Chapter 12: The First Meal on the Road to Exile]

However, thinking about it, Qin Mengyue resolutely asked for exile in the Qianqing Palace, which was almost equivalent to a decisive divorce from the dog emperor. It can be seen that she still has courage and wisdom in her bones.

Chen Fenghe couldn't help but look at her mother-in-law, the queen, with new respect.

In the end, Qin Chang and Qin Jian took turns carrying Old Lady Zhang for the entire morning.

Because Qin Huanhuan came up with a bad idea that caused Qin Jinzhong to be beaten, Qin Jinzhong scolded her harshly. Qin Huanhuan didn't dare to refute and had to accept it.

The escorting officers didn't care about them. As long as they didn't cause trouble and didn't delay the journey, they didn't bother to deal with these trivial matters.

Soon the sun was overhead and it was already noon. The exiles, who were in good spirits when they set out, now felt weak in the soles of their feet, were sweating profusely, and looked listless.

Although Shen Fenghe is a special forces soldier and military doctor, this is not his own body after all, so he is a little overwhelmed.

Even so, she is already the one in the best condition among the five people, two adults and three children.

Qin Mengyue lived a life of luxury and had a head injury. Although she was saved by acupuncture and adrenaline, she was still staggering with every step. Later, she had to rely on Chen Fenghe to support her and could barely walk.

As for Shen Yichuan, Shen Qingxing and Xiao Yunhao, three children over five years old, it was naturally more difficult for them to walk.

However, the three little guys were extremely sensible. Although they were very tired, they never complained along the way and tried their best to follow the adults.

Therefore, the five of them were the last ones to flee the famine.

The leader of the officers, Chen Wu, looked up at the sun and said, "Everyone, rest here for an incense stick of time, have lunch, and then continue on your journey."

Everyone couldn't help but cheer after hearing this.

The high-ranking officials, nobles, mistresses, young masters and young ladies who used to live a life of luxury and were always picky in the capital, now ignored everything else and sat down on the ground, gasping for breath.

Except for Qin Mengyue and her friends, the rest of the Qin family sat alone on one side.

The officers took a dusty bundle and distributed the steamed bread inside to everyone. Adults got one each, and children only got half a bun.

Qin Huanhuan took the steamed bread that was given to her and saw that it was black and hard. She had no idea what it was made of. She threw it away in disgust and said, "Is this food for humans? Even dogs wouldn't eat it!"

The official distributing the food was amused and sneered, "You wouldn't even eat a dog? And you still think you're a young lady from the Duke's Mansion? Wait and see! After ten days or half a month, will you eat it?"

After saying that, he simply glanced at everyone in the Qin family and said, "I guess the rest of you guys dislike it too, right? Okay! I'll save the dry food for lunch today!"

After saying that, he no longer paid attention to the Qin family and went to distribute them to other people.

Qin Chang's wife, Sun Shulan, saw the official about to leave and wanted to call out to him, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Seeing the officer walk away, Sun Shulan looked at Qin Huanhuan with some resentment.

It was all the fault of this freeloader. Even if the steamed buns weren't tasty, they should have kept their portion first and traded it with others later, right? Because of her words, the Qin family's food rations for more than a dozen people, more than a dozen steamed buns, were all withheld!

Sun Shulan secretly tugged at Qin Chang's sleeve and exchanged a glance with her husband.

Qin Chang didn't care about the steamed buns, but he was purely dissatisfied with the first wife, so he was also dissatisfied with Qin Huanhuan. However, he didn't get angry for the time being, but just shook his head gently at Sun Shulan.

He has just been exiled, and there is no need for him to be a troublemaker in this family.

Old Lady Zhang also looked down on the steamed bread, and since she always loved Qin Huanhuan, she said, "Jinzhong, where are the dry food we brought with us? Let's share it."

Before their property was confiscated and they were exiled, the Qin family secretly sewed banknotes and other things into their clothes, and also secretly prepared a lot of dry food.

If it weren't for this, they would have been starving, so how could they be willing to throw away the steamed buns?

Upon hearing this, Qin Jinzhong said to Qin Chang, "Chang'er, didn't your wife pack a huge bag in the kitchen before the house was searched? Take out the food she brought and share it among us."

When Sun Shulan heard this, she opened her mouth but stopped herself from speaking.

She is just the Qin family's lowest-ranking great-grandson's wife. How can she have the right to disagree?

But... she had carried the baggage all the way, and now she was asked to share it with the whole family, how could she bear to do so?

Qin Liqing said dissatisfiedly: "Dad! Why do you want our second wife to take it out first? My eldest sister-in-law and Jian'er's wife have also brought a lot! Dad, you are too partial!"

Qin Jinzhong was already fuming with hunger. Upon hearing this, he slapped Qin Liqing in the face and scolded him, "Just take it out when I told you to! After Chang'er's wife has finished eating what she brought, we must eat what Jian'er's wife brought. Let's take turns!"

Qin Liqing covered his face and dared not say a word, but he still glared fiercely at his elder brother Qin Lizheng who was standing next to him with a smug look on his face.

Sun Shulan had no choice but to reluctantly take out some meat patties from her bag.

Her bag was not small, but after taking out fourteen or fifteen meat patties, the bag was basically empty.

Sun Shulan was so angry that she couldn't help wiping away tears.

She had been carrying it all morning, exhausted, and in the end, the whole family ate up all the food! Why?

Chen Fenghe supported Qin Mengyue and brought three children with them. Because they were walking at the back, they had to wait until the Qin family had distributed the meat patties before they caught up with the main group and found a place to sit down.

Xiao Yunhao smelled the aroma of meat patties, looked in the direction where the Qin family was sitting, then raised his head and said, "Mother, I want to eat meat patties."

Shen Yichuan and Shen Qingxing also smelled it, and they couldn't help swallowing their saliva and said, "Sister, we want to eat it too."

No matter how sensible the three of them were, they were only five years old after all. They had been staggering around all morning without saying a word. Now they were hungry, so it was inevitable that they wanted to eat something delicious.

Qin Mengyue glanced at the Qin family members who were eating their cakes with big mouthfuls, touched Xiao Yunhao's head with a loving and guilty look, and said, "Hao'er, from now on, don't call me mother... call me queen mother anymore. We are no longer people in the palace. From now on, just call me mother like other children."

Xiao Yunhao listened and nodded obediently, saying, "Mother, I understand."

"Be good." Qin Mengyue looked at Xiao Yunhao's sweaty temples and felt sad.

Thinking that Xiao Yunhao was only five years old and had to be exiled thousands of miles away with her, and who knew how much hardship he would have to endure on the way, she felt heartbroken.

But...even so, she believed that her son would never rebel.

Qin Mengyue said to Shen Fenghe, "Fenghe, you take care of them. I'll ask my second uncle for two meat patties. The five of us mothers can share them..."