Chapter 7: Dividing the Rooms in the Broken Thatched Hut
Standing before everyone was a small, simple, dilapidated thatched hut.
In the past, even the servants in Tu Su's family would have looked down on him.
The yamen runners who had escorted the soldiers here had completed their mission and had already set out on their journey home to report to the capital.
The general in charge of receiving the exiled criminals shook his head helplessly. "You're exiled here, so having a place to shelter from the wind and rain is great! What else is there to complain about?"
The Jingyuan Marquis Mansion colluded with the enemy and committed treason, and there were indeed many relatives and friends among them. However, at this critical juncture, who would dare to take the risk and stand up and bear the emperor's wrath?
Although the emperor did not send Tu Su's family to forced labor, according to the law, once they were exiled to Fang County, they had to support themselves.
Even if you have to sleep on the streets, it is what you deserve and you have brought it upon yourself.
However, this simple hut in front of them was actually a shelter that the old friend of the Marquis in the army had specially arranged for them at the risk of being implicated.
There is nothing else besides this.
This generous general could not stand the nitpicking and complaints of the Tusu women, so he pulled Tusu Bo aside and whispered to him, "Prince Tusu, this is all I can do for you."
"My commander once said that if we can persevere and survive, then hope for the future will still be waiting ahead. But if we can't persevere, I'm afraid..."
"I'm very grateful."
Tu Subo understood what he was going to say next, so he bowed deeply and said in a hoarse but sincere voice, "Tu Subo will keep this in mind."
"Don't! It's just a small favor, it's not worth your being so polite."
The general glanced at the noisy crowd at the door, sighed, and continued, "You must take good care of yourself."
"This desolate place is barren, but everything else is peaceful. No one will disturb your tranquility. As for the challenges ahead, you will have to rely on your own wisdom and courage to face them."
This time, lending a helping hand is a gesture of friendship, but after all, there is no obligation to take continuous risks.
From now on, Tu Subo will have to move forward alone.
Tu Subo deeply understood the difficulty that the general was going through in providing assistance at this moment. After expressing his gratitude in words, he accompanied his benefactor out of the village.
The neglected Gu Yuexuan leaned alone against the ancient locust tree at the entrance of the village, supporting her chin with both hands, her eyes revealing deep helplessness, and she sighed silently.
Time flies, and more than two months have passed quietly. She and Tu Subo, a "couple" who are like strangers, are not alienated, but of course not close either. They talk to each other occasionally, but they do not open their hearts to each other.
After going through so much hardship, I am exhausted both physically and mentally.
However, why do Tu Subo's family members still maintain their full energy, crying, making a fuss and screaming?
At this time, on the other side, Yu's eyes moved carefully and cautiously over the thatched hut.
This thatched house consists of two entrances and two exits. The main room in the center stands alone, while the backyard cleverly extends into an additional room.
The room on the east side is more spacious, while the west side has three side rooms compactly arranged. As a result, the entire house has only six rooms, roughly speaking.
For a family with a smaller population, such a residence might be adequate, but Tu Su's family was large.
After more than two months of exile, the noble manners that Yu had always maintained had long been completely worn away.
She spat a mouthful of thick phlegm at the general's back with an angry look on her face, her tone full of dissatisfaction.
"This place is as small as a doghouse. Are they treating us like dogs?"
The old lady's face was also filled with gloom and displeasure.
"Are we just going to put up with this? Or should we ask Tu Suba to put in more effort and find another way out?"
Her voice was filled with helplessness and hope, as if she was looking for a possible turnaround.
The old marquis' voice was filled with unquestionable seriousness: "The desert grass is asleep, can't you tolerate the broken thatched house?"
The old marquis was disheartened by the unfortunate fate of his eldest son. He was weak and listless along the way and rarely spoke.
However, he is the pillar of the family after all.
Once he opened his mouth, who in the Tu Su family could question him?
Yu gritted her teeth and muttered with some resentment, "But this thatched hut is not much better than the desert!"
Xi Lanfang had been subjected to constant ridicule and sarcasm these days. She knew full well that they disliked her and Tu Subo and his mother. She hurriedly reached out and gently pulled a child, saying in a whisper, "How about I take the child with me to sleep."
"Sister-in-law, you're wrong. If you don't take care of the child yourself, who else can take care of the child for you?"
Yu snorted coldly and retorted sharply, "Don't dream. Not only does my sister-in-law have to take care of these two young children, but even Tu Subo and the others should find a corner to barely live in!"
"After all, my husband and I have a room to ourselves. Min Fei is already seventeen years old and will probably be planning his wedding soon. He deserves a separate bridal room, and Min Yang should have one too!"
As soon as the voice fell, Li Shi hurriedly interrupted, "Then, my family also needs two rooms! Yan Ting is eight years old, and obviously can't sleep with us anymore. She also needs her own room."
Among the only six houses in this house, the most noble one is the residence of the old lady and the old man.
This division immediately made the already limited space even more cramped, and in the end, only the uninhabitable stable was left!
In this predicament, Xi Lanfang sighed helplessly: "Minxu and Yunxi can still sleep with me, but..."
"However, Bo'er has already started a family and a career. How can he and his daughter-in-law continue to squeeze into this small space with us?"
For married couples, no matter how poor their family background is, they need to have their own independent space.
After all, it is unimaginable for a young couple to sleep in the same bed with their elders.
It's embarrassing to tell anyone about it!
Xi Lanfang finally mustered up the courage to offer a relatively reasonable suggestion, but as soon as she finished speaking, she was harshly scolded by Yu: "This is your family's mess, what does it have to do with us?"
After a pause, Yu sneered and added, "Sister-in-law, you must remember that all the suffering we endured was caused by Big Brother! If Big Brother hadn't been so foolish, we would still be living leisurely in the Marquis' Mansion, enjoying the good food and drinks, without any worries!"
Her husband's betrayal was like a sharp blade that deeply hurt the most vulnerable part of Xi Lanfang's heart. Whenever Yu mentioned it, it would easily touch her pain.
Seeing his mother sobbing with her face covered by every word, the three-year-old Tu Su Yunxi couldn't help but sob in fear. The seven-year-old Tu Su Minxu immediately stepped forward and said, "Don't bully my mother!"
"Oh, bullying?"
Yu was enraged and roared, "I am your second aunt, the innocent second aunt who was implicated because of your father's fault! How dare you, a little brat, protest against me so loudly?!"
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