I Marry a Wife for my Big Brother, Starting Out With Exile - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Those Who Adapt to Circumstances are Wise Men

Damn it, this woman is way too gorgeous. What a pity she’s only good to look at and not to touch.

Old Gu took two large gulps from his water skin, let out a “sih-ha” sound with a whiff of alcoholic breath, and strode over.

Everyone’s gaze landed squarely on Jiang Jinyue.

Beneath the blazing sun, the woman stood tall and slender with a cool and detached disposition. Even though she wore ill-fitting plain gray prison clothes, it still couldn’t mask her peerless charm. Her expression remained perpetually calm, resembling a fairy from the Palace of the Moon, untainted by worldly dust.

Watching the approaching bailiff, Jiang Jinyue spoke without a ripple in her voice, “Naturally I am thirsty, but I can still endure it.”

Old Gu narrowed his eyes and suddenly burst out laughing, “Hahaha, everybody listen up! How come the beauty can endure it, but you lot can’t?”

With those words, he directly shifted the aggro onto Jiang Jinyue.

The prisoners’ expressions shifted. Suddenly, they felt that the peerless beauty looked a little too dazzling for comfort.

Old Gu was very satisfied with everyone’s reaction. If someone else made a move on this woman first, and he happened to play the hero saving the beauty and thus win her heart, Minister Jiang back in the distant capital wouldn’t blame him at all—he’d even have to thank him.

“A bunch of good-for-nothing idiots, why aren’t you getting up? Don’t blame my rattan whip if it lacks eyes.”

With that, he glanced at the few bailiffs who had followed him over and took the lead in drawing his rattan whip.

Crack!

The sound of the rattan whip striking the ground startled the prisoners so much that their bodies shivered. A good number of them were already tempted, glancing hesitatingly at the people beside them as they wanted to stand up.

By the time the whip lashed the first prisoner, the ones who had already been wavering scrambled up in a flurry, losing any remaining courage to resist.

“Your Highness, get up,” Grand Tutor Yu sighed deeply. Kneeling any further was pointless.

Wang Yue stood up mechanically, looking at the people being beaten, then at the bailiffs endlessly swinging their whips, and finally at Jiang Jinyue, who wore a calm expression.

“Grand Tutor, this woman is absolutely unusable.” She had originally thought this kneeling could trade for the bailiffs’ compromise, but she hadn’t expected that because of Jiang Jinyue alone, everyone else’s hopes were ruined.

For someone so selfish and cowardly—no matter how exceptional her intelligence was, even if she pledged loyalty to her, she wouldn’t deign to use her.

Seeing that her expression was poor, Grand Tutor Yu didn’t say anything. The Jiang family woman really didn’t know what was good for her, but he felt a bit uncertain as well; he would just have to wait and observe a while longer.

With the bailiffs beating and cursing all at once, the prisoners didn’t even dare to kneel anymore. Looking at the position of the sun, Old Gu didn’t order them to hit the road either. Since it was already noon, they might as well just rest right here.

Several bailiffs chewed on dried meat, their throats so parched they kept frowning. The prisoners huddled together obediently, each and every one of them wearing gloomy faces, not daring to make another peep.

However, the Li family and the father-and-son pair of the Xu family—who were already situated at the very rear of the procession—were pushed even further away. The prisoners tacitly crowded toward the center, putting some distance between themselves and the outsiders.

For a time, the atmosphere was dead silent, and within that silence hung an indescribable, stifling gloom that weighed heavily on everyone.

Old Madam Li sat down on the ground, looking at Jiang Jinyue with words hovering on her lips. It seemed the jinx was acting a bit too stubborn this time.

As for Li Chenghuan, she inched closer to Jiang Jinyue and lowered her voice. “Sister-in-law, actually, kneeling wouldn’t have hurt.” Those who adapt to circumstances are wise men.

Though her cold-beauty sister-in-law was the female lead, even a female lead couldn’t possibly make every single step correct; otherwise, she wouldn’t have ended up implicated to this degree.

As the female lead’s most steadfast follower, she felt it necessary to offer some loyal advice that grated on the ears.

Jiang Jinyue swept her gaze over the three members of the Li family, then shifted her eyes past them to Xu Xiao behind her. “Does Young Master Xu also think we should have knelt?”

“My good Yue’er, Chenghuan is talking to you,” Old Madam Li said, her expression looking somewhat displeased. The jinx was sitting way too close to this outside male, and furthermore, she was ignoring her second granddaughter just to chat with the Xu family boy—what kind of decorum was that?

Seeing this, Li Chenghuan hurriedly tugged on the old lady’s arm. “Grandmother, don’t interrupt for a moment. Let’s hear what Young Master Xu has to say.”

Hearing this, how could she still not understand? The female lead felt they shouldn’t kneel, so she wanted to listen carefully to why they shouldn’t kneel.

Seeing that they were all looking at him, Xu Xiao wasn’t nervous at all. He looked at Jiang Jinyue and said, “Kneeling would have been useless; they don’t have water. Besides, a man of honor should maintain his integrity.”

When he had knelt before, it was to save his father’s life. Since he now knew kneeling was useless, there was no need to bend his backbone.

“How do you know they don’t have water?” Li Chenghuan asked reflexively.

This time, Jiang Jinyue answered her. “They used up all four water skins boiling soup yesterday. Of the remaining water skins, one of them is filled with wine.”

The six escorting bailiffs carried a total of six water skins. In other words, at most they had only one water skin left filled with water, and even if it was full, they were currently in the middle of nowhere. Those bailiffs might not even have enough for themselves, so they definitely wouldn’t take it out to give to the prisoners.

Besides, with so many prisoners thirsty, even if they took it out, it would just be a drop in the bucket.

Li Chenghuan was astonished. The cold beauty observed things far too meticulously! And this Xu Xiao—he couldn’t even protect himself, yet he still had the mind to notice how many water skins the bailiffs had used?

“Even if it’s useless, you should still put on a show! What kind of ‘man of honor with integrity’? In this old woman’s eyes, you lot are just muddled in the head.” Old Madam Li couldn’t help chiming in. Great, now they were getting ostracized by everyone!

Li Chenghuan glanced at the old lady and didn’t stop her this time. She also felt that for something that could be resolved just by putting on a show, there was no need to go head-to-head with everyone.

Jiang Jinyue lifted her gaze and stared deeply into Li Chenghuan’s eyes. “It has nothing to do with integrity; I merely did it for convenience of action.”

This person’s ability absolutely could not be exposed in front of others—especially along the exile road. Moreover, she had no desire to share the same bitter hatred as the rest of the mob. The prisoners were at a disadvantage; even if they united, they couldn’t contend with the bailiffs and would only bring about unprovoked beatings and curses.

Not engaging in useless resistance against the prisoners, while appropriately striving for favorable treatment from the bailiffs—that was what it truly meant to be sensible of current affairs.

Li Chenghuan caught the subtext in her words and unconsciously nodded. Pulling away from the crowd and not getting mixed up too closely with them really did make things much more convenient.

Old Madam Li also came to her senses, immediately breaking into an affectionate smile. “Still, my good Yue’er thinks the most thoroughly.” The jinx had an expert helping her from the shadows, so they didn’t have to worry about food or drink; their only worry was the inconvenience of doing things out in the open.

Not mingling with the crowd was the correct choice. By getting squeezed out to the sidelines, it became much easier for them to avoid everyone else and not wrong their own stomachs.

The Li family members came to a sudden realization, but Xu Xiao was left completely bewildered. How come he couldn’t understand what they were saying?

Right at that moment, Li Chengle suddenly pointed behind Xu Xiao. “Master Xu has woken up!”

Xu Xiao snapped his head around. Seeing his father wake up, his eyes instantly reddened. “Dad, Dad…” In his excitement, he didn’t even know what to say, repeating his call over and over.

Master Xu weakly opened his mouth. “A real man does not easily shed tears. Don’t cry. Help your father sit up.”

“Alright!” Xu Xiao helped him into a sitting position, and after calming down slightly, hastily took out the corn bun from his bosom. “Dad, hurry up and eat something. You must be starving.”

Master Xu offered a faint, feeble bow toward Jiang Jinyue and the others before taking the corn bun. He couldn’t afford to collapse again; he still had to lead his son back to the capital.

Yet this corn bun was far too dry and hard; chewing it felt extremely difficult, and his throat was unbearably parched. He managed to force down half of it before he couldn’t eat anymore, and pulling himself together, he asked his son what had happened while he was unconscious.

After listening to his son’s account, Master Xu bowed to Jiang Jinyue and the others once more, speaking with solemn gravity, “Many thanks to everyone for saving my life. If old man I have a tomorrow, I will surely weave grass and tie rings to repay this kindness.”

Jiang Jinyue gave a slight nod. “Master Xu should take good care of his health so as not to live up to everyone’s hardships along this journey.”

This “everyone” included her and Li Chenghuan providing medicine, as well as Li Chengle carrying him for half the journey. This favor was one they could accept, and it was also what she wanted.

Master Xu thanked them once again, then leaned against his son’s shoulder and closed his eyes to rest; he was far too weak…

Li Chenghuan saw that Master Xu was weak and feeble, having only eaten half a corn bun, and knew he urgently needed to replenish sugar and energy. Thinking of that bag of fruit drops, she silently looked toward Jiang Jinyue.

As their eyes met, Jiang Jinyue’s gaze flashed slightly, and she calmly rose to her feet. “Chenghuan, come with me.”

Just as Li Chenghuan was about to stand up, she was given a shove by Old Madam Li. “Hurry up and go with your sister-in-law. Come back and call us if there’s anything, so this old woman doesn’t have to worry.”

The old lady’s eyes shone brightly, as if she could already see good wine and meat. The jinx must be hungry again; she wondered what delicious things she would pull out this time.

Old Madam Li: I want meat! I want wine!