Half an hour later, they arrived at the Li family's granary.
It was an old building made of wood and clay that stored the harvest, very different from the village granary.
'It looks busier than usual here.'
They had arrived later than usual, but the guards did not seem focused on that detail.
On the other side, several wooden carts were parked crookedly beside the building, leaving wet wheel tracks along the dirt path.
It was clearly unusual to see those carts at this time, and judging from how the Li family's horse carriages had hurried out earlier, there was indeed a problem.
But once again, Bai Ze seemed unconcerned. He did not think their problems would have any significant impact on him.
Even if they collapsed or something happened, it did not mean he could abandon his slave status as easily as flipping a sheet of paper.
Most likely, he would be sold again, or claimed by some wealthy family by force.
As a teenager, he could not resist.
Whatever might happen, he was destined to remain a slave forever.
"Bai Ze, stop daydreaming," Luo Tian snapped him back to reality.
Bai Ze looked at Luo Tian in front of him, then shifted his gaze toward the guard weighing the sacks.
Without realizing it, they had reached the front of the line this quickly.
"Are you tired?"
"I'm fine."
"That's good. If you get tired just from carrying sacks, you're really weak."
Bai Ze, "…"
Bai Ze did not respond. If he felt tired over something like that, he might have died long ago.
After all, Bai Ze had started working at the age of ten. Harvesting and carrying sacks back and forth between the village and the fields was no longer a problem for him.
He was already used to it.
'But come to think of it… how old am I now?'
The question suddenly crossed his mind.
He had worked day after day, waking and sleeping without truly counting the passing days.
Judging by the time that had passed, perhaps half a year, or… more than a year?
"It's our turn!"
"!!"
Luo Tian's spirited voice pulled him back to his senses. Startled, Bai Ze looked forward.
The line had thinned—it was now Luo Tian's turn.
Bai Ze stepped forward a few paces, stopping right behind Luo Tian, who stood before the granary guard.
Luo Tian dragged the sack at his feet toward the guard, then called out to him in a casual tone.
"Uncle, earlier I saw the Li family leaving the village with several horse carriages. Where are they going?"
'This chatterbox actually asked about it?'
But thinking about it again, Luo Tian was indeed quite familiar with most of the Li family guards. A trivial question like that should not be a big issue.
As expected, the granary guard only snorted softly, his hands still busy weighing the rice.
"That's none of your business."
"Hehe, I'm just curious," Luo Tian chuckled, not backing down at all.
"Slaves don't need to know. Stop asking. You only need to eat and work."
But Luo Tian, as an experienced bootlicker, would certainly not give up just because of a light insult.
"Come on, Uncle Ye Han. The Li family's matters are also our matters as slaves, aren't they?"
Guard Ye Han glanced at him. "Why are you so persistent?"
"I'll win tonight's bet for you, how about that?"
'No wonder he's close with the guards…' Bai Ze thought.
Guard Ye Han pondered for a moment, then sighed. "… Fine. Just this once."
Luo Tian's eyes immediately lit up, and he moved closer to Ye Han.
Ye Han spoke in a low voice. "The Li family wants to sell and move their assets to the capital. They even bought several luxurious houses there."
"Why are they doing that?"
"Our country is in a time of war. Refugees from the north say that Heiyan Castle has fallen into the hands of Qin's forces. If they continue moving south, this village won't be looted for long. Are you satisfied now?"
"How is that possible?!"
"It has already happened." Ye Han paused for a moment before adding,
"But don't worry. The sects in Leizhou Province have already taken action, and our country's Zhan army is still fighting at the border."
"What if they lose?"
"If they lose, we're finished."
"What?!" Luo Tian was shocked. "Then why are you so calm, Uncle?"
"Why should I be afraid?" Ye Han sneered faintly. "Win or lose, I will still leave this village with the Li family and head to the capital."
"What? Then… can't Uncle take me along too?"
Ye Han looked at him flatly. "And who do you think you are?"
Those words instantly froze Luo Tian's smile. He scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.
"Haha… t-that's true, but Uncle—"
Before Luo Tian could continue—
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
A loud voice exploded from behind like a whip crack.
Luo Tian and Guard Ye Han almost flinched at the same time, along with Bai Ze standing expressionlessly behind them.
'Trouble has come…' Bai Ze thought.
Right before Bai Ze's eyes, a man strode past him and stopped between Luo Tian and Ye Han.
"What are you talking about for so long? Why has the line stopped?!" he barked.
He was a well-dressed man with a dark expression. His robe was clean, and his belt was adorned with a simple piece of jade—clearly not belonging to a slave or an ordinary guard.
Bai Ze could determine his identity at a glance.
'Li family.'
Beside him, Ye Han's expression changed instantly. His smile and relaxed attitude vanished at once.
He dropped to one knee and lowered his head deeply, followed by Luo Tian in front of him.
"S-sorry, Young Master Li Xuan. It's just that… this slave asked too many questions."
"I didn't ask who was at fault. I asked what you were talking about," Li Xuan's voice was cold, his eyes piercing the two men before him like blades.
No one dared to answer.
Silence fell immediately. Only the sound of restrained breathing and the faint rustling of rice sacks rubbing against each other could be heard.
"Young Master…" Ye Han finally spoke in a low voice. "I was only reminding him to work faster. Nothing else."
"Hmph!"
The cold gaze shifted to Luo Tian, then to Bai Ze, who was still standing with his head lowered, unmoving.
"A slave should know his place. The granary is not a place for chatting," he said sharply.
"Y-yes, Young Master," Luo Tian replied quickly, his voice lower than usual.
Li Xuan finally snorted, turned around, and walked away. "Get back to work!"
When his footsteps faded, the heavy pressure in the air gradually eased.
Only after his figure had completely disappeared did Ye Han rise and let out a long breath, his back soaked with sweat.
Luo Tian also lifted his head, his usual casual smile gone as he swallowed hard. "That was close…"
Bai Ze behind him remained silent, grateful to have avoided troublesome consequences.
"Luo Tian, this is your fault. Get back to work!"
"S-sorry, Uncle Ye Han."
The atmosphere grew quiet. Luo Tian fell silent, and Ye Han returned to his duties.
Not a single one of them spoke.
Meanwhile, Bai Ze had been quiet from the beginning, but his thoughts were far from calm.
He was not thinking about how Li Xuan had scolded them, but about the information regarding the war that Ye Han had revealed, which had truly shocked him.
As a slave, he had never had access to the outside world. Even basic news from beyond the village rarely reached his ears.
Even for commoners with free status, obtaining such information was extremely difficult—let alone someone like him.
Right now, he had not expected the Li family's recent busyness to be related to war.
Unconsciously, Bai Ze glanced at Luo Tian.
Luo Tian's decision to ask earlier suddenly felt very appropriate. Bai Ze even had to retract the negative judgment that had briefly crossed his mind about Luo Tian.
But after that small wave of excitement faded, reality struck him once again.
What could he do even if he knew?
In the end, Bai Ze was only a slave—even lower than common folk. He had no wealth or power to make choices.
Should he accept his fate so easily?
'I hope the Zhan army can win…'
He could only hope that the Zhan army fighting at the border would be able to halt the advance of Qin's forces.
But hope alone, without anything to rely on, was clearly not a wise option.
'Escape from the village…?'
The idea suddenly crossed his mind. But after thinking it through again… it was impossible.
To be continued…