Shang Yueli closed her eyes, wishing she could vanish on the spot.
When had he followed her?
She hadn’t noticed at all.
A long silence hung between them.
Mu Yunsheng sighed, as if compromising.
He released his grip and turned Shang Yueli around to face him like spinning a gourd.
“Wife, look at me.”
Shang Yueli raised her eyes, forcing out an awkward smile.
“Haha, what a coincidence, husband. Why are you here too?”
“Did you also come here to take a shit?”
Mu Yunsheng: “.”
Shang Yueli: “…”
Damn mouth, why did you have to speak so quickly!
She was so embarrassed she could dig a hole with her toes, her eyes darting everywhere except at Mu Yunsheng.
Mu Yunsheng chuckled softly and took her right hand that had just been used to punch someone.
Seeing her knuckles reddened, he shook his head helplessly.
Shang Yueli guiltily averted her gaze.
As long as she couldn’t see it, the embarrassment couldn’t catch up with her.
The next moment, she felt something cool being applied to her hand.
Mu Yunsheng’s tone was heartbroken: “If you need to hit someone in the future, call me.” Don’t hurt yourself.”
Shang Yueli: “.”
He made it sound like they were some bandit couple.
After applying the medicine, Mu Yunsheng cupped her face, casually pinching the soft flesh on her cheeks.
“What are you doing?”
Shang Yueli’s mouth was forced into a pout.
“Yueli, if you’re unwilling to talk about it, then I won’t ask.”
“I just hope that if something like this happens again, you’ll call me. I’m afraid you’ll take risks alone, and I might not be able to save you in time…”
“I understand.”
Shang Yueli couldn’t bear to see his dejected expression. Pouting, she stood on her toes and planted a kiss on his cheek.
It wasn’t that she was attracted to his good looks.
It’s just that compared to cold words, actions were the best proof…
Post station outside Yicheng.
“Boss, it’s almost dark and they still haven’t returned. Could they have run away?”
Gu Mang’s expression was grim, but he insisted firmly: “They wouldn’t run away.”
“But the city gates are about to close.”
“Let’s wait a little longer.”
The Su family stood anxiously outside, peering into the distance.
“Elder brother, younger sister still hasn’t returned. Could something have happened to her?”
“Don’t worry, let’s wait a little longer.” Su Yi coughed twice, his expression calm.
“They’re coming, someone’s approaching!”
Lin Zhiman happily went to look, but her excitement instantly vanished.
“Why did you come back alone? Where’s Mu Yunsheng? Didn’t he go to give you silver?”
Su Moli rolled her eyes at her, carrying large and small packages on her back.
“How should I know? He left right after giving me the silver, completely disregarding my wellbeing.”
The Su brothers hurriedly took the packages from her.
Su Moli rubbed her sore arms. “Speaking of which, it makes me angry! I asked him to accompany me to buy grain, but he insisted on going to find his wife and left me all alone!”
“Didn’t his wife already divorce him? If he didn’t want to accompany me, he should have said so directly. Why make up such an excuse!”
Su Moli took the water bottle her mother handed her and gulped down a large mouthful.
Lin Zhiman: “They didn’t divorce. Speaking of which, his wife did enter the city early this morning.”
“Pfft—” Su Moli spat out her water, startling Lin Zhiman into stepping back.
“What did you say? They didn’t divorce?”
“Are you really hoping for discord between that married couple? How wicked of you!”
“That’s not it, that’s not how it was written in the book!”
“The book clearly stated they divorced before the exile! That selfish woman not only cheated but also aborted the child in her womb!”
Su Moli murmured to herself: “Could this be the butterfly effect caused by my transmigration?”
But if Mu Yunsheng doesn’t divorce, how can she cling to him for protection?
She had been counting on returning to the capital with Mu Yunsheng after three years to enjoy a life of luxury!
Did she really have to endure a lifetime of poverty in exile in Lingnan?
“No, no! I absolutely cannot let this happen!”
Su Moli bit her fingertip, her eyes turning sinister as she brewed a greater scheme in her heart.
“They’re back! Mu Yunsheng and his wife are back!”
Lin Zhiman quickly trotted over. Seeing the flatbed cart piled high with food supplies behind them, her heart swelled with delight, completely forgetting they had already separated households.
“Yueli, you’re truly amazing, buying so much food.”
Shang Yueli stopped Lin Zhiman’s eager hands.
“Aunt, you can rest that thought. None of these are for you.”
Lin Zhiman laughed awkwardly.
“Aunt knows, we’ve separated households after all. I was just genuinely praising you, haha.”
Su Moli snorted.
“Why be so stingy with family? Unlike me – everything I bring back is shared with everyone.”
Shang Yueli didn’t indulge her. “Since you’re so generous, why don’t you share your things with us?”
“Why should our family’s belongings be given to your household?”
Shang Yueli chuckled lightly, ignoring her as she retrieved three bundles from beneath the cart.
“Aunt, these aren’t for you, but this is.”
“This bundle is for your family – it contains clothes and dry provisions, enough for your whole family.”
“Please deliver this other bundle to Jiang Xia’s family for me. I won’t be going over.”
The smallest bundle remained, which Shang Yueli kept for herself.
As for the grains, oil, rice, flour, meat and other supplies on the cart, she gave them all to the officers.
Shang Yueli had already stored what she needed in her space. Besides, during the exile journey, they couldn’t possibly cook without the officers’ permission anyway.
Rather than carrying dead weight, it was better to gain some goodwill by giving them to the officers.
Lin Zhiman lifted her chin triumphantly, deliberately raising her voice: “Now who’s being stingy? My niece-in-law gave away all her things!”
Su Moli felt embarrassed and suggested to her family: “Should we give Officer Wang and the others some of our supplies too?”
Su Si immediately objected: “No need.”
“Don’t worry, little sister. They had already replenished their supplies before you left. They don’t need your bit.”
“Besides, you didn’t bring back much. If we give it to them, what will we eat?”
Su Er nodded in firm agreement.
Su Moli fell silent. While the Su family unanimously agreed, only Wang Hu felt displeased in his own world.
The night passed without incident.
Early the next morning, the two exile groups set out together, continuing their journey.
While passing through mountainous terrain, everyone clearly showed signs of exhaustion.
Shang Yueli looked up at the sky – dark clouds gathered and the air felt damp. For some reason, she felt vaguely uneasy.
“Get down! Assassins!”
Over a dozen arrows rained down from above, thudding into the ground around them.
More than ten black-clad figures emerged from the forest, charging toward them with swords drawn.
Mu Yunsheng shielded the group behind him as Gu Mang immediately threw him the keys.
He unlocked the chains and, sword in hand, joined the constables in fighting off the assassins.
Shang Yueli felt water droplets on her face, and moments later, a torrential downpour began.
She quickly cut through the ropes and rushed forward to assist.
But it was clear the assassins were targeting Mu Yunsheng—their objective precise, they all closed in on him.
Suddenly, a long arrow shot across the sky.
Watching the arrow slice through the air toward him, Mu Yunsheng tried to evade, but the black-clad assassins surrounded him tightly, leaving him no room to escape.
The sharp, gleaming arrow swiftly pierced his chest.
Blood welled up; he let out a muffled groan and collapsed heavily…