Not to mention that it was more than a thousand li from here, the environment there was harsh, and it was a lawless no-man’s-land where criminals, gangsters, and bandits from various countries gathered. Ordinary people could not survive there at all.
If they were going to a place like that, they might as well die.
Once the rites were complete, the constable shouted, “All of you, come over here and bow!”
The group slowly shuffled toward the altar. One of the bailiffs counted the prisoners, then demanded menacingly, “Does the entire Zhan clan, including Zhan Haoting, submit to the law and agree to set out?”
Zhan Haoting was unable to answer, so Cheng Yao answered for him. “Yes!”
The bailiffs shoved everyone into a line. The constable shook the warrant hanging from his belt. “Set out!”
The Zhan family’s journey into exile had finally begun.
On the road, Zhan Haochen gritted his teeth and hurried forward on trembling legs, carrying Zhan Haoting on his back.
Cheng Yao supported Lady Zhan and followed close behind.
Compared with the barely living members of the first branch of the Zhan family, the two of them appeared exceptionally spirited. The constable could not help taking a few extra looks at them.
“Hey, you there. Stop.”
He blocked Zhan Haochen’s path. “Where’s the arrow in your brother’s body?”
Zhan Haochen replied breathlessly, “My sister-in-law used a broken sword to open my brother’s wound and pull out the arrow.”
Cheng Yao forced a dry laugh and added, “I was only trying it as a last resort. Oh, right—the broken sword is with the bailiffs.”
The constable lifted Zhan Haoting’s eyelids. Seeing that he still had not regained consciousness, he said nothing more.
Halfway along the route, a carriage approached from behind.
It stopped, and an elderly man and a young woman climbed down, both carrying bundles.
A closer look revealed that they were Hongxiu and Xiao Fu.
“My lord, this servant is now a free woman. The War King was merciful and returned our indenture contracts to us long ago. Please take a look.”
Hongxiu handed over two yellowed sheets of paper.
The constable glanced at them. They were indeed the indenture contracts belonging to the two of them.
“What do the two of you intend to do?”
Tears glimmered in Xiao Fu’s eyes. “This old servant owes his life to the War King. Now that he has fallen into hardship, I wish to accompany him for the rest of this journey. Rest assured, I will provide for my own food, clothing, and lodging. I will not burden the officials.”
Hongxiu lowered her head. “I feel the same.”
The constable’s expression was unreadable. After a moment of silence, he said, “You are both free citizens. Joining a convoy of exiled prisoners is against the law. However, since you once served in the prince’s residence and the War King currently needs people to care for him, I will make an exception this once. Along the way, you will receive the same treatment as the prisoners and must behave yourselves and obey orders. If you refuse to comply, you will be executed.”
Rather than showing fear, the two of them looked delighted.
The other bailiffs exchanged glances. Had their commander suddenly become far too lenient?
“Thank you for your mercy, my lord!”
Hongxiu and Xiao Fu thanked him in unison before joining the group.
The various branches of the Zhan family nearly lost their composure. Damn it, they could not understand why servants would willingly endure hardship alongside their masters.
And on an exile route, no less!
That meant Zhan Haoting’s branch would have servants attending to them in the future.
Having already seen the warmth and coldness of human nature, Madam Zhan wiped away tears of emotion. “How could you two be so foolish? Why did you come back?”
Everyone else wished desperately to stay away from this pit of misery, yet the two of them had taken the initiative to jump right in!
Hongxiu choked back a sob. “Madam, I couldn’t stop worrying about the War King.”
Xiao Fu smiled. “If these old bones of mine can do even a little for the War King, then it will be worth dying for.”
Lady Zhan cried so hard that she could not speak.
Hongxiu and Xiao Fu went to pay their respects to Cheng Yao. “This servant greets the War King’s consort…”
“We have already been demoted to commoners. You needn’t call me that.” Cheng Yao smiled. “You are both free now, so don’t call yourselves servants anymore either. It is rare for you to remember your old ties and come to care for Haoting. From now on, you are family. No one is allowed to order you around or make you work.”
Those words were meant not only for the two of them, but for everyone in the Zhan family.
These were Zhan Haoting’s people. No one was to lay a hand on them!
Second Madam Zhan rolled her eyes. “If you’re not going to let them serve anyone, then what are they here for? To take a share of our food for nothing?”
Hongxiu immediately said, “I—Xiao Fu and I will take care of ourselves.”
Cheng Yao rolled her eyes right back. “Second Aunt, didn’t you hear what they said? They’ll provide for their own food and lodging. How could they possibly be taking our food?”
Second Madam Zhan snorted. “We’ll see if that’s really true. Don’t become a burden to us later.”
Cheng Yao ignored her and said to Xiao Fu and Hongxiu, “When we fell into misfortune, the two of you refused to abandon us and were willing to suffer alongside us. From now on, you are our benefactors and our family. How about this? Hongxiu, call me sister-in-law. Uncle Xiao is an elder, so he may simply call me by my name. As for how to address everyone else, follow their example. What do you say?”
“This…”
The two exchanged a glance, then could only agree.
Xiao Fu went to Zhan Haochen. “Let me carry the master.”
Zhan Haochen had indeed reached his limit. His entire body was trembling. Hearing this, he did not stand on ceremony and handed Zhan Haoting over to him.
“Thank you, Uncle Xiao.”
…
As night deepened, the group stopped at a deserted roadside relay station.
The station was already in ruins. Wind blew through the holes in the roof, the plaster had peeled from the walls, and they were stingy even with the number of torches they lit.
No hot water was provided, no quilts were issued, and there were not even straw mats.
The cold wind swept through the station, making everyone’s teeth chatter.
The constable ordered them to rest where they were. All the prisoners curled up on the muddy ground, each receiving a coarse-grain cake as hard and cold as stone.
Zhan Qingrou hugged her knees as tears rolled down her cheeks one after another.
Her teeth were already broken, and she could not even bite through the cake. Yet she was so hungry that she could hardly bear it. It was unbearable.
The old madam coughed so violently it sounded as though her lungs might tear apart.
She was already over sixty and frail by nature. After being dragged along under guard all day, she could no longer hold on.
The others lowered their eyes. Cold and hungry, their bodies were nearly numb.
Everyone intended to muddle through the night like that.
But while the others might manage to endure one night without eating, Zhan Haoting could not.
Cheng Yao took the cakes allotted to herself and Zhan Haoting, added two dark, coarse-grain steamed buns from her space, and went to ingratiate herself with the old station keeper. After much coaxing and pleading, she exchanged them for a cracked clay pot, half a bucket of water, a bowl, and some ginger.
Of course, apart from the water and ginger, she would have to return the other items later.
Outside, she pulled up a large handful of dry grass and gathered some firewood. Then she used stones to make a small stove beside the station.
Taking advantage of the cover of night, she secretly retrieved a small knife from her space, quickly sliced the ginger, and put it into the clay pot. She quietly added a little brown sugar and a drop of water from the spirit spring, then used a lighter to ignite the dry grass.
In the darkness, everyone could hear her rustling about, but no one knew what she was doing.
Only when the firelight flared up did they realize that she was cooking something.
The flames were extremely faint, and their glow illuminated only the small patch of ground immediately around her, but even so, they chased away the darkness.
Under the dim yellow light, steam rose from the little stove, and the scent of ginger slowly spread through the air.
One of the bailiffs shouted, “What tricks are you playing in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?”
Cheng Yao shrank her neck in fear and said softly, “Sir, my husband has a fever. I asked the old man who runs the station for some ginger so I could make him ginger tea.”
“You’re nothing but trouble.”
Two of the bailiffs cursed and grumbled, but the constable stopped them with a look.
“Be quick about it. Don’t disturb everyone’s sleep.”
“Yes, sir,” Cheng Yao replied.
