“There are so many rabbits, we can’t eat them all, and carrying them along the way will be inconvenient.”
“We can sell them to earn some money. Once we reach a market town, we can buy things with it.”
Although Mu Mianmian had money in her space, she needed a reason to take it out.
You can’t just suddenly produce food and supplies—others would get suspicious.
Constantly borrowing from the soldiers wasn’t a solution, and buying outright wasn’t practical either. Selling the rabbits would provide a legitimate excuse, and with the money plus some food and items, no one would suspect a thing.
Ye Si Ming frowned. “Can’t you just have them carry Father and me along the way?”
He thought it would be too hard for a young woman like her to pull them on the road; they could use the rabbits to hire two laborers.
“I can pull you myself. No need for them,” Mu Mianmian said, more focused on making money.
“How much do rabbits usually sell for per pound?” she asked, wanting to calculate the price.
Ye Si Ming stiffened. Of course, he didn’t know. He was always busy with war and was a noble prince—he didn’t know anything about everyday life or supplies. Ye Si Yun, as a young lady, knew even less. And Meiniang and little Ah Jin… there was no need to ask.
Mu Mianmian thought for a moment. “You set the price.”
The Chen brothers looked at each other and produced a pouch of money. “We only have three hundred wen. Is that enough?”
“And we want you to give us some herbs. If this money isn’t enough, the two of us can help carry the Ye King and Father on the road.”
The two brothers were sturdy, clearly capable of enduring hardship and had some martial skill. Mu Mianmian valued their labor and considered the trade fair. “Fine. Bring your mother over. I’ll check her condition and prescribe medicine.”
“You know medicine too?” Chen Shan’s eyes lit up with surprise.
“A little. I can identify herbs and know a bit of treatment,” Mu Mianmian said modestly.
“Good, thank you, Miss Mu,” the brothers said eagerly, bringing their mother over.
Mu Mianmian and her group were eating at the time. “Sit down and eat with us.”
“N…no, we can’t,” Mrs. Chen, in her forties, looked proper and gentle, but her complexion was pale, and she was thin and sickly. Her eldest son had to carry her on the journey. Feeling embarrassed, she shook her head. “We’ll come back later.”
The Chen family had two younger sons, about seven or eight. With four sons and no daughters, the children were starving and weak, their faces pale and hollow after just a few days.
“All right, give the meat to the children. We cooked extra anyway, and there’s some porridge too.”
Mu Mianmian didn’t hesitate and served two bowls of meat to the children. They looked at their mother and elder brother, hesitant to eat. Seeing the frail children, Mrs. Chen’s eyes welled up. “Thank you, Miss Mu.”
“Thank you, Sister Mu,” the children echoed happily and took the food.
Ye Si Yun served porridge to the Chen brothers.
Eating the warm food, they immediately felt revived.
The soldiers had also prepared porridge, but it was watery and tasteless, nothing like Mu Mianmian’s thick, flavorful porridge.
After everyone ate, the Chen brothers took responsibility for washing the dishes.
Mu Mianmian checked Mrs. Chen’s pulse. “You’ve caught a cold and your qi and blood are insufficient. Eat some medicine and gradually restore your health.”
Her deficiency and weakness were caused by poor diet and lack of rest. In the harsh conditions of exile, a full recovery wasn’t possible immediately; treating the cold was the first step.
She gave herbs to Chen Liang. “Brew the medicine into a decoction, put it in a water bag, and give your mother three doses a day after meals.”
Chen Liang gratefully accepted and went to prepare the medicine.
“Sister Mu, can I help with anything?” Chen Shan asked, feeling guilty about taking food without paying. They didn’t have extra money, so they offered labor instead.
“Yes. Help my father turn over, wipe his body, and change his clothes.”
Considering the Chen family’s situation—they had no able-bodied men—Mu Mianmian intentionally helped them, making it a mutually beneficial arrangement.
“Okay, I’ll do it right away.” Chen Shan got to work immediately.
Ye Si Yun could finally rest. “Sister-in-law, you should rest too.”
“Si Yun, come here a moment,” Mu Mianmian said. At that moment, Shen Jia and the second branch daughter, Ye Si Ying, came looking for her.