Chapter 4: First Dinner in Exile
"Boss, there's a woman named Lin Yue outside who wants to exchange some salt for something. She also brought a fish."
The person who made the report really hoped that the boss would agree. Although everyone had good benefits, as they were the lowest-level officials, they could not eat and drink lavishly at any time. Their monthly salary and the money they collected were basically used to support their families. Therefore, they earnestly hoped that there would be more people like them who could offer money for bribes on the road to exile.
The diligent figure picking wild vegetables immediately emerged in Yang Dajun's mind. He was also very curious about what a woman who voluntarily surrendered herself looked like.
"Let her in!"
The clerk happily withdrew.
He has a handsome appearance, sharp eyes, and a murderous aura lingering around his body. A timid person would definitely faint from fear. However, Lin Yue, who grew up in the apocalypse, has seen all kinds of people. This outward appearance is actually the safest, because he will always remain vigilant.
Lin Yue was observing Yang Dajun, and Yang Dajun was also looking at Lin Yue with a firm gaze. She saw that there was no trace of fear in her eyes, and there was always a perfect smile on her face. She was indeed not a simple woman.
"Greetings, Lord Yang. Thank you for your hard work on this journey from the capital to Lingnan."
"I dare not mention the hardship. It is Yang's duty to escort the prisoners. It would be a shame if a lady like Miss Lin Yue was exiled because of this."
"Having enjoyed the glory of the family, we must also be aware of the hardships we have to share. This is the fish I caught by the creek today. I want to add a dish for you brothers. I hope you will accept this small token of my respect."
Yang Dajun's originally sharp pupils shrank, but he quickly retracted his gaze. Lin Yue had several hundred taels of silver notes in her hand, and the unique golden silk thread shone brightly under the candlelight.
Lin Hongyuan was charged with corruption and bribery. His house was raided by the emperor, yet he was still able to come up with hundreds of taels of silver to bribe people. It turned out that the charge was not unjust.
He selectively ignored the fact that the Lin family was originally a noble family with a strong foundation, and with the dowry brought by the daughter-in-law, their wealth was beyond their imagination.
In fact, the hundreds of taels of money Lin Yue found on Zheng Xiao were only a small part of, and the bulk was still with him. Therefore, giving it away could ensure his safety along the way, so why should he be reluctant to give it up?
"Miss Lin Yue is very generous. I like dealing with people like you. As long as you don't make trouble along the way, I promise that my men will not cause you any trouble.
Erhu, come in and share this with the brothers. This is the wine money that Miss Lin prepared for everyone. Prepare some seasoning and bring it in.
Yang Dajun pinched his fingers and distributed three hundred taels of silver. You should know that Lin Yue only took five hundred taels of silver in total. However, considering that there were thirty or forty escorting officers this time, there would not be much left after dividing it.
"Brother Yang, I don't know when your next supply will be. I have too many children at home, and long-term walking is not good for their growth. My family wants to buy an ox cart to get around. Do you think it's possible?"
Lin Yue heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that Yang Dajun accepted her bribe. There were too many children in the Lin family, and those under the age of five needed to be carried by adults. The journey to Lingnan was thousands of miles long, and if they didn't have a means of transportation, the Lin family would be ruined sooner or later!
Yang Dajun pondered for a moment. He was not surprised by Lin Yue's request. Lin Yue was not the first person, nor the last one, to bribe officials while escorting prisoners over the years. His request was not too excessive.
"Next time we pass through Lucheng for supplies, you can go with the officers and soldiers who are buying supplies. It will probably take three days. When the time comes, tell Erhu to come and call you.
By the way, the weather in Lingnan is hot, and there are many snakes, rats, insects and ants. Every year, countless people die from poisonous snakes and swamps.
"Thank you, Brother Yang, for reminding me. Lin Yue understands."
Lin Yue carried the seasonings and hummed a little tune as she returned to the Lin family's residence. It turned out that money makes the world go round, and this law applies everywhere!
When Lin Yue came back, the stove had been set up, the water in the bamboo tube was already smoking, a few children were squatting on the ground playing with crabs, and the elders were resting nearby.
"Sister Yue, I heard from your aunt that you went to the official. Are you okay?"
Min went forward worriedly to check on her daughter. She didn't know who this girl took after. She was born fearless. Those officers were living on the edge of a knife, so how could they be so easy to deal with?
"It's okay. I just delivered a fish and exchanged it for some oil and salt. Uncle, General Yang has promised to take me with him when he resupply in three days. I plan to buy an ox cart, some pottery jars, and some medicine to repel snakes, rats, insects and ants. I heard from Officer Yang that many people die from snake venom every year."
"Then it's your turn as a little girl. Your father and your brother are all stronger than you. Why are you showing off as a girl?"
When Mrs. Min heard that her daughter was going to the city alone to do shopping, she immediately became angry.
"Yes, sister, it would be inconvenient for you as a woman, and you might be in danger. Let your brothers go!"
Lin Yue was very envious of the Lin family's unity, harmony, and mutual understanding. It was because she learned from the original owner's memory that she knew how warm the Lin family got along with each other that she decided to go into exile with them.
"Officer Yang said I can only go alone, but there will definitely be officials and others who can bribe them. Don't worry! It will be fine.
Oh, I'm so hungry, it's time to cook." Seeing everyone busy, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Lin Yue asked her nephew Lin Daxuan to choose a flat, thin granite stone and build a stove according to his size.
Soon the stone slabs were burned red, and a layer of lard was scraped with a bamboo stick to lubricate the stone.
"Chila! Chila!"
Three small fish were placed on the stone slab, and the unique fragrance of fish wafted everywhere, making the already hungry people salivate.
At this moment, a sharp cry was heard.
"Grandma, Grandma, I want to eat meat too. I want to eat meat too."
"Eat, eat, eat. All you do all day is think, your father is dead, and yet you gave birth to a bunch of debt collectors like you.
I've been unlucky for eight generations to become your grandmother. Short-lived old man, open your eyes and see that these unfilial people only know how to suck my blood and eat my flesh. Woo woo woo, I won't live any longer. "
"Giving birth to a debt collector like this must mean your farm is ruined. My son is so obedient, how could you let such a jinx enter the family? Our Liu family ancestors, please open your eyes!"
"Wow, wow, grandma is a bad person, mother, help me!"
"Mom, Dabao didn't mean it. Please calm down. The child is still young. Don't hurt him."
The woman next to him smiled cautiously, her eyes timid.
"Aren't you capable? Go to the Lin family and borrow some for us to eat!"
Is this when no one else can hear you?
but.
"Could you please give us some fish? There are three of us, the old, the young, and the weak. Please give me some.
You picked so many wild vegetables, crabs, and fish, and you can't eat them all, so just share some with us. My son is really starving."
It was also the first time that the Lin family encountered someone who came to their door to beg for food with such confidence, and even described themselves as so pitiful and innocent.
Everyone looked at each other, not knowing how to answer. They would feel uncomfortable if they gave them some, but they didn't know what to do if they didn't.
However, the Lin family's movements and the fragrance coming from them could not be hidden from everyone.
"Fish, there are fish in the river, hahahaha!"
A young boy who was peeping at the Lin family got so carried away that he shouted loudly, alarming all the exiles.
Soon someone jumped into the river.
“Plop, plop!”
"I got it, I got it, I got it!"
In a blink of an eye, a large group of people rushed towards the narrow stream, and the originally clear water instantly became muddy.
"Well, there are fish in the creek, go catch them yourselves."
Lin Daxuan pointed at the stream with an expression that said, "I helped you."
The timid woman was stunned. She had always been successful in doing this in the past, but why did she get such an answer today?
"Old man, you wish me dead! You bitch, why did my son marry such a jinx like you? You can't even borrow anything, what else can you do? Humph, sooner or later, I will ask my son to divorce you..."
The Lin family members could only hear the sounds of beating and scolding, and they all said that they were unlucky to have chosen a place close to them.
"Aunt, what is the unlucky star?"
“Auntie, is bitch an insult?”
Lin Yue, who was tying crabs, saw two bright eyes looking at her nephew and niece.
Lin Yue secretly cursed that it was bad luck and thought it was better for children to be simple.
"Don't pay attention to others. How about I cook some crabs for you?"
The greedy cat, attracted by the fragrance, was instantly diverted.
"Yes! Yes! Auntie, the fish smells so good!"
“It’s time to eat crabs!”
Lin Yue threw the tied crabs into the stove and fried the fish until both sides were golden brown, then divided them into three bamboo tubes.
I grabbed a handful of washed wild vegetables. I didn't want to waste the grease on the stone slab, so I added a little salt. The wild vegetables were crisp and refreshing, and went very well with rice. However, everyone only had a hard black steamed bun.
"Gulu, gurgle."
Green wild vegetables are swirling in the milky white fish soup, and the fragrance is refreshing.
“Let’s start!”
Seeing everyone staring at the bamboo tube intently, Lin Hongyuan smiled, picked up a piece of wild vegetable with chopsticks, and announced.
“Mmm, delicious!”
Lin Daxuan usually dislikes eating vegetables, but now his eyes light up and he never puts down his chopsticks.
The chopsticks flew as he picked up wild vegetables again and again, and soon the basket was empty.
"Hiccup!"
Lin Yue covered her mouth, she was too full.
It’s no wonder that Lin Yue couldn’t control herself. For the past 150 years in the apocalypse, she had been filling her stomach with compressed biscuits, and the only vegetables she could eat were those grown hydroponically in the research institute, which had no taste at all.
"Let me see if the crabs are ready to eat."
Lin Yue covered her blushing face embarrassedly, and kept muttering in her heart.
It's so embarrassing, so embarrassing. The previous mysterious image is gone.
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