novelraw Chapter 183
Chapter 183
Ye Chutang was quite satisfied to see the old couple's foot injuries healing nicely.
Walking on injured feet would only worsen the damage!
She explained, "This is the best external injury medicine from Xinglin Hall, so its effectiveness is naturally excellent."
Old Master Qi nodded in agreement.
"Some medicines from Xinglin Hall are indeed better than the imperial medicines from the palace."
"Father, Mother, apply this medicine once in the morning and once at night. The wounds will heal faster."
The four whose feet had blistered obediently applied the medicine.
The injured areas felt cool and soothing, providing great relief.
At that moment, Qi Yanzhou returned carrying a full bucket of water.
Old Madam Qi, having put her shoes back on, asked, "Tang'er, did you buy a lot of this ointment?"
Her feet would need at least ten days to half a month to adapt to walking non-stop every day.
If they hadn't bought much ointment, they would have to use it sparingly.
Knowing the old madam's concern, Ye Chutang said, "Mother, don't worry, use it freely. We have plenty."
Even if what they bought from Xinglin Hall ran out, she could still enter her space and prepare more herself.
Concubine Gao, who had just finished tidying the bedding nearby, immediately had a thought upon hearing this.
She had also bought high-quality external injury medicine, but its effect hadn't been very good.
If she accidentally touched the wound while sleeping, the pain would wake her up instantly.
Moreover, by morning, the injured area would still be throbbing with a dull ache.
Concubine Gao walked up to Ye Chutang and asked softly, "Madam, could you sell some of that external injury medicine to this servant?"
Ye Chutang refused immediately. "No. Good medicine is something one encounters by chance, not by seeking. It's best to be prepared."
"I'm willing to pay ten times the original price."
"Ten times is only a hundred taels of silver. Do you think I lack that sum of money?"
Concubine Gao certainly knew Ye Chutang didn't lack money.
But she wasn't ready to give up and continued, "What would it take for you, Madam, to be willing to sell the medicine to me?"
She could endure the pain herself, but she didn't want her son to suffer along with her.
Ye Chutang wagged her index finger.
"There's no room for discussion. I won't sell it!"
Even if she were to make money from it, she would first let those four, who bit the hand that fed them, suffer their fill, and then sell it to them at a high price.
Seeing Ye Chutang's firm attitude, Concubine Gao looked at Old Master Qi, putting on a pitiful expression.
"Master, Yun'er was in so much pain he couldn't sleep well all night. Please have pity on him. Could you spare a little ointment and sell it to your servant?"
While keeping watch at night, Old Master Qi had indeed seen that Concubine Gao and the other three had slept poorly.
But what did that have to do with him?
Since they prided themselves on being clever and chose to "split from the family,"
then they should split completely. No one should beg from anyone!
Old Master Qi ignored Concubine Gao's feigned pitifulness and said with a cold face, "Tang'er manages the household. Her decisions are the Qi family's decisions!"
Concubine Gao hadn't expected that even bringing up her son would be useless and suddenly felt a bit panicked.
The journey to Tianshan County in the northwest was long and arduous. The money from selling her jewelry definitely wouldn't be enough.
What if her money ran out before the emperor destroyed the Qi family, and the old master didn't care about her and her son's survival?
"Master, Yun'an is your most beloved son!"
Qi Yun'an was the youngest child in the Qi family. Coupled with his sweet mouth and often being by Old Master Qi's side, he had indeed received the most affection from him.
But that didn't mean he would continue to dote on this son full of schemes!
"Gao Shi, the path of self-reliance is one you chose for yourself. Yun'an didn't object either."
Seeing Old Master Qi's indifferent expression, Concubine Gao's heart sank.
All that talk about father and son being connected at heart was false!
"This servant understands."
She wiped away the tears she had conjured for her performance from the corner of her eye and gave up on begging for medicine.
A flash of disappointment passed through Concubine Su's eyes as she said stubbornly, "Sister Gao, we'll tough it out and get through this."
Hearing this, a mocking smile curled at the corner of Ye Chutang's mouth.
In less than three days, reality would show Concubine Su how naive her thinking was.
The weather was hot now. Injured feet, tightly wrapped in shoes, would only get worse under the influence of sweat!
As for the Qi family, with the best external injury medicine first, and then the assistance of spiritual spring water for recovery, their situation was a different matter altogether.
Qi Yanzhou went to the cart to fetch the bamboo cups for drinking water and the willow twigs for brushing teeth.
He reminded everyone, "Time is running short. Let's hurry and wash up."
The six members of the Qi family each took their cups and willow twigs, filled them with water, and went to the wall of the post station courtyard to rinse their mouths.
The government guards took turns going to the well in the backyard to wash up.
Concubine Su and Concubine Gao didn't want to go to the backyard and compete with others for water. They eyed the Qi family's water but couldn't bring themselves to ask for it.
After all, they hadn't been rejected just once or twice.
If they had to buy water, it didn't seem cost-effective either.
The Qi family noticed the gazes of Concubine Su and Concubine Gao but paid them no mind.
As time passed, Concubine Su and the other three eventually took their bowls and cloths to the backyard.
Everyone must take responsibility for their own choices.
After the Qi family finished washing up, they got to work.
The clothes left to dry overnight were, as expected, completely dry.
Old Madam Qi packed the clothes, while Concubine Xu and Qi He'an packed the bedding.
Qi Yanzhou and Ye Chutang worked together to dismantle the bathtub for storage.
Old Master Qi went to feed the donkey outside the post station.
The family of six had a clear division of labor and were ready in less than a quarter of an hour.
Thinking it was still early and the guards wouldn't distribute breakfast yet, Ye Chutang took some pastries from her bundle for everyone to have a bite to eat.
When Concubine Su and the other three returned from washing up in the backyard, they saw the Qi family eating with relish.
The pastries were from Wufu Zhai, the most famous pastry shop in the capital.
From afar, one could smell the sweetness and the unique aromas of various pastries.
"Gurgle!"
Qi Yun'an's stomach protested, and he suddenly felt unbearably hungry.
Qi Jingyao was also starving. She asked Concubine Su, "Mother, is there anything to eat? If we don't eat, we definitely won't be able to walk later."
Thinking about having to walk another whole day today, she felt her feet hurt even more.
"Of course there is. Mother will get it for you."
Qi Jingyao looked at the plain steamed bun handed to her, turned her face away in disgust.
"Aren't there any pastries?"
To save money, Concubine Su had only bought things like steamed buns and naan bread.
"Yao'er, eat a little for now. When we pass by a market, Mother will buy you pastries."
"I won't eat. It's unappetizing!"
Concubine Gao had bought some pastries, but she wouldn't give them to Concubine Su and her daughter for free.
"Yun'an, come eat some pastries and drink some sugared water."
She had bought ordinary pastries. Although the taste was lacking, they could be stored for a longer time.
Qi Yun'an, being the pampered one, had always eaten the best things before.
It's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go from luxury to frugality.
He took one bite and threw it away. "Disgusting!"
Hearing this, Concubine Gao's face darkened, and she scolded, "Yun'an, you are no longer the noble young master of the prince's mansion. Stop being so picky!"
Qi Yun'an glanced at the Qi family eating so contentedly and snorted.
"Being together as a family was so good. You just had to make trouble for no reason. Now we can't eat well or sleep well. Are you satisfied?"
These words resonated with Qi Jingyao.
"Exactly! Delicious food and fine dishes weren't good enough, you had to choose chaff and wild herbs instead. How utterly bored you must be!"
Concubine Su and Concubine Gao felt utterly ashamed by the criticism.
They had proposed splitting from the family firstly because they thought all the Qi family's chores would fall on the three concubines, and they would be the ones exploited.
Secondly, they didn't want to hand over their personal savings and be controlled by others.
In the end, their cleverness had backfired.
If they had known earlier that Ye Chutang was not only reasonable but also well-prepared, they wouldn't have "split up."
Yes, they regretted it!
Unfortunately, it was too late for regrets.
At the break of dawn, the fifth watch.
The exile procession set off on time.
The sky was just beginning to lighten, making it barely possible to see.
The courier station was only thirty li from the capital, and on the road, they frequently encountered people heading into the city.
Some were on horseback, some in carriages, some on foot, and some driving carts to deliver or sell goods.
Passersby who came across the exile procession couldn't help but comment a few words.
"If you stand straight, you need not fear a crooked shadow. For the Qi family to request exile themselves was most unwise."
"Indeed, those who don't know better might think the Qi family truly intended to rebel and were afraid the Emperor would find out!"
"Don't talk nonsense! Everyone knows the Qi family is loyal to the sovereign and loves the country, with absolutely no rebellious intent."
"What a pity! With no just heaven above, loyal ministers are wronged!"
Hearing this, the Imperial Dragon Guards immediately began shooing away the gossiping commoners.
Qi Yanzhou took advantage of the confusion to toss a note he had written into the window of a passing carriage.
He had written the note with a charcoal pencil in the storage room, while evading surveillance.
He had nearly been bitten to death by a venomous snake; shouldn't he let the world know about it?
The carriage headed towards the capital.
The discussing commoners were driven away by the Imperial Dragon Guards.
The exile procession continued onward.
The sky grew brighter, the sun rose, and the temperature climbed accordingly.
After walking for over an hour, the pace noticeably slowed.
Wu Chenggang announced, "There's a tea shed up ahead. We'll stop there for breakfast."
Hearing this, Ye Chutang immediately guessed the shed owner was acquainted with the escorting officers.
After all, it was a common occurrence for escorting officers to collaborate with vendors along the route, skimming profits and taking cuts.
So, no matter what they ate later, the prices would surely be outrageous.
The group soon arrived at the tea shed.
The shed was quite large, with about ten tables set up.
There weren't many customers, sitting sparsely here and there; some were drinking tea, others having breakfast.
Seeing a group of stern-faced officers approach, they quickly made way.
The shed owner immediately stepped forward, asking respectfully, "What would you officers like to eat?"
Wu Chenggang said, "The usual. A large bowl of wontons."
Then, he looked at Han Chong, the leader of the Imperial Dragon Guards.
"This tea shed has quite a variety of breakfast items: congee, noodles, wontons. Order whatever you like."
Han Chong refused stiffly and formally, "No need. I'll eat the dry rations I brought."
Escorting officers could only eat for free and obtain supplies at courier stations and government offices.
Eating and drinking elsewhere required spending their own money.
Before setting out, Wu Chenggang had received orders to cooperate with the escort duty and not interfere with anything else.
"Fine. Eat whatever you like, as you wish."
He then looked at the three families under exile and house arrest, saying, "If you want black flour steamed buns, see Sun Fu. If you want something better, buy it yourself with your own money. We depart in one ke."
The Zhao and Ye families, thinking noodles and wontons weren't expensive, were happy to spend money on food.
Concubine Su and Concubine Gao also hastily ordered noodles and wontons.
Qi Yanzhou looked at Ye Chutang and asked, "A-Tang, what would you like to eat?"
Ye Chutang didn't respond to Qi Yanzhou but instead looked at the shed owner.
"How much for those breakfast items?"
The shed owner, busy with his work, replied, "Congee, thirty wen per bowl. Noodles and wontons, fifty wen per bowl."
"So expensive? Forget it."
Ye Chutang had asked the price on purpose. Having successfully made those about to be fleeced feel a pang of regret, she looked at Qi Yanzhou.
"Boil some water. We'll cook our own noodles."
It wasn't that she couldn't afford the money, but she refused to be a sucker.
The shed owner shot a glance at Ye Chutang, who was deliberately undermining him, and said with a forced smile, "A pot of water, thirty wen."
Ye Chutang ignored the profiteering shed owner.
She said to Qi Yanzhou, "A-Zhou, bring over the water from the bucket."
Cooking noodles wasn't something she said offhand.
Earlier, when leaving the courier station, she had asked Qi Yanzhou to fetch half a bucket of cool well water to chill a watermelon for eating in the heat.
The watermelon had been washed clean long ago, and the well water hadn't been contaminated, making it perfectly suitable for cooking noodles.
As for the pot and bowls, they could be washed later when they encountered a stream or river.
While Qi Yanzhou went to get the water, Ye Jingchuan spoke up, "Proprietor, your prices are far too high, aren't they?"
Although a meal for him used to cost at least a dozen taels of silver,
he was eating well-prepared, worthwhile dishes!
As far as he knew, ordinary noodles and wontons like these cost only a few wen!
Zhao Mingxu chimed in, "It is indeed too expensive. Wontons in the capital are only three to five wen."
The shed owner unhappily threw his ladle into the pot of boiling noodles.
"You ordered the noodles and wontons. They're already in the pot now. You'll pay even if you don't eat them!"
Scalding noodle soup splashed from the pot, nearly landing on Zhao Mingxu's feet.
He jumped back in fright and looked at Wu Chenggang.
"Officer..."
Wu Chenggang knew what Zhao Mingxu was about to say and gave him a cold look.
"Nobody forced you to order, did they?"
Zhao Mingxu was left speechless, unable to retort, and finally understood that the shed owner dared to charge such exorbitant prices with Wu Chenggang's tacit approval.
He could only blame himself for not asking the price first.
So, he took out some broken silver and paid for breakfast for the ten members of the Zhao family.
Although this small amount of silver meant little to him, being fleeced left a sour taste in his mouth.
The shed owner gleefully accepted the silver, then looked at the four members of the Ye family, and the four including Concubine Su.
They promptly and obediently paid up.
Qi Yanzhou set up the cooking pot, took out the watermelon from the bucket, and poured half the pot of water in.
Concubine Xu started a fire with dry branches.
Seeing the dry branches were running low, Qi He'an went with Old Master Qi and Old Madam Qi to gather more nearby.
While searching the vegetable basket for dried noodles, Ye Chutang took six peeled marinated eggs from her space.
"The shopkeeper really didn't lie. Eggs marinated with his family's recipe can last for days."
After saying this, she deliberately handed one to Concubine Xu to smell.
"See, they haven't gone bad, right?"
Concubine Xu smelled the fragrant marinated egg and nodded with a smile. "Very fresh, not spoiled at all."
Soon, the water in the pot came to a boil.
Concubine Xu put the dried noodles in, and Ye Chutang added seasonings, along with some beef sauce.
"Father, Mother, time to eat!"
Hearing the response, Qi Yanzhou brought bowls over to ladle out the noodles.
Ye Chutang placed a marinated egg and some chopped scallions in each bowl, making them look especially appetizing.
The three who had gone to gather branches soon returned, each carrying a small bundle.
Qi He'an skillfully tied the branches into a bundle and placed it on the handcart.
The three washed their hands with the little water left in the bucket, then picked up their bowls and ate heartily.
"This noodle is delicious! Is there any more?"
As soon as Qi He'an finished speaking, he noticed there was only a little broth left in the pot.
Ye Chutang explained, "Walking is physically demanding. It's not good to eat too much."
"Understood. Can I have some broth, then?"
"The beef sauce is a bit salty. Drinking too much broth will make you thirsty easily."
Qi He'an said with a smile, "Then I'll just have a small half-bowl."
Concubine Xu looked at her son, whose mind seemed solely on food, and teased, "Anyone would think you're on a leisurely sightseeing trip."
"Though it's not exactly sightseeing, it's much more interesting than staying in the capital."
After saying this, he was moved to recite a poem.
After hearing it, Concubine Xu widened her eyes in surprise.
"He'er, that's quite a good poem you composed."
Qi He'an pouted at Concubine Xu. "Mother, in your eyes, which poem of mine wasn't good?"
Concubine Xu: "..."
She gave a light cough, not daring to admit that her earlier words of praise had been insincere.
"The poem now is better, it has gained a certain spirit."
After saying this, she looked at Ye Chutang. "What do you think, Madam?"
Ye Chutang didn't know Qi He'an well, but she had heard about him from Qi Yanzhou.
He was devoted to poetry and painting, yet his talent was merely average, purely a form of self-amusement.
Therefore, even though she thought it was mediocre, she nodded.
"It's passable, though the diction is somewhat lacking."
She pointed out four key verbs in the poem but did not directly change them for Qi He'an.
"Third Brother, you could ponder these four words further and replace them with something more evocative."
Qi He'an, having received Ye Chutang's approval, was overjoyed.
"Thank you for the guidance, Second Sister-in-law. I will ponder them carefully."
Ye Chutang suggested, "Third Brother, you should keep all the poems you compose on this exile journey. They mark your progress and serve as a memento."
Perhaps one day, some of these poems might be passed down through the ages.
"Good, I'll listen to you, Second Sister-in-law. I'll write them down during the noon rest."
After the Qi family finished their noodles and cleaned the pots and bowls, rest time was over.
Wu Chenggang secretly accepted the share of profits the shed owner slipped him.
He stood up and announced, "Prepare to depart!"
The Ye family, being exiled convicts, were served last and had barely eaten a few bites.
Hearing they had to leave, they hastily swallowed the food, not caring how hot it was.
They were scalded so badly their eyes nearly rolled back into their heads.
Seeing everyone's spirits droop at the mention of departure, Wu Chenggang immediately dangled a carrot.
"If you can cover thirty li by noon, you'll get a longer rest at midday."
At these words, the three families seemed injected with adrenaline.
They immediately fell into line and set off.
Qi He'an, wearing a straw hat, focused intently on pondering the four words that needed changing.
Whenever he thought of a suitable one, he would fit it into the poem and recite it aloud.
Zhao Simin, irritated by Qi He'an's noise, immediately spoke up to belittle him.
"If you don't have the skill to show off literary flair, don't make a fool of yourself."
So annoying!
The weather was already hot, and with this incessant noise in her ears, she felt like killing someone!
Knowing Zhao Simin had literary talent, Qi He'an humbly sought her advice.
"What word does Miss Zhao think would be better?"
Zhao Simin: "..."
Was this person an idiot?
"Shutting up would be best!"
Qi He'an retorted sarcastically, "No one would laugh at you if you don't know. Why lose your temper?"
Zhao Simin instinctively wanted to prove herself.
She had just uttered the word "quiver" when she realized it was Qi He'an's provocation.
"How shameless!"
"Thank you for the praise. The method may not be elegant, but it gets the job done," Qi He'an said smugly, then changed the word "move" in his poem to "quiver."
"This 'quiver' is truly well-used."
Listening to his boastful tone, Zhao Simin was furious.
As time passed, the sun grew increasingly scorching.
The feet of the three families, covered in blisters, ached more and more.
Everyone gritted their teeth and persevered, their pace never slowing.
Seeing the complexions of the two Qi elders grow somewhat pale, Ye Chutang reminded them, "Father, Mother, have some water."
The water skins contained spiritual spring water, which could replenish their strength.
Old Madam Qi had already drunk quite a bit of water; she felt she could hear it sloshing in her belly as she walked.
She shook her head. "No more. Just a little longer and we can rest."
Ye Chutang sensed the old madam needed to relieve herself.
She said to Wu Chenggang, "Officer, could we stop for a moment? I need to use the privy."
As she spoke, she slipped him a tael of silver.
Ye Chutang was so generous because she wanted to keep Wu Chenggang satisfied, ensuring a more comfortable journey on the road to exile.
But she merely saw Wu Chenggang as a temporary purse.
Once they reached Tianshan County, she would take back all her silver!
Unaware of Ye Chutang's plan, Wu Chenggang happily accepted the silver and halted the procession.
"Rest briefly. We depart again in the time it takes an incense stick to burn."
Having drunk plenty of water, everyone rushed into the woods on either side to relieve themselves.
Ye Chutang took the simple toilet and called Old Madam Qi and Concubine Xu to go into the woods.
The Imperial Guards kept close watch around them, unconcerned about any escape attempts.
After using the privy, Ye Chutang returned to the group first.
She rummaged in the vegetable basket and retrieved six fresh apples picked from the fruit trees in her space.
"Father, Ah Zhou, Third Brother, these are red nai fruits I bought in the capital. Try them quickly."
These were honeycrisp apples, a variety not found in ancient times.
Seeing them for the first time, Qi Yanzhou said curiously, "I've only heard of red nai."
Ye Chutang lied without batting an eye.
"It was my first time seeing them too. I thought the color was lovely, so I tried one. They're sweet, sour, crisp, and refreshing—much better than red nai."
After speaking, she rubbed an apple on her clothes and took a bite.
Sweet, sour, juicy, with an enticing fruity aroma.
Qi Yanzhou imitated Ye Chutang, rubbing off the apple's natural wax coating with his clothes.
After taking a bite, his eyes widened slightly in surprise.
It was delicious beyond imagination, surpassing any fruit he had ever tasted.
Moreover, a familiar sensation washed over him.
The slight fatigue in his body vanished, and the summer heat felt less intense.
Just as Qi Yanzhou was about to ask more about the red nai fruit, Concubine Xu and Old Madam Qi returned.
Wu Chenggang also urged them to continue, so he had to suppress his questions.
After tasting the honeycrisp apple, Qi He'an praised it to the skies.
"I've never eaten such a delicious fruit—so fragrant and sweet, with a lingering hint of refreshing sourness."
The rich fruity scent made many people swallow their saliva in craving.
Ye Siyin was one of them.
While she hated Ye Chutang, she also deeply envied her.
Even in exile, she could live a comfortable life, wanting for nothing in food and drink, and being pampered by others.
Thinking this, her gaze fell on the animated Qi He'an.
During the noon rest, she would secure this fool!
The exile procession walked for over another hour.
Noon was approaching.
Wu Chenggang, familiar with the route, was relieved to see the thirty-li task completed.
He announced, "There's a small lake ahead. We'll rest there for two hours at noon."
At these words, everyone became excited.
A two-hour rest meant they could avoid the hottest part of the day.
Soon, Wu Chenggang led the exile group to the lakeside.
He gave the usual warning, "Do not attempt to escape. If caught, you will be executed on the spot!"
Everyone found shade under trees to rest.
Qi He'an, having drunk too much water, needed the privy again and immediately dashed into the woods.
Ye Siyin, freed from her cangue and shackles, quietly followed him.