Xue Shi stopped struggling. How could she not understand? Pleading for mercy meant handing over silver—these greedy people would never be satisfied no matter how much they gave.
Though the condemned were pitiful, her own family mattered more. Better to sweep the snow from one’s own doorstep.
Xue Shi’s silence provoked displeasure from others. Someone spat contemptuously.
“Pah! A general’s wife? Just a heartless shrew who won’t save dying people.”
Su Nuan turned and stared directly—it seemed to be that spinster from some elder’s household, with her sharp chin and black mole beside thin lips, the very picture of a petty, sharp-tongued woman.
She retorted mercilessly, “If you’re so compassionate, go plead for them yourself. That kneeling youth looks quite handsome—he might be grateful enough to marry you. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”
The woman froze, seemingly taking Su Nuan’s words to heart.
She took a few steps forward and said, “Officers, I have a few taels of silver. Could you spare their lives?”
Cheng Feng looked at her mockingly. “Ten taels per life. Will you buy?”
He could tell she wasn’t wealthy, so he didn’t set the price too high.
The woman hesitated, conflict written across her face.
The condemned family saw her as their savior, immediately turning to kowtow and beg.
“Please buy me! I’ll serve you as your slave!”
“Save me! I’ll pledge myself as your servant!”
“I don’t want to die! I’ll do anything if you save me!”
“Please save my child…”
“Waa… Mother, I’m scared…”
The scene grew chaotic. The woman had no intention of spending fifty taels on several strangers.
Cheng Feng pressed, “Buying or not? If not, they all die.”
She immediately asked, “Can I just buy one?”
Cheng Feng shook his head. “No. Buy all or none.”
He didn’t need the silver—this was about making an example.
The woman bit her lip and fell silent.
Instead of gratitude, the condemned family began cursing her viciously.
“You poisonous hag, why won’t you buy us?”
“Exactly! Having money but refusing to save us—I hope you die horribly!”
“Slut! Produce the silver now, or I’ll haunt you as a ghost!”
The woman never expected her good intentions would make her the target of their abuse.
Cheng Feng snorted coldly. “Kill them!”
The soldiers raised their blades and beheaded everyone—men, women, young and old—with single strokes.
Su Nuan pressed her lips tightly together. She knew these exiled prisoners were only now understanding the brutality of their journey.
Supporting Xue Shi, she said, “Mother, if we behave obediently, we’ll be fine.”
Xue Shi nodded. “Yes, I know.”
Her eyes clouded with uncertainty about the future.
The Old Madam watched everything indifferently, saying nothing, as if detached from it all.
Su Nuan glanced toward the gate where the corpses now hung on the wall as a warning.
Those leaving the city afterward stayed silent as mice, moving much faster now.
Su Nuan found their carriage and said, “Grandmother, please help Mother and Little Sister into the carriage first.”
She hesitated, glancing at Ling Yun. Surprisingly, he wasn’t clamoring to get in—this fool was being quite well-behaved.
Noticing Su Nuan’s gaze, Ling Yun pulled his eyelids and stuck out his tongue in a playful grimace.
Su Nuan couldn’t help chuckling, her mood lifting considerably.
Cheng Feng rode on horseback and said, “Those without carts walk in front, those with carts follow behind. Hurry up, it’s your own fault for not buying a cart.”
As he spoke, he cracked his whip, startling those without carts into quickening their pace.
Su Nuan noticed several people still wearing Jiao Liao and Jia Suo, unsure whether they couldn’t afford to remove them. But it was none of her business, so she didn’t inquire.
Cheng Feng rode up beside Su Nuan and said, “I’ve given you the carriage. Where’s the silver certificate?”
All money earned within the town went to his father-in-law, with only a small portion as his share. Only earnings outside the town truly belonged to him.
Su Nuan handed over the silver certificate. “Brother Cheng, we might come across some medicinal herbs along the way. May I leave the group to gather them? Don’t worry, I won’t run away.”
Cheng Feng took the silver certificate and tucked it into his robe, laughing. “Go ahead and gather them. I know you’re smart enough not to run.”
With that, he spurred his horse and rode to the front of the procession.
Su Nuan raised an eyebrow slightly. Her goal had been achieved, and the days ahead wouldn’t be too difficult.
But she had no intention of drawing attention to herself. Keeping a low profile and living quietly was the way to go—courting trouble was out of the question.
Feeling quite pleased, she reflected that after walking all day yesterday, the soles of her feet were burning today, likely because her blisters had burst.
Ignoring the pain in her feet, she dug up quite a bit of common medicinal herbs like purslane, Asiatic plantain, and dwarf lilyturf growing by the roadside.
Fortunately, Cui Yi could also drive the cart, so she could keep an eye on the carriage.
Carrying the herbs, Su Nuan approached the carriage. “Mother, could you help clean these? They’re all medicinal herbs.”
Xue Shi, who had been riding in the carriage while her daughter-in-law walked, had been feeling uneasy. Now, seeing there was work to do, she perked up immediately.
“Alright, I’ll sort them. You rest for a while.”
Su Nuan knew that if she didn’t give her mother-in-law something to do, she would feel uncomfortable. After all, staying busy made life feel more purposeful and fulfilling.
Inside the carriage, Old Madam reached out and picked up a clump of Asiatic plantain, still caked with mud, joining the effort to sort the herbs.
Xue Shi stared in astonishment at her mother-in-law. This was a woman with a fastidious nature, who usually washed her hands twice if they got even a speck of dust on them. Yet now, she was handling mud directly.
Noticing Xue Shi’s gaze, Old Madam spoke slowly, “Times have changed. I’m already a burden to you all. If I don’t do some work, I’ll feel even worse.”
Xue Shi sighed but didn’t stop her. It was true that Old Madam needed to keep busy—not because she was a burden, but to ease her own conscience. Xue Shi felt the same way and understood her feelings.
Outside the carriage, Su Nuan glanced through the window and saw everyone inside working. She smiled faintly.
Old Madam was a perceptive person. If she could humble herself, their future days would be harmonious.
While things were peaceful on their side, the same couldn’t be said for others.
An old woman screeched, “You worthless wretch, how dare you complain about carrying me?”
Su Nuan glanced over but didn’t recognize them. She had no interest in getting involved—there were plenty of families who mistreated their daughters-in-law.
She continued searching for herbs, hoping to find some dandelion to cool the blood and reduce Tuan Tuan’s fever.
Dandelions were peculiar—sometimes you couldn’t find a single one, and other times they grew in abundance. Soon enough, she spotted a large patch.
Su Nuan said to the soldier accompanying them, “Brother, may I go dig up some herbs? I’ll catch up shortly.”
The soldier was a lad of about fifteen or sixteen. He nodded with a smile and said, “Alright, but don’t go more than ten zhang away from the procession, or you’ll be considered a fugitive.”
“Thank you.” Su Nuan took a burlap sack from the cart, clutching her bronze hairpin as she ran to dig up dandelions.
The moment she left the procession, someone shrieked, “Look, she’s escaping! Quick, cut her down!”