Jun Moye quickly moved aside to make room for Prince Qin.
Su Hanchu stood up and bent over to retrieve items from the Nangjie. Her wide cloak concealed both her and the Nangjie from view.
Using the cover, she took some sugar from the Spatial Dimension, wrapped it in a handkerchief—sugar she had scavenged from the prince’s mansion warehouse—and also brought out a bowl she had bought during the day. She handed both to Jun Moye.
“Jun Moye, I bought this during the day. You and Father should mix it in water and drink some.”
Jun Moye took it and saw it was sugar. He hurriedly put it away.
Su Hanchu then took out the steamed buns from earlier and handed him two.
“I’ll take Ping’er and the others out to see if we can find something to eat.”
She then distributed one bun each to Ping’er and the others.
“Ping’er, let’s go out now to look for food and gather some dry firewood. It’s cold in winter, and without a fire at night, we won’t be able to endure it.”
Cui Mama and the others, holding their buns, stood up to follow Su Hanchu.
“Young Madam, we’ll go too.”
Liu Guanshi also stood up and said to Chen Wenqiao, “Madam, A Shan and I will go see if we can find some wild game.”
They agreed to meet at the temple entrance before scattering. If they all stayed together, how could they possibly find food?
As Su Hanchu walked, she secretly ate a chicken leg. Mmm, this Spatial Dimension is so convenient—the chicken leg is still warm. After finishing the chicken leg and drinking some water, she continued walking a good distance.
Suddenly, she stepped on something hard. Su Hanchu quickly bent down to pick it up. In the dimming light, it looked like wild chestnuts. Next to it was a spiky shell—yes, that was it.
She hastily wiped it on her clothes, cracked one open, and tasted it. Mmm, still good, edible.
She crouched down and began picking up the chestnuts one by one. These will smell wonderful once roasted. If I gather enough, I can roast some for the journey tomorrow. She stored part of them in the Spatial Dimension for safekeeping.
Su Hanchu was engrossed in gathering when she noticed several people approaching. Thinking they were also there to gather things, she paid no mind—after all, anyone could forage in the mountains.
But the group drew closer, all men, forming a circle around her.
Su Hanchu slipped the chestnuts into her sleeve, actually storing them in the Spatial Dimension.
“Gentlemen, what business do you have?”
The men slowly closed in on her.
One of them spoke up, “Miss Su, we heard you were exiled before you could consummate your marriage with the heir. Why not let us help you become a proper woman?”
As he spoke, he reached out to grab Su Hanchu.
A flash of ruthlessness crossed Su Hanchu’s eyes. They really won’t let me have a moment’s peace.
She seized the outstretched wrist and twisted it hard while kicking out.
A loud crack echoed, followed by the sound of bone dislocating. The first man to approach her was sent sprawling.
The others exchanged glances.
“Let’s take her together. Today, we must taste what the Su Family’s young lady is like. Who knows how many days we’ll survive on this exile journey anyway.”
Su Hanchu’s expression turned icy, her eyes gleaming with a hint of killing intent. It’s a pity I can’t kill anyone now. People could come by at any moment, and if I attract the guards, I’ll be in trouble too. Most importantly, I mustn’t implicate my family.
Facing the several men surrounding her, Su Hanchu executed a beautiful double kick, sending two flying backward. She then bent down to dodge a groping hand and delivered a sharp kick to the man's crotch.
A pig-like squeal echoed through the forest.
Su Hanchu targeted the vulnerable spots of the human body, quickly knocking the men to the ground.
She walked toward one of them.
A dagger appeared in her hand, its flat side tapping against a man's face.
"Speak! Who sent you?"
The man hadn't expected Su Hanchu to defeat so many of them, but he dared not easily reveal the person behind him.
"Miss Su, spare us! We just had a momentary lapse in judgment. We didn't mean to offend you."
One of them quietly tried to crawl away and escape.
Suddenly, the dagger in Su Hanchu's hand flew out, grazing the man's ear before embedding itself in a tree ahead, successfully drawing blood from his ear.
"Did I say you could leave?"
The others trembled and knelt down in fear.
"Miss Su, spare us! Please spare us!"
Two throwing darts appeared in Su Hanchu's hand once more.
"Speak. Who sent you? Let me kindly remind you—don't try to deceive me. The darts in my hand can take your lives in an instant."
One of them stammered in fear.
"You… you wouldn't dare kill us. The convoy escort won't let you get away with it…"
Su Hanchu sneered dismissively, toying with the darts in her hand.
"Tell me, which is faster—the convoy escort finding out, or the darts in my hand?"
Seeing the men remain silent, Su Hanchu continued.
"You don't have to speak. I don't have to kill you either, but I have a hundred ways to make you wish you were dead."
With that, she kicked a man lying at her feet squarely in the chest.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he writhed in pain on the ground.
Su Hanchu spoke again.
"My patience is limited. On this journey of exile, those who remain healthy are fortunate to even reach their destination. If you suffer severe injuries, I doubt you'll last more than a few days before dying in these desolate mountains."
Finally, one of them broke down in fear.
Kowtowing and begging for mercy, he pleaded, "Miss Su, spare us! We'll talk, we'll talk! It was Miss Chen who sent us. She said if we ruined your innocence, the Chen Family would protect us along the way and give us steamed buns to eat."
Su Hanchu's pupils contracted slightly upon hearing this.
"So it was Chen Siyu after all."
The men continued to kowtow.
"Miss Su, please spare us! We truly didn't mean any harm."
Su Hanchu glared coldly at them.
"Remember this: from now on, don't show your faces around me. Whenever I'm present, stay at least ten steps away. Otherwise, I guarantee the next time, these darts will find their way straight into your necks."
She then walked toward the tree ahead, retrieved the dagger she had thrown earlier, and began heading back.
She no longer felt like searching for food. After all, she had enough to eat—there were still plenty of flatbreads in her Nangjie.
As soon as she entered the dilapidated temple, she saw Chen Siyu speaking to Jun Moye.
Hah, she really knows how to seize an opportunity. Shameless, too—she was nowhere to be seen when it was time to carry the stretcher, but now she’s rushing to cozy up to a man during the break.
Su Hanchu radiated a chilling aura as she approached Chen Siyu step by step.
Chen Siyu suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of fear.
She saw Su Hanchu looking at her as if she were already dead.
Panicking, she stood up.
"Su Hanchu, what do you think you're doing?"
Su Hanchu grabbed her by the hair.
Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!
Several sharp slaps landed on her face.
"What do I want to do? I should be asking what you want to do! Chen Siyu, I told you not to provoke me. Do you not understand human language, or are you not even human?"