Chapter 5: The Simple Villagers

While they were talking, Cheng Jiuyue had already rushed to the pot.

Cheng Qiuluo moved fast, pouring the last bit of broth from the pot into her own bowl and drinking it clean right in front of her.

"Want some? Go find your mother! Get her to make it for you!"

Zhao Shi had just walked out from the small grove behind them. Seeing the scene, her eyes darted, and she suddenly began slapping her thigh, wailing and weeping to the heavens.

"Husband! Look at this—because of the Pingnan Marquis Residence you were beheaded, and see how these heartless people treat us widows and orphans!"

Zhao Shi pointed at them, tears streaming down as she made her accusation.

"Old and young alike, they're all bullying us!"

Cheng Qiuluo kicked a piece of firewood still sparking over to her feet.

"Shut your mouth. Keep yelling and I'll shove this in it!"

Cheng Qiuluo's face was taut, her eyes flashing with fury and undisguised contempt.

"That bastard Cheng Guangzu—over the years, relying on the Marquis Residence's power, how many decent women did he bully?! Women in their thirties, girls in their teens, he didn't spare a single one. Even without that Imperial Decree, our Cheng Family would have had to purge his branch sooner or later!"

She tilted her chin toward the firewood at Zhao Shi's feet.

"Want soup? If you could get roasted meat from the Jiedai, getting a bit more meat to make soup shouldn't be hard, right?"

"Or is it that your family, after clinging to our Pingnan Marquis Residence for over ten years, has grown so used to a life of luxury—clothes brought to you, meals set before you—that you've even forgotten how to light a fire and cook?"

Seeing her mocking gaze, Zhao Jiaojiao's face turned awkward and ugly.

She had grown up in the countryside and known how to light fires and cook since childhood, but ever since Cheng Guangzu was acknowledged by the clan and latched onto the Pingnan Marquis Residence's coattails, she hadn't done any of that for ten years and had long grown rusty.

But Cheng Jiuyue had no idea what her mother was thinking and just kept crying and making a fuss.

"Mama, I want meat soup, I want meat soup!"

*Slap*

Driven to shame and fury by her daughter's tantrum, Zhao Jiaojiao flew into a rage and slapped her across the face.

"Eat, eat, eat—always eating! Figure it out yourself!"

With that, Zhao Shi turned and walked toward the shade of a nearby tree.

Cheng Jiuyue covered her face, bit her lip, and looked at Yu'an surrounded and protected by her kin, her eyes blazing with jealousy.

They're both just girls—why does Cheng Yu'an get pampered and loved by everyone in the Pingnan Marquis Residence?!

Just because she was born lucky?!

The most infuriating part was that even though their whole family was living on borrowed time, they still treasured her so!

That was what she envied most of all!

Sensing her gaze, Cheng Qiuluo stepped forward to block her view and shook her fist at her.

"Your mother's already gone. You still want to make trouble?"

Cheng Jiuyue glared at her, then turned and left.

So what if their family used to be powerful and prestigious? Now they were nothing but prisoners.

She was different—her mother would soon take her away from here.

And Cheng Yu'an only deserved to wait for death in a bitter, cold place like Bei Huang!

After getting Cheng Old Madam's permission, Cheng Qiuluo picked up the two bowls of soup she'd set aside earlier and walked to a corner at the back.

Beside a thicket sat another mother and daughter.

"Aunt Xu, Jiuling, have some soup."

Xu Shi took the bowl, nodded, and thanked her.

"Many thanks."

In the distance, seeing this, Zhao Shi disdainfully rolled her eyes.

Her own son had died on the battlefield because of Cheng He's mistake, and she didn't dare utter a single word against the Cheng Family—yet give her a bowl of soup and she starts wagging her tail like a happy dog?

Pathetic creature!

A bowl of hot soup, along with the medicine she'd taken earlier, restored much of Cheng Old Madam's strength. Once the Jiedai had eaten and drunk their fill, they continued driving the Cheng Family women onward.

As the sun was about to set, the group arrived outside the small village Feng Shan had mentioned.

Wu Meng borrowed an abandoned little courtyard from the village chief. While talking with him, the village chief kept glancing, whether intentionally or not, toward the Cheng Family.

Off-screen, An Luo leaned in closer for a careful look.

"Strange, he seems pretty worked up. Could this village chief know the Cheng Family?"

She soon got her answer.

After night had fully fallen, the group had also settled into the little courtyard.

Suddenly, a knock came from outside the courtyard gate.

"Cheng Old Madam!"

The Cheng Family had closed the door and were about to divide up the steamed buns when they heard the voice.

Walking outside, they found the courtyard gate already opened by Wu Meng. An old woman with a head full of white hair stood outside, a basket on her arm.

Cheng Old Madam stepped forward a few paces.

"Old sister, do you know me?"

The old woman nodded, her voice trembling with emotion.

"How could I not? Thirty years ago, you and the Old Marquis saved the lives of our entire family at the border!"

The old woman's eyes reddened, her voice catching with a sob.

"For these thirty years, my husband and I have longed day after day to see our benefactors again. If we could thank them in person, we could die without regret."

"But now…"

The old woman covered her face and wept.

"This old woman would rather carry this regret down to the grave."

Hearing these words, Wu Meng's brow furrowed tightly.

How is it that wherever they stopped to rest, they ran into someone who had received the Cheng Family's kindness?

"Enough! If there's nothing else, hurry back. You're not allowed to have contact with the prisoners!"

The old woman wiped her tears dry and quickly pulled back the cloth covering her basket.

"I made too much food. It'd be a shame to let it go bad."

Saying that, she set down the basket and hurried off into the distance.

At this moment, a middle-aged woman with a blue headscarf also came over, a basket on her arm.

Noticing the Jiedai's unfriendly expression, she muttered under her breath.

"That wasteful daughter-in-law — five people in the household, and she made enough for seven or eight! If it's left till tomorrow, won't it just go bad?!"

She cursed a few more times in a low voice, then set her basket down.

She glanced at the cured meat and cured sausages in the basket.

Wu Meng:...

If you hadn't put these here, I might actually have believed it!

After that, a few more people came bringing food...

Old Madam Cheng blinked her moist eyes. These were the common folk the Cheng Family Army had protected — so simple, so sincere.

She led the younger generation in a deep bow toward the direction the villagers had left, told Meng Shi to carry the two baskets of food back inside, and then looked at Cheng Qiuluo.

Cheng Qiuluo nodded in understanding and handed the remaining few baskets to Wu Meng.

"Colonel Wu, let's all eat together."

Carrying the baskets of food back to the room, Feng Shan clicked his tongue at the sight of the flatbreads and cured meat inside.

"Well I'll be — these villagers are really generous! No wonder that one over there is so wary of the Cheng Family."

Hearing his words, Wu Meng's gaze instantly turned sharp. He rushed over, shut the room door tight, and jabbed a finger at Feng Shan, hissing in a low, furious voice.

"Is that the sort of thing you should be saying?! Don't you want to live?!"

Feng Shan waved his hand dismissively, still not taking it seriously.

"Isn't it just because there's no one else here?"

Wu Meng glared at him.

"If someone with ill intentions overheard, I couldn't protect you!"

Feng Shan stuffed a mixed-flour bun filled with salted meat and wild vegetables into his mouth.

"I got it. I won't say it again from now on, alright?"

Meanwhile, Cheng Qiuruo and Cheng Qiuluo had just finished boiling hot water when they saw Yu'an trotting back.

"Yu'an, where did you just go?"

Yu'an pointed in a direction with his little finger.

"Aunt, I went to the latrine."

Hearing this, Cheng Qiuluo immediately grew serious.

"Didn't we say before? If you need to use the latrine, you must let us take you."

Yu'an lowered his little head.

"I'm sorry, Little Aunt. I'll be sure to remember next time."

Everyone had been exhausted for so many days, and now that they could finally rest, he didn't want to trouble the Ancestors over such a small thing.

Cheng Qiuruo sighed, then ruffled his forehead.

"Go back and rest first."

Suddenly, Cheng Qiuluo's ears twitched, her gaze sharpened, and she strode quickly toward a certain corner.

"A-Luo, where are you going?"

Cheng Qiuruo was just wondering when she heard her younger sister's questioning voice.

"Why are you here?!"