Ziling had no time to care about what everyone else was thinking. Since they were already sentenced to exile, the most important thing now was figuring out how to survive the journey ahead.
Still, she couldn’t help wondering—
Wasn’t anyone coming to send supplies to the General’s family? In all the novels she’d read before, there was always such a scene.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, a carriage slowly approached.
When it stopped, a woman around sixty years old stepped down with the support of a young man. The elderly woman had completely white hair and a kind face. She was the Old Madam’s mother—the Dowager Madam of the Left Chancellor’s Manor.
“My child… you’ve suffered so much.”
The old woman burst into tears as soon as she spoke.
“Your father and elder brother both went before the emperor to plead for mercy, but His Majesty placed them under house arrest. They couldn’t come see you off. No matter what, Mother had to come see you one last time.”
The young man supporting her was tall and thin, clearly a frail scholar.
“Aunt,” he greeted respectfully with a bow.
“Mother, why did you come?” the Old Madam hurried forward to support her mother. “Yu’er, you shouldn’t have brought Grandmother here. She’s already advanced in age. How can she bear worrying about my affairs?”
“Aunt,” the scholar called Yu’er said as he took several banknotes from his robe. “Father and Mother asked me to give these to you. Father said the journey ahead is long. Having money with you will make things easier. As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn.”
Ziling had expected her mother-in-law to refuse politely, but instead the Old Madam accepted them directly.
“Help me thank your father and mother. If the heavens allow it one day, I will personally return to thank them myself.”
Ziling couldn’t help admiring her mother-in-law.
She truly was a wise and clear-minded woman.
The Old Madam then turned toward Ziling.
“Come greet your grandmother. You haven’t met her yet since entering the family.”
Ziling had absolutely no idea how people in this ancient world properly greeted elders, so she awkwardly copied what she’d seen in television dramas and gave a stiff bow, uncertain whether it even matched the customs of this dynasty.
The elderly woman smiled kindly.
“Child, since you’ve married Han’er and become his wife, although your father’s actions were truly disgraceful, you chose to remain with this family. Grandmother can see that you are a good child unlike the others.”
As she spoke, she slipped a jade bracelet of pure emerald green onto Ziling’s wrist.
“This is Grandmother’s gift for meeting you. Your mother-in-law’s health has never been good. On this journey, you’ll have to shoulder more burdens.”
Then the Old Madam called out:
“Hao’er, Ying’er, Han’er—come say goodbye to your grandmother.”
She intended to help Gong Mohan herself, but Ziling quickly stepped forward first and supported him.
Gong Mohan cast a cold glance at the hand holding him. He tried to pull away but nearly collapsed from weakness, leaving him no choice but to allow her support.
Seeing her once-famous grandson—renowned throughout the capital for both talent and martial skill—now unable even to stand on his own, the grandmother staggered slightly and broke into tears.
“Grandmother, I’m alright. Don’t worry about me. Please take care of yourself. Tell Grandfather… I will return.”
Ziling noticed the grandmother secretly slipping something into Gong Mohan’s hand during the embrace.
Most likely banknotes as well.
Ziling thought to herself that no one from her own family would ever come送东西. Her stepmother and younger sister probably wished for nothing more than her suffering.
Fortunately, she had her storage space. Even in exile, she would never let herself suffer too much.
Yet unexpectedly, someone suddenly called her name from afar.
“Ziling!”
Following the voice, she saw a middle-aged man stepping down from a small carriage. From the original owner’s memories, this should be her maternal uncle.
“Uncle.”
Ziling gave another awkward bow.
“Child, your father is truly no good,” the man said bitterly. “He’s pushed you into such misery. Back then, your mother insisted on marrying that wolf-hearted beast. He relied on your mother’s dowry to rise higher and higher in official rank, yet he treated her coldly. Your mother died from depression, leaving you motherless at such a young age. And now he’s thrown you into another pit of fire.”
He sighed heavily.
“Your uncle is useless. I hold no official position and can’t help much. The road into exile is harsh and difficult. Take these with you.”
He handed her a small bundle.
Ziling hadn’t expected that in this unfamiliar world, there would still be family who genuinely cared for her like this.
At that moment, she truly felt the warmth and concern of family.
Perhaps the original owner’s lingering emotions had affected her, because for a moment, Ziling suddenly wanted to hug this uncle.
Just then, the escorting officers finally lost patience.
One of them cracked his whip loudly against the ground.
“Move already! Anyone who keeps stalling gets whipped!”
In truth, the officers were deliberately giving the exiles extra time. The more supplies and money the families received from relatives, the more profit the guards themselves could squeeze out during the journey.