Just as Li Dashan and the others finished eating, he walked over to Jiang Wanyue and said sincerely,
“You’ve got real talent for cooking. I’m in a good mood, so I’ll grant you one request.”
“Really?”
Li Dashan narrowed his eyes. “Tell me what it is first.”
After all, if she asked for something impossible—like removing her father and brothers’ shackles—he could always refuse.
“I’d like to borrow your pot to boil these eggs.”
Just that?
He had expected something much more demanding.
Such a small favor was no problem.
“Fine.”
Jiang Wanyue boiled the eggs and brought them back, giving one to each member of the Lin family’s eldest branch.
Lin Muyang happily munched on his egg.
This beautiful aunt was so nice.
As Jiang Wanyue ate her egg, she secretly fed the yolk to Xiao Jin.
Xiao Jin muttered, “It’d be even better if there were meat.”
“Did you find any wild chickens? If there are eggs, there should be chickens too.”
“No idea. I’ll go look.”
With a whoosh, the well-fed little snake shot off.
But it quickly returned, flicking its tongue.
“I didn’t find any wild chickens—they’re nowhere to be seen. But did you notice? That old woman told one of the guards to come looking for you. He’s coming soon.”
Jiang Wanyue rewarded Xiao Jin by gently rubbing its tiny head.
“Good job.”
Xiao Jin squinted in satisfaction.
“Of course!”
Sure enough, a short while later, a guard with beady eyes approached Jiang Wanyue.
The man flashed her a greasy grin that instantly made her skin crawl.
Old Madam Lin really did love the vicious tricks used by women in noble households.
Jiang Wanyue immediately understood the scheme.
In this era, a woman’s chastity meant everything. The easiest way to destroy a woman was to ruin her reputation.
When she’d been helping cook earlier, this guard had stared at her back the entire time.
His name seemed to be He Er.
As He Er drew closer, his eyes greedily roamed over her face, and he inhaled sharply in satisfaction.
Lowering his voice, he said,
“Little beauty, I heard you wanted to see me tonight. Meet me by the hillside at the Hour of Hai.”
“If you don’t come, don’t blame my whip.”
Damn.
This little beauty was gorgeous.
He could only imagine how intoxicating she’d be in bed.
Jiang Wanyue put on an innocent smile.
“Officer, did you need something from me?”
“Heh… I’ll make sure you experience the time of your life.”
She merely smiled without answering.
Taking her silence as agreement, He Er cursed inwardly with delight.
What a seductive little thing.
It was the prisoners’ first day on the road.
Everyone was utterly exhausted.
Although sleeping out in the open felt strange after years of luxurious beds, fatigue quickly overwhelmed them, and one by one they drifted into a deep sleep.
Then suddenly—
A man’s agonized scream shattered the night.
“AHHH! What is this?! My butt!”
The scream was so pitiful that Li Dashan immediately ordered,
“Light the torches! Go see what’s happening!”
Liu Dazhu followed the sound and soon returned to Li Dashan with an awkward expression.
The scene…
Two completely naked bodies were tangled together, their pale skin glaringly obvious in the torchlight.
“Chief… it’s He Er.”
“He Er?”
Li Dashan frowned.
He Er was hardworking enough, but he had one fatal flaw.
He was lustful.
Along the exile route, some of the more attractive female prisoners secretly traded their bodies to guards for extra food. Li Dashan usually turned a blind eye.
Escorting prisoners was grueling work—sleeping rough, enduring harsh conditions, and facing constant danger.
Still, it was only the first day.
How had something like this already happened?
He waved his hand dismissively.
“Forget it. It’s nothing serious. Everyone go back to sleep.”
There would only be more incidents like this in the future. As long as both parties were willing, he had no interest in interfering.
But while Li Dashan wanted to brush the matter aside, someone else clearly had other plans.
Old Madam Lin looked toward the eldest branch and noticed that the little wretch was nowhere to be seen.
Delight filled her heart.
Looks like the plan worked.
Putting on the perfect act of a concerned grandmother, she turned to Shen Qingru.
“Shen, where’s that girl your family just found?”
The moment Old Madam Lin spoke, it was like dropping a stone into still water.
The entire crowd stirred.
Li Dashan frowned.
Had he misjudged the girl?
Sure enough, Jiang Wanyue was nowhere to be seen among the eldest branch.
Shen Qingru’s face turned deathly pale. She swayed on her feet as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.
Shen Qingru turned to Lin Jingyuan and asked anxiously,
“Jingyuan, have you seen Yueyue?”
Lin Jingyuan’s expression darkened.
“No. Could she have been frightened and hidden somewhere?”
Liu Shuying, who had been humiliated by the eldest branch earlier that afternoon, let out a mocking laugh.
“Haha! As expected of a country bumpkin. I’d bet she’s done this sort of shameless thing plenty of times before. I saw her flirting with the guards this afternoon. Looks like she finally charmed a man right out of his pants.”
“How disgraceful.”
Old Madam Lin’s eyes turned cold, a gleam of malicious satisfaction flashing through them.
“Hmph! The Lin family has no granddaughter who would bring such shame upon us.”
“Shen, she’s only been back for one day, and she’s already doing something so indecent. We may have fallen from grace, but we still can’t afford such humiliation. Who knows what else she’ll do to disgrace the family? I say we should deal with her once and for all tonight.”
Tears streamed down Shen Qingru’s face.
“Mother, that’s impossible. I refuse to believe Yueyue would ever do such a thing.”
Lin Xingmian of the second branch chimed in,
“First Aunt, she’s only been back for a single day. How well could you possibly know her?”
“Maybe she’s used to doing things like this behind everyone’s back. No true member of the Lin family would.”
Lin Xiuran stepped forward, blocking the others’ line of sight.
He understood better than anyone how important a young woman’s reputation was.
He absolutely could not allow today’s incident to be pinned on Jiang Wanyue.
Normally gentle and refined, one of the capital’s most celebrated young gentlemen who rarely lost his temper, Lin Xiuran’s face now burned with anger.
“You haven’t even found her yet, and you’re already slandering an innocent girl’s reputation. We’ve only known Yueyue for one day, but she’s my little sister. I know what kind of person she is.”
“I don’t believe it either.”
“Neither do I.”
“Oh? Then tell that little slut Jiang Wanyue to come out and face us.”
“How could she dare show herself? She’s probably enjoying herself under some man’s trousers right now.”
The other young men of the Lin family also stepped forward to shield the eldest branch.
Even little Lin Muyang, though still rubbing his sleepy eyes and having no idea what was happening, stubbornly stood his ground.
As more and more people gathered to watch the commotion, Li Dashan cracked his whip.
“All of you, get back! Do you want a whipping?”
Just then, another rustling sound came from behind the hillside.
A woman’s moans drifted through the night, especially sultry and unmistakable.
Most of the people present were adults. Hearing it only deepened their contempt.
Li Dashan’s face darkened with anger.
He Er had gone too far.
Even at a time like this, the fool was still obsessed with chasing women.
He bellowed,
“He Er! Damn it! Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough? Get your pants on and get out here!”