As the family enjoyed this brief moment of warmth, from a distance, Nangong Ping of the second branch nibbled on a plain steamed bun, his eyes fixed on the roast chicken in Su Niyue’s hands. In his mind, he silently scolded her and her companions for what had happened.
Since the disaster began, Nangong Ping hadn’t spoken a word, not even casting a glance at the old madam. She had assumed it was because her second son’s heart was heavy. When she saw him hiding with Lady Xu, she realized—he didn’t want the frail and elderly family to drag them down. In contrast, Su Niyue, only sixteen or seventeen, had faced everything actively and positively. It seemed the emperor had done a good deed, though whether he would regret it later remained unknown.
At this very moment, the emperor was anxious beyond measure. He didn’t dare fall ill, and even the Imperial Hospital had no medicine left. He had skipped breakfast, and when a noble family sent a cart of food after hearing the palace had been looted, hoping to gain favor, the emperor grew even angrier. A ruler relying on others’ charity to eat infuriated him, and in a fit, he threw away the meager porridge and vegetables before him.
If Su Niyue’s party knew, they would have been secretly delighted—their exile meal had been better than the emperor’s!
After eating, Su Niyue checked Nangong Yunteng’s pulse again. She had confidence in the hemostatic medicine she prepared but worried most about a potential fever. Even with the best antipyretics, she wasn’t sure if he could withstand it.
Setting out again under the scorching sun, leaves still and cicadas screaming hysterically, Su Niyue felt irritable. Ancient clothing required multiple layers year-round. She longed for modern short sleeves and denim shorts and wished she could retreat to her space to cool off.
The long march was a severe challenge for the elderly madam. Though she maintained a calm expression, it was clear she was reaching her limit. Su Niyue offered water, but everyone knew its value and drank sparingly, only small sips. Nangong Yunqi’s hands trembled slightly while pushing the cart. He couldn’t stop; others who had fallen behind were whipped mercilessly, their bleeding wounds visible. If he got injured, who would push his elder brother?
By sunset, they finally reached a small river. Though the sun’s heat was gone, the ground remained warm from the day’s exposure. Exhausted, the exiles were instructed to camp here.
“Tonight we camp here. Men over there, women over there,” the guards said while gesturing directions.
Su Niyue picked a large tree as their resting spot, letting the old madam and others relieve themselves first. She stayed behind with Nangong Yunqi and Yunteng. As she prepared to check Yunteng’s injuries, she felt a sharp gaze from behind. She didn’t react, merely adjusting the blanket over him.
Clearly, the emperor had planted agents among the exiles. She had anticipated secret surveillance. After giving Yunteng some water and checking his forehead—slightly warm, not enough for antipyretics—she opted for physical cooling. Using the bundle as cover, she retrieved a fresh handkerchief from her space. At that moment, Ruan Mingyu returned with the old madam.
“Mother, my husband has a slight fever. I’ll wash a handkerchief by the river to cool him down.”
“Good, Niyue, thank you for your effort.”
“Not at all. You all rest first,” Su Niyue replied, heading toward the river, glancing once at the previous direction—only a woman was massaging her ankle.
The river was fairly clear, but she didn’t intend to drink from it. With no one nearby, she pretended to refill her water pouch while filling it with spiritual spring water. Spotting fish in the river, she had an idea. She made live fish from her space appear in her hands. The fish, accustomed to luxury in her space, flopped violently, almost falling back into the river and splashing water all over her.
When she returned, Ruan Mingyu saw Su Niyue carrying the large fish, soaked, and couldn’t help but feel both amused and concerned.
“Grandmother, we’ll have fish tonight!”
The old madam was astonished and slightly anxious. “Don’t do that again—what if you fell in?”
Nangong Yundran, thrilled, exclaimed, “Sister-in-law, you’re amazing! I love fish!”
“Yundran, leave these things to me in the future. It’s too dangerous. If you fell in, how could I explain to your brother?”
“It’s fine. You just take care of our brother. These little things, I’ll handle when needed.”
“Yundran, then you handle replacing the handkerchief for your brother,” Su Niyue instructed.
Yundran placed the handkerchief on her brother’s forehead, tears in her eyes as she looked at him unconscious.
Other exiles, seeing Su Niyue catch fish, rushed to the river too. Some caught small fish, the size of their palms. Even the guards joined, grabbing a few.
Ruan Mingyu and Su Niyue collected dry wood while Nangong Yunqi was tasked with starting the fire. He had learned to make fire during battles and had no trouble grilling fish.
“Sir, may we borrow your knife? Without one, we can’t clean the fish!”
The guard hesitated but, recalling the chicken given at noon, lent Su Niyue a dagger. “Be careful, don’t hurt anyone.”
“Yes, yes! Don’t worry!”
Though Su Niyue had plenty of knives in her space, it wasn’t convenient to retrieve them here.
While cleaning the fish, she accidentally ‘summoned’ a smaller one.
During grilling, she secretly sprinkled some barbecue seasoning from her space. Soon, the aroma filled the camp. Exiles and guards alike were drawn in. “Her uncle really thought of everything—roast chicken and seasoning!”
Perfect—her plan worked without effort.
Once the fish were ready, Su Niyue had Yunqi deliver the smaller fish to the guard who had lent the knife.
Ruan Mingyu understood: Su Niyue wanted to appear gracious to the guard, showing face while remaining safe. As a young lady, it was proper to avoid suspicion.
Nangong Yundran had never eaten fish roasted over a fire. Yunqi had during military camp, but Su Niyue’s fish was perfectly crisp, aromatic, and tender. She also toasted a few buns by the fire.
The family gathered around, enjoying the fresh, delicious fish. For a moment, they forgot the injustice of exile. Full and content, their spirits lifted. They all knew that without Su Niyue, they might not even have had water, let alone roast chicken and grilled fish.