Chapter 33
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Chapter 33: How Du Yinsui Encountered Her Own Foolish and Embarrassing Moment
If she had followed her apocalyptic habit of finishing off enemies in one strike, the worst of those three troublemakers from that morning would’ve ended up with at least one broken leg. He wouldn’t dare commit evil again—even thinking of it would remind him of that beating. But this wasn’t the apocalypse.
The people around her couldn’t withstand fierce retaliation. Du Yinsui held back, though seeing the little one’s bleeding forehead still unsettled her. When Wu Li patrolled past the cart, he spotted her diligently grinding stones.
"How many stones have you ground? Planning a stone-grilled feast for everyone?" Wu Li teased lightly before moving ahead.
After finding bamboo rats near the Mountain Spirit Temple, they’d gathered flat stones to cook Ground Cloud ears and brought those slabs along the next day.
The first time Du Yinsui ground stones on the cart, passing guards questioned her, and even Tan Wang inspected twice. Seeing she only wanted smoother cooking slabs, they muttered about her keeping busy but didn’t interfere. Over days, the bumpy stones gradually flattened, and people stopped noticing.
But Du Yinsui wasn’t solely focused on the stones.
She spent all morning grinding. Tan Wang, who’d lost interest in her task over previous days, visited repeatedly. Du Yinsui suspected it was because they’d thrown stones at the Liu family that morning, making him wary again.
Irritated, her darkened expression seemed to frighten Jiang Wu. He spoke little all morning. Shortly after they resumed their journey that afternoon, he kept urging her to rest.
Since waking from her coma six days prior, Du Yinsui handled most night watches—only she could nap on the cart by day. Others walking all day couldn’t endure sleepless nights. Though Jiang Wu rarely policed her daytime rest, today he insisted until her annoyance relented.
As she lay down, the little one crawled up and nestled into her arms. Heavy-hearted, Du Yinsui slept deeply.
Until a faint, fresh blood scent pierced her dreams. Instinct jolted her awake. She flung off the loose sunshade over her head, shifted the warm little one aside, and sat up.
The late sun glared into her newly opened eyes. Ignoring the sting, she turned toward the blood’s source—Jiang Wu, pushing the cart.
The cart moved smoothly without mishap. Yet Jiang Wu’s clenched lips and pallor showed someone barely holding on.
After becoming a scent mutant in the apocalypse, Du Yinsui no longer had periods. It took her a moment to understand Jiang Wu’s state and the blood scent.
"Fetch your aunt," she ordered, lifting the yawning little one down. To Jiang Wu, she murmured, "Stop."
"What’s wrong? We’re nearly there…" Ignoring her stern look, he jerked his chin forward without halting.
Du Yinsui didn’t turn. She’d already sensed it—a village of dozens lay a kilometer uphill along the mountain path. Dinnertime smoke had seeped into her dreams, but now the faint blood scent overwhelmed it.
"You’ve started your period," Du Yinsui said softly. When Jiang Wu kept pushing, she snatched a long stick from the cart and vaulted down.
"What’re you doing! How could you dismount!" Jiang Wu’s shock at her swiftness erased all else—even the knife-twist pain in his gut.
Within moments, the little one returned tugging Chu Xiulan’s sleeve.
"You…" Chu Xiulan gaped at Du Yinsui standing there and Jiang Wu’s ghastly pallor, shock piling upon shock.
Though the journey grew harder daily, Jiang Wu had never looked so drained—hair sweat-drenched, face bloodless. Chu Xiulan had checked them just moments ago. How had he worsened so quickly?
"Her period had started. Could you lend her the one you made before?" Du Yinsui pointed to their small pile of luggage on the cart.
"Oh, yes, take it quickly!" Hearing Du Yinsui mention it was her period, Chu Xiulan’s tense mood eased a bit. She rushed to the cart, opened a fastened bamboo box, and pulled out the simple sanitary belt made from collected grass ash and clean dried cloth strips.
"Go and change into this," Du Yinsui said, shoving the sanitary belt into Jiang Wu’s hands, then turned to Chu Xiulan. "He can’t push the cart now, and we’re nearly at the village. Could you and your father push for a while? I won’t ride on it; you should manage with the empty cart, right?"
"Yes, we could even push if you rode. My dad and I will push from each side." Chu Xiulan urged Du Yinsui to get on the cart and sent the little one to call her father-in-law.
Everything was arranged well, except Jiang Wu clutched the cloth strips, his pained face showing clear confusion.
"You…" Du Yinsui had just refused Chu Xiulan, then saw Jiang Wu standing quietly, looking lost. Surprised, she softened her voice. "You… don’t know how to use it…"
"I didn’t… I didn’t use the restroom," Jiang Wu said weakly, pressing his stomach as if knifed, waiting out the pain. He added, "Maybe I ate something bad too, but it’s fine. Last time, Teacher and Haoyang got better fast. You should sit; we’re close to the village. I can push."
Du Yinsui thought Jiang Wu didn’t move because he couldn’t use the homemade pad, but she didn’t expect this…
Seeing Jiang Wu try to explain he hadn’t soiled himself, his pale face flushing pink from shame, Du Yinsui felt a punch to her heart.
"Stop talking," Du Yinsui cut Jiang Wu off before he could ‘hurt’ her more, snatched the folded cloth strips from his hands, and called over nearby Ma Datou to handle their ’emergency’.
"It’s just a little way left!" Ma Datou pointed at the cooking smoke visible on the distant hill, but gave in to Du Yinsui’s firm demand.
Soon, Ma Datou lay on a roadside rock, gazing at the sky… Annoying women.
"You’ve never had your period? Monthly flow? Blood days?" Du Yinsui tried several terms, but got only head shakes, so she said plainly, "It’s when you bleed for a few days each month."
Jiang Wu still shook his head.
In a world where girls wed at fourteen, not having a period by eighteen seemed odd.
Du Yinsui frowned.
"Are you… angry?" Jiang Wu asked carefully, holding his stomach, then added, "If you’re not… cough, go ahead, I’ll watch for you."
Pay attention to your own body! Du Yinsui thought, rubbing her forehead in frustration.
"I’m telling you about this…" Du Yinsui used a stick as a crutch to hop away briskly, refusing Jiang Wu’s arm support, and led him deeper into the bushes.
"Count out loud!" Ma Datou yelled from the roadside.
Irritated, Du Yinsui had to shout numbers while whispering explanations.
Waiting and waiting, Ma Datou finally saw the two come out.
One looked stern, even grumpier than before. The other had gone from pale to bright red.
Ma Datou rolled his eyes skyward… Just going to the bathroom, why the fuss…
Naturally, there was a reason.
Jiang Wu felt grateful the bushes were tall and Du Yinsui hadn’t stayed close to guide him hands-on. Just hearing her describe it was enough…
Why did women have this monthly ordeal, and why did Du Yinsui catch him at such a foolish, awkward moment?
Jiang Wu held his stomach and hung his head, too embarrassed to offer support after Du Yinsui refused again.
As for Du Yinsui…
Her mood, sour since morning, got worse.
Du Yinsui suspected that to keep Jiang Wu’s boy disguise perfect, the lady in the Palace might have given him medicine, so he’d never had a period or even known about it. Sadly, Jiang Wu had been too obedient, taking whatever the lady gave him. He drank ‘safe medicine’ several times a month without knowing what it was. Judging by his state now, it probably wasn’t good.
Her first period came, and they only had makeshift pads made of plant ash and rags… No clean clothes to change into either, though fortunately it wasn’t visible from behind.
Regardless of whether she’d taken medicine before, the pain was unbearable now—she needed to see a doctor. But there was nothing. The conditions were wretched, and Du Yinsui had nearly reached her limit.
As the saying goes, misfortunes never come alone.
By the time Du Yinsui’s group caught up with the main party, they’d reached the village entrance. Prisoners were herded together while Tan Wang and several guards negotiated with apparent villagers.
Returning to the cart, Du Yinsui spotted the anxiety on Chu Xiulan and Qin Chongli’s faces.
"What’s wrong?" She hurried to the cart, following their worried gazes to the small child lying there.
"She was fine when they called me earlier. Then suddenly, she developed a fever," Qin Chongli murmured, his brow deeply furrowed as he touched his little granddaughter’s forehead.
Du Yinsui had him remove the cloth from the little one’s forehead. The medicinal powder remained undisturbed, and the wound looked fine.
"Let’s hope it’s just shock-induced fever, not brain injury…" Du Yinsui glanced toward the distant mountains. She couldn’t delay any longer.
Li Village was Tan Wang’s regular northern stopover.
Soon the Village Chief led them to dilapidated houses in the north. Prisoners were driven into side rooms while guards took the main building in the better-preserved courtyard. Two courtyards were available: the Kong family occupied one alone due to their numbers, while others shared the second.
After assigning prisoners, Tan Wang waited for villagers to clean the main house when Wu Li delivered a message: the Deposed Crown Princess requested an audience.
Prisoners always wanted something. Earlier, Ma Datou had briefly taken two prisoners aside. Tan Wang learned upon their return that the Deposed Crown Prince seemed unwell—likely another plea for a doctor.
Tan Wang hesitated. Unlike the insignificant Deposed Crown Princess, the Deposed Crown Prince’s condition might actually require a physician.
Though annoyed, he went.
To his surprise, her request wasn’t medical.
"Officer Tan," Du Yinsui fabricated, "I came here as a child. Someone once found young ginseng on the mountain but left it unharvested. I remember the way. Send someone with me, and we’ll split the find."
Tan Wang snorted derisively. He’d reviewed her records—she’d entered palace service at five. What five-year-old remembers such details? And who discovers ginseng without digging it up?
Unfazed, Du Yinsui continued, "I recall the ancient banyan at the village entrance. Northward lies a mountain path. Half a mile in stand three ginkgo trees—one older and fruitful, the others sparse. Past them, turning east, grows a cypress older than the village banyan…"
Initially amused, Tan Wang grew uneasy. The banyan was visible upon arrival, but she described unseen terrain. Li villagers had indeed mentioned those three ginkgos—their chief had even gifted ginkgo nuts before.
Could someone truly remember paths from age five?
Wait… the ginseng…
