Jiang Yushu quickly approached the cart and whispered, "Everyone knows that our third brother is naturally weak and frail. It's too hard for him to travel. Can you take care of him more?"
"Xuan'er is even younger than Azhe! Xuan'er has never suffered any hardship since he was young. Look at him, his face is so pale. How can a younger brother give in to his older brother?" Wang stretched her face and drooped the corners of her mouth.
It's human nature for a mother to instinctively favor and protect her own children. Jiang Yushu understood, but couldn't agree with it right now. Her eyes were firm, her tone gentle as she continued to persuade, "Third and fourth brothers are both fourteen years old, only two months apart in age. I know fourth brother is tired. In fact, everyone is tired, but there's only one cart, and it's only for the elderly, the weak, the injured, and the sick."
"Isn't Xuan'er 'weak'?" Wang's face became more and more ugly.
Jiang Yushu took a deep breath, slowed down, and was about to speak when she heard her husband's voice from behind:
"As for 'weakness', the frail woman is much thinner and smaller than my fourth brother."
Guo Honglei carried the heavy coiled iron chain and placed it on the cart with a clang. He looked at his mother, feeling both disappointed and troubled. However, due to filial piety, he couldn't confront her directly, lest he anger the old woman and disrupt her journey.
"All of you get off." Guo Honglei dismissed the servants and said subtly, "This cart was obtained by pleading with Lord Zhang for the 'elderly, weak, and injured' of the family. The child, of course, didn't ask to sit on it either. Could it be that Fourth Brother is even more fragile than his second sister-in-law?"
Jiang Yushu was stunned for a moment before she realized that "she" was referring to herself.
Wang was choked by her second son's question. Her face turned red with anger and she asked sharply, "Honglei, who are you talking to?"
"Mother--"
Wang raised her head and interrupted, "Huh, so you still remember me as 'mother'?"
Guo Honglei was a reserved man with a typically expressionless face. He calmly replied, "How could I dare forget? I'm about to leave. I hope Mother will take the trouble to look after my sister-in-law, Yu'er, and my third brother."
Wang frowned, perplexed, and whispered, "You keep calling me 'Third Brother'. If someone didn't know you, they'd probably think you were also born to my aunt!"
Jiang Yushu couldn't bear to listen any longer and sighed, "Old Madam, calm down. If you want to blame someone, blame us for only asking for a cart."
Guo Honglei was young and energetic, his eyes sharp. He said in a deep voice, "I never cared about Aunt Li or Aunt Zhang. I only knew that my father had four sons! We can't let my third brother become ill from overwork, can we? Exile is a punishment, meant to punish criminals. My fourth brother is strong, how can the officials let him sit in the carriage?"
"You, you unfilial son—" Wang was so angry that she couldn't speak.
Seeing that the mother and son were about to quarrel, Jiang Yushu couldn't intervene with her mother-in-law, so she could only pull on her husband's sleeve and smooth things over, saying, "Okay, both of you, stop talking. The old lady has always been very kind and will definitely take care of my third brother."
The word "kindness" came down, and Wang was hesitant to speak. She looked very ugly and stared at Jiang Yushu coldly.
At this time, Guo Hongzhe, who had been cowering on the side, mustered up his courage, slowly moved closer, and whispered, "I, I can walk, so I should let Fourth Brother sit."
Guo Hongxuan stole a glance at his second brother, sighed, and humbly said, "No need. Third brother, you should sit down. I'll follow my second brother and walk."
"Very good! That's settled then." Guo Honglei turned his head and urged, "Master Zhang is here. Ah Zhe, hurry up and get a seat." Without further ado, he pushed the patient onto the cart, then stuffed two bundles into his brother's pockets, instructing him loudly, "Help Fourth Brother and your Second Sister-in-law hold the bundles!"
"Ah? Oh, okay." Guo Hongzhe hurriedly hugged the bag tightly.
Jiang Yushu reminded: "Don't hold it in your arms, just lean on it to reduce the bumps."
Guo Hongzhe obeyed and took over his second brother's bag. Then, he lowered his head and huddled quietly in the corner, not daring to look at his stepmother.
At this time, Zhang Feng strode over and pressed the handle of the knife, saying, "Let's go."
Deputy Liu Qing raised his hand high, cracked his whip in the air, and shouted, "Fifty miles a day, let's go!"
The morning breeze is cool and the sun is shining above the treetops.
"I've wronged you again." Guo Honglei said with a guilty look on his face.
Jiang Yushu smiled and said seriously, "Nothing, I'd rather go for a walk. I need to be in good shape before I can farm. If I can't even lift a chicken, how can I go to the fields?"
"When we got to Xicang—" Guo Honglei paused.
"how?"
Guo Honglei shook his head. "Nothing. We'll talk about it later." He turned around and called out, "Fourth brother, hurry up!"
"Oh." Guo Hongxuan was listless and dull.
With the cart, the elderly, the weak and the injured no longer slowed down the journey, and Jiang Yushu thought she could reach the next post station quickly.
However, she underestimated her own strength and that of most people!
As the sun sets in the west, the long official road stretches into the distance.
Whenever I go up or down a slope, my legs and waist become extremely sore and painful, and I can hardly bend them. It is extremely uncomfortable.
Let alone fifty miles, how could a lady from a noble family ever walk more than ten or eight miles in a day? Jiang Yushu and her maid supported each other as they staggered down the slope, step by step, almost stumbling.
"Ouch, ouch." Her thighs were particularly sore, too stiff to move. Jiang Yushu gritted her teeth in frustration, gasping for air repeatedly, unable to move at all.
"Miss, please be patient. The official said that the post station will be here soon. I will get some medicated oil to rub for you in the evening. Oh, my legs are so sore, why do they hurt so much!" Cuimei also had a sore back and waist. She grimaced when she took bigger steps.
Jiang Yushu took out a handkerchief, wiped the sweat off her face, and sighed, "I haven't been active for a long time, and suddenly I have to walk fifty miles a day. It's really uncomfortable at first! But after seven or eight days, I'll probably get used to it." Just as she finished speaking, a broad back suddenly appeared in front of her. Before she could come to her senses, the whole person was lying on that back!
"Hey——" They pressed against each other tightly, and Jiang Yushu was at a loss because of the unfamiliar body temperature. "No, no, I'd better go by myself. You're too tired like this."
Guo Honglei carried his wife on his back, walking steadily and nonchalantly, saying, "It's okay. How much do you weigh? Don't be so stubborn. Just take a nap if you're tired."
Sleep? How can I sleep? Jiang Yushu thanked him and placed her hands carefully on his shoulders.
Martial artists are perceptive. Carrying the soft, warm fragrance of jade, the delicate woman's breath was shallow, falling on the back of his neck, like a downy feather brushing against his neck... Guo Honglei suddenly felt hot, secretly adjusting his breathing, and walked faster and faster.
"Second brother, wait for me!" Guo Hongxuan was sweating profusely, with a bitter face, and trotted to catch up with his brother.
Jiang Yushu thought it would be impossible for her to fall asleep.
But before she knew it, her consciousness became blurred, her mind gradually disappeared, and she slept soundly for half an hour!
"Miss? Miss, wake up. We have arrived at the post station." Cuimei whispered in her ear.
"Hmm?" Jiang Yushu half-opened her eyes, her eyes hazy. After coming back to her senses, she slumped to the ground and said awkwardly, "Sorry, I fell asleep."
"Why are you being polite? It's my duty to take care of you." Guo Honglei stood still, gazing intently at the gate plaque. His voice was deep and rich as he spoke slowly, "Cangshan Posthouse, the second posthouse heading north. It's getting further and further away from the capital."
Jiang Yushu understood and said comfortingly, "One day, we may be able to return to the capital!"
"That's right." Guo Honglei cheered up in an instant and hid all his sorrow deep in his heart.
at night
"How is it?" Jiang Yushu ran over to greet him with full of anticipation.
Guo Honglei returned with a small kang table with a candlestick and four treasures of the study on it, which he placed in a quiet corner.
Jiang Yushu rolled up her sleeves and ground ink, smiling and saying, "Thank you for your hard work."
"There's a lot of dry grass in this room, so be careful not to leak water when using candlelight." Guo Honglei gave these instructions while sitting cross-legged.
"I know! But I dare not be careless."
The young couple sat facing each other. Guo Honglei stared at his wife and asked, "Are you going to write a letter home?"
"Yes. In addition to letters home, I also want to record some things." Jiang Yushu was full of energy.
Guo Honglei nodded, smoothed the paper, picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote the words "Respectfully, my parents-in-law," with a flowing, powerful stroke that pierced through the paper. Bursting down to write, he whispered, "I've heard Yushan mention that you're not very literate. What do you want to tell your elders? Tell me, and I'll write it for you."
"What?" Jiang Yushu was stunned and asked in surprise, "Jiang Yushan's sister actually said that 'I'm' illiterate? I can't even write a letter?"
Guo Honglei paused his pen and looked up in frustration.
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