“What should we do?” Xin Mengxue asked while shedding tears.
“What can we do?” Xie Ninglan spoke bluntly, “Let it be.”
They had just set out on the journey. It went without saying that the escorts wouldn’t stop the entire procession for Xin Ruoyu alone.
“Fourth Aunt?” Xin Mengxue stared blankly at Xie Ninglan.
The latter coughed lightly, “Alright, let’s try using that fever-reducing medicine sent by the Marquis’s Residence first. Hold on until we reach the post station tonight, then we’ll check her injuries again.”
“But, but what should we do?” Xin Mengxue looked at the feverish and barely conscious Xin Ruoyu, anxiously crying.
“Fourth Aunt, do you think we could put Third Sister on the flatbed cart and have that maid pull her along?” Xin Mengxue pointed at the strong maid silently pulling the cart not far behind them.
Xie Ninglan rejected without hesitation, “How could that work? What about the mountain of goods piled on the cart? We need all those things on the journey – we can’t just throw them away.”
“But—”
“Enough with the buts! We can’t discard a single item. My daughter just said we can’t buy anything along the way. These seemingly insignificant jars and bottles will all be useful later – they’re lifesaving supplies!”
“Have Lu Momo’s second son come over and carry her for a while. Young girls are light – much easier to carry than my big-headed son.” The moment Xie Ninglan said this, the Xin family members surrounding her all glared at her angrily.
Xin Nian twitched her lips. She knew her mother would draw everyone’s disapproval.
In ancient times, strict boundaries were maintained between men and women. How could her mother suggest having a male servant carry a young lady? Wasn’t that forcing the young lady to her death?
“Fourth Sister-in-law, since your illness, your words have become increasingly improper. How can you say such things recklessly?” The third branch’s wife, Zhuang Shi, rolled her eyes and mocked, “If you don’t want to help, at least don’t cause more trouble at a time like this.”
“Mother.” Xin Nian tugged at Xie Ninglan’s sleeve and whispered, “Here they emphasize that men and women shouldn’t sit together after seven years old. Male servants usually have to avoid young ladies – how dare they have any physical contact?”
Xie Ninglan was speechless, “What times are these to still cling to such trivial formalities?”
The person was almost delirious with fever, and they were still talking about separation between men and women? If she couldn’t be carried, would they expect her to support her the entire way?
In the past, when she was strong and healthy, she wouldn’t have minded supporting her – after all, she was nominally her fourth aunt, so she would have accepted it.
But now! She herself was delicate and exhausted, barely able to walk. Supporting someone would make her arms and shoulders ache. If she lacked strength and accidentally dropped her, wouldn’t she be blamed again??
“Old Madam, Sanya Tou has completely fainted. What should we do?” Xie Ninglan immediately shifted the responsibility to Yu Shi, saying with a worried expression, “It’s not that I don’t want to support her, but I can barely walk myself. I really can’t manage to support her properly.”
Feeling that Xin Mengxue on the other side had even less strength, counting on her for support was hopeless.
Most of Xin Ruoyu’s weight was currently pressing on her! Xie Ninglan felt like her shoulder was about to collapse under the weight.
The Old Madam sighed repeatedly, struggling with the decision, “Fourth Wife, why don’t we follow Mengxue’s suggestion and put Sanya Tou on the flatbed cart first?”
Xie Ninglan’s anger flared up instantly, as if she had been set ablaze. Her voice sharply rose, “Can’t you see with your own eyes? That cart is completely piled high with goods – where could we possibly fit a person?”
“What era is this, and you’re still nitpicking? The person is about to die! You all flap your mouths but can’t come up with a concrete plan. Just dump the problem on me and call it done? This old lady isn’t having it anymore!”
“Either leave her here to fend for herself or have someone carry her on their back—you decide. I can barely walk myself, so I can’t be bothered with your mess!”
Xin Mengxue supported the Old Madam, both of them staring in stunned silence.
Everyone around was startled by Xin Nian’s mother’s sudden outburst and stopped to watch.
Xin Wenyuan quickly dragged his scowling brother Xin Wenan and youngest son Xin Mohan forward, calling out, “Wife, wife, what’s wrong? Don’t be angry, don’t be angry, I’ll handle it.”
The Old Madam stood by, shedding tears of distress, completely dazed by the fourth daughter-in-law’s furious shouting.
Third Master Xin Wenan, seeing this, flew into a rage. “Fourth Sister-in-law, what’s the matter with you? How dare you speak to Mother like that?”
“I’ll say your mother’s—” Xin Nian swiftly reached out to cover her mother’s mouth, stopping her from unleashing a stream of vulgar curses.
“Fourth Brother, look at your wife. She was always unruly, but has she lost her mind now?” Xin Wenan roared in fury.
“You’re the one who’s crazy, your whole family’s crazy! Shut up!” Xin Wenyuan irritably shoved him back. “What does my wife have to do with you? Who asked for your commentary? Isn’t this place chaotic enough? Think you’re special because you have a mouth? All you do is flap your lips.”
Xin Wenan stared at his fourth brother as if he’d seen a ghost.
Did Fourth Brother just stand up to him and defend that woman? Was it raining red from the sky? Back home, Fourth Brother and that woman were either fighting or cursing each other—when had he ever spoken a single word in Xie Ninglan’s defense?
“What’s the big deal! It’s just a young lady fainting and needing someone to carry her? I’ll arrange it!” Xin Wenyuan glanced at the expressionless Dali. “You carry her for a while. Let A’Liang push the cart.”
A’Liang was Mu Liang, the second son of Lu Momo’s family. He was about to step forward when Dali shot him a chilly look.
“My Old Madam has instructed that my duty is to stay by the Young Miss’s side without leaving a single step and guard these supplies. Aside from taking care of the Madam, Young Miss, and the two Young Masters, no one else falls under my responsibility—including you, Sir!”
Xin Nian lowered her head, stifling a gleeful chuckle.
Her father was used to giving orders at the base, thinking he had to arrange everything wherever he went. Now he got put in his place instantly, didn’t he?
Xin Wenyuan was taken aback, casting a hurt look at his ungrateful daughter before promptly continuing his arrangements without any embarrassment. “Then, among our companions, is there any capable lady willing to carry my niece on her back? Uh, I’ll offer two flatbreads!”
“Add two pieces of dried meat.” As these words were spoken, a woman clad in heavy shackles and manacles stood up and raised an eyebrow at Xin Wenyuan.
Everyone saw that the woman had emerged from the Dragon-Tiger Stronghold group and fell silent, watching her with considerable wariness.
The stingy Xin Wenyuan was hesitating when his young daughter crisply responded, “Deal.”
“But you must carry her for five consecutive days. Can you do that?”
The young girl spoke softly and sweetly, her jade-like face and peach-blossom cheeks adorned with a faint smile.
Her misty eyes appeared especially innocent, as if two clear springs shimmered within them, radiating boundless naivety and charm.
The woman tugged at her shackles, somewhat surprised. “Aren’t you afraid of me?”
Xin Nian blinked her innocent large eyes, “Sister, you’re so beautiful. Why would I be afraid of you?”
This statement not only silenced everyone in the Dragon-Tiger Stronghold, but also made the surrounding people look at her as if she were a divine being…
The woman grew flustered and angry, “Are you making fun of me??”