Ji Tai had always been simple-minded, thinking that after passing this hurdle, they had horses, and when they reached the next town, they could directly buy another car and supplies.

I never thought that now I can only go into the mountains.

"We, the Imperial Guards, should be frugal with our food and supplies, so we can hold out for twenty days without any problem."

Ji Tai looked at Lu Zan and Zhou Fuan with great pride. He knew that the supplies brought by Zhaowei and the escorting officials were far less than theirs. He estimated that they could only hold out for about three to five days.

"But the idiot who's in charge of the pot under my command forgot to bring it. You have to get me some pots, bowls, salt and other things. After we go back, I'll ask my eldest brother to help you two. If you two are interested in joining our Imperial Guard, it's just a matter of a word. From now on, we'll be good brothers who enjoy the good life together."

Zhou Fuan's face darkened. They only brought two pots. Not to mention the salt, the exile who was carrying the salt fell off the mountain, and both the man and the salt were gone.

At this time, he sent the men of the two prefecture doctors to report that the doctor surnamed Ding had slipped and fallen down the mountain when he was climbing up the mountain. He was washed away to who knows where by the mudslide.

"Imperial Physician? You said those two exiled prisoners were imperial physicians before they committed the crime?"

Lu Zan had sharp ears and immediately heard the key points in Zhou Fuan's words. If these two doctors were imperial doctors, then the antidote they made, although not as good as the detoxification pills given by General Gu, would definitely be much more effective than that made by ordinary barefoot doctors in the countryside.

"Yes, yes, they were imperial doctors before they were sent to jail. I don't know what they had done. From the list I received, I only know that they were imperial doctors before."

Zhou Fuan almost bit off the tip of his tongue.

Let's change the subject quickly.

"Our salt was placed on Chu's car and he took it away."

Speaking of salt, when Chu Mingyang left yesterday, he threw away his four carts of supplies and drove away with his own carriage. But when he left, he pointed to the carts carrying supplies and asked the four officials to move some things for him and put them in the dark box under the carriage. Chu Mingyang's carriage was specially made for the exile route. It has two floors, the upper floor is for people to sit, and the lower floor is for goods.

When Chu Mingyang asked the officials to carry things, Zhou Fuan didn't care. After all, Chu Mingyang was a third-generation ancestor. He was the only one who was generous in giving money and things to others. He would never be greedy and take other people's things. Chu Mingyang's four trucks of supplies were thrown to him, so how could he take his things.

At night, they stayed in the Da Liuzhuang ancestral hall, and the food was brought to them by the people of Da Liuzhuang. They didn't cook, and they didn't notice that the salt was gone. It was not until they got to the foot of the mountain just now, abandoned the car, and picked up some important supplies to carry up the mountain that Zhou Fuan found out that their bag of salt was gone after his subordinates reported it. It seems that when Chu Mingyang pointed at the things and asked the officials to carry them into his car, he pointed too casually and pointed at the wrong thing. Or the officials carried the wrong thing. Anyway, Chu Mingyang took the officials' bags of salt away.

“Lu Zan, how much salt do you have left?”

At this moment, Zhou Fuan and Ji Tai both turned their heads and looked at Lu Zan.

"Our salt—"

Lu Zan opened his mouth and spoke for a long time.

"The prisoner who was carrying salt slipped down the mountain, and both the salt and the prisoner were gone. I came here, firstly, to ask Zhou Fuan to find a doctor to help make an antidote, and secondly, to borrow some salt from Zhou Fuan."

"So, we, the five or six hundred people, didn't bring any salt with us?"

At this time, Ji Tai also realized that the problem was serious.

Lu Zan stopped Zhou Fuan and said, "First, have someone find the remaining doctor for me. I'll take him away to make the antidote, and then you can go find salt."

At this point, another officer who had just gone to look for the doctor came over, followed by Bai Suzi. "Captain Zhou, Doctor Bai is here."

"Bai Suzi, follow Commander Lu. Do whatever he tells you to do."

Bai Suzi looked at Zhou Fuan and said nothing, but his eyes clearly said, "Zhou Dianyu, do you know what you are saying? The King of Yan sent us to treat General Su. Imperial Physician Ding fell down the mountain. Now I am the only one who takes care of General Su. You sent me out. Aren't you afraid that the King of Yan will settle accounts with you?"

Zhou Fuan was not stupid, so he could understand what Bai Suzi meant. "Commander Lu only borrowed you to make some medicine. You still have to stay with us. Otherwise, if so many exiles and officials get sick, they will all rely on you to treat them."

Zhou Fuan's words not only reflected An Baisuzi's heart, but also showed his attitude to Lu Zan. I just lent you Doctor Bai for a while, but he is still mine.

Zhou Fuan turned and left. He wanted to have someone search the prisoners to see if there was any salt in the exile. Without salt, if five or six hundred people were in the mountains and didn't eat salt for a few days, he really didn't dare to think about what the consequences would be.

"No, Captain."

"Nothing, Captain."

"I've searched all over, nothing."

Following the officials' report, Zhou Fuan's heart sank to the bottom.

In fact, he did not doubt that the exiled prisoners would secretly hide salt.

Because the exiled prisoners were telling the truth. Since they were exiled, they had only seen their families once at Shili Pavilion. The things their families sent them were usually money, clothes, and some cooked food. Almost no one sent them food for cooking.

Because according to the rules of exile, exiles were not allowed to take a car when leaving the capital and had to walk.

Women and children had to be tied up with ropes, and men had to wear shackles. It was impossible to carry the pots and bowls for cooking.

The exiled prisoners usually went out of the capital's administrative area and arrived at the next market town. The officials asked the prisoners to pay, and then they helped the prisoners buy these things. They made a profit from it. If a prisoner wanted to go to a village or town to buy things by himself, he had to bribe the officials, and only then would he be allowed to go shopping with the officials as an exception.

Among the more than 300 exiled prisoners, only Song Huangshang bribed the officials through the back door and sent the Su family a cart with pots and bowls and food. He also brought a can of lard and salt.

But the cart and the things on it were taken away by the third branch of the Su family. When they were at the foot of the mountain, they abandoned the cart and carried the useful things on their backs. When Su Quanming was climbing up the mountain, he fell down the mountain with the soft package of salt on his back. Lu Huifen, who was walking behind him, kicked him in anger. Su Quanming was not convinced and turned around and slapped her twice. Lu Huifen fell down. If it weren't for Grandma Lu who desperately held her back, Lu Huifen would have slipped down and died.

Lu Huifen was fine, but the jar of lard she had been holding all the way fell down and was gone.

After listening to the news reported by the officials, Zhou Fuan felt completely numb.

No salt, no salt for everyone.