Chapter 54: Preventative Measure
The next day, after dinner, the imperial guards threw Ye Zhiqiu and others a contemptuous look as though saying: where are the bandits?
Looking at their childish actions, the second branch of the Ye family didn’t pay them any attention, because...
"Five strokes of caning for failing to protect our supplies!"
Commander Leng had raged again.
The imperial guards stiffened. They were punished for the repeated negligence, failing to protect the supplies for a few days straight.
At this moment, Commander Leng was also having a headache. Their supplies had dwindled so much even before they arrived at the destination which was still quite a distance away.
"We will strengthen our patrol tonight. Captain Lin, command your people to keep watch. These thieves are always restless at night," he turned to Lin Su.
Lin Su nodded solemnly. "Yes, Commander."
Ye Lingyue did notice that they rarely get porridge anymore for the past few days. It seemed that the thieves had taken quite a bit of their supplies if Commander Leng was this angry.
"How do you feel you can’t sneak out anymore?" Ye Lanxi made fun of her after he heard Commander Leng’s order.
She rolled her eyes at him. "You should ask yourself that question!"
The feeling was indeed, a little suffocating. She didn’t always sneak out for hunting games, anyway. Sometimes, she would get out just to find fresh air.
If she was that way, no doubt Ye Lanxi was experiencing the same.
For the next few days, she and Ye Lanxi indeed didn’t have any chance to sneak out because of the tight patrol at night.
They were almost caught a few times if not for Ye Lingrui’s timely warning.
Commander Leng’s face improved a little after that, but he still looked troubled.
She also never saw the little thieves again. Mostly, the ones caught by the patrol team were adult thieves. She guessed they must have been in survival mode for so long, stealing from the caravan or any convoy passing by.
The famine was forcing them to survive that way.
Ye Lingyue also periodically checked the system binding progress. She was appalled when she saw it remained at a single digit.
"Please let us go, we can tell you something important if you do!" The thieves who were currently bound by a rope begged.
The imperial guards still had the same contemptuous look. "How about you tell us first and we will decide if it’s something important or not."
The thieves fell silent. The emaciated and disheveled appearance made them look sickly and pitiful.
They glanced at each other for a while before nodding.
"Sir Imperial Guards. On the road ahead, there are many ferocious and ruthless bandits... you might want to take another road." One thief told them, his body trembling slightly due to hunger.
An imperial guard snorted. "This information again? It’s useless so we won’t release you!"
The thieves were taken aback. "You know about this but you are still going to go through this road?"
They glanced at the healthy and refreshed imperial guards. Most of them were wearing condescending looks on their faces.
The thieves fell silent.
Since the imperial guards were so arrogant, they won’t persuade them anymore. They just didn’t know how the Commander would punish them for stealing.
Anyway, these bandits were just as desperate as them, or even more so.
The imperial guards lived in the Capital where resources were abundant there, and they didn’t need to scramble even for a small piece of steamed bun.
As such, they underestimated people’s desperation to survive. After all, most of these bandits were originally just normal people like them who banded together to survive.
Those who didn’t join the bandits... because they weren’t ruthless enough they would resort to killing.
"Second Brother, hold this." Ye Lingyue gave him a small dagger.
Ye Lanxi raised his eyebrows. "For what?"
The twins exchanged looks. "We have to protect each other from danger."
Ye Lingrui also understood his assignment. He created some more hallucinogen powder from the medicinal herbs Ye Lingyue provided.
"I can make poison." Ye Lingyue coughed as she told her twin brother. "You have to admit that it’s yours to them."
He was very cooperative, smiling the entire time that she was a little agitated.
"Yue’er, what’s the effect of this poison?" He asked.
Ye Lingyue was originally unwilling to use her precious herbs for something like this. With Ye Lingrui’s medical skills, these herbs would help them survive against the harsh conditions.
Alas, the current situation didn’t allow her to continue hoarding these medicinal herbs anymore.
"Paralyzing effect," she muttered. "The duration depends on the person’s strength."
However, these malnourished people looked so weak that it should be effective against them. She had been preparing for this powder ever since she heard the little thieves’ warning.
She would grind the medicinal herbs at night when most people were asleep.
Commander Leng merely gave a few strokes of caning to the thieves and released them after that.
The thieves seemed insistent on telling them about the bandits ahead, so they repeated the words to them.
"Investigate it," Commander Leng ordered after he heard their warning.
The imperial guards who heard the order broke into cold sweat. Does that mean that Commander Leng believed the thieves’ words?
They trembled at the thought, worried that the fact they didn’t report it to him the first time they heard it would reach his ears.
When the team who were assigned to investigate things returned, they told Commander Leng.
"Commander, there are only some beggars and people like the thieves we caught last night."
The other imperial guards heaved a sigh of relief, but soon they tensed up slightly again.
"However, there are indeed traces of bandits’ appearance in the area."
In the end, they still chose to pass by the current road because it would take a longer time if they had to turn back. The team in charge of the investigation actually also didn’t take long to investigate.
There was a deeply rooted notion in their minds about bandits.
It was the fact that bandits wouldn’t look as emaciated and as dirty as the thieves.
As a result...