Chapter 34: The Little Brat is Actually Somewhat Reliable

The convicts stopped wailing, likely thoroughly terrified by the recent earth-shaking commotion. Now, they didn't even need the guards to drive them forward; they followed the procession at a brisk pace of their own accord.

Lady Yu leaned her head against Zhao Xun's shoulder. Though her face remained expressionless, her heart once again felt deep gratitude toward that unreliable youngest son of hers.

Previously, she had felt it was a bit of a loss to trade water skins and food for Miss Zhao's strength, but only now did she realize that the little brat actually possessed a bit of foresight.

If that spendthrift boy hadn't arranged for this girl to help carry people, her old life would likely have ended on the road.

Ruoyu was also a good child; after her fever broke, she insisted on walking on her own rather than letting Miss Zhao carry her. Otherwise, with this forced march speed, the journey would have been truly unbearable.

The loss of a large cart of shackles and locks just now had actually made the journey much easier for the convicts.

Currently, aside from the heavy criminals from Dragon Tiger Fortress and Boss Sha who were still wearing collars and locks, everyone else was traveling light.

Xin Nian had not slept all night, yet her spirits were surprisingly good.

Xie Ninglan whispered beside her, "Daughter, where did you go just now? Why were you gone so long? Your father and I were worried sick."

Xin Nian winked at her mother and didn't go into detail, simply saying she had pulled off a big deal and obtained many good things.

"Xiao Chang has traveled through as well," Xie Ninglan suddenly said happily. "I wonder how much of her superpower has recovered. With Xiao Chang here, we won't have to worry about running out of water anymore. That's wonderful."

"From what the Chang family said, her original body was in a daze for over ten years and only regained consciousness last night," Xin Nian said with a pout. "She probably hasn't even reached the threshold of recovering her powers yet."

"True, that can't be rushed." Xie Ninglan felt a pang of regret that she hadn't been able to say more to Xiao Chang before the girl was pulled away by her family.

"Daughter, our squad fought that disgusting two-headed monster together. At the moment we were all going down together, you traveled through, and now Xiao Chang has come too. I was thinking, there were six of us in the squad, and now five are gathered. I bet your eldest brother has also swapped souls upon waking up."

Xin Nian nodded. Yes, her eldest brother definitely came. He was so strong; if even a weakling like Xiao Chang could make it, it was impossible for him not to.

"Then I think... there's an eighty or ninety percent chance Pangpang came too."

"Mm." Xin Nian nodded again. Pangpang was a single-minded child; seeing them gone, he probably would have jumped down to fight to the death, following them to the...

"Do you think Pangpang might be in this exile convoy too?"

Xin Nian: "..."

"Can't you wish him something better? Think about it, Pangpang's luck has always been superb. He shouldn't have a disastrous start."

"Ah, right." Xie Ninglan nodded repeatedly. "Ah, right, right, right. Daughter, you're right. We can't compare him to an unlucky soul like Xiao Chang. Even if Pangpang traveled through, he shouldn't start off in exile. Maybe he traveled into the body of a Steppe Khan or some Great Warlord of the Northwest?"

*That wouldn't be necessary,* Xin Nian thought, finding it both funny and absurd.

"I remember Xiao Chang saying once that when she was born, she wasn't even as big as a thermos. Her parents thought she wouldn't survive, so they threw her by the roadside to fend for herself."

"After the orphanage picked her up, she looked like she was about to die eighteen times a day. Before the age of five, she had to sleep fifteen or sixteen hours every single day. The director named her Mianmian, using the director's surname. Later, they realized the name was terrible—Chang Mianmian, Chang Mianmian—it sounded just like 'eternal sleep'..."

Xin Nian couldn't help but chuckle.

"Fortunately, Xiao Chang is a resilient child." As Xie Ninglan was rambling, she saw Mei Zhuqing, the second daughter-in-law of the eldest branch, walking quickly toward them while holding her young daughter, Xin Man'er.

"Sixth Sister, thanks to your timely help just now, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law asked me to come and thank you on their behalf."

Xin Nian nodded, her gaze falling on Mei Zhuqing's stomach. She frowned. "Do you know that you are pregnant?"

Mei Zhuqing froze, then nodded with a bitter smile. "I know."

"Then have you felt a heavy, pulling sensation in your lower abdomen these past two days?"

Mei Zhuqing nodded hurriedly. "Sixth Sister, you can tell? Do you know medicine?"

Xin Nian didn't answer directly, only saying calmly, "You've been rushing back and forth these past two days. Do you realize your pregnancy is unstable?"

"You still have to look after your young daughter. Don't meddle in other matters; take better care of your own health."

*The ancients are so virtuous,* Xin Nian thought. *Carrying a pregnant belly while looking after a young child, barely managing herself, yet still trying to serve a delicate mother-in-law...*

The impression the eldest aunt, Nie Shi, had left on her and Xie Ninglan over the past few days was simply: crying!

She cried so much it was as if her tears would never run dry. All day long, at the slightest trivial matter, she had one word: crying!

Mei Zhuqing wore a bitter smile. "A physician was called to examine me three days before the house seizure; I was over three months pregnant then. I thought the pregnancy had settled and that with my constitution, the journey wouldn't be an issue. I didn't expect... that the child would still be out of my reach."

"If... there is nothing to be done."

Xin Nian thought for a moment and asked, "Do you want to save this child?"

Mei Zhuqing answered almost without hesitation, "Of course I do. If possible, I would fight with my life to keep this pregnancy. But... there are so many dangers and hardships on the road; many things are beyond my control."

Xin Nian gave a soft "Mm." "If you are determined to keep it, I can help you."

"But you must consider this: once the child is born, it will be your responsibility for life, with no way out. Your second brother is on the front lines defending the country; he might already be dead. If you keep this child, you will be a widow and an orphan raising two children alone. In a desolate place like the North, life will surely be much harder than for others."

"I am not afraid of hardship. I have my hands and feet; as long as I recover, I will have endless strength to work. Sixth Sister, if you have a way, please, you must help me." Mei Zhuqing looked at Xin Nian with burning eyes.

Xin Nian nodded slightly. "As long as you have made up your mind. I will brew some stabilizing medicine for you tonight. After three doses, it should be fine."

Overjoyed, Mei Zhuqing thanked her repeatedly.

Xin Nian glanced at her. "Have you practiced martial arts?"

Mei Zhuqing smiled sheepishly. "I learned a bit of boxing and kicking from my father back home, but it was very mediocre."

"That's good enough." If this girl hadn't been physically sturdy, she would have suffered immensely on this journey.

If it were someone as delicate as Nie Shi, forget about saving the pregnancy—she'd likely be meeting the Buddha herself...

"Hang in there. Once we rest this evening, come find me."

"Alright, I will definitely hold on."

Xin Nian glanced at Xin Wanqing not far away and said expressionlessly, "Why is Eldest Sister always walking with the people from the Third Branch? Eldest Aunt's ankle is sprained; let her go over and care for her."

Mei Zhuqing spoke of it with some helplessness. "Third Aunt was quite startled just now and can't walk well at the moment. Eldest Sister said she would support her for a while."

"And she also has to look after Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister; they were quite frightened as well."

Xin Nian silently rolled her eyes.

Her eldest sister was a good person, but she was far too much of a "Holy Mother." Her own side was a group of widows and orphans, so why was she meddling in the Third Branch's business?

The man from the Third Branch wasn't dead, so how did he manage to be perfectly invisible?

Perhaps she just didn't understand ancient large families.

As the legitimate eldest sister, her responsibility was likely to look after all her younger brothers and sisters...