Seeds floated in the air for a while—this was her daily upgrade task. Her space hadn’t been fully organized yet, but she wasn’t in a rush; the progress bar had already reached 79%. In just one more day, she could upgrade to a level-three space! She was far too busy. On the way as an exile, she couldn’t linger in her space for too long, and there were still so many treasures to organize. “When I get to the wilderness, I’ll hire servants—someone to wait on me, polish my vases!”
With that delightful thought, Su Niyue slept until the sun was high.
“Miss Su!” Sanhu came to fetch her to go into town.
“Sanhu, if I asked your father to buy a bullock cart to take my husband along, do you think he’d agree?”
“A bullock cart!” Sanhu looked hesitant. “Try asking! I’ll speak for you.”
“No need, I’ll ask myself. Wait a moment!” Su Niyue thought that such things couldn’t rely on connections alone—money had to do the talking.
Rummaging in her pocket, she found a 100-liang silver note. She didn’t hesitate; as the saying went, “You can’t get the wolf without giving up the lamb.” If she was unwilling to spend silver, she wouldn’t get the bullock cart.
“Officer Liu, may I have a word?”
Seeing Su Niyue smile at him, Liu Quan’s head buzzed inexplicably.
“What’s the matter, young lady of the Nangong family?”
“I’d like to rent a bullock cart, what do you think…” Before she finished speaking, she shoved the silver note into Liu Quan’s hand. Seeing it was a 100-liang note, he scratched his head. “Well… that’s hard to say.”
“Just say the cart is for your escort team, I’ll rent it, and once my husband recovers, it’s yours!”
“Deal!”
“Great!”
Riding in the cart driven by Sanhu and Huzi, Su Niyue’s eyes lit up. She loved the bustling market atmosphere of the ancient town.
“Sanhu, can I go buy a few things on my own?”
“Sure. Meet at the city gate in an hour!” Sanhu didn’t hesitate.
“Perfect!” Su Niyue turned and left.
“Sanhu, aren’t you afraid she’ll run off?” Huzi worried.
“She won’t. If she did, it would just be paying back her life debt!”
“But you’d be punished!”
“There’s been death on the exile route before. Don’t worry—I trust she’ll come back.”
Su Niyue found an alley, released the bullock cart while no one was around. She wasn’t skilled with driving carts, but luckily the ox was obedient.
Passing a bun shop, she asked, “Boss, what fillings do you have?”
The couple running it were middle-aged and honest. “Two types: pork and vegetarian cabbage. Two wen per pork bun, one wen per veggie.”
“I’ll take 300 pork buns. How long to steam them?”
“Miss, are you hosting a banquet?”
“Yes! Just having some friends over!” Su Niyue improvised.
“Quickly then! Half an hour, they’ll be ready!”
“Fine!” She paid the deposit, then ordered 300 steamed buns and 300 meat pies from the neighboring shop, plus preserved meats and roast chicken to store in her space. She also bought plenty of oiled cloth and straw raincoats, keeping one on the cart and storing the rest.
She bought a thousand jin of charcoal from several shops, scoured the market, collected the preordered buns and pies, and headed to the city gate—just as Sanhu and the others were leaving.
Back at the inn, Yunqi’s eyes sparkled with joy when he learned about the bullock cart. The old madam smiled broadly—no more walking long distances; life now felt promising.
“Yunqi, come check the cart with sister-in-law and see if it needs reinforcing.”
“Alright!” For the first time in days, Yunqi felt true joy for a child his age. Even the old madam joined in inspecting the cart.
They reinforced the cart, added an extra layer of oiled cloth over the canopy.
“Why the oiled cloth?” asked Nangong Yundian, tugging at it.
“After a drought comes a flood. Look at this weather—it’s getting muggy; maybe it’ll rain,” Su Niyue replied.
The old madam glanced at the sky and nodded. She increasingly admired her granddaughter-in-law’s foresight.
“This cart will do for now. We’ll upgrade to a horse-drawn one later.”
“Really? We can get a horse cart later?” Yunqi lit up. “Sister-in-law, you’re the best!”
“Miss Nangong!” A middle-aged man approached the cart.
Su Niyue knew he was one of the exiles, apparently a fourth-rank official punished with exile for offending the emperor. Su Niyue didn’t believe it, but it wasn’t her concern.
“Uh… can I rent or buy your old cart?”
“Sell it. How much?”
“Fifty wen?”
“Hmm… fine!” Su Niyue handed over fifty wen, gave some small silver to Yunqi: “Carry less on you; in emergencies it’ll help.”
The old madam watched the cheerful scene, her gloom dissipating. Life has hope again! She never dreamed that, during exile, they’d not only have meat and fish but now a bullock cart too. All thanks to her granddaughter-in-law.
The family enjoyed meat buns and dumplings from the market, gave Nangong Yunteng some chicken soup, and began packing to set off.
Nangong Yunteng rode in the bullock cart, safely out of the sun. Su Niyue hummed as she stowed pots and pans at the back, covering them with straw raincoats. Other exiles cast envious, even jealous, looks.
The family walked at the back of the group: Yunqi drove the cart, Yundian sat in the middle, with Su Niyue beside her—they felt like on a joyful outing rather than an exile march.
At night, the group reached Xu Family Village for the night. The village head personally arranged lodgings—thirty wen for the common room, 150 wen for private rooms, similar to the inn but cleaner. Luckily, the village head had a vacant courtyard: 500 wen per night for three rooms plus kitchen and hay for the ox. Su Niyue quickly paid, and the family moved in.
Su Niyue wandered the village for fresh supplies. Passing the Xu family, she was drawn to the big white goose in their yard.
“Master Xu, are your geese for sale?”
“Yes! Three hundred wen each!”
“Great! Two, please!” Su Niyue grabbed the geese—gave one to Liu Quan, kept one for herself.
For dinner, she cooked the goose in an iron pot with white rice. Eating heartily, she noticed Nangong Yunteng on the kang. He moved his hand slightly, glanced at the family eating, then gestured to Yunqi.
“Yunqi, tonight I’ll sleep with your brother. You go to my room.” She glanced at Yunteng again, who gestured with his finger.
Yunqi didn’t understand why she wanted to switch rooms—they’d already been assigned. But as a married couple, it was natural to sleep together. He nodded.
“Tonight I also have to give your brother acupuncture. Don’t skip—he’ll heal faster if we keep it up!”