“You!” Zhuang Shi was rendered speechless with rage.
“What do you mean ‘you’? Where were you hiding when human evolution happened? Seems like your cerebrum never fully developed while your cerebellum grew lopsided and unbalanced.”
“Acting all capable now, rushing to criticize us husband and wife. Mind your own business instead of spouting nonsense to lecture others.”
“With all this spare energy, you’d better spend more time thinking about your own future. Stop being so eager to teach—nobody here needs your instruction.” While retorting, Xie Ninglan’s hands never slowed, quickly draining the blisters on her stepson’s feet.
Zhuang Shi flushed crimson from the scolding, then shrank back resentfully after her husband Xin Wenan shot her a glare.
“Fourth Brother, you should at least care about your reputation. Fourth Sister-in-law is being too unrestrained—Zhuang Shi is still her third sister-in-law after all. How can she be so unreasonable?” Xin Wenan truly couldn’t bear the sight of this couple.
Though the fourth branch had always been unreliable, they’d never been this ill-mannered before! At least superficially, the sisters-in-law had maintained decent relationships.
Xin Wenyuan snapped irritably, “We’re exiled—how good can our reputation be? Third Brother, our affairs are none of your concern. I’ll pamper my wife as I please—what business is it of you two? Stop meddling unnecessarily.”
“You!” Xin Wenan glared at his obstinate younger brother, feeling liver pain from fury.
“Enough with the formalities, Third Brother. Go sit down—Brother Officer will soon distribute dinner. If you keep blabbering and miss a meal, you’ll have nowhere to cry about it.”
Xin Wenan gaped, looking between his fourth brother and sister-in-law before turning away with a stormy expression.
Had Fourth Brother gone mad too? Barely one day into the exile journey, and the entire fourth branch had lost their minds?
Before, though the fourth branch behaved chaotically and attracted universal dislike, they at least pretended outwardly, upholding the Duke Manor’s dignity and maintaining superficial harmony.
Now, after just one day of exile, they couldn’t even be bothered to keep up appearances??
Xin Wenan stormed back to where the Xin family gathered, where Zhuang Shi had already whispered two rounds of complaints about Xie Ninglan to the Old Madam.
Unfortunately, the Old Madam had been thoroughly exhausted today. Weary and drained, she lacked the energy to respond.
Zhuang Shi persisted relentlessly.
The Old Madam finally interrupted impatiently, “Zhuang Shi, if you’re truly idle, go outside and see if you can find us a basin of hot water.”
Zhuang Shi widened her eyes dramatically. “Mother, didn’t A Zhong already inquire? A basin of hot water costs eight coppers! How could I afford that?”
Her eyes shifted cunningly. “But Fourth Sister-in-law—her natal family gave her plenty of silver, didn’t they? She bought two basins without blinking, yet never sent one to Mother.”
“I secretly saw earlier—her mother delivered a whole flatbed cart of supplies. Food, drinks, daily necessities—everything you could need.”
“Technically, the eldest son’s wife should be managing the household now. Family resources ought to be distributed by her.”
A young woman holding her son nearby twitched her eyelids slightly at this and replied without hesitation, “Third Aunt, you jest. In our current situation, how could a junior like me take charge? Everything must follow Grandmother’s decisions.”
“Besides, what Fourth Aunt’s family sent is practically like dowry goods. There’s no way a junior like me could overreach to manage that. Third Aunt, please spare me.”
“Young lady of the eldest branch, how can you say that? I was merely thinking that as the managing daughter-in-law of our Duke Manor, all matters should be referred for your opinion.”
“Aunt, you flatter me too much. As a junior, I cannot make decisions for anyone. If you wish to obtain supplies from Fourth Aunt’s maternal family, it would be better to discuss it directly with her.” Lin Xiuyi held her son while slightly bowing her head, concealing the contempt and disgust in her eyes.
Wanting to benefit yourself while dragging others down, using me as a stepping stone—how ridiculous! Did she think everyone was as foolish as her?
“Say less.” Xin Wenan’s expression turned grim as he glared fiercely at his wife.
Zhuang Shi, having failed to stir trouble and even being rebutted by her niece-in-law, wore an awkward expression. Just then, the escorts entered to distribute the evening meal, giving her an excuse to fall silent.
The evening meal remained half a coarse grain pancake.
Escort Xiao Jia lifted his chin arrogantly. “Hot water costs eight coins per basin. Those who want it can line up here.”
“Finish eating and rest early. We depart at exactly 3 AM tomorrow. Anyone who delays the journey will taste the whip.”
“Sir, could we trouble you for some cold water to go with the pancake?”
Xiao Jia raised his slanted eyebrows. “Cold water costs two coins per pot.”
Xin Nian glanced over and saw that the exiled convict who had spoken appeared completely broken, standing there unsteadily as if about to collapse.
“Sir, we were sent out penniless. Could you make an exception?”
“No money and still making requests?” Xiao Jia snapped angrily. “No money but want water? Going without for half a day won’t kill you. Wait if you have no money. We’ll pass streams and rivers tomorrow—you can drink your fill then.”
The young man collapsed to the ground with a thud, bursting into tears.
His crying triggered a chain reaction—three women of varying ages nearby began sobbing loudly.
An elderly woman, likely his mother, slapped her thighs and wailed, “You heartless people! Not even a sip of water! You’re trying to thirst us to death! My son passed the imperial examinations, he’s the current Second Rank Scholar…”
Xiao Jia lashed his whip toward the old woman, startling her into scrambling up and nimbly hiding behind her son.
“I don’t care if you’re Second or Third Rank Scholars—on this road you’re all exiled convicts! Try spouting nonsense again, you old hag? Open your dog eyes wide and look—isn’t everyone in this exiled group former high officials?”
“Not just your petty Second Rank Scholar—even Earls, Marquises, and Dukes must obediently be escorted into exile by us!”
Xie Ninglan silently finished wiping her feet and put her shoes back on. No matter how chaotic the commotion around them, her family had grown accustomed to turning a blind eye.
She was applying medicine to her young son’s feet while blowing on them gently. “When your sister prepares better medicine tomorrow, Mother… I’ll apply it for you again.”
Little Xin Mohan beamed happily at them.
Although the journey had made his feet sore, his mother had just held him while washing his feet and applied medicine.
His mother cared for him just like she cared for his sister, finally calming his anxious heart.
He probably wasn’t a child they picked up somewhere. Definitely not.
Over there, after several escorts came to lead Xiao Jia away, the women of Wang Bangyan’s family began weeping mournfully.
Everyone else nibbled on their dry pancakes, occasionally glancing in their direction.
Xin Wenan helped the Old Madam to her feet, and they slowly made their way over to where Xin Nian and the others were seated.
Xin Wenyuan quickly stood up, shielding his wife and daughter like a hen protecting her chicks. “Xin Wenan, the food rations were just distributed—why aren’t you eating instead of coming here to pick a fight?”
Xin Wenan glared back furiously. “You think I want to be here? It’s Mother—she wants to ask you to help invite Imperial Physician Cheng. Sanya Tou’s back injury has worsened, and she’s fallen unconscious again.”