The wolf pack had been driven off by them and wouldn’t return anytime soon.
After tidying up, everyone decided to spend the night here and head to the nearby relay station at dawn to replenish supplies.
That night, Shang Yueli slept restlessly. Sensing someone nearby, she abruptly opened her eyes.
Jiang Xia froze mid-action and immediately ran away.
The commotion woke the others.
In the darkness, everyone groggily saw two figures running into the woods.
“Someone’s escaped!”
Someone shouted, and the guards immediately grabbed their weapons to give chase.
The rest remained where they were, their hearts filled with anxiety.
Shang Yueli gently touched her abdomen. The items beneath her clothes were all intact; it seemed they hadn’t had time to steal them before she noticed.
Staring into the dark forest, a shadow crossed her eyes.
If Jiang Xia and her son truly managed to escape, the remaining people would likely face dire days ahead!
About half an hour later, Jiang Xia and her son were dragged back by the guards, covered in blood.
Shang Yueli saw that her left foot was twisted at an odd angle as she sat on the ground, groaning in pain.
In front of everyone, the guards whipped them two more times.
Jiang Xia desperately shielded Mu Shicai in her arms.
The guard declared, “If any of you dare to escape again, this will be your fate!”
“Damn, trying to pull tricks right under my nose.”
“Pah!”
He spat on the ground and kicked Jiang Xia several times.
“Sir, please, no more beatings. I won’t run anymore, I won’t…” Jiang Xia pleaded with difficulty, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
Mu Shicai lay motionless in her arms, unsure whether he was beaten to death or had fainted from fear.
Lin Zhiman watched gleefully until she noticed a dark bundle in the hands of the returning guard.
Rubbing her eyes, her pupils contracted sharply, and she trembled with rage.
Damn, that bitch dared to steal her bundle!
Lin Zhiman rushed forward to retrieve it but froze in place the next moment.
The guard roughly threw the bundle to the ground, spilling its contents.
Under the faint moonlight, Lin Zhiman felt a chill run through her body, her heart sinking heavily.
She scrambled over to pick up the items.
Inside the bundle, aside from a thin layer of silver and jewelry on top, the rest were all books she had never seen before!
Panicked, she glared at Jiang Xia with reddened eyes, “You wretch, where did you hide my money?”
“Give me back my silver, give it back!”
Lin Zhiman shook Jiang Xia’s shoulders almost frantically.
The two began brawling in front of everyone.
As Jiang Xia neared collapse, the guard whipped Lin Zhiman once, finally putting an end to the commotion.
Afterward, Jiang Xia huddled alone with her son in a corner, while her husband Mu Tai Qi slept soundly nearby as if nothing had happened.
Shang Yueli approached and met Jiang Xia’s terrified gaze. After a few seconds of silence, she threw a bottle of trauma medicine and a flask of water mixed with Spirit Spring at her feet, saying coldly, “I’m not saving you. I just don’t want to bother digging a grave for you if you die here.”
Without waiting for Jiang Xia’s reaction, she returned to her spot to rest.
Xiao Fu asked in confusion, “Madam, why did you give medicine to Third Madam when she’s so wicked?”
“What if she shows no gratitude and causes trouble for you again in the future?”
Shang Yueli reached out to pat Xiao Fu’s head, then suddenly flicked her forehead. “Why so many questions? Go to sleep now, or you won’t be able to wake up tomorrow.”
“Ouch!” Xiao Fu covered her forehead and obediently went to bed.
Shang Yueli watched Jiang Xia applying medicine to herself nearby and instinctively touched her own abdomen.
Living in this chaotic world, why must women make things harder for each other?
Though Jiang Xia was wicked, she hadn’t reached the point of being irredeemable. Besides, everything she did was for her child’s sake.
Shang Yueli lowered her gaze, concealing the thoughts in her eyes.
Might as well assume her brain had been kicked by a donkey…
Turning around, she found Mu Yunsheng staring at her.
“Is there something on my face?” she asked.
Mu Yunsheng smiled, shaking his head, then nodding.
Shang Yueli was puzzled.
He cleared his throat lightly. “Rest early. It’s getting late.”
“……”
Shang Yueli didn’t dwell on it further, simply replying “Alright” before settling down to rest.
After this incident, everyone became more subdued during the journey.
They set off at dawn and rested at dusk, surviving on two steamed buns and a little water each day, yet somehow persevering.
Finally, on the evening of the second day, they safely arrived at the relay station outside Yicheng.
Shang Yueli took a sip of Spirit Spring Water to replenish her energy, then helped Mu Yunsheng wipe the sweat from his forehead.
She looked up at the dilapidated building before them, feeling a surge of excitement.
In the novel, the male lead had encountered the female lead, Su Moli—who was also in exile—at this very relay station.
Shang Yueli still remembered the original plot.
When the male and female leads first met, they went through a series of misunderstandings, developed mutual dislike, but eventually joined forces to manage the famine in Yicheng, rapidly deepening their bond.
But since she was here now, she would never let Mu Yunsheng transfer his affections to someone else!
Mu Yunsheng suddenly felt a chill on his scalp. Seeing Shang Yueli smiling at him, he instinctively straightened his clothes and asked awkwardly, “What’s wrong, my lady? Is there something improper about my appearance?”
“No, nothing.”
Shang Yueli maintained her cheerful expression outwardly, but inwardly she thought:
Just you wait, you Mu brat. If you dare take one extra glance at Su Moli later, this lady will keep the child and discard the father!
“We’ll rest here today!” The officer led them to a thatched hut.
Before they could enter, a delicate young girl’s voice came from inside:
“Mother, how can I sleep in such a broken house!”
“And this quilt—it’s moldy and reeks of sourness!”
She disdainfully threw the bedding on the ground, pinched her nose, and complained to the officer beside her: “Brother Wang, how could you make us stay in a place like this?”
The Brother Wang she referred to crossed his arms and looked at her with an ambiguous expression. “What’s wrong with this place?”
Su Moli: “It stinks horribly here—it’s simply unfit for human habitation. Brother Wang, could you take us somewhere cleaner to rest?”
As if that weren’t enough, she added, “Preferably with individual rooms and hot water for bathing. Otherwise, I’ll feel uncomfortable all over.”
“Oh, and I want meat for dinner. It would be even better if there’s milk, because I can’t sleep without drinking milk.”
As she spoke, she put on a pitiful expression, raising her eyebrows and gazing at Brother Wang with dewy almond-shaped eyes.
Shang Yueli watched as Su Moli’s greasy hair strands clung distinctly to both sides of her cheeks and instinctively touched her own hair.
Thank goodness.
Whenever they passed by flowing water during these past two days, they had taken the opportunity to clean up briefly.
Looking at Su Moli like this, how many days had it been since she last cleaned herself?
Lin Zhiman couldn’t stand her delicate manner and retorted, “Hmph, I thought you were someone special, but it turns out you’re just another commoner in exile. Anyone would think you’re some young lady out for a countryside outing.”
Su Moli glared at her, “Do you live by the sea? Mind your own business!”
“My home isn’t by the sea? Are you out of your mind?”
Lin Zhiman gave her a few glances as if looking at a fool, “How absurd.”
Shang Yueli was somewhat surprised, never expecting the female protagonist from the novel to have such a personality.
In the book, Su Moli was clearly intelligent, brave, radiant, and generous, skillfully using modern knowledge to benefit the people—how could she be this brainless person before her eyes?
Noticing Shang Yueli’s rough attire, Su Moli said smugly, “I won’t bother arguing with you backward women.”
“Brother Wang, hurry up and get me another room. I really can’t stand staying here for another minute!”
Wang Hu had initially found her amusing and wanted to tease her, but Su Moli had embarrassed him in front of so many people, and he grew angry.
He yelled, “Stay or don’t—it’s up to you! If you don’t like it, go sleep in the cowshed!”
“You actually yelled at me?” Su Moli looked at him in disbelief, as if deeply wronged.
Fuming, her chest heaving violently, she snatched a nearly burnt-out kerosene lamp from nearby and hurled it toward Shang Yueli.
“Watch out!”