Hearing this, a sense of absurdity arose in Li Bi’s heart. He looked at the Li family members around him, who had already plunged into a state of madness:
“My wife must have anticipated this scene long ago, which is why she refused to trust even me by a single fraction. Seen in this light, I really am a complete failure as a husband.”
On the other side, Shi Yin paid no mind to her husband and had long since returned to the Shi estate to properly wash up and change.
They had wasted three days in the dungeon, and her two children had visibly lost a layer of weight.
Shi Mother had prepared a lavish feast for them, but Shi Yin was in no mood to eat. Leaving the two children behind, she hurriedly made her way to her father’s study.
Inside the study, Shi Father was lowered his head, studying a map in meticulous detail.
Shi Yin stood outside the doorway, looking at the deeply etched vertical wrinkles between her father’s brows, a tumult of emotions welling up in her heart.
The old lectures on the Three Obediences and Four Virtues that her father used to preach seemed to quietly dissolve at this very moment.
In this world that favored men over women, Shi Father was ultimately just an ordinary father. Even though he was rigid and conservative, he still loved his daughter in his own way.
“Father.”
Shi Yin bowed slightly in salute, then walked straight toward the desk.
Shi Father raised his head and beckoned, well accustomed to his daughter’s perfunctory greeting.
“Just in time, come and take a look at this map.”
Spread out on the desk before them was a map drawn on hemp paper. Having passed through the hands of countless copyists over who knows how many years, the border markings were no longer rigorous, yet the half-body silhouette of that great rooster from her past life could still be vaguely discerned.
“This is the Heishan Island you are heading to.”
Her father pointed to a sea area in the northeastern direction of the map and said to Shi Yin:
“Heishan Island is a salt field established by the court in the north. There are no court bailiffs stationed on the island to watch over it, but it is too far from the mainland; without boats, the people on the island cannot leave.
The court’s official vessel heads there once at the beginning of every month, and the people on the island gather on that day to turn over a specified amount of crude salt, in exchange for a month’s grain supply. Navigation ceases after the beginning of winter.”
Shi Yin listened quietly to her father’s explanation, gaining a general understanding of Heishan Island.
In her past life, that place would be nothing more than an island in a northern coastal city—a place reachable by a two-hour large ship or a one-hour speedboat, with distinct four seasons and fresh water, making it a rather pleasant tourist destination.
However, for the Western Jin dynasty of this era, it was an existence akin to hell. At this time, there were no powered ships, relying solely on wind power. The vessels were slow and required a three-day voyage to arrive.
Moreover, the soil on the island was barren, food was scarce, and they had to rely entirely on the official ship’s monthly supply. What was even more fatal was that in two months, winter would set in—with strong winter winds and rough waves, all navigation would be completely suspended.
“Father, how long does it take to travel by carriage to Changfeng Pier?”
“About seventeen or eighteen days.”
It was currently the twentieth of September. If they traveled by carriage, they wouldn’t set out until mid-October, inevitably missing the October boat. Thus, the advantage of the voluntary exile she had managed to secure would be completely wiped out.
“What if we ride horses day and night without stopping?”
“Only seven days.”
Having obtained a definitive reply from her father, Shi Yin knew what her choice must be.
“Father, I must trouble you to prepare the travel documents and horses for this journey at the post station today.”
Shi Father sighed inwardly. How could he not know that reaching Heishan Island as quickly as possible was the optimal choice? Yet this was his daughter, who had only returned home for a single day!
“Very well, I will have your mother prepare your travel provisions, and I will go find my colleagues right now to fetch the documents.”
Without further delay, he strode directly out of the Shi estate.
Shi Yin did not idle about either. Following behind her father, she also left the estate and walked alone to an inconspicuous street in Wei County. Retrieving a key hidden beneath a stone, she unlocked a crude dwelling at the very end of the lane.
This was the “safe house” Shi Yin had prepared for herself in this era.
Ever since she became capable of leaving the Li estate on her own, she had used scattered pocket money to purchase this property, visiting it once every month.
Here, she would simply read books, practice calligraphy, or hone her archery skills in the courtyard. On one hand, it provided a breathing space for her in this stifling era; on the other hand, it fully prepared her for the impending chaotic times.
The house was very crude, but beneath the wooden bed in the inner room was a cellar dug by the previous owner.
Stored within the cellar were numerous silver coins and weapons.
Silver was easy to come by, but weapons were truly rare finds. However, as the world grew increasingly chaotic over the past few years, she had managed to stealthily hunt down two crossbows, ten crossbow bolts, and a ring-pommeled saber from various black markets.
She had also stored a portion of wheat and millet, all plundered from Li Bi’s taxable fief, rotating them out for fresh supplies every year to ensure rations for her mother and children during the three-month journey south.
Yet these preparations were not put to use for her journey south; instead, they awaited her exile to Heishan Island.
When Shi Yin packed up her things and returned to the Shi estate, the two children had already packed their luggage alongside Shi Mother.
Five large, bulging bundles sat in the main hall.
Shi Yin let out a soft laugh: “Mother, you’ve prepared way too much. We ought to be traveling light; how could we possibly carry all of this?”
“Not at all! I’ll have your father prepare an extra horse for you to pack it on. Heishan Island is far too harsh; the more you carry, the more security you have!”
A subtle ache pierced Shi Yin’s heart. Looking at Shi Mother, who was still chattering on about what else might be missing, she stepped forward and gently wrapped her arms around her.
“Mother, thank you.”
Shi Mother halted her steps, her eyes red-rimmed. Embracing her eldest daughter, she realized unwittingly how much weight her daughter had lost, making her heart feel as though it were shattering into pieces: “My daughter! It is your father and mother’s fault! Had we listened to you back then and not forced you into marrying that Li family, how could you have suffered such a trial—”
Outside the door, Shi Father, holding the travel documents in his hand, heard these words, and his feet felt as heavy as a thousand catties, causing him to stop in his tracks.
Back then, Yin’er had fallen out with them over this, and it was he who had forcefully pushed her into the sedan chair. Thinking back now, wasn’t it he himself who had driven his daughter toward Heishan Island!
“Grandfather.” Chengzhou’s call pulled everyone back from their sorrowful emotions.
Shi Father feigned an adjustment of his robes, stepped into the main hall, and handed the documents to Shi Yin:
“You must keep the travel permits from Wei County to the Changfeng Pier in Qingzhou safe and secure; do not lose them. Change horses at the post stations along the way, stopping the horses but not the riders. When you reach the Changfeng Post Station, leave the horses and hand the permits over to the pier master. When the official ship departs, they will naturally notify you.”
Shi Yin safely tucked away the documents and immediately untied the bundles Shi Mother had prepared for her.
“Hey, don’t take those out! These dried fruits cannot be left behind, you’ll need them on the road; this grain is even more crucial, and this ginseng is a life-saving medicinal herb, you can’t leave it! How can you refuse the silver too!”
Shi Mother watched as Shi Yin pulled everything she had prepared out of the bundles, chattering away as she tried to shove them back in.
Shi Yin simply went about organizing things herself, packing two sheepskin coats and some bolts of silk, while leaving the rest behind.
“Mother, I have grain and silver here; I lack nothing.”
Shi Father looked as Shi Yin brought out a large and a small cloth sack of her own—two dou of millet and two dou of wheat. These were indeed a considerable quantity of provisions.
“Did you bring all of these out from the Li family?”
Shi Yin didn’t know how to explain. Strictly speaking, they were indeed squeezed out from the Li family’s mouth:
“As the times grew increasingly chaotic, I always saved a bit of grain every month, which is how I managed to accumulate these.”
Shi Father curiously rummaged through the other bundle Shi Yin had brought back. A distinct piece of iron hardware within the bundle made his heart tighten: “What is this?”
Shi Yin knew that the crossbows and the ring-pommeled saber could not be kept hidden from her father.
“Father, I actually feel that our Shi family should also make plans early and head south as soon as possible. The Five Barbarians in the north are becoming increasingly brazen, and the court’s throne changes hands more and more frequently. Who knows how much longer this Great Jin dynasty can hold on.”
Hearing this, Shi Father knew that his eldest daughter was intelligent and had already quietly made preparations amidst this precarious political climate.
“It’s just a pity you were born a woman… Your vision is far superior to that of your younger brothers.”
Shi Father sighed softly, filled with deep regret.
“I have my own plans as well. I originally thought to wait until Emperor Ming of Jin succeeded the throne and observe for a while, but now the entire family of the Marquis of Wuwei has been executed…”
The Marquis of Wuwei was already one of the few loyal and righteous ministers left in the Jin dynasty. With this pillar of the court gone, the Great Jin dynasty probably wouldn’t last much longer either.
Shi Father sighed, waved his hand, and continued:
“You needn’t worry about the Shi family. Only, if war breaks out once more, the official ships to Heishan Island will likely be suspended. When that time comes, the supplies on Heishan Island will not arrive in a timely manner. You and the children must carefully plan ahead and store up more grain—at least enough for a whole year.”
Shi Yin, however, was thinking that if war truly broke out, she would probably need to prepare a hundred years’ worth of grain. That was an era where Chinese civilization almost suffered a break in its heritage.
However, she simply nodded and said: “Your daughter understands.”
She then finished packing the bundles and led the children onto the Shi family’s carriage.
Shi Father and Shi Mother saw the three of them off to the post station.
Shi Yin tied Rong’er to her chest with a hemp cloth, while Chengzhou rode a horse by himself, loaded down with some grain.
“Father, Mother… take care…”
“Grandfather, Grandmother—take care.”
The three of them bid farewell to the Shi parents at the entrance of the post station and hurried away.
Shi Father supported Shi Mother as they watched that lone figure gradually vanish into the horizon, a cavernous void gaping in their hearts.
“Father! Mother! Where is Eldest Sister?!”
From behind, a flurry of hoofbeats rapidly approached.
It was the second son Shi Li and third son Shi Feng, who were serving in neighboring prefectures and had rushed over upon receiving the news.
Unfortunately, they were still a step too late, not even catching a glimpse of their eldest sister’s shadow.