Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Night fell.

With no village ahead and no inn behind, the group had no choice but to spend the night in the wilderness.

This was far from their first night sleeping outdoors since leaving the pass.

The Xiao Family had long since fallen into an unspoken rhythm, each person taking care of their own tasks.

Before long, Xiao Jinghao had taken the two little ones, Jin Bao and Xiao Jingyu, to gather a pile of dry firewood.

Nanny Chen started the fire with practiced ease, while Lu Shuangshuang and Pei Wanqing were in charge of heating the food.

Old Madam Xiao and Madam Liu were both getting on in years and could no longer endure the jolting journey. At the moment, they were still leaning against the mule cart, resting.

Dinner was meat buns they had bought from the inn, along with a sweet drink Lu Shuangshuang had boiled with honeysuckle and honey.

Madam Chen’s family of three, along with several others from the Xiao Family Branches, each had only a single coarse black-flour bun.

Madam Chen gnawed on her bun, her eyes never leaving the Main Branch. Her gaze was full of resentment.

When the moon had climbed above the branches, the Xiao Family sat around the bonfire, chatting idly.

Madam Chen’s stomach began to hurt, and she hurried off to relieve herself in a patch of grass nearby.

“Brother Cui, when are we going to send word that the little girl is the Star Maiden?”

Zou Yong and Cui Jin had deliberately chosen a secluded spot to talk.

“We’ll wait until we reach Jinzhou. There are no relay stations on the road from Suizhong to Jinzhou.”

Cui Jin glanced toward the distant bonfire, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He was now certain that the Xiao Family’s adopted daughter was the Star Maiden.

This was a great merit. With this achievement alone, he would be able to catch the eye of someone powerful. From then on, rising swiftly through the ranks would be no problem at all.

Zou Yong wanted a share of the credit too. With a fawning look on his face, he tugged at Cui Jin’s sleeve.

“Brother Cui, if you make it big, you can’t forget your little brother. We’ve been through hardship together, after all.”

Cui Jin’s lips curved up, though the smile never reached his eyes. “Of course. Of course.”

Only after the two of them left did Madam Chen shakily rise from behind the grass. What had she just heard?

That little beggar Pei Wanqing had picked up was the Star Maiden?

But what did Star Maiden mean? From the sound of it, this Star Maiden seemed to be someone very important.

Madam Chen suddenly remembered the time her youngest son had died after eating that chicken drumstick. That wretched little girl seemed to have known there was poison in it.

Could it be that this Star Maiden had the ability to foresee the unknown?

Otherwise, why would such important people want to get their hands on the Star Maiden?

No. She had to hurry and tell her husband.

Madam Chen hastily tied her waistband, circled around, and ran back to camp, afraid that Cui Jin might discover she had been eavesdropping and kill her to silence her.

Beside the bonfire, only Pei Wanqing, Old Madam Xiao, and Xiao Che with his sons remained.

Nanny Chen had been sent by Pei Wanqing to take Jin Bao to rest in the mule cart, while Madam Liu and the other two women in her mother-in-law-and-daughters-in-law group had also gone to sleep in the makeshift tent.

The officers had each found a place to rest as well.

“Husband, Mother, there is something I need to tell you.”

As Pei Wanqing spoke, she glanced around. Seeing that everyone had already fallen asleep and that snores were rising one after another, she finally lowered her voice.

Seeing her daughter-in-law act so cautiously, Old Madam Xiao grew puzzled. They had already been on the road for more than a month. What could her daughter-in-law still be hiding?

It just so happened that Xiao Jingmo and Xiao Che also had something they wanted to tell everyone.

“Mother, what is it?”

Xiao Jingmo looked at Pei Wanqing. Somehow, he felt that what the two sides wanted to say was probably all related to Jin Bao.

“Five years ago, when the Chancellor’s Mansion held a birthday banquet for Old Madam Zheng, I went to the mansion. At the time, a servant spilled soup on my dress, so I went to the rear courtyard to change. By chance, I ran into the Chancellor’s Mansion’s legitimate young lady, who was recuperating from illness in a warm pavilion.

“The first time I saw her, even I, as a woman, was drawn in by her beauty. That was why I remembered her so clearly. Later, when I found Jin Bao, I thought she looked somewhat familiar.”

Pei Wanqing paused there.

Everyone in the Xiao Family was sharp as a tack. The moment they heard this, they understood what Pei Wanqing was about to say.

“Mother, don’t tell me Little Sister looks like that young lady?” Xiao Jinghao found it almost unbelievable.

“That’s right. I would say they are about eighty percent alike. Otherwise, Old Madam Zheng would not have lost her composure like that.”

When Pei Wanqing saw Old Madam Zheng today, her heart had been in her throat the entire time. She had been terrified that the old madam would press her for answers. Fortunately, Old Madam Zheng had not asked too many questions.

Xiao Jingmo, however, frowned deeply.

“This isn’t good. I think Old Madam Zheng may already be suspicious.”
Pei Wanqing was jolted awake by her son’s words. That was right. If her own child had died and she came across someone so similar, she would send people to investigate it thoroughly too. And Old Madam Zheng was no ordinary woman.

Then there was the Xie family token she had given them today. Given the relationship between the Xiao Family and the Xie family, Old Madam Zheng had no reason to wade into these muddy waters. Since she had given it to them, it meant she had grown suspicious.

Pei Wanqing felt like she truly had a pig’s brain. Why hadn’t she realized it at the time?

“Mother, what should we do?”

Pei Wanqing looked at Old Madam Xiao.

“Don’t panic. Back then, Old Madam Zheng’s daughter really did die together with the child in her womb. The Emperor saw it with his own eyes. Jin Bao shouldn’t be…”

“Grandmother-”

Before Old Madam Xiao could finish, Xiao Jingmo called out softly, his tone rather hesitant.

Everyone turned to look at Xiao Jingmo.

“Mo’er, what is it?”

Xiao Jingmo bit his lip before saying, “Grandmother, Mother, Third Brother, Eldest Brother is still alive. Today, I received a letter from him.”

“What?!”

Pei Wanqing almost cried out in shock, but Xiao Che clamped a hand over her mouth.

Old Madam Xiao’s eyes reddened even more, and even her hands were trembling. Xiao Jingmo held them tightly.

“Grandmother, Mother, it’s true. This is the letter Eldest Brother sent me. All of you, take a look.”

Xiao Jingmo glanced around. Seeing nothing unusual, he handed the slip of paper to Old Madam Xiao.

Only after everyone had read it did they toss the note into the fire and burn it to ash.

It took the Xiao Family quite some time to absorb the news and come back to themselves.

Old Madam Xiao was clearly in much better spirits than before.

Pei Wanqing was both overjoyed and worried.

“But how could Jin Bao possibly be…? She’s the Star Maiden, and people already know. We’re still in exile right now. I’m afraid we won’t be able to protect her.”

The moment Pei Wanqing spoke, anxiety crept into her voice. No wonder Master Huiyuan had said Jin Bao was their benefactor.

Wasn’t she exactly that? Not only the benefactor of their Marquis’s Mansion, but the benefactor of the entire world.

“Che’er, we cannot be softhearted. Jin Bao must never fall into the hands of those with ulterior motives. Otherwise, chaos will descend on the realm, and the people will suffer.”

Old Madam Xiao was worthy of being the old madam of the Marquis’s Mansion. She very quickly grasped the crux of the matter.

Right now, the only people who knew Jin Bao was the Star Maiden were those from their Marquis’s Mansion. Cui Jin and Zou Yong might also know about it. To prevent the news from leaking, the safest course was to get rid of those two directly.

As long as everyone who knew Jin Bao’s identity was killed, Jin Bao would be safe.

“Mother, don’t worry. I understand.”

Xiao Jingmo looked toward Madam Liu’s family of three in the tent, as well as Li Si and Zhu Laosan.

“Grandmother, those people know too. What should we do?”

Old Madam Xiao pondered for a while before saying, “Madam Liu and her daughter-in-law should be fine. They are relying on our Main Branch now. As for those two bailiffs, although they know Jin Bao is extraordinary, they likely don’t know about the Star Maiden. There is no need to rush for now, but we cannot lower our guard either. Keep watching them. The moment they make any unusual move, they must be killed too.”

After the Xiao Family finished discussing their countermeasures, they each lay down to rest.

Madam Chen, however, kept her eyes shut the entire time without falling asleep. Her heart thudded wildly, and all kinds of thoughts churned in her mind. Only after she heard the people of the Main Branch fall asleep did she crawl over to Xiao Yan and push him awake.

Xiao Yan had been sleeping soundly. Disturbed, he was furious and was about to lose his temper when Madam Chen covered his mouth.

“Shh, don’t talk. I heard something enormous.”

Only then did Xiao Yan impatiently swat Madam Chen’s hand away.

Madam Chen told Xiao Yan every word of what she had overheard.

At that, Xiao Yan’s drowsiness vanished completely, and his eyes went wide. “Is everything you said true?”

“Absolutely true. There can be no mistake.”

Xiao Yan tugged at his beard with one hand, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes.

“Once we reach Jinzhou, we’ll find a way to send a letter to the capital and tell the Emperor about this. This is a great merit. Whether we can be pardoned, given official posts, and raised in rank all depends on this. Keep your mouth shut tight.”

Madam Chen hurriedly covered her own mouth and nodded hard.