“It’s full. There are no seats left.”
Mu Mianmian’s brows were cool and distant as she spoke indifferently.
“Mianmian, don’t be like this. Let Grandmother ride in your cart,” Ye Second Uncle and Ye Third Uncle both pleaded. “We can pull it together. Would that work?”
“Though we’ve split the family, blood is still blood. When we reach the barbaric lands, we can still help each other.”
Mu Mianmian stopped. “Then first see whether you can even pull the cart.”
Hearing this, Ye Third Uncle laughed. “If we can pull it, you’ll let the old madam ride?”
Mu Mianmian replied lightly, “Mm.”
The two branches of the Ye family immediately exchanged glances and smiled.
“Lan’er, Fei’er, come here,” Night Second Uncle called.
The second and third branches had plenty of young, strong men. They even brought along several concubines. Altogether, there were over thirty people. With strength in numbers, they didn’t believe they couldn’t pull one broken cart.
Ye Siran and Ye Sifei stepped forward—one pulling, one pushing. They strained with all their might, barely moving the cart forward a short distance. Before long, both of them gave out.
“I can’t do it, Father. It’s too heavy—we can’t pull it!”
“Yeah, it’s way too heavy. We can’t push it at all.”
Panting heavily, the two collapsed onto the ground, shouting that they wouldn’t pull anymore. “This isn’t work meant for humans!”
“Since you can’t pull it, forget it,” Mu Mianmian said with a faint smile. “I can only pull my husband and the others. Add even one more person, and I won’t be able to move it.”
The old Ye matriarch had always lived in comfort. Plump and well-fed, she weighed at least over 140 jin. If she sat down, she might even collapse the cart.
“Mu Mianmian, you can’t do this!” Ye Siran erupted in anger. “Grandmother is old—she really can’t walk anymore. Let her ride the cart. Name your price. We’ll pay you!”
Losing in strength to a woman had utterly humiliated them.
“If you want to show filial piety,” Mu Mianmian replied calmly, “then carry her on your own backs.”
“Old Madam Ye is not my biological grandmother,” she continued coldly. “I have no obligation to be filial to her.”
Ignoring the Ye family’s absurd antics, Mu Mianmian pulled the cart and continued onward.
“You—!” Ye Siran was so furious he nearly exploded. He grabbed a stone from the roadside and hurled it at the cart. “I’ll smash you to death, you cursed broom star!”
The stone slammed into the cart, frightening Meiniang and little Jin badly.
“Ye Siran, are you tired of living?” Ye Siming lifted the curtain, his gaze sharp and furious as he glared at him.
Ye Siran’s hand went limp. The second stone fell and smashed onto his own foot.
“Ah—!”
He screamed in pain, hopping in place clutching his foot.
Everyone else continued on their way. Only the second and third branches lagged behind.
Liu Tao was already in a foul mood, with nowhere to vent his anger. He rode over and beat them mercilessly. “Run faster! If you dare slow down again, I’ll beat you to death!”
Wails and cries echoed from behind.
Mu Mianmian hummed a little tune, in a rather good mood.
“Sister-in-law, drink some water,” Ye Siyun said, handing her a waterskin.
“There’s fruit too. I cut it into small pieces. I’ll feed you.”
The younger sister-in-law was gentle and attentive.
Mu Mianmian ate a piece of fruit, her mood improving even more. “Mm. You all eat too. Don’t let anyone see the fruit knife.”
Having a cart made hiding things much easier.
Ye Siming nodded quickly and distributed fruit to his mother and younger brother. “Brother, have some too.”
Ye Siming took a piece and popped it into his mouth, then turned to look at his father lying down. “Father, have some water.”
“Mm, I already fed him.”
After walking for a while longer, the clear sky suddenly darkened with thick clouds—it was about to pour.
“Damn it! A few days ago the sun was scorching hot, and now it’s a torrential downpour!”
“Boss, we need to stop. It’s dark, and with the heavy rain we can’t see the road.”
Everyone was exhausted and needed rest, but their bad luck was that the downpour came suddenly. There was no village ahead and no shelter behind.
They had no choice but to sleep out in the open.
Liu Tao sat on horseback, wiping rain from his face. His temper flared, the scar at the corner of his eye twitching.
“Damn it! Camp here.”