Chapter 17

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Chapter 17: Someone Wants Her Food! Such Audacity!

Taking advantage of the guards organizing a group for a restroom break, Chu Xiulan discreetly left with her family.

Jiang Wu softly called Du Yinsui\’s name twice, but there was no response. He dared only to glance around the cart without even daring to roll up his pant legs, quietly waiting for the Qin family to return and take over the watch.

But was Du Yinsui unconscious or just asleep? Jiang Wu leaned closer, carefully reached out a finger, and checked under Du Yinsui\’s nose.

Yes, she was breathing.

Jiang Wu quickly sat up straight, adjusting himself to a formal posture, and moved away a bit.

Even though she hadn\’t woken up, Du girl seemed to know everything about the items the Sanqiao Post Station granny gifted, spotted the honeysuckle at the perfect moment… and even knew about Jiang Wu giving up part of his food and water share for her.

This unconscious person appeared more aware than when awake. With Du Yinsui\’s eyes shut tight, Jiang Wu still suspected she knew everything happening around her.

Jiang Wu glanced at the spot where he had stood talking with Chu Xiulan earlier, feeling frustrated by the short chain. He hoped Du Yinsui hadn\’t overheard the \"your…\" part, especially not the \"pig\" part.

If Chu Xiulan had been there, knowing Jiang Wu cared more about \"your\" than \"pig,\" she\’d have been speechless.

Jiang Wu had told Chu Xiulan a lot about last night—explaining the kids and the moldy mung bean cake, and asking for her thoughts on Du Yinsui\’s condition. He truly feared Du girl was hurt, though he\’d never heard of anyone hurt like this.

But while Jiang Wu shared much with Chu Xiulan, there was also much… he didn\’t.

It wasn\’t that he didn\’t want to say it for her opinion, but… he didn\’t know how to explain it.

Jiang Wu looked at the \"food clothes\" placed by the cart, returned by Chu Xiulan.

Last night, a shadow moved suddenly, and before the three of them could react, the moldy mung bean cake bowl had been licked clean. Then, Du Yinsui pulled something from her prisoner\’s clothes and silently gobbled it all down.

Honestly, under the hazy moonlight, Jiang Wu and the two kids were shocked by the weird scene. Only when Du Yinsui lifted her head, showed the empty gauze pouch, and talked about the Sanqiao Post Station granny did Jiang Wu understand her sleepy mumbles about \"egg\" and \"don\’t throw it away.\"

And though those events were surprising, nothing was too private to tell Chu Xiulan.

What Jiang Wu couldn\’t share was what happened later.

The morning breeze by the river was strong, carrying water vapor, and it fluttered through the half-empty \"food clothes\" by Jiang Wu\’s hand, spreading the cloth open.

Folding the food clothes, Jiang Wu tucked them near Du Yinsui and covered them with loose prisoner\’s clothing.

As he worked, his mind drifted back to last night: Du Yinsui had pulled out that odd-shaped clothing scrap, showed it off, and said, \"That granny said the stuff is for you, and told me to live well with you. Since we\’re married now, we\’re family, so you\’ll share some of this with me, right?\"

Even after a night, Jiang Wu clearly recalled Du Yinsui\’s light tone, how \"we\’re married\" slipped out easily, without any hesitation.

It was wonderful. Du girl seemed to have let go of her anger over the forced marriage and maybe even her wish to die.

But it was awful. When Jiang Wu heard \"we\’re married, we\’re family,\" his heart skipped a beat shamefully, and his mind went blank for a second.

Jiang Wu knew Du Yinsui only said that to get food from the pocket, nothing more.

Someone who\’d wanted to die days ago couldn\’t accept her unfair fate so fast…

And a person like him, who only burdened others, couldn\’t have a family.

But…

In the morning breeze, Jiang Wu pressed his hand tightly to his chest, eyes lowered to hide the pointless sadness and push away the useless daydreams.

Du Yinsui, so close by, had no idea her casual plea for food had stirred such feelings in Jiang Wu.

Just as Chu Xiulan, on her way to the restroom, never guessed that in the short time she was gone, Jiang Wu\’s slightly flushed face had turned into slightly red eyes.

\"Father, back when Jiang Wu was in the Palace, did he often blush?\" Chu Xiulan quickly recounted last night’s events to her father-in-law while walking, genuinely curious if Jiang Wu, as the former Crown Prince, had blushed as readily over trivial matters as he did now.

A Crown Prince who blushed easily struck her as amusing. Having never met him before, her curiosity was piqued.

Qin Chongli, still processing the tale of the twice-suicidal girl possessed by a pig spirit, was caught off guard when his daughter-in-law shifted topics to Jiang Wu’s past. He lowered his voice after a pause. \"He was always poised and unflappable; I never saw him blush. Why do you ask?\"

\"Oh, just wondering,\" Chu Xiulan smiled.

\"If he’d been unstable, blushing often, he wouldn’t have lasted this long to…\" Qin Chongli trailed off, murmuring, \"Or perhaps it wasn’t because of him.\"

\"Father, what was that?\" Chu Xiulan stepped around a tree root, moving ahead and missing his words.

Qin Chongli shook his head. It was baseless speculation, and pointless now.

\"Enough of the past. I only tutored him monthly. How much could I know?\" Stirred by unwelcome memories, Qin Chongli waved a dismissive hand and quickened his pace.

\"Why so irritable…?\" Unaware she’d touched a nerve, Chu Xiulan calculated silently. *The Crown Prince started lessons at six—that’s over a hundred sessions. Surely Father knows Jiang Wu better than I do, having met him only after imprisonment. Why the anger?*

*Wait—as the Crown Prince’s mentor, did Father teach only once a month?*

Managing household affairs, she’d never probed her father-in-law’s duties, especially royal matters. But this seemed odd.

\"Father, Father…\" New questions arising, Chu Xiulan hurried after her vexed father-in-law.

While some exiles dismissed the past, others clung to it fiercely.

\"I’m not going. Mother, you’re just his wet nurse, not his mother. Why would he save food for you? Is he stupid?\" Li Dayong smashed a coarse bun flat, rolled it up, and devoured it in two bites before grabbing another. \"Besides, what’s he got? Just those black bread loaves. Not worth the trip. Nothing good comes from associating with him. We’re exiled—stay clear.\"

Sun Xinang watched her son wolf down food, wanting to argue but swallowing her words at the sight of his bun-crushing hands.

*If my son won’t listen, my daughter might.*

\"Juan’er,\" Sun Xinang turned to her daughter rolling dough.

\"Mother, this won’t last till tomorrow. Why aren’t we heading to town?\" Li Xiaojuan nibbled her dough, frowning. \"My feet are raw from these mountain paths. Once in town, we must buy a cart. The Kong family has two carts—what’s the fuss? Don’t be so timid. Right, brother?\"

\"Buying one’s fine. Walking tires Mother,\" Li Dayong chuckled. \"I’ve carried you half the way—how are *your* feet raw?\"

\"No cart. Did you hear what the Kong family paid for their buns?\" Sun Xinang hissed, \"They’re corrupt officials. What are we?\"

\"It’s not like we lack—\" Li Xiaojuan pried her mother’s hand from her mouth. \"Fine, I’ll stop.\"

Sun Xinang glared. \"Finish that, rinse your mouth, and go to him. The guards will hand out breakfast soon.\"

\"I won’t.\" Li Xiaojuan turned away. \"Brother’s right. Even if I got you one, it’s just a black bread loaf. We don’t eat that slop.\"

\"Do it to ease my mind. Go now, or I won’t buy you a thing in town. You’ll eat their black bread.\"

\"Mother—\" Li Xiaojuan tried to whine but wilted under her mother’s stern look.

Unlike Li Dayong, whose merits spared the family, Li Xiaojuan didn’t dare defy the family purse-holder.

\"Fine. *Once*.\" Brushing crumbs off, Li Xiaojuan stood.

*Once? You’ll go daily. If not for the tight guard watch earlier…* Sun Xinang kept this to herself. First steps were hardest.

\"Wipe your hands. Rinse again.\" Sun Xinang passed a cloth and water. \"Know what to say?\"

\"Yes, yes,\" Li Xiaojuan gulped water and strode off, tossing back, \"Relax, Mother. He owes us. I’ll get you more than bread—maybe even his cart!\"

Sun Xinang: \"…\"

\"Juan’er’s optimistic,\" Li Dayong drank from the canteen, smirking. \"Back when he was Crown Prince, he played the generous lord. Now? What’s he got to give? A loaf might make him skip a meal, but it won’t soothe our misery. I’d rather end him quick.\"

Sun Xinang’s face palmed. She lunged to cover his mouth but missed as he finished.

\"Relax, Mother. Many want him dead,\" Li Dayong nodded toward his sister nearing the rickety cart. \"But let Juan’er learn her lesson. Wager? I say she returns empty-handed. You?\"

\"She’ll succeed. If not her, I will.\" Sun Xinang paused, adding sharply, \"And no more talk of killing. Walls have ears.\"

Li Dayong scowled. This petty bread-snatching revenge baffled him. *If it were me…* He cracked his knuckles, eyes dark.

By the wooden cart, before any Qin family member returned, Jiang Wu faced an unexpected visitor.

\"Jiang. Rations are short. My elderly mother’s starved for days.\" Li Xiaojuan eyed the figure lying on the cart. \"Give your breakfast to her. That one’s asleep—can’t eat. Hers too—\"

As a spirit, Du Yinsui never tired, remaining alert day and night. Yet upon fully awakening, accumulated mental fatigue struck hard.

The moonless night was windy, but Jiang Wu’s warmth beside her lulled Du Yinsui into deep, dreamless sleep.

Until…

A muffled voice pierced her haze…

*Someone’s stealing my food!*

*How dare they!*