Jiang Yushu noticed a white shadow flying by. She caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of her eye and screamed in fright, "Hey, you—sister-in-law!"
His companions also screamed in fear: "Madam, the eldest young master?"
"Oh no! The Crown Prince's wife hit a tree!"
…
The women were caught off guard and tried to stop them while calling for help.
But it was too late. Wang Qiaozhen was discouraged and slammed her head against the tree trunk. Her ears buzzed, and the world spun around her. She fell down powerlessly.
His companions rushed forward and helped the man up.
"Sister-in-law? Sister-in-law?"
"Hurry up and ask Doctor Fang to come and save him!" Jiang Yushu squatted down, her hand shaking slightly as she took out the handkerchief. She quickly pressed the bleeding wound and said anxiously, "Why are you so stupid? Putting aside other things, just thinking about Yu'er, you shouldn't be seeking death!"
Wang Qiaozhen collapsed against a tree, tears streaming down her face as she murmured in despair, "I can't take it anymore. I really can't take it anymore. No one can stop me. Just let me die... It's better to die. It's so clean."
Blood oozed from between Jiang Yushu's fingers, warm and fishy, turning her face pale. She threatened, "Clean? Don't you see where this place is? It's out in the wilderness, there might be wandering ghosts, even evil spirits. You can't expect to die here in peace. Sister-in-law is the eldest daughter-in-law of the Guo family, with parents and children to support. You must cheer up and live a good life."
Wang Qiaozhen smiled miserably, "No, death is the end of it all. When I die, I will immediately reincarnate to avoid suffering for the rest of my life."
"You—" Jiang Yushu racked her brains, followed the other party's words, and asked seriously, "Sister-in-law, you are really confused. As far as I know, the scriptures clearly say that 'people will inevitably suffer throughout their lives, and there is no way to avoid it.' If you die to escape the suffering in this life, you will suffer double in the next life! Are you afraid of this?"
"I'm not afraid." Wang Qiaozhen couldn't bear the drastic change in her family. She was determined to die and refused to listen to any advice. She struggled desperately and said fiercely, "Don't stop me. Let me die! Let me die!"
At this time, the officials and Guo's family arrived after hearing the news.
"What's going on?" Zhang Feng's face darkened, his hand on the hilt of his knife as he shouted, "Who's seeking death?"
Guo Honglei first ordered, "Fang Sheng, go and save her!" Then he replied, "My Lord, that is the criminal's sister-in-law, Wang."
Zhang Feng frowned and said calmly, "She's only been gone for less than a day, why is she trying to commit suicide? Old Liu, go and take a look. If she's dead, deal with her according to the rules to avoid delaying our journey."
"Understood." Deputy Liu Qing took the order and left.
As the head of the family, Guo Honglei had no choice but to take responsibility. He bowed and said, "Sir, please calm down. I will immediately persuade my family to stay calm and continue on their journey!"
Zhang Feng waved his hand briefly and nodded. The Jingyang Marquisate had existed for nearly two hundred years, and the intertwined relationships between noble families were complex and intricate, making it difficult for outsiders to understand. Therefore, even though the Guo family had lost power, he still showed some consideration and refrained from beating or scolding the prisoners.
Next to the grass
"Doctor Fang, how is it?" Jiang Yushu's right hand was stained with blood, and she was wiping it hard, but it wouldn't come clean.
Before the exile, the Guo family had made preparations, bringing along medicine for wounds and sprains. Fang Sheng, a man over thirty and the son of a family, had previously been a specialist in treating the servants of the Marquis's residence. Now, sweating profusely, he busily bandaged Wang Qiaozhen's wounds. He replied simply, "Fortunately, the Crown Prince's wife was too exhausted to break her head, so she wasn't seriously injured. But she needs a few days' rest to heal quickly."
Where can one rest and recuperate during exile? Jiang Yushu frowned in thought. Seeing her husband rushing over, she said without waiting for him to ask, "Don't worry, my sister-in-law is fine."
"Is the injury serious?" Guo Honglei bent down to examine him.
Jiang Yushu replied: "I lost a lot of blood. I need to rest."
Wang and the others arrived shortly afterwards. She was filled with grief and indignation, scolding him fiercely: "Qiaozhen, you are so foolish! What will happen to Yu'er if you die? My poor grandson, he just lost his father, and now his mother is trying to commit suicide!"
"Let me die, I don't want to live anymore, let me die." Wang Qiaozhen talked to herself, her face pale, her eyes staring straight ahead, ignoring everyone.
Jiang Yushu sighed and said, "Fortunately Yu'er didn't follow us, otherwise the child would have been scared."
"From now on, we have to let the girl keep an eye on my sister-in-law at all times." Guo Honglei said in a deep voice.
Jiang Yushu nodded, glanced around, and suggested, "This is so desolate out here. If we want to continue walking, we'll have to find someone to take turns carrying or supporting my sister-in-law. When we get to the post station, we'll ask Master Zhang to be flexible and at least get a stretcher."
The sun was blazing brightly, and Guo Honglei's mourning clothes were soaked with sweat. He said calmly, "There's no other solution, only this. I'll immediately arrange for someone to look after my sister-in-law."
"Go ahead." Jiang Yushu forced herself to cheer up, returned to the original place, and tried every possible way to comfort and console him.
Not long after, the group continued on their journey.
Guo Honglei led the way, supporting his frail third brother. Behind him were two tall maids, who held the injured on each side and dragged them along.
"Let go, let go, let me go!" Wang Qiaozhen had been eating and drinking little for days, and was so weak that she was on the verge of death. She muttered sadly: "Let me die, let me die."
Jiang Yushu became more and more tired as she walked. Sweat poured down her face. Her legs could hardly move, so she gritted her teeth and persevered.
"Aunt, do you see that tree?" Guo Yu's voice was childish and innocent, completely unaware of his mother's suicide attempt and convinced that distant Western Cang was "extraordinarily fun." He nestled in his nurse's arms, playing with a basket woven by a skilled maid, filled with a variety of wildflowers.
Jiang Yushu panted, wiped the sweat off her face with her sleeve, and answered patiently, "Which one?"
"The one with red flowers."
"Oh, I see."
Guo Yu was very excited. "Pick some more flowers for me later, okay?"
"Okay!" Jiang Yushu breathed a sigh of relief and thought to herself: I have to keep entertaining my own child no matter how tired I am.
It was fifty miles, and it took them seven and a half hours until it was completely dark before they finally arrived at Quantai Posthouse.
Zhang Feng shouted, "We're here!"
Everyone in the Guo family was almost crying with joy and was exhausted.
"Quantai Posthouse." Jiang Yushu stopped, looked up at the plaque on the posthouse's door, and said with emotion: "Remember, this is the first posthouse on the way north."
"Hmm." Guo Honglei also took a look, then naturally grasped his wife's shoulders and pushed the door in. "Let's go in."
As per convention, Zhang Feng ordered his subordinates to carefully count the prisoners, then temporarily handed them over to the guards of the post station and went upstairs to rest.
The huge empty room had no bed or windows, only wooden boards covered with hay and thin strips of air holes. It was divided into two rooms by a low wall, but there was no partition between them.
The gate was locked and there was a postman guarding it outside.
Jiang Yushu pondered silently and slowly walked towards the patient. Her eyes drifted towards the gate, where Guo Honglei was talking to the postmaster.
"Third brother, how are you?"
Guo Hongzhe, who was leaning against the wall, was flattered. He stood up hurriedly and replied shyly, "I'm fine. Thank you, second sister-in-law, for your concern."
Jiang Yushu felt that the other party was too timid, so she advised: "If you feel uncomfortable, don't hide it. You should ask Doctor Fang to see you immediately."
Guo Hongzhe nodded gratefully.
"You should take a rest."
"yes."
Jiang Yushu walked towards the injured again, squatted beside her mother-in-law, looked at the unconscious Wang Qiaozhen, and asked softly: "Sister-in-law still refuses to eat or drink?"
"Alas," Wang said worriedly, "I've tried to persuade her again and again, but she keeps saying, 'This situation is worse than death!'"
Jiang Yushu shook her head. "As the saying goes, 'A good death is worse than a miserable life.' Only when we are alive can we have hope. You are the elder, so please give us some more advice."
Wang sighed and complained for a while, then suddenly remembered something and turned around and ordered, "Find the Jiang family's bag of silver."
"Yes." The trusted maid untied the bundle and easily found the money Jiang Shisen had given her this morning.
Wang nodded and said, "Give it to her."
Jiang Yushu was stunned for a moment, and did not reach out to take it. She asked in surprise, "Old Madam, what do you mean?"
"Take it. We have enough at home for now." Wang was exhausted and caressed her grandson lovingly. "You are filial, which is good, but when you are away from home, you will inevitably need to take care of some things. This silver is for you and Honglei to use."
"Yes." Jiang Yushu finally took it and said seriously, "Yushu was just about to discuss this with you: my sister-in-law is injured and can't walk at all. What should we do tomorrow morning?"
Wang pounded her chest and said, "What can I do?"
Jiang Yushu said, "Don't worry, I'll try to ask Master Zhang and see if he can be flexible."
"you?"
Jiang Yushu was startled and immediately changed her words, "Honglei!"
"Well, let's try it then."
A moment later, the gate was suddenly opened, and Guo Honglei ordered the servant to take the wooden barrels delivered by the postman.
Jiang Yushu approached with the silver in her pocket and asked curiously, "What's in the bucket?"
"Rice soup and tea." Guo Honglei whispered, "The imperial court has laws. The post station dares not give more rations than necessary. Only rice soup is provided."
Jiang Yushu heard the apology in his voice and said hurriedly, "Rice soup is good, it warms the stomach and helps you sleep!"
The corners of Guo Honglei's mouth curved slightly, revealing a smile.
"There's no time to lose. We should go to Lord Zhang and plead for mercy." As she spoke, Jiang Yushu took out a piece of silver and handed it over. "Here, give this to the head gatekeeper and ask him to pass on the message."
Guo Honglei raised his eyebrows, "Are you going too?"
Jiang Yushu said frankly, "Some things are easier for me to say than for you. Let's go and try it together!"
Guo Honglei thought for a while and nodded.
In the side hall of the post station, candlelight flickered.
Zhang Feng sat upright, with several dishes on the table and the aroma of wine in the air.
"My mother-in-law is old and frail, my third brother is born with a disease, my sister-in-law is seriously injured, and my nephew is only three years old. We can't walk fast at all." Jiang Yushu was respectful and sincere, but she said helplessly: "Look, today the road is flat, but it took us seven or eight hours to walk fifty miles! When it gets rugged and dangerous later, I'm afraid it will be even slower." After a pause, she continued:
"Alas, if the prisoner is late, he deserves to be punished. But I dare not cause the master to be late in completing his task."
Zhang Feng took a sip of wine, hesitant, and said solemnly: "Although the court has not explicitly prohibited it, I can't set a precedent."
"A horse-drawn carriage won't work." Jiang Yushu wasn't surprised at all. After a long pause, she finally revealed her true intention. "Then, how about a cart?"
"A horse-drawn carriage is definitely not an option! A cart..." Zhang Feng hesitated.
Guo Honglei was born into a noble family, once distinguished and affluent. However, after his family fell into ruin, he encountered one hardship after another, leaving him no time for pent-up sorrow. At this moment, he cupped his hands and said slowly, "These criminals and I are not deliberately being lazy. We are truly forced to do this. I beg you to be flexible."
Prosperity is shared by all, and loss is shared by all. Jiang Yushu didn't want to be punished by the Xicang Prefecture for being overdue. She gritted her teeth, made up her mind, and threw it all away. She quietly rubbed her red eyes and choked out a sob, "Please be merciful and show some leniency!" After saying this, she made a gesture to kneel.
But, as she expected, she couldn't kneel down.
"You--" Guo Honglei was startled, and with quick eyes and hands, he quickly supported his wife and stopped her from kneeling.
Zhang Feng was also startled and subconsciously stood up and moved away. He frowned, thought again and again, and finally sighed and said irritably: "Forget it. It's just one cart, and it won't happen again!"
Jiang Yushu's eyes lit up, "Thank you for your mercy, sir!"
Guo Honglei stared at his wife with a dark and deep look in his eyes.
The next morning
Two horses pulled a cart covered with hay.
Wang Qiaozhen lay in the cart, staring into space, mumbling with a haggard voice, "Leave me alone, let me die... Living such a miserable life is worse than death."
"Yu'er, don't be naughty, sit down nicely." Wang was the oldest, so naturally she had a seat. She lovingly hugged her grandson and waved, calling, "Xuan'er, come up quickly! Come, sit next to me."
"Ah?" Guo Hongxuan was stunned, glanced at his second brother, and did not dare to move.
Jiang Yushu was also stunned, and blurted out: "Old Madam, Azhe is not in good health, the remaining position should be given to him."
Wang's face suddenly darkened.
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