Chapter 24

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Chapter 24: "Sometimes, hatred could keep a person alive."

They had departed from the Capital at the end of the ninth lunar month. After five days on the road, they had now entered October. As time marched toward winter, their journey led northward. Linzhou was notoriously desolate and bitterly cold. Du Yinsui touched her half-empty stomach and glanced at the thin clothing worn by those around her. In their current state, they wouldn’t even survive Linzhou’s hardships—they’d likely perish on the road.

Food, clothing, bedding, medicine…

Survival demanded many things, yet acquiring them depended entirely on the guards’ attitudes. To know both oneself and the enemy, information about their adversaries must come from the Wei family, who had once accompanied Tan Wang into exile in the Northern lands.

Chu Xiulan had accepted the task assigned by the little Du girl but hadn’t yet found the Wei family girl when the guards began shouting orders to move out. Today’s midday break proved shorter than previous days. Prisoners groaned while under-rested guards also complained.

Du Yinsui frowned at thick clouds drifting from afar. "It will rain."

Identical words came from Tan Wang at the column’s head. Having dismissed the grumbling Zhao Qi, Tan Wang scanned his fellow guards and sighed deeply.

Darkening clouds, low-flying dragonflies, and strengthening damp winds were basic signs of approaching rain. Tan Wang knew Zhao Qi hadn’t forgotten this, yet the man still complained—proof his mind had strayed from duty. If Zhao Qi was thus distracted, what of his constant companion Cui Wu? Or Wu Li, Ma Datou, Chen Gang, and the other guards?

Guarding was thankless labor vulnerable to superiors’ threats and bribes. Tan Wang couldn’t resist such pressure, nor did he expect others to resist. He preferred avoiding complicated truths—knowing often brought more trouble than ignorance. But that morning, Xu Lv had pressured him to ease restrictions on prisoners. If prisoners gained slack, guards couldn’t afford divided attention.

Tan Wang swatted away a dragonfly crashing blindly toward him. Apparently, ignorance brought greater peril than knowledge. He needed answers.

Regardless of Tan Wang’s calculations, the rain clouds crept closer. His urgent commands spurred the group onward. They hurried along the riverbank before veering into woods, climbing the mountainside, and reaching that night’s shelter just as the first drops fell.

A dilapidated Mountain Spirit Temple stood before them, choked with weeds, its idol broken halfway. Yet most of its roof remained intact—a crucial shelter.

As Jiang Wu, bringing up the rear, strained to push the cart over the threshold, heavy raindrops began pattering loudly on the earth outside.

"Good, you’re dry," Chu Xiulan noted, checking Du Yinsui’s trousers.

Amid the guards’ shouts, Jiang Wu maneuvered the cart under a roofed corner. Qin Chongli ignored the guards’ hostile stares to scout the ruin, dragging a half-rotten wooden stool to the cart. Though damaged, it propped the vehicle securely.

Only when certain the cart wouldn’t topple did Jiang Wu release the handles and collapse. He silently thanked Du girl for forcing that half-bun on him at noon—without it, the afternoon’s grueling pace and climb might have broken him. And during the ascent… Teacher Qin and Sister Chu had helped shoulder the cart twice.

Du Yinsui scanned their surroundings when she caught Jiang Wu stealing guilty glances at Qin Chongli and Chu Xiulan.

Some people! Offer them the slightest help, and they act ready to carve out their hearts in repayment… truly baffling. A good shoot from bad bamboo.

Du Yinsui accepted Qin Chongli and Chu Xiulan’s road aid without guilt. Such help was transactional; she could repay it. Until then, she’d keep using them.

"Sister Chu." Du Yinsui crooked a finger.

"Right away." Chu Xiulan hadn’t found an opportunity to move forward earlier—the frantic pace made reaching the column’s front impossible.

Chu Xiulan stood but hesitated, glancing around furtively while whispering to Du Yinsui, "I’ll watch for an opening. When no one’s looking, I’ll slip over."

"???" Du Yinsui glanced around at the guards who were busy inspecting the surroundings for dog holes, paying no attention to the prisoners’ activities. "The guards are busy searching the temple, what are you worried about?"

Chu Xiulan peeked at Jiang Wu leaning against the wall corner with his eyes closed, then suddenly leaned toward the cart and whispered, "Our situation is more serious. It wouldn’t do to drag others into it for no reason."

Du Yinsui: "…"

They were already exiled prisoners—how much worse could they make things?

Honestly, these people’s moral compass was blindingly bright.

Meeting kind people was good. But meeting people this excessively kind was just…

"Heh…" Having survived seven years in the apocalypse, Du Yinsui couldn’t help snorting a laugh. She glanced at Chu Xiulan’s flushed, embarrassed face before grabbing a handful of cloud ears from the cart. "Take this as a gift. Feel better now?"

Chu Xiulan froze when the cloud ears were shoved into her hands. Strangely enough… she did feel a bit better.

Du Yinsui watched Chu Xiulan walk toward the Wei family with newfound confidence, sighed, then turned to Qin Chongli who’d just slumped against the wall.

The scorching stare from beside him was impossible to ignore. Qin Chongli reluctantly looked up.

"Teacher, don’t you want to save him anymore?"

The woman on the cart lifted a finger, silently pointing toward Jiang Wu with only lip movements—no sound escaped. Qin Chongli had never learned lip-reading, yet he understood perfectly.

Save him? Of course he wanted to!

But he feared… failing would mean killing instead.

Qin Chongli lowered his gaze to his own gnarled, rough hands. If that truth came out, if Jiang Wu couldn’t bear it… wouldn’t these hands become the ones that destroyed him?

Dazed, Qin Chongli remembered over a decade ago when he’d first become the Crown Prince’s mentor.

The six-year-old Crown Prince always arrived early at the Eastern Palace study, personally brewing tea for him. Imperial-grade tea leaves, delicate pastries—new varieties appeared daily. The child treated him with warm reverence.

That small person gazed up with pure admiration and hope, making Qin Chongli ache to pour all his knowledge into him at once.

But those simple days ended too soon—before he’d even finished teaching the Thousand Character Classic primer, the Emperor appointed deputy tutors, lecturers, and advisors while overhauling the curriculum.

His daily palace visits shrank to monthly sessions focused only on selected classics. The Emperor emphasized the Crown Prince’s character above all, entrusting Qin Chongli with nurturing benevolence while leaving other studies to subordinates.

Qin Chongli dared not disobey the Emperor’s will. At first, he discreetly asked colleagues about the Crown Prince’s other lessons. After just one or two inquiries, the Emperor summoned him.

That’s when Qin Chongli understood. His position was ornamental—a symbol of the Emperor’s "magnanimity" toward former opponents.

From then on, Qin Chongli stopped asking about the Crown Prince’s studies and kept his distance.

Until… today.

Jiang Wu had only been resting his eyes, not truly asleep. When a shadow fell over him, his eyes flew open—then widened in recognition.

"Grandfather, what game are you playing?" The little one had just woken up on the cart and now watched her grandfather and the cart-pushing woman staring silently at each other. Amused, she wriggled to climb down and join them—only to get scooped into the "bully’s" arms.

"Since you’re free, flip these cloud ears one by one. If they aren’t dried properly, they’ll mold and become inedible," Du Yinsui murmured, mock-threatening the child.

The intimidated little one stopped struggling. Sitting obediently in the "bully’s" lap, she began turning cloud ears with her tiny hands.

Du Yinsui exchanged a look with Qin Chongli but pressed no further.

His little granddaughter quietly tended the cloud ears on the cart while his grandson squatted nearby… digging? Both seemed utterly absorbed. Qin Chongli glanced at Du Yinsui, wishing she’d also stay uninvolved.

Of course, the brightness in those eyes made it clear it was impossible. It was uncertain if the little Du girl realized her current gaze was exactly the same as when his daughter-in-law had fallen.

"Jiang Wu…" Qin Chongli turned back and spoke slowly.

"Teacher…" Jiang Wu straightened his back to reply but suddenly realized it was impolite to stand while the other sat, and quickly tried to rise.

"No need to get up." Qin Chongli gestured for him to stay seated and sat down too. "I have some things to ask you."

"Yes," Jiang Wu answered, sitting properly.

Once a decision was made, speaking became easier… Jiang Wu didn’t know the real reason behind Qin Chongli’s questions, but since it wasn’t something secret, he shared everything openly.

Soon, Qin Chongli learned what Jiang Wu had studied over the years.

Fine, fine—benevolence and rites, metaphysics and idle talk, calligraphy and painting, and many poems and literary works that were mostly memorized but rarely explained in detail… Though not completely useless, it wasn’t helpful for becoming an Emperor.

All these years, did you not feel something was wrong? Qin Chongli looked at Jiang Wu’s clear eyes, unable to ask the question. How could he know? If no one had ever shown him the true world from the start, he would only see what others allowed him to see.

But the former Empress didn’t find anything wrong either?

"May I ask, did the former Empress ask about your studies?" Qin Chongli didn’t expect much from the former Empress, who had never cooked for Jiang Wu.

Yet, Jiang Wu nodded.

"My…" Jiang Wu began, pausing in confusion, unable to find the right word.

"Your mother," Du Yinsui cut in, seeing him about to become sad.

"My mother…" Jiang Wu paused, "She would ask. In the early years, she pushed me to do better in my studies because Father would sometimes question the tutors, and if I did well, he would praise me to her. Recently, as Father became fond of painting and calligraphy, she told me to focus more on those subjects, and sometimes asked me to pick out new works for Father to see when he visited."

Qin Chongli: "…" Not a comforting word.

Du Yinsui, who had gone through the original memories, knew the Empress wasn’t a loving mother. Now, hearing Qin Chongli’s questions, she saw that the Emperor wasn’t much better either.

Fine, fine—so you both get it? Jiang Wu is just a part of your marriage game?

Du Yinsui felt a little angry—no, seeing Jiang Wu now lost in some slightly happy memories, she was more than a little angry.

"You better say it, or I will," Du Yinsui warned Qin Chongli.

Qin Chongli: "???" That couldn’t be—he had just asked about Jiang Wu’s past studies, none of which should be known to a palace maid, useful or not. What had she understood? What was she going to say?

But… Qin Chongli saw the anger on the little Du girl’s face, and a strange feeling came over him. She might really understand.

However, Qin Chongli wasn’t ready yet. He was afraid he might be wrong, afraid this wasn’t saving him, but hurting him.

"Sometimes, hatred can also keep a person alive."

There it was again, only mouthed, without sound.

Qin Chongli marveled at how he understood once again. "Teacher, what’s wrong?" Jiang Wu cast a confused glance at Qin Chongli before turning to Du Yinsui. "What did Du girl want to say?"

Qin Chongli felt the little Du girl oversimplified things. Judging by Jiang Wu’s expression… he doubted hatred could take root. Still, perhaps it might lessen some guilt?

Du Yinsui didn’t press further, knowing interference in others’ fates was difficult. Like… what she’d done at the end of times.

"Jiang Wu, my presence here stems from my own choices, not your fault." Qin Chongli took the easier path first. He’d never blamed his family’s exile on Jiang Wu. Having never considered it, discussing it felt formal, strange, redundant… until the little Du girl’s words that morning.

Yet some words are never redundant. The young man’s instantly reddened eyes made Qin Chongli flounder, looking helplessly at the little Du girl. Du Yinsui spread her hands slightly, signaling him to continue.

*Damn it!* He understood silent words and strange gestures perfectly, wishing he didn’t.

"Ahem." Qin Chongli, fighting alone, cleared his throat. "Everyone bears responsibility for their choices. The responsibility for these little ones and my daughter-in-law falls on me. *My* choices brought them here. But that isn’t your fault. Because you had no choice."

You… might never have had the chance to choose.

Jiang Wu, eyes reddening, tried to speak, but Qin Chongli’s gesture silenced him again.

"There’s more." Qin Chongli steadied his expression. "Hate me or resent me after this if you will. I tore away the paper covering, revealing what lies beneath – truth or not. Now is your time to judge. I once advised your father’s deceased elder brother. Let me tell you what he studied…"

Unfamiliar book titles, each briefly described, flowed like water from Qin Chongli’s lips.

Jiang Wu initially didn’t grasp his meaning. But as terms like "imperial statecraft," "art of checks and balances," and "benevolent governance" emerged, he sensed something amiss.

After the last book, Qin Chongli fell silent. They stared at each other, wordless. Seeing Jiang Wu’s significantly paled face, Qin Chongli realized… perhaps she hadn’t been entirely unaware of her studies all these years.

Indeed, even between two mountains – one inside, one out – sealing everything off, a few stray breezes carrying different scents might slip through.

Alas, for a fledgling bird held tight in another’s grasp, feeling this awareness… might be worse than never feeling it.

"I’m back!" Chu Xiulan crept back to the cart, straightening up only to notice the tense atmosphere. "What happened?"

"Nothing. Did you find out?" Qin Chongli avoided looking at Jiang Wu, immensely grateful for his daughter-in-law’s timing.

"Yes. Huiqing… oh, Huiqing is that Wei family girl. She said with so few handfuls of Cloud ears, the guards wouldn’t bother. But back then, Tan Wang’s rule was half of any game caught, regardless of amount. Wild vegetables or mushrooms found while gathering firewood? A small amount was ignored. More than that, or if the guards needed it, they’d pick first – usually taking half at most." Chu Xiulan added, "But Huiqing said that was then; things might be different now."

Du Yinsui shifted her gaze from Jiang Wu to Chu Xiulan. "Can we still get wild game in the mountains?"

"Not exactly *into* the mountains. On the mountain trails, as it gets colder, we gather firewood every evening for the campfires – needed for both guards and prisoners to keep warm. Longer gathering time means covering more ground, so maybe luck will bring a pheasant or rabbit." Chu Xiulan remembered Du Yinsui’s other question. "About a month further along, near Xizhou and Daizhou, there’s a village selling black sheepskin. Prisoners without winter clothes or bedding can get some there. No money? Write an IOU. Guards pay upfront, prisoners write the note. In Linzhou, guards submit the IOUs to the Linzhou workhouse. Prisoners work extra there to repay."

Jiang Wu, his mind in turmoil, tried to focus. "But last time, Guard Tan wouldn’t let us get a doctor on credit…"

"Of course," Du Yinsui snorted. "Doctor visits and medicine are used up. If we didn’t survive to Linzhou, they’d lose out. Black sheepskin bedding is different. If the person dies… the item remains. Pat it down and resell it."

Chu Xiulan nodded. "Exactly. Even in Linzhou, if the debt isn’t paid, the goods are there to reclaim. You can never have too much cold-weather gear in Linzhou."

So. They wouldn’t let people freeze to death, but wouldn’t make it easy either. Just as Du Yinsui had guessed.

"And money earned selling finds along the way? How’s it split?" Du Yinsui suspected the village was crooked; better to earn money earlier for normal towns.

Chu Xiulan shook her head. "Huiqing said she never saw anyone earn money on the road; the guards took every last penny…"

Du Yinsui nodded. All right, she would let her see this time. But as the Wei family girl had mentioned, those were matters from the previous time. This time, after all, many things were different.

While they spoke near the cart, the Wei family on the other side of the Mountain Spirit Temple kept talking too.

"Why were you talking to those Qin family people again! Didn’t I tell you to stay away from that hen-crowing-at-dawn type! Mixing with them will ruin our Wei family’s reputation!" Wei Yuting grumbled as he stroked his long beard, not daring to raise his voice.

It couldn’t be helped; when the Qin family woman had approached earlier, he was about to speak when this ungrateful daughter threw out a critical remark, forcing him to swallow his contempt and endure it.

Now that she was gone, he needed to teach this ungrateful daughter a lesson.

Wei Huiqing usually ignored her father’s unwelcome words, but when she glanced toward the Qin family and saw several people looking their way, her calm heart boiled over.

From such a distance… could they still hear her father’s nonsense?

Wei Huiqing flushed with irritation and whispered, "Dad, stop it. Besides, let’s settle in Linzhou this time!"

"That line again, that same line!" Wei Yuting was so angry he plucked two strands from his beard. "What, am I the only one who finds Linzhou miserable? You enjoy living there, do you? Fine! When we reach the Northern lands, I’ll marry you off to a Northerner! I’ll return to the Capital, and you can be a Linzhou local!"

"Then go back," Wei Huiqing pointed to a young man sitting cross-legged nearby. "But no need for marriage—I’m already wed."

"Fine, fine! When we returned from Yizhou to the Capital, you claimed buying these two slaves was for emergencies. But it wasn’t for emergencies—it was to guard against me, right?" Wei Yuting gestured angrily at the woman and young man beside them.

Wei Huiqing averted her eyes. "Dad, stop calling them slaves. That’s your wife and my husband. Isn’t it better having their help on the road than our first trip to Linzhou? Ha! Barely back from exile in Yizhou, and now off to Linzhou again. The Northern lands—with deadly icicles, ice pits that trap you for hours, and Linzhou’s cold that kills anytime. You must have missed it terribly to argue so fiercely for this."

Remembering his two years of exile in Linzhou, Wei Yuting’s flushed face paled.

"Huiqing, Linzhou isn’t pleasant. We should return to the Capital soon," he said, rubbing his chilled arms.

Wei Huiqing stayed silent.

"I spoke too much, but it’s for your good. That Deposed Crown Prince is no saint—a woman dreaming of being Emperor is pure fantasy, confusing male and female roles!" Wei Yuting forced a smile. "Daughter, this fake husband is temporary. Back in the Capital, I’ll find you a real one. Our Wei family’s reputation matters—don’t get tangled with that woman."

Wei Huiqing faced him squarely. "What’s wrong with women? Dad, didn’t a woman rescue you twice from exile? Why didn’t you call me a hen-crowing-at-dawn then?"

"Hey, hey… what are you…" Wei Yuting tried to cover her mouth but missed, slapping his knee in frustration. "You’re my daughter! You’re a Wei—serving the family is your duty!"

"True. She’s a Jiang, so serving the Jiang dynasty is hers too," Wei Huiqing smiled faintly.

"…!" Wei Yuting wanted to strike out but held back, coaxing softly, "Dear daughter, last time your Linzhou military colony plan earned us a pardon. Could we try something similar? Or open a free school like in Yizhou…"

"Try if you want. That was luck—not everything succeeds or gets noticed." Wei Huiqing turned away wearily. "If you hate Linzhou so much, don’t get us exiled a third time! Am I some immortal who can return three times?"

"You’d better be!" Wei Yuting gritted his teeth. "Unless you want to be the Wei family’s disgrace!"

Wei Huiqing ignored him, and Wei Yuting quieted down.

Still, he shot a look at the silent young man beside them.

Just a death-contract slave. Once he found the deed, the man would become his weapon—he’d make this ungrateful daughter’s life in Linzhou unbearable and force their return.

Though the Wei family argued quietly with no one nearby, Wei Yuting’s furious expression was visible even to Chu Xiulan from afar.

Meanwhile, Du Yinsui was still musing about what else to ask the Wei family girl, so Chu Xiulan gently interrupted.

"Du girl, the Wei family master… doesn’t seem to like us. Earlier, he didn’t want the Wei girl speaking to me…" Chu Xiulan nodded toward the distant Wei family.

"Oh, he’s useless. No need for his approval." Du Yinsui glanced over and snorted. "A man rescued from exile twice by his daughter, daring to try a third time? His liking us would be terrifying."

"???" Chu Xiulan gasped. "How do you know?"

Du Yinsui flipped a wood ear the little one had turned twice. "They just said so."

"From so far…" Chu Xiulan was stunned. "You heard them?"

Du Yinsui looked up. "Not that far."

As a post-apocalyptic mutant, her senses were heightened—even as a smell specialist, her hearing surpassed ordinary people’s.

The Wei family was only a dozen steps away. Earlier, when her enhanced smell briefly sharpened her physique, she caught the key points.

"If you’re too shy to ask next time, send the teacher." Du Yinsui grabbed a handful of wood ear and eyed Qin Chongli. "He’s quite fierce now."

Qin Chongli: "…" He suspected he understood but wished he didn’t!

"Ruined! Moldy!" The little one snatched the wood ear from Du Yinsui indignantly and rearranged them, puffing her cheeks.

As the two on the cart descended into childish flipping, Chu Xiulan tiptoed to Jiang Wu’s side and crouched, whispering into his ear, "Heavens, her hearing’s that sharp? Could she have heard us call her Pig Girl earlier?"

"…" Du Yinsui, pinching the little one’s cheek, slowly turned. "I heard it now."