barbarians were killed and seven or eight horses were lost.

This thoroughly stimulated the ferocity of the barbarians, who roared and rushed forward.

Li Laosi and Liu Biaotou were also desperate, back-to-back, wielding their swords with all their might.

The villagers who had been running ahead turned back, their eyes red with panic.

“Wife, you run, I have to go back and help!”

"Father, mother, you run first, I'll go back!"

"No, I have to save Lao Si!"

"Liu, the Head of Escort, we're here!"

One by one, villagers dropped their elderly and children, clutching their axes and ran back in a panic.

Jia Yi also entrusted Zhang the physician to Jia Huan, and caught up with Liu Yang a few steps ahead, "Wait for me, let's go kill the barbarians together!"

The woman cried even harder, but her feet wouldn't stop. "Help! Help us! Please come and save us!"

Jia Yin was pressed tightly against her grandmother's chest, listening to her grandmother's rapid heartbeat. Finally, she guessed that the barbarians were coming after them. She struggled to get up, "Grandma!"

The old woman gasped like a bellows, "Funiu... don't be afraid, don't be afraid, grandma's here!"

Gia Yin wanted to speak, but two arrows flew towards her. One struck Da Qing's buttocks, and the other pierced the old woman's shoulder.

The old woman screamed, and Big Qing also went mad, suddenly accelerating, throwing everyone on his back off.

The old woman clutched Jia Yin tightly in her arms, soared high into the air, and then crashed heavily onto the official road.

Mrs. Cui clutched the two little babies tightly, but luckily tumbled into the grass by the roadside.

Li La'er and Li Lao'san ran forward frantically, jumped off the official road, and helped their mother and niece up.

Lao Li's shoulders were gushing with fresh blood, pain making her face pale.

Jia Yin was utterly silent. Lao Er reached out and touched his niece's head, his hand coming away covered in blood.

"Little Fortune!" Old Li clutched her granddaughter tightly, her heart breaking. "Little Fortune, wake up! Please, save yourself! My Little Fortune, please save yourself!"

The villagers, amidst the chaos, heard the commotion and turned their heads. They were all shocked by the pitiful sight of the old man and his grandson.

The village head and Zhao Shu stopped, exchanging glances. Their eyes held a bone-deep hatred for each other.

"Go for it! We, a few old-timers, have lived to this point, enough is enough!"

"Kill them back, kill them back!"

"I want to kill more barbarians. Even in the afterlife, I can brag to my brothers."

The village head directly pushed his elderly wife to Zhao Yuru, holding a chopping knife and leading Zhao Shu and several others back.

Li Lao'er also wanted to follow up, but he was pulled back by Li Lao'san.

"Second brother, you stay. In case we die, take care of our mother and raise the children!"

Having said that, he scrambled up the official road and ran toward the chaotic circle of fighting.

Li Laoer stomped his feet in a hurry, but with one hand holding his niece and the other his mother, he could only hold his niece and support his mother as they continued to run.

Tears fell drop by drop to the ground. He hated himself for never learning martial arts, more than ever before in his life.

On the pier three miles outside the city, many lights had been lit because it was getting dark.

Soldiers guarded both sides of the pier, hearing screams from afar. A captain stepped forward to report, "General, it seems that refugees are being harassed by barbarians!"

The general was in his twenties, with red lips and white teeth. He even had powder on his face, perhaps because he found the armor too heavy, he didn't wear a helmet, and his armor was crookedly put on.

Upon hearing this, he glanced into the distance and replied nonchalantly.

"It's too far away to see clearly. Besides, almost everyone has gone to Jiangnan. Who would be left here at this time"

The centurion was a little anxious and whispered, “General, why don’t we send someone to take a look What if they are really refugees fleeing the famine We’re so close, it wouldn’t take much effort…”

The general grew impatient, and with a sideways glance, snarled, "Are you ordering me Are you the general, or am I If I say no to sending troops, then they won't be sent! You want to defy orders"

The centurion quickly bowed his head, "No, of course I will listen to the general."

The general snorted coldly and said nothing more.

The school officer endured the anger and slowly retreated.affection. She kept stuffing them with warm sesame twists and candied fruits.Jia Xi and Jia An weren't shy about it, they ate on the doorstep while talking about what new skills they had learned durin...