Chapter 4?
A few days later.
The Shen family stayed quietly in the yard, and even Chen Chunxing no longer made excuses to go out and wander around.
Every day I was busy weaving the soles of straw sandals.
After a thousand-mile exile, not to mention shoes, even the feet might be worn out.
All you can do is prepare more.
Diao was so depressed that she suspected that she was going to eat the soles of straw sandals!
Ever since the only adult male in the Shen family passed away while protecting their master, the Shen family has been exempted from the heavy farm work.
On weekdays, Diao was only responsible for doing some sweeping and washing chores.
Now that the main courtyard was under martial law and the maids and servants from the village were no longer being summoned, Diao Shi had a rare moment of quiet time, but she felt uneasy. She increasingly felt that perhaps the eldest maid had guessed what was happening.
As expected.
Not long after.
In broad daylight, Zhuangzi was surrounded by soldiers and officers.
"The Earl of Kangping's mansion is suspected of conspiracy to commit treason. All of you have been apprehended. Until the case is fully investigated, you are all confined here!"
After hearing the news, Li fainted on the spot.
Everyone in the whole village knew that it was after the rumor that the general's mansion was suspected of treason that a group of thieves came to the neighboring house!
As for the difference between being exterminated first and then convicted, and being convicted first and then exterminated, it is not something that the farmers can fully understand.
But that doesn't stop them from being afraid!
I’m afraid the bloody incident two years ago will happen again!
Diao looked at Chen Chunxing several times with a strange expression, gritted her teeth, and decided to slaughter the old hen and stew it into ginseng soup that day.
She finally understood that she still had a long way to go and she couldn't do it without a healthy body.
However, when making the soup, Diao couldn't help but tighten her grip and only put in half of the ginseng.
In the end, I couldn't bear to throw it all in.
Others were trembling with fear and dared not close their eyes at night, but the Shen family ate a nourishing ginseng chicken soup without any care.
Two days later.
When news came from outside again that all branches and servants except the direct line of the Earl's Mansion were exiled, the Shen family was not surprised at all.
There were cries and shouts outside, and Diao was digging deep into the ground.
"Put on everything you can wear and take everything you can carry! Whether we can reach the north alive depends on our luck!"
The three younger ones received the order and put on their clothes with great effort, and soon their foreheads were covered with sweat.
Chen Chunxing came out of the main room and saw this scene. He quickly waved his hand to stop it.
"Not really, really! Money can buy you anything!"
Although it is autumn now, the weather is still hot. If I wear so many layers, I am afraid I will collapse before I even leave Lin'an.
"It's so easy for you to say that. How can we have any money? If we don't take all these with us now, we will just freeze to death by the end of the year." Diao glared at the eldest maid.
That bitter cold place is no joke.
"There will be clothes, there will be money, there will be everything."
Chen Chunxing's comfort obviously failed to appease the old lady. Seeing Diao staring at her unkindly, she added another sentence.
"It's enough to bring winter clothes and quilts. You should think more about how to fill your stomach. We're going into exile, so think of it like moving house. Take whatever you want."
Xiao Lao Si suddenly jumped in front of Chen Chunxing and stretched out his clothes for her to see.
The coat was made a few years ago. Although it was made by modifying adult clothes, it was a precious treasure to the three-year-old Chen Yandong.
It was only worn a few times before Diao put it away. Today was a rare opportunity, and the silly child was so hot that he was sweating profusely but was reluctant to take it off.
Chen Chunxing tried to talk to him several times but to no avail, so he had no choice but to start digging.
Chen Yandong was so anxious that he cried out, but no matter how unhappy he was, the kid could only make vague "ah ah" sounds.
Diao said nothing, stared at Chen Yandong for a while, then glanced at the second girl and third boy who were sorting clothes nearby, and sighed with anger.
It’s hard to keep one or two of them at home, let alone in exile!
She felt that her usually straight back was inexplicably weak!
Diao was actually quite confused as to how exile was carried out. Who else could possibly have experience with this kind of thing? But since the officers and soldiers didn't come to arrest people right away, they must have left some room for maneuver.
Diao thought about it and made all the food she had bought a few days ago into baked cakes and fried rice.
You won’t be anxious unless you have food in your stomach.
The eldest girl is right, nothing is more important than food.
Early the next morning.
There was chaos in the village.
The officers and soldiers kicked down doors from house to house and gathered everyone together.
There are a total of thirteen households in the entire village, plus the servants in the main courtyard, there are probably about a hundred people in total.
They were crowded together, and everyone, young or old, male or female, had a look of fear on their faces.
Only a very small number of these people were carrying bags, while most of them were empty-handed, standing there in a daze as if they had lost their parents.
When the Shen family arrived, it caused quite a stir.
I have never seen any "exiles" as well prepared as they are.
The two adults carried bamboo baskets on their backs. Although covered with sackcloth, one could still see they were stuffed to the brim. All the children, except the youngest, carried backpacks.
Everyone stared with their eyes wide open, and couldn't help but steal a glance at the officers and soldiers, but they found that they just looked surprised and didn't step forward to scold them, which made them feel uneasy.
Could it be that... this is also possible?
Didn’t they say that their property would be confiscated and they would be exiled?
Copy it?
The man carrying the bag regretted it so much that he slapped himself twice. He thought he was brave, but it turned out that he was no better than a child!
It's a pity it's too late.
After handcuffing and shackled all males over the age of ten, the leading officers and soldiers shouted at everyone to set off.
The team stopped for a while when they reached the gate of Lin'an.
Chen Chunxing held Xiao Laosi's hand with one hand and tightly grasped the strap of the bag in front of his chest with the other hand. His expression was both relaxed and uneasy.
Compared to the dejected people around her, she seemed too calm to be a twelve-year-old girl.
It was not until he saw someone unable to bear it anymore, ignoring the soldiers' obstruction, running out of the team crying, and finally ramming his head against the city wall to death during the jostle, that Chen Chunxing's face showed some emotion.
Blood was spilled on the spot, and the child was heartbroken.
She raised her hands to cover Shen Yandong’s eyes and gave orders in a very cold tone.
"Turn around and don't look."
Shen Zhixia turned around obediently.
However, Shen Mingqiu stubbornly opened his eyes wide, staring at the bright red on the ground, and then... Yang Yi held his head down and forcibly turned his head.
"What kind of thing is this?" Diao sighed.
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