Chapter 8: Killing a Chicken to Frighten the Monkeys When a Prisoner Causes Trouble

More than twenty people from the Xie family gathered together, checking each other's wounds and applying medicine.

The other people around were doing the same thing, either healing or resting. After walking for half a day, all their dissatisfaction had disappeared. Now they just wanted to eat something and catch up on some sleep, not knowing how much torture they would have to endure tomorrow.

Tu Huan looked around and found that the shackles on some people had been removed.

She turned back and couldn't help frowning.

"Aren't the shackles removed at night when you rest?"

Xie Yuchuan leaned against the tree trunk and looked towards the campfire opposite. "The matter of the Xie family is too bizarre. The escorting officers may have other ideas."

"Afraid you'd run away?"

Xie Yuchuan shook his head and patiently explained to the family god, "The Xie family has many elderly, weak, women and children. If one of them runs away, the others will be punished as well. Normally, no one would run away unless they had no other choice. We just set out, so they didn't treat us harshly or show any favoritism. They must be observing and testing us in secret."

As he observed them.

Tu Huan: "Do you have to wear this thing all the time when you walk?" That must be very tiring.

Xie Yuchuan: "Of course not. After tomorrow, there will be no need to do this."

Tu Huan couldn't guess what would happen tomorrow, but seeing his resolute tone, she wondered if Xie Yuchuan had other plans or options, so she didn't ask any further.

A cool breeze blew by, and she couldn't help but shiver.

When I put my hands in my pockets, I felt a piece of candy in it.

The corners of his lips curled up slightly, and he said happily: "Let me give you some delicious candy. Sweets can replenish your energy."

The next second, Xie Yuchuan felt a handful of paper-wrapped candies in his palm.

After spending many days together, he sometimes felt that the household god treated him like a child, and he couldn't help laughing in his heart.

Tu Huan looked around and found that there were several similar families like the Xie family, but with relatively fewer people.

After a round of wandering, I heard a lot of gossip.

For example, she learned from the whispers of some prisoners that the Dongbo family and Hanlin scholar Zhang Dayi and his mother were also among the group. She heard that one was stripped of his title and exiled for refusing to marry into the royal family, while the other was dismissed from office and exiled to a remote province for angering the emperor.

In the era of monarchy, life and death, fortune and disaster probably all depended on the emperor's thoughts, Tu Huan thought.

If the officials didn't provide food, the prisoners would have to wait with empty stomachs. Those who had friends and relatives sending them gifts when they left the city were better off, but those who had no one to take care of them could only fend for themselves.

Ruan opened the package her mother had sent her before she left, intending to share the food inside with everyone to fill their stomachs.

Originally, Mrs. Ruan planned to ask her husband and son to send a few carriages so that she could bring more things and avoid her relatives from suffering too much on the journey.

Lord Ruan shook his head when he heard his wife's thoughts the night before.

"Madam, absolutely not! Given the Xie family's current situation, how could the palace allow them to arrive comfortably? It's already a blessing to be able to send some emergency supplies."

In Ruan's package, there were thick clothes with cotton quilting, a bag of malt sugar and dried fruits and meat. It was not too much, but it was easy to carry when she was hungry.

"Mom, please give it to everyone."

"Since your parents prepared it, you and Brother Rui can keep it for emergencies. Our masters are fine, and the yamen runners will serve the meal soon."

Zhou didn't take it and helped her put it back into her bag.

Ruan was worried and took some for Mrs. Xie. "Grandma, your health is very important. Please eat a little first."

Old Madam Xie slowly stood up, looked at the food, and then looked at the child in Ruan's arms.

"Grandma." Ruan called softly.

Madam Xie said, "Anan, you are a good child. You care about everyone. But I also think your mother is right. Dinner will be served soon. You and the children should keep these for emergencies on the road."

The old lady looked up and saw that an officer was already carrying coarse bread to distribute. "It's okay if you encounter difficulties, just get through it. Our Xie family can make it through it, it's okay."

"The granddaughter-in-law listens to her grandmother."

Madam Xie looked at her lovingly, "Okay, take care of yourself and Brother Rui."

The yamen runners who were distributing food came over carrying rough cakes, and as they walked they shouted loudly:

"According to the rules, we have two meals a day. Adults get one rough bread per meal, and children get half a bread. Don't waste food."

"Listen carefully, today is the first night. Lord Xiong is merciful and considerate of you since you've just started your journey. He's letting you rest after less than half a day. The journey ahead is still long, and there's no telling what natural disasters or man-made calamities you might encounter along the way. Lord Xiong has said that you'll have a full meal tonight, with two pancakes each. Tomorrow, walk faster and don't think about anything else and cause trouble for us errand boys."

Some of the prisoners sitting on the ground expressed their gratitude repeatedly, while others had dull expressions and said nothing, just taking the cakes as they were given.

The same goes for the Xie family.

After the yamen runners had distributed the bread, a prisoner next door suddenly stood up and complained, "This bread is as hard as a rock. I can't bite it at all. How can I swallow it?"

When someone starts to express dissatisfaction, the people around him will also follow suit.

"That's right! You have steamed buns, hot soup, and grilled fish over there, so why are you giving us rough bread?"

Upon hearing this, the servants who were serving meals stopped distributing the coarse bread and just stood there looking at them coldly.

One of the yamen runners was in a bad mood. He pointed at the man's nose and cursed loudly: "Eat it if you want! You're spoiled! Do you still think you're a wealthy person in the capital?"

"If you have rough bread to eat, eat it quickly! If you don't want to eat, there are plenty of people who want it. I'll give you some face. You don't even know your name. Even if you have food, it won't stop you from eating. Okay!"

The yamen runner sneered, "Come on, brothers, since he doesn't want to eat, then let him go down to the river to find something to eat. Don't you want to eat fish?"

As soon as these words were spoken, there was a gasp from all around.

Several strong soldiers were also called over, who dragged out the prisoner who refused to eat and was making trouble, dragged him to the river, and kicked him into the icy river without saying a word.

In the quiet night, the laughter by the river was unusually clear.

"Is there really someone who refuses to accept a toast and drinks a penalty?"

"There are always those blind bastards who don't know what they are!"

"You've been exiled, and you still want to order people around."

"Don't you like grilled fish? Catch it yourself."

"Catching a few dozen more would give us some free time."

“Hahahahahaha!”

A group of officers burst into laughter.

The prisoner fell into the river, his face and nose bruised. Although the water was not fast, it was very cold. He struggled to get ashore, but unfortunately the officers on the shore were not willing to let him go easily. Several of them surrounded the shore like a monkey, and no matter which gap he climbed up from, they would kick him back again.

"Hurry up and catch some fish! Don't you like eating them? Then just don't eat them."

"Do you know who I am? If anything happens to me, I'll make you suffer when I get there!"

Even in such a situation, the prisoner still couldn't figure out the situation.

Tu Huan saw a bearded middle-aged man on the left sighing and shaking his head.

"You are really ignorant."

A family member nearby advised him: "Talk less."

The middle-aged man nodded helplessly.

Looking at the rough bread in his hand that was as hard as a rock, he frowned and ate it bite by bite to satisfy his hunger.

By the river, the bailiffs were still teaching the prisoners a lesson.

The prisoners who tried to climb ashore were whipped and brought down.

There were endless wailing and screaming sounds, and many people turned around in fear, not even daring to look.

If you want to reach the place of exile safely, you must be obedient and don't cause trouble for those who serve them, otherwise you will suffer the consequences!

The effect of killing the chicken to scare the monkey is obvious.

Xiong Jiushan, who had just finished dinner, stood up from the campfire and looked down at the opposite side.

Among the more than one hundred prisoners, the Xie family is always hard to ignore.

He asked his men beside him: "The Xie family has no requests?"

The yamen runner next to him replied, "No."

There was some surprise in Xiong Jiushan's eyes.

Just as he was about to turn around, someone suddenly came to report: "Sir, the daughter of the Xie family is chasing us."