The daily struggles of divorced women in ancient times

Xia Mianwan sighed and coaxed Chen Ge'er to sleep. Before falling asleep, Xia Mianwan was wondering whether Zheng Xiaoyun was still alive, and whether Zheng Tingyan and Zheng Tingzhang were still alive.

As long as there is no sign of death or disappearance, there is still hope.

The next day, Village Chief Liu notified everyone to discuss their future livelihood. Now, almost every family had only the elderly, the weak, women and children left, so no one would care whether the person leaving was a woman or not.

The Zheng family sent Xia Mianwan over there.

When Xia Mian arrived late, she saw Second Sister Liu sitting there with a sad face, so she asked, "Second Sister Liu, what's wrong? Why are you so sad?"

"Mianwan, do you know that the men in the village were not conscripted to build roads or the county town? They were sent to fight in the war." When Liu Ersao saw that it was Xia Mianwan, she told her the reason.

"What?" Xia Mianwan was extremely surprised.

When some sisters-in-law and aunts nearby heard this, they couldn't sit still anymore and gathered around, "How did it turn into a war?"

"Who's fighting who?"

"War is so dangerous, what can we do?"

For a while, the village chief's house was in a mess.

Finally, Village Chief Liu came out. Village Chief Liu had three sons. Except for the youngest son who was still at home, the eldest son and the second son were conscripted away.

Village Chief Liu said with a haggard face: "I asked everyone to come here today because I have some news to tell you. There is a war in Qianling. Those of us who were conscripted this time actually went to the battlefield."

It wasn't until the village chief confirmed the news himself that Xia Mianwan came to his senses. This was the worst news...

"How could this happen?" A woman started crying.

Village Chief Liu sighed and said, "There have been many wars in recent years. If it weren't for the strict rule of King Zhou, we wouldn't be immune. However, it seems that something happened in the army yesterday, and no other news can be heard. This world should be in chaos."

"The trade was just a cover?" Xia Mianwan suddenly realized something was wrong.

Village Chief Liu nodded and said, "Based on the current situation, it is indeed a cover."

"The North is the border of Chen State. If all our men are conscripted to fight in the war, can our safety still be guaranteed?" Xia Mianwan asked calmly.

Village Chief Liu glanced at Xia Mianwan, and was surprised at her sharp insight into the problem. "It is indeed a bit difficult. I heard that the village next door has been...robbed and bloodbathed."

"The troops guarding the border should be King Zhou's army, why is it..." Xia Mianwan pondered. If this was the case, King Zhou's army must have been held up and unable to move.

"I don't know." Village Chief Liu shook his head.

"What should we do? Our village is full of old, weak, women and children!"

"That's exactly what I wanted to tell you. We now have two choices. One is to go to the deep mountains in the southwest to avoid disaster. The second choice is to go to the town or the county seat." Village Chief Liu sighed deeply.

Xia Mianwan knew very well that if they went into the mountains and encountered wolves, tigers and leopards, there would be no chance of survival.

"Village Chief Liu, I know you are a knowledgeable person. In your opinion, is it a global turmoil or a local dispute?" The more urgent the situation, the calmer you should be. Xia Mianwan took a deep breath and asked.

Village Chief Liu pondered for a moment and said, "As far as I know, King Zhou has many knowledgeable people under his command. These days, powerful enemies have invaded and there are signs that they are invincible. At least the safety of the North should be guaranteed..."

Xia Mianwan returned home with a heavy heart and told everyone the news.

Old Mrs. Zheng staggered back two steps and almost fainted. Fortunately, Mrs. Zhou acted quickly and supported her.

"Mother, you must stay calm, otherwise what will happen to us if we are left behind?" Zhou said in a crying voice.

Old Mrs. Zheng knew what Zhou said made sense, but she had just lost two sons and a grandson, and she really didn't want to lose her only two remaining grandsons.

"Mianwan, what do you think we should do?" Old Mrs. Zheng asked after taking a breath.

"The village chief means to go into the mountains, but... Grandma, the rest of us are a group of old, weak, women and children who are powerless. I think even if we hide in the mountains, it will be difficult to guarantee our own safety. What's more, food, clothing and other expenses are not a big deal for just our family, but there are so many families, and they have just experienced a snowstorm. If so, we will suffer from the shortage of supplies and the imbalance of distribution, which will cause chaos." Xia Mianwan said.

"What do you mean..." asked Mrs. Zheng.

"Let's go to the town. There's a house behind the shop in the town, and there's an unused house in the alley next door. I'll buy it tomorrow, and our family will live in the town. Since Xiaocheng and Xiaoqi have gone to the battlefield, they are the sons of our Zheng family. It's no problem for them to resist foreign enemies. Maybe this is their chance. If they are transferred to Qianling, it should be three to five days' journey from Heqiao Town. If there is any news, the town will know it quickly." Xia Mianwan said calmly.

"But what should we do if the world falls into chaos?" Zhou asked.

"We can only rely on luck. Besides, there is a cellar under the shop in the town. It is very hidden. If something really happens, we can hide in the cellar for a while." Xia Mianwan said after a moment of silence.

"Well, let's listen to Mian Wan and go to the town." Old Madam Zheng made up her mind. When Old Master Zheng was still alive, he told her that the current emperor was soft-hearted and valued villains over wise ministers. It was especially difficult to predict the development of the general situation in the world. If there is a way out, it must be left. King Zhou was wise, and it was hard to say what the future would be like, but in King Zhou's area, at least there was no need to worry about life safety.

"Do you want to bring Mrs. Zhang with you?" Zhou asked.

"Go and ask. If she is willing, you can take her with you," said Mrs. Zheng.

"Yes!"