"Why did you ask me to come here instead of serving the Third Prince at this time?" Pei Xuanqing was unhappy when Xue Jiaying brought him to this remote place.
"Brother Pei, do you still blame me for lying to you back then?" Xue Jiaying's tone was as gentle as a yellow oriole when she said this, and she looked at the other person tenderly. Her eyes were like hooks, and it was hard not to be moved.
But even though she used this tried-and-true tactic, Pei Xuanqing sneered in disgust. "Why should I blame you? In fact, I should thank you for helping me to change my ways!"
"At the beginning, I really didn't know that my father wanted to frame you, otherwise he wouldn't have asked you to meet him privately." But in the end, her half-sister went in her place.
In order to make the story more realistic, her father prepared a package for her half-sister to pretend that she was going to elope with Pei Xuanqing. The Xue family also arranged for some people to catch the two of them meeting in private, thus spreading the rumor that Pei Xuanqing and her half-sister were having an affair, but because Pei Xuanqing was engaged to her, the two wanted to elope.
In reality, it was the Xue family who wanted her to marry the Third Prince. Xue Jiaying herself shared that sentiment. After all, Pei Xuanqing was just a nobleman, nothing more. However, they were already engaged. If the Huai'en Marquisate were just an ordinary family, it would be fine to cancel the engagement, but it happened to be the Empress's family. Even if she rashly canceled the engagement, there was no way she would marry the Third Prince again.
The Xue family staged and acted out this drama themselves, and Xue Jiaying, playing the victim, tearfully accused Pei Xuanqing of being a heartless man, pushing the blame onto Pei Xuanqing and naturally breaking off the engagement with him.
Relying on the kindness she had shown the Third Prince when she was a child, she presented him with a jade pendant to recognize him. The Third Prince then petitioned the Emperor, and she happily became his consort. Their marriage was as sweet as honey, though the only flaw was that after almost two years of marriage, she hadn't borne him a child.
What the Xue family didn't know was that Pei Xuanqing had broken off the engagement so abruptly because he was incredibly angry. He hadn't expected the person he loved to scheme against him. He blamed himself for not seeing through such a simple scheme.
"Do you think I will still believe you if you say this now?" I don't know why he was so obsessed with believing this woman in the first place?
"But what I said was the truth." Xue Jiaying would never admit that she was involved in the original calculation.
"Alright," Pei Xuanqing said, his face almost etched with impatience. "Why are you spouting all that nonsense? Just tell me why you called me here today."
"Brother Pei, can you please do me a favor for the sake of the friendship between us in the past and ask someone to take care of the Xue family on the way to exile so that they will suffer less?" If her father had not threatened her with something, why would she lose face and beg this man?
Even though Ning Ze had been demoted to a commoner and she was no longer the Third Prince's consort, as long as Ning Ze was of royal blood, they would eventually rise again. So, deep down, she still felt superior and didn't regret her original choice.
Pei Xuanqing narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Your Xue family plotted against me so harshly back then. Do you think I would do something foolish to repay evil with kindness?" He then asked, "Why don't you ask the Third Prince for help? Even if he's demoted, his power remains. This little thing wouldn't be a problem for him."
"It's better for the county magistrate to take charge now. Haven't I met you now?" She has always maintained an image of being generous, virtuous and well-educated in front of Ning Ze. She doesn't want to bother Ning Ze about the Xue family's affairs at this time.
"Is the Xue family afraid that I will take the opportunity to take revenge?" Pei Xuanqing quickly grasped the key to the matter.
Xue Jiaying smiled awkwardly, "How could that be possible! If you wanted to take revenge on the Xue family, why wait until now?"
To be honest, many people did not expect that Pei Xuanqing, a noble son, would be willing to be a knife for the emperor and live a life on the edge of a knife.
The Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard was powerful, but also extremely dangerous. Over the years, who knows how many commanders and deputy commanders had been replaced? And none of the previous commanders survived to their deaths.
"You don't have to confront me with such words. I don't have the time to deal with the Xue family right now. Go back, and don't ask me for help again." It wasn't that he didn't want to kick someone when they were down, but he had more important things to do. Since this person specifically asked him out, it would seem a bit unfair for him to do nothing.
"Then I'll go back?" Xue Jiaying looked back every few steps, trying to show her reluctance to leave Pei Xuanqing. She didn't know whether this matter today was accomplished?
Pei Xuanqing turned his face away, his eyes obscure and unclear.
It wasn't until Xue Jiaying entered the door of the guest room at the inn that Pei Xuanqing narrowed his eyes and shouted fiercely, "Who's there?"
Wan Xueying, who was hiding in the dark, did not move. She didn't believe that she would be exposed so easily.
Before she could use her mental power to check, Qiu Shi's voice came from not far away: "Sir Pei, are you talking to me?" At this time, he was carrying a tent, sleeping bag and straw mat on his shoulders. He was a little confused when he saw Pei Xuanqing looking at him with murderous intent.
"When did you come?" Pei Xuanqing asked coldly as if he was interrogating a prisoner.
"I just got here!" Qiu Shi looked around. How could he have offended the deputy commander when he just got here?
"What are you doing here?" Pei Xuanqing was not fooled by his few words and continued to interrogate him.
"I'm here to give you this." Qiu Shi put down the simple tent, sleeping bag and straw mat on his shoulders and showed them to him.
Pei Xuanqing pointed at the simple tent and asked, "What is this?" This was the first time he had seen something that looked like a big umbrella, and he had some guesses.
"This..." Qiu Shi smiled proudly, "This is a tent, a simple tent."
"A simple tent? You mean I can sleep in it after setting it up?" He had not only seen but also lived in the big tent in the military camp. It could indeed be used as a house, but it was very troublesome to set up and dismantle, and often required several people.
"Yes, just as the adults said, after this is built, it will not only protect us from the wind and rain, but we can also sleep in it."
"Why is it called a simple tent? Isn't it troublesome to set up and pack up every time we arrive at a place?"
"This is not troublesome at all, it's really very convenient. Do you want to use a small demonstration for the adults to see?" Qiu Shi looked expectant, as if he had just obtained something good and had to show it off to others.
"Okay, show me how." The suggestion of the tent did pique Pei Xuanqing's interest.
"Hehe," Qiu Shi was even more proud, "I have to praise my young lady for being so smart. She actually asked someone to make such a good thing." He was stupid just now and wanted to ask his young lady to stay in the guest room.
"Your young lady? Miss Wan Er?" Pei Xuanqing had a good memory. He had a vague impression of Qiu Shi the last time he led his men to raid Dingyang Marquis's residence, because he was among those chosen by Wan Xueying. However, Qiu Shi wasn't a significant figure, so he didn't make a special effort to remember him.
"Yes! The young one is her bodyguard." It's better not to mention the word "captain" in front of the deputy commander.
"I understand. Please demonstrate it to me." After a tiring day, Pei Xuanqing wanted to finish his work here as soon as possible and go back to rest.
"Okay, I'll demonstrate it to you right away."
Setting up the simple tent couldn't be simpler, requiring only a little more effort than opening an umbrella. Then, lower the thick tarpaulin from the top and secure the corners, and you're done. Unlike Wan Xueying's previous life, the simple tent had a large umbrella handle in the middle for support, taking up some space.
"Is it done?" Pei Xuanqing couldn't believe it. Even building a shack shouldn't be that simple, right?
"It is indeed all over. Sir Pei, would you like to go in and take a look?"
Pei Xuanqing was like a fish on the hook. How could he not go in and take a look? He found that although it was not big, it was enough to sleep one or two people. This thing was really convenient for staying in the wild.
"What are you holding in your hand?" Pei Xuanqing came out of the tent and asked curiously when he saw what Qiu Shi was holding in his hand.
"This or this?" Qiu Shi held the straw mat in one hand and the sleeping bag in the other.
"How could I not recognize a straw mat?" Pei Xuanqing silently rolled his eyes at Qiu Shi, "Am I talking about the one that looks like a quilt?" Maybe he should ask, maybe it was a quilt.
"This!" Qiu Shi's face lit up with pride again. "This was custom-made by my young lady. It's called a sleeping bag, a bag for sleeping. It's very warm when you get in it."
This didn't surprise Pei Xuanqing too much. It felt like sleeping with the quilt half spread out and half covered, which seemed even more restrictive than that. He was interested in, "Do you all have these things?"
"Yes! The young lady is so kind. Not only did she buy us a mule cart, she also prepared these for us." Otherwise, how can we say that these people are lucky? Not only were they spared from exile, but they also had food and drink along the way, and they didn't have to work too hard.
"Who are these for, then?"
"It's prepared for Mr. Shen Er." Qiu Shi answered honestly.
"Then why not send it to the west of the post station?"
"There was no room left on the west side, so my young lady spent a little money to ask the guards here to find her a place, and finally she was arranged there." After Qiu Shi finished speaking, he pointed to the gap between the wall and the house not far from them.
"Is it there?" Pei Xuanqing became alert again and came there in a flash.
He searched carefully but saw no one. Qiu Shi, who had followed, breathed a sigh of relief when he found Wan Xueying. Just because he was late didn't mean he was stupid. It must be that this Lord Pei had some secret he was afraid others would overhear.
He held Pei Xuanqing's hand and talked for a long time, firstly to clear himself of suspicion, and secondly to give Wan Xueying time to leave.
Pei Xuanqing stepped on the ground alertly again, flew over the low wall leading to the backyard, looked around and found no signs of anything suspicious, so he felt relieved.
On second thought, he felt he was being overly suspicious. Even if someone saw him talking to the Third Prince's wife, what would happen? Even if the truth of what happened back then got out, what would it matter? It wouldn't have much of an impact on him.
He turned around and stepped on the ground, then climbed back over the low wall. This time, in addition to seeing Qiu Shi, he also saw Wan Xueying and Shen Yu who had come with him.
"Is Deputy Commander Pei trying to climb over the wall?" Wan Xueying joked with a smile when she saw Pei Xuanqing falling from the wall.
Pei Xuanqing chuckled, "Miss Wan Er, you're joking." Then he pointed at the simple tent that Qiu Shi had moved over and asked, "I wonder if Miss Wan Er still has tents like this? I'll buy all the ones I have."
How arrogant! It was a pity that she was in such a hurry to leave the capital that she sold the blueprints for a little money. Otherwise, this business would have been very promising.
"I don't have any extra tents on hand right now. If Lord Pei wants any, he can send someone back to the capital to buy them from Zhang's Umbrella Shop in Yong'an Lane. That's where I ordered these tents."
She had two extra tents, but they had to be kept for replacements. With such a long journey, it wouldn't be surprising to encounter some strong winds and heavy rain, and she couldn't guarantee that each tent would withstand the elements. Besides, was she actually soliciting business for Zhang's Umbrella Shop? Should she expect a commission?
"I just heard from your men that this thing was your idea. Can you sell the blueprints to me?" Pei Xuanqing thought more long-term.
"How much are you offering?" Wan Xueying asked casually.
"One thousand taels!" Pei Xuanqing didn't even hesitate.
One thousand taels? That was it, she had lost a fortune! Then she consoled herself: She hadn't lost much, hadn't she gotten those tents for free?
"Um..." Wan Xueying smiled awkwardly, "I was just asking casually. Actually, I have already sold the blueprints to the boss of Zhang's shop."
"Then sell me another one." Pei Xuanqing said unconcernedly, "I promise I will never compete with a small umbrella shop for business."
If this was the thing, there would be no need for blueprints. Just buy a few, take them home, disassemble them, and everything would be clear. But Pei Xuanqing still wanted to buy the blueprints. He wanted to see someone from the Ministry of Works to see if they could be used in the military.
"Of course you can, but I have another request." Wan Xueying was a little too demanding.
"Just ask for anything you want."
I don’t know if it’s an illusion, but Shen Yu feels that Pei Xuanqing is particularly easy to talk to when facing Wan Xueying.
"Can someone remove the shackles from his hands and feet?" She had just noticed that the shackles on Shen Yu's hands were all rubbed raw and bleeding. The exile had just begun, and the powders and ointments she had prepared didn't seem to be enough!
Pei Xuanqing followed Wan Xueying's gaze and saw the wound on Shen Yu's hand, which he found particularly glaring. If Wan Xueying hadn't mentioned this, he would have overlooked a major issue. So he said generously, "That's no problem. I'll have Captain Hao remove the shackles from Shen Yu's hands and feet later."
Wan Xueying's eyes lit up. She had just said it casually, but she didn't expect it to work?
"Now you can sell me the tent blueprints, right?"
"Yes, of course." Even without payment, she was fine. However... she had one thing she needed to confirm: "Master Pei, please keep your word and don't steal Zhang's business." Her reputation was a bit ruined, but she still had to try to make up for it.
"Don't worry about that. I want to ask the Ministry of Works to see if they can modify the military tents to be more convenient." Pei Xuanqing made no secret of this. Then, with a serious face, he said, "But this time, you can't give the blueprints to anyone else, and don't even mention that I asked you for them."
Having risen to this level within the military, Wan Xueying had to become serious. "I understand what you said. You can't tell anyone that I gave you the blueprints."
"Yes. But I have one more request."
"What's the request?" Wan Xueying asked.
"Could you please make the drawings more detailed, preferably with every component clearly drawn?"
"More money is needed." She was too hasty. She had previously thought that she could easily exchange the waste manuscripts in the space for one thousand taels.
If this were to be used in the military, it would have to be drawn with exceptional detail. As a citizen of the Great Yan Dynasty, even if her sense of belonging wasn't as strong as others, she still felt obligated to see this through.
"Money is not a problem, but it depends on the final drawings."
"Okay, I'll give you the drawings as soon as possible."
"Don't force yourself. Just send it to me whenever you finish the painting."
"Okay, I will definitely draw well."
Pei Xuanqing was startled by her change in attitude. He hadn't expected the girl, who had been haggling with him a bit nonchalantly just a moment ago, to become so serious. He was even more excited about the drawings she was about to hand him.
"I won't delay any longer. I'll ask someone to remove Shen Yu's shackles later." He always keeps his word.
"Then I'll trouble you, Lord Pei." Wan Xueying smiled and saw Pei Xuanqing off.
When they returned, Shen Yu curled her lips in dissatisfaction and said, "Why are you, a woman, being so attentive to a man?"
"What nonsense!" Wan Xueying glared at him. "I'm doing this for your own good." She added, "After I remove the shackles from your hands and feet, don't forget to apply the powder and ointment I gave you."
"I..." Shen Yu's expression was unnatural.
"What do you mean?" He thought of a possibility. "You wouldn't ask Nanying and the others to give the powder and ointment to your parents, would you?"
"yes."
Is that so? Wan Xueying's eyes widened. If she knew that the powder and ointment would be given to Duke Wen and his wife, why would she waste her life and leaves?
"Don't be angry. I just thought the powder and ointment you gave me were excellent and it would be a waste to use them on me, so I asked Nanying to send them to my parents and brother." They were thrown into the Sky Prison, and they were bound to suffer physical pain. Especially since they had committed such a serious crime that was enough to confiscate their property and exterminate their entire clan.
"Okay, okay, I've already given you the things. You can do whatever you want with them." It wasn't that she didn't understand Shen Yu's approach, but she felt her sincerity had been misplaced. She still had extra powder and ointment on her, but she didn't plan to give them to Shen Yu.
He said impatiently, "I still have to draw the blueprints later, let Qiu Shi help you here." After that, he turned and left without giving Shen Yu any look.
Shen Yu saw that she was angry and wanted to explain, but when he opened his mouth, he felt that whatever he said would be wrong, so he had to stop.
Pei Xuanqing was extremely efficient. After a while, Ma Xiaoqi came over to help Shen Yu open the shackles on his hands and feet, and also brought him a bottle of healing medicine.
Shen Yu felt a little uncomfortable holding the medicine bottle. If he had known earlier, he should have left some medicine powder and ointment for Wan Xueying. Maybe she wouldn't be so angry.
Qiu Shi couldn't bear to watch and stood up for Wan Xueying.
"Mr. Shen, you don't know that my young lady spent a lot of money and worked on it for a long time to make those medicines. If you just gave away her kindness without saying a word, anyone would be angry."
"But the people I'm sending this to are my parents and brothers, my closest relatives."
"Not to mention parents, brothers, and close relatives, even the emperor can't give it to her without her permission!"
In reality, Wan Xueying was only angry for a short while. By the time they returned to the rest area, Nanny Wu had already cooked the noodles. She also prepared two large bowls of scallion oil and egg sauce, paired with shredded cucumber and a few pickles she had bought earlier, instantly whetting everyone's appetite.
After Qiu Shi returned, Wan Xueying asked him to deliver noodles to Shen Yu. On the way, he met Pei Xuanqing, who simply came to ask for noodles.
"I haven't had any appetite all day. Seeing you eating noodles, they smell delicious, so I came to ask for some. You don't mind, do you?" Pei Xuanqing just glanced at the people stationed outside the post station, and went straight to the tent set up by Wan Xueying and others.
It's so easy to recognize.
"You're most welcome. However, this time, Master Pei will be treated by me. If Master Pei wants to eat for free in the future, he will have to pay for the meal." Wan Xueying still acted petty.
There was no other way. She was short of money. In addition to budgeting carefully, she also had to find ways to increase her income. Otherwise, how could she support so many people?
Pei Xuanqing's lips curled up slightly, his mood was very happy. "Thank you in advance for this meal. If I eat for free again, I will definitely pay for the food." He had originally not wanted to take this job. Besides the danger, it would also make it difficult to eat and sleep. Now, it seems that with Wan Xueying here, it seems that he doesn't have to worry about food.
As for accommodation?
If they really had to camp outdoors, he would requisition Shen Yu's tent. Why would an exile sleep so comfortably? If he didn't rush to use it, Captain Hao and the others would have.
"That's what you said!" Madam Wu's cooking skills were excellent. Even the most ordinary meals were made fragrant and colorful by her. This was also due to the rich variety of seasonings and vegetables and fruits in this dynasty.
This time, the egg noodles with soybean paste were especially fragrant because of the scallion oil. She felt tired at first and thought she couldn't eat much, but she ate two small bowls.
Pei Xuanqing, a freeloader, ate two large bowls and still felt unsatisfied. When he wanted to get more, he found that the guards had already snatched away all the noodles.
"How about Lord Pei take some cakes back home so you can eat them when you're hungry in the middle of the night?" Wan Xueying asked politely.
"I don't like eating cakes." This time he was rejected by Pei Xuanqing.
"Forget it then." Wan Xueying was just being polite.
"That's all for this meal. If you have something delicious in the future, ask Madam Wu to prepare more for me. Oh, and by the way," Pei Xuanqing glanced at Qiu Shi, "later, have that kid go get some braised pork elbows from me. It will pay for this meal."
Whenever the Imperial Guard traveled, they were treated to delicious food and drinks wherever they went. The food prepared for them tonight at the post station was also quite sumptuous. He wasn't used to eating with a large group, so he had some rice and vegetables brought to him.
Because I wanted to eat noodles, I didn't touch the rice or vegetables. I thought the braised pork elbow was good, so I made this suggestion.
"Haha, it seems we made a profit." She looked down upon her men a little. They seemed to be afraid that Pei Xuanqing would snatch all the noodles, so they acted so quickly.
"Of course." Compared to Wan Xueying, he was much more generous.
Pei Xuanqing didn't stay long. After saying goodbye to Wan Xueying, he turned and entered the post station.
What they didn't know was that someone was originally planning to take over Wan Xueying and their tent. Seeing that Wan Xueying and Pei Xuanqing were very familiar with each other, they had to give up the idea for the time being.
As for the Wan family, after they grabbed two adjacent guest rooms and settled in, Wan Chengji and Xu lay motionless in bed. The two of them ordered the four concubines around, while Wan Hesu was also busy fetching water for everyone to wash up.
Wan Hesu also took the opportunity to meet Lin Yingnan, and only felt relieved when he saw that she had also requested a guest room to stay in. However, he also reminded her not to act rashly. There were so many people on the road, so she had to be extra careful. He was afraid that something might go wrong if she wasn't careful enough.
He also told Lin Yingnan to keep close to Wan Xueying and let her learn as much as possible from her. His biggest mistake in the past was neglecting his sister. It was also because of the many restrictions that she kept a low profile. He believed that with time, Wan Xueying would become a force to be reckoned with and would surely amaze even more people.
For Lin Yingnan, nothing could make her happier than his words. This meant that Wan Hesu had accepted her going into exile with the Wan family.
However, Wan Hesu did not stay long, as he was the only one who could help the family.
With the cakes sent by Wan Qingling, who would want to eat the black-faced cakes sent by the escort? The Wan family did not waste any of it and took it all back according to the number of people.
Wan Huqing didn't hesitate at all. He picked up his favorite peach cake and gobbled up four pieces in a row and wanted to continue.
"There's not much in total. Can't you leave some more for your parents? At the very least, you can save some for them to eat on the road." Wan Hesu couldn't bear to watch it any longer, so he reminded them.
"Neither Mom nor you like eating peach cakes. These will end up in my stomach sooner or later. It doesn't make any difference whether it's earlier or later?" Wan Huqing retorted.
"Forget it," Wan Hesu was too lazy to argue with him, "If you want to eat it, then eat it."
He let Wan Chengji pick out the cakes he liked and eat them first, and took some cakes to the next door for Xu. As for whether the concubines could eat them, he didn't care.
Afterwards, I returned to my room and sat around the table with Wan Chengji and Wan Huqing. I picked up a small piece of mung bean cake and started eating it. It felt a bit dry, so I only ate one piece and didn't eat any more.
Then, under the puzzled gazes of Wan Chengji and Wan Huqing, he picked up a piece of black flour cake and began to eat it in small bites with water.
"He Su, why are you eating that?" Wan Chengji asked.
"Dad, the pastries are delicious, but I think they are not as good as these black-floured breads in satisfying hunger." Wan Hesu said the truth.
"Dad, ignore him, he deserves to suffer!" Wan Huqing said this while looking down on Wan Hesuhua, and ate another piece of peach cake.
"What nonsense!" Wan Chengji slapped Wan Huqing hard. "If it weren't for you, would our family have ended up like this?"
"Oh, Dad, please calm down. This is not just temporary. When the prince ascends the throne, we will be able to return to the capital sooner or later. Maybe you can even become a marquis!" Not to mention that he showed up in front of the prince this time and made a contribution. Wan Huqing was a little complacent.
"If you hadn't told me, I would have forgotten what you said? What did you do? Why are those people targeting our family?" He didn't notice it at first, but if those people met their family along the way, they would either stay away from them or say some sarcastic words that they deserved it.
What was even more strange was that Wan Huqing had clearly cleared himself of suspicion, so why did the ministers in the court insist on holding on to what their family had done in the past? He just couldn't believe it. Just looking at what their family had done, how many powerful families in the capital hadn't done it?
"My son said nothing and did nothing! He was framed by someone, otherwise the emperor would not have spared his life!" He almost forgot that he must not mention that matter to anyone, and he almost said something wrong just now.
"It's better that you didn't say anything! You didn't do anything! If I find out that you said something you shouldn't have said, or did something you shouldn't have done, I'll kill you first, without anyone else's help!"
"Alright, Dad, please eat your cakes." Wan Huqing felt a little guilty. Then he thought, he was working for the Crown Prince, so why should he feel guilty? When the Crown Prince ascended the throne, he would be considered a meritorious official, and perhaps even get a title, or at least a high official position.
He was secretly thinking about good things here, but Wan Chengji did not forget to warn him: "You have to remember this: although the prince is the crown prince, it is hard to say whether he can sit on that position in the future. Don't mention his enthronement all the time." Although he also hoped that the prince would ascend the throne as soon as possible, he still knew his limits.
"Okay, Dad, I'm only saying this in front of our family." He quickly changed the subject, "Where's big brother? What should we feed him?"
"Hey!" Wan Chengji glanced at Wan Jiangyuan lying on the bed, "I wonder when he will wake up?"
"Dad," Wan Jiangyuan suddenly opened his eyes and spoke, "My son is awake."
"Am I seeing things?" Wan Chengji looked at Wan Jiangyuan and then at Wan Hesu.
Wan Hesu nodded, "Big Brother is indeed awake." He was awake for several days. But he did not expose it.
"Jiang Yuan, how are you?" Wan Chengji asked with concern, "Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?" The only two people in the family who made him so concerned were Wan Qingling and Wan Jiangyuan.
"Dad, I'm fine." Wan Jiangyuan tried to turn over and sit up, but found that he had no strength in his body.
That's right. He hasn't eaten or drunk much for several days. Firstly, he was afraid that people would find out that he had woken up a long time ago. Secondly, he was afraid of wetting or shitting his pants. How could he have the strength now?
Although his idea was good, the human urge to urinate was completely out of control. He had peed his pants several times during his time in prison. However, everyone was eating and pooping together, so no one paid special attention to him, a fainting man.
He felt like he was getting extremely dirty, and being carried all the way by Wan Hesu was not as comfortable as he had imagined. He decided not to pretend to be unconscious anymore, so he wanted to take a shower, change his clothes, and fill his stomach.
Taking a shower and filling your stomach are easy to solve for now, but do you want to change your clothes?
Like most exiles, the Wan family wore only modest clothes. They wanted to change, but they were short of money and knew that even better clothes would be useless.
To put it bluntly, it's just a lack of money.
However, Wan Jiangyuan did have a strong smell of urine, and he had to squeeze into the same bed with Wan Chengji. So Wan Chengji asked Wan Hesu to find Lin Yingnan. How could Wan Chengji, who was so calculating, let go of such a big enemy?
Lin Yingnan readily agreed. Not only did she have her maid Chunjiao buy a set of old clothes from the common people who followed the exile group for a few taels of silver, she also spent a large sum of money at the post station to buy four straw mats and four worn-out quilts for Wan Hesu and the others who couldn't find beds to sleep on the floor.
She wanted to buy two more beds, but the bedding was too worn and worn out, so she decided to buy new ones when she passed by the market later.
Wan Jiangyuan had originally intended to throw away the suit he had taken off, as his bad experience in prison was becoming a shadow in his heart. In the end, Wan Chengji couldn't bear to let Jinzhi wash it, but Jinzhi, who hadn't done such work in a long time, was disgusted.
But what could she do? As long as she was Wan Chengji's concubine, she would be tortured by Wan Chengji and the Xu family. An urgent desire to escape arose spontaneously.
As happily as Wan Huqing had eaten the peach cake, he ran to the toilet as frequently as he could afterwards. This disturbed Wan Chengji and the others, who all had trouble sleeping and were constantly complaining.
Before dawn the next day, the escort rang the gong to urge everyone to get up and assemble.
This time, before the whip fell, no one dared to drag their feet like last time. They all packed up and lined up, ready to set off at any time.
But when the guards were calling out the names of the people to distribute the morning black-floured pancakes, they discovered that one person was missing.
"Wan Huqing! Wan Huqing! Where is Wan Huqing?" The escort looked at the Wan family with hostility, feeling that if they could not hand over the person in the next second, all the people in the Wan family would most likely be punished.
"Master," Ever since the Bo Mansion fell into decline, only Wan Hesu in the Wan family was willing to swallow his pride and speak up for everyone else, "My third brother had a stomachache last night and is now squatting in the toilet and can't get out."
"You've got a stomachache?" The escort sneered, "Is it because you stole some food?"
They all saw the prince send cakes to the Wan family yesterday. Yet, none of the Wan family members seemed to have the sense to show them any respect. They haven't considered the fact that they've been in prison without any food or drink. It's a wonder they didn't get diarrhea after suddenly eating too much greasy food. And these were just cakes. If they'd been eating a lot of meat and fish, wouldn't they have been dead?
"Sir, could you please sell me some anti-diarrhea medicine? Otherwise, my third brother will be in trouble when he goes on the road."
"Five taels of silver for a bottle of love, do you want it?"
Where did Wan Hesu have the silver? He turned to look at Xu. Even though she felt the other party's request was exorbitant, Xu nodded reluctantly. Then she pulled out a silver note from her pocket, carefully examined the denomination, and only after confirming it was five taels of silver did she hand it to Wan Hesu. Thanks to Wan Hesu's reminder, Xu had asked him to exchange some loose silver notes with Lin Yingnan.
"Sir, could you please give me a bottle of anti-diarrhea medicine?" Wan Hesu had to shamelessly ask for help again.
"Just wait, I'll be right back." The escort urged before asking for anti-diarrhea medicine. "Tell Wan Huqing to poop in his trouser pockets and get out of the toilet! Otherwise, he'll be in trouble!"
"Master, calm down! I'll go find him right away."
The restrooms at the post station were disgusting, with filth everywhere, so easy to step on. Wan Huqing had complained at first, but now he was content to have a place to go. He knew the consequences of not leaving on time, but every time he stood up, he felt a cramping stomachache and the uncontrollable urge to defecate, forcing him to continue squatting in the pit.
"Third brother, hurry up!" Wan Hesu came over and covered his mouth and nose, urging him, "I asked mom to buy you some anti-diarrhea medicine. If you can bear it, come out quickly! Otherwise, our whole family will have to suffer with you!"
"It's not that I don't want to go out, it's just that I can't go out?" Wan Huqing grumbled, but still forced himself to leave the toilet.
Fortunately, he had defecated all night and each time he defecated, it was just a puddle of water. In order to avoid punishment, he decided to follow Wan Hesu back to the team.
Seeing his ugly appearance and considering the five taels of silver, the escort did not whip them.
Even if the medicine was a miracle cure, it wouldn't work immediately. Wan Huqing, despite being despised by a crowd of people, got his pants all wet, and endured the cramps in his stomach, gritting his teeth and insisting on following the group forward.
When Wan Jiangyuan woke up this time, he staggered a little at the beginning because he was not used to walking. But after walking for a while with the support of Wan Hesu, he gradually adapted.
In his previous condition, he would have needed a wheelchair after only a short walk, but this time, he could even manage to walk a few miles. Because he hadn't regained consciousness, the escorts didn't shackle him. Seeing that even walking was a struggle for him, Captain Hao showed mercy and didn't allow him to be shackled, which made things much easier for Wan Hesu.
Lin Yingnan was wronged again. When the Wan family left, the bedding she had kindly bought for them yesterday fell into her hands again.
But she and Chunjiao only rode horses and had no carriage. Thinking of what Wan Hesu had told her yesterday, she went to find Wan Xueying.
"I want to discuss something with you. Can you please put these beddings in your car first? I can buy a carriage after I pass through the county town and give them to me?" Lin Yingnan hastily assured, "Don't worry, they won't be there for long."
Wan Xueying frowned slightly after hearing this, "You want me to help?"
"Yes!" Lin Yingnan said as a matter of course, "Yesterday your third brother told me to stay with you all the way so that we can look after each other." He added, "We are all family anyway. If you need anything, just come to me."
"Are you mistaken? I'm no longer related to the Wan family, so who are you? Besides, we're not close. I have no obligation to help someone I don't know well, and I'm not that kind to help someone I don't know well." Wan Xueying was speechless. If you want to do good things yourself, do it yourself. Why drag others into it?
"Blood is thicker than water. Even if you have severed ties with the Wan family, they are still your relatives. Besides, it won't be a trouble for you. Having so many horse-drawn and mule-drawn carts is just a matter of convenience." The girl still took it for granted.
“Don’t advise others without first experiencing their suffering.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com