Chapter 14

Chapter 14

“Trying to run?!”

Zhu Laosan charged after him with his broadsword in hand.

Zou Yong’s brows knitted tightly. That damned Yousha Ke had ruined everything. There was no saving him now.

Almost on instinct, Zou Yong looked up at Cui Jin.

From beginning to end, the man had not said a single word.

Cui Jin was leaning against a large tree, carefully wiping down his blade. Just when Zou Yong thought he was going to turn a blind eye…

A dagger suddenly flew through the air and struck Yousha Ke squarely in the back.

Yousha Ke was already shackled at the ankles, his movements clumsy and restricted. He had not managed to get far at all.

Zou Yong stared, dumbfounded, looking at Cui Jin in disbelief. Cui Jin had personally finished off Yousha Ke.

As far as he knew, these three men had been secretly taking orders from him. In other words, they had come here to help him.

And just like that, he killed one of them?

Zhu Laosan saw Yousha Ke collapse right in front of him and immediately halted.

He frowned slightly and crouched down to inspect the body. When he saw the dagger lodged in Yousha Ke’s back, he turned to look behind him.

Cui Jin had just sheathed his own blade. His expression was calm, his tone indifferent.

“Brother San, he’s a condemned prisoner anyway, and a rat dropping in the pot besides. Better to kill him and be done with it. Let’s hurry on. There’s no need to delay our business over a death-row convict.”

With that, Cui Jin turned and began packing up his belongings.

Zhu Laosan lowered his head and pulled out the dagger. A spray of warm blood splashed across his face.

He truly could not see through this Cui Jin’s abilities.

He did not recall ever seeing the man before. This time, Cui Jin had been assigned to escort the prisoners, but Zhu Laosan kept feeling that he had come with some purpose in mind.

At first, he had thought Cui Jin was connected to these three condemned prisoners. Now, it seemed that was not the case.

On the other side, Ye Xiaotu and Li Duanjiang glared viciously at Cui Jin.

But the moment Cui Jin so much as moved a finger, the two men immediately clutched their chests, their faces turning pale as a trace of blood seeped from the corners of their mouths.

The steps they had just taken froze in place. Bitter with unwillingness, they lowered their heads.

Xiao Jingmo’s brows were locked in a tight frown. Ever since Cui Jin had shot Yousha Ke dead, he had been observing everyone’s reactions.

He noticed that Ye Xiaotu had been furious at first, ready to rush over and take revenge on Cui Jin. Then he discovered that something seemed wrong with the two men, as if they were being controlled by something.

Their emotions had not changed. They simply did not dare charge forward anymore.

That was very thought-provoking.

“All right. Move out.”

Zhu Laosan glanced at the sky. It was getting late, and the rest had delayed them for quite some time. They would likely have to travel a stretch of road after nightfall.

The Xiao Family still walked at the very rear.

Xiao Jinghao’s eyes were filled with delight. He moved closer to Xiao Che and Xiao Jingxing.

“Father, Big Brother, that man’s death was truly satisfying. I bet he never imagined he would end up like this.”

Xiao Jingxing smiled as well. “No matter what, one of those three scourges is finally gone. That is something worth celebrating.”

Xiao Che was not so optimistic.

“Mo’er, what do you think?”

Xiao Jingmo stepped forward and said in a low voice, “Father, I think Cui Jin is the greatest threat. Judging by what has happened over the past two days, Zou Yong appears on the surface to be colluding with those three men, but I believe the one truly controlling them is Cui Jin. He must have something on them.”

Xiao Che nodded.

“That’s right. I saw it just now too. Ye Xiaotu and Li Duanjiang looked as if they had suffered internal injuries, yet not quite. Otherwise, given the temperaments of those three men, there is no way they would obediently follow the exile convoy. They would have fled long ago, unless…”

“Unless Cui Jin is holding their lives in his hands.”

Xiao Jingmo spoke the words Xiao Che had left unfinished.

“Exactly. Now that they’ve lost a brother, they may take even more frenzied revenge on us. None of you must let down your guard. Our goal is to survive and reach the Northern Frontier safely. Also, I feel Zhu Laosan seems to be helping us, whether intentionally or not. You should all maintain a good relationship with him.”

Xiao Che felt that Zhu Laosan was likely not a simple man either.

Yousha Ke’s death left the two remaining brothers, Ye Xiaotu and Li Duanjiang, completely quiet.

They did not say another word the entire way.

After walking for four straight hours, they were still five kilometers from the relay station. Seeing the red clouds spread across the sky, it was clear they were destined to travel part of the road at night.

“Officer, please, I’m begging you, let us rest for a while. My child can’t hold on anymore.”

A young wife grabbed Zou Yong’s arm and pleaded bitterly.

Beside the woman was a little boy swaying unsteadily on his feet, only about five years old.

His face was pale, his young lips bloodless and cracked with a layer of dry skin. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his gaze had begun to wander, his eyes hollow and unfocused.

Without another word, Zou Yong lashed the woman viciously with his whip.

“Rest? Rest for what? I haven’t even complained that I’m tired, so what are you whining about? Keep moving! If the brat can’t walk, drag him. What, you expect me to carry him? If you keep howling, don’t blame my whip for having no eyes.”
The woman took a lash of the whip and let out a wretched cry, but she clung to the child and refused to move no matter what.

Seeing this, Zou Yong dragged the two of them out of the line. The crack of the whip mingled with their screams, echoing down the official road and startling a flock of weary birds into flight.

An elderly woman rushed out from the crowd and threw herself over the younger woman, pleading, “Officer, have mercy! We were wrong. Please stop beating her. If you cripple her, it will only slow the journey down. Please, be magnanimous!”

Only after Zou Yong wore himself out did he finally stop. He spat on the ground and cursed, “Cheap bones. You lot are just asking for a beating.”

The old woman’s clouded eyes were brimming with tears as she stroked the younger woman in distress. “Shuang’er, how are you?”

“Mother, I’m… I’m fine. Hurry and check on the child.”

Lu Shuangshuang tried to prop herself up on one arm, but her body was covered in wounds. She nearly pitched forward headfirst, and only steadied herself with her mother-in-law’s help.

“Shuang’er, nothing can happen to you. If something happens to you, Yu’er and I won’t be able to live either. We might as well all go find Han’er.”

The tears in Madam Liu’s eyes finally spilled down her cheeks in two clear streams.

“Mother, don’t worry. I’ll be fine. We’ll definitely make it to the Northern Frontier. Besides, Husband’s whereabouts are unknown. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s met with disaster. No news is the best news.”

Madam Liu knew her daughter-in-law was only trying to comfort her.

How could the news brought back by her son’s servant, who had clung to his last breath just to deliver it, be wrong?

He had encountered mountain bandits while traveling on business. Nine times out of ten, that meant he was never coming back. Although they had never seen his body, she knew in her heart that he was most likely gone.

“Yes. Shuang’er, you’re right. We have to survive and reach the Northern Frontier. We have to wait for Han’er.”

Her son, Xiao Han, was now the faith that kept the three of them going. But their family was made up only of the old, the weak, women, and a child. It was easy enough to say they would endure, but the road ahead was long. It had only been two days, and the child already could not hold on.

How were they supposed to travel the rest of the way?

“Yu’er, open your eyes and look at Mother. Don’t sleep, all right?”

Lu Shuangshuang’s tears fell drop by drop onto Xiao Jingyu’s deathly pale little face, splashing apart.

“Mother…”

That faint child’s voice was like music from heaven. Lu Shuangshuang and Madam Liu were both overwhelmed with joy. As long as the child was still alive, their branch of the family line remained.

The procession continued moving. At the very back, the Xiao Family Main Branch noticed the three of them.

Xiao Jingxing saw their condition from afar, and his heart felt heavy. But the family looked somewhat unfamiliar to him.

“Grandmother, Mother, look at the people up ahead. Do you recognize them?”

Pei Wanqing was already struggling to hold on. If Nanny Chen had not been supporting her the whole way, she likely would not have been able to continue.

At his words, she looked over, frowned slightly, and shook her head. “I don’t know them. There are many members of the Xiao Family. In earlier years, I followed your father to the border, so I wasn’t in the capital. After we returned, only a few families came by to visit. I don’t recognize most of the clan.”

Old Madam Xiao looked over as well, and for an instant, emotion flickered across her face.

“Isn’t that Granny Liu from your Third Grandfather’s household, along with her daughter-in-law? Why have they been exiled too?”

Old Madam Xiao was puzzled. The imperial edict had stated very clearly that only the implicated clansmen would be exiled. For example, Xiao Yan’s family had always used the Marquis’s Mansion’s influence to throw their weight around everywhere, so their exile was not unjust at all.

But Madam Liu’s family had never even come to the Marquis’s Mansion in ordinary times. Back when Third Master Xiao was still alive, they would only visit during holidays so he could exchange a few words with the Old Marquis.

Ever since Third Master Xiao passed away, Madam Liu’s family had never come to the door again, much less gained any benefits from the Marquis’s Mansion.

Once Old Madam Xiao said this, Xiao Che also remembered.

“Mother, are you talking about Third Uncle Xiao?”

“That’s right. That is your Third Aunt Liu. The other woman is your nephew’s wife, Madam Lu. That child is the only male heir in their family. I don’t remember his name.”

Xiao Jingmo clenched his fists slightly. His eyes, once filled with stars, turned cold.

“Third Grandmother’s family must not have paid them off. When those people couldn’t get any benefits, they reported their names too. That family truly was dragged into this because of us.”

As far as Xiao Jingmo knew, several other Xiao Family households were not on this road of exile at all. They were not entirely innocent either, but as long as they were willing to spend silver, they could still maneuver to keep their whole families safe.

“Daddy, what’s wrong with that little brother? That auntie is so pitiful too. Can we help them?”

Jin Bao stretched out her little head and had also seen what had happened to Lu Shuangshuang’s family. Her small face was filled with sympathy.

She felt that pretty auntie carried something that drew her in. She wanted to help.

Xiao Che stroked his daughter’s little head. “All right. Since our Jin Bao says we should help, then we’ll help.”