Wu Chenggang weighed the silver in his hand and let out a mocking chuckle.
"The journey north is long. This bit of silver is far from enough."
Ye Jingchuan, of course, knew that ten taels of silver couldn't buy an easy journey of over three thousand li.
He said softly, "Sir, once we are a hundred li from the capital, I will offer more. If we could remove these shackles and leg irons, we wouldn't slow down the travel."
Wu Chenggang patted Ye Jingchuan on the shoulder. "You know what's good for you."
Exiled convicts had no freedom, but with enough silver, they could make their suffering less.
Taking silver from the exiles and giving them conveniences in return was an unspoken understanding between the guards and the prisoners.
As long as they followed the rules when reporting to the prefectures and delivered the exiles to their destination, the guards had done their duty.
No one cared about the details of the process.
After all, escorting exiles was bitter and dangerous work. Who would do it if there were no perks to be had?
So, even with the Emperor's men accompanying this escort, Wu Chenggang didn't restrain himself in the slightest.
He stuffed the silver into his belt and ordered his subordinates to remove the shackles and leg irons from the Ye family.
Then, he arranged for his men to distribute coarse cornbread buns and pickled vegetables to the three families—the Qi, Zhao, and Ye families.
Those who wanted could take two each.
Those who didn't could give theirs to someone in need or simply not take any.
The three families had basically brought a day's worth of cooked food, so no one wanted the dry, choking buns.
The escorting guards ate quite well: braised beef with steamed buns, as much as they wanted.
Ye Chutang took out a large bamboo tube and two water skins from the cart.
"I'll go fetch some water from the river."
Qi Yanzhou wanted to go with her, but she refused.
"Ah Zhou, please distribute the meat pies and take out the clay pot. Start a fire."
Qi He'an asked, puzzled, "Second sister-in-law, why start a fire on such a hot day?"
"To brew some tea to clear heat and relieve summer heat. Otherwise, walking under the scorching sun, it's easy to get heatstroke."
"Second sister-in-law is so thoughtful. I'll go gather some dry branches."
Hearing this, Concubine Xu immediately went to the riverbank to fetch stones for building a makeshift stove.
Qi Yanzhou took the clay pot from the cart and arranged the stones Concubine Xu brought into a circle of suitable size.
Upon hearing Ye Chutang's words, the Zhao and Ye families followed suit.
Concubine Su and Concubine Gao, however, were at a loss.
They had only purchased daily foodstuffs and utensils, and their medicinal preparations were for external wounds. They hadn't bought anything for heat relief at all.
Both thought simultaneously: later, they would swallow their pride and ask for some.
Ye Chutang arrived at the river.
The water wasn't deep, clear enough to see the bottom, with occasional small fish swimming by, their silvery bellies flashing.
Although there were live fish, before drawing water, she took a small sip.
The unpolluted river water had a faint sweetness and was non-toxic.
Ye Chutang placed the two water skins into the river, pretending to draw water while actually filling them with spiritual spring water from her space.
Once full, she took a drink.
The spiritual spring water was refreshingly sweet, and her slightly weary body instantly felt re-energized.
She also filled the bamboo tube with water and returned under the large tree.
Only after seeing Ye Chutang return with water from the river did Ye Siyin dare to go fetch water herself.
The Emperor would seize any opportunity to deal with the Qi family, and she was afraid of being killed by mistake.
But Ye Chutang's medical skills were excellent; anything she used was definitely safe.
Ye Chutang noticed Ye Siyin's little scheme but couldn't be bothered to pay it any mind.
She couldn't let herself become timid and restrained just to prevent others from "copying her."
Qi Yanzhou had already built the stone stove to hold the clay pot.
Old Master Qi, Old Madam Qi, and Qi He'an were still gathering dry branches.
Seeing the old couple sweating profusely, Ye Chutang quickly said, "Father, Mother, these dry branches are enough. Don't gather any more. Come rest and have some meat pie."
Old Master Qi waved his hand. "Tang'er, you eat first. We'll gather a few more branches to store."
Although he had lived a life of luxury as a prince from a young age, he had followed his father on military campaigns and bandit suppression in his youth and knew a bit about surviving in the wild.
Summer rain could come without warning. They needed to stockpile some dry branches in case the wood outside got damp and couldn't be lit.
Ye Chutang didn't try to persuade them further. She picked up a meat pie and took a bite.
The cooled meat pie was no longer crispy but chewy, making her jaw ache from the effort.
Seeing Ye Chutang eat slowly, Qi Yanzhou guessed the reason.
He said with a smile, "Ah Tang, wait until the fire is going, I'll grill it for you."
Hearing this, Ye Chutang immediately put down the meat pie.
If she could eat something better, she definitely wouldn't settle for worse.
She stood up. "I'll go get the ingredients for the heat-relief tea."
Ancient times weren't like the modern era with its abundant variety; there weren't hundreds of recipes for heat relief.
They usually boiled water with dried tangerine peel and perilla leaves, or made mung bean and lily soup, sweetened with a bit of rock sugar.
The latter was more suitable for home, as mung beans were not only heavy but also needed to be soaked in advance.
So, Ye Chutang had bought the former.
She took enough dried tangerine peel and perilla leaves for six people and secretly took out a grilling grid from her space before returning to Qi Yanzhou's side.
Qi Yanzhou had already started the fire and was breaking branches, preparing to grill the meat pie.
Ye Chutang handed him the grid, fabricating an excuse on the spot.
"Use this. I specially had it made at the blacksmith's for grilling."
For nearly half the journey of their exile, they would be camping in the wilderness. Hunting and grilling were essential activities.
Qi Yanzhou took the smooth, shiny double-layered grilling grid, sandwiched the meat pie between the layers, gripped the handle, and began grilling.
Open flame wasn't as good as charcoal; he had to pay extra attention to avoid burning the pie.
His hands were constantly busy.
He had to raise or lower the pie depending on the flame's intensity and turn it over continuously.
Soon, the surface of the meat pie began to sizzle with oil, and its aroma wafted through the air.
"Ah Tang, it's done. Let it cool a bit; it's still hot."
Not far away, Zhao Simin watched Qi Yanzhou's meticulous attentiveness towards Ye Chutang. Her eyes reddened, filled with unwillingness.
Such a good man should have been hers!
Zhao Qingshu shifted his position, blocking Zhao Simin's line of sight, and warned, "If you still want to regain your status as a county princess, behave yourself. Don't entertain any foolish ideas!"
They say one learns from mistakes.
But his sister's mind didn't work that way. She kept running into walls, refusing to turn back!
Zhao Simin snorted coldly. "Who knows what's so good about that wench? Even the Emperor treats her differently!"
"She's better than you in every way!"
Zhao Qingshu's words weren't said in anger but were the truth.
Appearance, talent, martial arts, medical skills, magnanimity, and wisdom.
His foolish sister couldn't compare to Ye Chutang in any aspect!
Furious, Zhao Simin kicked Zhao Qingshu.
"Whose brother are you anyway? Could it be that you've taken a fancy to that..."
She was frightened by the cold glare in Zhao Qingshu's eyes and swallowed the rest of her words, changing her tone.
"Brother, don't worry. I won't act recklessly and ruin things."
She was still waiting to see the look of fury and regret on Qi Yanzhou's face when he learned that Ye Chutang had never been sincere with him and had tried to kill him to save herself!
Zhao Qingshu retracted his menacing aura and said gently, "Little sister, endure for now. Your brother will help you get revenge."
Their family's current predicament was all thanks to Ye Chutang!
Once they used this wench to destroy the Qi family, they would take her wretched life!
Zhao Simin hugged Zhao Qingshu's arm and cooed, "Brother is still the best to me."
Zhao Qingshu looked at Zhao Simin's disfigured face with disgust and pulled his arm away.
"Remember to apply the medicine the imperial physician prescribed, so you can marry a good husband in the future."
Zhao Simin also wished to restore her beautiful face.
But she knew deep down it was impossible.
The burns were too severe, beyond healing.
Therefore, she not only hated the "Ghost Thief" who set the fire, but also her own elder brother who kicked her into the flames!
Zhao Simin lowered her eyes to conceal her hatred, replying obediently, "Brother, I know."
By the time the two siblings finished talking, Ye Chutang had already started brewing the heat-relief tea.
The two elderly Qis and Qi He'an had gathered quite a few dry branches and were sitting under a tree eating meat pies.
Ye Chutang handed a water skin to Old Madam Qi.
"Mother, the river water is clear and sweet. You and Father should drink some."
Old Madam Qi refused, "Tang'er, you drink it. We'll go fill our skins from the river ourselves later."
On the exile journey, water wasn't always readily available.
So everyone carried two water skins to ensure enough for the day.
Ye Chutang reached out her hand, "Father, Mother, give me your water skins. You eat slowly."
Seeing Ye Chutang's filial piety, Old Madam Qi smiled, her face flushed from the sun.
"The sun is too fierce. Let Zhou'er go."
With that, she took Old Master Qi's two empty water skins, along with her own, and handed them to Qi Yanzhou.
Just as Qi Yanzhou was about to take them, Ye Chutang snatched them away first.
"Ah Zhou, you teach Third Brother how to bundle the dry branches. I'll fetch the water."
Qi He'an: "..."
Fine. Learning more survival skills couldn't hurt.
Ye Chutang filled the elders' water skins with spiritual spring water.
On her way back, Concubine Xu approached her.
She bowed respectfully, "Madam, if you have any use for He'an, please don't hesitate to order him. Although this child doesn't know how to do anything, he has always been diligent and eager to learn."
Concubine Xu was the most inconspicuous person in the Prince Chen's mansion, but she was perceptive.
She understood deeply that for her son to live well, he must be on good terms with Ye Chutang.
Ye Chutang said with a smile, "Concubine Xu, rest assured. As long as Third Brother isn't lazy and gluttonous, we won't abandon him."
"This servant thanks the Madam."
Ye Chutang glanced at the water skin in Concubine Xu's hand but had no intention of filling it with spiritual spring water.
Before she accepted Concubine Xu and her son, she wouldn't share the good stuff.
Returning under the tree,
she returned the water skins to the two elderly Qis.
"Father, Mother, drink some water and rest for a while. The journey this afternoon will be arduous."
Old Madam Qi took the water skin and patted the spot beside her.
"Tang'er, come rest here too. Let Zhou'er brew the heat-relief tea."
"Just boil one pot of water down to half a pot."
After instructing Qi Yanzhou, Ye Chutang sat down beside Old Madam Qi, leaning against the thick tree trunk.
Her gaze fell on Qi He'an, who was bundling the dry branches.
Qi He'an's hands had only ever held brushes; he was clumsy at manual labor, sweating profusely in frustration.
But he didn't ask anyone for help, striving to tie the scattered branches together.
When Concubine Xu returned with water, he had tied the unruly rope into a dead knot.
She didn't scold her son. Handing him the water skin, she struggled to undo the knot.
"He'an, the knot should be tied like this."
After demonstrating once, she untied the rope, "You try it yourself."
Qi He'an succeeded after two attempts, overjoyed.
"Mother, I've got it."
Then, he lifted the bundled branches and securely tied them to the cart.
Ye Chutang closed her eyes, feigning sleep.
In her drowsiness, she heard someone arguing with the guards.
"This shrubbery here is sparse and short, there's no way to relieve oneself. I need to go over there."
The speaker was Zhao Mingxu's youngest illegitimate daughter, Zhao Zhinian.
She held her stomach with one hand, pointed at the bushes with the other, her face flushed red.
Wu Chenggang, considering that Zhao Zhinian had royal blood, called over one of his men.
"Take Miss Zhao over there. One stick of incense's time."
Zhao Zhinian stared in disbelief, "My stomach is upset. One stick of incense is too short."
Seeing her push her luck, Wu Chenggang snorted coldly.
"Then don't go!"
Frightened, Zhao Zhinian quickly changed her tune, "It's... it's enough!"
As she walked towards the denser bushes in the distance, Ye Siyin stood up unsteadily.
"Officer, I also need to relieve myself."
Wu Chenggang pointed to the nearby shrubbery, "Go there."
Ye Siyin looked at the bushes that couldn't possibly conceal one's figure, her face paling a shade.
"Officer, this..."
"This what? Remember, you're not royalty anymore, you're an exile!"
A prisoner should have a prisoner's awareness, no right to be picky.
Ye Siyin pressed her pale lips together.
"I won't go."
She would wait until they set off again, then find a place with more vegetation.
Wu Chenggang snorted, "Suit yourself."
Seeing Ye Siyin was in some discomfort, Concubine Jiang took a dark-colored outer garment from her bundle.
"Yin'er, go. Mother will use this to shield you."
Ye Siyin found it too shameful and didn't want to go.
"Mother..."
"Go. You'll have to get used to it eventually."
These words fell on Ye Jingchuan's ears, making his heart ache. His haggard face seemed to have aged several years.
He had thought that after marrying Ye Chutang off to Qi Yanzhou, he would be enfeoffed as a marquis.
Instead, he ended up with his family confiscated and exiled.
If he weren't still useful to the emperor, he'd likely have been beheaded!
Ye Siyin couldn't accept relieving herself "in public" and shook her head.
"I'll find a better spot after we start moving again."
Old Madam Ye had drunk more water and was struggling to hold it.
"Jiang-shi, come shield me."
The Ye family's dignity had long been lost. What did a little humiliation matter? A living person shouldn't die from a full bladder!
After notifying the guards, Concubine Jiang led Old Madam Ye to the bushes.
She chose an angle and used the garment to shield the old woman.
The guards listened to the intermittent sound of water, making crude remarks.
Their gazes flickered suggestively towards Concubine Jiang and Ye Siyin, expressions lewd.
Noticing this, Ye Siyin hurriedly lowered her head, her heart pounding with fear.
She needed to find a capable patron.
Otherwise, she would surely be molested by the escorting guards along this exile journey!
Thinking this, she scanned her surroundings.
In the exiled group, there were only four men in total.
Ye Siyin immediately ruled out Qi Yanzhou without a second thought.
This man was not only sharp-minded but also highly skilled in martial arts, not someone she could provoke.
Soon, she also ruled out Qi Yun'an.
A son ostracized by Old Master Qi held little value.
Thus, she settled on Zhao Qingshu and Qi He'an.
Zhao Qingshu was the Zhao family's only son, and his status was more than sufficient to protect her.
But getting close to him wouldn't be easy.
Although Qi He'an was illegitimate, he was relatively close to Old Master Qi.
The key was, he seemed rather simple-minded, easy to approach.
Ye Siyin decided to approach Qi He'an first, while also testing the waters with Zhao Qingshu.
If she couldn't hook the latter, she'd settle for the former—a plan with no loss.
Ye Chutang, leaning against the tree trunk, sensed Ye Siyin's gaze falling on her.
Her intuition told her this woman was up to something and needed careful watching.
Estimating it was almost time to depart, she got up and fetched six bamboo cups and a ladle from the cart.
Each cup was inscribed with a name to avoid mixing them up.
"The tea has cooled. Everyone, get up and have some."
As she was scooping tea into cups with a ladle, Concubine Su and Concubine Gao arrived.
"Madam, we forgot to buy heatstroke relief pills. We'd like to ask for a cup."
Ye Chutang refused without even looking up. "We only brewed enough for six people. There's none to spare."
Concubine Su glanced at the fully filled cups and pursed her lips.
"Couldn't everyone drink a little less to make some extra?"
Qi Yanzhou looked coldly at Concubine Su. "If the portion is reduced, it loses its effectiveness against the heat."
With his word spoken, Concubine Su turned and swayed away.
Concubine Gao looked at Ye Chutang and asked respectfully, "Madam, do you happen to have any heatstroke relief pills? I'd like to buy some."
Ye Chutang certainly had some, given to her by Shopkeeper Lin.
Although the pills were convenient, their taste was too strong, not as pleasant as drinking the herbal tea.
"Certainly. At triple the price."
Concubine Gao nodded in agreement. "Fine. How much silver?"
Ye Chutang retrieved a brown medicine bottle and handed it to Concubine Gao.
"Fifteen taels."
Ordinary heatstroke medicine cost about one tael per bottle.
What Shopkeeper Lin had given Ye Chutang was the best quality, worth nearly five taels.
Concubine Gao took the bottle and paid the silver without hesitation.
She and Concubine Su rested under a tree. She poured out two pills and handed them to her.
"Take them. For the journey ahead, let's support each other."
Being alone might have its advantages, but when it comes to tasks, one has to do everything personally.
Having someone to share the burden makes things much easier.
Concubine Su understood Concubine Gao's meaning and accepted the pills.
"Alright. Let's support each other."
Over at Ye Chutang's side, the group had finished their tea. Qi Yanzhou went to the river to wash the earthenware pot.
Old Madam Qi, supporting herself against a tree trunk, stood up with a strained expression.
Noticing this, Concubine Xu asked with concern, "Old Madam, do you need to relieve yourself?"
Having drunk too much water along the way, she also felt the need.
Old Madam Qi shook her head. "The surroundings here aren't suitable. Let's forget it."
Even if she could walk further away, it would only be slightly better than the bushes right here.
Moreover, with the guards watching, she simply couldn't...
Ye Chutang stood up. "Mother, I bought a simple latrine from the carpenter's shop."
With that, she pulled out four interlocking wooden planks from beneath the handcart.
The planks reached about chest height.
When the four planks were assembled into an enclosure, anyone inside attending to their needs would be completely hidden from view outside.
This was something Ye Chutang had specially commissioned from a carpenter after learning about the impending exile.
After finishing her purchases yesterday, she had secretly hidden the planks under the handcart.
She dared to take them out openly now because the Imperial Guards who had accompanied her shopping were not present, so no one knew exactly what she had bought.
Old Madam Qi looked at the planks with satisfaction. "Tang'er, you think of everything."
"Mother, please go quickly. We'll be setting off soon."
Ye Chutang informed the guard.
Wu Chenggang nodded his consent.
The Qi family had requested exile themselves, which was different from ordinary convicts, granting them more freedom and respect.
As long as they didn't try to escape or leave the guards' line of sight, it was permissible.
Concubine Xu carried the lightweight planks and went with Old Madam Qi to a distant open area.
A guard followed them.
Concubine Su quickly pulled Qi Jingyao along to also relieve themselves.
Although the mother and daughter couldn't use the simple latrine,
using it as a screen meant they didn't have to worry about being seen by the guards.
When the group returned to the riverside, Wu Chenggang shouted loudly, "Prepare to depart!"
Then, he ordered his subordinates to put the cangues and leg chains on the Ye family.
Due to the earlier incident with the latrine,
Concubine Jiang and Ye Siyin were both groped by the guards taking advantage of the situation.
The midday sun was fiercely scorching, and the heat shimmering off the ground was clearly visible.
Not only were the Qi, Zhao, and Ye families, unaccustomed to hardship, suffering, but even the guards were feeling dizzy and disoriented from the sun.
However, the guards were physically stronger and had martial arts training, so they could endure it.
But most of the three families could no longer walk.
This was especially true for the Ye family wearing leg chains.
If not for the guards threatening them with whips, they could barely lift their feet.
After walking slowly for an hour, Old Madam Ye collapsed, unconscious.
Her face was as pale as paper, but her neck and below were flushed red, and her whole body was convulsing.
Wu Chenggang recognized that Old Madam Ye was suffering from heatstroke. He immediately helped her to rest under a tree by the roadside.
"Halt. Rest."
Delivering the exiled convicts to the designated location was the guards' duty.
Although many convicts didn't survive the journey,
if someone died, when reporting to the local government offices along the route, a clear cause of death had to be provided.
If the local coroner's investigation found that the convict's death was related to the escorting guards, they would not only lose their position but also face imprisonment.
Therefore, Wu Chenggang acted promptly to help Old Madam Ye.
He called Concubine Jiang over.
"Loosen her outer garments and pour water over her body."
Concubine Jiang's water skin was nearly empty, and she didn't want to waste it on Old Madam Ye.
As she undid the buttons, she muttered resentfully.
"Didn't she take heatstroke pills? How could she still get heatstroke? Could she have bought fake medicine?"
Wu Chenggang overheard and explained, "She's old and frail. Even with heatstroke pills, the effect is limited."
Then, he urged Ye Jingchuan to pour water on Old Madam Ye.
Ye Jingchuan was a filial son and quickly complied.
He not only emptied his own water skin but also used the water from Concubine Jiang's and Ye Siyin's.
Seeing that Old Madam Ye's complexion had improved slightly, Wu Chenggang spoke again.
"Turn her over. Pinch the back of her neck, use gua sha to bring the fever down."
He had escorted exiled convicts in all seasons and knew how to handle some simple emergencies.
Sure enough, before long, Old Madam Ye regained consciousness.
Her temples were throbbing, her head felt like it was about to split open, and the pain was intense.
"What happened to me?"
Ye Jingchuan's anxious heart settled. "Mother, your constitution is weak. The summer heat invaded your body, and you fainted."
"Chuan'er, my head hurts terribly, and my whole body is weak. I can't walk."
This was somewhat exaggerated.
She was afraid that if she continued walking, she wouldn't survive.
Wu Chenggang looked at Ye Jingchuan. "We'll remove your cangue. You carry your mother on your back."
Their progress was already slow enough. Any further delay would prevent them from reaching the post station thirty li from the capital before dark.
Just as Ye Jingchuan was about to nod, Old Madam Ye said, "Officer, my son is no longer young either. Carrying me, I fear he won't be able to walk."
After saying this, she cast a greedy look towards the Qi family's handcart.
