Chapter 8: Exile Is Not a Vacation

Xin Nian nodded. "This old guard surnamed Zhang is in cahoots with the head guard, Liang Guang. I reckon he doesn't get along with that 'Bristly Beard' fellow."

"Grandfather is, after all, a high-ranking official; you have that backing behind you. Head Guard Liang likely doesn't want to offend the Xie family's daughter."

Xie Ninglan nodded, pulled her daughter back to the group, and gestured to Xin Wenyuan across the crowd to put his mind at ease.

The guards were constantly shouting at everyone to get moving, and the crowd let out another wave of wails.

The old guard quietly approached Liang Guang and whispered, "Sir, the word from the Ministry of Rites mansion is that they want to come by and drop off some things before we leave the main road tomorrow morning. It seems they are quite concerned about this girl."

Liang Guang glanced at him, and the old guard immediately understood. He chuckled, leaned in closer, pulled a bulging package from his robes, and stuffed it into Liang Guang's hand.

Liang Guang weighed it and felt satisfied. "Tell them to be quick when they make the private handover."

"This one understands," the old guard grinned. "As for that Bristly Beard, he’s so reckless in his work—he cracks his whip whenever he feels like it. If that whip were to land on the Xie girl, it would be a disaster. He nearly ruined things just now..."

At the mention of Bristly Beard, Liang Guang’s expression darkened slightly. "Have Xiao Jia keep an eye on him."

The old guard nodded. "Rest assured, sir."

"Oh, and one more thing: the heavy shackles on those leaders from the Dragon-Tiger Stronghold must not be removed. Send more men to watch them closely; we cannot let them escape."

These were all high-security prisoners; if they escaped mid-journey, none of them could bear the responsibility.

"Yes, sir."

Whips cracked against the ground, sending dust swirling into the air.

The exiles were driven like livestock, their chains and shackles clanking loudly. Everyone looked listless, swaying as they walked and groaning in misery.

Xie Ninglan and her daughter had both changed into the sheepskin-lined shoes specially prepared by the Ministry of Rites mansion. Following behind the crowd, they whispered to each other, "Mom, I’ve more or less gotten the hang of my dual-element abilities. How about you?"

Before they transmigrated, her mother had been a highly respected senior doctor at the Academy of Agricultural Sciences, famous for using her wood-element ability to cultivate new seeds and conduct research.

Her mother was an agricultural university graduate, and her father had been a civil engineer before the apocalypse. After the apocalypse broke out, none of the four family members had abilities at first.

Back then, they relied entirely on her parents' agricultural and construction skills to keep the family fed.

Later, they gradually awakened their physical abilities. Xie Ninglan’s wood-element ability happened to complement her profession perfectly, and naturally, their lives kept getting better.

"After all this effort, this is all I have to show for it," Xie Ninglan said with a bitter face, winking at her daughter and gesturing for her to look at her fingertips.

Xin Nian looked down and saw a tiny pink flower blooming from her mother’s fingertip, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"This fingertip flower is actually quite pretty," Xin Nian praised sincerely. "Don't worry, it’s like that at the beginning. I can't channel much energy either. The natural energy here is rich and abundant; once we fully integrate with these bodies, cultivation shouldn't be difficult later on."

Xie Ninglan was very unaccustomed to this body, which gasped for air after walking just a few steps. She complained in a low voice, "The physical condition is terrible. I’m already dizzy and out of breath after walking for half a morning."

"It can't be helped; ancient noblewomen are raised in the sheltered depths of the inner chambers," Xin Nian sighed. "We can only find ways to exercise slowly. Later, I’ll convert some energy and see if I can use my healing ability to assist you a bit."

"Focus on your own recovery first; there’s no rush for me."

This wasn't something that could be rushed. It all depended on how much her daughter could recover within a day.

Xie Ninglan had always had an inexplicable confidence in her daughter. She believed that as long as her daughter could recover, most of their problems would be solved!

"Reach the small post station on the outskirts of the capital before dark! If you're late and have to sleep in the wilderness, you'll bear the consequences yourself!" Several loud-mouthed guards were shouting again, their voices clearly tinged with impatience.

"Look at you lot, so pathetic! You haven't even left the main road yet, and you're acting like your parents just died!"

"Let me tell you, once we leave the capital, the road will only get harder. The more remote the place, the more difficult the travel!"

"All of you, watch your skin! Keep up, keep up, hurry up! You—you brat, are you looking for a lashing? Dragging your feet and dawdling—watch out, my whip doesn't have eyes!"

Xie Ninglan and her daughter were chained to the old matriarch, Xin Ruoyu, and Xin Mengxue. Hearing Xin Mengxue’s intermittent sobbing, they couldn't help but get a headache.

"What was this girl's name again? Why won't she stop crying?" Doesn't crying take effort? And crying doesn't solve anything, either.

Xie Ninglan was completely baffled.

Xin Nian wanted to laugh. "She is the legitimate daughter of the Third Uncle, Xin Wen'an. She’s the fourth child, named Xin Mengxue. The third branch only has two daughters; besides her, there’s a fifth daughter from a concubine named Xin Mengye."

"And the one in front?"

"That’s the second branch’s daughter, the third sister, Xin Ruoyu," Xin Nian explained in a low voice. "The Second Uncle was a romantic. When the Second Aunt died giving birth to her, he was so traumatized that he ran away from home."

"According to my memories, the Second Uncle has been wandering the world for eighteen years and hasn't returned to the Duke's mansion even once. That’s why the third sister has always been raised by the old matriarch and is very close to her."

"Ugh..." Xie Ninglan was speechless. She gritted her teeth and cursed, "What a psycho. His wife risked her life to give him a child, and he just dumps the girl and runs off? Is that how a father acts?"

"And your father—judging by what your grandmother said, he probably isn't much better. On the day of the raid, he was still fighting and bickering with his wife, and he even knocked me unconscious!" Xie Ninglan said indignantly. "I think this whole Duke's mansion is full of lunatics."

Xin Nian was caught between laughter and tears. "How is that my father? My father is up ahead, looking back at us as he walks."

"That's true," Xie Ninglan waved at Xin Wenyuan. "Your father couldn't be that piece of trash. Our Old Xin is much more reliable."

"Sigh, I wonder if we can buy anything when we reach the small post station tonight. If we could buy a small pot to boil some hot water, that would be great. We can't keep drinking cold water every day; I'm afraid my stomach won't be able to take it."

"Mom, don't get brainwashed by those cheesy short dramas. Exile isn't a vacation. Buying things? Keep dreaming!"

"The water quality in ancient times is probably better than ours. Back home, we had to use purification tablets to filter the groundwater multiple times. This is definitely cleaner than the water after the apocalypse. At most, there might be some plankton or animal feces in it."

Xie Ninglan didn't want to talk anymore.

She missed the large supply of mineral water stored in her daughter's space.

"This is just the beginning. Don't worry, it will only get worse from here."

Xie Ninglan:...

Daughter, please shut up! I don't really want to hear you talk.

"Third Sister," Xin Mengxue suddenly called out, turning to look at Xie Ninglan and her daughter. "Fourth Aunt, please help me support Third Sister."

"What's wrong?" Xie Ninglan dragged her chains forward a few steps and reached out to support Xin Ruoyu, who was leaning heavily against Xin Mengxue.

As soon as she touched her forehead, she was startled.

"She has a fever!"

"It must be that the wound on her back has become infected," Xin Nian frowned.