Walking a short distance away behind a sheltering ridge of dry earth, Jiang Jinyue paused and swept her gaze around to ensure no bailiffs or inquisitive prisoners were watching.
Li Chenghuan hurried up beside her, letting out a small sigh of relief. “Phew, Grandmother was practically drooling at the thought of meat. If we didn’t pull away when we did, she would’ve started shouting about braised pork right in front of the whole camp.”
Jiang Jinyue’s expression remained composed, though a faint hint of amusement touched her eyes. With a subtle flick of her wrist, a small, discreet pouch materialized in her hand—the fruit drops Li Chenghuan had thought of, alongside a couple of wrapped brown-sugar pastries and a small, sealed flask of cool spring water.
“Take these,” Jiang Jinyue handed them over smoothly. “Master Xu needs quick energy to keep from collapsing entirely, but giving him anything too heavy right now would only burden his stomach. Let him dissolve a fruit drop first.”
Li Chenghuan took the items, her admiration for her cold-beauty sister-in-law deepening by the second. Not only was Jiang Jinyue sharp enough to analyze the bailiffs’ dwindling water supply on the spot, but her reliable stash made surviving this brutal exile road feel infinitely more manageable.
“You’re a lifesaver, Sister-in-law. Really,” Li Chenghuan murmured, carefully concealing the items within her tattered sleeves. “If it weren’t for you, our family would have either starved or frozen to death long before we even reached the borderlands.”
“We are tied to the same rope for now,” Jiang Jinyue replied lightly, turning her gaze back toward the main group resting under the sun. “Keep your guard up. The others are watching us closely, especially Grand Tutor Yu’s faction. They failed to win the bailiffs over, and they blame us for breaking their momentum.”
Back at the campsite, Grand Tutor Yu sat in sullen silence, his gray beard twitching with lingering resentment. Wang Yue was nursing her bruised ego, occasionally casting venomous glares in the direction of the Li family.
“Your Highness, do not let a pack of fallen nobles disrupt your focus,” Grand Tutor Yu advised in a low, steely voice, noticing Wang Yue’s bitter expression. “When we reach the next garrison town, we will find other ways to secure our footing. The Jiang family woman is playing a dangerous solo game, and sooner or later, she’ll trip.”
“I just can’t stand her arrogant look,” Wang Yue clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. “She acts like she’s still high above everyone else, even in chains.”
As Li Chenghuan walked back with the concealed provisions, pretending to only carry a small skin of plain water, Old Madam Li immediately leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with eager anticipation.
“Well? Did our little benefactor provide?” the old lady whispered eagerly, practically vibrating with hope.
Li Chenghuan gave her a warning look, sitting down next to Master Xu and handing him a sweet fruit drop to help revive his blood sugar, while quietly slipping a piece of pastry to her grandmother.
“Eat quietly and don’t make a fuss,” Li Chenghuan muttered under her breath. “And keep your voice down—Xu Xiao is still watching.”
True enough, Xu Xiao looked over with a dazed, grateful expression, too exhausted and bewildered to piece together how the Li family always managed to pull resources out of thin air. He carefully helped his father suck on the sweet drop, and within moments, color began to slowly return to the old man’s ashen face.
Not far away, Old Gu finished his flask of wine, wiped his mouth with the back of his rough hand, and squinted lazily across the camp. His gaze locked onto Jiang Jinyue once more, a sinister, calculating smirk playing on his lips.
The brief midday rest was coming to an end, and the real trials of the exile road were only just beginning.