For exiled convicts to secretly hide bladed weapons constitutes treason, so Su Nuan would either face death or a beating this time.
Everyone watched Su Nuan—some with concern, but most were merely spectators, their schadenfreude expressions completely undisguised.
Especially the plump woman and her skinny husband, who practically wished for Su Nuan’s death.
Su Nuan memorized their faces. In this life, she couldn’t drift aimlessly; she needed to live cautiously yet freely.
The skinny man’s shout alerted Cheng Feng, who came with his men to investigate. Seeing Su Nuan holding a knife, he frowned and stood coldly without moving.
Su Nuan raised her hand slightly and said, “I just bought this. It can be used to cut wild vegetables on the road or for self-defense. Is that not allowed?”
Someone familiar with exile rules muttered under their breath, “An exiled convict wanting to carry a kitchen knife? She must be out of her mind. Even a needle counts as a weapon and could lead to beheading.”
Su Nuan gave Cheng Feng an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I didn’t know. Can I surrender this kitchen knife?”
Seeing that Su Nuan didn’t use their transaction to make things difficult for him, Cheng Feng smiled and said, “Ignorance is excusable for the first offense. But let me make it clear today: you are not allowed to possess any iron tools, or it will be considered treason.”
Su Nuan pouted and pulled a pot from her sack. “This is iron. Should I surrender it too?”
Cheng Feng’s mouth twitched. “Pots, bowls, and ladles are allowed, as long as you can carry them.”
Then he grinned slyly, his tone ominous. “Today, I’ll lay it out for you: standard exiled convicts—men wear Jia Suo, women wear Jiao Liao, and everyone’s arms are tied together with ropes in a chain.”
He paused, scanning the room before continuing, “Now that we’ve left the capital and won’t be entering any more cities along the way, those unwilling to wear Jiao Liao or Jia Suo can pay to have them removed.”
“Also, if there’s water along the route, fetch it yourselves. Your daily ration is two pieces of Black bread cornbread. Those with skills can find their own food.”
“Frankly, our group is the most lenient among all exile teams.”
“The only rule is no escaping. Anyone caught fleeing will be executed on the spot, and their relatives will face Lian Zuo—no exceptions.”
He scanned the crowd again and asked sternly, “Is that clear?”
Over thirty people indoors and seventy to eighty in the courtyard heard every word clearly.
Some scholars were shocked by these words, as exile rules were typically strict—how could bribes remove restraints?
Su Nuan showed little reaction to Cheng Feng’s speech, having experienced it in her previous life. This felt more like a slightly better refugee caravan than an exile procession.
That’s why she dared to request a donkey cart—after all, Cheng Feng’s goal was to deliver eighty percent of them alive to the exile destination, regardless of how they got there.
Although Dong’er had a carriage, Su Nuan couldn’t use it. However, she could ask Dong’er to buy supplies in the city, as Dong’er was a free person and had more flexibility.
Su Nuan glanced at Cheng Feng, knowing the kitchen knife couldn’t be kept, and obediently went over to surrender it.
Looking at the knife, Cheng Feng’s mouth twitched again—this young girl was bold indeed to buy a kitchen knife.
Su Nuan felt embarrassed too. In her previous life during the later stages of exile, kitchen knives were permitted after several bandit attacks caused many deaths, and the captain allowed everyone to use them for self-defense.
For a moment, she had forgotten about this matter, and pulling out the kitchen knife now was truly ill-timed.
Cheng Feng took the knife and said, “Go back and rest.”
Su Nuan nodded, then turned to look at the plump woman and the thin man. She raised her voice and declared, “Everyone here is somewhat related by blood or marriage—otherwise, we wouldn’t be exiled together.”
“If any of you think you can bully us, a widow and her orphaned child, come and try. Even without a knife, I have a hundred ways to make you regret it.”
This was no longer a world where one could survive by reasoning alone, so Su Nuan decided to show her fierce side.
It was like wearing someone else’s shoes, walking their path, and leaving them barefoot with nowhere to go!
She noticed her mother-in-law looking at her with deep concern, so she sweetly called out, “Mother.”
Xue Shi, who had come out to greet her, breathed a sigh of relief and said with a hint of reproach, “Why did you buy a knife? Thankfully, the officer didn’t make an issue of it.”
“But even if he had, it wouldn’t have mattered. At worst, we’d have given him all our silver. I wouldn’t have let you take a beating.”
Su Nuan wrapped an arm around Xue Shi’s and cooed, “Mother, you’re the best.”
Xue Shi tapped her forehead affectionately in mock scolding. The two got along as warmly and harmoniously as real mother and daughter.
Old Madam had intended to reprimand Su Nuan, but seeing how close the two were, she held back her urge to lecture and simply smiled.
These were extraordinary times. As long as everyone was safe and healthy, that was blessing enough. Fewer words meant fewer troubles.
Su Nuan walked to the corner and pulled a quilt out of a sack.
“Mother, Grandmother is frail. Spread one quilt on the ground—you, Grandmother, and Little Sister can squeeze together and sleep on it tonight.”
“This other quilt is for my husband. His leg is immobile now. Once we reach our destination and have access to medicinal herbs, we can reset the bone properly.”
“Eat this dried meat on the road—it’s filling… Oh, and here’s a few pounds of rice. Cook the dried meat until soft and make meat porridge for Grandmother and Little Sister. Their teeth aren’t good.”
Old Madam and Xue Shi exchanged glances, both astonished that Su Nuan had thought of their well-being.
Xue Shi wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “What a good child. Our Ling family has wronged her. I don’t know if we can ever repay her in this lifetime.”
Having seen more of the world, Old Madam sighed and said, “Yes, she is a good child. Let’s not talk about debts anymore. Since she’s close to you, we’ll treat her as our own daughter. Living well together is what matters most.”
Xue Shi nodded. “Yes, you’re right.”
Just then, Su Nuan suddenly gasped.
Xue Shi asked anxiously, “Daughter, what’s wrong?”
Su Nuan glanced at the sky. Though the sun was about to set, there was still time to buy things.
“Mother, I forgot to buy a few things. I’ll go out again. Here are some snacks—have them first.”
With that, Su Nuan hurried out.
Outside, the prisoners were lining up to pay to have their Jia Suo and Jiao Liao removed. Su Nuan walked straight toward the gate.
The guards at the entrance were gathered around a cart, chatting and laughing. It turned out a tavern worker had delivered supplies.
Spotting Su Nuan, the worker grinned and said, “Miss, the items you bought for the officers have arrived.”
The guards glanced at Su Nuan and thanked her one after another. Who would have thought an exiled prisoner would buy them wine and meat? They’d naturally look out for someone so thoughtful in the future.
Su Nuan smiled. “We’ll need your protection along the way. After all, the wilderness is full of wolves and tigers—how can you protect us if you aren’t well-fed?”
Note: The translation maintains the character names and terminology as specified in the glossary, ensuring consistency with pronouns and cultural references. The tone and nuances of the original text, including Su Nuan’s sharp wit and the familial warmth, are preserved.
The tall, lanky soldier grinned and said, “That’s absolutely right. What’s your name, miss? From now on, I, Li Shitou, will have your back.”
Su Nuan bowed with a smile. “Brother Li, my name is Su Nuan. I’ll be counting on your care in the future.”
“Right now, I need to go out and buy a few things. I’ll be back soon.”
Li Shitou nodded. “Go ahead, and come back early.”
After responding, Su Nuan left the posthouse and, not far away, slipped into an empty alley.
In truth, she wanted to take out items like the carbon furnace from her Space, as she would need them on the road.
Another thing—the items in her Space hadn’t been organized yet, and she needed to go in and sort them out herself.
But the moment Su Nuan entered the Space, she broke out in a cold sweat.
The mountains and water remained unchanged, the wooden cabin was still there, and the vegetables in the fenced garden were lush and green. Yet, none of the items she had stored were anywhere to be seen.
Panicked, she rushed into the wooden cabin. The interior was sparse—just a table, a chair, a bed, and a dressing table, with nothing else.
She turned and ran back outside, circling the yard once more, but still found no trace of the things she had collected.