Chapter Thirty-Seven: Three Jugs of Wine

The journey from Blossom City to South City took about ten days by the normal route, but the four bandits took a less direct route to avoid any suspicion about the two women who were tied up in the back of their wagon. 

There were no inns or restaurants along the back way. They ate cold food during the day, and at night boiled some rice and whatever else they scavenged over a fire.  The food and the questionable water gave MeiLan diarrhea which left her weak and dehydrated.  Anak begged them to stop and let her mistress rest, and two of the men even started to suggest that it might be a good idea, but the leader of the four men insisted they push on.  "The buyer is expecting me there on a certain day, and if I don't show up with the merchandise, I might lose the sale."