The old village chief still insisted, urging everyone to quickly follow them.
The villagers were hesitant, not entirely willing to follow the wealthy families. They had no intention of relying on Cheng Hao and the others. To do so would mean being inferior, and the wealthy families already looked down upon them, the poor folk.
The man at the front stepped forward again and said, "Let's not be a burden to them. We don't have horses, so we can't keep up with you young masters and ladies. The richest among us only have an ox cart, and the rest have handcarts. Following them would only slow them down. We mustn't trouble them."
The other villagers seemed to listen to this tall man, nodding in agreement.
They chimed in, "Yes, yes!"
The old village chief also heard the underlying meaning in Gao Dashan's words and nodded along, saying, "Alright, Dashan, what you say makes sense. Then you be careful yourselves. When we're all together, look out for each other, understand?"
The old man was worried.
He couldn't help but offer a few more words of advice, having worried about his village his whole life.
Even at the end, he couldn't let go.
Many villagers pleaded with him to go with them.
The old village chief looked around. Most of the ones leaving were young. There weren't many elderly people, and they understood that few elders could have survived this long. Many had perished during past wars, or had suffered hunger or injuries during their flight from conflict, which had weakened them to the point where they couldn't last until now.
Even if they had managed to cling to life until this day, they could no longer keep up with their children.
They were bound to fall behind.
It was better to choose to return to their roots. The old village chief understood this feeling all too well.
His back stooped even further.
The elder shook his head, offering the villagers his usual kind smile, and urged them to leave quickly now that they had made their decision.
"Be well, and don't worry about me. I will stay behind to look after the others. You go your way, and I hope you all... "
Some of the women in the village began to sob, wiping away tears with their hands.
The old village chief disliked this scene, so he urged everyone to hurry along, constantly ushering them away, while he himself steadfastly watched them go.
Time was also of the essence.
Seeing this, Cheng Hao did not interfere. Instead, he nodded at Gao Dashan, who was clearly the leader, acknowledging their encounter and indicating that if they met again on their journey, they could engage in a friendly trade if needed.
Gao Dashan thought that their modes of transportation were incomparable, so how could they meet again? But then he suddenly understood. Who could explain fate? With so many mountain paths and trails, who knew if they might not cross paths again? It would be good to forge a positive connection.
He nodded in agreement, readily accepting, and then smiled at Cheng Hao.
Cheng Hao nodded and then, with Su Miaomiao and the others, returned to the convoy.
He had expected a great harvest, but instead, it ended like this. However, at least they had obtained a necessary item – salt, enough to last for some time.
Cheng Jiazhu had been greatly startled by Cheng Kaichun. Even after learning that the villagers meant no harm, he still felt uneasy. After much anxious waiting, he finally saw the small team return and, filled with joy and urgency, urged them to move on.
It didn't matter whether they exchanged much or little.
It was best to leave this place as soon as possible. They would feel safer the further they got.
Cheng Hao didn't understand.
But he still called for the others to get into the carts, placing the salt directly onto the supply cart.
Jia Wang and the others were guarding it.
Su Miaomiao once again climbed into the carriage. Once inside, she finally felt comfortable.
No matter where it was.
One's own bed was what brought the greatest sense of peace and security.