Chapter 50

Chapter 50: Jiang Wu… always hid so well.

Was Wei Yuting someone who would rather die than submit? Of course not. Unfortunately, the Deposed Crown Prince acted too fast. Before Wei Yuting could even put on a stern face to argue, he was struck on the buttocks with a piece of firewood. The pain made him jump forward several steps, howling and clutching his rear, before he could speak.

A wise man knows when to yield. After that hit, Wei Yuting understood these women meant business—they really dared to strike him! "I’ll give it! I’ll give it!" He dodged another strike and hurriedly pulled two paper scrolls from his robe.

Wei Huiqing stepped forward, took them, glanced at them, then turned and bowed to Du Yinsui and Jiang Wu. "Thank you both. I, Wei Huiqing, will remember this great kindness."

This was for today’s help, and yesterday’s too. Some things Wei Huiqing couldn’t say openly, but if they ever needed aid in the future, she would do what little she could for them. Those unspoken words shone in her eyes, and Du Yinsui saw them clearly. Good. Even if they weren’t on the same team, mutual support later was enough.

"What about this man?" Du Yinsui asked, looking down at Agu, who clutched his arm and pretended to groan.

Back in Old Cave Village, after taking two antidote pills from him, Du Yinsui had told Wei Huiqing what she’d overheard: that the woman and man from the Wei family were actually slaves. This shocked Wei Huiqing. When Du Yinsui pressed gently for details, Wei Huiqing answered.

Two years ago, soon after the Wei family was pardoned and returned from exile in the southwest, Wei Huiqing—exiled twice because of Wei Yuting—felt jumpy. She wanted to buy two slaves to prepare for more hardship. Since exiles couldn’t bring servants, and the Wei family only had father and daughter, Wei Yuting needed Wei Huiqing’s wits and didn’t want her marrying at twenty-one. So they decided to buy a middle-aged woman and a strong man for a false marriage.

Wei Huiqing quickly chose Zhou Jingniang. But disliking the "false marriage" idea, she delayed picking a man. After a long struggle, she found Agu in a slave market, where he was beaten for being stubborn.

With both chosen, Wei Yuting later got his official post back in the Capital and erased their slave status. The contracts were added secretly afterward for safety.

So this Jin Kingdom spy had targeted the Wei family two years earlier. Their exile case happened almost a month before the palace banquet incident—not because of it.

It was almost funny. After Du Yinsui made Wei Huiqing explain the slave-buying details and confirmed Agu wasn’t linked to Jiang Wu, she realized: if the Jin Kingdom wanted to harm Jiang Wu, why use Agu? They could target the closer "Deposed Crown Princess" instead. She’d worried for nothing.

But from her earlier questions, Du Yinsui noticed something interesting about Agu.

"Agu," Wei Huiqing said sternly, eyeing him on the ground, "you once claimed you’d obey whoever held your contract?"

The man rolled over to kneel and bowed deeply. "I’ll listen to the lady now."

Wei Yuting, still rubbing his backside, froze. The words sounded familiar—only the key part had changed. A slave was a slave; never to be trusted!

Nobody cared about Wei Yuting’s anger.

"Your contract is with me," Wei Huiqing told Agu, though her words were for the others. "If anyone tries to steal it, break their hands."

"Yes, miss," the man said, bowing again.

Du Yinsui lightly rubbed her nose. Whether the contract was with Wei Yuting or Wei Huiqing, Agu showed no loyalty. He’d been ordered to stay with the Wei family. Whoever held the contract decided if he stayed or left, but his true loyalty was to the Jin Kingdom.

Keeping him might ease the exile’s hardships, but Du Yinsui wasn’t sure it was wise for Wei Huiqing. Still, everyone chose their own path, and she couldn’t control it all.

Seeing Wei Huiqing had regained control, Du Yinsui pulled Jiang Wu along to say goodbye.

A few steps from the Wei family, Du Yinsui stopped. "First you hit his backside, then you missed. Still showing respect for your elders, huh?"

Jiang Wu, already guilty with his head down, flushed red instantly.

He’d killed before, yet his heart stayed soft. Du Yinsui meant to tease him, but catching the air of his obedient remorse, she softened her eyes.

Du Yinsui suddenly regretted it.

That Agu smelled like an ordinary man with some strength. But as a Jin Kingdom spy, who knew if he held hidden tricks? If he held a grudge over Jiang Wu hitting him today…

Should she have dealt with this "possible threat" before leaving?

Hmm… and that nanny’s son, an imperial guard whose skills might be real. If his talk of punishing Jiang Wu for his mother wasn’t just empty boasts…

The sharp bitterness beside her snapped Du Yinsui back from her thoughts.

Tch… she couldn’t keep thinking like this, or she’d have too many to handle.

"We’ll skip Wei Yuting this time. If you face danger again, don’t worry about respecting old or young—or you’ll suffer." After mentally marking many for death, Du Yinsui poked Jiang Wu sharply.

Jiang Wu grabbed the chance, admitting his fault and agreeing quickly.

Nearby, Kong Yan’er, still held by her mother, watched the two pause then leave, giving a bitter smile.

Of course—helping Wei Huiqing first, then her, made it obvious and easy to link to last night.

Compared to Wei Huiqing, who often gathered firewood close to them, who was she?

Wei Huiqing had walked the exile road twice before—this was her third—with so much experience… even knowing wild plants, a useful person. She was just a parasite on the Kong family, useless to them.

Maybe last night was only for Wei Huiqing; helping her was just a random kindness.

Kong Yan’er’s mind turned unusually clear, but her heart sank deeper.

Glancing at her mother still urging her to behave and not anger her father, the struggling Kong Yan’er stopped and even smiled. "Fine, let’s check. My sister-in-law can come too, why not my sisters? I’m fine, not scared of you all seeing."

When pain peaks, one can still smile.

Kong Yan’er smiled bright and bold, taking her mother’s arm. This sudden change froze Zhu Miaolian in place.

"Move, mother. Father can’t wait to know if I’m still worth anything." Kong Yan’er said plainly, dragging Zhu Miaolian toward the woods.

Why hide scheming under fancy clothes? Lay it all out.

The Kong family stole money; Kong Yan’er didn’t join in, but she’d eaten well from it. Ending up here was her bad luck. But alive, she’d pay all debts someday.

What she owed the robbed people, she could repay.

What she owed this father and mother, she could repay too.

Want to see if she’s worth money? Then look.

See if she can be sold high, if she still gets the spot in the only donkey cart, if her next meal is white bread with veggies and meat or black bread loaves like her kicked-out brother.

Some, cold-faced, cut off control and schemes.

Some, smiling and talking, cut ties in their hearts too.

And some…

Just back at the fire, Du Yinsui got a bowl of sweet wild egg soup with chrysanthemum petals from Qin Haoyang.

The warm, sweet broth eased Du Yinsui’s unexplained morning irritation. She didn’t hold back her praise—lavishing it so generously that the child flushed, rolled up their sleeves, and eagerly set about brewing another pot.

Another pot wasn’t beyond her capacity to drink…

But…

Du Yinsui didn’t dare drink it.

Hadn’t she merely praised a child who cooked well?

Yet the soft little one beside her had already begun souring. Before she could finish her sentence, the sweet little treasure had turned into a tart little ball…

Was it Xiaobao’s fault the little one fermented? No—the imbalance was entirely Du Yinsui’s doing!

What choice remained? Though this little one hadn’t cooked, their tiny braids were endearing, their embrace soft, and today they seemed even sweeter than yesterday. Praising a child required no effort at all.

As for the risk of spoiling them so much they’d call her "Mama"… Well, she’d be gone soon enough. Children forget quickly—once she left, Jiang Wu could handle the praising!

Thus consoling herself, Du Yinsui’s compliments flowed as freely as water.

Time seemed to rewind: the tart little ball transformed back into a soft, fragrant bundle.

Yet… the sourness lingering in the air didn’t dissipate.

Setting the child down, Du Yinsui sighed and glanced helplessly at Jiang Wu, who stood a few paces away, seemingly engrossed in tidying the donkey cart.

The little one wore their pout plainly, hovering where Du Yinsui couldn’t miss it.

But Jiang Wu… always hid things so well.

Of course. Back when he’d believed living was tolerable and death preferable, he’d appeared equally composed. A man who’d concealed secrets within the Palace for eighteen years certainly knew how to bury his feelings.

In the past, encountering such harmless, expertly concealed contradictions, Du Yinsui would’ve silently applauded and moved on—especially after sensing Jiang Wu’s hidden affection, she knew better than to voice unnecessary words.

But now…

Surrounded by that acidic atmosphere, Du Yinsui sighed. "Jiang Wu, leave that for now. Come drink the soup."

A single soft utterance, and the bitter tang in the air was overwhelmed by sweetness.

Du Yinsui: "…"

Just one trivial phrase had effortlessly reversed Jiang Wu’s mood. It was frighteningly simple—so simple she couldn’t resist speaking.

Ah, well. The wretched guards were dead. Since entering Daizhou, refugees had grown numerous. Her chance to slip away would come soon… Why let these final days be unhappy?

Du Yinsui’s talent for self-persuasion had sharpened remarkably these past days.

Shaking off her hesitation, she fetched a roasted flatbread from beside the fire and handed it to Jiang Wu as he sat down. "Eat with me. The bread’s too dry alone."

Jiang Wu obeyed, quietly alternating sips of soup with bites of bread.

Honestly…

Du Yinsui shot him a complicated glance.

Over a mere flatbread!

This person, who seemed merely to be eating, radiated such intensifying sweetness—a sweetness so potent it drowned out even the distant, suffocating waves of hatred and murderous intent emanating from Tan Wang.

It was… astonishing.

Never mind, never mind. A little sweetness these last days couldn’t hurt…

Du Yinsui tirelessly rationalized, indulging without understanding why she felt compelled to indulge.

She didn’t yet know, however, that events about to unfold would shatter her "final days" plan with devastating, unstoppable force.