Chapter 55 Her belly was swollen, hiding something.
Xiao Xuanwu was shoved aside and slammed into a prison pillar with a loud bang!
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After all, he was only thirteen years old. His father and brothers were always fighting on the border and had no time to teach him martial arts. He learned by reading books or from the guards in the mansion. He was thin and unsteady on his feet. In addition, he had been injured by the commander of the army the day before and had not yet recovered.
The old wound reopened, and a bloody taste rose in my throat, but I swallowed it back down.
Ignoring his own safety, he lunged forward again and grabbed the other man's leg, saying, "Officer, they are all women and can't take a beating. I'm a man and I can take a beating. Hit me instead."
"Oh, you're a tough nut to crack, huh? Well then, we'll start with you." The jailer raised his whip, ready to lash out at his back.
Yang rushed over and hugged her youngest son, saying, "No, don't hit my son. He's still a child. If you're going to hit someone, hit me instead."
"Fifth brother, you don't need to beg him. If you're so capable, let's have a match." Xiao Xiuning came from a military family and had her own pride. She didn't take a mere jailer seriously. Her eyes were full of defiance and stubbornness.
The jailer kicked Yang and her son aside and walked towards her.
"Oh, another tough nut to crack. Your Zhenbei Prince's Mansion is full of tough nuts to crack. If you all follow suit on the way to exile, everything will be in chaos. Today, I'll teach you a lesson first, so I can save myself a lot of trouble in the future."
Wu Chuang was a robust man in his thirties, tall with a fleshy face and fierce eyes; he looked like someone not to be trifled with.
He was also one of the escorts for this exile procession.
Jailers were the main force of escorts. They were more familiar with managing prisoners. Escorting prisoners was a difficult job. The journey was long, and they might die if they encountered bandits or caught a cold in the wind and rain. Their monthly salary was only slightly higher than that of those working at the Dali Temple, but they suffered more hardships.
Although there are allocated funds for the food, clothing, shelter, and transportation of displaced people, officials at each level embezzle the funds, leaving them with very little money and little personal gain.
They didn't want to take on this kind of job, but a higher-ranking official could have absolute power over them. They had no choice because they were low-ranking among the yamen runners.
Yun Zhaoxue raised her chin slightly and said with a smile, "Officer, we've already changed. There's still a bunch of people over there who haven't changed yet. Why don't you go and urge them on?"
Across from them, a group of people were frantically getting dressed.
Based on this change of prison uniform, Yun Zhaoxue was almost certain that the sick rats in their cell were definitely not a coincidence.
Someone is deliberately targeting the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion, and this jailer may be a lackey of the person behind it.
Could it be that the emperor was afraid of being avenged by the vengeful spirit of the 'Prince of Zhenbei' and dared not directly behead them, so he had them secretly killed on their way to exile?
Possibly.
Xiao Xiuning pointed to the opposite side and said, "Yeah, there are so many over there who haven't changed yet, why don't you hit them?"
“I don’t care what others do, but this prison is under my jurisdiction. If you miss your turn, you’ll be whipped.”
Wu Chuang's fierce eyes narrowed slightly as he scrutinized her sleeve. "What are you hiding in your hands? Hand it over!"
Xiao Xiuning was so startled that she pulled her hand behind her back.
Damn it, I was so careless I completely forgot. There were still silver notes hidden in my right sleeve.
"No, it's nothing..."
"So guilty? Do you think I'm blind? Hand it over right now, or do you want me to personally search you?" Wu Chuang said, stepping forward.
Xiao Xiuning was so frightened that she stepped back.
The little silver I had left was for survival; I couldn't give it up even if it meant my death.
Xiao Xuance, who was next door, was holding a pebble in his hand and was about to make a move when...
Yun Zhaoxue walked behind Xiao Xiuning and took out the silver notes from her sleeve. "Just hand them over when I tell you to. Do you want to risk your life?"
When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Judging from what the other person said, he was also a member of the escort team for exile.
Avoid offending them now if possible, and secretly kill them in a secluded place on their way to exile.
Yun Zhaoxue handed the dozen or so taels of silver to Wu Chuang, saying, "Officer, this is what we came to offer you as a token of our respect. The children were ignorant and offended you. Please forgive them, as you are a magnanimous person."
Wu Chuang looked at the dozen or so taels in his hand, then glanced at her, his eyes seeming to think it wasn't enough.
Yun Zhaoxue flipped through her empty sleeves, then pretended to remember something and said with an awkward smile, "I completely forgot that all the silver was taken when they searched my house."
Wu Chuang didn't believe it and was about to continue making things difficult for him.
Just then, a voice outside urged, "Hurry up, everyone come out! Come out and line up, we're about to leave."
The crowd stirred as prisoners, dressed in prison uniforms and shackles, walked out of their cells and lined up.
Yun Zhaoxue and Madam Yang helped the injured Xiao Xuanwu out. "Mother, let's hurry up and line up, or we'll get beaten again."
Seeing that Yun Zhaoxue was sensible and that it was time to queue, Wu Chuang snorted and left the cell to maintain order outside.
Xiao Xiuning looked at her empty sleeves and stomped her feet in anger.
Second sister-in-law Song Mingyan advised, "Fourth sister, don't be angry. The princess is helping you. If you don't hand it over voluntarily, you will not only be searched but also beaten. We will give you some silver then."
Xiao Xiuning said angrily, "I don't believe he dares to hit me. What kind of man is he if he can't even handle a woman? If he's so capable, he should go to the battlefield and kill the enemy. He only shows off in front of his own people."
At the cell exit, you have to be checked. You have to put any valuables on you on the table. If you don’t hand them over voluntarily and are found out, you will be beaten.
Someone ahead of them had hidden silver notes on their person and did not hand them over voluntarily. They looked panicked and were immediately grabbed and searched.
Not only was his money taken away, but he was also kicked into a corner and whipped twice.
The cries of agony echoed in the cell: "Ouch, it hurts! Stop hitting me! I'll never do it again! Officer, have mercy!"
The man lay on the ground, rolling around for a long time, unable to get up. His family members rushed over and carried him away, one on each side.
Hearing the wailing, Xiao Xiuning's heart trembled. She looked away, unable to bear the sight, and rubbed the goosebumps on her arms with her hands wrapped around her chest.
These people were too ruthless. She couldn't imagine what it would be like if that whip fell on her; it would definitely hurt terribly.
Xiao Xuance, who was standing behind her, said in a low voice, "Ning'er, she saved you just now, you should thank her properly."
Xiao Xiuning was unmoved and retorted in a low voice, "Third Brother, this is what she owes me. You have no idea how many outrageous things she has done. I will tell you in detail later."
Several families were exempt from handing over their property or being searched, including the Third Prince's residence, the Marquis of Yunyang's residence, the Duan family, and the Shen family... all of whom were part of the Third Prince's faction.
Some people in the crowd were dumbfounded. They didn't expect that exile could be carried out with special privileges. What kind of exile is this? Why not just release them directly?
Are you putting on a show for them, trying to make them jealous?
However, due to the other party's status as a prince and his privileges, they dared not speak out against their anger.
If the Third Prince orders the guards to whip them a few times, they'll be in deep trouble.
When the guards examined Yun Zhaoxue, they noticed her swollen belly and reached over with the hilt of their knives, intending to lift her prison uniform to check.
Yun Zhaoxue grabbed the hem of her dress and pressed it down, taking a half step back. "What... what do you want to do? Don't touch my stomach!"
The Third Prince and his entourage, who had been allowed to pass directly and hadn't gone far, turned around to look at her.
Yun Jiaoyue was secretly delighted, not expecting her chance for revenge to come so soon. She said, "Sister, your belly is so swollen, is there something hidden inside? Hand it over quickly, or you won't get beaten."
They forced her to hand over the money. She had no relatives or friends in the capital and no one would help her. She would surely starve to death on the way to exile.
Yun Jiaoyue imagined her kneeling before her in a filthy prison uniform, emaciated and skeletal with sunken cheeks and bulging eyes, begging for a bite to eat. She almost burst out laughing.
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