Ziling was a medical PhD in the modern world and also understood a thing or two about dealing with people. On this journey into exile, she needed to maintain a good relationship with the escorting officers so things would go more smoothly along the way. Otherwise, with this family—some injured, some young—wanting to survive until they reached the place of exile, she had to win the guards over first.
“Officer, when I went out earlier to look for water, I happened to meet a peddler passing by. I bought some steamed buns and eggs for my family to fill their stomachs, and also brought some for you officers to try.”
As she spoke, Ziling handed over the buns and eggs.
Zhang Meng glanced at the food and immediately asked, “Did you find any water?”
Earlier, they had also sent people out to look for water supplies, but not a single drop had been found. It seemed the villagers had all moved away because of the drought. So how had she managed to find water?
Ziling’s heart skipped a beat.This is bad. What should I say? Am I going to expose myself?She quickly decided to say the water had also been bought.
“Officer, I didn’t actually find the water. I bought it from the peddler as well. He said this place had suffered drought for a long time, and he originally refused to sell it to me. I begged him repeatedly, saying there were sick people in my family in desperate need of water. In the end, he finally agreed to sell me this small jar.”
Zhang Meng motioned with his chin for another guard to take the buns, then continued sitting and drinking.
Ziling secretly curled her lips and let out a breath of relief. At least she had fooled them this time. She would have to be more careful in the future.
Thinking this, she returned to where her family sat. With her back turned to the other prisoners, she pulled buns out from her bundle and winked at Ying’er. Ying’er immediately scampered over and sat beside her, taking the bun from her sister-in-law and wolfing it down.
Seeing her mother-in-law staring at her in surprise, Ziling explained, “I bought these buns from a peddler while I was searching for water.”
Gong Hao watched his little sister eating the bun and swallowed hard.
At noon, he had refused the dry rations his sister-in-law offered him. After walking hungry all afternoon, he was now so weak he could barely move, and he worried that she might refuse to give him food now.
From the corner of her eye, Ziling noticed his expression and found it amusing.
She handed a bun to her mother-in-law first, then passed one to Gong Hao.
“Eat.”
Afraid she might change her mind, Gong Hao hurriedly grabbed the bun. Ziling and her mother-in-law exchanged a glance, both pretending not to notice the boy’s embarrassed yet adorable appearance.
Gong Mohan sat alone nearby, his handsome face cold and expressionless.
Watching her interact warmly with the family stirred a slight bitterness in his heart. She treated everyone in the family so well, yet he had been sitting here this whole time and she had not once come over to check on him.
While he was still lost in thought, a faint fragrant scent stopped beside him. Someone sat down next to him.
Gong Mohan looked up.
It was the first time he had observed his wife from such a close distance. Her skin was very fair. She was not breathtakingly beautiful, but she had a pair of lively, expressive eyes that made her different from others.
“What? Aren’t you going to eat?”
A slender white hand held a bun in front of him.
Realizing he had actually gotten distracted thinking about her, he tried to cover his awkwardness and stubbornly replied, “I’m not eating.”
“Not eating? Really?” Ziling raised an eyebrow. “You saw what happened at noon. I don’t spoil people. If you say you won’t eat, then you truly won’t get any food. With your condition, if you keep refusing to eat, I’ll probably be able to remarry within two days.”
Gong Mohan’s face darkened in anger as he turned away.This woman is insufferable.
But Ziling was a modern medical PhD. A doctor’s heart was compassionate—how could she truly argue with an injured person? She only wanted to tease him a little.
Her eyes shifted mischievously. She took a bite of the bun herself and said, “Then does my husband want me to feed him?”
Her hand pressed lightly against his leg as she leaned closer, pretending she would really feed him if he refused to eat. Startled, Gong Mohan quickly snatched the bun from her hand.
Hmph, so I can handle you after all. He’s actually quite innocent.
Ziling smiled faintly and said, “After you finish eating, I’ll take a look at your injuries. I picked some herbs earlier.”
“You know medicine?”
Know medicine? I’m a medical PhD, she thought. But in this era, they probably didn’t even know what a PhD was.
So she merely replied vaguely, “A little.”
Gong Mohan looked at her with a probing gaze.
Ziling didn’t notice his stare. She was busy thinking about how to treat him. The injury to Gong Mohan’s arm was not too serious. It would take some time, but it wouldn’t be difficult to heal.
The difficult part was the injury to his leg.
Earlier, while teasing him, she had secretly pressed his leg, but he had shown no reaction at all. It seemed he had completely lost sensation there.
Whoever had attacked him had been vicious beyond measure. They intended to ensure the General’s Manor would never rise again.
At that moment, one of the guards shouted loudly:
“We’ll spend the night here. No one is allowed to leave this gate. Anyone caught trying to escape will receive one hundred lashes, and their family members will receive fifty!”
Without another glance at the prisoners, two guards remained outside to watch over them while the other three headed toward the only room in the courtyard.