The two broken bones quickly healed, and even his damaged heart and lungs were restored.
The spirit spring was a product of her space, a miraculous medicine capable of healing injuries and curing illnesses.
Unfortunately, the crossing had nearly drained the spiritual energy in her space. All the vegetation inside had died, and the once-clear spirit spring had been reduced to a small pool no larger than a fist. She had no idea whether it would regenerate after she used it, so unless absolutely necessary, she would never touch it.
Cheng Yao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, her movements gentle. Then she fed him a few more drops, making sure his vital signs remained stable.
She leaned close to his ear and whispered, “You have to hold on. You have to live…”
Suddenly, the sound of jailers making their rounds approached. Cheng Yao’s heart tightened. After taking one last, deep look at Zhan Haoting, her figure blurred, and she instantly teleported back to the cell next door.
The following day.
The evidence Zhao Chongan had “found” in the War King’s residence was insufficient to sentence the War King to death, but it was more than enough to justify exile. Thus, among all the officials in court, not a single one pleaded for mercy on his behalf.
Besides, the emperor had already shown mercy by sparing the women of the War King’s household from being sent to the entertainment bureau or forced to serve as military courtesans. Who would be foolish enough to provoke the emperor under such circumstances?
The prison carts rolled over the flagstone road, their wheels creaking as though they were tearing at everyone’s nerves.
Zhan Haoting, crippled from the beating, was confined to a prison cart. Everyone else had to walk on foot.
After a night of fermenting rumors, what had happened to the Zhan family had spread throughout the entire capital.
Before dawn, relatives and friends from every branch of the family had already sent people to wait outside the exile camp.
When the Zhan family was brought out and prepared to set off, they all surged forward, offering bundles, food boxes, and clothes amid a great commotion.
Old Madam Zhan’s family and Second Madam Zhan’s maternal family had provided large amounts of banknotes and loose silver. Feng Xianxian received a large bundle containing not only money but also several roast chickens, braised meat, steamed meat buns, and other precious food, along with clothing.
People said that once a daughter married, she was like water poured out—but everyone was made of flesh and blood. How could parents and brothers simply watch their daughters and sisters suffer without doing anything?
They couldn’t.
At the very least, they could do what little was within their power.
Even the maternal families of the concubines and secondary wives of Second Master Zhan and Third Master Zhan had sent people. Yet only Lady Zhan and her daughter-in-law, Cheng Yao, stood in an empty space with no one around them.
Feng Xianxian shot Cheng Yao a glance. “Sister-in-law, doesn’t your family know that something happened to ours?”
Second Madam Zhan sneered. “The collapse of our family is known throughout the capital. Could her father possibly not know?”
There was pity in Feng Xianxian’s voice. “So her family has disowned her? Sister-in-law, how pitiful. But your elder brother-in-law was charged with a capital crime, and the entire clan was implicated. It’s understandable that General Cheng would try to distance himself. Sister-in-law, you shouldn’t blame him.”
“I’m afraid they’re not merely refusing to acknowledge her—they’re trying to sever all ties,” Second Madam Zhan said, pointing ahead. “Xianxian, just watch.”
Everyone followed the direction of her finger.
A small, gray, shabby sedan chair came hurrying over. A maid climbed out, pinched her nose, and tossed a letter at Cheng Yao. Then she immediately climbed back into the sedan chair. From beginning to end, she did not say a single word.
Cheng Yao let the letter strike the ground in front of her. She did not even lift her eyelids.
Feng Xianxian kindly bent down to pick it up. After scanning the contents, she said awkwardly, “Mother, you were right. This letter… is a severance notice from General Cheng to Sister-in-law.”
“Heh. General Cheng certainly knows how to protect himself,” Second Madam Zhan said with folded arms and a cold laugh. Her gaze swept over the dazed Lady Zhan. “Sister-in-law, your family is at the border, but if I remember correctly, your younger brother was also doing some small business here in the capital, wasn’t he? Why hasn’t he come to see you off on your final journey?
“But then again, your son brought exile upon the entire clan, and he himself has become a prisoner. Your brother is merely a common townsman, the sort who values his life above all else. Of course he’d hide as far away as possible. It’s just a pity for your household. On the road to exile, I’m afraid you won’t even have a mouthful of soup to drink!”
Lady Zhan’s lips trembled as she tried to argue, but she was so choked with emotion that not a single word came out. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks.
Zhan Qingrou burst into tears.
Lady Zhan was a woman from the borderlands. Back then, First Master Zhan had fallen in love with her at first sight and insisted on marrying her as his principal wife, defying the entire clan for a long time.
That was why Old Madam Zhan had never welcomed Lady Zhan after she entered the family.
For the sake of her children, Lady Zhan had learned to restrain herself and endure in silence. Even when her only younger brother came to the capital to seek her out, she had not helped him, insisting that he make his own way.
As a result, her brother harbored resentment toward her and had never kept in contact. This had always been a painful wound in Lady Zhan’s heart.
Second Madam Zhan’s words were no different from sprinkling salt into that wound.
Cheng Yao cleared her throat and spoke loudly. “Second Madam, Haoting spent years fighting on the battlefield and earned great military merit, bringing glory to the entire clan. Now that he has been framed by villains and fallen from power, we all share the honor when he prospers and share the loss when he suffers. If he is made to suffer, naturally none of you can avoid it either. How can you call that implicating us?
“Besides, it was His Majesty who sentenced us to exile. He did not make us commit any crime. You keep complaining—are you dissatisfied with His Majesty’s punishment?”
Her words were forceful and rang out clearly. The entire exile procession could hear her. Even those who had been muttering curses about Zhan Haoting immediately fell silent, terrified.
Second Madam Zhan’s expression changed drastically. “I was merely frustrated that Haoting failed to live up to expectations. I have no dissatisfaction with His Majesty. Don’t make wild accusations and bring disaster upon me.”
If Cheng Yao really branded her as someone dissatisfied with the emperor, she would be doomed beyond redemption!
“That’s good. Second Madam, if you don’t know how to speak properly, you’d better say less from now on, so you don’t implicate the rest of us.”
Cheng Yao had turned the accusation back on her so neatly that Second Madam Zhan nearly choked.
What pained her even more was that Second Master Zhan actually agreed with Cheng Yao. He nodded and said, “Loose words invite trouble. Say less.”
Zhan Jinmo, however, gave Cheng Yao another long look.
Even trapped in such dire circumstances, she remained calm and composed, striking back with precision. This elder sister-in-law was nothing like the timid, weak, lovestruck fool described in the rumors.
Feng Xianxian noticed his gaze lingering on Cheng Yao, and her smile slowly faded.
The procession moved forward at a leisurely pace. When it passed through the market, the people of the capital—women carrying baskets of vegetables, butchers brandishing bone-cleaving knives, and children squatting on the steps, chewing flatbread—all turned their eyes toward them.
In the next instant, rotten leaves, stinking eggs, and mud-covered radishes came raining down. Amid cries of “Traitors!” and “Scoundrels!” the air itself seemed to reek of sourness and resentment.
The members of the Zhan family were like stray dogs, keeping their heads lowered and daring not to utter a word of protest as the filth landed on their bodies.
The prison cart was struck the worst. Cheng Yao stood in front to block some of the attacks, but things still came flying from the sides and rear, nearly burying Zhan Haoting beneath them.
Zhan Haochen had no time to continue protecting his mother and sister. He climbed onto the prison cart, braced his elbows against the bars, and used his own body to shield his brother from the attacks.
Smack! Smack!
The filthy objects all struck his back.
He curled himself tightly over the cart and shouted hoarsely toward the crowd, “Don’t throw things at my brother! He’s innocent!”
