Chapter 17: The Terror at the Post Station (I)
After breakfast, everyone continued on their way.
After two days of travel, we finally arrived at the post station outside Taiping Town in the evening.
This post station was the first one they came to after leaving the capital, ten miles outside Taiping Town.
The bitter and cold place where they were exiled was north of the capital, with only three post stations along the way.
Therefore, the leading official planned to stay here for a day to replenish rations and supplies.
Before entering the post station, the handcuffs and shackles of the two Pei brothers were put back on.
Perhaps because there were fewer people going to exile in the north, this post station was very quiet.
Seeing the chief constable escorting the exiled prisoners, the postmaster was particularly enthusiastic.
He personally welcomed in a dozen officials and ordered the postmen to serve them good wine and delicious food.
The leading official also seemed to be very familiar with the postmaster of this post station.
The two of them walked into the main hall of the post station hand in hand, with warm expressions on their faces.
As for Qiao Qiqi and the others, they were arranged to sleep on the large bunk bed in the east wing.
There were more than 30 people in the group, and they were assigned four bunk beds.
So, in addition to the six people from the Pei family's first branch, Qiao Qiqi's room also had two more people from the Pei family's second branch.
They were the two concubine daughters of Pei’s second uncle and the two cousins of the three brothers of the Pei family.
Seeing their timid looks, Qiao Qiqi could only helplessly accept it.
"Sir, should I still cook for them tonight?"
Seeing that the officers escorting them were also going to the main hall, Qiao Qiqi hurriedly asked.
This morning, Qiao Qiqi discovered that there was not much rice left in the official's bag, only enough for a few people to eat.
"You don't have to cook tonight. There's no food left in the bag. Let's wait until the boss goes to Taiping Town to buy some!"
The officer thought for a moment and said.
As for Qiao Qiqi, they had originally said that they would not take up the food rations.
"My Lord, can I go to town with you tomorrow?"
Qiao Qiqi wanted to go to town to find a doctor for Pei Shaoling, and it would be best if he could buy a car.
"I can't make the decision on this. Why don't you ask the boss yourself tomorrow?"
The officer shook his head slightly, turned around and left.
"Sister-in-law, is there anything to eat? I'm hungry."
After walking for a whole day, Pei Shaoming's legs were shaking with fatigue.
Qiao Qiqi thought for a moment, then pretended to take out a few raw, dirt-covered sweet potatoes from the package and looked at him.
"We can eat it raw, but it's hard to digest. It's best to roast it before eating."
She raised the sweet potato in her hand and said.
"Then shall I go out and gather some firewood?"
Seeing there was food, Pei Shaoming's eyes lit up.
He dragged his shackles and prepared to walk out.
"Isn't this inconvenient for you? Should I go?"
Qiao Qiqi frowned slightly as she looked at the heavy shackles on his feet.
"Madam, let him go and take a rest."
Pei Shaoling, who was standing by, suddenly spoke. Although his voice was soft, Qiao Qiqi was still startled.
Perhaps it was because of the way Boss Pei dealt with those people in the original novel that Qiao Qiqi had a trauma in her heart.
It could also be that his aura is too strong.
Qiao Qiqi shrank her neck and said nothing more.
Pei Shaoling looked at her timid appearance with a smile in his eyes.
Pei Shaoming walked out of the east wing and went to the woodshed and stable behind the house.
Walking to a secluded corner, he drew a special symbol on a wall.
His eldest brother had taught him to draw that symbol, and he had silently practiced it many times in his mind.
After drawing the symbol, he turned around and went to the woodshed to get some firewood and returned to the east wing.
Not long after he left, a servant from the post station came over.
After carefully identifying the symbol, he wiped off the mark on the wall and quietly left the post station.
In the east wing.
Qiao Qiqi had already lit a fire and thrown six or seven sweet potatoes into it.
Pei's mother also took out the half rabbit hidden in the bag and distributed it to everyone.
The two concubine daughters of the second branch of the Pei family smelled the fragrance in the air and couldn't help swallowing.
Before in the Marquis' Mansion, although they were not as favored as Pei Shu'er, the two sisters had no worries about food and clothing.
After experiencing a sudden change, the two sisters were bullied on the road to exile.
The already limited food rations were taken away by the stepmother and distributed to her legitimate son.
At this moment, the two girls who hadn't tasted meat for a long time timidly looked up at Pei's mother, "Auntie..."
The two of them had watery eyes and looked lonely and helpless.
Mother Pei immediately felt compassion and asked, "Qiqi, can I share some with them?"
However, Pei's mother did not act on her own, but asked Qiao Qiqi first.
In the past two days, she also realized that it was thanks to Qiao Qiqi that she and others had eaten meat and sweet potatoes along the way.
Qiao Qiqi glanced at the two sisters, then at Mother Pei, and nodded gently, "Then let's share some with them tonight, Mother. We don't have much food ourselves."
The implication was that Pei's mother should stop being so kind all the time.
They themselves are in a difficult situation, how can they care about others!
"Yeah, I know."
Mother Pei smiled and nodded, indicating that she understood what Qiao Qiqi meant.
He tore the rabbit meat in his hand into small pieces and distributed them to everyone.
The two sisters cried with joy and carefully took the roasted rabbit meat given by Pei's mother, muttering, "Thank you, auntie, thank you, sister-in-law!"
Qiao Qiqi glanced at the two sisters casually, with a hint of doubt in her eyes.
There is no description of these two sisters in the novel, but Qiao Qiqi intuitively feels that they are not as pitiful as they appear.
Perhaps they felt Qiao Qiqi's gaze, and the two sisters quickly lowered their heads.
However, where no one was paying attention, there was something strange in the eyes of the two sisters.
After eating the roasted sweet potatoes, everyone lay down on the big bunk bed and fell asleep.
Qiao Qiqi and Pei Shaoling were lying in the middle, and next to her were Pei's mother, Pei Shuer and the two concubines of the second house.
On Pei Shaoling's side were Pei Shaoan and Pei Shaoming.
Half asleep and half awake, Qiao Qiqi felt Pei Shaoling's sleeve being pulled.
She opened her eyes and found a person standing in front of the bed, holding a shiny object in his hand.
Oh my god!
Is this going to kill someone?
Qiao Qiqi turned over and threw her pillow at the other person.
Then, he had an idea and took out a long stick from the supermarket and hit the other person indiscriminately.
"ah!"
The man let out a scream, the voice of a young woman, and the crisp sound of a dagger falling.
Qiao Qiqi probably guessed who it was, and she continued to slap the other person without stopping.
The noise alarmed the other people in the room.
By the time Pei's mother lit the fire, Qiao Qiqi had already knocked the man unconscious to the ground.
After lighting the kerosene lamp on the table, everyone finally saw clearly who the person on the ground was.
Unexpectedly, she was one of the two concubine daughters of the second branch of the Pei family!
Qiao Qiqi immediately picked up the dagger on the ground and placed it against the neck of the other concubine's daughter, who was curled up on the bed. "Tell me, why did you want to kill your eldest cousin?"
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